The flag, the most common symbol of a nation in the modern world, is also one of the most ancient. With a clear symbolic meaning, the flag in the traditional form is still used today to mark buildings, ships and other vehicles related to a country.
The national flag as we know it today is in no way a primitive artifact. It is, rather, the product of thousands of years’ development. Historians believe that it had two major ancestors, of which the earlier served to show wind direction.
Early human beings used very fragile houses and boats. Often strong winds would tear roofs from houses or cause high waves that endangered travelers. People’s food supplies were similarly vulnerable. Even after they had learned how to plant grains, they still needed help from nature to ensure good harvests. Therefore they feared and depended on the power of the wind, which could bring warmth from one direction and cold from another.
Using a simple piece of cloth tied to the top of a post to tell the direction of the wind was more dependable than earlier methods, such as watching the rising of smoke from a fire. The connection of the flag with heavenly power was therefore reasonable. Early human societies began to fix long pieces of cloth to the tops of totems (图腾) before carrying them into battle. They believed that the power of the wind would be added to the good wishes of the gods and ancestors represented by the totems themselves.
These flags developed very slowly into modern flags. The first known flag of a nation or a ruler was unmarked. The king of China around 1000 B.C. was known to have a white flag carried ahead of him. This practice might have been learned from Egyptians even further in the past, but it was from China that it spread over trade routes through India, then across Arab lands, and finally to Europe, where it met up with the other ancestor of the national flag.The best title for the passage would be “________”.
| A．Development of the National Flag | B．Power of the National Flag |
| C．Types of Flags | D．Uses of Flags |
The underlined word “vulnerable” in Paragraph 3 means ________.
| A．impossible to make sure of | B．likely to be protected |
| C．easy to be damaged | D．difficult to find |
The earliest flags were connected with heavenly power because ________.
| A．they could tell direction |
| B．they could bring good luck to ancient fighters |
| C．they were handed down by the ancestors |
| D．they were believed to stand for natural forces |
What does the author know of the first national flag?
| A．He knows when it was sent to Europe. |
| B．He believes it was made in Egypt. |
| C．He thinks it came from China. |
| D．He doubts where it started. |
What will the author most probably talk about next?
| A．The role of China in the spread of the national flag. |
| B．The second ancestor of the national flag. |
| C．The use of modern flags in Europe. |
| D．The importance of modern flags |
Do you know when and where ice cream got its start? It's an international favorite with a long and interesting history
The earliest ices were eaten in China many years ago. The people would put orange juice on ice .Later, this idea traveled to Italy. Nero, the emperor of Rome between 37 and 68 A.D, liked to eat ices as a special treat between violin lessons. He ordered runners to run to the mountains, get snow and quickly run back to the palace; The snow was mixed with fruit juices and nuts.
Around 1660,Coffee shops serving ice cream were very popular in Paris. Most of the coffee shops were owned by Italians. The first successful one was opened by a man from Sicily named Francesco Procopio.
Ice cream was probably brought to America in the early 1700's, and quickly became the favorite of American presidents. George Washington had ice cream pots and machines in his kitchen. Dolly Madison the wife of President Madison, was the first person to actually serve it in the White House. She made her guests very happy when she served her favorite dessert.
Before ice cream was sold in stores, it was made and frozen at home. it took a lot of work to mix cream，eggs，fruit，and salt, and then to freeze it. Nancy Johnson, an American woman who was good with machines, invented the hand-turned ice cream freezer in 1846. Five years later, Jacob Fluse opened the first ice cream business, in Baltimore, Maryland His business quickly spread to other states. Today in the United States, ice cream is not only a food , it is away of life.What's the passage about? (No more than 10 words)
_____________________________________________________________________________From which country did ice cream begin to travel in the world? (No more than l word)
_____________________________________________________________________________What does the underlined word "it" refer to in paragraph 4? (No more than 3 words)
_____________________________________________________________________________Who was the first person to serve the ice cream in White House'? (No more than 5 words)
_____________________________________________________________________________According to the passage ,what made ice cream so popular in the USA? Please list two reasons．
Marie Claire Magazine is one of the top women’s health, beauty and fashion magazines in the world It has over 14 million readers all over the world．Maire Magazine is published in 32 countries including France, the Untied States ,Australia, China, the United Kingdom, Russia ,Spain Italy and many other nations.
Marie Claire Magazine has stood by its motto"More than a Pretty Face" since Jean Prouvost created it in France in1937. It was soon released every Wednesday and was an immediate success. Unfortunately, because of World War n, it stopped printing in 1940. But it b began in again in 1954 as a monthly publication（出版物)instead of a weekly one.
The magazine has provided women throughout the world with information on health ,struggles and life stories of women. The magazine also focuses on current affairs all women would be interested in .It also has a part that specifically answers readers' questions.
The magazine discusses all of the latest and hottest things in clothing and accessories（首饰）．It also provides its readers with shopping information to help find the best deals for the latest fashions.
The cover of Marie Claire Magazine has been graced（使增光）by many famous faces ,Although it is aimed at women, it broke new ground in 2003. The US publication featured a man一Tom Cruise on its cover for the first time．Marie Claire Magazine has continued to be a pioneer in the magazine industry.When was Marie Claire Magazine created?
| A． In 1937. | B． In 1940. | C． In 1954. | D． In 2003. |
Marie Claire Magazine includes sections on .
①health②fashion③first aid④current affairs
⑤babies⑥shopping⑦women's life stories⑧readers' questions
| A．①②③④⑤⑥ | B．②③④⑤⑥⑦ | C．②③⑤⑥⑦⑧ | D．①②④⑥⑦⑧ |
According to the passage，Marie Claire Magazine________.
| A．pays a lot of attention to readers's responses |
| B．has been a monthly magazine since 1937 |
| C．often has Tom Cruise on its cover |
| D．changed its boss in 1954 |
What do we know about Marie Claire Magazine？
| A．It is a local European magazine. |
| B． It never refers to hot social problems. |
| C． It contains beautiful pictures and useful articles. |
| D． It has more readers than any other magazine of the same kind |
In films, dads change from cruel men to loving souls. Here is a list of good and bad movies dads .Atticus Finch in To kill a Mockingbird（杀死一只知更鸟）
GOOD DAD:A man whose wife has died with a young family and a busy job as a lawyer, Gregory Peck's character in the 1962 film is one of the great heroes of American cinema Firm but fair he teaches his children respect and human decency（正派)．Harper Lee's novel gets a respectable transposition（转变)to film, thanks to Gregory Peck's perfect performance.
Jack Torrance in The Shining
BAD DAD: When Jack Torrance ,his wife ,Wendy ,and son, Danny ,escaped from the cold winter to the Overlook Hotel we know that Jack has hardly been a model father But when Jack becomes extremely angry and tries to murder his family with an axe, Danny used his intelligence to defeat him and left him to freeze to death．
George Bailey in It's a Wonderful life
GOOD DAD: James Stewart's character is a father-of-four who is saved from the edge of suicide (自杀)and realizes his positive effect on others lives．Much of the film is unpleasant, with George shouting at his children as he faces financial problems. But finally the lovable father realizes the worth of his own life, the value of friendship and the importance of being a loving dad
Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back（帝国大厦）
BAD DAD: When the unfriendly cyborg（半机器人）told Luke Skywalker that he was his father ,the son's reaction says it all: "No! No!" It's hardly a joyful welcome to the family. For most of his son's life, Darth Vader has been an absent dad—and he has just cut off Luke's hand You can understand why Father's Day cards might not be available.Who is Harper Lee?
| A． An actor. | B． A novelist | C． A movie director. | D． A translator. |
According to the text, ______died of freezing cold
| A． Jack Torrance | B． Wendy | C． Danny | D． Darth Vader |
Which movie should you watch if you want to see a helpless father change?
| A．To kill a Mockingbird | B．The Shining |
| C．It's a Wonderful Lift | D．The Empire Strikes Book |
What happened to Luke?
| A．He lost his hand in an accident |
| B．His father changed him into a cyborg. |
| C．He discovered that he had a cruel father: |
| D．His father lived with him for most of his life. |
Vivi Mac, an amazing artist from France, can use nearly any kind of food to create detailed celebrity portraits（名人肖像）．Although she has yet to display her short-lived work of arts in a proper art gallery, Vivi Mac has already made a name for herself online.
We've seen some amazing food artists in the past, but none are quite like this one .Karen Eland is a master coffee painter, Elisabetta Rogai uses wine as her medium(媒介），Kelly McCollam uses food colouring(食用色素）to recreat classic paintings, but the self-taught Vivi Mac can take anything from chewing gum to milk and turn it into a fantastic portrait When working with liquids, Mac uses a simple plastic straw and her hands to guide the unusual .mediums around a plastic plate which acts as a painting. Just how she manages to capture the finest facial features is still a mistery to me, and I've seen videos of her doing it many times，
Vivi Mac has never attended art school. She only used online resources like blogs and facebook to learn the basics of drawing and painting. She started out working with pens and paper, but soon realized drawing wasn't just creative enough for her. She got into speed painting and body painting, posting videos of her works on You Tube, but it wasn't until she began experimenting with different kinds of foods that her art got serious coverage. Photos and videos of her eatable celebrity portraits, like Bruce Lee in milk Ice Cube in crushed ice or Amy Winehouse in wine, became popular on the French inter-webs and changed Vivi Mac into an online celebrity.What does the underlined word "display" in the first paragraph mean?
| A．Exhibit. | B．Create. | C．Produce. | D．Store. |
What is the difference between Vivi Mac and other food artists?
| A．She Uses wine as her medium. |
| B．She is famous for her food website. |
| C．She turns any kind of food into a portrait |
| D．She uses spices to recreate classic paintings. |
In which section of a website are we most likely to find the passage？
| A．Food | B．Science | C．Art | D．Health |
Good health is the most valuable thing a person can have but one cannot take good health for granted .It is important to remember that the body needs proper care in order to be healthy. There are three things that a person can do to help stay in good shape, eat right food, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly.
Proper nutrition is important for good health. Your body cannot work well unless it receives the proper kind“fuel"．Don't eat too much food with lots of sugar and fat, Eat plenty of foods high in protein, like meat fish eggs and nuts. Vegetables and fruits are very important because they provide necessary vitamins and minerals. However don't overeat It is not helpful to be overweight
Getting the proper amount of sleep is also important. If you don't get enough sleep, you feel tired and easily get angry. You have no energy. Over a long period of time a little amount of sleep may even result In a change of personality（人的个性)．Be sure to allow yourself from seven to nine hours of sleep each ,If you do, your body will feel strong and refreshed ,and your mind will be sharp．
Finally, get plenty of exercise Exercise firms the body, strengthens the muscles, and prevents you from gaining weight It also improves your heart and lungs. If you follow a regular exercise program, you will probably increase your life-span（寿命)．An kind of exercise is good. Most sports excellent for keeping the body in good shapes: basketball, swimming, bicycling, running and so on. Sports are not only good for your body, but they are enjoyable and interesting, too.
If everybody were to eat the right foods, get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly, the world would be a happier and healthier place. We would all live to be much older and wiser.In order to keep good health______.
| A．we should eat a lot of sweets |
| B．one needs a large amount of fat |
| C．we must try to sleep now and then |
| D．people should eat according to the foods nutrition |
Eating more and sleeping less_______.
| A． can keep healthy | B． is no good for you |
| C． gets you more energy | D． will keep your personality |
The writer explains ________in the 4th paragraph.
| A． how to eat | B． what to eat |
| C． how to keep healthy | D． the importance of doing exercise |
The title for the article should be“_______".
| A． Eating and Exercising | B． How Vitamins Work in Man's Body |
| C． Staying Healthy | D． Sleeping Well |