WhydoestheLeaningTowerofPisain-优题课

Throughout our childhood our parents taught us to say “thank you” and it has become a habit — something we say automatically (自动地), along with “please”. And because of this we have forgotten just how important gratitude is and how essential it is in leading fulfilled (感到满足的) lives.
Just for a minute, think of all the things you are grateful for, such as loving friends, good health, great holidays as well as everyday items such as a comfortable home, TV, and clean water. The list, in fact, could go on and on.
Now focus on events that have made you angry — it’s raining, the car won’t start, and a colleague (同事) makes you annoyed. You start to feel unhappy, and that is something that certainly does not make you feel good！
In fact, we have the ability to choose how we feel — it’s just our perception (认识) of how things are. But for most of us, it just doesn’t seem easy.
Let me give you an example: it’s a rainy day, and immediately most people will start to complain, telling everyone who will listen what a miserable day it is, with the result that they end up feeling miserable themselves. But look at it another way and despite wet clothes and hair, both will dry perfectly well and no lasting harm has been done. And in addition to this, because of rain, we not only live in a green and beautiful landscape, we are also able to grow a lot of fruit and vegetables.
There really is no obvious reason for feeling miserable — in fact there is a great deal to be grateful for. It all depends on what we think about things.
Realize what a difference having gratitude can make to your life. That’s why gratitude is so special — use it to feel good!
68. What do we usually do automatically according to the author?
A. Focus on good things. B. Prefer to feel good.
C. Express thanks orally. D. Take many things for granted.
69. By the example in the fifth paragraph, the author advises us to _____.
A. see things in a different way B. refuse the unchangeable things
C. ignore the harm bad weather does D. listen to others’ complaints patiently
70. By writing the passage, the author mainly wants to tell us _____.
A. to think twice before we act
B. to be grateful for what we have
C. it is no use making complaints
D. saying “thank you” has many disadvantages

SYDNEY (AFP) — Thousands of people sat down to breakfast on the Sydney Harbor Bridge on Sunday after the bridge was closed to traffic and carpeted with grass for the first time for a giant picnic.
About 6,000 early riser were on the steel bridge from 6:30 am to take part in the two-hour event designed to show Sydney’s best food and outdoor lifestyle.
As music performers provided the background music, those who had won tickets to the picnic in a random lottery (随机抽奖) began to feast on fruit, pastries, muesli, yoghurt ...
“It’s amazing to see the bridge in this perspective (角度),” said Don Fuchs who lives near the bridge, which is used by about 100,000 cars daily.
“Usually you sit in the car, you cross it, and that’s it.”
“It was beautiful,” said Linda Curnow who attended the picnic with her family. “The grass was so thick that it was like being in your backyard.”
New South Wales state Premier Nathan said the event was set to become a mark of an annual Sydney’s month-long October food festival.
About 45,000 people applied for tickets to the breakfast for which people brought their own food but were able to taste samples from some of the state’s best producers.
Organizers used about 40 percent of the grass on Sydney parks. The bridge reopened at about 1:00 pm.
64. What made Linda Curnow feel as if she were in her own backyard?
A. There being no cars passing by.
B. So much food offered by Australian producers.
C. So many people dining at the same time.
D. The thick grass covering the bridge.
65. Why was the event planned?
A. To mark the Sydney food festival. B. To attract more tourists to Sydney.
C. To promote the Australian life. D. To display the world’s best food.
66. We learn from the passage that _____.
A. the giant picnic is organized in a park in Sydney
B. the grass from Sydney parks was moved to the bridge
C. the Sydney Harbour Bridge was open to traffic all day
D. those who had won tickets to the picnic didn’t eat breakfast
67. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Welcome to Sydney
B. October — Sydney’s art festival
C. Thousands eat breakfast on Sydney Harbour bridge
D. What is the feature of Sydney?

Spring is just around the corner and it’s a time to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. Here is a selection of festivals around the country that are a great excuse to travel and get back in the spring sunshine.
Dana Point Festival of the Whales
Dana Point, California
March 7 to 8 and 14 to 15, 2010
Each year, over two sunny weekends in March the town of Dana Point, California celebrates the return of migratory California gray whales to this part of the Pacific Ocean. Festivities include whale-watching, an arts festival and educational hands-on activities for the entire family. Prices start at $29 per adult and $19 for children. For more information, visit:
www.dpfestivalofwhales.com
Chandler Ostrich Festival
Chandler, Arizona
March 13 to 15, 2010
Chandler is the center of ostrich ranching (鸵鸟经营) in the USA. You can see jockeys ride these feathered beasts around the ostrich track at Tumbleweed Park. General admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $7 for children aged 5 to 12 and kids 4 and under are free. For more information, visit:
www.ostrichfestival.com
Festival of Houses and Gardens
Charleston, South Carolina
March 19 to April 18, 2010
The Historic Charleston Foundation gives curious travelers the opportunity to explore gardens of some of the finest private residences in America. Each 3-hour tour (afternoons from 2 to 5 pm and evenings from 6 to 9 pm) lets you visit 8 to 10 properties dating from the American colonial period. Prices range from $25 to $45. For more information, visit:
www.historiccharleston.org
Tulip Time Festival
Holland, Michigan
May 1 to 9, 2010
You don’t need to travel to the Netherlands this spring to see and smell some of the world’s finest tulips (郁金香). The annual Tulip Time Festival, one of the largest flower festivals in the country, will kick off with fireworks on May 1. Admission fee ranges from $6 for the children’s area to $38 for theatre tickets. Tickets and more information are available at:
www.tuliptime.com
60. A couple with their 4-year-old son will go whale-watching. They have to pay _____.
A. $58 B. $38 C. $48 D. $77
61. The underlined word “jockeys” in the passage is closest in meaning to _____.
A. judges B. children C. riders D. beginners
62. A group of travelers who want to have fun in mid-April will go to _____.
A. Festival of Houses and Gardens B. Chandler Ostrich Festival
C. Dana Point Festival of the Whales D. Tulip Time Festival
63. Which of the following is TRUE of Tulip Time Festival?
A. It is held in a town in the Netherlands.
B. It will start with fireworks on the first day.
C. It is the largest flower festival in the world.
D. Admission is free for children.

第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
第一节：阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Once a neighbour stole one of Washington’s horses. Washington went with a police officer to the neighbour’s farm to get the horse, but the neighbour refused to give the horse up; he claimed (声称) that it was his horse.
Washington placed both of his hands over the eyes of the horse and said to the neighbour, “If this is your horse, then you must tell us in which eyes he is blind.”
“In the right eye,” the neighbour said.
Washington took his hand from the right eye of the horse and showed the police officer that the horse was not blind in the right eye.
“Oh, I have made a mistake,” said the neighbor. “He is blind in the left eye.”
Washington then showed that the horse was not blind in the left eye, either.
“I have made another mistake,” said the neighbor.
“Yes,” said the police officer, “and you have also proved that the horse does not belong to you. You must return it to Mr. Washington.”
56. Why did Mr. Washington go to the neighbor’s farm with a police officer?
A. Because the neighbor was the police officer’s friend.
B. Because he wanted to make the neighbor return the horse.
C. Because the police officer was Washington’s friend.
D. Because they were invited to the neighbor’s farm.
57. When Washington and the police officer reached the neighbor’s farm, the neighbor _____.
A. immediately admitted that he had stolen the horse
B. received them warmly
C. said he had lost a horse, too
D. didn’t want to give the horse back to Washington
58. When Washington asked the neighbor to tell them in which eye the horse was blind, the neighbor _____.
A. didn’t say anything B. knew the horse wasn’t blind at all
C. thought the horse was really blind D. said he had stolen the horse
59. From the passage, we know _____.
A. Washington was a wise man
B. Washington’s neighbor was cleverer than Washington
C. the police officer was the cleverest of the three
D. all the three men were not very clever

Is there anything more important than health? I don’t think so. “Health is the greatest wealth(财富),” wise people say. You can’t be good at your studies or work well when you are ill.　　
If you have a headache, toothache, backache, earache or bad pain in the stomach, if you complain of a bad cough, if you run a high temperature and have a bad cold, or if you suffer from high or low blood pressure, I think you should go to the doctor.　　
The doctor will examine your throat, feel your pulse, test your blood pressure, take your temperature, sound your heart and lungs, test your eyes, check your teeth or have your chest X-rayed. After that he will advise some treatment, or some medicine. The only thing you have to do is to follow his advice.　　
Speaking about doctor’s advice, I can’t help telling you a funny story.　　
An old gentleman came to see the doctor. The man was very ill. He told the doctor about his weakness, memory loss and serious problems with his heart and lungs. The doctor examined him and said there was no medicine for his disease.　
He told his patient to go to a quiet place for a month and have a good rest. He also advised him to eat a lot of meat, drink two glasses of red wine every day and take long walks. In other words, the doctor advised him to follow the rule: “Eat at pleasure, drink with measure and enjoy life as it is.” The doctor also said that if the man wanted to be well again, he shouldn’t smoke more than one cigarette a day.　　
A month later the gentleman came into the doctor’s office. He looked cheerful and happy. He thanked the doctor and said that he had never felt a healthier man.　　
“But you know, doctor,” he said, “it’s not easy to begin smoking at my age.”
72. The writer thinks that 　　　　.
A. health is more important than wealth
B. work is as important as studies
C. medicine is more important than pleasure
D. nothing is more important than money
73. The doctor usually tells his patient what to do 　　　　.
A.without examining the patient
B. after he has examined the patient
C. if the patient doesn’t take medicine
D. unless the patient feels pain
74. The underlined part means “　　　　”.
A.he was feeling better than ever B. he wasn’t a healthy man
C. he was feeling worse than before D. he will be well again
75. From the last sentence of the passage, we learn the man 　　　　 before the doctor told him not to smoke more than one cigarette a day.
A. was a heavy smoker B. didn’t smoke so much
C. didn’t smoke D. began to learn to smoke

A．from the first day it was built	B．after the first floor was built
C．after the last floor was built	D．180 years after it was built