Siena (in English sometimes spelled Sienna) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province Siena. It is an old city in the north of Italy. Siena began over 2, 900 years ago when a group of people came living on its hills. Around the year 1100, hundreds and thousands of people from all over the world came to Siena to do business. It became an important place for businessmen. In 1472, the first bank of the world was built in this city and more and more people have crowded into this city for business ever since.
Today Siena is well-known for keeping its “old face”. For example, its city walls, which helped keep the city safe in the past, are hundreds of years old now and look almost the same as before. Also many old buildings are seen at the Piazza del Campo, the most important meeting place of the city. Few things have really changed in this center of public life for hundreds of years. Now people still go to the open space for sharing news, shopping, or playing sports. There is one more thing that helps keep Siena’s old face — cars cannot enter the city most of the time.
It’s true that Siena is old, but it is beautifully old. It is one of the country’s most famous places of interest, with over 163,000 visitors since 2008. People are welcome to visit this beautiful city and walk into the past.
1. Since the 12th century, Siena ________.| A．has become an important business center | B．has built a lot of banks for businessmen |
| C．has allowed people to live on its hills | D．has become the capital city of Siena |
| A．A good way to get around Siena is by car. |
| B．The oldest bank in the world is in Italy. |
| C．Italy is making its cities beautiful with trees. |
| D．Walls that were built around Siena are not there now. |
| A．It’s the biggest sports center in Italy. | B．It’s a new business center in Italy. |
| C．It has been kept almost as it was before. | D．It’s a special place for country leaders. |
| A．A City of Love | B．A City of Festival |
| C．A Forgotten Old City | D．A City Living in History |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】When Canadian Prime Minister visited China several years ago, where did he take his family?
Built to keep enemies from the country, the Great Wall is considered a wonder of architecture(建筑).
It was first built in different parts during the Warring period.
Being famous for its wonderful view, the Great Wall draws millions of tourists each year. But now the long wall is in danger.
One reason for that is the old age of the Great Wall. Some parts are over 500 years old. Strong wind and rain has slowly destroyed (毁坏) it.
Our country is making an effort to repair the Great Wall.
| A．To see the Great Wall, of course. |
| B．Another reason is that people haven't realized they have to protect it. |
| C．But it is such a big project that it needs much time to be complete. |
| D．The second reason is that people are educated to protect it. |
| E．How did the Prime Minister come to China at that time? |
| F．Later, Emperor Qin Shihuang connected these walls together into a long one. |
| G．One third of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty has disappeared. |
【推荐2】On July 18th, 2022, Scott and his parents went to Jinan, Shandong for the summer vacation. Scott was excited about the trip because he hoped to see the beautiful city very much.
It was about 11: 00 am an when they arrived in Jinan by bus on the first day. They found a hotel and had a short rest in their room first. After lunch, they decided to go to the Baotu Spring. At about 3: 00 pm they got to the Baotu spring. It was really hot and sunny. There were many people in the park. Some took photos with their family and friends, some enjoyed watching the water of Baotu Spring. Scott and his parents soon joined them. Scott’s parents tasted the water. About two hours later, they went back to the hotel. They all felt very relaxed.
On the second day, it rained all the day. Scott watched TV with his father in the hotel room. His mother went shopping by herself.
On July 20th , they went to Thousand-Mountain by bus in the morning. They climbed the mountain and visited several historical monuments , and temples. They took the bus back to the hotel at five in the afternoon. They were tired but very happy.
In the evening, they left Jinan and took the bus home.
1. The second paragraph mainly tells us that ________.| A．what the weather was like | B．when Scott’s family got to Jinan |
| C．how Scott went to Jinan | D．what Scott’s family did on July 18th |
| A．He took some photos. | B．He climbed the mountain. |
| C．He watched TV at hotel. | D．He went shopping happily. |
| A．Two | B．Three | C．Five | D．Six |
| A．Scott dislikes Baotu Spring. | B．Jinan was rainy on July 19th. |
| C．Scott climbed the mountain. | D．Scott went back home by bus. |
| A．A Trip to Jinan | B．Baotu Spring | C．A Beautiful City | D．Mountain Climbing |
【推荐3】Having over 5,000 years of history, China has become a popular place for students around the world who want to take an educational trip. Here are our top four tour routes for you to choose.
 | 5-Day Tour of Beijing With a history of more than 3, 000 years, Beijing is one of the four ancient capitals of China. It remains home to a rich supply of historical relics. ●Appreciate the treasures in the Forbidden City ●Get to know about the ancient Chinese customs ●Visit the beautiful section of the Great Wall ●Make dumplings with local people in Hutong |
 | 4-Day Classic Lhasa Tour Lhasa is the entrance to the mystery land of Tibet. You will be amazed by Tibetan culture, Buddhism and the local people’s life. That’s the reason why you start your Tibetan adventure. ●Try real Tibetan food ●Connect with the history of Tibet through lots of ancient relics ●See the debate about Buddhist scriptures （佛教经文） |
 | Private 7-day Outdoor Adventure to Guilin and its Neighboring Country sides Because of the rich natural resources, this tour offers a special chance for you to take part in outdoor adventures where you need to work with your friends. You can spend more time in getting along with nature and enjoy Guilin scenery. ●Hike the most beautiful parts of the Li River and terraced fields （梯田） ●Learn some basic fanning skills and do seasonal form work ●Experience rock climbing on the hills in Yangshuo |
 | Private 2-Day Tour to Gardens and Water Town in Suzhou Suzhou has long been famous for its beautiful gardens, and is also known as ‘Oriental Venice’. Here, you will visit the most famous private gardens in different sizes and an ancient street. ●Visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden（拙政园）, a great work of traditional garden ●Discover the water town with a boat ride ●Get to know about some ancient houses in Suzhou |
| A．Chinese students | B．travellers at different ages |
| C．photographers | D．students from home and abroad |
| A．Beijing and Lhasa. | B．Suzhou and Guilin. |
| C．Lhasa and Guilin. | D．Beijing and Suzhou. |
| A．in Beijing mainly focuses on its natural beauty |
| B．in Guilin requires a certain amount of physical strength |
| C．in Lhasa can’t provide chances to communicate with local people |
| D．in Suzhou can show visitors the art of modern gardens |
【推荐1】Do stars only appear at night? The answer is no. Venus is the one and only star that can be seen in daytime. It shone at its brightest in the night sky on Feb 17 this year. Venus is the second planet from the sun. It is the second brightest natural object, behind Earth’s moon, in the night sky. Why is it so bright?
First of all, Venus is the closest planet to Earth. It is also covered by highly reflective clouds, which can reflect about 70% of the sunlight striking it, almost twice as much as Earth does.
Some are calling 2017 the year of Venus, because the planet is at its brightest twice this year. Venus gets brighter when it goes further away from the sun, and nearer to the Earth. The brightest moment happened once in February, and will happen again, during daylight, on April 30.
If Venus is so bright and close to us, isn’t it a better choice for human exploration(探索) than Mars? It is closer to Earth than Mars and it’s closer to Earth in size. The closer distance to the sun means solar power would be easier to produce as well.
However, with a temperature of about 465℃ on the surface, Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system! But scientists never give up. Recently, a team of NASA and Russian scientists created new computer equipment that can stand temperatures of 480℃. It can work under Venus-like conditions for almost 22 days.
1. The next step, according to the scientists, is to send a probe (探测器) to Venus by 2025.Which of the following about Venus is NOT true？
| A．It’s the only star that can be seen in daylight. |
| B．It’s the second planet from the sun. |
| C．It’s the brightest natural object in the night sky. |
| D．It’s the closest planet to Earth. |
| A．it can reflect about 35% of the sunlight. |
| B．it goes further away from the sun and nearer to the Earth. |
| C．it is closest to the sun and furthest from the Earth. |
| D．the dates are Feb 17 and April 30 every year. |
| A．The closer distance to Earth. | B．the similar size to Earth |
| C．Too much solar power to use | D．The extremely high temperature. |
a. was created by some UK scientists
b. can stand temperatures of 480℃
c. can work for about 22 days on Venus
d. will be sent to Venus by 2025
| A．ab | B．bc | C．cd | D．ad |
【推荐2】Americans are proud of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform (制服), whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?
Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian (百姓的) clothes. People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform. The television repairman who wears uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity (身份) than to step out of uniform?
Uniforms also have many practical benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on laundry bills. They are tax- deductible (可减税的). They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.
Primary among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality (个人) experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement. When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act similarly, on the job at least.
Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems. Though they are long-lasting, often their initial (最初的) expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes. Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain, requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering possible with many types of civilian clothes.
1. It is surprising that Americans who take pride in variety and individuality ________.| A．still judge a man by his clothes |
| B．enjoy having a professional identity |
| C．think highly of uniform |
| D．will respect an elevator operator as much as a general in uniform |
| A．discards his social identity |
| B．suggests quality work |
| C．appears to be more practical |
| D．looks superior to a person in civilian clothes |
| A．provide practical benefits to the wearer |
| B．make the wearer catch the public eye |
| C．inspire the wearer’s confidence in himself |
| D．provide the wearer with a professional identity |
| A．Americans are proud of their variety and individuality instead of a uniform. |
| B．People trust the television repairman who wears uniform more than one who appears in civilian clothes. |
| C．Uniforms are more expensive than civilian clothes but they are durable. |
| D．Uniforms have many practical benefits as well as problems. |
| A．Uniforms and Society |
| B．Advantages and Disadvantages of Uniforms |
| C．Practical Benefits of Wearing a Uniform |
| D．The Importance of Wearing a Uniform |
【推荐3】Nathan Sawaya’s childhood was a lot of fun. He drew cartoons, wrote stories, and played with plastic toy bricks（积木）. His grandparents bought his first set of toy bricks when he was five years old and he’s been building with toy bricks ever since. He even took his building bricks to college with him! Instead of books and a computer, he had a model of Greenwich Village made of bricks on his desk.
Nathan started as a lawyer but gave up his highly-paid job to become an artist that uses toys in his art. He uses toy bricks to build everything from the Statue of Liberty to Superman! He has more than 1.5 million colored bricks in his working room in New York which he uses to make pieces of art. He started by building small models but then decided to do something big and created a self-portrait. It took him two days just to build the eyes.
Nathan’s work has appeared in museums around the world. Children love his art because it is made out of the same toys that they play with at home and adults love his work because it is fascinating. Since it began in 2007, Nathan’s exhibition “The Art of the Brick” has been very popular with museum visitors everywhere.
“I’m proud that I took a dream I had as a child, to become an artist, and I have actually made a job out of it,” says Nathan. “To do what you love in life is the most important thing.”
1. Why did Nathan give up his job as a lawyer?| A．Because he made little money out of a lawyer. |
| B．Because he wanted to make toys for the children. |
| C．Because he decided to become an artist of toy bricks. |
| D．Because he was going to work in the museum instead. |
| A．Nathan’s work. | B．Nathan’s exhibition. | C．Nathan’s art. | D．Nathan’s self-portrait. |
| A．The Brick Artist | B．The Brick Exhibition |
| C．Toy Bricks for Adults | D．The Artist’s Childhood |
【推荐1】Once upon a time, a king offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace. The king received thousands of paintings from many artists. He studied each one carefully and finally decided upon two that he really liked. He now had to choose between them.
The first was a painting of a beautiful calm lake with clear water. It was surrounded by green forests and high mountains. Overhead, the sky was blue with white clouds.
The other painting had mountains too, but these mountains were rugged (崎岖的). A huge waterfall fell down one side of the mountain. Above them was an angry sky, lit by lightning, from which heavy rain fell.
Most people agreed that the first painting clearly showed a place of perfect peace. However, when the king looked at the second painting more closely, he found a tiny bush growing behind the waterfall. There, in the small bush, a mother bird had built her nest. In the middle of the rush of angry water, in the wind and the noise, the mother bird sat still on her nest – in perfect peace.
The king chose the second painting. When asked why, he said: “Peace does not mean being in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. Peace means being in the middle of all of these things and yet still being able to find calm and quiet in your heart, and to carry on with your life. This is the true meaning of peace.”
1. According to the story, the first painting gave people a feeling of ______.| A．warmth | B．anger | C．noise | D．quietness |
| A．describing | B．comparing | C．speaking | D．watching |
| A．The first painting had high mountains, but the second one had small ones. |
| B．It was sunny and the sky was blue with no clouds in the first painting. |
| C．In the second painting, a bird stayed calm in frightening surroundings. |
| D．In the second painting, the mother bird was frightened by the heavy rain. |
| A．it showed a new idea of peace |
| B．there was no noise in it |
| C．the artist worked hard on it |
| D．it was close to nature |
| A．silence means peace |
| B．real peace means struggling against wild situations |
| C．real peace means keeping calm in difficult situations |
| D．peace only exists in your heart and in a quiet situation |
【推荐2】If only one person deserves(值得)the name of the greatest English winter of all time, that person should be William Shakespeare. His popular famous phrases, like "to be or not to be, that is a question , and his stories such as the tragedy (悲剧)of Romeo and Juliet are almost known in every comer of the world.
William Shakespeare was born in a small town in England, in 1564. In his youth, he moved to London and began to work as a play writer. Sometimes he played the role as an actor and poet. By 1594, he had become a key play writer of a popular acting company in the city.
Whether comedy or tragedy, Shakespeare's plays catch people's hearts with complicated (复杂的) characters and stories that reflect truths about human nature.
His comedies make fun of human weakness and always have a happy ending. In A Midsummer Night's Dream、goddesses play magical tricks on people lost in the woods. But his tragedies can be very dark. Macbeth is a story about a Scottish man who becomes king by killing all his enemies. Hamlet is about the prince of Denmark who takes revenge(复仇)after he knows it is his uncle that kills his father. But he loses his life in the end.
Shakespeare's work also has a big influence on the English language. He is a master of words. He coined about 1,700 new English words, including everyday ones like "lonely", "hurry" and "critical", according to the New York Post. Of course, Shakespeare wrote 400 years ago and his English was very different from that of today. But it doesn't influence his popularity. His plays have been translated into every major language and are performed more often than any other play writer. There are over 400 films and TV plays adapted (改编)from his work.
Shakespeare is not of an age, but for all time.
1. Shakespeare was well-known as a(an)_________________.| A．director | B．actor | C．poet | D．play writer |
| A．life experiences | B．growing pains | C．great works | D．happy family |
| A．Hamlet has a happy ending |
| B．Few people know about Romeo and Juliet |
| C．A Midsummer Nights Dream is a tragedy |
| D．Macbeth tells the story about a Scottish king |
| A．vocabulary was quite huge |
| B．English was old and different |
| C．tragedies are usually very dark |
| D．characters and stories are complicated |
| A．talk about Shakespeare's family and educational background |
| B．review the films and TV plays adapted from Shakespeare's works |
| C．introduce Shakespeare's lifetime, famous works and his great influence |
| D．compare the differences between Shakespeare's words and the modern ones |
People who are nearsighted（近视的） can only see things that are very close to their eyes. Many people who do a lot of close work, such as writing and reading, become nearsighted. Then they have to wear glasses in order to see distant things clearly.
People who are farsighted face just the opposite problem. They can see things that are far away, but they have difficulty reading a book if they don't hold it at arm's length. If they want to do much reading, they must get glasses too.
Other people do not see clearly because their eyes are not exactly the right shape. This, too, can be corrected by glasses. Some people's eyes become cloudy because of cataracts (白内障). Long ago these people often became blind. Now, however, it is possible to operate on the cataracts and remove them.
When night falls, colors become fainter（更模糊） to the eyes and finally disappear. After your eyes have grown used to the dark, you can see better if you use the side of your eyes rather than the centers. Sometimes, after dark, you see a small thing to one side of you. It seems to disappear if you turn your head in its direction. This is because when you turn your head, you are looking at the thing too directly. Men on guard duty sometimes think they see something moving to one side of them. When they turn to look straight at it, they cannot see it anymore, and they believe they were mistaken. However, this mistake happens because the center of the eye, which is very sensitive (敏感的) in daylight, is not as sensitive as the sides of the eye after dark,
1. According to the passage, a _______ is more likely to be nearsighted.
| A．guard | B．doctor | C．writer | D．painter |
| A．cannot do a lot of close work without glasses |
| B．can only see things that are very close to their eyes |
| C．have the same problem as the nearsighted people |
| D．have difficulty reading a book if they hold it at arm's length |
| A．with wide open eyes | B．with half shut eyes |
| C．straight at it | D．in a slightly different direction |
【推荐1】I went on vacation with my family last summer. “Wake up! It’s time to go fishing,” My mom woke me up. After having breakfast we got on a boat. Getting up at 6 a.m. was really early and I was not happy, but later, I had fun.
My uncle caught (抓住) a big fish first. And my mom caught one, too. Then I caught a Black Drum. Next, my dad caught a big Sheepshead. The captain said no one caught a big fish like this one. We were all happy when we heard this. Later we tried to catch small sharks (鲨鱼). My grandpa caught one, but it snapped the line (咬断绳子). My uncle caught one, but it also snapped the line. My dad caught one at last. It didn’t look so scary but was a little funny.
Then our fishing activity was over, and we went back with all the fishes. We were tired but happy!
1. Who woke up the writer?| A．His father. | B．His mother. | C．His uncle. | D．His grandpa. |
| A．船长 | B．律师 | C．司机 | D．飞行员 |
| A．Because someone caught a fish the same size as theirs. |
| B．Because the Black Drum was expensive. |
| C．Because the fish was the biggest (最大的). |
| D．Because the boat went very fast. |
| A．Scared. | B．Lucky. | C．Tired and terrible. | D．Tired but happy. |
| A．His summer vacation. | B．His favorite fish. |
| C．His favorite activity. | D．His happy family. |
Another day I went swimming with my friends in the sea. I wanted to play a joke on them. In the beginning I swam fast and I called out “Help!”. All my friends came to help me. However, they found that I was joking. But half an hour later I wasn’t joking. I was so fast, soon I got tired and couldn’t swim on in water. I tried my best to call my friends for help, but this time nobody came to help me.
In the end they found I was telling the truth. They came and saved my life. They took me to the hospital. This is the best lesson in my life. From then on I haven’t joked on anyone.
1. When he was young, the writer liked to _______.
| A．play with his brother | B．help his mother cook |
| C．play jokes on people | D．go swimming with his friends |
| A．He got tired. | B．He played a joke on his mother. |
| C．Tony fell from the open window. | D．His mother hit him. |
| A．swam fast | B．called for help |
| C．would sink in water | D．couldn’t swim on in the water |
| A．took him to the hospital at once |
| B．came and saved him immediately |
| C．thought at first he was joking again |
| D．did nothing because the writer had lied to them |
| A．swimming is dangerous |
| B．the writer is a naughty boy |
| C．one can play jokes only on people he knows |
| D．if someone always tells lies, others won’t trust (信任) him |
Many of us eat instant noodles once in a while, but have you ever noticed the shape of that? Why is it curved（弯曲）?
Fan Zhihong, a professor on food nutrition（营养）studies at China Agricultural University, said that the shape of noodles has little to do with its nutrition. She believes that it is mainly for the convenience of transportation that instant noodles are made curved.
Most instant noodles are made by the processes of steaming and oil frying, which makes them quite fragile（脆弱）. Curved shapes could help them get the anti-pressure（抗压）ability.
Curvedness saves money. The same cup can hold more curved noodles than straight ones, while the same amount of curved noodles take up less space than straight ones.
Curved noodles have bigger spaces from each other, which makes them have a better bath in hot water and promises better taste.
Whether you use a fork or chopsticks, the curly shape is much more convenient for you to eat.
1. Fan Zhihong believes that the shape of noodles _________ its nutrition.| A．has a lot to do with | B．has nothing to do with | C．is hardly related to | D．is related to |
| A．Boiling. | B．Oil frying, | C．Baking. | D．Burning, |
| A．curved shapes could make them fragile |
| B．instant noodles are curved so that it can save money |
| C．curved noodles have the same spaces from each other |
| D．we can only use a fork to have instant noodles |
| A．why instant noodles are curved | B．instant noodles are convenient |
| C．anyone can eat instant noodles | D．how we can make instant noodles |
