1 . Theaters of the Past

The Greek Theater

Theaters developed in many parts of Greece. Ancient Greek theaters were built in natural open air sites on conveniently shaped hills. This allowed a great mass of people to enjoy a show at a time. Due to this, actors placed emphasis on exaggerated (夸张的) action and speech. And, colorful symbolic masks and costumes were used.

The Medieval Theater

The Medieval theater started in churches. That’s why medieval plays were about Bible stories. At first, it became a custom for priests (牧师) to act out brief scenes during Christmas and Easter. These acts attracted large crowds. Finally the church refused to allow priests to participate in any such events again, so ordinary people began these performances outside. Performances were set in the town square, with several stage settings around it.

The Elizabethan Theater

The England’s theater developed rapidly in the years following the defeat of the Spanish Navy. The dominant feature of Elizabethan theater was the stage, It has three parts: The fore stage for outside scenes ;the inner stage for scenes inside a building; an upper stage or balcony for various purposes. The reason for this design is that there were no scene changes, or breaks during the play. Very little scenery was used, so the actors had to create a scene through their voices and dialogues. This led to a more poetic script , and poets became the main source of script writing.

The Restoration Theater

Some of the plays told sad stories, but the majority of the plays were really funny. Many specialized machines were used to create the scene. The stage was a very clever idea , in that on the sides of the stage large back shutters (百叶窗) were painted with the scene.

1. Why were ancient Greek theaters built on hills?

A．To hold a large audience.

B．To build a big and strong stage.

C．To have a better sound effect.

D．To emphasize exaggerated performances.

2. In which theater could actors’ voices and speech help create scenes?

A．The Greek Theater.

B．The Medieval Theater,

C．The Elizabethan Theater,

D．The Restoration Theater.

3. What is special about the Restoration Theater?

A．Colorful masks were used.

B．The stage was smartly designed.

C．Most of its plays were sorrowful.

D．Ordinary people were the performers.

2 . 书面表达
假设你是李华。你的美国笔友Susan要在暑假来中国桂林参加一个文化交流活动。 她想提前了解一下这座城市的相关情况，写信向你询问，请根据以下提示信息，给她回一封信。

自然情况	位于中国的南部，气候温和，风景优美
景点	四面环水，七星公园，漓江，象鼻山等
美食	桂林米粉，辣椒酱
......

注意：   1. 词数100左右，开头和结尾已经给出，但不计入总数；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 参考词汇   象鼻山 Elephant Trunk Hill     chilli sauce
Dear Susan,
I’m glad that you are coming to Guilin for an exchange program during the summer holiday.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours
Li Hua

3 . Death Valley is one of the most famous deserts in the United States, covering a wide area with its alkali sand. Almost 20 percent of this area is well below sea level, and Badwater, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and the lowest point in the United States.
Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place "Tomesha"-- the land of fire. Death Valley's present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been declared a National Monument and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beauty of this place.
Here nature created a lot of surprising, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and colorful parts of Death Valley is the Devil's Golf Course, where it seems hard for one to tell reality from dreams. Sand sculptures stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen.
1. The name of the valley comes from__________ .

A．an Indian name	B．the death of the miners
C．the local people	D．a National Movement

2. From the passage we can learn that__________.

A．no one had ever known the desert before the miners

B．it's still not easy to travel across the desert

C．people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desert

D．people have changed the natural sight of the desert

3. The Devil's Golf Course is famous for__________ .

A．the terrible sights	B．the moon-like sights
C．dream-like sights	D．the ever-changing sights

4. From the passage we can see that the writer__________the Death Valley.

A．appreciates

B．is fearful of

C．dislikes

D．is tired of

4 . It’s only 4 hours flying time from Sydney, but a world away. What better place to rest than a country where the only place people hurry is on the football field and things are done in “Fiji time”?

Viti Levu — Great Fiji — is the largest island. Here you’ll find the capital Suva and the international airport at Nadi. Vatoa, on the other hand, is a tiny island in the farthest part of Fiji. Then there are 331 other islands, many of them with places to stay.

With less than a million people living on islands, you’ll never feel crowded.   And with a climate (气候) that changes only for five degrees between seasons, there’s never a bad time to come.

From cities to villages, from mountains to beaches, from water sports to wooden artworks, Fiji can give you more adventures and special experiences than you could find almost anywhere in the world.

Whenever you come, wherever you go, you’re sure to see some unforgettable events, from war dances to religious (宗教的) songs, from market days to religious days. It’s not just staged for tourists; it’s still a part of everyday life in Fiji.   And any one of us can enjoy Fiji’s spirit by being part of the traditional (传统的) sharing of yaqona — a drink made from the root of a Fiji plant.

So why not join us for the experience of a lifetime?

1. Where is the international airport of Fiji?

A．In Suva.	B．In Sydney.
C．On the island of Vatoa.	D．On the island of Viti Levu.

2. What does the text tell us about Fijian people?

A．They invented “Fiji time” for visitors.

B．They stick to a traditional way of life.

C．They like to travel from place to place.

D．They love taking adventures abroad.

3. One of the things that make Fiji a tourist attraction is　　　.

A．its comfortable hotels

B．its good weather all year round

C．its exciting football matches

D．its religious beliefs

4. Where can we most probably read this text?

A．In a personal diary.

B．In a science report.

C．In a travel magazine.

D．In a geography textbook.