Death Valley is one of the most famous deserts in the United States, covering a wide area with its alkali sand. Almost 20 percent of this area is well below sea level, and Badwater, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and the lowest point in the United States.
Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place “Tomesha”— the land of fire. Death Valley’s present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been declared a National Monument(纪念碑) and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beauty of this place.
Here nature created a lot of surprising, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and variable parts of Death Valley is the Devil’ s Golf Course, where it seems hard for one to tell reality from terrible dreams. Sand sculptures(沙雕) stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen._______ is the lowest place in the desert.
| A．Tomesha | B．Death Valley |
| C．Nevada | D．Badwater |
The name of the valley comes from _______.
| A．an Indian name |
| B．the death of the miners |
| C．the local people |
| D．a National Movement |
From the passage we can learn that _______.
| A．no one had ever known the desert before the miners |
| B．it’s still not easy to travel across the desert |
| C．people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desert |
| D．people have changed the natural sight of the desert |
Devil Golf Course is famous for _______.
| A．the frequent wind | B．the colors of the sand |
| C．dream-like sights | D．the sand sculptures |
From the passage we can see that the writer _______ the Death Valley.
| A．appreciates | B．is fearful of |
| C．dislikes | D．is tired of |
It may help you to know that there is no such thing as a perfect speech. At some point in every speech, every speaker says something that is not understood exactly as he has planned. Fortunately, the moments are usually not obvious to the listeners. Why? Because the listeners do not know what the speaker plans to say. They hear only what the speaker does say. If you lose your place for a moment, wrongly change the order of a couple of sentences, or forget to pause at a certain point, no one will be any the wiser. When such moments occur, don’t worry about them. Just continue as if nothing happened.
Even if you do make an obvious mistake during a speech, that doesn’t really matter .If you have ever listened to Martin Luther King’s famous speech — “ I have a dream”, you may notice that he stumbles（结巴）his words twice during the speech. Most likely, however, you don’t remember. Why? Because you were fixing your attention on his message rather than on his way of speech-making. People care a lot about making mistakes in a speech because they regard speech-making as a kind of performance rather than as an act of communication. They feel the listeners are like judges in an ice-skating competition. But, in fact, the listeners are not looking for a perfect performer. They are looking for a well-thought-out speech that expresses the speaker’s ideas clearly and directly. Sometimes a mistake or two can actually increase a speaker’s attractiveness by making him more human.
As you work on your speech, don’t worry about being imperfect. Once you free your mind of this, you will find it much easier to give your speech freely. The underlined part in the first paragraph means that no one will ______ .
| A．be smarter than you |
| B．notice your mistakes |
| C．do better than you |
| D．know what you are talking about |
You don’t remember obvious mistakes in a speech because ___________.
| A．your attention is on the content |
| B．you don’t fully understand the speech |
| C．you know what the speaker plans to say |
| D．you find the way of speech-making more important |
It can be inferred from the passage that ___________.
| A．giving a speech is like giving a performance |
| B．one or two mistakes in a speech may not be bad |
| C．the listeners should pay more attention to how a speech is made |
| D．the more mistakes a speaker makes, the more attractive he will be |
What would be the best title of the passage?
| A．How to Be a Perfect Speaker |
| B．How to Make a Perfect Speech |
| C．Don’t Expect a Perfect Speech |
| D．Don’t Expect Mistakes in a Speech |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．If you are careful enough, you can make a perfect speech. |
| B．Speech-making is a kind of performance. |
| C．Listeners are not judges and they pay more attention to the message. |
| D．Martin Luther King is not a good speaker. |
As a professor at a large American university, there is a phrase that I often hear from students: “I’m only a 1,050.” The unlucky students are speaking of the score on the Schoolastic Aptitude Test (SAT), which is used to determine whether they will be admitted to the college or university of their choice, or even if they have a chance to get a higher education at all. The SAT score, whether it is 800, 1,100 or 1,550, has become the focus at his time of their life.
It is obvious that if students value highly their test scores, then a great amount of their self-respect is put in the number. Students who perform poorly in the exam are left feeling that it is all over.The low test score, they think, will make it impossible for them to get into a good college. And without a degree from a prestigious university, they fear that many of life’s doors will remain forever closed.
According to a study done in the 1990s, the SAT is only a reliable indicator of a student’s future performance in most cases. Interestingly, it becomes much more accurate when it is set together with other indicators--like a student’s academic proficiency(学业水平).They will never be able to test things like confidence, efforts and willpower, and are unable to give us the full picture of a student’s potentialities. This is not to suggest that we should stop using SAT scores in our college admission process. The SAT is an excellent test in many ways, and the score is still a useful means of testing students. However, it should be only one of the many methods used. The purpose of the SAT is to test students’ _________.
| A．strong will |
| B．academic ability |
| C．full potentialities |
| D．confidence in school work |
Students’ self-respect is influenced by their_______.
| A．scores in the SAT |
| B．achievements in mathematics |
| C．job opportunities |
| D．money spent on education |
“ A prestigious university” in para.2 is most probably _______.
| A．a famous school |
| B．a technical school |
| C．a traditional school |
| D．an expensive school |
The passage is mainly about_______________.
| A．how to prepare for the SAT |
| B．stress caused by the SAT |
| C．American higher education |
| D．the SAT and its effects |
What is the writer’s attitude towards the SAT?
| A．Subjective |
| B．Objective |
| C．Critical |
| D．Approving |
A metaphor is a poetic device that deals with comparison. It compares similar qualities of two dissimilar objects. With a simple metaphor, one object becomes the other: Love is a rose. Although this does not sound like a particularly rich image, a metaphor can communicate so much about a particular image that poets use them more than any other type of figurative language(修辞). The reason for this is that poets compose their poetry to express what they are experiencing emotionally at that moment. Consequently, what the poet imagines love to be may or may not be love we see it. Therefore, the poet’s job is to enable us to experience it, to feel it the same way as the poet does.
Let’s analyze this remarkably unsophisticated metaphor concerning love and the rose to see what it offers. Because the poet uses a comparison with a rose, first we must examine the characteristics of that flower. A rose is spectacular in its beauty; its petals(花瓣) are nicely soft, and its smell is pleasing. It’s possible to say that a rose is actually a feast to the senses of sight, touch, and smell. The rose’s appearance seems to border on(近似于)perfection, each petal seemingly symmetrical(对称的) in form. Isn’t this the way one’s love should be? A loved one should be a delight to one’s senses and seem perfect. However, there is another dimension added to the comparison by using a rose. Roses have thorns(刺). The poet wants to convey the idea that roses can be tricky(机警的). So can love, the metaphor tells us. When one reaches out with absolute trust to touch the object of his or her affection, ouch, a thorn can cause great harm! “Be careful,” the metaphor warns: Love is a feast to the senses, but it can overwhelm us, and it can also hurt us and cause acute suffering. This is the poet’s perception of love--a warning. What is the point? Just this: It took almost 14 sentences to clarify what a simple metaphor communicates in only four words! That is the artistry and the joy of the simple metaphor.According to the passage, what is a metaphor?
| A．A comparison between two different objects with similar features. |
| B．A contrast between two different things to create a vivid image. |
| C．A description of two similar objects in a poetic way. |
| D．A literary device specially employed in poetry writing. |
The main idea of this passage is that .
| A．rose is a good image in poetry | B．love is sweet and pleasing |
| C．metaphor is ambiguous | D．metaphor is great poetic device |
It can be inferred from the passage that a metaphor is .
| A．difficult to understand | B．rich in meaning | C．not precise enough | D．like a flower |
As is meant by the author, thorns of a rose_________.
| A．protect the rose from harm | B．symbolize reduced love |
| C．add a new element to the image of love | D．represent objects of one’s affection |
The meaning of the love-is–a-rose metaphor is that____________-
| A．love is a true joy | B．true love comes once in a lifetime |
| C．love does not last long | D．love is both good and bad experiences |
The Mystery of the Flashing Fireflies
During summer nights fireflies flash in the darkness. They look like bright spots of light dancing on the breeze. Catching them in a jar for a few minutes can be fun. Fireflies are not really flies, though. They are winged beetles. Scientists are using these special beetles to learn more about our world.
The reason a firefly flashed its light is to find a mate. There are around two thousand species, or kinds, of fireflies. Fireflies mate only with their own species. Each kind of firefly has its own flash pattern. It is important that fireflies recognize this pattern. That way they can find bugs of their own kind. The male firefly flies around in the sky while the female firefly stays close to the ground.
For many years, how a firefly flashes its light was a mystery. Scientists now know that a firefly’s light is a cold light. It gives off all of its power as light. It does not produce heat. A normal light bulb gives off only ten percent of its power as light. The rest of the power is wasted as heat. That is why a light bulb that has been on for a while is very hot. The firefly’s light does not feel hot like a light bulb.
Scientists have also learned that fireflies have a small built-in lantern. This special lantern is located inside a firefly’s body. To create light, a gas flows through tiny tubes. This causes the firefly to light up. A firefly can also turn its light on and off quickly. This puzzled scientists. They learned that short bursts of this gas make the firefly glow. When the gas fades, the light goes out. This process happens very quickly.
Scientists know that what they learn from fireflies will be important. Medical studies using fireflies are helping scientists fight illnesses in human beings. They have made new medicines from the chemicals used by fireflies to make light. Fireflies have also helped with new discoveries. New flashlights and flares have been made based on fireflies. These new flashlights and flares produce a cold light like a firefly. This way all the power makes the light shine. This little bug may be a pleasure to watch, but it is also an important part of our lives.Why did the author most likely include Paragraph 4?
| A．To explain how fireflies make light. | B．To describe different kinds of fireflies. |
| C．To show how much power fireflies use. | D．To describe why fireflies make light. |
Which of these is the best choice for a heading for Paragraph 5?
| A．The Cool Light of Fireflies | B．Watching Fireflies Flash |
| C．Understanding the Patterns | D．Learning from Fireflies |
According to the passage, a firefly’s light is different from a light bulb’s light because the firefly’s light _______.
| A．shines brighter | B．does not fade | C．lasts longer | D．is not hot |
A reader asks this question about the passage: “ How many different kinds of fireflies are there?” Which paragraph from the passage answers the question?
| A．Paragraph 2 | B．Paragraph 3 | C．Paragraph 4 | D．Paragraph 5 |
The author most likely wrote this passage in order to __.
| A．tell why fireflies light up | B．give facts about fireflies |
| C．show how fireflies help doctors | D．compare a firefly to a light bulb |
Most Americans have great respect for their flag and every school day begins with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Stars and Stripes. Written in 1892, this pledge is recited in schools before classes begin and it serves as a sign of unity and identity for the various groups of people who have come from so many different lands and cultures.
Students stand at attention with their right hand over their heart, face the flag which is displayed in the classroom before them and begin, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.” Even the immigrants who come from distant lands must recite this pledge to the flag when they become eligible for citizenship.
The American flag is also known as “Old Glory” and over the years has evolved to its present form of fifty stars and thirteen stripes. The stars represent the fifty states and the stripes stand for the original thirteen colonies.
The first version of the flag with its stars and stripes appeared in 1777, but only had thirteen stars. As each new state joined the union, a new star was added. The last star to be added was in 1960 after Hawaii became the fiftieth state. In the future if another state joins the Union, another star will be added to the field of blue. The number of stripes, however, remains consistent and never changes.
The design of the flag may have altered over the years, but the colors, red, white and blue, have remained constant. In 1782 the Congress of the United States proclaimed that red stood for hardiness and courage, white stood for purity and innocence, and blue for justice and perseverance.
It was the flag which inspired the creation of the national anthem: “The Star Spangled Banner” in 1812. President Wilson in 1916 and later President Coolidge in 1927 suggested in proclamations to fellow countrymen that a special day be set aside to honor the flag. In 1949 the American Congress gave official recognition of June 14 as Flag Day.According to the passage which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892. |
| B．Another name of the American flag is “Old Glory” or “The Stars and Stripes”. |
| C．The design of the flag has stayed the same over the years. |
| D．June 14 was set aside as Flag Day to honor the flag from 1949 on. |
What is the purpose of the Pledge of Allegiance?
| A．It opens the school day. | B．It is recited in all schools. |
| C．It is a sign of unity and nationalism. | D．It makes someone eligible for citizenship. |
What do the fifty stars on the flag represent?
| A．Purity and innocence. | B．Truth and honesty |
| C．Bravery and courage | D．The fifty states. |
The colors of the American flag ________.
| A．have changed from time to time. | B．have always been red, white and blue. |
| C．used to be only red and white. | D．used to be red and blue. |
The best title of the passage would be ________.
| A．“Old Glory”: the American Flag | B．The Pledge of Allegiance |
| C．American National Anthem | D．Flag Day |