Americans have contributed to many art forms, but Jazz a type of music, is one that was not started in the United States. Blacks, who sang and played the music of their homeland, created jazz.
Jazz is a mixture of the music of Africa, the work songs the slaves sang and religious(宗教的) music. Improvisation is an important part of jazz. This means that musicians make the music up as they go along, or create the music on the spot. This is why a jazz song might sound a little different each time it is played
Jazz bands formed in the late 1800s. They played in bars and clubs in many towns and cities of the South, especially in New Orleans. New Orleans is an international seaport, and people from all over the world came to New Orleans to hear jazz.
Jazz became more and more popular. By the 1920s, jazz was popular all over the United States. By the 1940s, you could hear jazz not only in clubs and bars, But in concert halls as well. Today, people from all over the world play jazz. Jazz musicians from the United States, Asia, Africa, South America, and Europe meet and share their music at festivals on every continent. In this way jazz continues to grow and change.What can be the best title of the passage?
| A．American Art Forms |
| B．The Development of Jazz |
| C．The Music of Black Americans |
| D．The Birthplace of Jazz |
Which of the following is true?
| A．Jazz is now popular all over the world. |
| B．Jazz is now a kind of religious music. |
| C．Jazz is now played only in bars and clubs. |
| D．Jazz is now played in the same way as before. |
From the text it can be inferred that
| A．New Orleans is the place where jazz was first produced |
| B．the American people are all jazz lovers |
| C．jazz is merely sung by the black when working |
| D．jazz may become more popular as time goes on |
It took about _____years to make jazz popular in the United States.
| A．200 | B．120 | C．80 | D．40 |
Geena David knew she wanted to be a movie star when she was very young. She was not sure what gave her the idea, but she wanted to look like a movie star. “I have a lot of pictures from my childhood of me wearing sunglasses,” she says. “I used to wear them to watch TV.”
Early movie actors started wearing sunglasses not because they looked good, but because their eyes hurt. The lights used on movie sets were extremely bright and could cause a painful problem known as “Klieg eyes”. It was named after the Klieg brothers who invented the lights. Actors wore sunglasses to give their eyes a rest. But when movie stars began wearing their sunglasses in public, they quickly became a must.
Eventually actors started wearing sunglasses in their movies as well as on the street. Audrey Hephburn wore ultra-cool Ray-Ban sunglasses in the 1961 movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. As a result, Ray-Ban sunglasses started to appear more and more in the movies. In 1979, Ray-Ban “Wayfarers” were worn by Jake and Elwood in The Blue Brothers. Tom Cruise wore Ray-Ban “Aviator” sunglasses in the 1986 hit, Top Gun. Then in 1997, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones made Ray-Ban “Predator” sunglasses famous in Men in Black.
Of course sunglasses aren’t just a fashion statement. The main reason to wear sunglasses is to protect our eyes against UV radiation. UV radiation can damage our eyes, so people now choose their sunglasses carefully. But you don’t have to give up style for safety. The choice of frames and lenses available these days is huge. So you can protect your eyes and still be the coolest person on the beach.What is mainly discussed in this passage?
| A．The use of sunglasses. |
| B．The history of sunglasses. |
| C．Why movie stars like to wear sunglasses. |
| D．The sunglasses wearing. |
Why did Geena David like to wear sunglasses?
| A．She wanted to follow a movie star. |
| B．She was a movie star. |
| C．Wearing sunglasses was good to her eyes. |
| D．It was good to wear sunglasses when watching TV. |
Early actors’ eyes hurt because ______.
| A．they wore sunglasses |
| B．they went out in the sun too much |
| C．their scripts were written in very small writing |
| D．the lights on movie sets were too bright |
We may know from this passage that ______.
| A．Ray-Ban is the name of sunglasses maker |
| B．Audrey Hephburn was a famous film star |
| C．Sunglasses made Top Gun the hit in 1986 |
| D．Men in Black must be an advertisement of sunglasses |
Now people wear sunglasses ______.
| A．for fashion and to protect their eyes |
| B．just to protect their eyes |
| C．because of bright lights |
| D．because movie stars wear them |
You choose to be a winner!
The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account (交易账户) where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7–that’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
It’s a club with impressive features for teenagers:
●No account keeping fees!
You’re no millionaire so we don’t expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!
●Excellent interest rates!
You want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits (储蓄) without taking them out in a month.
●Convenient
Teenagers are busy–we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet … You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part–time job!
●Mega magazine included
Along with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.
The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You will have to get permission from your parent or guardian (so we can organize that cool key–card) but it is easy. We can’t wait to hear from you. It’s the best way to choose to be a winner!The Winners Club is a bank account intended for .
| A．parents | B．teenagers |
| C．winners | D．adults |
Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club?
| A．Special gifts are ready for parents. |
| B．The bank opens only on work days. |
| C．Services are convenient for its members. |
| D．Fees are necessary for the account keeping. |
The Winners Club provides magazines which .
| A．encourage spending |
| B．are free to all teenagers |
| C．are full of adventure stories |
| D．help to make more of your money |
If you want to be a member of the Club, you must .
| A．be an Internet user |
| B．be permitted by your parent |
| C．have a big sum of money |
| D．be in your twenties |
What is the purpose of this text?
| A．To set up a club. |
| B．To provide part–time jobs. |
| C．To organize key–cards. |
| D．To introduce a new banking service. |
"Make-A-Wish” is one of the world's most well-known charities(慈善机构) . It makes wishes come true for childrenwho have serious illnesses. It gives them hope and joy and helps them forget about their health problems and have fun.
It all started in 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona. Christopher was a 7-year-old boy who was very sick. He always dreamed ofbecoming a police officer. Tommy Austin and Ron Cox, two police officers, made his wish come true. They gaveChristopher a tour of the city in a police helicopter(直升飞机)and made a real police uniform(制服) for him.
There are four kinds of wishes children usually have:
I wish to go.Children usually want to travel or go to a concert, a game or a park.
I wish to meet. Children sometimes want to meet their favourite actors, singers or
players.
I wish to be. Some children wish to become actors, singers or police officers.
I wish to have. They often want to have a computer, a game, a bike or many other things.
Let’shope more wishes will come true in the future. People who work in the charity always try for the best. Almost25 ,000 Volunteers help, work or give money. Will you be one of them?"Make-A-Wish" is a charity to help _______.
| A．sick children | B．serious officers |
| C．famous actors | D．popular singers |
What did the two police officers do for Christopher?
| A．They gave him a computer. |
| B．They gave him a tour of the city. |
| C．They took him to a concert. |
| D．They took him to the hospital. |
Which kind of wishes does Christopher have?
| A．I wish to go. | B．I wish to meet. |
| C．I wish to be. | D．I wish to have. |
The purpose of the last paragraph is to _______.
| A．explain what " Make-A-Wish" is |
| B．encourage more people to join the charity |
| C．tell us how Christopher's wish came true |
| D．introduce different kinds of children's wishes |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Sick children just wish to get well. |
| B．Christopher and Tommy are two officers. |
| C．A few people are working for "Make-A-Wish". |
| D．"Make-A-Wish" has a history of over 30 years. |
Many of the problems facing today’s world aren’t news to us. The environment is in dire need of help because it’s being damaged, hunger is widespread throughout the world, and workers in the Third World Countries are continuously being exploited. Therefore, individuals across the globe need to band(团结)together for a cause and use their collective efforts to make all the difference in the world.
For instance, one person recycling a can or a bottle doesn’t seem like much. But if every household in a given city was to recycle and conserve energy, that city could make a huge positive impact on environmental damage. Similarly, there are countless ways to help fight world hunger—whether it’s to donate money to a dedicated worldwide charity, donate canned goods to your local charity, or even make lifestyle changes like going vegetarian. World hunger is a massive problem—but it doesn’t mean individuals themselves can’t make a difference.
Worker exploitation is another huge problem. All across the world—particularly in the Third World Countries—workers are forced to labor long hours, with close to no pay. Yet these workers continue to show up to such a way of life, because they have no other options.
So, how can people like us help fight such a big problem? Simply raising awareness of the products you buy in stores—from clothing to food—is a massive start. For example, if you see two similar products side by side in a food shop, but one of them is labeled “fair trade”， you’ll know immediately that the workers who labored to produce that product were given a fair price for their goods. And true, fair trade products might cost a little bit more, but buying them is a significant start to help fight worker exploitation.
In short, each of us should be socially conscious to make a difference to widespread social problems.What problems facing today’s world are mentioned in the first paragraph？(no more than 8 words)
How can a city make a huge positive impact on environmental damage? (no more than 5words)
What should be done to fight world hunger? (no more than 8 words)
Why do workers in the Third Countries still continue to work long hours despite little pay? (no more than 6 words)
How is the product which is labeled “fair trade” different from other products? (no more than 10 words)
LONDON, Feb. 18，2014（Xinhua News agency）—Britain will send experts to East China's Shanghai to learn from the city's experience in maths teaching in an attempt to raise the teaching standards.
British Education Minister Elizabeth Truss is to lead a delegation of experts on a fact-finding mission to Shanghai's schools next week to see how children there have become the best in the world at maths, to get a first-hand look at maths classes and teaching methods there, and particularly to investigate why the performance of almost all children in Shanghai is high, regardless of gender or income.
Britain was last year placed 50th out of 148 countries and regions in the World Economic Forum's competitiveness ranking in quality of maths and science education. Two years ago, Shanghai topped the 2012 international PISA tables for maths, while England was ranked in 26th place. The top five were all in Southeast Asia, with 15-year-olds in Shanghai judged to be three years ahead of their peers in maths.
The education department said: "England's performance in maths has lagged behind while other countries have improved and overtaken us, including Poland and Germany." Actually, it is the latest step in the government's drive to raise standards in maths, looking at what has made schools in the far East the most successful in the world in teaching the subject.
"Shanghai is the top-performing part of the world for maths—their children are streets ahead. Shanghai and Singapore have teaching practices and a positive mind that make the difference. They have a belief that diligence makes up for lack of ability," Truss said. "Our new curriculum has borrowed from theirs because we know it works—early learning of key arithmetic, and a focus on times tables and long division（长除法）, for instance."
She was determined to change the situation as performance in maths is weakening the country's skills base and threatening the productivity and growth. The government is emphasizing maths because of the importance of good grades in the subject to young people competing for good jobs in a global labor market and to the economy more generally.
An education and skills survey released by the Confederation of British Industry last year showed that 30 percent of employers reported dissatisfaction with the standard of school and college leavers' numeracy. More than two-thirds of employers said they wanted both maths and science promoted more in schools.Why does the British government send a delegation of experts to Shanghai?
| A．To see how children from rich families have become the best at maths. |
| B．To investigate why the performance of almost all children in China is high. |
| C．To get a first-hand look at science classes and teaching methods there. |
| D．To raise the teaching standards in maths in Britain. |
Which of the following statements is true according to the two international competition results?
| A．British students performed better in 2013 than in 2012. |
| B．British students did better than the students from Poland in 2013. |
| C．The students from Singapore did better than the students from Germany. |
| D．The students from Germany did better than the students from Poland. |
What has made schools in Shanghai the most successful in teaching maths in the eye of Truss?
| A．Curriculum and teaching methods. |
| B．Teaching practices and a positive mind. |
| C．Early learning of key arithmetic and times tables. |
| D．A focus on times tables and long division. |
How will students’ poor performance in maths affect the country?
| A．By threatening the country's competitiveness of economy. |
| B．By weakening the country's political system. |
| C．By losing international competitions in education. |
| D．By failing to find jobs in a global labor market. |
What can we infer from the news?
| A．The students in Britain don’t work hard at Maths. |
| B．The students in shanghai are the smartest in the world. |
| C．The education of science in Britain is no better than that of maths. |
| D．Most British citizens are dissatisfied with teachers’ work. |