Ireland has had a very difficult history. The problems started in the 16th century when English rulers fried to conquer (征服) Ireland. For hundreds of years, the Irish people fought against the English. Finally, in 1921, the British government was forced to give independence to the south of Ireland. The result is that today there are two “Irelands”. Northern Ireland, in the north, is part of the United Kingdom. The republic of Ireland, in the south, is an independent country.
In the 1840s ,the main crop, potatoes was affected by disease and about 750, 000 people died of hunger. This, and a shortage (短缺) of work, forced many people to leave Ireland and live in the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada. As a result of these problems, the population fell from 8.2 million in 1841 to 6.6 million in 1851.
For many years, the majority of Irish people earned their living as farmers. Today, many people still work on the land but more and more people are moving to the cities to work in factories and offices. Life in the cities is very different from life in the countryside, where things move at a quieter and slower pace.
The Irish are famous for being warm-hearted and friendly, Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish writer, once said that the Irish were “the greatest talkers since the Greeks”. Since independence, Ireland has revived (复兴) its own culture of music, language, literature and singing. Different areas have different styles of old Irish songs which are sung without instruments. Other kinds of Irish music use many different instruments such as the violin, whistles, etc.What does the author tell us in Paragraph 1?
| A．How the Irish fought against the English. |
| B．How Ireland gained independence. |
| C．How two “Irelands” came into being. |
| D．How English rulers tried to conquer Ireland. |
The last paragraph is mainly about____.
| A．the Irish character | B．Irish culture |
| C．Irish musical instruments | D．a famous Irish writer |
We learn from the text that in Ireland _____.
| A．different kinds of old Irish songs are all sung with instruments |
| B．people are moving to the cities for lack of work in the countryside |
| C．it is harder to make a living as a farmer than as a factory worker |
| D．food shortages in the 1840s led to a decline in population |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Life in Ireland |
| B．Ireland, Past and Present |
| C．A Very Difficult History |
| D．The Independence of Ireland |
Over the past few months, PSY’s funny video for “Gangnam Style” has become a YouTube sensation, resulting in over 112,000,000 views since July 15. It’s also been Tweeted more than 780,000 times and received over 260, 000 likes on Facebook, reports Mashable.com.
With the rapper(说唱歌手) making an appearance at Thursday’s MTV Video Music Awards, here’s what you need to know about the break-out artist.
His real name is Park Jae-Sang. The 35-year-old Korean pop rapper is known for his comedic music videos and performances. The video for “Gangnam Style” is no exception. When his first album PSY—From the Psycho World! was released in 2001, he was nicknamed “PSY” because of his unusual dress, special lyrics(歌词) and funny dance movies.
Gangnam is a wealthy neighborhood in Seoul(首尔). Gangnam may only be 15 square miles, but the district in Seoul, South Korea, is home to the headquarters of some of the country’s most influential companies, including Samsung, Hyundai and LG. The region also makes up 7% of South Korea’s GDP. 41% of students at Seoul University, a very famous college, come from Gangnam. The lyrics of PSY’s song describe the personality of a girl and a guy.
He studied in the U.S. Born in South Korea on December 31, 1977, PSY attended Banpo Elementary School, Banpo Middle School and Eva High Sch ool. But when it came time to achieve a college degree, the rapper attended both Boston University and Berklee College of Music in the U.S.
“Gangnam Style” is giving K-pop international fame. “Gangnam Style” is currently No.1 on the iTunes music video chart. The video has surpassed Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”; Justin Bieber’s “As Long As You Love Me”; and Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake”. This is the first time a Korean artist has ranked this high on iTunes.What is the first paragraph mainly about?
| A．The success of “Gangnam Style”. |
| B．The origin of “Gangnam Style”. |
| C．The result of the Music Award. |
| D．The childhood of PSY. |
According to the text, PSY.
| A．is already in his forties now |
| B．made his first album in 2003 |
| C．danced only in his “Gangnam Style” |
| D．has developed his special comedic style |
Which of the following about Gangnam is TRUE?
| A．It is the capital of South Korea. |
| B．It is rich and better developed. |
| C．Seoul University lies in it. |
| D．It covers about 90 square miles. |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．“Gangnarn Style” isn’t popular in English-speaking countries. |
| B．PSY will be given another big prize for music in the future. |
| C．iTunes is the No.1 music company on the internet. |
| D．“Gangnam Style” has won the most worldwide popularity. |
One day when the famous American scientist Edison was on his way home, a young man stopped him and required to have a word with him. Edison accepted his request.
The young man asked, “How can you invent so many things and achieve your fame?”
The scientist said, “It seems that you have been thinking of becoming famous every day.” The young man nodded, “Yes. I have been dreaming of being a person as notable(著名的) as you. Every minute I am thinking of how to become reputable. I don't know when I can achieve my fame (名声,名望).”
Edison told him, “Don’t worry, young man. If you want to be a famous man this way, you will have to wait until you die!”
“Why should I?” the young man was puzzled.
Edison said, “What you dream is actually a high building. You never think of how to build it with bricks（砖块）. Thus the building will never come into reality（现实）. However, your story can serve as a mirror. People will remember you because of your illness and laziness. They will often speak of your name while they give warnings to their children. Aren’t you a notorious（声名狼藉） person by then?”What happened to Edison when he was on his way home?
| A．A beggar stopped him |
| B．A robber stopped him |
| C．A man wanted to speak to him |
| D．A man wanted to have words with him |
The man asked Edison to tell him ________.
| A．how to invent new things | B．how to become famous |
| C．how he became a nobleman | D．how to become a scientist |
After hearing his talk, the young man was puzzled because Edison told him ______.
| A．he would die before he was famous |
| B．he would be famous before he died |
| C．he would die after he was famous |
| D．he would never be famous |
The man didn’t achieve his fame because _______.
| A．his wish was too high |
| B．he was too stupid |
| C．he didn’t learn from others |
| D．he was short of hardworking spirit (精神) |
The story mainly tells us ________.
| A．a person needs high spirit |
| B．one shouldn’t dream of becoming famous |
| C．only by hard work can one’s wish come into reality |
| D．one person shouldn’t be idle and lazy |
The man and Mr. Edison had a talk _______.
| A．in the classroom | B．in the street | C．in the lab | D．at home |
In 1933 an unknown American called Clarence Nash went to see the film-maker Walter Disney. He had an unusual voice and he wanted to work in Disney’s cartoon film for children. When Walter Disney heard Nash’s voice, he said, “Stop! That’s our duck!”
The duck was the now-famous Donald Duck, who first appeared in 1934 in the film, The Wise Little Hen. Donald lived in an old houseboat and worn his sailor jacket and hat. Later that year he became a star after an eight minute Mickey Mouse film. The cinema audiences (观众) liked him because he was lazy and greedy, and because he lost his temper very easily. And they loved his voice when he became angry with Mickey’s eight nephews. Soon Donald was more popular than Mickey Mouse himself, probably because he wasn’t a goody-goody, like Mickey.
In the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, Donald and his friends Mickey, Goofy and Pluto made hundreds of Disney cartoons. He also made educational film about the place of the USA in the world, and safety in the home. Then in 1966 Donald Duck and his voice disappeared—there were no more new cartoons.
Clarence Nash died in February, 1985. But today’s Children can still see the old cartoons on the television and hear that famous voice.Who made Donald Duck cartoons?
| A．Mickey Mouse. | B．Clarence Nash. | C．Walter Disney. | D．Pluto. |
When did the first Donald Duck film appear?
| A．In 1933 | B．In 1934 | C．In 1966 | D．In 1965 |
Who was Clarence Nash?
| A．A cartoonist. |
| B．A writer. |
| C．A film maker. |
| D．The man who made the voice for Donald Duck. |
Where do today’s children see Donald Duck cartoons?
| A．In new cartoons. | B．At the cinema. | C．On television. | D．In the theatre. |
Why did people like Donald better than Mickey Mouse?
| A．Probably because he was lazy and greedy. |
| B．Probably because he wasn’t a goody—goody like Mickey. |
| C．Probably because he lost his temper very easily. |
| D．Probably because he became angry with Mickey’s eight nephews. |
Ad.1
West High School Bake Sale
Come and support our band and buy some delicious baked goods!
Friday, September 20th, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
In the hall by the office after school
Cookies: 25 cents each or 5 for $1
Brownies: 50 cents each or 3 for $1.25
Cake by the slice: $1
Whole cakes: $8
Proceeds go toward sending our band to Nationals.
Ad.2
SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES
Ups or U.S. Parcel Post are the standard methods for continental U.S. shipments.
ORDER TOTAL GROUND EXPEDITED GROUND
9-12 working days 4-5 working days
$0.00 to $30.00 $4.50 $5.50
$30.01 to $60.00 $7.25 $8.25
$60.01 to $100.00 $9.50 $10.50
$100.01 to $200.00 $11.50 $12.50
Add $7.00 to Ground Rates for 3 Days. How much money can you save (节省) if you buy 3 brownies?
| A．50 cents. | B．1.25 dollars. | C．75 cents. | D．25 cents. |
Which of the following gives you the most for your money if you buy the baked goods?
| A．4 cookies. | B．5 cookies. | C．2 brownies | D．One slice of cake. |
If you wish to receive an order totaling $90.00 within 3 days, how much would the shipping cost?
| A．$10.50. | B．$15.00. | C．$16.50. | D．$26.50. |
How much should you pay for an order totaling $50 for the expedited ground (快递)?
| A．$1 | B．$7.25 | C．$8.25 | D．$15.5 |
We have designed all our bank cards to make your life easier.
How to use your NatWest Servicecard .
As a Switch card, it lets you pay for all sorts of goods and services, wherever you see the Switch logo. The money comes straight out of your account, so you can spend as much as you like as long as you have enough money ( or an agreed overdraft (透支) to cover it. It is also a cheque guarantee for up to the amount shown on the card. And it gives you free access to your money from over 31,000 cash machines across the UK.
How to use your NatWest Cashcard
You can use your Cashcard as a Solo card to pay for goods and services wherever you see the Solo logo. It can also give you access to your account and your cash from over 31,000 cash machines nationwide. You can spend or withdraw what you have in your account, or as much as your agreed overdraft limit.
Using your cards abroad
You can also use your Servicecard and Cashcard when you’re abroad. You can withdraw cash at cash machines and pay for goods and services wherever you see the Cirrus or Maestro logo displayed.
We take a commission charge (手续费) of 2.25% of each cash withdrawal you make. . We also apply a foreign-exchange transaction fee of 2.65%.
How to use your Nat West Credit Card
With your credit card you can do the following：
* Pay for goods and services and enjoy up to 56 days interest-free credit.
* Pay in over 24 million shops worldwide that display the Mastercard or Visa logos.
* Collect one AIR MILE for every￡20 of spending that appears on your statement（结算单）.
（This does not include foreign currency or traveller’s cheques bought，interest and other charges.）If you carry the Servicecard or the Cashcard , ________.
| A．you can use it to guarantee things as you wish |
| B．you can draw your money from cash machines conveniently |
| C．you can spend as much money as you like without a limit |
| D．you have to pay some extra money when you pay for services in the UK |
If you withdraw￡200 from a cash machine abroad, you will be charged ________.
| A．￡4.90 | B．￡4.5 | C．￡5.25 | D．￡5.3 |
Which of the following is TRUE about using your NatWest Credit Card?
| A．You have to pay back with interest within 56 days. |
| B．You will be charged some interest beyond 56 days. |
| C．You can use the card in any shop across the world. |
| D．You will gain one air mile if you spend ￡20 on traveller’s cheques. |
The purpose of the passage is to show you how to ________.
| A．play your cards right |
| B．use your cards abroad |
| C．draw cash with your cards |
| D．pay for goods with your cards |