Salem, the “City of Peace”, is a small city with a big history. It is the second established city in Massachusetts and the second oldest settlement in New England. While Salem has been long known as the “Witch City” due to the notable witch trials of 1692, Salem also played an important part in Revolutionary times and was an active leader of several Massachusetts’ industries, which is why you will find mansions (宅邸) of the country’s first millionaires there.
Salem is located approximately 16 miles (30 minutes) north of Boston and is bordered by Beverly, Danvers, Lynn, Marblehead, Peabody, Swampscott and the Atlantic Ocean. Boston & Maine Railroad serves Salem with transport service, and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority maintains a rail stop and bus service. Air service is available from Beverly Airport (5 miles away) and Logan International Airport (16 miles away). Access is also available on a ferry from Boston.
Salem has various restaurants including outdoor cafes, various restaurants and fine dining establishments. For shoppers there are malls and department stores, an open market, a waterfront village, as well as a downtown shopping district.
There are many local artists and musicians who have shops along the city streets. On a nightly basis, one can stop in a local restaurant or nightspot and listen to some of the most creative music. World famous artwork is displayed at the Peabody Essex Museum and the work of local artists can be found displayed in many downtown shops including Artist Row.
The City of Salem has long had a commitment to the promotion of art and culture. The Salem Cultural Council is a local agency of Salem residents that supports public programs and educational activities in the arts, sciences and humanities. Local artists and theaters, such as CinemaSalem, the Salem Theatre Company, the Salem State College Center for the Arts, the Griffen Theater and the Rebel Shakespeare Company provide entertainment and learning opportunities to residents and visitors alike. The Salem Arts Association, Inc. is an entirely volunteer-run nonprofit arts organization. The SAA seeks to bring art, in all its forms, to the community and bring the community, in all its diversity, to the arts in Salem, Massachusetts.What would be the best title of this passage?
A.Salem, the Industry City |
B.Salem, the Witch City |
C.Salem, the City with a Big History |
D.Salem, the City of Peace |
Which of the following statements is NOT true about Salem?
A.It is the second established city in Massachusetts with Boston to the north. |
B.It was developed in several of Massachusetts’ industries. |
C.Every night local restaurants there entertain visitors with some music. |
D.Salem is accessible by train, bus, plane and ferry. |
Visitors to Salem have a secure chance to appreciate first-class works of art in ____________.
A.Artist Row | B.Peabody Essex Museum |
C.the MBTA | D.the Salem Cultural Council |
After reading the passage, we may decide that ____________.
A.Salem is a preferred city for millionaires now |
B.the promotion of art and culture in Salem is totally government action |
C.once an important industrial city, now Salem has a strong cultural atmosphere |
D.visitors to Salem will find few choices in dining and shopping |
For years scientists have been concerned about the effects of air pollution on the earth's natural conditions. Some believe the air inside many houses may be more dangerous than the air outside. It may be one hundred times worse.
Indoor air pollution can cause a person to feel tired,to suffer eye pain, headache and other problems.Some pollutants(污染物)can cause breathing disorders,diseases of blood and even cancer. Most scientists agree that every modern house has some kind of indoor pollution.People began to notice the problem in the early 1970s.It is said that when builders began making houses and offices they did not want to waste energy.To do this,they built buildings that limited the flow of air between inside and outside.They also began using man-made building materials.These materials are now known to let out harmful gases.As the problem became more serious, scientists began searching for a way to deal with it.They discovered a natural pollution control system for building-green plants.Scientists do not really know how plants control air pollution.They believe that a plant's leaves absorb or take in the pollutants.In exchange the plant lets out oxygen through its leaves and through its tiny organizations on its roots.Scientists suggest that all buildings should have one large plant or several small plants inside for every nine square metres of space.Studies of different plants show that each absorbs different chemicals.So the most effective way to clean the air is to use different kinds of plants.Having green plants inside your house can make it a prettier and healthier place.
77.What is the topic of the passage?
A.Air pollution.
B.Green plants indoors.
C.Indoor air pollution.
D.Environment protecting.
78.What makes indoor air pollution more harmful than that of the air outside?
A.The limited flow of air indoors.
B.Man-made building materials.
C.Fewer green plants inside houses.
D.The energy-saving materials indoors.
79.The most effective way to clean the air is to use different kinds of plants because______.
A.they can make houses pettier and healthier
B.they may let out oxygen which people need
C.they can take in all kinds of indoor pollutants
D.they can absorb different harmful indoor chemicals
80.Which of the following is implied but NOT stated?
A.keep windows open and let fresh air in.
B.Scientists have a clear idea how plants control air pollution.
C.Oxygen is let out through the leaves and roots of the plants.
D.Green plants are a natural pollution control system for building.
Botswana lies immediately to the north of South Africa. It is bordered on the north and west by Namibia, on the north and east by Zimbabwe, and is connected by a narrow strip of land on the northern border to Zambia. Its territory consists almost entirely of a broad, flat, arid subtropical plateau(高原), though there are hills in the eastern part of the country.
In the northwest, the Okavango River empties into the Kalahari sands, creating the largest inland river delta in the world. While the Okavango Delta is home to relatively few large animals in comparison to other areas of Botswana, its clear waters and countless small islands are home to a variety of birds, plants, and smaller species of animals.
Nearby is Chobe National Park, a beautiful grassland reserve(保护区) that has gained international fame for its large elephant population. Southeast of Chobe are Botswana's large Makgadikgadi salt pans, home to numbers of blue wildebeest, several antelope species, and those international lovers of salt pans, flamingos(a kind of birds).
Almost the entire remaining portion of the country is covered by the Kalahari Desert--a varied environment of sand and grassland. Although this area of Botswana is where few people live, it is one of the richest wildlife areas in all of Africa.
Botswana's two largest parks, the Central Kalahari Game reserve and Gemsbok National Park, are found in this region.
Botswana's climate can get rather cool, particularly during the dry winter months of June to August when night occasionally brings frost. The rainy summer months (December through March) are best avoided for those interested in enjoying the best game viewing conditions.
72.South Africa is to the______of Botswana.
A.east B.north C.south D.west
73.In the Okavango Delta we can find______.
A.a lot of large animals B.many small islands
C.salt pans D.polluted waters
74.If we want to see flamingo, we should go to_______ .
A.salt pans B.Chobe National Park
C.Kalahari Desert D.Gemsbok National Park
75.It is suggested that tourists visit Botswana in______.
A.December B.March C.January D.July
76.What is the passage mainly about Botswana?
A.Location, geography and climate. B.Living conditions, politics and salt pans.
C.Parks, animals and population. D.Animals, races and sightseeing places.
|
C
The secret of happiness is to spend around £2.50 every day on somebody else.
To give a couple of pounds each day rather than to spend it on treats and fashion for yourself is the key to happiness, according to a new study.
Dr Elizabeth Dunn and her colleagues who did a national survey of 630 people in the United States found that people report greater happiness if they spend money more socially. That means spending on gifts for others or on charitable(慈善的) donations rather than spending on themselves.
"We wanted to test our theory that how people spend their money is at least as important as how much money they earn," says Dunn, who reports the work in Science.
The results from all three lines of research are quite the same.
"Regardless of how much income each person made," says Dunn, "those who spent money on others reported greater happiness, while those who spent more on themselves did not."
"Making a modest donation is enough to increase people's happiness" the researchers conclude.
"These findings suggest that a very small change in spending, as little as £2.50, may be enough to produce real gains in happiness on a given day," says Dr Dunn.
The researchers call on governments to encourage people to spend more on others to help translate increased national wealth into increased national happiness.
Surveys have also shown that happiness levels have remained almost flat within developed countries even as incomes have increased in recent decades.
65.According to the survey, what kind of people have greater happiness?
A.People who can make enough money.
B.People who can buy whatever they want.
C.People who spend money on treats and fashion for themselves.
D.People who spend a modest amount of money every day on others.
66.The underlined word "flat" probably means______.
A.smooth B.dull C.same D.interesting
67.Which of the following statements is true?
A.Researchers pay no attention to spending on others.
B.The government did much in helping others.
C."Science" in Paragraph 4 is probably a magazine.
D.The survey is very successful.
68.The purpose of the writer is to tell us______.
A.the secret of happiness. B.money spent on friends.
C.link between money and happiness. D.difference between national wealth and happiness.
第三部分:阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分)
Big things were happening in my life the summer I turned 13. In the middle of that summer, my parents shook my entire world and turned it upside down when they told me they were getting a divorce. I couldn't believe that our family was going to break up. Though I always knew my parents weren't very happy and they often fought, I still wanted my family to stay the same.
My life changed completely after the divorce.My mother and I moved into a small apartment across town,while my father and brother,Bill, stayed in our house.I now became a visitor whenever I went to see my dad and Bill on the weekends. And immediately I had my soon-to-be stepfather,Dan,whom I showed no interest in.I was clearly depressed, especially after Dan and my mother married and I realized that there was no way that things could change back to the way they had been.
Even though I resisted all Dan's attempts to get to know me and wasn't very nice to him, he never gave up on me. Gradually, I began to trust him. I realized that we actually had some things in common, especially when it came to movies and TV shows. We spent a lot of time together hanging out watching TV. That gave us a chance to talk and get to know each other.
Better still, Dan showed an interest in me that I had never experienced from my own father. Dan was always around when I needed advice on school or friends. Once I began to warm up to Dan, the three of us began spending a lot of time together. We often went out to eat and took short trips. Eventually, I discovered that I finally had the happy family that I had always wanted.
I now realize my parents were right about getting the divorce. Their breakup was the best thing to happen for all of us. My father also found happiness- he remarried and had another child, my half-sister, Michelle.
At 13, I learned an important truth-change is not always the worst thing that can happen. Sometimes, it is just what we need the most.
61.According to the passage, which of the following statements is WRONG?
A.Their parents didn't love each other any longer. B.The writer didn't want his parents to divorce.
C.Their parents' divorce hurt the writer much. D.The writer was in low spirits all the time.
62.The writer and Dan have the same interests EXCEPT______.
A.seeing movies B.surfing the internet C.having talks D.watching TV
63.What does the author think of his stepfather?
A.Trustful. B.Interesting. C.Helpful. D.Boring.
64.Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
A.Divorce Is Not Always the Worst. B.A Devoted Stepfather.
C.There Is a Change in My Life. D.A True Story.