Explore the State of California
California is one of the most interesting states of America that offers a lot of wonderful sceneries and fun attractions. It is also the most populated state and the third largest in land area. Anyone who has been to California would agree that it is indeed a place that offers a lot to tourists of all ages. Here are some top picks of the best places to visit in California State.
San Francisco Bay Area - Witness the famous San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge which is one of the city's landmarks; and enjoy the beauty of Fisherman's Wharf that offers a lot of seafood restaurants. You should not miss the city's world-famous Cable Car System which is by far the only manually operated cable car system in the whole world.
Yosemite National Park - This is one of the very first wilderness parks in the whole of America. It is known for
its natural beauty and breathtaking sceneries. It offers a breath of fresh air away from the city life. Major places to visit include the Yosemite Falls, Sentinel Dome, El Capitan, Mariposa Grove and Glacier Point among many others.
Los Angeles - Explore the home of the L.A. Lakers and do not fail to visit the Disneyl
and which is one of the major attractions of the city. The warm weather in Los Angeles makes it possible to do a lot of outdoor activities especially during the summer months. It is a family-friendly place that offers a wonderful shopping and dining experience. For those who particularly love the city and night life, L.A. can offer the best of almost everything.
Napa Valley - With over a million visitors every year, Napa Valley is indeed a place you s
hould not 
miss if you are in California. It is California's most popular wine growing region. You can also experience the Wine Train and hot air balloon ride over the valley. From the first paragraph, we know that_____.
A．the State of California has the largest population in the US |
| B．California offers a lot to tourists of young people |
| C．California is also the largest in land area |
| D．California is the most interesting state of America |
. According to the passage, if you want to breathe the fresh air, you’ll go to _____.
| A．San Francisco Bay Area |
| B．Yosemite National Park |
| C．Los Angeles |
| D．Napa Valley |
. The underlined word “region” in the last paragraph may probably mean _____.
| A．company | B．valley | C．factory | D．area |
. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Napa Valley will bring us a wonderful shopping and dining experience. |
| B．San Francisco Bay Area is California's most popular wine growing region. |
| C．Los Angeles allows us to visit the Disneyland and enjoy almost everything. |
| D．In Yosemite National Park, we can see the Yosemite Falls, Golden Gate Bridge. |
第二部分阅读理解（共25小题；第一节每小题2分，第二节每小题1分，满分45分）
第一节阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项。
Do you know of Guo Degang? In recent months he has become well known in China as a crosstalker．He has never performed on TV before, but attending his crosstalk performance is becoming increasingly fashionable in Beijing, especially for youth and school children．
Guo arrived in Beijing from Tianjin in 1995 and came across a teahouse where he found several young people performing crosstalk．Being a crosstalker himself, he couldn’t help taking to the stage．Gradually, more and more people came to the teahouse to see him perform．He soon found himself playing to audiences numbering more than 100 in a teahouse that could only contain 80．
As his popularity grew, Guo thought over the future of his art．“Traditional crosstalk is at least half an hour long, but performances are no longer than five minutes on TV, which kills much of the story．TV is part of the fast-food culture and crosstalk is a face-to-face art form — it needs interaction (交流), and is not suited to TV,” Guo said．He decided to bring it back to its roots： the teahouse and theater．
In 1996, Guo and some young crosstalk actors founded Deyun Crosstalk Association．Over the next ten years, the association organized countless performances in teahouses across Beijing．Despite their growing popularity, Guo ensured (确保) that ticket prices were kept low to make the art form accessible to everyone．Tickets to his performances are still 20 yuan today．And in keeping with technology and modern times, the association set up a BBS site on the Internet where fans could download recordings and discuss performances with actors．
He hopes that through their efforts, more young people will learn to appreciate crosstalk and perhaps train to be crosstalkers themselves．
1．Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A．Guo Degang and his traditional crosstalk
B．A traditional art form—crosstalk
C．The development history of crosstalk
D．Deyun Crosstalk Association
2．From the passage, we can know the crosstalk originates(源于) from ________．
A．the TV show B．the teahouse and theater
C．the cinema D．the common people
3．According to the passage, Deyun Crosstalk Association set up a BBS site on the internet to ________．
A．let fans download recordings
B．have fans discuss performances with actors
C．keep up with modern technology
D．ask more people appreciate their favorite crosstalk
4．From the passage, we can know the following EXCEPT________．
A．the crosstalk is a face-to- face art which needs interaction
B．Guo was a crosstalker when he was in Tianjing
C．the performances of Guo are very popular
D．the tickets to Guo’s performances may rise in future
The stereotype(固有观念)of computer scientists as nerds who stay up all night coding and have no social life may be driving women away from the field, according to a new study published this month. This stereotype can be brought to mind based only on the appearance of the environment in a classroom or an office.
“When people think of computer science the image that immediately pops into many of their minds is about the computer geek(怪人)surrounded by such things as computer games, science fiction and junk food,”said Sapna Cheryan, a University of Washington assistant professor of psychology and the study’s lead author. “That stereotype doesn’t appeal to many women who don’t like the portrait of masculinity(男性化).”
Cheryan set up four experiments involving more than 250 female and male students who were not studying computer science to look at possible reasons why the proportion of women in the field is dropping while the proportion of women in such disciplines as biology, mathematics and chemistry is increasing.
In the first experiment,students entered a small classroom that either contained objects stereotypically associated with computer science such as Star Trek posters, video game boxes and Coke cans, or non-stereotypical items such as nature posters, art, a dictionary and coffee cups. The students were told to ignore these objects because the room was being shared with another class. After spending several moments in the classroom, the students filled out questionnaires(调查问卷)that asked about their attitude toward computer science.
Women exposed to the stereotypical setup expressed less interest in computer science than those who saw the non-stereotypical objects. Men placed in the same situations did not show a similar drop in interest in computer science. Cheryan said this study suggests that a student’s choice of classes or a major can be influenced by the appearance of classrooms, halls and offices.
1. The underlined word “nerds” in Paragraph 1 probably refers to “______”
A. dull personsB. active personsC. intelligent personsD. funny persons
2. Women are less likely to choose computer science because__________.
A. it is too difficult for them
B. they have wrong understanding of it
C. the lifestyle of computer scientists turns them away
D. they don’t like the social life of computer scientists
3. A woman would probably lose interest in computer science when she sees a ______.
A. Star Trek poster B. nature posterC. dictionaryD. coffee cup
4. What can influence a woman’s choice of classes, according to the passage?
A. The contents of computer science.
B. The space in the classroom.
C. The number of students in the classroom.
D. The classroom environment.
Whether you have a toddler(学步儿童)or a teen, here are five of the best strategies to improve nutrition and encourage smart eating habits;
1. Have regular family meals.
2. Serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks.
3. Be a role model by eating healthily yourself.
4. Avoid battles over food.
5. Involve kids in the process.
But it’s not easy when everyone is juggling busy schedules and convenience food, such as fast food which is so readily available.
Here are some ways to incorporate all five strategies into your routine/schedules.
Family meals are a ritual(日常惯例)for both parents and kids. Children like to know family meals in advance and parents get a chance to catch up with their kids. Kids who take part in regular family meals are also:
more likely to eat fruits, vegetables and grains
less likely to snack on unhealthy foods
less likely to smoke or drink alcohol
In addition, family meals offer the chance to introduce kids to new foods and to act as a role model for healthy eating.
Teens may turn up their noses at the prospect(期望)of a family meal—not surprising because they’re busy and want to be more independent. Yet studies find that teens still want their parents’ advice, so use mealtime as a chance to reconnect.Also, consider trying these strategies:
Allow your teen to invite a friend to dinner.
Involve your teen in meal planning and preparation.
Keep mealtime calm—no lectures or arguing.
What counts as a family meal? Any time you and your family eat together—whether it’s takeout food or a home-cooked meal, strive for nutritious food and a time when everyone can be there. This may mean eating dinner a little later to accommodate a child who’s at sports practice. It can also mean setting aside time on the weekends, such as Sunday brunch, when it may be more convenient to gather as a group.
1. The following are the reasons that prevent children from having family meals well EXCEPT that_______.
A. they are independent from their parents’ advice
B. they are busy dealing with their lessons
C. there are convenience foods so readily available
D. family meals are not as good as convenience foods.
2. Which of the following is NOT the best strategy to encourage smart eating habits?
A. Let children have meals independently.
B. Don’t scold children during the meals.
C. Set a good example to children.
D. Don’t skip any one of the three meals.
3. The underlined phrase “turn up their noses at” is nearest in meaning to “_______”.
A. look forward to B. keep up withC. look down uponD. be addicted to
4. In the author’s opinion, the most important thing is______.
A. strictly obeying the strategies all the time
B. involving kids in the process of meals.
C. never allowing children to have snacks.
D. letting children prepare their meals.
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West Rim—Grand Canyon Tour $125 Per Person
This tour stops at Haulapai Indian Reservation of the Grand Canyon. These stops include Eagle and Guano Point. There’re also extra stops along the way for shopping and smoking. This package not only includes the Grand Canyon, but a short photo stop at the Hoover Dam as well… click above for more details.
Airplane Tours & Helicopter Tours
These breath-taking tours take you into the skies above the Grand Canyon for a once-in-a-life-time adventrue that can be shared by the whole family or by yourself. Airplane Tours starting at $164 per person, and Helicopter Tours starting at $304 per person…click above for more details.
Hoover Dam—AM/PM Mini Tour $37.5 Per Person
Hoover Dam Mini Tour starts your morning or afternoon with a short drive to Lake Mead—created by the Dam in 1935, and continues along to include the Power Plant Tour, guided by a Hoover Dam expert. A delicious lunch is included…click above for more details.
Las Vegas to Hollywood 1 Day Tour $185 Per Person
This tour takes you sightseeing down and around Hollywood Blvd/Beverly Hills, home of the world-famous Walk of Fame as well as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. It ends at beautiful Santa Monica Beach & Pier… click above for more details.
1. If you’re with a self-challenging spirit, you probably choose_______.
A. West Rim—Grand Canyon Tour
B. Hoover Dam—AM/PM Mini Tour
C. Airplane Tours & Helicopter Tours
D. Las Vegas to Hollywood 1 Day Tour
2. To take Hoover Dam—AM/PM Mini Tour, how much will a couple and their twin daughters pay?
A. $150. B. $75. C. $112.5 D. $37.5
3. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Mather Point is included in the only luxury Motor Coach Tour.
B. Two tours mentioned both involve the Hoover Dam.
C. Lake Mead is a man-made project.
D. Travelers can enjoy plays at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.
4. The passage is most probably chosen from________.
A. a newspaper B. a magazineC. a TV ad D. a website
Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, “Mother, you must come to see the daffodils(黄水仙)before they are over”. I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. “I will come next Tuesday,” I promised, a little reluctantly, on her third call.
Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn’s house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren, I said, “ Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in the clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see!”
My daughter smiled calmly and said, “We drive in this all the time, Mother. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.”
After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand-lettered sign that read, “Daffodil Garden.”
We got out of the car and each took a child’s hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight. There were five acres of flowers. “But who has done this?” I asked Carolyn. “It’s just one woman,” Carolyn answered. “That’s her home.” Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A- frame house that looked small and modest in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house. On the patio(露台), we saw a poster. “Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking” was the headline.
The first answer was a simple one. “50,000 bulbs(球茎),” it read. The second answer was, “One at a time, by one woman.” The third answer was, “Began in 1958.”
I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun—one bulb at a time—to bring the beauty and joy to the mountain top.
1. The author didn’t go to see the daffodils at first because__________.
A. she was not interested in them B. they were growing on a mountain top
C. the weather was not good enough D. it was a long drive to her daughter’s house
2. Which of the following best describes the author’s feeling seeing the daffodils?
A. Amazed. B. Disappointed. C. Confused. D. Moved.
3. What do we know about the woman living in the A-frame house?
A. She must be out of mind.
B. She acted as a gardener here.
C. It took her great determination to grow the daffodils.
D. She was poor and made her living by selling daffodils.
4. What would be the best title of the passage?
A. A Wonderful Daffodil Garden B. A Remarkable Woman
C. One Bulb at a Time D. I Love Daffodils