1 . The Masai(马赛人) are continually trying to keep their own ways in an increasingly modern world. They live along the border of Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa, moving their homes from time to time to follow their cattle, the source of their livelihood. They rely on their cattle in many parts of their life. They like drinking the cows’ milk.
They don’t kill their cattle for food. But if a cow is killed, the parts of its body are used to make containers, shoes, clothin, ropes, bed coverings and so on. Not all of the men have cows. The more cattle a man owns, the richer he is considered to be. A man who owns 50 or fewer cattle is considered poor. Rich men have a thousand or more. The cattle, though owned by the man, are considered to belong to the man’s entire family. The family names the cattle and can recognize each animal’s special voice.
The Masai men have become known as warriors(勇士), protecting their cattle against other wild animals. They wear their red long hair. Most women often take care of their children, cook food, clean clothes and make clothing at home. They also make necklaces dresses and headdresses. A few women can also become authorities once they are powerful enough. They speak a language called Maa.
The houses of Masai made from sticks and grass, which are held together with a mixture of mud, are not very firm or safe. These plain houses with some basic supplies are built in a circle and make up a Masai village. They are not meant to last long since the migration(迁徙) of the cow population means that the Masai move as well. In the meantime, in order to prevent animals from entering, they also form a wall of branches. The whole setup is to protect the cattle, which sleep at night in the middle of the village. They seem to live a natural and self-sufficient life but lack modern civilisation.
1. What do we know about the Masai?| A．They don’t move in their lives. |
| B．They each have their own cows. |
| C．They don’t kill their cattle at all. |
| D．They are heavily dependent on cattle. |
| A．Designers. | B．Authorities. |
| C．Housewives. | D．Warriors. |
| A．Modern. | B．Lasting | C．Simple. | D．Safe. |
| A．Africans: Living a Moving life |
| B．Africans: Brave People in the World |
| C．The Masai: Rich People in East Africa |
| D．The Masai: Maintaining a Traditional Lifestyle |
2 . The Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania live a life that has not changed much over ten thousand years. They have no crops, no house animals, no permanent shelters. In spite of long exposure to agriculturalist groups around them, the Hadza have maintained their lifestyle.
The story of the spread of agriculture is the story of growing population density (密度). Villages formed, then cities, then nations. Agriculture’s rise, however, came with a price. It introduced infectious diseases, social inequality, occasional famines (饥荒) and war. Professor Jared Diamond of UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) has called the adoption of agriculture “the worst mistake in human history”— a mistake from which we have never recovered.
Looking at the Hadza, you can see why he came to this conclusion. They do not engage in warfare. They do not live densely (稠密地) enough to be threatened by an infectious outbreak. They have no known history of famine (饥荒). The Hadza diet is more stable (稳定 的) and varied than that of most of the world’s citizens. They live almost entirely free of possessions. They enjoy an extraordinary amount of leisure time, “working” — actively pursuing food — only four to six hours a day.
The chief reason the Hadza have been able to maintain their lifestyle so long is that their homeland is not an inviting place. Recently, however, population growth has brought a flood of people into Hadza lands. The region has generally been viewed by outsiders as unused, a Place in need of development. The Hadza, who by nature are not a combative (好战的) people, have almost always moved away instead of fighting.
There are many things to envy about the Hadza, mostly what free spirits they appear to be. Free from schedules, jobs, bosses, bills, traffic, taxes, laws, social duties and money. But who of us could live like them? It’s incredibly risky. Medical help is far away. One bad fall from a tree, one bite from a snake, and you’re dead. The fact is that it’s too late for us to go back to the Hadza lifestyle. Of greater concern is that soon it may be impossible for them to maintain theirs.
1. What does the underlined word “It” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Agriculture’s rise. | B．The growth of population. |
| C．The formation of village. | D．The appearance of a city. |
| A．They are always busy in all seasons |
| B．They like fighting with the other nations |
| C．They are often in hunger because of fight |
| D．They are always leading a free life without fight. |
| A．It’s convenient for the people of Hadza to get medical care. |
| B．It’s worth visiting the beautiful scenery of the Hadza. |
| C．Visitors can be welcomed warmly by the people of the Hadza. |
| D．The author is worried about the current situation of the Hadza. |
| A．Agriculture of the Hadza | B．The Unique Hadza Lifestyle |
| C．The Attractive Diet of the Hadza | D．The Medical Care of the Hadza |
The United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain, England- many people are confused by what these different names mean.
From the 16th century to the 19th century, Wales, Scotland and the Kingdom of Ireland were joined one after another
There is so much more to learn about
注意：1. 词数100左右；2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；3. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
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5 . With a continuous 1,300 kilometer-long coastline and beautiful beaches, Wales is a popular holiday destination in the United Kingdom. Most Welsh people live in south Wales in the capital city, Cardiff, and two other big cities: Swansea and Newport.
Language
The official languages of Wales are English and Welsh, and “Wenglish" is a Welsh-English dialect. Everyone speaks English, but if you go to school in Wales you have to learn Welsh until you are 16. Street signs are written in Welsh and English, and villages, towns and cities have an English name and a Welsh name. The Welsh language is one of the oldest languages in Europe and around 20 percent of people in Wales speak Welsh.
Sports
The Welsh enjoy watching and playing sports, especially rugby and football. The modern Millennium Stadium in Cardiff can hold 74,500 people and is where you go if you want to watch a football or rugby match or a concert.
Water sports are popular in Wales. You can go surfing or wakeboarding. If you like unusual sports, visit the small town of Llanwrtyd Wells. Every year in this town there is a man versus horse marathon and a bog snorkeling competition.
Food
There are lots of sheep in Wales, so people eat a lot of lamb. Typical Welsh dishes include “cawl”, which is lamb stew, sausages and “rarebit”, which is a type of cheese on toast. There are also Welsh cakes, which are small, sweet, round cakes with dried raisins inside.
Symbols
If you ever go to Wales, you will see dragons everywhere; red dragons are a symbol of Wales. Other symbols include the leek (a long, green vegetable) and the daffodil.
1. What are the official languages of Wales?| A．English. | B．English and Wenglish. | C．English and Welsh. | D．Welsh. |
| A．Swansea. | B．Millennium Stadium. | C．Newport. | D．Llanwrtyd Wells. |
| A．The Welsh language is one of the oldest languages in the world. |
| B．Red dragons are a symbol of Wales. |
| C．A man versus horse marathon and a bog snorkeling competition are held annually in Llan-wrtyd Wells. |
| D．People eat a lot of lamb because people raise lots of sheep in Wales. |
6 . On March 17 there will be an explosion of green color across the world in celebration of St Patrick’s Day. The Irish traditionally wear something colored green on this day as the color is connected with Ireland. Another St Patrick’s Day tradition is for the non-Irish to make jokes about the Irish. Usually these jokes will be about Irish stupidity or their famous thirst for alcohol, or their reputation (名声) for telling tall (untrue) stories. These characteristics are all part of the famous Irish stereotype (成见) that Irishmen are hot-tempered drinkers, who love to fight and will do anything to avoid a day’s work.
The real joke, however, is that this negative Irish stereotype still exists. The stereotype might have had some truth back in the 19th century when Irish was poverty-stricken and starving. Many Irish moved to the United States to escape famine (饥荒), but there they had to compete, occasionally with their fists, for jobs and housing with other immigrant groups. It was on America’s streets that the Irish earned their reputation for street fighting. However, it was far from truth today, with the exception of the drinking perhaps.
Today, the Irish are admired for their story telling gifts and musical talents. It is no accident that several of the greatest writers of the 20th century were Irish. Or that many of today’s most popular music groups such as singer Enya and rock band U2 are Irish born and growing. LonelyPlanet readers even ranked Irelandas the friendliest country in the world.
However, one bit of the Irish stereotype is true, their love for drink. Drinking in Ireland is a job, but it’s not necessarily something to criticize. It was the Irish alter all who created one of the world’s best-loved beers, Guinness.
1. What is this reading passage mainly about?| A．The Irish festival St Patrick’s Day. | B．How the Irish earned their reputation. |
| C．Jokes about the Irish people. | D．Famous Irish stereotype and the truth. |
| A．Irishwomen are not hot-tempered drinkers. | B．Most Irish people are always very lazy. |
| C．Irishmen are good at street fighting. | D．Irish people are famous for their stupidity. |
| A．Tall stories. | B．Street fighting winners. | C．Guinness. | D．Love for drink. |
Why
Noah Webster must be
Many years before he published his well-known American Dictionary of the English Language, he published a much
There are some word differences we can’t blame Webster. For example, “while” and “whilst” mean the same thing, but nobody really
Geographic separation of the two
8 . Ireland has had a very difficult history. The problems started in the 16th century when English rulers tried to conquer (征服) Ireland. For hundreds of years, the Irish people fought against the English. Finally, in 1921, the British government was forced to give independence to the south of Ireland. The result is that today there are two “Irelands”. Northern Ireland, in the north, is part of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland, in the south, is an independent country.
In the 1840s the main crop, potatoes, was affected by disease and about 750,000 people died of hunger. This, and a shortage (短缺) of work, forced many people to leave Ireland and live in the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada. As a result of these problems, the population fell from 8.2 million in 1841 to 6.6 million in 1851.
For many years, the majority of Irish people earned their living as farmers. Today, many people still work on the land but more and more people are moving to the cities to work in factories and offices. Life in the cities is very different from life in the countryside, where things move at a quieter and slower pace.
The Irish are famous for being warm－hearted and friendly. Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish writer, once said that the Irish were “the greatest talkers since the Greeks”. Since independence, Ireland has revived (复兴) its own culture of music, language, literature and singing. Different areas have different styles of old Irish songs which are sung without instruments. Other kinds of Irish music use many different instruments such as the violin, whistles, etc.
1. What does the author tell us in Paragraph 1?| A．How the Irish fought against the English. |
| B．How Ireland gained independence. |
| C．How English rulers tried to conquer Ireland. |
| D．How two “Irelands” came into being. |
| A．food shortages and a lack of work in the 1840s led to a decline in population |
| B．people are moving to the cities for lack of work in the countryside |
| C．it is harder to make a living as a farmer than as a factory worker |
| D．different kinds of old Irish songs are all sung with instruments |
| A．the Irish character | B．the Irish culture |
| C．Irish musical instruments | D．a famous Irish writer |
| A．Life in Ireland | B．A Very Difficult History |
| C．Ireland, Past and Present | D．The Independence of Ireland |
9 . A Seasonal Guide to Copenhagen
With each season offering a new range of experiences, there's never a bad time to visit Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.
Winter
Winter in Copenhagen is a great time to search for the abstract Danish feeling of "hygge", which roughly translates to an atmosphere of warm and comfortable companionship. The Copenhagen winter can be freezing in a very literal（字面）sense, but that just means it's time to search out some fun in the great indoors.
Spring
It's easy to spot when spring has arrived in Copenhagen—just look out for all the Danish people out in the streets！The Scandinavian winter is generally pretty rough, so when that warmth is felt in the air the locals can't help but celebrate. The funfairs（游乐场）and parks of Tivoli Gardens reopen. May sees temperatures rise enough for carnivals and street parties in true Danish style.
Summer
A busy schedule of festivals, events and markets typify the season, and the parks and watersides of Denmark's capital will be packed with people almost every day. At the height of summer, Denmark's Midnight Sun means your explorations of Copenhagen can go well into the evening, with many attractions and bars staying open until the sun begins to set.
Fall
There's one very good reason to visit Copenhagen in the autumn, and that's because winter is coming. The autumn months are the last chance to enjoy everything the city has to offer. Tivoli Gardens throws a three-week Halloween extravaganza and October's Night of Culture showcases the best of Danish art, music and literature. The autumn weather also means splendid sunsets that bathe the city in a soft orange glow—a painting by nature that you won't soon forget！
1. Which of the following best explains the feeling of "hygge"？| A．People read good books and enjoy staying alone. |
| B．Children laugh and play together with snow. |
| C．Many friends walk on the snow-covered path |
| D．The families chat happily around the fire |
| A．Nights are very short. | B．It has nice weather. |
| C．Shops are open all night. | D．The visitors are friendly. |
| A．Winter | B．Spring. |
| C．Summer | D．Autumn |
10 . Finland is perhaps the most beautiful and mysterious of the countries of northern Europe. Two-thirds of its surface is covered with thick forests. Relative to its size, Finland has more lakes than any other countries. The northern part of this country is inside the Arctic Circle, where almost no trees can grow because of its cold weather and the people use their deer to transport clothing and food.
The Finnish history began in the Middle Ages. In about 1155, Finland was conquered (征服) by its western neighbor Sweden. After a period of rule by Denmark in the 14th century, the Swedes won back independence and power in 1523 under their brave king. During the Napoleonic Wars (1804～1818), Finland was finally passed from Sweden to Russia. The opportunity came in 1917 when the Russian Revolution brought foreign rule of Finland to the end. Shortly after Soviet Russia made peace with Germany, 1919 saw the founding of the Finnish Republic.
The years between the First and Second World Wars were years of progress and growing development. Finland is the fifth largest country in Europe, and despite a relatively small population of 5.2 million, the market potential is much greater. Finland has no coal or oil, and the nation’s wealth lies in the timber (木材) from its forests, which supplies material for paper and furniture making, and in the electric power from its water. Finland is an excellent gateway to trade with Russia and the Baltic States because of a long history of trading with these markets. Finland has also enjoyed a strong and long-standing trading relationship with Britain, a relationship which was further strengthened by Finland’s accession (加入) to the European Union in January 1995.
The following are some of the main commercial centres and towns:
| Town | Population |
| Helsinki | 545,474 (1 January 2013) |
| Espoo | 213,271 (1 January 2013) |
| Tampere | 195,468 (1 January 2013) |
| Vantaa | 178,471 (1 January 2013) |
| Turku | 172,561 (1 January 2013) |
| Oulu | 120,753 (1 January 2013) |
1. From the text, we learn that Finland ________.
| A．lies inside the Arctic Circle |
| B．is next to the countries of northern Europe |
| C．lies east of Sweden |
| D．is entirely covered with forests and lakes |
| A．Sweden, Germany, Denmark and Russia |
| B．Sweden, Denmark, Sweden and Russia |
| C．Sweden, Denmark, Russia and Germany |
| D．Sweden, Russia, Denmark and Russia |
| A．Russia | B．Denmark |
| C．Sweden | D．foreign countries |
| A．Finland is one of the most northerly countries in the world. |
| B．Helsinki, capital of Finland, is the largest city of the country. |
| C．Finland became one of the members in the European Union in January 1995. |
| D．Finland has more lakes than any other countries in the world. |
