1 . Few buildings on earth can compete with the legendary beauty of the Taj Mahal. Towering over the ancient Indian city of Agra, the Taj Mahal is the grandest monument (纪念碑) to love ever created.
The lovers in this story are the 17th century Indian emperor Shah Jehan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. She took a leading role in advising him, which is something unusual for a woman to do for a husband who’s an emperor. Over the course of their nineteen-year marriage she gave birth to 14 children. But in 1631 while trying to deliver their fifteenth — she tragically died. He was heartbroken when she died. And after her death, he decided to build the world’s greatest monument ever built, for love.
He ordered the royal architects to design the most beautiful building the world had known and decided to name it after his beloved, Mumtaz Mahal. He called on twenty thousand workers and sent many more people to all corners of his country in search of valuable metals and jewels. And after seventeen years of hard work, Shah Jehan’s monument was completed and his beloved empress was moved to her final resting place.
Everything had gone according to plan, but Shah Jehan’s luck was about to change ... In 1658, just four years after the completion of the Taj Mahal, he was thrown out of power. Unfortunately, his son, Aran Azibe imprisoned him, his own father. And he spent the last seven years of his life in prison. And he was allowed to look at the Taj Mahal through a window. His life was in ruins, but when he died his last wish was promised. He was buried beside his beloved wife in the Taj Mahal.
1. The Taj Mahal was built for ______.| A．Mumtaz | B．Shah |
| C．Mumtaz or Shah | D．Mumtaz and Shah |
| A．1658 | B．1662 |
| C．1654 | D．1665 |
| A．She gave birth to 14 children for her husband. |
| B．She gave important advice to her husband. |
| C．She asked her son to imprison his father. |
| D．She planned to build the world’s greatest monument. |
| A．He was killed by his own son. |
| B．He lost his power as a result of the Taj Mahal. |
| C．He put his own son into prison. |
| D．He hoped to be buried together with his wife. |
Foreign tourists are often confused(困惑的)in Japan because most streets there don’t have names. In Japan, people use landmarks(地标)in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “ Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat. In many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “ Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map. They measure distance in time, not miles. “ How far away is the post office?” you ask. “ Oh,” they answer, “ it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “ Yes, but how many miles is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn't know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “ Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “ I don't know”. People in Yucatan believe that “I don't know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!
1. When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually _______ .
| A．describe the place carefully |
| B．show him a map of the place |
| C．tell him the names of the streets |
| D．refer to recognizable buildings and places |
| A．New York. | B．Los Angles. |
| C．Kansas C. Iowa | |
| A．in order to save time | B．as a test |
| C．so as to be polite | D．for fun |
| A．It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences. |
| B．It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly. |
| C．People have similar understanding of politeness. |
| D．New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors. |
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentine’s Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest（牧师） in the third century Rome. When the emperor (皇帝) decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn’t allow marriage. But Valentine continued to perform（主持） marriage ceremonies（典礼） for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison（监狱）, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed （签名）“From your Valentine”, an expression that is still in use today. Valentine died for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history’s most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine’s cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped（心形的） cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine.
1. Why did the emperor in Rome not allow marriage in his country?
| A．Because there were few women in his country at that time. |
| B．Because he wanted to control the birth rate. |
| C．Because there wasn’t enough food for so many people. |
| D．Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers. |
| A．he killed one of the soldiers |
| B．he didn’t obey the emperor’s order |
| C．he stole a lot of food |
| D．he didn’t want to be a soldier |
| A．students in China send cards to their teachers |
| B．Valentine’s Day is also popular in China now |
| C．it is interesting to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China |
| D．it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China |
| A．Valentine’s Day in China | B．A Brave Priest |
| C．Valentine’s Day | D．A Romantic Man |
4 . Shyness is the cause of much unhappiness for a great many people. Shy people are anxious and self-conscious; that is, they are concerned about their own appearance and actions too much. Negative thoughts are constantly occurring in their minds: What kind of impression am I making? Do they like me? Do I sound stupid? Am I wearing unattractive clothes?
It is obvious that such uncomfortable feelings must affect people unfavorably. A person’s self-concept is reflected in the way he or she behaves and the way a person behaves affects other people’s reactions. In general, the way people think about themselves has a deep effect on all areas of their lives.
Shy people, who have low respect, are likely to be passive and easily influenced by others. They need faith that they are doing ＂the right thing＂. Shy people are very sensitive to criticism. It makes them feel inferior(自卑). They also find it difficult to be pleased by praises because they believe they are unworthy of praise. A shy person may respond to a praise with a statement like this one: ＂You’re just saying that to make me feel good. I know it’s not true.＂ It is clear that, while self-awareness is a healthy quality, overdoing it is harmful.
Can shyness be completely got rid of, or at least reduced? Fortunately, people can overcome shyness with determination since shyness goes hand in hand with lack of self-respect. It is important for people to accept their weaknesses as well as their strengths. Each one of us has his or her own characteristics. We are interested in our own personal ways. The better we understand ourselves, the easier it becomes to live up to our chances for a rich and successful life.
1. The first paragraph is mainly about ____________.| A．the cause of shyness |
| B．the effect of shyness on people |
| C．the feelings of shy people |
| D．the questions in the minds of shy people |
| A．harmful to people | B．a weak point of people |
| C．the cause of unhappiness | D．a good characteristic |
| A．They are pleased by it. |
| B．They feel it is not true. |
| C．They are very sensitive to it. |
| D．They feel they are worthy of it. |
| A．blocks our chances for a successful life |
| B．helps us to live up to our full development |
| C．enables us to understand ourselves better |
| D．has nothing to do with lack of self-respect |
1．Brush your teeth on the right way．
Brush your teeth at 1east twice a day—after breakfast and lunch or after sweet snacks，too．
Brush all of your teeth，not just the front ones，Spend time brushing teeth along the sides and back of your mouth．Brush away from your gums，too．
Spend at least three minutes each time you brush．Play a song you like to help pass the time．Get a new toothbrush every three months．When you buy your toothbrush，be sure it has soft bristles（毛）．
2．Learn how to floss your teeth．
Flossing is a very important way to keep your teeth healthy．Food may hide in places where a toothbrush cannot get to，like the space between two teeth．Flossing can help get rid of it．Carefully move floss between two teeth．Up and down．You’11 need to floss your teeth at least once a day．
3．Have good eating habits．
You need to be careful about what you eat and drink。Eating sugar is a major of tooth decay（腐败）．Eating sugar before you go to bed can make things even worse，eat lots of fruit and vegetables and drink water instead of soda．
1. The passage is mainly about_________．
| A．how to take care of your teeth |
| B．how to brush your teeth |
| C．how to form good eating habits |
| D．how to floss your teeth |
| A．money given to the waiter for personal services |
| B．piece of advice on how to do something |
| C．light blow，tape |
| D．thin end of something |
| A．1 | B．2 | C．3 | D．4 |
| A．Flossing your teeth． | B．Having good eating habits． |
| C．Brushing your teeth． | D．Going to see the dentist． |
| A．We should brush our teeth at least twice a day． |
| B．Flossing can help to get rid of the food hidden between two teeth． |
| C．One of the major causes of tooth decay is eating sugar． |
| D．We don’t have to brush our teeth if we eat a lot of fruit and vegetables． |
6 . The Olympic Games are seen as the greatest test of an athlete’s ability and are supposed to celebrate the spirit of fair play. But in fact, sportsmen have been using drugs to cheat their way to victory since the Games first began.
In the early years, athletes ate mushrooms(蘑菇)and plant seeds to improve their performance. Nowadays, this kind of cheating has a name doping(服用兴奋剂).
Just last month, Britain’s top sprinter(赛跑选手) Dwain Chambers and several American athletes tested positive(呈阳性)for the drug THG. Until a coach secretly gave a sample of THG to scientists, no one knew how to test for it.
“We’re like cops(警察)chasing criminals—athletes are always adapting and looking for areas we haven’t investigated,” said Jacquew de Ceaurriz, a French anti-doping expert.
Since the first drugs test was carried out at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, many cheats have been caught out. The most famous case in history is that of Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson. He broke the 100 meters world record in winning gold at the 1988 Seoul(汉城)Olympics. But days later, he tested positive for drug use, lost his gold medal and was banned from the sport. Five years later, he returned to action—only to be found positive again and banned forever.
China has also had problems with drug cheats. At the 1994 Asian Games, 11 Chinese athletes—seven of them swimmers—tested positive for banned drugs. Sports organizations promised that cheating on this scale would not happen again.
Experts are also worried that doping can damage a person’s health. It is believed to increase the risk of liver and kidney(肝肾)diseases, and women may experience reproductive(生育) problems. As long as they can stay ahead of the scientists, it is unlikely the cheats will stop. But experts say there is a limit to what can be achieved and that athletes will not be able to change their bodies using gene(基因)technology.
“For the moment, genetic doping does not exist,” said de Ceaurriz. “Even in 10 or 15 years it will not be done easily—the scientific community(界)will not let it happen.”
1. Which of the following is not the way that some athletes cheat to their better sports achievements?| A．Eating mushrooms. | B．Taking drug THG. |
| C．Taking genetic doping. | D．Eating plant seeds. |
| A．Two. | B．Four. |
| C．Six. | D．Eight. |
| A．scientists get a lot of information about drugs before the athletes take doping |
| B．taking doping will never happen again because of the serious test |
| C．few athletes used drug cheats before the first drugs test was carried out at the 1968 Olympics |
| D．problems with drug cheats are still serious though they are severely tested |
| A．Many police are sent to chase criminals of taking doping during the Olympic Games. |
| B．The drug test was carried out until the 1968 Olympics. |
| C．There is the possibility that women athletes taking doping will give no birth to a child. |
| D．Ben Johnson was banned from sports forever for being tested positive for drug use at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. |
Then I looked at my financial（财政的）package.
The cost of Dream School’s tuition（学费）, room and board was around $ 40,000--- an impossible sum! How could I afford to attend? What good reasons did I have to go there when three other fine colleges were offering me free tuition? My other choices were good, solid schools even if they weren’t as famous as my first choice.
In my mind, attending my dream university would be the only way to realize my dream of becoming a world-class writer. My parents understood how I felt. They told me that even though it would be a financial problem, I could go wherever I would be happiest. But as I was always careful with money, I wasn’t sure what to do.
One of the schools that offered me a full ride had an informational dinner one night in the spring. Considering my parents’ financial difficulties, I decided to drive the 45 minutes and attend. At first, all I had planned to do was smile politely, eat free food, listen quietly. But I surprised myself.
At dinner the president of the university talked about the wonderful activities on campus （校园）including guest lectures and social gatherings. He also made it perfectly clear that free food would be offered at all future events. He continued with explanations of professors, class sizes, activities, and sporting events on campus. As he spoke, I began to realize that this school, though not as good as my first choice, might be the best one for me. It seemed small yet with many great programs. It seemed challenging yet caring.
As the president ended his speech, we clapped politely and pushed back our chairs. As I walked out that door, a feeling of comfort washed over me. Looking at the campus that night, I realized that I would be spending the next four years right there.
In all honesty, my university is not as well-known as my “dream”university. However, it turned out to be the right choice of schools for me.
1. How did the author feel when he started to read the letter?
| A．He was uncertain which school to go to. | B．He was lost in his dream. |
| C．He was worried about the money. | D．He was full of joy. |
| A．honest | B．supportive | C．strict | D．decisive |
| A．would pay for transport to the school |
| B．would show me around the campus |
| C．would offer free meals at all events |
| D．would charge me nothing for tuition |
| A．You should consider comfort in your choice of schools. |
| B．Your second-choice college may actually by your best fit. |
| C．You should try your best to attend your dream school. |
| D．Your choice of schools should be based on their fame. |
