Say you are a 17th century construction worker who's worked long and hard to build a splendid tower for the dead wife of your emperor.
Now say that the emperor orders your fingertips cut off so you can never build another one. Yes, that is the Taj Mahal,one of the most famous buildings in the world. And the tale behind the construction is just as impressive as the building itself.
First, there's the emperor of northern India, Shah Jehan,also called the King of the World. In 1612,Shah Jehan married Mumtaz Mahal. Madly in love, they had 14 children over the next 20 years. But then sadness came. As Mumtaz was about to give birth to child'number 14, she said she had heard her unborn baby cry out. It was a sign of death. And as Mumtaz lay dying, she asked Jehan to build a lasting memorial to celebrate their love.
When the heartbroken Jehan appeared eight days after his wife's death, his people were shocked to see that his coal-black hair had turned snow-white.
Putting away his sadness, Jehan ordered his wife's dying wish carried out. More than 20,000 workers labored nearly 22 years to complete the construction. In 1653,Jehan placed Mumtaz's remains in the center under the building.
And then, son number five, Aurangzeb, murdered his brothers and took over the power from his aging father. Hehan lived the rest of his days-eight years, to be exact-imprisoned not far from the Taj Mahal. Jehan was only allowed to climb onto the top of his prison to see the timeless
treasure from a distance. But never again would he be allowed to visit it--until he was buried next to his wife.
Today 25,000 people visit the Taj Mahal each day. Though the reason for building the tower was a strange, sad story, those who see its breath-taking beauty are reminded of the happiness that inspired its construction.The first two paragraphs were written to show that
| A．the Taj Mahal is all unusual historic building |
| B．ancient Indian emperors were cruel |
| C．construction workers led a hard life in ancient India |
| D．India has some of the most famous buildings in the world |
The Taj Mahal was first built as ____________ .
| A．a prison | B．a gift to Mumtaz |
| C．a memorial building | D．a tourist attraction |
We learn from the text that Mumtaz probably died in ________ .
| A．1626 | B．1632 | C．1634 | D．1653 |
D
When American students graduate from college, they must find jobs for themselves. But often they get help from their college and university. Every college has a career counseling office. The people who work there help students learn about different kinds of jobs and the chances for employment. Students can discuss their first year of college. Some use the information a counselor gives them when deciding what subjects to study.
For example, a girl student wants to be an engineer, but she does not know what kind. The counselor can tell the girl that, when she graduates in four years, there will be more jobs for structural engineers than for chemical engineers. Therefore, the student may study structural engineering.
The career counseling office also communicates with local and national companies. Company officials often visit the university to talk to students who want to work for them. The career counseling offices arrange these meetings for the company and the students. They also have classes for students. They teach the students how to find a job such as what to say to company officials and how to write letters telling about themselves.
Experts say that American students who are employed when they finish college usually find jobs in their own field of study. Those who must search for months after graduation usually take lower paid jobs, and their jobs are not connected to what they studied in college. The experts foretell that in coming years there will be more jobs for healthy workers, financial experts, teachers and computer scientists.
52．According to the passage, a career counselor______.
A．helps students pass the examinations successfully
B．helps student find well-paid jobs
C．provides students with information about various opportunities
D．helps students find full-time jobs
53．A career counseling office does all the following jobs except______.
A．providing jobs information for college graduates
B．communicating with local and national companies
C．arranging meetings between companies and universities
D．teaching students special skills
54．Those who spend months hunting jobs after graduation usually______.
A．can find well-paid jobs
B．have to take part-time jobs
C．find lower-paid jobs in the fields not connected to his own
D．can find jobs in their own fields of study
55．What's the best title for this passage?
A．American University Graduates.
B．Finding Jobs after Graduation.
C．Well-paid Jobs for University Graduates.
D．Future Jobs.
C
Driving in a foreign country is always different in at least some ways from driving in your own country. Here are some general points regarding driving in New Zealand.
● Visitors wishing to drive in New Zealand do not require an international driver's licenses but are required to carry their local driver's license whenever driving.
● Vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road as they do in Britain, Australia, and Japan. Most rental vehicles will have a sticker reminding you of this important fact.
● When the traffic light is red, you must stop. There is no left turn rule as in North America.
● New Zealand road rules follow international standards but please note that in New Zealand vehicles turning left must give way to traffic turning right.
● In general, if you are turning left (where there are give-way signs or no signs), give way to vehicles that not turning. In all other situations, give way to vehicles crossing or coming from your right.
● Scat belts must be worn at all times while driving in New Zealand. This stands for the driver and passengers. The driver is responsible for ensuring all passengers are wearing their seatbelts.
● Do not drink alcohol before driving in New Zealand－drinking and driving laws are strictly enforced.
● Speed limits are in kilometers per hour (kph), not miles per hour (mph).
Speed conversion: 1 kph equals 0.621mph; 1 mph equals 1.61 kph.
● The speed limit on the open road is 100km/h. In towns and cities the speed limit is 50km/h. Be sure to obey all school crossing speed reductions as speed cameras operate regularly throughout New Zealand.
For further information and up to date road conditions visit: http://www. transit. govt. nz
49．What can be learned from the passage?
A．A passenger's not wearing the seat belt has little to do with the driver.
B．There will be a reminder for driver to remember to drive on the left side.
C．Cars passing a school in towns should drive at a speed of less than 31 mph.
D．A foreign driver is expected to have a driving license issued by New Zealand.
50．Which of the following statements correctly explains road rules in New Zealand?
A．In Figure 1, Car B must give way to Car A.
B．In Figure 2, Car B must give way to Car A.
C．In Figure 3, Car B must give way to Car A.
D．In Figure 4, Car B must give way to Car A.
51．This passage is most likely______.
A．a travel brochure for locals
B．a website travel introduction
C．an advertisement of travel
D．a travel column in a geographical magazine
B
London: It's well known that Charles Darwin's famous theory of evolution (进化) annoyed many people because it was against the Biblical view of creation. But few know that it also created problems for Darwin at home with his deeply religious wife, Emma.
"Darwin held back the publication of On the Origin of Species to avoid offending (触怒) his wife," says Ruth Padel, the naturalist's great－great－granddaughter. "Emma told him that he seemed to be putting God further and further off", Padel says in her north London home. "But they talked it through, and Emma once said, ‘Don’t change any of your ideas for fear of hurting, me.’ ”
As the world celebrates the 200th birthday of the man who changed scientific thought forever and the 150th anniversary of his book today, even his opponents admitted he was a giant figure.
Though opposition to his theory, continues, it is the elegant explanation of how species evolutes through natural selection that makes his 200th birthday such a major event.
More than 300 celebrations have been planned in Britain alone, where Darwin's face graces (使增光) the 10－pound bill along with that of Queen Elizabeth II.
Shrewsbury, the central England town where Darwin was born and raised, is holding a month-long festival for its most famous son. Down House, his former home near London, will hold a permanent exhibition recreating some of his most famous experiments.
Many more events have been planned all over the world.
What would he be doing if he were alive today? Padel thinks he would properly be studying DNA and the immune system.
45．The main purpose of the author is______.
A．to say something about Darwin and his wife
B．to introduce Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution
C．to sing high praise for the book On the Origin of Species
D．to report some celebrations of Darwin's 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of his books
46．Which of the statements is NOT true based on the passage?
A．Everyone agrees with Darwin now.
B．Darwin was brought up in Shrewsbury.
C．Emma was not really fond of his theory.
D．Darwin was very interested in living things.
47．The underlined phrase "held back" in the second paragraph probably means______.
A．prevented from B．kept a secret
C．cared about D．put off
48．It can be inferred that the passage is most probably______.
A．a scientific report B．a news report
C．an English composition D．a text
第二部分阅读理解（共两节，满分50分）
第一节阅读下面短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
A
The Erie Canal was the first important national waterway built in the US. It crossed New York from Buffalo on Lake Erie Troy to Albany on the Hudson River. It joined the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. The canal served as a route over which industrial goods could flow into the west, and materials could pour into the east. The Erie Canal helped New York develop into the nation's largest city.
The building of the canal was paid for entirely by the state of New York. It cost $ 7,143,789, but it soon gained its price many times over. Between 1825, when the canal was opened, and 1882, when toll charges(过运河费)were stopped, the state collected $ 121,461,891.
For a hundred years before the Erie was built, people had been talking about a canal which could join the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. The man who planned the Erie Canal and carried the plan through was De Witt Clinton. Those who were against the canal laughingly called it "Clinton's Ditch(沟)". Clinton talked and wrote about the canal and drew up plans for it. He and Governor Morris went to Washington in 1812 to ask for help for the canal, but they were unsuccessful.
Clinton became governor of New York in 1817, and shortly afterwards, on July 4,1817, broke ground for the canal in Rome, N.Y. The first part of the canal was completed in 1820. As the canal grew, towns along its course developed fast. The length of the canal is 363 miles.
41．We can see that the Erie Canal______
A．joined the Great Lakes together
B．crossed New York Lakes together
C．played an important part in developing New York City
D．was the first waterway built in the US
42．It can be inferred that______into the Atlantic Ocean.
A．the Great Lakes flow B．the Hudson River flows
C．Lake Erie flows D．the Erie Canal flows
43．Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．The Erie Canal brought profits of over $ 114,000,000.
B．It's 363 miles from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
C．The West was more advanced than the East when the canal was built.
D．Many other states helped New York build the canal.
44．We can learn from the passage that______.
A．Clinton broke ground for the canal at both ends
B．Clinton started building the canal before he became governor
C．all parts of the canal were completed at the same time
D．construction of the canal took eight years
February has long been a month of romance. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentine’s Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest in the third century Rome. When the emperor (皇帝) decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn’t allow marriage.
But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed “From your Valentine”, an expression that is still in use today. Valentine died for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history’s most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine’s cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine.
72. Why did the emperor in Rome not allow marriage in his country?
A. Because there were few women in his country at that time.
B. Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers.
C. Because there wasn’t enough food for so many people.
D. Because he wanted to control the birth rate.
73. Valentine was put into prison because _______.
A. he killed one of the soldiers B. he stole a lot of food
C. he didn’t obey the emperor’s order D. he didn’t want to be a soldier
74. The last paragraph mainly tells us _______.
A. students in China send cards to their teachers B. it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China
C. it is interesting to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China D. Valentine’s Day is also popular in China now
75. The best title for this passage should be _______.
A. Valentine’s Day B. A Brave Priest
C. Valentine’s Day in China D. A Romantic Man