For over one hundred and fifty years, Americans of all social classes have worn blue jeans.1. Whether they are worn for work or for fashion today.Strauss' invention continues to be popular not only among Americans but also among people around the world.
Levi Strauss was born in Germany in 1829.2. He grew up in Kentucky before moving to New York in 1847.Before becoming an American citizen and moving to the West in 1853, Strauss worked in his brother's dry goods business.This gave him a chance to produce his famous invention.After the gold rush of 1949, Strauss decided to move to the West to seek his fortunes.
Strauss did not want to be a person who searched an area for minerals.Instead, he knew he could make a good living by selling supplies to the miners.At first, he planned to sell sewing supplies and cloth.3.When he heard miners complaining that their clothes were easily broken or they usually tore their pockets during mining, he decided to use a special fabric to make pants for the miners.These pants proved so popular that he quickly ran out of materials to make more.
In 1873, Strauss received a letter from a Jewish tailor named Jacob Davis who had invented a process of connecting pockets with copper rivets(铆钉).This made the pants last a long time.Because Davis did not have the money to patent his idea, he offered to share it with Strauss if Strauss would agree to pay for the patent.4..
By the time Strauss died in 1902, he had made a great contribution to American fashion.
5.The business has been growing ever since and Levi Strauss' company is now one of the largest clothing companies in the world.
A.Nobody knew what kind of material was suitable.
B.As a young boy, he moved with his family to the United States.
C.However, he did not get much business for those products.
D.He did and Levi jeans have been made with metal rivets ever since.
E.He also made a great contribution to America's clothing industry.
F.As the business grew, Strauss got much money from it.
G.Since they were invented by Levi Strauss, they have become a symbol of American consumer culture.
A company in San Francisco, California, has found a way to turn used plastic bottles into women's shoes.
Every day, millions of Americans drink water and other liquids from plastic bottles. More than 60 million of them are thrown away each day. Many of the plastic bottles end up in landfills or are burned with other waste products.
A San Francisco start-up company called Rothy's, however, turns this plastic waste into environmentally friendly shoes. Roth Martin is the company's co-founder. He explains how they turn plastic into soft material for women's feet. They take the plastic, clean it, and break it down into small pieces. Then they press them through a device that makes soft fibers. Those fibers are then combined together. This is done by a 3D machine. It is designed to reduce waste while making the shoes. The knitted stuff and the inner part of the shoe are then attached to the shoe's outer part, called the sole. This outer sole is also made from environmentally friendly material: responsibly sourced no-carbon rubber.
Rothy's shoes are sold online. They are flat shoes, with either a rounded or pointed toe. They come in different colors and designs. They cost either $ 125 or $ 145 per pair, depending on the design. After American actress Gwyneth Paltrow discovered them last year, the demand for the shoes grew. Martin says there is no shortage of material to fill that demand. “We're not going to run out of water bottles any time soon. So we have a limitless supply of material, and I think that is a good sign for our future.” When the environmentally friendly shoes wear out, customers can return them at no cost to a company that uses the recycled material to make other products.
For now, the shoes are only available to be shipped in the United States. However, the company says it will add international shipping in the near future.
1.How are used plastic bottles usually dealt with?
A. They are used to make shoes. B. They are buried or burned.
C. They are changed into soft materials. D. They are returned to factories for reuse.
2.What does the underlined word “knitted” in the third paragraph mean?
A. Combined. B. Fixed.
C. Spotted. D. Repaired.
3.Which of the following directly helped to increase the sales of Rothy's shoes?
A. The design and color. B. The reasonable price.
C. The company's advertisement. D. The star power of Gwyneth Paltrow.
4.What is the purpose of the text?
A. To advertise a new kind of shoes.
B. To introduce a new way of recycling plastic waste.
C. To describe the process of making shoes.
D. To stress the importance of environmental protection.
About Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle plays an important role in Scotland's capital. During the Wars of Scottish Independence the castle changed hands many times. In 1314 it was retaken from the English in a sudden night attack by Thomas Randolph, nephew of Robert the Bruce.
The castle was home to kings and queens. Queen Margaret died here in 1093, and Mary, Queen of Scots, gave birth to James VI in the royal palace in 1566. From the 1600s onwards the castle was a military (军事的) base. Later it also held prisoners of war. Parts of the castle are still a military base, but it is now a worldfamous visitor attraction.
Opening Hours
The castle opens daily at 9:30 am. Closing time varies seasonally.
1 April－30 September: it closes at 6 pm.
1 October－31 March: it closes at 5 pm.
The castle is closed on 25th and 26th December. On January 1st it is open from 11 am to 5 pm and normal hours start from January 2nd.
Last admission is 1 hour before closing.
Ticket Types and Prices
Beat the queues and book ahead online using our web store for fasttrack entry at no extra cost. Members do not need to queue at the ticket office, and simply need to show their card at Visitor Information.
Prices
Adult(16～59 years) | ￡16.50 |
Child(5～15 years) | ￡9.90 |
Special(60＋years and unemployed) | ￡13.20 |
Children under 5 years old go free. They must be accompanied by an adult.
Guided Tours
A guided tour is included in your ticket price—our guides love sharing their stories. They are experienced, knowledgeable and are always happy to answer questions, so it's a great way to discover the castle's amazing past. Guided tours take place throughout the day and the meeting point is through the Portcullis Gate past the audio booth by the clock.
1.What can be inferred about Edinburgh Castle from the text?
A. It was used as a prison in the 1500s.
B. It now works only as a tourist attraction.
C. It was once owned by nonScottish people.
D. It was the birthplace of Queen Margaret.
2.When can visitors visit Edinburgh Castle on New Year's Day?
A. 3 pm～5 pm. B. 4 pm～6 pm. C. 10 am～12 am. D. 9 am～11 am.
3.How much should jobless Jack and his twin grandchildren aged 5 pay in all to visit Edinburgh Castle?
A. ￡36.30. B. ￡33.00. C. ￡16.50. D. ￡13.20.
4.What does the text say about guided tours of Edinburgh Castle?
A. They cost no extra money.
B. They are provided only at certain times.
C. Questions aren't welcomed during them.
D. They are provided only at the Portcullis Gate.
Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours in life than by the narrow road toward goals. I like this image. But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.
For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents’ home in Boise in nine hours. We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest, easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hate confinement and have strong opinions about everything.
Road trips felt risky, so I would drive fast, stopping only when I had to. We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.
But then Banner, our lamb was born. He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise. I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me. My husband made the decision for me.
That is how I found myself on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through. We took the country roads out of necessity. We had to stop every hour, let Banner shake out his legs and feed him. The kids chased him and one another. They’dget back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.
We explored side roads, catching grasshoppers in waist-high grass. Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway. Here was life and new horizons．
We eventually arrived at my parents' doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.
I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique. On an empty section of road, everyone started quarreling. I stopped the car, ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead. I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.
Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight. But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of journey—and the best part of yourself.
1.Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents' home?
A. It was less tiring. B. It would befaster and safer.
C. Her kids would feel less confined. D. She felt better with other drivers nearby.
2.The author stopped regularly on the country roads to ________．
A. take care of the lamb B. take a deep breath
C. relax in the fresh air D. let the kids play with Banner
3.What does the author discover from the trip according to Paragraph 6?
A. Freeways are where beauty hides.
B. Getting close to nature adds to the joy of life.
C. Enjoying the beauty of nature benefits one's health.
D. One should follow side roads to watch wild animals.
4.What could be the best title for the passage?
A. The Road to Bravery B. Creativity out of Necessity
C. Charm of the Detour D. Road Trip and Country Life
I was reading these interesting stories behind a group of great logos in the world. Personally Nike is my favorite one—it’s so simple. And I like the stories behind them, which made me forget all other things. McDonald’s, Apple, Mercedes Benz and Adidas own great logos as well, and they are among my favorites.
Nike
In the Greek myth, Nike is the goddess of victory and the source of inspiration for soldiers. This logo represents the wing in the famous statue of the Greek goddess. Nike’s logo was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971 for $35, and was registered as a trademark in 1995.
McDonald’s
The logo was designed in 1962 by Jim Schindler to resemble the arch-shaped(拱形的) signs on the side of the company’s then walk-up hamburger stand. Later on, the two golden arches were combined together to form the M. The McDonald’s name was added to the logo in 1968.
Apple
There are different stories behind Apple’s logo. The first logo was a reference to the religious story of Adam and Eve, in which the apple represented the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. One year later, the second logo was designed in 1977 by Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne, and it described Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. This logo didn’t stay long. One year later it was replaced almost immediately by graphic designer Rob Janoff’s “rainbow apple”, a rainbow-colored silhouette(轮廓) of an apple with a bite taken out of it. And then the rainbow-colored apple was replaced by the one-colored logo in 1998. It has not been changed so far.
Mercedes Benz
The Mercedes Benz logo, which was originally created by Gottlieb Daimler in 1909, consists of a simple description of a three-pointed star that represents its rule of the land, the sea and the air. The company was founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. Mercedes is the name of Maybach’s elder daughter, while Benz came as a result of a combination with Benz, Cie and DMG in 1926.
Adidas
The Adidas logo, which was created by the founder of the company Adi Dassler, represents mountains, pointing towards the challenges that are seen ahead and goals that can be achieved. The logo was used for the first time in 1967.
1.What does the author think of the stories of the great logos?
A. They are boring. B. They are out of date.
C. They are attractive. D. They are practical.
2.We can learn that Apple’s present logo is .
A. the religious story of Adam and Eve. B. a bitten apple with only one color.
C. Newton’s sitting under an apple tree. D. the rainbow-colored bitten apple.
3.Which of the following time orders describes the births of the great logos?
A. Mercedes Benz - McDonald’s - Nike - Apple.
B. Nike - McDonald’s- Apple- Mercedes Benz.
C. McDonald’s– Apple- Nike- Mercedes Benz.
D. Nike- Mercedes Benz - McDonald’s- Apple.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What did the frog ask the princess to do?
A. Give him a necklace. B. Be his friend. C. Leave him alone.
2.How did the princess feel the first time the frog said to her?
A. Fooled. B. Excited. C. Annoyed.
3.What did the king want his daughter to do?
A. Drive the frog away. B. Keep her promise. C. Marry the frog.
4.What happened at the end of the story?
A. The frog turned into a person.
B. The frog had tea with the princess.
C. The frog caught an evil spirit.
