In the 19th century, Americans from the eastern states moved out west to settle in the rich new lands along the Pacific Coast. The most difficult part of their trip was crossing “the Great American Desert” in the western part of the United States by horse and wagon.
The western desert can be very dangerous. There is little water and there are few trees. But the desert also has scenery of great beauty. Tall towers of red and yellow stone rise sharply from the flat, sandy valley floor. The scene has been photographed many times and appears in movies and on TV.
In Arizona, man-made dams across the Colorado River have made two large lakes in the middle of the dry desert country. At Lake Powell, the red stone arch of Rainbow Bridge rises high above the blue lake.
There are few roads. Many areas of Lake Powell’s shore can only be reached by boat or on foot. But hikers in this empty desert land sometimes find very old native American pictures, painted on the rocks.
In Death Valley, California, the summer temperature rises to 130°F—165°F. There is less than inches of rain each year. Death Valley is the lowest place in America---925 meters below sea level. In the 1800s, many travelers died when they tried to cross this waterless valley in the terrible heat.
Although the desert is dry and seems empty, there is plenty of life if you look closely. Snakes and rats have learned how to live in the desert heat. They live underground and come out at night, when it is cool. Plants such as cacti need very little water. When it does rain in the desert (sometimes only once or twice a year), plants grow quickly, and flowers open in a single day. For a short time, the desert is covered with brilliant (very bright) colors.
1.In the 19th century, Americans moved from east to west because they .
A．enjoyed the trip B．wanted to make their home there
C．wanted to find new grassland there D．had no water to drink
2.From this passage. we can conclude that .
A．the western desert is a good place for people to live in
B．there is little water but there are many trees in the desert
C．the desert is dangerous but it is full of beauty
D．till now, people know little about the desert
3.In the 1800s, many travelers died in Death Valley because of .
A．illness B．high temperature
C．cold weather D．poisonous water
4.In the desert, animals will die .
A．if they move about B．if they can’t make holes underground
C．if they come out at night D．if they drink much water
Some schools that are not year-round often have summer programs. In many cases, students take summer classes to repeat a subject they failed. This way they get a second chance to succeed. But schools also offer summer classes to students who want to be free of a required class during the next school year.
Generally, students in these classes want to take fewer subjects during the year because they are involved in a lot of activities. They might be involved in sports or music programs. Or both – and more.
These summer school students do the same amount of work as if they took the class during the school year. But they do it in a much shorter time, one or two months. They say it makes for a lot of reading and homework and not much time for anything else. Some education experts are worried about high school students who take summer school because of pressure to attend a top university.
The New York Times recently reported about summer classes at one of the best high schools in the United States. New Trier High School is in Winnetka, Illinois. Almost six hundred students are in school this summer. Only twenty are repeating classes that they failed. The others are in difficult courses like physics and history.
The students say taking classes like these in the summer means that they can take even more difficult classes next year. They say this shows not only that they are serious about their studies but that they have experienced the most difficult high school program.
Another place with a lot of students in summer school is Palo Alto, California. The Mercury News reported that about twenty percent of the students in the city schools are in class this summer. That is more than two thousand teenagers.
A third are in classes they failed before. The others are taking subjects they do not have time for during the normal school year.
But they are not taking subjects like physics and history. The students in Palo Alto are in classes like creative writing, film studies, literature and cooking.
1.This passage mainly talks about ______.
A. summer classes in American schools
B. why American schools offer summer classes
C. the advantages of American summer school
D. experts’ anxiety(担忧)about American summer school
2.Which of the following is NOT the reason for the students’ attending summer classes in America?
A. Repeating a subject.
B. Completing a required subject ahead of time.
C. Improving their physical quality
D. Learning some special skills
3.What’s the biggest difference between the summer classes in New Trier High School and in Palo Alto?
A. There are more students attending classes that they failed before in Palo Alto.
B. Some students in Palo Alto learn some special skills instead of taking physics and history.
C. Some students in Palo Alto take some subjects so that they can join in sports or music programs later.
D. The students’ attitude towards studies in Palo Alto is worse than that in New Trier High School.
4.What can we infer from the passage?
A. American students in schools don’t have any pressure to attend top universities.
B. Summer school students don’t do the same amount of work as they do during the school year.
C. American students attend summer schools in order to relax themselves very much.
D. American students in high schools face great pressure to attend top universities.
Israeli paintings Israeli artist Menashe Kadishman will hold a solo (个人的) show entitled "Flock of Sheep" from November 26 to December 20, at the China National Art Museum. On show are 550 colorful oil paintings of sheep heads. His works have been displayed in many important galleries over the past 30 years. They may be seen in the Metropolitan Museum in New York, and Tate Gallery in London.
Time: 9am-4pm, November 26-December 20.
Place: China National Art Museum, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng District, Beijing.
Tel: 6401-2252
Russian Ballet The Kremlin Ballet from Russia will perform two immortal classical ballets
"Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker" -at the Beijing Beizh'an Theatre.Set up in 1990, the theatre has a number of first-class ballet dancers. Most of their performances are classical.
Time: 7:15. December 5 and 6 ("Swan Lake"); 7:15pm, December 7 ("Nutcracker")
Place: Beizhan Theatre, Xiwai Dajie, Xicheng District, Beijing.
Tel: 6500-3388
Folk concert The Central Conservatory of Music will hold a folk concert to commemorate the late musician Situ Huacheng. On the programme are many popular folks such as "Moon Night on the Bamboo Tower", "Celebrating Harvest", "Deep and Lasting Friendship", "Golden Snake Danoes Wildly", and "Children's Holiday".
Time: 7:30pm, November 25.
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie.
Tel: 6605-5812
1.If your child is very fond of dancing, you may take your child to__________.
A. China National Art Museum B. Beizhan Theatre
C. Beijing Concert Hall D. 1 Wusi Dajie
2.Menashe Kadishman is famous for painting
A. deer B. birds C. sheep D. flowers
3.If you dial the telephone number 6500-3388 on Dec. 8, you can
A. go to the folk concert B. visit the Art Museum
C. watch the ballet D. none of the above
I moved to this area seven years ago. For years I have had noisy neighbors. Ever since I moved into this flat, I’ve had to put up with noise during the night. I decided I’d had enough and I’ve been looking for a new flat since the beginning of the year. I haven’t found anything till now. Every week I go to the estate agent’s（当地房地产代理人的）office, but it’s the same story. “I might have something by the end of the week” he says, or, “Wait till next week. I think I might have a few flats by then.” I’ve seen a few flats during my search, but I don’t like any of them. One flat I saw has been empty for two years. “It’s got a busy road on one side and a railway on the other!” I said loudly, “I want peace and quiet.” Last week I visited the agent again. “I won’t leave till you show me something,” I said. “I’ve got just the flat for you.” I went to see it and I was frightened. “But it’s next to a cemetery!” I cried. “But you won’t have noisy neighbors,” my agent said. “It’s exactly right for peace and quiet!”
1.The writer has had to bear the noise in this area for years.
A．about seven B．six C．nine D．four
2.The writer decided to move away because .
A．he had been looking for a new flat
B．his neighbors were not friendly
C．he could no longer stand the noise
D．he wanted to sell his old flat
3.Which of the following is NOT true?
A．The writer would like a quiet place to live in.
B．The agent didn’t want to help the writer at all.
C．The writer has seen several flats already.
D．It seemed rather difficult to rind a right flat.
4.The main idea of the passage is .
A．how the agent tried to help the writer find a flat
B．why the writer was satisfied with the agent’s service
C．how difficult it was to find a new flat
D．you can depend on the estate agents for a nice flat
阅读下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
One day in September we were doing repair work on my parents’ old house to get it ready for my youngest daughter’s wedding. We had to 1a great climbing plant that had grown 2a roof beam(房梁),so that we could repair the roof and 3the walls.
When my husband was taking the plant away, he found the 4of a blackbird that had made its home in the leaves. He then 5something 6among that mass of earth and straw of the nest. He broke the earth around it into pieces with his finger tips and, to his 7,saw glittering gold. It was a child’s bracelet(手镯).He ran into the house to 8me.
“You won’t believe that the 9blackbirds not only steal the best fruit we 10to feed on,”he said,“but they also want their children to 11in a cradle of gold!”
When my daughter came over on the eve of the 12,we told her about this 13occurrence.
“Don’t you remember, Mother?”she said with a loud 14.“When I was eight, you gave me a bracelet that I 15a few days later while out playing in the yard? It was this one!”
As the bracelet no longer 16its owner and was dirty, I decided to take it into my safekeeping.
In December of the following year, the young couple’s baby son was baptized(受洗礼).Among the 17the newborn baby received, I placed his mother’s bracelet, now shining like 18.I hope that if my grandson 19loses it, one of the 20that live in my backyard is somewhere nearby.
1.A.remove B.cover C.grow D.water
2.A.beyond B.over C.across D.through
3.A.build B.paint C.rescue D.print
4.A.nest B.baby C.body D.egg
5.A.moved B.got C.picked D.noticed
6.A.nice B.colorful C.shiny D.special
7.A.horror B.surprise C.delight D.disappointment
8.A.ask B.tell C.show D.give
9.A.working B.cheating C.dreaming D.thieving
10.A.buy B.plant C.store D.collect
11.A.lie B.sing C.listen D.wait
12.A.party B.Christmas C.birthday D.wedding
13.A.important B.strange C.terrible D.funny
14.A.cry B.sigh C.laugh D.sound
15.A.hid B.threw C.lost D.broke
16.A.fitted B.satisfied C.matched D.interested
17.A.jewels B.toys C.clothes D.presents
18.A.attractive B. new C .modern D. golden
19.A.almost B just C. even D. ever
20.A.blackbirds B. grandchildren C. neighbors D. mice
their nationalities, we will make friends with anyone who is friendly.
A. Regardless of B. Thanks to C. Except for D. Despite
