3 . Dancing until you drop is a well­known saying, but would you really be able to dance until you dropped dead? In 1374, in some European towns, people did exactly that. They were struck by a dancing plague (瘟疫) that forced them to dance.

This phenomenon (现象) was reported to have happened throughout parts of Western Europe, affecting people from the 14th to the 17th century. Hardly stopping to eat or even sleep, they would dance, sometimes for days on end, making this one of the strangest sicknesses in Western history.

Over the next century, there were only a few outbreaks. However, in the summer of 1518, it reappeared in the city of Strasbourg, France. It all began with a woman called Mrs. Troffea, who started to dance crazily in the street.

She was soon joined by 34 people within a week; by the end of the month, the crowd had increased to 400, most of whom were women. Again, people were dancing until they could no longer continue, with some finally dying from heart attacks or exhaustion. One report shows that the plague was killing around 15 people per day.

As the plague worsened, concerned nobles (贵族) turned to the advice of local doctors, who said that the plague was a “natural disease” caused by “hot blood”. So the nobles encouraged more dancing.

The reason behind their actions was they believed the dancers could only recover if they danced continuously night and day. The nobles even paid for musicians to keep the moving.

Then, as before, it disappeared almost as suddenly as it had come.

While these events may sound highly unbelievable, there is clear written evidence that it did happen.

Now, historians and scientists are still trying to find out the true cause of this phenomenon.

1. What do we know about the plague?

A．It cost some people's lives.

B．It took place twice in history.

C．It affected people of all ages.

D．It stopped in the 16th century.

2. Why did the nobles encourage more dancing?

A．To see the hot blood.

B．To kill the dancing people.

C．To free people of the plague.

D．To prove the doctors' words.

3. How did the plague disappear?

A．For no reason.

B．With local doctors' help.

C．With Mrs. Troffea's help.

D．Because of some natural power.

4. What's the purpose of the text?

A．To show the history of dancing.

B．To introduce a well­known English saying.

C．To provide information on the dancing plague.

D．To explain the reason behind the dancing plague.

4 . There is a famous story about how Walt Disney was inspired to build Disneyland. The story goes that during an afternoon visit to Griffith Park located near the Burbank Studios, Walt took a seat while his two young daughters rode the merry-go-round. Walt thought there should be a place where both children and their parents could enjoy spending some time together in an environment that would be both entertaining and pleasing to the eye, so with this thought came the idea for Disneyland.

Walt's original plan was to build an eight-acre park located near the Burbank Studios that would be a place for his employees and their families. Those plans were put on hold because of the start of World War II. By 1952, Walt had created a special department that was devoted to planning his dream.

Finally in 1953, the first steps in building the park happened when Walt employed the Stanford Research Institute to make a survey to determine the best possible location for the future park. Considering population growth and the future freeway construction(建设),they finally found a location in Anaheim and 160 acres of land were bought for the site of the new park.

The building of the park was very expensive and to collect money for the project, Walt developed the idea of the ''Walt Disney's Disneyland'' television show. It turned out to be a marvelous idea—not only gaining the money to build the park but also presenting the park to the American public.

Construction officially began on July 21,1954, and it was an ambitious(野心勃勃的)building schedule of less than one year to complete the new park for the projected opening day. Walt watched over the park's construction and progress continued with just a few minor hold-ups. Finally，the park was ready for the Opening Day on July17,1955.

1. What inspired Walt Disney to build Disneyland?

A．The special design of Griffith Park.	B．A trip to a park with his daughters.
C．Requests from his family and employees.	D．The idea to build a park for his daughters.

2. What is mainly considered in choosing the location of Disneyland?

A．Walt Disney's personal preference.	B．The natural environment.
C．The advice of the public.	D．Local traffic.

3. What can we learn about the construction process?

A．It was smooth generally.	B．It was affected by World War II.
C．It was completed later than expected.	D．It was influenced by a shortage of money.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A diary.

B．A novel.

C．A magazine.

D．A guidebook.

5 . 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。

The celebrations with the military parade for China's 70th anniversary（周年纪念日）on National Day have clearly shown     1     this nation has developed quickly with confidence in the system     2     (adopt) under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

On the one hand, National Day     3     (say) that China at 70 has achieved scientific and technological developments. On the other hand, it also reminded     4     (we) of the suffering the country experienced after the Opium War of 1840.

The parade also told the     5     (story) of "Made in China" and "Created in China". The achievements did not fall     6     the sky and nor were they stolen. Instead, they were the result of the hard work,    7    (wise) and courage of the Chinese people.

Under the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese people have created     8     miracle in 70 years. The truth of socialism with Chinese characteristics     9     (prove) by history and practice to be a correct path. It has become evident that China will     10     （sure）achieve the goal of the great renewal of the Chinese nation.

6 . 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。

Some historians say that silk originated in China about 10,000 years ago. In China, however, legend     1    (have) it that Empress Si Ling Chi of China was the first one     2     (discover) silk more than five thousand years ago. The story goes     3     while sitting under a mulberry (桑树)tree in her palace garden, the Empress was having tea. A cocoon fell into her hot cup of tea from the branches of the mulberry tree. And as she watched, a strong white thread spread gradually.

For more than two thousand years, the Chinese kept the secret of silk to themselves. Anyone found guilty of smuggling (偷运)silkworm eggs, cocoons, or mulberry seeds was put to     4    (die). Silk became the cloth of emperors and royalty and a great source of wealth. But common people were prohibited     5    wearing silk. Silk was gathered and kept in warehouses for     6     emergency.

The Chinese used silk in many ways. Civil servants     7     (pay) in quantities of silk, and it was a way for the rulers to reward their citizens. Silk was also used as currency in domestic as well as foreign trade. Chinese traders exchanged their silk in return for spices and jewels     8     (buy) in India.

Later, people from different parts of society began wearing silk clothes, and     9     (surprise) silk came into     10    (much) general use than before.

7 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

In much of Asia, especially the so-called “rice bowl” cultures of China, Japan, Korea,     1     Vietnam, food is usually eaten with chopsticks.

Chopsticks are usually two long, thin pieces of wood or bamboo. They can also be made of plastic, animal bone or metal. Sometimes chopsticks are quite artistic. Truly elegant chopsticks might     2     (make) of gold and silver with Chinese characters. Skilled workers also combine various hardwoods and metal     3     (create) special designs.

The Chinese have used chopsticks for five thousand years. People probably cooked their food in large pots,     4     (use) twigs (树枝) to remove it. Over time,     5     the population grew, people began cutting food into small pieces so it would cook more quickly.

Food in small pieces could be eaten easily with twigs which     6    (gradual) turned into chopsticks.

Some people think that the great Chinese scholar Confucius,     7     lived from roughly 551 to 479 B.C., influenced the     8     (develop) of chopsticks. Confucius believed knives would remind people of killings and     9     (be) too violent for use at the table.

Chopsticks are not used everywhere in Asia. In India, for example, most people traditionally eat     10     their hands.

8 .     1    People use money to buy food, furniture, books, bicycles and hundreds of other things they need or want. When they work, they usually get paid in money.

Most of the money today is made of metal or paper.    2    One of the first kinds of money was shells.

Shells were not the only things used as money. In China, cloth and knives were used. In the Philippine Islands, rice was used as money for a long time. Elephant tusks, monkey tails and salt were used as money in parts of Africa.

The first metal coins were made in China. They were round and had a square hole in the centre.    3    

Different countries have used different metals and designs for their money.    4    Sweden and Russia used copper (铜) to make their money. Later some countries began to make coins of gold and silver.

But even gold and silver were inconvenient if you had to buy something expensive. Again the Chinese thought of a way to improve money.    5    The first paper money looked more like a note from one person to another than the paper money used today.

Money has had an interesting history from the days of shell money until today.

A．The first coins in England were made of tin (锡).

B．But people used to use all kinds of things as money.

C．No one knows for certain when people began to use money.

D．People strung (串连) them together and carried them from place to place.

E．Money, as we know, is all made of paper.

F．They began to use paper money.

G．Today anyone will accept money in exchange for goods and services.

9 . Switzerland(瑞士) is famous for its watches. However, this country didn’t invent the watch.It was the British who did it. Here is a story of how the watch was brought to Switzerland.

Many years ago , an Englishman was travelling to Italy . On his way he stopped in a small town in South Switzerland. This Englishman travelled in a carriage(马车) inside which there was a carriage watch. This was the earliest kind of watch. A native shop assistant (售货员) happened to see the watch . He wondered what it was and asked the Englishman about it. “ It is a carriage watch .” said the man . This machine tells the time but now it isn’t working .

At once the shop assistant offered to try to repair it . So the traveller handed him the watch. The assistant was a very wise man . So it was not surprising that he managed to repair it . He even remembered how it was made. As soon as the traveller had gone on his way , he made a watch exactly the same type.

Thus the watch-making was started in Switzerland. Today Swiss watches are sold in stores all over the world.

1. Switzerland is famous for ____________.

A．.making watches

B．selling watches

C．inventing watches

D．the carriage watch

2. It was ______who brought a watch to Switzerland earliest .

A．a Swiss

B．an Italian

C．an Englishman

D．a shop assistant

3. The earlist watches were made in __________.

A．Switzerland

B．England

C．Italy

D．a small town

4. The first Swiss watch was   made   by ___________.

A．an Italian shop assistant

B．an English shop assistant

C．a man who came from Switzerland

D．a man who was travelling to Italy.

5. The carriage watch was a machine which __________.

A．was put in the carriage	B．wasn’t working
C．told people time	D．had to be repaired