When Columbus ‘sailed the ocean blue in 1492’ he wasn't looking for America, he was searching for a route from Spain to China; America just got in the way.
The Spanish were after the riches of Asia: silk, dates, spices. Until later adventurers discovered how to sail to the Far East, trade with China depended on the Silk Road. The trade between China and Europe brought huge wealth, so the Spanish had a strong desire to find a new way to the East. Eventually a way appeared; as sea traffic developed from the 17th Century onwards, the overland route diminished.
Now China is seeking to revive(复兴)the Silk Road and is preparing to invest 4 trillion pounds in new roads, rail links, oil pipelines and other basic facilities. It is hoped that goods can be shipped westwards by land far more quickly and economically than by sea.
But the plan is also to attract more tourists. Actually, China does pretty well for tourists already; it's the world's fourth most visited country. Two cities — Beijing and Shanghai—possess the tourism business, with significant interest in destinations such as Xi'an and Chengdu. While Beijing is modern, cities such as Lanzhou and Dunhuang have one foot planted firmly in old China.
Other places featured include Xi'an, the former capital of China, where you can come face to face with the Terracotta Army built to protect China's first emperor in the afterlife. From Lanzhou tour members take the train to Jiayuguan, China's western gateway and a key location on the Silk Road.
There is also a fourday coach journey along the original Silk Route through the Xinjiang region to Kashgar. Along the way, at Kurla, you can visit the ruins of the Iron Fortress.
1.What does the underlined word “diminished” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Discovered. B. Disappeared.
C. Disturbed. D. Displayed.
2.What is the purpose of reviving the Silk Road?
A. To rebuild the ruins of the Iron Fortress.
B. To construct new roads and other basic structures.
C. To make transportation westwards faster and cheaper.
D. To draw more inland tourists' attention to the western gateway.
3.What can we learn about the Silk Road?
A. It is nothing but a trade route.
B. It may destroy some cities' ancient style.
C. It attracts foreign investment of ￡4 trillion.
D. It promotes the tourism industry of China.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. The charming of the Silk Road
B. The function of the Silk Road
C. The origin of the Silk Road
D. The future of the Silk Road
I think it was October, 1982. A friend had business dealings in the city of Reno, Nevada, and I was asked to accompany her on an overnight trip. While she conducted her business, I was aimlessly wandering down Virginia Street, heading into a most gloriously beautiful sunset. I had an urge to speak to someone on the street to share that beauty, but I couldn't make eye contact with anyone. Quickly I ducked into a department store and asked the lady behind the counter if she could come outside for just a minute. She looked at me as though I were from some other planet and said，“Well...” Surprisingly, she followed me out.
When she got outside I said to her, “Just look at that sunset! Nobody out here was looking at it and I just had to share it with someone.”
For a few seconds we just looked. Then I said, “God's in his heaven and all's right with the world.” I thanked her for coming out to see it and sharing the beauty.
Four years later my situation had changed considerably. I had come to the end of a twentyyear marriage. I was alone and on my own for the first time in my life. One day, while my clothes were going around, I picked up a Unity Magazine and read an article about a woman who had been in similar circumstances. She had come to the end of a marriage, moved to a strange community, and the only job she could find was one she disliked: cosmetic sales in a department store. We had a lot in common.
Then something happened to her that changed everything. She said a woman came into her department store and asked her to step outside to look at a sunset. The stranger had said “God's in his heaven and all's right with the world，”and she had realized the truth in that statement and that she simply had not been seeing it. From that moment on, she turned her life around.
1.Why did the writer duck into a department store?
A.She found it was boring with nobody talking to her.
B.She wanted to buy something for her friend.
C.She wanted to find somebody to share the beautiful sunset.
D.She thought it was her responsibility to share the natural beauty with others.
2.What does the sentence “God's in his heaven and all's right with the world” mean?
A.We should be optimistic in the face of uncertainty.
B.We should believe in God who can help us when we are in trouble.
C.We should never hold the belief that God can change our life.
D.We should be independent and enjoy ourselves in spite of difficulties.
3.What do you think finally changed the writer's attitude towards life?
A.The old magazine she came across.
B.The encouragement from the woman.
C.The sunset they enjoyed four years ago.
D.The woman's story.
4.What may be the best title for the text?
A.Depending on yourself
B.Sharing beauty
C.Struggling every day
D.Never giving up halfway
Feeling down? Why not visit one of these four websites?
Collegehumor.com
This site was created in 1999 and gets about seven million visitor per month. Two of its videos have been chosen as winners for the Webby Awards: Pixar Intro Parody and Web Site Story. Other funny videos to looks out for include a debate on the advantages and disadvantages of going to college.
Funnyordie.com
This site has lots of really funny videos And as the name suggests, users vote on videos, choosing the options “funny” or “die”. If the video receives too many “die” votes, it's sent to the site's “crypt”. But if it gets enough “funny” votes, it goes into the Hall of Fame. The site was crated in 2006 by comedians Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. The site’s first video. The Landlord has had over 70 million views Videos to watch out for include Just a Tip: Taxi, with some valuable advice on how to catch a taxi, and Over Analyzing Texts, with some tips on how to respond to text messages
Reddit.com
Founded in 2005, Reddit.com is a social news and entertainment website. Registered users put funny content in the form of the video link or texts on the website. Other users then vote these things “up” or “down”. The most recent and well-liked content appears at the top on the front page of the site.
Theonion.com
First appearing as a satirical newspaper in 1988, Theonion.com has hundred of videos and articles on news and current affairs, and receives an average of 7.5 million visitors a months. It’s famous for its amusing items, such as Michelle Obama Seen Outside Walking Family Rhinoceros or Dad Can’t Believe Lawn.
1.If you want to watch videos ever winning the Webby Awards, you can visit____________.
A.Reddit. com B.Collegehumor. com
C.Theonion.com D.Funnyordie.com
2.Videos on the website Funnyordie.com are __________.
A.watched over 70 million times
B.voted by their users
C.based on newspaper stories
D.created by users
3.What do Reddit.com and Theonion.com have in common?
A.They include funny videos
B.They include valuable advice
C.They include debates on education
D.They provide satirical news
--- Smoking is bad for your health. ---Yes, I know. But I simply can’t ___.
A.give it up B.give it in C.give it out D.give it away
In that school, English is compulsory for all students, but French and Russian are _______.
A.special B.regional C.optional D.original
Teachers have to constantly update their knowledge in order to maintain their professional ________．
A.consequence B.independence
C.competence D.intelligence
