Probably no other musical instrument is as popular as the guitar. Musicians use the guitar for almost every kind of music. Country and western music would not be the same without a guitar. The traditional Spanish folk music called Flamenco could not exist without a guitar. The sound of American blues music would not be the same without the sad cry of the guitar. And rock and roll music would almost be impossible Without this instrument.
Some music experts say an instrument very much like a guitar was played in Egypt more than one thousand years ago. Some other experts say that the ancestor of the modern guitar was brought to Spain from Persia sometime in the twelfth century. The guitar continued to develop in Spain. In the 1700s, it became similar to the instrument we know today.
Many famous musicians played the instrument. The famous Italian violinist Niccolo Paganinni played and wrote music for the guitar in the early 1800s. Franz Schubert used the guitar to write some of his famous works. One kind of music for the guitar developed in the southern area of Spain called Adalusia. It will always be strongly linked with the Spanish guitar. It is called Flamenco.
In the 1930s, Les Paul began experimenting with ways to make an electric guitar. He invented the solid body electric guitar in 1946. The guitar has always been important to blues music. With the electric guitar, Les Paul helped make modern blues music possible. There have been many great blues guitarists. Yet, music experts say all blues guitar players are measured against one man and his famous guitar. That man is B. B. King. Every blues fan knows that years ago B. B. King named his guitar Lucille. Here B. B. King plays Lucille on his famous recording of “The Thrill Is Gone”. Lucille, B. B. King's large, beautiful black guitar, is important to American music. Visitors can see King's very first guitar at the Rock and Soul Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. The museum is the only permanent exhibit organized by the Smithsonian Institution outside Washington, D. C., and New York City.
1.Where did the modern guitar finally come into being?
A.Egypt. B.Spain.
C.Persia. D.Italy.
2.What do we know about Flamenco?
A.It is the name of a famous musician. B.It is related to Spanish guitar.
C.It is also called Adalusia. D.It is the name of a guitar.
3.What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?
A.The electric guitar promoted the development of the blues.
B.The musician B. B. King named his guitar Lucille.
C.The Rock and Soul Museum first opened in Memphis.
D.The exhibit was first organized by the Smithsonian Institution.
4.What would be the best title for this passage?
A.Traditional Folk Music B.Flamenco and Guitar
C.Violinist and Blues D.Guitar and Music
While traveling to a foreign land, or perhaps across the state, aren't you looking for something a little more adventurous, more luxurious ( 豪华) , and packed with facilities (设施) that you don't have at home?
Treehotel, Sweden
It was perhaps everybody's childhood dream to be able to have their own tree house. Now you can sleep in a specifically made hotel suite built atop a tree in the Harads Municipality in Sweden. The most unique rooms are the Bird's Nest, a room exactly shaped like a bird nest; the Mirror Cube, a hide-out with reflective outside walls. The rate of each room starts from about $800 per night.
The Manta Resort, Tanzania
The Manta Resort in Tanzania is one of the world's only hotels with rooms placed below the surface of the ocean. By opening the curtains of your windows, you'll be able to see hundreds of fish swimming peacefully around your room. Want to go for a swim? Climb out of your room and jump in the clear waters! For only $250 a night, you, too, can sleep with the fishes.
Book and Bed, Japan
Reading before sleeping is something that many people do. Book and Bed, a 30-room hotel in the heart of Tokyo takes advantage of this by conveniently placing a lot of books in shelves just an arm's reach away from your bed. The rooms at this hotel are small enough for a single adult. Reading yourself to sleep in one of their comfortable rooms will cost only about $40 a night,
Tianzi Hotel, China
The largest image hotel in the world is the Tianzi Hotel in Hebei Province, China. The hotel is a description of the three ancient Chinese gods of Fu, Lu, and Shou- the god of fortune, prosperity, and longevity, respectively. To enter it, simply open the door located in Shou's foot.
The peach resting in the God of Longevity's left hand is a one-bedroom suite with a perfect view of the busy city. Rates at the Tianzi Hotel start as cheap as $11 a night.
1.What can we know about Treehotel?
A.It is made of wood. B.It is made on a tree.
C.It is called the Mirror Cube. D.It is named after a bird nest.
2.What can we do in the Manta Resort?
A.Live in the Bird's Nest. B.Swim in the ocean.
C.Read before sleep. D.Enjoy the busy city.
3.Which hotel most probably has the smallest room?
A.Treehotel. B.The Manta Resort.
C.Book and Bed. D.Tianzi Hotel.
假如你叫李明，即将高中毕业，准备到英国读大学。现在你有一些关于雅思考试（International English Language Testing System,简称 IELTS ）的问题需要咨询，请你写一封信向你的英国笔友David 请教你所关注的以下问题：
雅思考试的时间和主要内容。
应该如何准备阅读、写作等考试内容。
希望David 给出一些建议及推荐复习用书
向David 表示感谢，期待回信。
注意：1.词数 100 左右。
开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear David,
How are you ?
Best wishes.
Yours,
Li Ming
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。
修改:在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:
1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
The other day I happen to read an eighty-word passage about details. I found it prettily good.
One who wants to achieve great success should pay attentions to details. Sometimes it is the details in that determine our success, for it has a great impact on what we’re doing. We should form the habit of being careful, so a careful person rarely overlooks details. What’s more, we should learn to keep balance of quantity and quality. When facing with lots of work, the faster we do them, the more mistakes we usually make. In that case we are possible to neglect the details. So we should remember that quality comes first, without that quantity is of no importance.
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
My name is Tabitha, a 36-year-old mother living with my three kids in West Tennessee. I 1. (lose) my job a couple of weeks ago and I am still searching for work now. The town where I live is quite small and finding a job here has proven to be 2. major task.
Since leaving my last job, I have found that it's 3. (difficult) to make myself employed again than I expected. I have become a fulltime homemaker, 4. (take) care of my motherly duties as well as housework. Apart from caring for my children and taking care of the house, I am still busy looking for parttime and fulltime 5. (employ) to help my family financially, 6. (frequent) visit our local career center and search online if I have very little free time.
To be frank, I admit that being unemployed is 7. (stress). I usually find myself lying awake at night and wondering 8. I'm going to support my family if I cannot find a job. In my inner heart, I never think about giving up. Having devoted much effort to my jobhunting, I believe 9. will pay off one day. Therefore, I will continue to search until I find one that allows me 10. (provide) an income for my family.
I've come to the conclusion that I'm rubbish at saying “No”. For example, last Sunday I was sitting at my desk alone, totally ____ in my own business, when a colleague of mine phoned and asked me to get involved in ____ with her. I found myself getting all caught up in her enthusiasm and didn't want to ____ her. So I said “Sure, why not？” and before the call had ____, I found myself agreeing, without giving any ____ whether it was worth doing.
We are both windowshoppers and ___ a whole day in the street. Actually, I hardly have any time to spare because I am very busy ____ my normal job - I've also got a book to write, a business to ____ and a family to look after. And then there are my other projects to ____ - my voluntary work and a couple of other interesting investments that I want to ____. I'm going to have to be more ruthless (无情的) and not just agree to ____ people ask me to get involved in. In other words, I'm going to have to get ____ at saying “No”.Usually I hate saying “No”, because having to disappoint someone usually ____ me. Now I realize ____ I haven't learned to say “No”, I've been feeling very ____.
We had better do what we think is right and what we are ______ to do. Sometimes it does not seem that bad to ______ others. If I focus on the things I ______ want to be involved in, I'll reach a much higher standard and do it quite ______. I'll be enthusiastic and motivated (有积极性) and do something that is good for everyone and everyone will be happy. It'll be a winwin ______. What's not good about that？So sometimes, we have to say “No”.
1.A.experienced B.absorbed C.concerned D.disappointed
2.A.reading B.discussion C.shopping D.travel
3.A.displease B.force C.support D.shock
4.A.explained B.announced C.developed D.ended
5.A.thought B.suggestion C.idea D.question
6.A.lost B.kept C.enjoyed D.wasted
7.A.because of B.regardless of C.apart from D.instead of
8.A.visit B.run C.inspect D.invent
9.A.consider B.fetch C.catch D.enlarge
10.A.take in B.work on C.turn out D.make up
11.A.something B.none C.everything D.either
12.A.further B.cooler C.faster D.better
13.A.attracts B.beats C.upsets D.puzzles
14.A.after B.because C.if D.although
15.A.impressed B.anxious C.merciful D.depressed
16.A.likely B.afraid C.willing D.proud
17.A.join B.refuse C.invite D.choose
18.A.highly B.hardly C.suddenly D.really
19.A.patiently B.well C.seriously D.accidentally
20.A.situation B.environment C.appearance D.spirit
