America’s first transcontinental railroad, completed 150 years ago today at Promontory Summit in Utah, connected the vast United States and brought America into the modern age. Chinese immigrants contributed greatly to this notable achievement, but the historical accounts that followed often ignored their role.
Between 1863 and 1869, as many as 20,000 Chinese workers helped build the dangerous western part of the railroad, a winding ribbon of track known as the Central Pacific. At first, the Central Pacific Railroad’s directors wanted a whites-only workforce. When not enough white men signed up, the railroad began hiring Chinese men for the backbreaking labor. Company leaders were skeptical of the new recruits’ ability to do the work, but they proved themselves not only capable but even superior to the other workers.
Chinese workers cut through dense forests, filled deep narrow steep-sided valley, constructed long trestles(高架桥) and built enormous retaining walls(防护墙) -- some of which remain complete and undamaged today. All work was done by hand using carts, shovels and picks but no machinery. However, progress came at great cost: an estimated 1,200 Chinese laborers died along the Central Pacific route.
Despite these facts, Chinese workers were often left out of the official story because of their identity of foreigners. On the transcontinental railroad's 100th birthday, the Chinese workers were still not honored. It was another fifty years later that their role was gradually highlighted. To celebrate the railroad’s 150th anniversary in 2019, the California assembly passed a resolution in 2017 to recognize and honor the Chinese railroad workers by designating May 10, 2017, and every May 10 thereafter, as California Chinese Railroad Workers Memorial Day.
1.What might be the best title for the text?
A.The Birth of the Central Pacific Cost Dearly
B.May 10--A Special Day for Chinese Immigrants
C.Chinese Workers’ Contributions Gained Recognition
D.The 150th anniversary of the Central Pacific Railroad
2.What does “they” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.Chinese laborers. B.White workers.
C.Company leaders. D.Railroad directors.
3.Why does the author make such detailed descriptions in Paragraph 3?
A.To prove Chinese workers’ superior skills.
B.To stress the danger and difficulty of the work.
C.To describe the grand scenery along the railroad.
D.To show notable achievements made by Chinese workers.
4.What does the text intend to tell us?
A.None so blind as those who won’t see. B.No pains, no gains.
C.Truth will come to light sooner or later. D.Doing is better than saying.
When people think about British music, for the most part they think about the 60s or 70s with the likes of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones or more modern artists like Adele or Ed Sheeran. However, stuck between these two ages was, in my opinion, British music’s best period. The 90s were an optimistic time for Britain and indeed Europe, with the economy recovering from the lows of the 80s and the Cold War ending.
One of the defining features of 90s music was the birth of “Britpop”. This was a style of pop music that aimed to promote “Britishness” and commonly featured electric guitars, drums and male singers. Britpop was the style used by world-famous bands such as Oasis, Blur, Pulp and Suede who became known as “The Big Four”. The summer of 1995 was dominated by the “Battle of Britpop” which was between Blur and Oasis for the number one spot. Eventually, Blur won the battle and Oasis settled for second.
However, the 90s weren’t only for the boys, with major female groups also finding fame, the most well-known of which were “the Spice Girls” who were extremely popular in Britain and around the world. Once again they promoted “Britishness” and had catchy melodies and lyrics, but they also started the “Girl Power” movement which helped empower girls and women worldwide. It isn’t too far to assume that without their music, many female singers and artists who we love today would not have had the confidence to pursue their dream.
British music may have had many great times, however the 90s are often overlooked. Although I was not alive to enjoy the music properly, the 90s had a huge impact on British culture that can be felt today and I feel that the decade should get the recognition it deserves!
1.What can we infer from the first paragraph?
A.The Cold War came to an end in the 80s.
B.Britain’s economy began to pick up in the 90s.
C.The Beatles represented the best British music.
D.Adele is better than Ed Sheeran in modern music.
2.What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
A.Britpop. B.Britishness.
C.The Big Four. D.Battle of Britpop.
3.What’s the most important influence of “the Spice Girls” according to the text?
A.Promoting “Britishness”. B.Empowering girls and women.
C.Creating catchy melodies. D.Finding fame for female groups.
4.The writer thinks the impact of the 90s music on British culture is ________.
A.underestimated B.well-recognized
C.fairly evaluated D.reasonably doubted
TGBWP(the Great Books Winter Program) is an experience like no other in American education. For the past eleven years, TGBWP has gathered outstanding middle and high school students from across the world to read selections from the greatest works of literature, experience college-level lectures, engage in lively discussions and enjoy winter camp fun with other literary-minded students.
Here is a sample of what you will get at Great Books:
Membership in an international community of enthusiastic young learners and distinguished college teachers who read and discuss great books and big ideas. You will discuss the likes of Plato, Mark Twain, Dickens, and Tolstoy with other teens from around the globe who love literature just as much as you do!
Find your voice in the classroom. TGBWP gives students the opportunity to grow academically and socially as they prepare for high school and college. Open discussions encourage students to express themselves and give power to their ideas. Students gain confidence in their ability to read a text closely and express their ideas clearly both orally and in writing.
Experience time away from home and spend it at a top college -- choose from two campus settings: Amherst College in Massachusetts and Stanford University in California. This is the perfect opportunity to preview life on a college campus!
Don’t miss this opportunity to join students from 47 states and 28 countries in this unique learning environment.
Categories | Reading/Writing Arts/Photography/Film Music/Singing/ Dancing Travel/ Touring Academic/Pre-College |
Ages | 11-18 |
Type | Overnight/Residential |
More information: CLICK HERE
1.What do we know about TGBWP?
A.A course on literacy skills improvement.
B.An education department of universities.
C.A camp suitable for teen literature lovers.
D.A program of studying American literature.
2.What does TGBWP offer its participants according to the text?
A.College-level evaluation in literature.
B.Admissions to world famous universities.
C.Free literature courses and literature works.
D.Chances to experience college life beforehand.
3.Suppose this text is an Ad, what else must be included in “More information”?
A.Contact information. B.Membership benefits.
C.Registration requirements. D.Activity arrangements.
假定你是李华，你校将邀请对茶文化非常有研究的王教授来你校作报告。请根据以下要点给喜欢饮茶的外教Mr. Smith写一封信，邀请他一起前往。内容包括：
1. 报告的时间和地点；
2. 报告的主要内容（例如：饮茶是中同特有的文化，茶在我们生活中扮演重要角色等）。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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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。
Last term an English speech contest is held in our school. Seeing the notice, many students took interests in it. My English teacher Miss Li thought it was a good chance for me to improving my English and encouraged me to take part. So I decided to have a try. During the prepare, my teacher offered me great help. She not only polished with my speech draft and also corrected my pronunciation. As a result, my speech improved great. Then the day for the competition came, and I did good job and got the first prize! I owed it all to my teacher. Without his help, I wouldn't have got so a good result.
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。
Aristotle was a great philosopher, and many of his writings and teachings have formed the way we think about philosophy today.
At eighteen, Aristotle went to Plato’s Academy1.(study) and stayed there for almost twenty2.(year). From there, Aristotle went to the island of Lesbos,3.he researched botany and zoology. After that, he went on to tutor Alexander the Great, as well as Ptolemy and Cassander. Perhaps the fact that he tutored several kings4.(be) the reason why he is still so famous today. However, Alexander the Great began to suspect Aristotle was making threats against his life.5.(eventual), after Alexander’s6.(die)，Aristotle7. (force) to flee and died of natural causes in Euboea.
Aristotle added much to the field of philosophy. He also made8.significant contribution to science while he was alive. Aristotle’s writings and philosophy have influenced such famous Christian thinkers9. Chaucer, Dante, and Thomas Aquinas. Furthermore, Friedrich Nietzsche took much of his political philosophy from Aristotle, and Ayn Rand looked up to him as well. With so many people10.(look) to Aristotle for philosophic cues（提示）,it is no wonder that his works have survived the test of time.
