1 . Remote controls are one of the most common symbols of our modern technologies. In fact, remote controls are an invention born in the 1800s. Famous inventor Nikola Tesla created one of the world’s first wireless remote controls, which he exhibited in public at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1898.
Tesla called his system a “teleautomaton”, which could be used to control a mechanical device. For his demonstration, Tesla employed a minitype boat, which had a metal air wire that could receive exactly one radio frequency. He showed how his remote-controlled boat worked and whole process attracted many people. However, financially, Tesla’s remote-controlled boat was a failure. His intended client, the U.S. Navy, thought the technology was too easily damaged during use. But the concept of remote control caught on and quickly spread to many other types of equipment.
In the 1930s and 1940s, a new consumer electronics, such as garage door openers and model airplanes, arrived with remote controls. In the mid-1950s, Zenith engineer Eugene Polley designed his Flashmatic TV remote control, which used directional flashes of light to control the television. In 1956, Polley’s colleague, Robert Adler, created the Space Command control, which employed high-frequency, ultrasonic (超声的) sounds instead of light. This style of remote control increased the price of a new TV by a third, but that didn’t stop people from buying in mass quantities. Remote controls kept evolving, too. Ultrasonic sound remote controls were the standard for TVs until the 1980s, when remote controls began using the infrared (红外线) light signals that are very common today.
These days, you can find remote control capability built into a huge array of products such as toy cars and helicopters, video game consoles (控制台), ceiling fans, etc. There’s a good chance you can find a version that’s controlled by remote control. You can even buy a remote-controlled toilet.
Remote controls have allowed humans to perform many tasks that would be difficult, if not impossible. And although remote controls have a long history, they are anything but over. As we continue to introduce technology to every aspect of our lives, it’s very likely that we’ll need remote controls to keep things under control.
1. What made the U.S. Navy think poorly of Tesla’s remote-controlled boat?A.Its high cost. |
B.Its unsatisfactory quality. |
C.Its damage to people’s health. |
D.Its inaccuracy in sending signals. |
A.Directional flashes of light. | B.Infrared light signals. |
C.Various metal air wires. | D.High-frequency, ultrasonic sounds. |
A.To advertise some modern inventions. |
B.To prove the rapid evolution of kids’ toy. |
C.To show the wide application of remote controls. |
D.To show the principle of some high-tech products. |
A.Human are too dependent on technology. |
B.Remote controls are necessary in our life |
C.Humans are trying to keep everything under control. |
D.Remote controls will probably fade away in the future. |
A.The history of remote controls. |
B.The developments of our modern technologies. |
C.The achievements of some great inventors. |
D.The popularity of remote controls in our daily life. |
1. When was the National Library of St. Mark’s first designed?
A.In 1588. | B.In 1570. | C.In 1537 |
A.Being the first public library. |
B.Surviving several wars. |
C.Having the largest collection of books. |
A.In Syria. | B.In Egypt. | C.In Greece. |
3 . Look at the keyboard of any standard typewriter or computer. “Q” “W” “E” “R” “T” and “Y” are the first six letters. Who decided on this arrangement of the letters? And why?
People tried for centuries to invent the typewriter. In 1714 in England, Henry Mill filed a patent for a machine called An Artificial Machine Or Method for the Impressing or Transcribing of Letters, Singly or Progressively one after another, as in Writing, drawing upon this way all Writing may be absorbed in Paper so Neat and Exact as not to be distinguished from Print. That machine probably didn’t sell because no one could remember its name!
The first practical typewriter was patented in the United States in 1868 by Christopher Latham Sholes. His machine was known as the type-writer. It had a movable carriage, a lever for turning paper from line to line, and a keyboard on which the letters were arranged in alphabetical order.
But Sholes had a problem. On his first model, his “ABC” key arrangement caused the keys to jam when the typist worked quickly. Sholes didn’t know how to keep the keys from sticking, so his solution was to keep the typist from typing too fast. Sholes asked his brother-in-law to rearrange the keyboard so that the commonest letters were not so close together and the type bars would come from opposite directions. Thus they would not clash together and jam the machine. The new arrangement was the QWERTY arrangement typists use today. Of course. Sholes claimed that the new arrangement was scientific and would add speed and efficiency. The only efficiency it added was to slow the typist down, since almost any word in the English language required the typist’s fingers to cover more distance on the keyboard.
The advantages of the typewriter outweighed the disadvantages of the keyboard. Typists memorized the crazy letter arrangement, and the typewriter became a huge success. By the time typists had memorized the new arrangement of letters and built their speed, typewriter technology had improved, and the keys didn’t stick as badly as they had at first.
1. We know from the passage that the inventor of the first practical typewriter is_________.A.Henry Mill | B.Christopher Latham Sholes |
C.Sholes’ brother-in-law | D.Albert Einstein |
A.it was difficult for people to accept new things |
B.there were great disadvantages of the key board |
C.the name of the machine was too long |
D.the machine could not be distinguished from print |
A.solve the problem of the keys jamming |
B.arrange the letters in alphabetical order |
C.cause the keys to jam when the typist worked quickly |
D.compete with “ABC” key arrangement |
A.is the most scientific arrangement |
B.adds speed and efficiency of typists |
C.is easy for typists to memorize |
D.keeps the typist from typing too fast |
A.The Story of Christopher Latham Sholes |
B.How to Invent the Typewriter |
C.The First Practical Typewriter |
D.The Arrangement of the Letters on Keyboard |
4 . Mona Lisa, the famous picture
Da Vinci himself loved it so much that he always
A.written | B.praised | C.bought | D.painted |
A.less | B.more | C.worse | D.better |
A.changes | B.expressions | C.kisses | D.gloves |
A.see | B.visit | C.greet | D.examine |
A.laughing | B.smiling | C.crying | D.shouting |
A.says | B.sits | C.stands | D.stops |
A.Therefore | B.Otherwise | C.However | D.Instead |
A.carried | B.hid | C.kept | D.buried |
A.actually | B.finally | C.really | D.hopefully |
A.taken | B.destroyed | C.broken | D.stolen |
A.school | B.museum | C.house | D.factory |
A.give | B.send | C.take | D.return |
A.France | B.Germany | C.Italy | D.England |
A.kept | B.hid | C.put | D.grew |
A.feet | B.clothes | C.hands | D.hats |
5 . Britons are well known for the amount of tea that they drink. The average person in the UK consumes around 1.9 kg of tea yearly. That’s around 876 cups of tea. Tea is drunk by all sections of society. But tea is not native to Britain. Most tea is grown in India and China. So, how did it become an important part of British culture?
Tea arrived in London in the 1600s. At this time, British ships were exploring the world and came across the drink in China. It was not long before green tea was available to buy. However, this was only available to the richer sections of society.
At the beginning of the 1700s, the amount of tea arriving in Britain increased gradually. Black tea arrived at this time. At first people drank this tea exactly as it was in China. They soon discovered that it mixed really well with a little milk and sugar, giving the drink a special British characteristic.
In the 1800s tea was still a product enjoyed only by people with money. At this time they began to have “afternoon tea”. This involves drinking tea with a snack around 4 pm to avoid feeling hungry between lunch and dinner. It is a tradition that is still going today but has become less popular in recent times.
In the late 1800s, the price of tea decreased sharply as more tea began to arrive on ships from India and China. It was no longer a drink just for rich people. Tearooms — shops where you could buy and drink tea — started to appear across the country. People enjoyed drinking tea and socialising in these places. At the start of the 20th century, Britons began to make tea in their homes whenever they felt like it. Kettles became necessary in every kitchen.
1. How does the passage mainly develop?A.By providing examples. | B.By making comparisons. |
C.By following the order of time. | D.By following the order of importance. |
A.Tea reached Britain from China centuries ago. | B.Britons are famous for planting tea. |
C.Green tea was popular in China. | D.Most tea is grown in Britain. |
A.how British people drank black tea | B.why the amount of tea increased |
C.when green tea arrived in China | D.who discovered black tea |
A.In the early 1700s. | B.In the early 1800s. |
C.In the late 1800s. | D.In the late 20th century. |
A.To describe how to drink tea. | B.To explain why people love tea. |
C.To compare black tea with green tea. | D.To introduce the history of British tea culture. |
6 . Today we see writing all around us. We would be
The earliest people have no
Modern forms of writing began when people
Even greater advances were
A.lost | B.calm | C.hurt | D.skeptical |
A.pan | B.system | C.motivation | D.dream |
A.began | B.developed | C.appeared | D.failed |
A.When | B.While | C.After | D.Before |
A.communication | B.experience | C.relationship | D.education |
A.shows | B.notices | C.follows | D.produces |
A.joke | B.warning | C.memory | D.mistake |
A.begged | B.refused | C.learned | D.promised |
A.worries | B.cultures | C.ideas | D.questions |
A.lines | B.pictures | C.tools | D.animals |
A.For example | B.Above all | C.As usual | D.At first |
A.Less | B.Worse | C.Older | D.Further. |
A.letters | B.alphabets | C.stars | D.symbols |
A.prevented | B.checked | C.made | D.taught |
A.mix | B.read | C.write | D.remember |
A.however | B.besides | C.therefore | D.otherwise |
A.longer | B.easier | C.more interesting | D.more popular |
A.answer | B.problem | C.future | D.message |
A.never | B.hardly | C.even | D.often |
A.but | B.because | C.if | D.so |
7 . Imagine a relay race. During this race, an athlete holds a stick as he runs a certain distance. Then he passes the stick to the next runner. That person runs faster, and then passes the stick to a third runner. Now imagine that the runners do not pass a stick. Instead they pass shiny silk, as well as gold, fruit, and glass. Imagine that the race does not move forward in just one direction. Instead the runners go back and forth along a road. They trade goods all along this route (路线) and at each end of it. Now imagine that the runners are businessmen. They lead caravans (商队) or lines of camels that carry things to sell. They travel on the ancient Silk Road to earn their living.
The Silk Road was a complex trade network. It passed through thousands of cities and towns. It stretched from eastern China, across central Asia and the Middle east, to the Mediterranean Sea. Businessmen traveled on the Silk Road from about 200 B.C. to about 1300 A.D.. Then sea travel began to offer new routes. Some people called the Silk Road the world’s longest highway. However, the Silk Road included many routes -- not just one smooth path. The routes ran through mountains and across deserts. They passed through an area that now includes 18 countries. The Silk Road had many dangers. These dangers ranged from hot sun and deep snow to thieves and wars. Only expert traders could survive.
The Silk Road got its name from its most prized goods. People used silk as money. They could pay taxes or buy goods with it. Traders carried more than just silk, though. They had gold, silver, and glass from Europe. People in the Middle East and Asia wanted these things. Businessmen also took horses from flat, grassy areas in central Asia and brought them to China and other areas. The horses changed the way people farmed and ran their armies. Indian businessmen traded salt and rare, beautiful stones. Chinese merchants traded medicine and china. They also traded paper, which quickly replaced animal skins in the west. Businessmen carried apples from central Asia to Rome. The Chinese had learned to combine different trees to create new kinds of fruit. They taught this science to others, such as the Romans. The Romans began to grow apples for food. The Silk Road led to worldwide commerce 2,000 years before the World Wide Web.
The people along the Silk Road did not share only goods. They also shared beliefs. Monks, priests, and other faith leaders taught their religions to others. The Silk Road created pathways for knowledge, diplomacy, and religion.
1. People turned to the sea for new routes after around 1300 A. D. because _____.A. the Silk Road included many routes |
B.the Silk Road passed through many areas |
C.people traveled on the Silk Road for too long |
D.there were more dangers along the Silk Road |
A.Influential | B.Private | C.Valuable | D.Useful |
A.The Silk Road helped spread religions to more people. |
B.The Silk Road gave people the idea to build highways. |
C.Some people probably died while travelling. |
D.Westerners probably used to write on animal skins. |
A.silk Road was built by China. |
B.there used to be deaths along the path |
C.trade went along with religion |
D.many apple trees used to grow along the path |
A.Science. | B.Travel. | C.Sports. | D.Culture. |
8 . London has already hosted the Olympics twice before and the 2021 Olympics will make it the first city in history to have held three Olympic games.
The first London Olympics in 1908
These games were going to be held in Rome but, because of a volcano, Rome wasn’t ready. London agreed to stage the games and the White City Olympic Stadium was built in just 10 months. What was new at these Olympics was the opening ceremony where athletes paraded (列队行进) with their teams behind their national flags. Only 22 countries took part and the profits were just over £21,000!
The second London Olympics
Because of the Second World War, the 1944 Olympics were cancelled. Four years later the war was over and London was able to hold the Games in 1948.Things were very different in London during these Olympic Games and many years of war had left the UK poor and hungry. People called them the “Austerity Games”. But there were still some great sports and some exciting events!
59 countries took part, more than at any other Olympics before and the USA won the most medals with 84. For the first time, cameras filmed the games and broadcast them on television so that people could watch them in their own homes.
The third London Olympics in 2021
The Games this year are going to be bigger, better and more exciting than ever before. There will be more than 10,000 athletes from 204 countries taking part!
London wants to make sure that the benefits of the Olympics don’t just last for a few weeks in summer but go on much longer. The buildings have been designed and constructed so that they can be used for different things when the Games are over.
1. The text is mainly about _____.A.London will host the Olympics again | B.London’s Olympic history |
C.London’s Olympics will last much longer | D.London is ready for the Olympics |
A.London could build a stadium in 10 months | B.only 22 countries took part |
C.there was a volcano eruption in Rome | D.London could make more profits than Rome |
A.the UK were poor and hungry then | B.there were some great sports |
C.the previous Olympic Games was cancelled | D.about 59 countries took part |
A.the 59 countries | B.the 84 gold medals |
C.all the athletes | D.the games |
A.the benefits of the Olympics used to last for months afterwards |
B.the 2nd London Olympics attracted more countries than any other Olympics |
C.the buildings for the 3rd London Olympics have more functions for future use |
D.the 2nd London Olympics were cancelled because of the Second World War |
9 . A study of art history might be a good way to learn more about a culture than is possible to learn in general history classes. Most typical history courses concentrate on politics, economics, and war. But art history focuses on much more than this because art reflects not only the political values of a people, but also religious beliefs, emotions, and psychology. In addition, information about the daily activities of our ancestors — or of people very different from our own — can be provided by art. In short, art expresses the essential qualities of a time and a place, and a study of it clearly offers us a deeper understanding than can be found in most history books.
In history books, objective information about the political life of a country is presented; that is, facts about politics are given, but opinions are not expressed. Art, on the other hand, is subjective; it reflects emotions and opinions. The great Spanish painter Francisco Goya was perhaps the first truly “political” artist. In his well known painting The Third of May, 1808, he criticized the Spanish government for its misuse of power over people. Over a hundred years later, symbolic images were used in Pablo Picasso’s Guernica to express the horror of war. Meanwhile, on another continent, the powerful paintings of Diego Rivera, and David Alfaro Siqueiros — as well as the works of Alfredo Ramos Martines — depicted these Mexican artists’ deep anger and sadness about social problems.
In the same way, art can reflect a culture’s religious beliefs. For hundreds of years in Europe, religious art was almost the only type of art that existed. Churches and other religious buildings were filled with paintings that depicted people and stories from the Bible. Although most people couldn’t read, they could still understand biblical stories in the pictures on church walls. By contrast, one of the main characteristics of art in the Middle East was and still is its absence of human and animal images. This reflects the Islamic belief that statues are unholy.
1. From Paragraph one, we know that _____.A.art history reveals a people’s religious and emotional life as well as its political views and psychology |
B.general history provides us with information about everyday life of ancient people |
C.general history gives us an insight into the basic situations of a time and a place |
D.art history regards politics as an unworthy topic |
A.records what people felt and thought at a particular time |
B.expresses the essential qualities of a time and a place |
C.often gives us a better understanding of our history |
D.often presents the subjective message about the political life of a country |
A.Islamic artists painted images on church walls as a way of teaching |
B.war was not one of the topics art history address |
C.Europeans respected images of biblical figures |
D.for some time in Europe, art was the only way to understand religion |
A.His criticism to the religious beliefs of his country. |
B.His explanation about the political values of his country. |
C.His dissatisfaction to the war, his government or the social problems. |
D.His concern about the daily life of the poor in his country. |
A.the difference between general history and art history |
B.the value of art history in understanding history |
C.the importance of artists in art history |
D.the importance of art in religion |
1.花木兰的生平故事;
2.花木兰在中国人心中的地位与影响。
注意:1.词数80-100;2.开头和结尾已经给出,不计入总词数。
参考词汇:dress up装扮;a symbol of .....的象征;
Dear Peter,
I’m glad to know that you are interested in the story of Mulan.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua