As a palace, the Tower of London.was a great place to live.As a prison, it, wasn’t so nice ——especially since so many prisoners lost their heads.Today tourists can explore 5the Tower in the
United Kingdom.Here are some reasons why the Tower was and still is a cool place.
Ravens(渡鸦) are like superheroes.
Well, sort of.Legend says if the ravens that live on the Tower grounds ever leave, the Tower will fall apart.No one knows when the ravens first showed up, but Charles II took the legend so seriously that in the 1670s he gave an official order that six ravens be kept there all the time.Today
there are still always six.
You might have lived at a zoo.
In 1204, King John kept a collection of animals, including lions and elephants.About 50 years later, King Henry III received a polar bear.the bear was kept on a piece of rope so it could fish from the Thames River that flows by the Tower.
If you lived at the Tower today, your mom or dad might be in charge.
The 35 Yeoman Warders(伦敦塔卫士)and their families are among the few still allowed to live at the Tower.Established in 1509 a;? bodyguards! for the king, today they give tours and manage the day-to-day details of the Tower.They’re called "beefeaters," possibly because their job once allowed them to eat beef from the king’s; table.
You need a secret password at night.
Called the "Word," the password changes every 24 hours and is a must-have to enter the Tower
after hours.It’s written on a piece of paper and delivered to the Yeoman on duty for, the night.
You could find buried gold.
In 1662, a goldsmith(金匠) named John Barfcstead supposedly hid more than $40,000 worth of stolen gold somewhere on.the Tower grounds.Many have searched for the gold, but it has never
been found.Charles II decided to keep six ravens in the Tower probably because ____,. ;
A.he loved animals a lot |
B.he believed ravens helped protect the Tower |
C.he wanted to train the ravens to watch the prisoners |
D.he thought the Tower was a cool place for the ravens to live |
According to the passage, the Yeoman Warders ______.
A.have to part from their families to work at the Tower |
B.are currently working as bodyguards for the king |
C.sometimes serve as tour guides |
D.are fond of eating beef |
Which of the following is TRUE about the Tower of London?
A.King Henry III kept lions and elephants in it. |
B.It stands on the bank of the Thames River. |
C.Nobody is allowed to enter it at night. |
D.It is also used as a prison nowadays. |
When women sit together to watch a movie on TV, they usually talk simultaneously(同时的)about a variety of subjects, including children, men, careers and what' s happening in their lives. When groups of men and women watch a movie together, the men usually end up telling the women to shut up. Men can either talk or watch the screen -- they can' t do both -- and they don' t understand that women can. Besides, women consider that the point of all getting together is to have a good time and develop relationships -- not just to sit there like couch potatoes staring at the screen.
During the ad breaks, a man often asks a woman to explain the plot and tell him where the relationship between the characters is going. He is unable, unlike women, to read the subtle body language signals that reveal how the characters are feeling emotionally. Since women originally spent their days with the other women and children in the group, they developed the ability to communicate successfully in order to maintain relationships. For a woman, speech continues to have such a clear purpose: to build relationships and make friends. For men, to talk is to relate the facts.
Men see the telephone as a communication tool for sending facts and information to other people, but a woman sees it as a means of bonding. A woman can spend two weeks on vacation with her girlfriend and, when she returns home, telephone the same girlfriend and talk for another two hours.
There is no convincing evidence that social conditioning, the fact that girls' mothers talked them more, is the reason why girls talk more than boys. Psychiatrist Dr Michael Lewis, author of Social Behaviour and Language Acquisition, conducted experiments that found mothers talked to and looked at, baby girls more often than baby boys. Scientific evidence shows parents respond to the brain bias of their children. Since a girl’s brain is better organized to send and receive speech,we therefore talk to them more. Consequently, mothers who try to talk to their sons are usually pointed to receive only short grunts in reply.After a vacation with her girlfriend, a woman would talk to her again on the phone for hours in order to .
A.experience the happy time again |
B.keep a close tie with her |
C.recommend her a new scenic spot |
D.remind her of something forgotten |
What does the author want to tell us most?
A.Women' s brains are better organized for language and communication |
B.Women love to talk because they are more sociable than men. |
C.Men do not like talking because they rely more on facts. |
D.Social conditioning is not the reason why women love talking. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Women Are Socially Trained to Talk |
B.Talking Maintains Relationships |
C.Women Love to Talk |
D.Men Talk Differently from Women |
The purpose of keeping fit is to avoid illness, avoid the mental and physical fatigue(疲劳), and above all to feel more pleasure in being alive. Research has shown the value of a balanced diet, fresh air, sunshine, enough rest and some forms of regular exercise for everyone. If everyone followed this plan, the number of people visiting the doctor and going to hospital would be reduced.
Unfortunately, although most people acknowledge the importance of physical fitness, not enough of us put this into practice. We spend too much time watching others from the comfort of an armchair or a seat in the stand at a sports stadium.
One reason why people who are physically fit to live longer is that they do not put the heart under excessive strain(过度劳累)and so they reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel(血管)diseases. They also avoid suffering weakened muscles, which are the cause of a great deal of trouble.
All in all, sensible exercise, suited to each person and properly undertaken on the advice of a doctor, is the best insurance of meeting these requirements.Why do people want to keep fit?
A.Because they want to avoid health. |
B.Because they want to add mental and physical fatigue. |
C.Because they want to feel happier and live longer. |
D.Because they want to obtain much more money. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Everyone knows the importance of this plan. |
B.Not all people do what the plan tells them to do. |
C.Most people put the plan into practice. |
D.No one wants to do with this plan. |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
A.Balanced diet is the most important. |
B.People who are physically fit live longer. |
C.Most people can live longer. |
D.People always do not put the heart under excessive strain. |
People in the United States honor their parents with two special days: Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two days offer an opportunity to think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home. More fathers must help with child-care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother .A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents .It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery(公墓). On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries and telephone companies do a lot of business during these holidays.Which is NOT a reason for children to show love and respect for parents?
A.Parents bring up children. |
B.Parents give love and care to children. |
C.Parents educate children to be good persons. |
D.Parents pass away before children grow up. |
What do you know from the passage?
A.Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are both in May. |
B.Fewer women worked outside the home in the past. |
C.Not all the children respect their parents. |
D.Fathers are not as important as mothers at home. |
Which do you think is right about “carnation”?
A.It only has two kinds of color. |
B.It refers to the special clothes people wear on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. |
C.It’s a kind of flower showing love and best wishes. |
D.People can wear carnations only on the second Sunday in May. |
You are given many opportunities in life to choose to be a victim or creator. When you choose to be a victim, the world is a cold and difficult place. “They” did things to you which caused all of your pain and suffering. “They” are wrong and bad, and life is terrible as long as “they” are around. Or you may blame yourself for all your problems, thus internalizing(内化)your victimization. The truth is, your life is likely to stay that way as long as you feel a need to blame yourself or others.
Those who choose to be creators look at life quite differently. They know there are individuals who might like to control their lives, but they don’t let this get in the way. They know they have their weaknesses, yet they don’t blame themselves when they fail. Whatever happens, they have choice in the matter. They believe their dance with each sacred(神圣的)moment of life is a gift and that storms are a natural part of life which can bring the rain needed for emotional and spiritual growth.
Victims and creators live in the same physical world and deal with many of the same physical realities, yet their experience of life is worlds apart. Victims relish (沉溺)in anger, guilt, and other emotions that cause others---and even themselves---to feel like victims, too. Creators consciously choose love, inspiration, and other qualities which inspire not only themselves, but all around them. Both victims and creators always have choice to determine the direction of their lives.
In reality, all of us play the victim or the creator at various points in our lives. One person, on losing a job or a special relationship, may feel as if it is the end of the world and sink into terrible suffering for months, years, or even a lifetime. Another with the same experience may choose to first experience the grief, then accept the loss and soon move on to be a powerful creative force in his life.
In every moment and every circumstance, you can choose to have fuller, richer life by setting a clear intention to transform the victim within, and by inviting into your life the powerful creator that you are.What does the word “they” in Paragraph 1 probably refer to?
A.People and things around you. |
B.Opportunities and problems. |
C.Creators and their choices. |
D.Victims and their sufferings. |
According to Paragraph 2, creators __________.
A.seem willing to experience failures in life |
B.possess the ability to predict future life |
C.handle ups and downs of life wisely |
D.have potential to create something new |
What can we learn from Paragraph 3?
A.Creators and victims face quite different things in life. |
B.Creators and victims are masters of their lives. |
C.Victims can influence more people than creators. |
D.Compared with victims, creators are more emotional. |
The examples mentioned in Paragraph 4 show that _______________.
A.strong attachment to sufferings in life pulls people into victims. |
B.people need family support to deal with challengers in life. |
C.it takes creators quite a long time to get rid of their pains. |
D.one’s experiences determine his attitude toward life. |
What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A.To define victims and creators. |
B.To evaluate victims against creators. |
C.To explain the relationship between victims and creators. |
D.To suggest the transformation from victims to creators. |
About nine million people like rock climbing in America. Millions more take part in the activity around the world. Some do it just for fun. Others compete.
Climbing takes strength, control and good balance. Climbers have to pull themselves straight up the face of very high rocks or walls. So they have to be strong enough to carry their own weight. And climbers sometimes have to hold onto rocks by only their fingers or toes.
There are several kinds of rock climbing. Traditional rock climbing is done outside. Climbers wear ropes and tie equipment to the rocks as they climb many hundreds of meters up. They also connect their ropes to the equipment. If a climber slips, a rope can stop him from falling.
Sport climbing is similar. However, in it the protective equipment is placed in the rock all the time. There is also indoor climbing. Rock walls made of wood have places for the climber’s hands and feet.
Ice climbing is exactly as it sounds. People climb glaciers or frozen waterfalls instead of rocks. They use special equipment for the ice.
And then there is bouldering-climbing rocks (巨石攀岩) between three and seven meters high. It is quicker and stronger climbing. Many climbers like bouldering because they can use less equipment. Climbers often need only special shoes and chalk (防滑粉). All climbers use chalk to keep their hands dry.
Most rocks have cracks and holes and parts that stick out. Climbers use these for foot-holds and handholds. Climbers use their legs to climb. They try not to pull themselves up with their hands or arms. Arms and hands are for position and balance.
People almost always climb in groups of two or more. Climbing alone is very dangerous. Expert rock climbers say only the very best in the sport should do it.The writer mentions the numbers in Paragraph 1 in order to show that _________.
A.people do rock climbing just for fun |
B.rock climbing is popular around the world |
C.people around the world like the same thing |
D.Americans like all sports |
We can learn for the Paragraph 2 that________.
A.a person must take some food for rock climbing |
B.rock climbing is more dangerous than people think |
C.rock climbing takes place outside |
D.rock climbing is not for everyone |
What’s the feature of traditional rock climbing?
A.It is very safe. | B.It is done alone. |
C.It is done outside. | D.It needs no equipment. |
According to the passage, people like bouldering because______.
A.it is simpler than other kinds |
B.they can try special equipment |
C.they only have to climb several meters high |
D.they can do it indoors |
Which of the following is TRUE about rock climbing?
A.Climbers use their hands or arms to climb. |
B.Climbers use no special equipment for ice climbing. |
C.Climbers do rock climbing in groups. |
D.Climbers do rock climbing without ropes |