Throughout history, people have been interested in knowing how languages first began, but no one knows exactly where or how this happened. However, we do know a lot about languages, the languages of today and also the languages of earlier times. There are probably about 3,000 languages in the world today. Chinese is the language with the most speakers. English, Russian and Spanish are also spoken by many millions of people. On the other hand, some languages in the world have less than one hundred speakers.
There are several important families of languages in the world. For example, most of the languages of Europe are in one large family called Indo-European. The original (最初的) language of this family was spoken about 4,500 years ago. Many of the present day languages of Europe and India are modern forms of the language of 4,500 yeas ago.
Languages are always changing. The English of today is very different from the English of 500 years ago. In time some even died out completely. About 1,000 years ago, English was a little-known relative of German spoken on one of the borders of Europe.
If a language has a large number of speakers or if it is very old, there may be differences in the way it is spoken in different areas. That is, the language may have several dialects. Chinese is a good example of dialect differences. Chinese has been spoken for thousands of years by many millions of speakers. The differences between the dialects of Chinese are so great that speakers of Chinese from some parts of China can’t understand speakers from other parts.The first paragraph mainly tells us that ____ .
| A．most people in the world speak Chinese |
| B．there are thousands of languages in the world today |
| C．man has much knowledge about languages |
| D．some people know several languages |
According to the passage, most European and Indian languages ____ .
| A．will soon die out completely | B．were once a relative of English |
| C．are no longer spoken | D．come from the same family |
According to the passage, ____ has the most speakers.
| A．Chinese | B．English | C．Spanish | D．German |
According to the passage, ____ seems to have changed a lot.
| A．German | B．English | C．Spanish | D．Chinese |
The underlined word dialect in the last paragraph probably means ____ .
| A．a special language spoken by Chinese |
| B．the sign used by the Chinese people in a special area |
| C．the difference between the old and today’s Chinese |
| D．the form of a language used in one part of the country |
Diane Arbus is known for creating intense black and white photographs of very unusual people. She used a special camera that produced square shaped images. One art expert said Diane Arbus turned photography inside out. Instead of looking at her subjects, she made them look at her.
Diane Arbus was born in 1923 to a wealthy family in New York City. After finishing high school at the age of 18, Diane married Allan Arbus. Mr. Arbus worked in the advertising department of her father’s store.
It was Mr. Arbus who gave Diane her first camera. Diane soon decided to take a class with the famous photographer Berenice Abbott. The Arbuses eventually started taking photographs of clothing. These images were used as advertisements for Diane’s father’s store. After the birth of their daughter, Doon, the Arbuses started a business together. Their purpose was to photograph clothing fashions. Diane Arbus was the stylist. She would prepare the hair and faces of the fashion models who wore the clothing being photographed. Allan Arbus took the pictures.
The couple soon had jobs from important fashion magazines such as “Vogue” and “Harper’s Bazaar”. Their work was very successful during the 1950s. They became part of a group of artists that were helping to redefine visual culture. They were breaking with past traditions to create a new look for a new decade, the sixties.
But Diane was not satisfied with her secondary role. She wanted a more active part in making photographs. She wanted to explore her own artistic expression and freedom. To do this, she stopped working with her husband. Then she started taking photography classes at the New School in New York City.
Arbus’ teacher, Lisette Model, influenced her in many ways. She showed Diane how to use a camera like an expert. She also taught Diane to use her art to face her doubts and fears. Miss Model once said that Diane soon started “not listening to me but suddenly listening to herself.”Diane Arbus got her first camera ______.
| A．from her father | B．from her husband |
| C．in a shop | D．in the advertising department |
Why did the Arbuses start a business together?
| A．To film clothing fashions. | B．To make their daughter happy. |
| C．To prove themselves. | D．To make friends with more people. |
The Arbuses ______ in the 1950s according to the passage.
| A．were in charge of “Vogue” | B．earned more than other artists |
| C．were recognized as great artists | D．were proud of their achievements |
We can learn from the last two paragraphs that ______.
| A．Diane was hard to dealt with |
| B．Diane care more for freedom |
| C．Diane was tired of working with husband |
| D．Diane learned more from Lisette Model |
Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own.My mom was one of those people.
My father died when I was nine months old,making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen.While I was growing up,we lived a very hard life.We had little money,but my mom gave me a lot of love.Each night,she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life,“Kemmons,you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it.”
At fourteen,I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again.Every day,my mother spoke to me in her gentle,loving voice,telling me that no matter what those doctors said,I could walk again if I wanted to badly enough.She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her.A year later,I returned to school—walking on my own!
When the Great Depression(大萧条)hit,my mom lost her job.Then I left school to support the both of us.At that moment,I was determined never to be poor again.
Over the years,I experienced various levels of business success.But the real turning point occurred on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in 1951.I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child.That was too expensive for the average American family.I told my wife that I was going to open a motel(汽车旅馆)for families that would never charge extra for children.There were plenty of doubters at that time.
Not surprisingly,mom was one of my strongest supporters.She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style.As in any business,we experienced a lot of challenges.But with my mother’s words deeply rooted in my soul,I never doubted we would succeed.Fifteen years later,we had the largest hotel system in the world—Holiday Inn.In 1979 my company had 1759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $1 billion a year.
You may not have started out life in the best situations.But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself,nothing can stop you.What Kemmons’ mom often told him during his childhood was_______.
| A．caring | B．moving |
| C．encouraging | D．interesting |
According to the author,who played the most important role in making him walk back to school again?
| A．Doctors. | B．Nurses. | C．Friends. | D．Mom. |
What caused Kemmons to start a motel by himself?
| A．His terrible experience in the hotel. |
| B．His previous business success of various levels. |
| C．His mom’s support. |
| D．His wife’s suggestion. |
Which of the following best describes Kemmons’ mother?
| A．Modest,helpful and hard-working. |
| B．Loving,supportive and strong-willed. |
| C．Careful,helpful and beautiful. |
| D．Strict,sensitive and supportive. |
Which of the following led to Kemmons’ success according to the passage?
| A．Self-confidence,hard work,higher-education and a poor family. |
| B．Mom’s encouragement,clear goals,self-confidence and hard work. |
| C．Clear goals,mom’s encouragement,a poor family and higher education. |
| D．Mom’s encouragement,a poor family,higher education and opportunities. |
Thinking
| ·Some scientists claim that we humans are the only living things that are conscious(有意识的)—we alone are aware that we are thinking. ·No one knows how consciousness works—it is one of science’s last great mysteries. ·All your thoughts take place in the cerebrum(大脑皮质),which is at the top of your brain,and different kinds of thought are linked to different areas,called association areas. ·Each half of the cerebrum has four rounded ends called lobes(脑叶)—two at the front(frontal and temporal lobes)and two at the back(occipital and parietal lobes). ·The frontal lobe is linked to your personality and it is where you have your bright ideas. ·The temporal lobe is where you hear and understand what people say to you. ·The occipital lobe is where you work out what your eyes see. ·The parietal lobe is where you record touch,heat and cold,and pain. ·The left half of the brain controls the right side of the body.The right half controls the left side. ·One half of the brain is always dominant(in charge).Usually,the left brain is dominant,which is why 90% of people are right-handed. |
Which part of your cerebrum is most active when you are making a telephone call?
| A．The frontal lobe. | B．The temporal lobe. |
| C．The occipital lobe. | D．The parietal lobe. |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．One’s personality has something to do with the frontal lobe. |
| B．Bright ideas come from the parietal lobe. |
| C．The occipital and temperal lobes are at the back of the cerebrum. |
| D．The occipital lobe is in charge of sound. |
From the passage,we know the reason why around 10% of people are left-handed is that_______.
| A．their frontal lobe is usually dominant |
| B．their temporal lobe is usually dominant |
| C．their right brain is usually dominant |
| D．their left brain is usually dominant |
Experience the newly opened Grand Canyon(大峡谷)West Skywalk in Colorado.Departing from Grand Canyon’s South Rim by Airplane to Grand Canyon’s West Rim,you will land and take a ground tour to the Skywalk!Walk on air for 70 feet over the edge of Grand Canyon West.
This Skywalk has been open since March 28,2007.Daily visitorship to the Skywalk has been over 4000 people.Please be patient to enjoy your moment on the Skywalk.
After you have experienced the one and only Grand Canyon Skywalk Glass Bridge,you will return to the Grand Canyon West Airport and take your Airplane for a flight back to the South Rim of the Canyon.This is a tour never to be forgotten as you will have walked on air over the Grand Canyon.
Tour Itinerary(行程)
| Tour Duration |
5.7 Hour |
The Ground Canyon Adventure Skywalk |
| Flight from Grand Canyon South Rim to Grand Canyon West |
1 Hour |
Experience a bird’s-eye view of the Grand Canyon as you make your way to Grand Canyon West. |
| Light Lunch at Guano Point at Grand Canyon West |
2 Hours |
You will be taken by bus to Guano Point with breathtaking views of the western part of the Grand Canyon where the Colorado River makes its way into Lake Mead.Every table for lunch has a view. |
| Walk on the World Famous Skywalk |
1.5 Hour s |
Finally you will board your bus to Eagle Point,home of the Grand Canyon Skywalk.Now it is time for you to walk on air for 70 feet over the Grand Canyon. |
| Fight Back to Grand Canyon South Rim |
1.2 Hours |
After time on the Skywalk,you will return to the Grand Canyon West Airport and return to Grand Canyon South Rim in time for dinner and sunset. |
This advertisement is for_______.
| A．Grand Canyon West | B．Grand Canyon South |
| C．Grand Canyon | D．the Skywalk |
The package fee does NOT cover the cost of_______.
The Grand Canyon Skywalk Bridge is made of glass because_______.
| A．it looks stronger | B．it is cheaper to build |
| C．it looks more beautiful | D．it gives you a better view |
According to the Tour Itinerary,the route is_______.
A.South Rim→Guano Point→West Airport→Eagle Point→West Airport→South Rim
B.South Rim→West Airport→Guano Point→Eagle Point→West Airport→South Rim
C.South Rim→West Airport→Eagle Point→Guano Point→West Airport→South Rim
South Rim→West Airport→Eagle Point→West Airport→Guano Point→South Rim
Professor Barry Wellman of the University of Toronto in Canada has invented a term to describe the way many North Americans interact(互动)these days.The term is “networked individualism”.This concept is not easy to understand because the words seem to have opposite meanings.How can we be individuals(个体)and be networked at the same time?You need other people for networks.
Here is what Professor Wellman means.Before the invention of the Internet and e-mail,our social networks included live interactions with relatives,neighbors,and friends.Some of the interaction was by phone,but it was still voice to voice,person to person,in real time.
A recent research study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project showed that for a lot of people,electronic interaction through the computer has replaced this person-to-person interaction.However,a lot of people interviewed for the Pew study say that’s a good thing.Why?
In the past,many people were worried that the Internet isolated(孤立)us and caused us to spend too much time in the imaginary world of the computer.But the Pew study discovered that the opposite is true.The Internet connects us with more real people than expected—helpful people who can give advice on careers,medical problems,raising children,and choosing a school or college.About 60 million Americans told Pew that the Internet plays an important role in helping them make major life decisions.
Thanks to the computer,we are able to be alone and together with other people—at the same time!The underlined phrase “networked individualism”probably means that by using computers people_______.
| A．stick to their own ways no matter what other people say |
| B．have the rights and freedom to do things of their own interest |
| C．do things in their own ways and express opinions different from other people |
| D．are able to keep to themselves but at the same time reach out to other people |
According to the Pew study,what do many people rely on to make major life decisions?
| A．Networks. | B．Friends. |
| C．Phones. | D．Parents. |
It can be inferred from the Pew study that_______.
| A．people have been separated from each other by using computers |
| B．the Internet makes people waste a lot of time and feel very lonely |
| C．the Internet has become a tool for a new kind of social communication |
| D．a lot of people regard the person-toperson communication as good thing |
Which would be the best title for this passage?
| A．We’re Alone on the Internet. |
| B．We’re Communicating on the Internet. |
| C．We’re Alone Together on the Internet. |
| D．We’re in the Imaginary World of the Internet. |