The earliest written evidence of a soccer-like game comes from China. During the second and third centuries B.C., Chinese soldiers took part in an activity that involved kicking a ball into a small net. Historians think the game was a skill-building exercise for the soldiers.
Years of Development
In ancient Greece and Rome, teams of up to 27 players played a soccer-type game. In Britain hundreds of years later, during the thirteenth century A.D., whole villages played against each other. With hundreds of people playing, these games were both long and rough. Kicking, punching, and biting were common and allowed.
In 1331, English King Edward II passed a law in an attempt to put a stop to the popular but violent game. The king of Scotland spoke against the game a hundred years later. Queen Elizabeth I, during the late 1500s, passed a law that called for a week of jail for anyone caught playing “football”, or soccer, as we call it. But the game could not be stopped.
The Modern Game Emerges
Two hundred and fifty years later, people in Britain were still playing a game we would recognize as soccer. A well-known English college Eton developed a set of rules in 1815. A number of other colleges soon agreed to use the same rules, and those schools played against each other. Finally, 50 years later, a formal association was formed to oversee the playing of the game and its rules. In 1869, a rule against handling the ball with the hands transformed the game into the sport of soccer that is wildly popular all around the world.
1. What do historians think that soccer might have started out as?| A．A leisure activity. | B．A political issue. |
| C．A skill-building activity. | D．A military strategy. |
| A．English King Edward III. | B．The king of Scotland. |
| C．Queen Elizabeth I. | D．The Roman Emperor. |
| A．To share and reflect on playing soccer. | B．To advocate the exercise of soccer. |
| C．To introduce the history of soccer. | D．To suggest new ways of playing soccer. |
2 . On 2 September, 1666, the citizens of London woke to see the city's crowded wooden houses on fire. The fire started in a baker's shop in Pudding Lane in the early hours of the morning. By the time it burned Alit Otis 5 September around 13, 000 buildings had been destroyed, including the original St Paul's Cathedral, 87 churches and 52 company halls. Between 65, 000 and 80, 000 people lost their homes, although thankfully only a handful were recorded as having been killed. The estimated cost of the fire was around 10 million pounds.
Soon after the fire, several designs work put forward for the redevelopment of London, among them once from Wren, a favorite or King Charles TI. A common theme was streets spreading out from the river and crossing with others running parallel to it. However, a lack of money to buy the land and the need to rebuild the city quickly ruined all his grand ideas.
Instead, nearly 3,000 houses were built within the first three years, mostly back on the original layout.
The task of getting London rebuilt was given to a commits of six men, including Wren. Their role was to manage surveys of ruined properties and consider the fun and scald of new buildings, and any adjustments to the streets.
The major roads were widened to reduce the risk of fires spreading in futile. For the same reason, buildings were constructed largely from brick and stone instead of wood. Guidelines were also made for the height of houses and about how much wood could be used on the outside. There was even a new rule insisting on the use of downpipes, to stop problems with rainwater flowing down from gutters（排水沟）.
Although others designed and rebuilt many properties in Lincoln after the Great Fire, Wren was the most productive architect. In total, he designed and supervised the construction of 52 churches, 36 company halls, two great hospitals and St Paul's Cathedral, all of which took 35 years to complete. Many of' these still stand today. Wren was also one of the architects of the 62 meter﹣tall Monument, a memorial to the Great Fir which stands close to the sit where it started.
1. According to the passage, the fire in London| A．lasted four days before it was out |
| B．started in the wealthy neighborhood |
| C．broke out in the afternoon |
| D．caused thousands deaths |
| A．King Charles II didn't approve obit |
| B．they were short of money to pay workers |
| C．houses should be rebuilt in their fencer place |
| D．his design required more time than needed |
| A．All newly﹣built roads were widened. |
| B．All new buildings were of the same height. |
| C．A limited amount of wood was used. |
| D．A large number of downpipes were used. |
| A．Wren designed most of the new buildings. |
| B．It took 35 years to build St Paul's Cathedral. |
| C．Today we can see some buildings designed by Wren. |
| D．Two architects designed the 62﹣meter monument. |
| A．Works oaf Great Architect |
| B．Reconstruction of London |
| C．The Great Fire of London |
| D．Measures against Great Fir. |
3 . The word “boycott” comes to English through Irish, which can be used as both a verb and a noun. As a verb, boycott means to refuse to do something as a form of protest （抗 议）.People who boycott something are often looking for social, economic （经济的）or political change.
In 1879，Davitt founded a group called the Land League，which sought to help poor farmers. He suggested to the farmers that they refuse to do business with Boycott.
At the end of 1880，some British newspapers began using Boycott’s name when reporting on a protest of unfair methods or actions.
| A．The usage quickly spread. |
| B．In fact, it began with a man’s name. |
| C．This form of protest proved effective. |
| D．However, its original meaning is still unknown. |
| E．As a noun，the word boycott has a somewhat different meaning. |
| F．Otherwise，his last name may become a word people use when they protest. |
| G．Boycott’s job was to collect rents from the farmers who rented fields of the farm. |
