Bali is a tiny island that is part of Indonesia(印度尼西亚) today. It is a pretty island that has many mountains and a pleasant climate. For a long time, Bali was cut off from much of the world.
The people of Bali were happy and had a peaceful life. They were not allowed to fight. At one time there had been terrible wars on Bali. Then the people decided it was wrong to fight or have wars. They made rules to keep apart those people who wanted to fight.
Bali was divided into seven small kingdoms. The land around each kingdom was kept empty, and no one lived there. Since the kingdoms did not share the same borders(边界), the people could not fight about them.
On Bali, even children were not allowed to fight. If two children started a fight over a toy, someone separated them. When two boys argued, they would agree not to speak to each other. Sometimes they did not talk together for months; this gave the boys a chance to forget their anger.
Families who were angry with each other also promised not to speak. Their promise was written down, and the whole village knew about it. If they broke their promise, they had to offer gifts to their gods.
49. Bali is an island belonging to ________.
A. Europe B. Africa C. Asia D. America
50. The people of Bali ______.
A. lived a happy and peaceful life
B. fought for a long time
C. is cut off from much of the world
D. quarreled about their borders
51. How did the people of Bali prevent fighting from breaking out?
A. They shared the same borders.
B. The island was divided into seven kingdoms.
C. They made strict rules to punish those who wanted to fight.
D. Land was kept empty around each kingdom and no one lived there.
52. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?
A. Bali is a beautiful island with many mountains and nice weather.
B. People had to offer gifts to the villagers if they broke their promise.
C. At one time there were terrible wars on the island.
D. You’ll hardly see children fighting on the island.
The influence of America is increasing in my country. Spanish people drink Coca Cola, wear blue jeans, watch Hollywood movies, listen to American music, and eat fast food, and they do these things every day.
I think that American movies are a good way to spread American culture because people are often influenced by what they see in the movies. Most of the programs and documentaries (纪录片) we watch on TV are from America, and most of the movies we go to see are made in Hollywood.
In the last few years, the government has tried to protect the Spanish movies. Now, in our cinemas, at least twenty percent of the movies which are shown must be from Spain or from other countries in Europe.
American culture is a part of Spanish life now. It’s certain that many things from America are as much a part of people’s lives as Spanish things. For example, Coca Cola is as familiar to everybody as any typical Spanish product. I’ve known about Coca Cola for my whole life.
However, it’s different with Western fast food. For example, I don’t think McDonald’s is as successful in Spain as it is in other countries. In my opinion, one of the reasons may be the lifestyle of the Spanish people. The Spanish people normally eat at home.
On the other hand, maybe McDonald’s hamburgers will eventually replace the famous Spanish tapas. It’s true that in every city in Spain you can find a McDonald’s, and it is more popular among the Spanish children than among the adults. In any case, it’s obvious that American culture is becoming more and more a part of our lives every day.From the first paragraph we can know that ____.
| A．the influence of America on Spain can be found everywhere |
| B．most Spanish people don’t like to listen to their own music |
| C．fast food spreads from Spain to the United States |
| D．some Spanish actors go to America to improve their acting skills |
Why did the government set some rules for the films shown in Spain?
_________.
| A．To protect foreign culture in Spain. |
| B．To earn more money from Spanish films. |
| C．To limit the number of foreign movies. |
| D．To unite the European Community. |
Why does the author think that McDonald’s is not as successful as it is in other countries? ______
| A．Its fast food contains too much fat. |
| B．He thinks it is unhealthy. |
| C．Spanish people seldom eat out. |
| D．Spanish adults don’t like its fast food. |
The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before me at a huge pile of that troublesome stuff they call “books”.
I was going to have my examination the next day. “When can I go to bed?” I asked myself. I didn’t answer. In fact I dared not.
The clock struck twelve. “Oh, dear!” I cried. “Ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most wretched creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy.
The clock struck one. I was quite desperate（拼命）now. I forgot all I had learned. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, “Oh God, please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.” My eyes were so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.The underlined word “wretched” in Paragraph 3 probably means _____.
| A．happy | B．disappointed | C．unhappy | D．hopeful |
Reviewing his lessons that night didn’t help him because ____________.
| A．it was too late at night |
| B．he was very tired |
| C．his eyelids were so heavy that he couldn’t keep them open |
| D．he hadn’t studied hard before the examination |
What do you suppose probably happened to the author the next day?
| A．He went to a church to pray again. |
| B．He passed the exam all by luck. |
| C．He failed in the exam. |
| D．He was punished by his teacher. |
The best title for the passage would be ____________.
| A．The Night Before the Examination |
| B．Working Far into the Night |
| C．A Slow Student |
| D．Going Over My Lessons |
Many jokes are made up about famous people. Here is one about Bill Clinton, the former(先前的) president of the United States.
Hillary died and went to heaven. When she was met by the Angel Gabriel she noticed behind her a wall of unimaginable proportions(部分) that was completely covered with clocks.
“What are they?” she asked the heavenly angel in complete surprise.
“They are lie clocks. Each time you lie, the hand moves a little bit to the right. See that one?” the angel pointed to one that hadn’t moved at all,“That’s Mother Theresa’s, who has never told a lie. And that one, ” he points to another,“That was Abraham Lincoln’s. He only ever told two lies. ”
Hillary looked around with some interest, then wandered back over to the angel again. “Excuse me, ” she asked, “but where is Bill Clinton’s clock?”“The Lord Jesus is using it in his office for a ceiling fan. ”The clock of Bill Clinton is used as a ceiling fan because_____.
| A．the Lord Jesus likes him |
| B．the wall was already covered by other clocks |
| C．his clock moves the fastest |
| D．his clock moves too slowly |
It was suggested in the joke that_______.
| A．Hillary couldn’t find her own clock |
| B．Mother Theresa told the fewest lies |
| C．Clinton is a big liar |
| D．The Lord Jesus likes clocks very much |
Who is the most honest person mentioned?
| A．Bill Clinton | B．Mother Theresa |
| C．Abraham Lincoln | D．Hillary |
Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides. Following the rules… planning your next move…acting as a team member… these are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating.
Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones, which sharpens the hand-eye coordination (协调) needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it — some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.Through playing hide-and-seek, children are expected to learn to ________.
| A．be a team leader |
| B．obey the basic rules |
| C．act as a grown-up |
| D．predict possible danger |
The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can ________.
| A．describe life in an exciting way |
| B．turn real-life experiences into a movie |
| C．make learning life skills more interesting |
| D．change people’s views of sporting events |
According to the passage, why is winning Olympic medals so encouraging?
| A．It inspires people’s deep love for the country. |
| B．It proves the exceptional skills of the winners. |
| C．It helps the country out of natural disasters. |
| D．It earns the winners fame and fortune. |
Iribarne’s goal of forming the foundation is to ________.
| A．bring fun to poor kids |
| B．provide soccer balls for children |
| C．give poor kids a chance for a better life |
| D．appeal to soccer players to help poor kids |
Great Wall Xmas BBQ
Beijing Hikers are organizing a three-hour hike on a rarely visited part of the Great Wall and will celebrate Christmas afterwards with a Christmas barbecue dinner in a small hotel at the foot of the Great Wall . Meet at 8:30 am. Dec. 25 in front of Starbucks at Lido Holiday Inn , Jiangtai Lu. Please write to info@beijinghikers.com or 139-100-25516.
Pingyao tour
High Club will guide a weekend trip to Pingyao , an ancient walled town near Taiyuan , capital city of Shanxi Province . The town is one of the best-preserved(保护) featuring courtyard buildings of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) . Among them is the Qiao family courtyard house, the shooting location of Zhang Yimou’s Raise the Red Lantern （《大红灯笼高高挂》）. Leave on Friday (December 23) night by train and back to Beijing on Sunday morning . For sign-up and more information , contact Lucy at lucy@highclub.cn or 8580-5080,130-11171326.
New Year Harbin trip
The Chinese Culture Club is running a new year trip to Harbin , to catch a fresh view of its yearly ice and snow lantern festival .
As the temperature is expected to fall between minus 20 to 30℃, visitors are warned to prepare well with jackets , masks , fur gloves and boots. The trip sets out by train at night on December 31 and gets back on the morning January 2. The cost is 2,300 yuan (US$ 284) . Reservation(预订) is required at 8457-2772.One who is interested in life of ancient Chinese is more likely to contact ______.
| A．139-100-25516 | B．1368-1911 | C．8580-5080 | D．8457-2772 |
The term “BBQ” in the topic “Great Wall Xmas BBQ” should mean a kind of ________.
| A．meal | B．tour | C．transportation | D．dance |
Pingyao is worth seeing mainly because ________.
| A．it’s a town surrounded by walls |
| B．it’s near the capital of Shanxi |
| C．its buildings are old and in good condition |
| D．a famous film was shot there |
The last advertisement of New Year Harbin trip offers NO information about _____.
| A．what to take there | B．what to buy there |
| C．when to leave and return | D．how much to pay |