As one of the most important languages in the world, Latin had humble beginnings. It originated along the Tiber River in Italy and only a handful of people spoke the language. Over time, Latin became more well-known as Romans gained political power. Many famous literary texts and scientific classifications were written in Latin. Even though knowing Latin indicated a person was educated, according to Britannica, in the 20th century far fewer people learned Latin, leading it to be classified as a “dead” language.
There are around 7,000 living languages in the world, but, according to Britannica, “more than half are at risk of dying out by the end of the 21st century.” Civilizations evolve over time and so do languages. More often than not, a language dies because everyone who speaks the language dies. For example, Marie Smith Jones, perhaps the last native speaker of the Alaskan Eyak language, died at the age of 89 in 2008, and so did the language. Now, fewer and fewer people speak Latin, which raises public’s awareness about its protection.
Actually, there are many other reasons as to why Latin should be protected or taught. “It is a window into a fascinating ancient civilization, and studying an ancient civilization teaches us to respect different points of view and unfamiliar cultural practices,” says Kathleen Coleman, James Loeb Professor of Harvard University.
Since it isn’t used in ordinary conversations, there are a lot of difficulties that arise from teaching Latin. “Teaching a ‘dead’ language is different from teaching other languages,” explains Coleman, “because there are no native speakers to show us how it sounds or answer questions about the meaning of words or explain idioms. Though it’s hard, fortunately, we still can find the answers to our questions from the broken evidence available in written texts.”
1.What can we learn about Latin from Paragraph 1?
A.Most people didn’t learn Latin in the 20th century.
B.Only educated people learned Latin in the past.
C.Latin was not favored by scientists and writers.
D.Latin was well-known since its birth.
2.The author mentions Marie Smith Jones in Paragraph 2 to show ________.
A.how a language dies
B.what a dead language is
C.how a language is protected
D.who is the last Alaskan Eyak speaker
3.Why should people learn Latin according to Coleman?
A.To show unfamiliar practices. B.To respect others’ opinions.
C.To protect a “dead” language. D.To learn about an ancient society.
4.What will the author probably discuss in the following paragraph?
A.The learning methods. B.The development of Latin.
C.The learning materials. D.The difficulties in learning Latin.
One year, a newspaper of the United States published an announcement—the Horticultural Institute offered a reward at a high price for the pure white marigold (金盏花). The high reward attracted so many people, but in nature besides golden, the marigold is brown; it is not easy to create the white one. So after they were excited for a time, many people forgot that announcement.
One normal day after 20 years, the Horticultural Institute accidentally received a letter and 100 seeds of pure white marigold. On that day, the news spread like wildfire. It proved to be an old woman of over 70 years old. The institute had always been hesitating over the fact that the seeds could bloom pure white marigold.
Those seeds finally took root in the earth. The wonder appeared after one year: large fields of pure white marigold swung in the light wind. As a result, the old woman became a new focus.
Originally, the old woman was just a flower-lover. When she happened to read the announcement 20 years ago, her heart kept beating wildly. But her eight children all opposed her decision. After all, a woman who never knew the seed genetics (遗传学) couldn’t complete what the experts could never accomplish! Still, the old woman didn’t change her mind and went on working. Year after year, through many cycles of spring sowing and autumn harvest, the old woman’s husband died; her children flew far and high; a lot of things happened in her life but only the desire to grow the pure white marigold took root in her heart. Finally, after 20 years on the day we all know, in the garden, she saw a marigold, which was not nearly white but as white as silver or snow.
Such a difficult problem as even experts couldn’t deal with was solved by an old woman who didn’t understand genetics. Was it a wonder? Take root in the heart and even the most common seed can grow into a wonder!
1.Why was a great reward offered by the Horticultural Institute?
A.White flowers could be sold at a higher price.
B.It was difficult to develop pure white marigold.
C.Pure white marigold was more beautiful in nature.
D.Scientists wanted to know how marigold grew in nature.
2.What can we know about the old woman from the passage?
A.She got professional support from scientists.
B.She kept trying for years before she succeeded.
C.She was 70 when she first read the announcement.
D.She sent pure white marigold flowers to the institute.
3.Which of the following words best describes the old woman?
A.Honest. B.Stubborn.
C.Determined. D.Knowledgeable.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.White Flowers Bring Success B.White Marigold is Hard to Grow
C.Marigolds Grow from Loneliness D.Seeds Take Root in the Heart
Many college students want to look for seasonal, short-term or part-time jobs to get extra cash, to stay busy or to get working experience.
Lifeguard
The job is a great opportunity to build your fitness, keep people safe and be outdoors to enjoy some fun on the beach in the sun. The average hourly wage for lifeguards is $ 9.31, but those with certifications or previous experience may be able to earn a bit more.
Nanny (保姆)
Students can find plenty of positions as parents scramble (争抢) to arrange activities and find care for their children. Students who enjoy spending time with kids, staying active and being outdoors can spend their leisure time making money without even feeling like they’re working. Nannies make $ 14.56 per hour.
Camp Consultant
Students who enjoy spending their time with children, being a leader and monitoring fun outdoor activities are perfect for camp consultant positions. The average hourly wage for camp consultants is $9.28, but those with many years’ experience or specific academic backgrounds may be able to earn more.
Food Server
Although it may not seem like the most attractive way to spend a weekend, working as wait staff allows students to build up their social skills, stay active, enjoy free meals at work and posily educate themselves about different cuisines. However, food servers need to be on their feet for hours at a time and must be able to multi-task like professionals, so take this into account before submitting an application. The average salary is $ 9.00 hourly, but trips can raise that number.
1.Who are the two jobs nanny and camp consultant most fit for?
A.Students who want to develop their social skills.
B.Students who love staying with children.
C.Students who love traveling.
D.Students who love camping.
2.What should you take into consideration before applying to be a food server?
A.The way of cooking.
B.The food you can enjoy.
C.Long standing time at work.
D.Skill in getting tips from customers.
3.What job can you do if you’re good at swimming?
A.A lifeguard. B.A nanny.
C.A camp consultant. D.A food server.
假定你是李华，你和外教MrSmith本来约好去看在你们所在城市举行的国际摄影展，但你因故不能赴约。请给他写一封邮件，内容包括:
1.表示歉意；
2. 解释原因；
3.补救措施。
注意:1. 词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Mr Smith，
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely，
Li Hua
假定英语老师要求同桌之间互相修改作文，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：在错的词下面划一横线，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1词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
The first time I heard the expression "Know yourself" by Socrates, I didn't realize its meaning until I go to university. I started my university life unwillingly, because I didn't want to leave my parents and university of engineering was not my dream school, too. However, I changed my mind complete after a semester. My schoolmates are from different place, some of which are really outstanding. This makes me realized there is always someone much more better capable. Since then, to know myself has become an importance part of my life. Only by knowing who I am or where I am can I really follow the right path.
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空。
English playwright Arthur Wing Pinero said, “Where there’s tea, there’s hope.” Similarly, in China, it is said 1. firewood, rice, cooking oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea are the seven necessary items which begin a day. Tea is much more than just a hot drink. It’s a big part of many cultures around the world. You 2. (probable) know people in China use top-grade tea3.(show) respect when receiving important guests. Meanwhile,4. British tradition of afternoon tea is an important part of that country’s identity. As an 5.(express) of Moroccan hospitality and tradition, mint tea—a mix of green tea, spearmint (绿薄荷) leaves and sugar –6.(serve) during gatherings and negotiations. Apart from its 7. (culture) significance, tea is also a medicine, 8. (use) from ancient times to modern day. “Tea is cold and lowers the fire,” Chinese herbalist （草药医师）Li Shizhen once9.(say). The health benefits of tea are still being discovered today: preventing heart disease, obesity and cancer have all been linked 10.drinking green tea.
