Nelson Mandela is respected and admired around the world. And to South Africans he is a superstar. He is a hero who shocked the world by fighting for peace between races, despite the 27 years he spent in the prison of the South Africa’s white, racist regime (种族主义政权).
Mandela who won the nation’s first all-race elections after the fall of apartheid (种族隔离) in 1994, retired in 1999. But he remains as popular as ever. His popularity has inspired an entire national industry. His portrait (肖像) has appeared at many places, including on some goods. His face has appeared on a South African coin, and some business leaders hope to build a statue in his likeness—the Statue of Freedom. It would stand taller than New York’s Statue of Liberty.
“His popularity is similar to that of John F. Kennedy with US or Winston Churchill in Britain, but few politicians in his times have achieved his level of admiration,” said Tom Lodge, head of the political science department of the University of the Witwatersrand, “What a skilled performer Mandela has been throughout his political career! He’s a very, very clever man.”
However, he is far from perfect. Most articles for his birthday, which appeared in every major South African newspaper on the day, briefly mentioned that Mandela did have his shortcomings.
Then they returned to their flowing praises. “Through the ages, the human race has had its icons (偶像)—men and women who rose above ordinary people to inspire their generations,” The Mail and Guardian Weekly said. “In our generation, the gods presented us Nelson Mandela.”
1.Mandela is a hero to South Africans because ________.
A. he’s as popular as Kennedy and Churchill
B. he spent 27 years in prison
C. he’s a great fighter against the racialism
D. he’s the first all-race elections president
2.What can we learn about Mandela?
A. He is not so popular as before.
B. His portrait has appeared on some goods.
C. He is the greatest politician in history.
D. He did not realize his own shortcomings.
3.The underlined sentence in the last paragraph means ______.
A. Mandela was as great as a god
B. we are proud to live in Mandela’s times
C. Mandela often gave presents to others
D. we are proud to know Mandela
4.What can be the best title of the article?
A. The Statue of Freedom in South Africa
B. South Africa’s white, racist regime
C. Mandela, the hero to South Africans
D. Mandela, Kennedy and Churchill
Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine, an early Christian churchman who helped young lovers. Valentine was killed for his Christian beliefs on February 14 more than 1,700 years ago, but the day that has his name is even earlier than that.
More than 2,000 years ago, the ancient Romans celebrated a holiday for lovers. As part of the celebration, girls wrote their names on pieces of paper and put them in a large container. Boys reached into the container and pulled one out. The girl whose name was written on the paper became his lover or sweetheart for a year. Today, lovers still put their names on pieces of paper and they send each other Valentine’s Day cards that tell of their love. Sometimes they also send gifts, like flowers or chocolate candy. Americans usually send these gifts and cards through the mail system. But some used another way to send this message. They have it printed in a newspaper. The cost is usually a few dollars. Some of the messages are simple and short, “Jane, I love you very much.” Others say more. This one, for example, “Roses are red. Violets are blue. I hope you love me as much as I love you. Forever, Mary.”
Most of the newspapers that print such messages are local, but USA Today is sold throughout the United States and 90 other countries as well. This means someone can send a Valentine message to a lover in a far-away city or town almost anywhere in the world. These messages cost 80 dollars and more. An employee of USA Today says readers can have a small heart or rose printed along with their messages this year. Will this kind of Valentine’s Day message reach the one you love? Well, just make sure he or she reads the newspaper.
1.Which time period did Saint Valentine live in?
A. More than 1,700 years ago.
B. More than 2,000 years ago.
C. More than 3,700 years ago.
D. More than 300 years ago.
2.According to Para. 2, which of the following is not part of celebration on Valentine’s Day?
A. Lovers put their names on pieces of paper.
B. Lovers send each other cards that tell of their love.
C. Lovers talk about their love stories on TV programs.
D. Lovers send gifts and cards through the mail system.
3.What is the cost of printing a message in USA Today to show one’s love?
A. For free.
B. A few dollars.
C. Less than 80 dollars.
D. 80 dollars and more.
4.What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To introduce the origin of Valentine’s day and its modern style.
B. To advertise for the newspaper—USA Today.
C. To tell you that Americans are open to express their love.
D. To call on all the lovers to remember Saint Valentine forever.
A trip to Paris is not complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower. To get the most out of your visit read our tips below:
Visit at Night
Riding up the Eiffel Tower at night and looking out over the streets of Paris, you’ll see why Paris is known as the “City of Light”. At street level, the spotlights on the top of the Tower and the reflections (倒影) of the Tower in the Seine (塞纳河) are sights not to be missed.
Purchase (购买) Your Ticket in Advance Online
Avoid the long ticket lines at the Eiffel Tower by purchasing your ticket online from the Eiffel Tower website.
You’ll pick a time to visit and then select whether to print out the ticket or display it on your phone or iPad, a convenient choice if you buy your ticket in Paris without a printer.
Don’t Bring Valuable Objects with You
Before entering the Eiffel Tower, your bags will be examined by a security officer. If an item you are carrying sets off the metal detector, the officer will take you away from the line for further inspection. Probably you will miss the chance to go up the Eiffel Tower.
Have Drinks and Snacks at the Eiffel Tower
If you’re like us, after an exciting trip to the Eiffel Tower, you’ll be ready to rest your legs and have a relaxing snack and a drink in a Parisian cafe. Across the Seine in the Trocadero area, there are many elegant cafes. The atmosphere is great, but the prices are in the stratosphere (极高水平). Actually, the perfect place for common visitors to eat and drink is on the Eiffel Tower itself.
1.Why does the author suggest visiting the Eiffel Tower at night?
A. Because you can have special sights of the city of Pairs.
B. Because you can stand on the top of the Eiffel Tower.
C. Because you can see the Seine as clearly as possible.
D. Because you can avoid the crowds and enjoy it peacefully.
2.What can be inferred from this article?
A. A printer will be necessary if you want to buy a ticket.
B. Tickets to the Eiffel Tower can only be bought online.
C. Tourists are not allowed to take bags to the Eiffel Tower.
D. Some objects can’t be brought to the Eiffel Towel.
3.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. The Eiffel Tower provides expensive foods and drinks.
B. The author recommends tourists have snacks on the Eiffel Tower.
C. You will spend more if you have snacks at the Eiffel Tower.
D. The author prefers to eat across the Seine.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What’s the prize of the competition?
A. A visit to the radio station.
B. A trip to Europe.
C. An air ticket to Europe.
2.What kind of stories is required?
A. An exciting adventure.
B. An exciting day at a hotel.
C. A story about comfortable life at home.
3.What does the speaker say about the story?
A. It must be more than 1,000 words.
B. It can be finished by more than one person.
C. It can be created with one’s imagination.
4.What is the closing date for entries (参赛作品)?
A. October 1st. B. October 15th. C. October 25th.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Why is the woman surprised?
A. The park is crowded.
B. The park is empty.
C. The park isn’t for children.
2.What time of year is it?
A. Spring. B. Summer. C. Fall.
3.How does the man feel about his job?
A. He loves it. B. He is tired of it. C. He feels stressed.
4.Where will the man probably work in the future?
A. At a bank. B. At a college. C. At Disneyland.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What will the temperature be in Greece tomorrow?
A. About 20 degrees Celsius.
B. About 25 degrees Celsius.
C. About 32 degrees Celsius.
2.What will the weather be like tomorrow in France?
A. Rainy. B. Cloudy. C. Sunny.
3.Which place will be the coolest tomorrow?
A. Greece. B. England. C. France.
