Next year marks the 150th anniversary of when large numbers of Chinese started working on a huge project in the United States. They help to build America’s first transcontinental railroad between 1863 and 1869, connecting the East Coast with the West.
People know little about the Chinese railroad workers and what happened to them after the project was finished. Stanford University in California wants to learn more about the lives of these men by reaching out to their families.
Bill Yee’s ancestors came from southern China. He said, “My great-great-grandfather came to America during the‘gold rush’days and he returned to China as a wealthy man. And then my great-grandfather came to work on the railroad and died there.”
But that did not stop his grandfather from coming to the US on false papers. He operated a laundry. Bill Yee’s father continued to run the business and has never returned to China.
“Things were pretty bad in some parts of China in the 1860’s. They came to America at all costs in order that they no longer had to bear hunger,” Bill Yee said.
Shelley Fisher Fishkin is helping to direct the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project at Stanford University. She said, “Many of the Chinese workers who came to work on the transcontinental and other railroads returned to China after their work was done and created families there. Some of them settled in America and created new families, but they had families who they left when they came here and they may have descendants in China.”
There is a need to create a record of the object and spoken history from the families of the railroad workers.
“The US could not have become the modern industrial nation without the railroads. And the railroads would not have come together without the work of these Chinese workers,” said Shelley Fisher Fishkin.What do you know about Bill Yee?
A. His family was rich in the 1860’s.
B. His father settled in the USA.
C. He knows little about his ancestors and hopes to know more.
D. His grandfather came to America with his great-grandfather.According to Bill Yee, many Chinese went to America in the 1860’s mainly .
| A．to run their own businesses |
| B．to find their ancestors |
| C．to make a living |
| D．to dig gold |
According to Shelley Fisher Fishkin, .
| A．the descendants of the Chinese railroad workers all live a good life |
| B．they expect to find all the descendants of the Chinese railroad workers |
| C．some Chinese railroad workers hope they can find their descendants in China |
| D．some Chinese railroad workers have descendants both in China and the US |
Why did Stanford University carry out the project?
| A．Because they want to help the Chinese railroad workers’ descendants to get together. |
| B．Because they want to show the importance of America’s first transcontinental railroad. |
| C．Because they want to learn more about how to build a railroad in the past in America. |
| D．Because they want Americans to remember the Chinese railroad workers’ role in US history. |
Holiday News
Vacancies (空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome.
Reduced prices for low season.
The Snowdonia Center
The Snowdonia Center for young mountain climbers has a mountain 1068.The beginners’ costs are ￡57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost.
You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of lifetime of mountain climbing adventure.
The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime
Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another.
On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home.
During the trip, you can rest on deck(甲板), enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play.
You will visit all the places most people only dream about – from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokyo and Hong Kong.
For a few thousand pounds, all you’ve ever hoped for can be yours.What can you do if you like to go on holidays with pets?
| A．Choose the holiday in Devon. |
| B．Go to the Snowdonia Centre |
| C．Join the World Sea Trip of 2008 |
| D．Visit Acapulco and Hawaii |
In what way is the Snowdonia Centre different from the other two holidays?
| A．It provides chances of family gatherings. |
| B．It provides customers with good food. |
| C．It offers a sport lesson. |
| D．It offers comfortable room. |
What is special about the World Sea Trip of 2008?
| A．You can have free meals on deck every day. |
| B．You can sleep on a ship and tour many places. |
| C．You will have chances to watch and act in a play. |
| D．You have to do your own packing and unpacking. |
How many novels written by Fitzgerald are mentioned in the passage?
| A．5. | B．6. | C．7. | D．8. |
Which of the following is the correct order to describe Fitzgerald’s life according to the pas sage?
a. He became addicted to drinking.
b. He studied at St. Paul Academy.
c. He published his first novel This Side of Paradise.
d. The Great Gatsby won high praise.
e. He failed to reorder his life.
f. He joined the army and met Zelda.
| A．f-c-e-a-b-d | B．b-e-a-f-c-d | C．f-d-e-c-b-a | D．b-f-c-d-e-a |
We can infer from the passage that Fitzgerald .
| A．had made some money when he met Zelda in Alabama. |
| B．was well educated and well off before he served in the army |
| C．would have completed more works if his wife hadn’t broken down |
| D．helped his friend get rid of drinking while his wife was in hospital |
passage is probably followed by a concluding paragraph about .
| A．Zelda’s personal life |
| B．Zelda’s illness and treatment |
| C．Fitzgerald’s friendship with Graham |
| D．Fitzgerald’s contributions to the literary world |
To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains, But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against the rain, Its first use was as a shade against the sun!
Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient
times . Probably the first to use it were the Chinese in the 11th century B C.
We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade. And there was a strange thing connected with its use: it became a symbol of honor. In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by those in high office.
In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. And the umbrella was in commonly used in ancient Greece. But it is believed that the first persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against the rain were the ancient Romans.
During the Middle Ages, the use of the umbrella practically disappeared. Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century. And again it was considered as a symbol of power. By 1680, the umbrella appeared in France and later in England.
By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout mostof Europe.
Umbrellas have hot changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that women’s umbrellas began to be made , in a whole variety of colors.According to this passage, the umbrella was probably first invented in ancient_______.
| A．China | B．Egypt | C．Greece | D．Rome |
Which of the following statements is not true about the umbrella?
| A．No one exactly knows who the inventor of the umbrella was |
| B．The umbrella was first invented to be used as protection against the sun. |
| C．The umbrella changed much in style in the eighteenth century |
| D．In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. |
A strange feature of the umbrella’s use is that it was used as__________.
| A．protection against rain | B．a shade against the sun |
| C．a symbol of honor and power | D．women’s decoration (装饰) |
In Europe, the umbrella was first used against the rain_______________.
A. during the Middle Ages B. by the 18th C. in Rome D .in GreeceThis passage talks mainly about_______________.
| A．when and how the umbrella was invented |
| B．why the umbrella was so popular in Europe |
| C．the development of the umbrella |
| D．The history and use of the umbrella |
No one really knows how and why people change as they get older. Also, no theory sufficiently explains all the changes of the aging process. Aging is a complex and varied process that varies in how it affects different people and organs. In fact, even in one person , different organ systems “age “ at a different rate.
At a certain point in our lives our body systems will begin to weaken . It may become more difficult for us to see and hear. The slow change of aging causes our bodies to lose some of their ability to bounce back from disease and injury. In order to live longer , we have always tried to slow or stop this change that leads us toward the end of our lives.
Many factors decide our health . A good diet plays an important role. The amount and the type of exercise we get are another two factors. Our living condition is yet another. But scientists studying the aging problem want to know: Why do people grow old? They hope that by studying the aging medical science they may be able to make the length of life longer.
There is nothing to be afraid of as the old age comes. Many consider the later part of life to be the best time for living. Physical activity may become less, but often we get better understanding of the world and ourselves.
What we consider the old age now may only be middle-aged some day soon. Who knows ,with so many advances in medical science happening so quickly, life length may one day be measured in centuries ,rather than in years!The underlined phrase “bounce back ”means “__________.”
| A．jump backward | B．run fast | C．prevent | D．recover |
In order to make people live longer, scientists _______according to the text.
| A．teach people how to eat properly |
| B．discover how important the exercise is to one’s health |
| C．study the ways to slow or stop the process of aging |
| D．invent new medicine to slow down the process of aging |
Many consider the later part of life to be the time of living because they__________.
| A．consider their lives have been very successful |
| B．have come through the battle of life safely |
| C．know more about themselves and the outside world |
| D．can have a good rest and enjoy themselves |
How many factors which decide our health are mentioned in the text?
| A．Two | B．Four | C．Five | D．Six |
Rules of safety are made to keep people from getting hurt. It is important for everyone to learn how to live safely while at home, work, or play. You should always remember this. Put safety first.
Safety can be practiced at home by following some simple rules. Use ladders instead of stepping up on tables and chairs. Keep stairs well lighted and clear of things for someone to trip over. Fasten down loose rugs. Turn handles of pots inward from the edges of stoves. Keep matches and medicines out of the reach of small children.Keep electric wiring in good repair.
Safety at work has been getting attention from groups of people for many years. Safer machines have been built to cut down on accidents. Red lights warn when equipment is out of order and is not to be used. The proper shoes, gloves, robes, hats, or coats help protect workers on the job.
Safety at play is important, too. Children should use swings and slides properly. Common sense by people boating and swimming will also help everyone around stay safe. Good manners and care for others are part of safety.
Living safely can be fun for you as well as for those around you, You will be able to help others think before they act. Try to work for safety in everything you do.Which of the following statements is not included in the rules listed in the passage?
| A．Use ladders to reach a high place or object, |
| B．Light stairs all the time. |
| C．Keep wires in good condition. |
| D．Keep matches out of the reach of small children. |
The first sentence in the third paragraph implies______.
| A．people .have been absorbed in safety at work for many years |
| B．safety at work has been an attractive problem for a long time |
| C．safety at work has drawn people's attention since many years ago |
| D．people paid more and more attention to safety at work |
From the last paragraph we know that_____.
| A．living safely is meaningful | B．you can help others think and do |
| C．we should try to work well | D．all of the above |
This passage mainly teaches us_______.
| A．how to behave well | B．what we should pay attention to at work |
| C．we should do things safely | D．rules of safely |
A quarrel at home may result in you falling ill. Don’t laugh, it’s true. Family matters including living habits and even the way we speak have a big effect on our health, doctors say.
Wang Xiaoyu, a Senior 2 girl from Xichang, Sichuan Province, fainted (晕倒) in class when she heard her classmates quarrel at the top of their voices. Quarrels between her parents also put the girl into a coma. It is because she is suffering from depression (抑郁症), caused by bad relations at home, doctors explained.
“We don’t get sick or stay well by ourselves,” says Dr Robert Ferrer from the US. Ferrer shows that family forces may explain up to a quarter of health problems, in his recent research.
The genes you get from your family may cause illness. If one of your parents has a heart attack, your risk of being affected may double. But effects on health are not only written in our DNA.
Unrelated people who live under the same roof also get similar problems. Diet, lifestyle and environment affect our health, too.
Ferrer’s research also found that if teenagers feel they are ignored or unimportant at home they are more likely to get sick.
We may never fully understand all the effects that families have on our health. But just as individual (个别的) problems can have effects on others, a small improvement can have big benefits, Ferrer said.Which of the following can best explain why Wang Xiaoyu fainted in class?
| A．Because her classmates often quarreled in class. |
| B．Because her parents used to quarrel. |
| C．Because of her depression caused by bad family relations. |
| D．Because her classmates shouted loudly at her. |
According to Dr Ferrer, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．We get sick or stay well by ourselves. |
| B．Only the genes we get from our family have a big effect on our health. |
| C．Our health has nothing to do with diet, lifestyle and environment. |
| D．Teenagers who are ignored at home get sick more easily than those who are not. |
The underlined word “coma” in Paragraph2 probably means ________.
| A．embarrassment | B．faint | C．tiredness | D．sadness |
The best title for this passage is ________.
| A． Family relations. | B．The reasons why we get sick. |
| C． Happy family makes you healthy. | D．A research about teenagers’ health. |