1 . Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is America’s fifth largest city. Once a major American colonial city, it is the home of America’s first library, its first hospital, and its first zoo. Now it is also the first US city to be named a World Heritage City. On November 6, 2015, Philadelphia joined more than 260 other cities that have been recognized for their influence on the world. These cities include Paris, France, Florence, Italy, and Cairo, Egypt.
The exciting news was announced by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger, responsible for economic development and business guidance, and the Global Philadelphia Association. “Today marks the start of a new and exciting chapter in the history of Philadelphia,” remarked Nutter when the announcement was made. “As a World Heritage City, Philadelphia is being officially recognized on the global stage for its wealth of contributions to the world.”
To be named a World Heritage City, a city must be home to a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO World Heritage sites are selected for their universal value and significance. For Philadelphia, the site is Independence Hall.
Independence Hall is where two of the most important documents in US history — the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution — were adopted. The Declaration of Independence, approved on July 4, 1776, united the 13 former British colonies and declared them independent from British rule. From then on, a democratic and free country was born, which changed the course of world history. The US Constitution, signed in 1787, established the American democratic system of government. A democracy is a system of government in which the people elect their leaders. The Constitution later spelled out the basic freedoms American citizens have.
Greenberger says the city’s selection as a World Heritage City also reflects its educational, cultural, and economic achievements. The city is home to dozens of colleges and universities, and many museums, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art. “Philadelphia has rightfully earned its place as one of the greatest cities in the world. As we celebrate this milestone, we will focus even more on improving Philadelphia’s status as a World Heritage City to attract more guests to visit, invest, work, study and live here.” Greenberger says.
1. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that Philadelphia ________.A.has the best American hospitals |
B.contributed a lot to the global economy |
C.is known for many America’s firsts |
D.has been famous as a World Heritage City |
A.the economic development of the city |
B.the history of Philadelphia |
C.the contributions of the city |
D.the significance of the city’s selection |
A.The city really deserves the honor. |
B.It’s easy for the city to win the honor. |
C.It won’t be long before the city takes off. |
D.The honor will bring the city a better future. |
A.Philadelphia Makes a Difference | B.Philadelphia Makes History |
C.Philadelphia Develops a Lot | D.America Wins Global Respect |
2 . This is a story about two wise men in ancient China - Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu.
One day, Zhou Yu gave Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang asked his soldiers to fill 20 large boats
Since then, Chinese people
In the spring of 1944, the Allied powers in World War Ⅱ took the fight against Nazi into the fifth year.
With General Eisenhower’s encouraging words
Seventy years later, people including
More than 2,000 years ago, the brave and hardworking people of Eurasia explored and opened up several routes of trade and
When Chinese President Xi Jinping
Codenamed “Operation Overlord”, it was the
Abraham Lincoln’s position on slavery is one of
Lincoln never called for this, and focused instead
Lincoln, with partial compensation to owners, did end slavery in the District of Columbia in l862. During 186l-1862 Lincoln tried unsuccessfully to get Kentucky and Maryland to do likewise. He
7 . In 1803, the United States acquired a huge new piece of land called the Louisiana Territory. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were given the job of leading an expedition to collect data about this uncharted territory. President Thomas Jefferson gave Lewis and Clark three tasks for the journey: Find an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean, make friends with the Native Americans along the way, and gather detailed information about the plants, animals, landforms (地形), and climate of the area.
In order to discover if there was an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean, Lewis and Clark attempted to travel up the Mississippi River by boat. In this way, they hoped that they would eventually reach the Pacific. Ultimately, the explorers discovered the Rocky Mountains and the Continental Divide, but not the Pacific Ocean. The hope for an all-water route from the East to the Pacific would have to be abandoned.
Lewis and Clark’s second task was to make friends with Native Americans in the area. They packed hundreds of pounds of gifts for the indigenous people, including beads, sewing needles, cloth, yarn, and knives. Their intention was to use these items as offerings of peace and good faith. However, many tribes were hostile. They felt threatened by the Americans’ presence and refused to communicate with them. Other tribes were more welcoming and aided the explorers in finding food and navigating the new region.
The explorers’ final task was extensive and ongoing. Lewis and Clark had to take detailed notes about the landforms and climate of the different areas through which they travelled. President Jefferson also wanted samples of notable plant and animal life. They prepared animal fur and plant samples to send back to the president throughout the trip. They also kept individual journals with detailed descriptions and drawings of the environment and terrain (地势).
Up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, across the Great Plains, over the Rockies, down the Columbia River, and to the Pacific Ocean, Lewis and Clark travelled. After 3 years, Jefferson received a letter from Lewis stating, “It is with great pleasure that I announced to you the safe arrival of myself and my partner. In obedience to your orders, we have penetrated (穿过)the continent of North America to the Pacific Ocean.”
1. Which of the following is Not among the tasks that President Thomas Jefferson gave Lewis and Clark?A.Find a direct waterway from the U.S. to the Pacific Ocean. |
B.Collect geographic and ecological information about the unknown area. |
C.Locate the Rocky Mountains and the Continental Divide. |
D.Build relationships with the Native Americans on the way. |
A.Determined not to change their attitudes. |
B.Very unfriendly or aggressive. |
C.Not wanting to talk to other people. |
D.Belonging to a very simple society. |
A.The task was less challenging than the former two tasks. |
B.The task required a wide range of knowledge and skills. |
C.The task focused on collecting data about landforms and climate. |
D.Lewis and Clark didn’t send back samples until they finished their journey. |
A.Lewis and Clark had to turn back before completing their tasks. |
B.Lewis and Clark successfully found an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean. |
C.Lewis and Clark finished the expedition without the help of Native Americans. |
D.The expedition covered the area from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. |
Those who make great discoveries must often overcome many challenges along the way — as was the case with the explorer Christopher Columbus.
Columbus insisted
Trade and c
It was Sunday, December 7, 1941.
The surprise attack came as a great shock to