My first visit to Angkor Wat(吴哥窟) was in 1980. The country had been at war for many years and the temple was deserted and falling to pieces. Plants were growing out of the roofs, and trees were growing in the courtyards.
Today, the temple is the scene of a busy repair program. A team of 15 Indian experts are organizing a workforce of 400 Cambodians, most of them women, who are cleaning, repairing and rebuilding parts of this temple.
As I walked through the courtyards, I noticed the Cambodian women devote hours to cleaning carefully a tiny area of stone. Boards are laid down to protect the precious painted stones while the repair work is going on. There are very few machines and little heavy equipment. Workers carry building materials in buckets at the end of long poles. Piles of stones lie in a corner of the courtyard, waiting to be replaced.
The work of cleaning the stones is watched over by three Indian chemists. It is a very slow task. First they clean the stones with brushes using buckets of a weak chemical. Then gaps between the stones are filled in. Finally another material is painted onto the stones which will protect them from water forever.
Work starts every day at 7 a. m. and goes on until late afternoon six days a week, with a break at midday.
Evening is the best time to visit the temple, after the tour groups have left. As the sun sinks lower, shadows spread across the courtyard. After sunset, the sky turns pink. The grey stone towers take on a golden color before turning pink. Nowhere else in the world can there be such a quiet, beautiful place.This passage mainly tells ________.
A.the poor look of the temple Angkor Wat in 1980 |
B.the history of the temple Angkor Wat |
C.the repair work being done to the temple Angkor Wat |
D.the difficulty in the repair work |
According to the author, which of the following plays the LEAST important role in the repair work?
A.The women workers. | B.The Indian workers |
C.Machines | D.Skilled workers |
The underlined sentence “the temple was deserted” possibly means that _______.
A.there was no one in the temple and it was in a poor state |
B.the temple was built on desert and nobody noticed it |
C.the temple was very old with a long history |
D.the temple was repaired by the Cambodians, most of whom women |
To clean the stone, how many steps should be followed?
A.Two | B.Three | C.Four | D.Five |
Which work needs a lot of time to do?
A.To get rid of certain types of plants. |
B.To carry the building materials. |
C.To replace the stones. |
D.To clean the stones. |
How can a creature weighing over 5 tons and normally taking 150 kilograms of food and 120 liters of water per day survive in a desert environment?
In the southwest African country of Namibia, and the Sahara lands of Mali further north, the desert elephant does just that.
Although not regarded as a separate species from the African elephant, the desert cousin differs in many ways. Their bodies are smaller, to absorb less heat, and their feet are larger foreasier walking across sandy surfaces, they are taller, to reach higher branches. They have shorter tusks(象牙), and most importantly, longer trunks to dig for water in riverbeds.
Desert elephants can travel over 70 kilometers in search for feeding grounds and waterholes, and have a larger group of families. They drink only every 3 –4 days, and can store water in a “bag” at the back of their throat, which is only used when badly needed. Desert elephants are careful feeders – they seldom root up trees and break fewer branches, and thus maintain what little food sources are available. Young elephants may even eat the dung(粪便)of the female leader of a group when facing food shortage.
During drought they are unlikely to give birth to their young but with good rains the birthrate will increase greatly. Desert elephants have sand baths, sometimes adding their own urine(尿液)to make them muddy!
As we continue to overheat our weak planet, it can only be hoped that other animal species will adapt as extraordinarily well to change as the desert elephant.The underlined part in Paragraph 2 means “”.
A.remains in the African countries | B.drinks 120 liters of water a day |
C.manages to live in desert areas | D.eats 150 kilograms of food daily |
Desert elephants are called careful feeders because they _________.
A.rarely ruin trees | B.drink only every 3-4 days |
C.search for food in large groups | D.protect food sources for their young |
The author answers the question raised in the first paragraph with __________.
A.stories and explanation | B.facts and descriptions |
C.examples and conclusion | D.ev![]() |
What can be inferred from the last sentence in the passage?
A.Overheating the earth can be stopped. |
B.Not all animal species are so adaptable. |
C.The planet will become hotter and hotter. |
D.Not all animals are as smart as desert elephants. |
Dad came in the midnight. We heard every sound, but we pretended to be asleep.
Next morning he looked weak and thin, sitting in a chair by the kitchen fire. The light of the fire shone through his long empty sleeve. Everything went as usual. Grandma found something to do in the bedroom. Grandpa went out for some water. Mother, with her back to us, was getting the cakes ready for breakfast.
But nothing was right. When grandma came out of the bedroom, she walked on tiptoe. When grandpa came back, he said nothing about the weather. At breakfast Mother passed us the fruit and said something, but her voice was too high.
At last my sister, Lou, pushed back her chair. “It’s your turn to wash the dishes.” But I had washed the dishes the night before. I said nothing because it was not right to quarrel in front of Dad just home with the empty sleeve.
“It is your turn,” Lou said again. I looked at her in surprise.
“It is not,” I said because I suddenly remembered Mother had told us to go on as usual.
“Children, children,” Mother said in a quiet, glad kind of voice.
And Dad was smiling because he felt at home at last.What do you know happened to Dad in the story?
A.He was badly ill. | B.He had a long journey. |
C.He![]() |
D.He lost one of his arms. |
The familywhen they saw Dad’s empty sleeve.
A.was too surprised to do anything | B.felt sad and cried a lot |
C.tried not to show their feelings | D.showed no worry at all |
From the story, we know.
A.the two sisters often quarreled about who should wash the dishes |
B.the family liked seeing the two sisters quarrelling after breakfast |
C.Dad loved the two sisters very much though they oft![]() ![]() |
D.Mother told the two sisters to quarrel with each other the night before |
Which of the following can be the best title of the story?
A.The Quarrelling Sisters | B.Dad Was Back |
C.After the Accident | D.An Empty Sleeve |
Children, especially boys, tend to idealize their fathers when they are young.Every little boy wants to grow up to be just like his father, and every little girl thinks her father is the smartest man on the earth.It’s not very easy to be a good father, but it’s not that difficult either.Children will truly enjoy spending time with their fathers, not just when they are kids, but even when they are adults.
Not all children communicate well with their fathers.Communication is often left to mothers, while fathers dispense advice as and when necessary.Don’t expect all conversations to centre around the dinner table.Go to your children’s bedrooms and talk to them about school, their teachers or their friends.Remember that the conversation cannot be one-sided.When your children open up to you, you also need to open up to them.
If your children come home from school feeling upset, go up to them and ask them what is the matter.And if it is something which seems to you to be a silly reason to be upset, don’t voice your opinion.It may be silly to you, but to your children it is important enough.So don’t wave the topic away by telling them not to bother about such stupid things.Simply discussing their problems with them will help them feel better.
Don’t shy away from having discussions about your teenage children’s love lives.Generally speaking, your children are definitely not going to discuss intimate details with you.Try to let them know that you are relaxed about topics on love.Tell your children how you met your wife.It is perfectly normal for children to go through feelings for the opposite sex as they grow up, and by keeping the topic closed for discussion, you are only shutting them off from discussing their feelings with you.All they will do is turn to their friends.To children their fathers are usually very _____.
A.kind | B.great | C.serious | D.strong |
From the second paragraph we can know that _____.
A.some children don’t like their fathers at all |
B.talking with children around the dinner table is unnecessary |
C.it is better for fathers to communicate more with their children |
D.mothers should communicate less with their children. |
Suppose your children are worried about something you should _____.
A.have a talk with themB.express your opinion
C.keep silentD.let them aloneWhich of the following has the closest meaning to the underlined word “intimate” in Paragraph 4?
A.Public | B.Personal | C.Strange | D.Serious |
Beijing ?(13, July) China sent up a new data relays atellite (数据中继卫星), Tianlian I -02, on Monday at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in South-western Sichuan province.The new satellite will promote the country's satellite communication network for space docking (对接).
The satellite was launched on a Long-March-SC carrier rocket at 11:41 p.m., sources at the centre told Xinhua News Agency.The satellite separated from the rocket 26 minutes after its launch and was then successfully delivered into a geostationary transfer orbit (地球同步转移轨道).
Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the satellite is the country's second data relay satellite.The first, Tianlian I -01, was launched on April 25.2008.
The two satellites will form a network to improve communications between China's spacecraft and bases on Earth, according to the centre.They will also be used to help the nation's first space docking, scheduled for the second half of this year.
As planned, China will launch space module Tiangong-I (天宫1号), which was designed as a platform that will dock with an unmanned spaceship, Shenzhou, for the county's first space-docking mission this year.
Two more Shenzhou spaceships will dock with Tiangong-I next year, and one will be manned by two or three astronauts, according to China Manned Space Engineering Office, which was the main user of the Tianlian I series data relay satellites.
"The new satellite can cover a greater area to track and command the country's space vehicles m low-Earth orbits, such as manned spacecraft and remote sensing satellites, from a higher position m outer space.Only three satellites of this kind are needed to form a global communication network, and China has two now." Pang Zhihao, a researcher and deputy editor-in-chief of Space International, said.
The satellite could also equip astronauts with real-time communications, which will benefit the county s future manned space flights, he said.What is the main purpose to send up Tianlian I -02 ?
A.To test the function of a Long-March-SC carrier rocket. |
B.To carry some astronauts into space to do some research. |
C.To send more information and clearer pictures to mobile phones on the earth. |
D.To promote the country's satellite communication network for space docking' |
From the passage we know.
A.one more such satellite is needed to form a global communication network |
B.the satellite was developed by China Manned Space Engineering Office |
C.it was less than three years since China launched its first date relay satellite of this kind |
D.the satellite could help track and command space vehicles in orbits because it's lower in position |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the news report?
A.Shenzhou Ⅷ is a manned spaceship. |
B.Tiangong- I will dock with three Shenzhou spaceships next year. |
C.the satellite is of great importance to China's space exploration. |
D.china’s first ^a06 docking will be done in the second half of next year. |
The best title of the passage could be _____.
A.China Launched a New Space Shuttle |
B.China's Plan for Space Exploration |
C.China’s Progress m China's Space Exploration |
D.New Satellite Helps China's Space Exploration |
Nuclear weapons(核武器)were first developed in the United States during the Second World War to be used against Germany.However, by the time the first bombs were ready for use, the war with Germany had ended and, as a result, the decision was made to use the weapons against Japan instead.Hiroshima and Nagasaki have suffered the consequences of the decision to the present day.
The real reasons why bombs were dropped on two heavily populated cities are not altogether clear.A number of people in 1944 and early 1945 argued that the use of nuclear weapons would be unnecessary, since American Intelligence was aware that some of the most powerful and influential people in Japan had already realised that the war was lost, and wanted to discuss a Japanese surrender (投降).It was also argued that, since Japan has few natural resources, a blockade (封锁) by the American navy would force it to surrender within a few Weeks, and the use of nuclear weapons would prove unnecessary.If a demonstration of force was required to end the war, a bomb could be dropped over an unpopulated area like a desert, in front of Japanese observers, or over an area of low population inside Japan, such as a forest.Choosing this course of action might decrease the loss of further lives on all sides, while the power of nuclear weapons would still be adequately demonstrated(展示).
All of these arguments were turned down, however, and the general agreement was that the quickest way to end the fighting would be to use nuclear weapons against the centres of population inside Japan.In fact, two of the more likely reasons why the decision was reached seem quite shocking to us now.The meaning of the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 is that .
A.the two cities were badly damaged after they were bombed |
B.the two cities suffered because Japan would not agree to end the war |
C.the terrible effects of dropping nuclear weapons on these cities can still be felt |
D.the end of the war with Germany meant Hiroshima and Nagasaki, would suffer |
According to Paragraph 2, a blockade would have been successful because
A.Japan had to import most of its natural resources |
B.Japan would not be powerful enough to beat a blockade |
C.an attack would probably destroy Japanese resources within a few weeks |
D.the Americans could defeat Japan's navy since it was short of resources |
The last paragraph tells that.
A.the writer probably expects us hot to argue with his opinion |
B.the nuclear bombs must have been dropped on Tokyo, too |
C.the real reasons for' the decision may never have been made clear |
D.the writer has not done much research on this subject to establish the facts |
What would probably be discussed in the paragraphs that follow?
A.The reasons why Japan chose to surrender. |
B.The writer's attitudes towards the Japan's surrender. |
C.People's different opinions about dropping nuclear weapons onto the cities. |
D.Some of the possible reasons for dropping nuclear weapons onto the cities. |