Sports play an important role in British life. The most popular sport is football. Cricket is also popular in England, but is less important in the other home nations. Rugby union and rugby league are the other major team sports. Tennis is the most important sport for the two weeks of the Wimbledon Championships(温布尔登网球锦标赛)
Football
The modern global game of football developed from traditional British football games in the 19th century. Club football is organized separately in each of the home nations. English football has a league system which combines thousands of clubs. Scotland has a similar but smaller club football structure. The top level league in Wales is the league of Wales. In Northern Ireland the main league is the Irish Football League.
Each season the most successful clubs from each of the home nations qualify for(使…具有…的资格) the two Europe wide club competitions organized by UEFA(欧足联), the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Cup.
Cricket
Cricket was invented in England. It is regarded as England’s national summer game and it is probably the second most widely covered sport.
There are eighteen professional country clubs, seventeen of them in England and one in Wales. Each summer the country clubs compete in the first class Country Championship, which consist of two leagues of nine teams and in which matches are played over four days.
Rugby
Like football, rugby union and rugby league both developed from traditional British football games in the 19th century. For much of the 20th century there was great antagonism between rugby leagues, which was a mainly working class game based in the industrial areas of northern England, and rugby union, which is a mainly middle class game in England, and is also popular in the other home nations.
Tennis
Tennis is yet another sport which originated in the United Kingdom and the governing body of the sport is the LTA(草地网球协会). However, no British man has won Wimbledon since 1936 and no British woman since 1977. The only British players of either sex to reach the world top 50 in recent years are Greg Rusedski, who learnt his tennis in Canada, and Tim Henman and Andrew Murray ,who did not pass through the LTA system either.What do we know about football?
| A．The top clubs represent the UK in the two Europe competitions. |
| B．Football is a newly-invented game in England |
| C．The top level league in England is the Irish Football League |
| D．Club football is an organized union in the UK. |
From the passage we can learn .
| A．There exist all professional county clubs in England. |
| B．Rugby leagues was enjoyed by middle class |
| C．Tennis is in the charge of LTA |
| D．Greg Rusedski did not pass through the LTA system. |
The underlined “antagonisim” in the sixth paragraph probably means .
| A．preference | B．friendliness | C．similarity | D．opposition |
From what can we read the passage?
| A．tour guidebook | B．book review |
| C．news report | D．news magzine |
“Choo, Choo!” Here comes the Chunnel train. Get aboard if you want to learn more about this underground transportation system. This is an unusual form of transportation, because it is a tunnel that trains travel through and not an actual form of transportation.
The Chunnel is actually the English nickname for the Channel Tunnel. In French, it is called le tunnel sous la Manche. It is a rail tunnel beneath the English Channel at the Straits of Dover. It connects Cheriton in Kent, England with Sangatte in northern France. It is the second longest rail tunnel in the world.
Did you know that the British and the French had a race whi1e they were building the Chunnel? The race was to see who could get to the middle of the tunnel first. The British won by a little bit. It took 15,000 workers over seven years to dig the tunnel. The tunnel was finished in 1994.
The completed Chunnel cost about $ 21 billion. But it all paid off, because it became very popular, very quick. Millions of people use it. Now it is getting even more popular.
There are three complete tunnels in the Chunnel. The two outside ones are the passenger trains. The small inner one is a guidance train. The guidance train is not used for transportation. Each track is exactly parallel to each other.
There are four different train systems in the Chunnel. The Eurostar is a high speed passenger service that connects London, Paris, Brussels, and Lille. The Eurotunnel shuttle is a rail ferry service. These shuttles carry cars. These are railcars that allow drivers to drive their vehicles on and off. There are also two Eurotunnel goods service trains.
Now you know more about the Chunnel. Everybody off, this is the last stop.The Channel Tunnel connects ______ with _______.
| A．Dover; Kent | B．London; Paris |
| C．Cheriton; Sangatte | D．Lille; Brussels |
Which of the following shows the structure of the tunnels in the Chunnel?
The Eurotunnel shuttle is intended to carry _________.
| A．passengers |
| B．goods |
| C．drivers and their vehicles |
| D．staff members of the Chunnel |
The text can most probably be __________.
| A．found in a textbook | B．broadcast on a train |
| C．read in a magazine | D．heard in a railway station |
Liverpool, with its half a million citizens, is a big city. It's a city with variety and options.
Every year, tourists from all over the world go to Liverpool, most of whom head straight for the stadium to catch the city's two football teams in action. Liverpool and Everton are both world－famous clubs with fans from all corners of the World, as well as a good number of home grown supporters.
Another big draw to the city is the four local boys. Paul, John, George and Ringo, collectively famous as The Beatles. The pop quartet (四重唱表演小组) first put Liverpool on the world map in the 1960s. The Beatles Story, situated at the Albert Dock, is a huge draw for fans, and you'll find the Beatles shop and ever－popular Cavern Club, the “birthplace of the perfect Four”, in the Cavern Quarter of the city. Fans can also join one of the coach trips around the sights associated with the band, from the houses they grew up in, to the places including Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields.
But Liverpool is about more than music and sport. It is rich in history, with some of the most shocking architecture in the UK. The city has two great cathedrals(教堂): Anglican－the largest of its kind in Europe; and the more modern－styled Metropolitan. The famous waterfront, with the Pierhead and the Albert Docks, is also worth a visit. Many of the city's great museums are situated here, including the Walker Art Gallery, the Liverpool Maritime Museum, and the Tate Gallery, which is home to the largest modern art collection in the North. The nightlife in the city also has a lot to offer. With more than 250 bars, pubs and restaurants, there is always something for everyone to do in Liverpool. Music, museums, shopping, history, pubs and bars——it's all there. It is the world in one city, a place truly deserving of the Capital of Culture title.Liverpool and Everton are___________clubs.
| A．architecture | B．music |
| C．tourist | D．football |
What made Liverpool first known to the world?
| A．The Beatles. | B．Cavern Club. |
| C．The Beatles Story. | D．The Beatles shop. |
Compared with Metropolitan, the cathedral Anglican is__________.
| A．better－known | B．more shocking |
| C．more traditional | D．smaller |
Why does the author say “It is the world in one city” in the last paragraph?
| A．Liverpool belongs to the world. |
| B．Liverpool is a lively city with various cultures. |
| C．Liverpool owns lots of museums well－known in the world. |
| D．Liverpool is world famous now. |
During my high school years, the most important thing was what I was wearing to the Friday night dance and who I was taking. Although college was talked about, it was the least of my worries.
When I was graduating eighth grade and starting high school, my older brother was graduating twelfth grade and going onto college. For my graduation, he gave me a card in which he wrote, “Enjoy your four years…, they go by fast.” I remember not believing him then, but looking back…, he was right. Those four years shaped who I was as a person, pushed me to my limit and encouraged me to become an adult.
However, I was so completely absorbed in my junior and senior years of high school, that when someone spoke of college I brushed it off. I wasn't ready to leave my comfort zone of having all of my closest friends together and knowing what every single day was going to be like . Studying was something I did only AFTER I nailed my half-time dance performance. I knew my parents wanted me to go to college, so I told them I would go to commuity college and I didn’t worry about my SAT scores.
When my senior year passed and everyone graduated and went off to their own college ,I started to wish I had done the same. My friends were living away, meeting new people, discovering new places, and I was living at home and driving to and from class every day. It seemed exactly like high school. I hated it! I thought college was supposed to be different! Why didn’t I take more time to research colleges and do the same? I ended up loving college and wishing I had four years to enjoy the campus atmosphere instead of two.
My advice to anyone thinking about attending college is to think about it very seriously and look into all of your choices well ahead of time. Now I have graduated and I am working full time and I would do anything to go back to my high school days for a second chance!Why didn’t the author worry about his SAT scores?
| A．He had a gift for dance.. |
| B．He wanted to go to community college |
| C．He was well prepared for the exam. |
| D．He believed his brother would help him. |
When in high school, the author.
| A．buried himself in his study all the time |
| B．drove to and from class every day |
| C．enjoyed talking about future college life |
| D．lived in the school except on holidays |
What did the author’s brother mean by “Enjoy your four years…, they go by fast.”?
| A．He wished the author to have more dance. |
| B．He encouraged the author to leave his comfort zone. |
| C．He advised the author to value the years. |
| D．He suggested the author aim at a community college. |
Talking of his high school years, the author feels.
| A．regretful | B．lonely | C．angry | D．pleased |
There are one billion homeless people living in our world today. The Homeless World Cup exists to end this, so we all have a home, a basic human need.
The Homeless World Cup is an annual, international football tournament(联赛), uniting teams of people who are homeless to take a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country and change their lives forever. It has inspired and supported over 50 grass roots (基层的) football projects around the world working with homeless people throughout the year.
The first tournament took place in Graz 2003 uniting 17 national teams. At the 5th Homeless World Cup in Copenhagen in 2004, 48 nations, 500 players were united for a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country. 25,000 players were involved in pre-tournament training and trials around the world.
The Homeless World Cup is full of players with courage, spirit and determination. Research shows that 73% of players change their lives for the better after the international tournament by coming off drugs and alcohol, moving into jobs, education, homes, training, reuniting with families and even going on to become players and coaches for professional or semi-professional football teams. David Duke (Scotland) played in 2004, came off alcohol, passed his coaching qualifications (资格). He became assistant coach for Scotland 2005, coach in 2006 and now owns his own home. The best goal scorer in 2004 Yevgen Adamenko (Ukraine) went on to play in a professional club in Ukraine.
The Homeless World Cup supporters include Nike, UN, Manchester United, Real Madrid and international footballers Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand.The purpose of the Homeless World Cup is to __________.
| A．find a home for homeless people |
| B．collect money for homeless people |
| C．help the homeless kick bad habits |
| D．help the homeless start a new life |
Which of the following statements is true about the Copenhagen Homeless World Cup?
| A．It took place in early December. |
| B．25,000 players entered the tournament. |
| C．Nearly 50 teams competed in the tournament. |
| D．David Duke won the best goal scorer in 2004. |
Why does the writer give the examples of Yevgen Adamenko and David Duke?
| A．To attract people to join the Homeless World Cup. |
| B．To show the influence of the Homeless World Cup. |
| C．To show the popularity of the Homeless World Cup. |
| D．To inspire people to support the Homeless World Cup. |
The underlined words “coming off” in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by ________.
| A．giving up | B．falling in |
| C．cutting off | D．looking down |
In Africa, Christmas day begins with groups of carolers (欢唱颂歌的人) walking to and fro through the village, along the roadway, by the houses of the churchmen, singing the lovely carols known the world around. Often people may be awakened by a group of carolers beginning to gather at the church. They return home to make final preparation as to the clothes one must wear and also as to his offering for the Christmas service. The most important part of their Christmas service is the love offering. This is the gift in honor of Jesus. At about 8 or 9 o’clock, everyone makes their way to the celebration of the birthday of Jesus. Everyone who attends the service goes forward to lay down their gift upon the raised platform near the Communion table. Not one person will attend the service without giving a gift.
Christmas in South Africa is a summer holiday. There is no snow, but it has many flowers, many beautiful varieties of wild flowers being in their full pride.
In Ghana, most churches announce the coming of Christmas by decorating the church and homes beginning with the first week in Advent, four weeks before Christmas. This season happens to be the cocoa harvest time, so it is a time of wealth. Everyone returns home from wherever they might be, such as farms or mines.
In Africa, it is the traditional dinner of turkey, roast beef, mince pies, suckling pig, yellow rice with raisins, vegetables, and plum pudding, or crackers. In the afternoon, families go out into the country and usually there are games or bathing in the warm sunshine, and then home in the cool of the evening. Boxing Day is also a public holiday of real relaxation usually spent in the open air, which falls on December 26.The writer of this passage mainly wants to _________.
| A．persuade us to have a holiday in Africa |
| B．introduce to us when Christmas came into being |
| C．tell us how people celebrate Christmas in Africa |
| D．describe some important holidays in Africa |
The correct order of the following festivals should be ________.
| A．Christmas→ Boxing Day→ Advent |
| B．Boxing Day→ Christmas→ Advent |
| C．Christmas→ Advent→ Boxing Day |
| D．Advent→ Christmas→ Boxing Day |
If you visit South Africa on Christmas day, you’ll find ________.
| A．everyone returns home to harvest cocoa |
| B．people enjoy a traditional dinner |
| C．the church and homes are being decorated |
| D．it is snowing heavily everywhere |
In Africa, the traditional dinner for Christmas including the following EXCEPT ________.
| A．pumpkin pies | B．yellow rice |
| C．crackers | D．turkey |