1 . In 1938 Portugal held a national competition to identify the country's most ''Portuguese” Village. Sticking to a rocky promontory（海角）far above the Beira Baixa plains, Monsanto is easily the most impressive. So it came out on top.
Cottages, a lot of which are made of very large round rocks, seem to grow out of the mountain itself. Above them rises a stone fortress(城堡), parts of which predate even the arrival of the Moors. And views across the plains are, simply put, astonishing.
Since being honored as the most Portuguese village, Monsanto has reminded largely separated from modernization. These days, goats and chickens seem to outnumber humans in the village. Most young people leave for large cities and the growing investment in the area’s heritage (遗产）has not encouraged more attractions for the younger generation. Tourists walking along the village's tiny streets can see elderly women walking and chatting in doorways.
Several houses near the village entrance are surprisingly grand. Halfway to the castle you'll come across the gruta, a cozy cave apparently once used as a pub …and still used as such. This stone fortress seems almost to have grown out of the hillside that supports it. It’s a wonderfully beautiful site, populated by wildflowers.
Alter Dom Sancho I drove out the Moors in the 12th century, the fortress was strengthened. Dom Dinis improved it, but after centuries of attacks from across the border it finally fell into ruin. Just below the entrance is a public square. To the right is a ruined Renaissance church and bell tower.
On 3 May Monsanto comes alive in the Festa das Cruzes, remembering a siege(围困）in the Middle Ages. The story goes that the starving villagers threw their Iasi lonely cow over the walls, making their enemies believe they had plenty of food, because they immediately abandoned the siege. These days, young girls throw baskets of flowers instead, after which there's dancing and singing beside the castle wall.
1. What is Monsanto like today?| A．It has a lot of farms. | B．Its youth love farming. |
| C．Its population is falling. | D．It has become more modern. |
| A．They felt hungry. | B．They were tricked. |
| C．They were attacked. | D．They feared the cow. |
| A．It has long been used as a pub. |
| B．It was first constructed by Dom Dinis. |
| C．There is celebration every May beside it. |
| D．You have to go through it to enter the village. |
| A．To discuss rural life in Portugal. |
| B．To report a national competition. |
| C．To explain the history of the Portugal. |
| D．To introduce a unique ancient village. |
2 . In the early days of the Ming Dynasty, that is, early in the 15th century, China was an advanced country in the world, with a booming economy and prosperous culture.
In 1405, a huge fleet of more than 300 ships manned by over 27,800 men set sail from Liujia Harbor near Suzhou on a distant voyage under the command of Zheng He.
In all, he had made calls at over 30 countries and territories.
The voyages by Zheng He strengthened the friendly relations between China and other countries in Asia and Africa and led to cultural and economic exchange between them. Therefore, his expeditions could rightfully be called “one of greatest achievements in mankind’s history of navigation”.
| A．Zheng served as commander of the fleet. |
| B．The response of the rulers was very generous. |
| C．On board the ships were large quantities of goods. |
| D．The Great Ming Empire launched a series of marine activities. |
| E．On each voyage, Zheng He acted as the representative of the Ming court. |
| F．All this had taken place about half a century before Columbus’ voyage to America. |
| G．Zheng He’s second and third voyages taken shortly after, followed the same route. |
3 . The United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union, a historic decision that will reshape the nation^ place in the world and is already upsetting governments across the continent. The surprising turn of events caused a fall in the financial markets, with the value of the British pound and stock prices falling.
The campaign to leave the EU won by 52 percent to 48 percent. More than 17 million people in the UK—made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland — voted to sever ties with the EU, a Political and economic partnership comprising 28 countries across Europe. About 16.1 million voted to remain.
The result raises serious questions about the future of the EU. The British go out from the union-nicknamed Brexit — is just the latest in a series of crises to annoy the EU. The alliance is already dealing with economic bad results from the global financial collapse of 2008, along with a record arrival refugees to Europe due in part to Syria’s civil war.
Some British citizens believe the EU has too much influence over Britain’s authority and that the country’s industries would be more profitable on their own. Others want Britain to reclaim control of its borders and reduce how many people enter the country to work They say the EU’s open-border policy allows unlimited numbers of immigrants to come in from poorer nations—and that those people take jobs from British workers. Those who campaigned to stay in the EU, meanwhile, argued that the UK and its economy is stronger within the alliance.
Now the UK will become the first nation to leave the European Union. The decision is a huge blow the alliance because Britain is one of its most powerful members. “The main impact will be massive disorder in the EU system for the next two years,” said Thierry de Montbrial, of the French Institute of International Relations. “There will be huge political change costs on how to solve the British exit.” The decision could also have a domino effect, he warned, with other countries following the UK’s lead and exiting the EU.
1. What does the underlined word “sever” mean?| A．Settle down. | B．Take over. |
| C．Break off. | D．Build up. |
| A．they can help immigrants to create more job chances |
| B．they expect the EU to have an open border policy |
| C．they want to set up their own authority |
| D．they will lead a better life on their own |
| A．More countries will do as the UK does. |
| B．Scotland win their independence from the EU. |
| C．The EU will pay back more money to the UK. |
| D．The economy in the EU will suffer loss. |
| A．The UK Wins Independence with Votes |
| B．The UK Votes to Leave the European Union |
| C．The UK Makes a Historic Decision Again |
| D．The UK Remains Separated from the World |
A few minutes later, the president walked towards the couple with a cold face. The lady told him, “We had a son that attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to set up a memorial (纪念物) to him, somewhere on campus.”
The president wasn’t moved. Instead, he was shocked. “Madam,” he said, “we can’t put up a statue for every person who studied at Harvard and died. If we did, this people would look like a cemetery (墓地).” “Oh, no,” the lady explained quickly, “We don’t want to put up a statue. We would like to give a building to Harvard. “The president rolled his eyes and glanced at the couple and then exclaimed, “A building! Do you have any idea how much a building costs? We have spent over $ 7,500,000 on the campus building at Harvard.” For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased, because he could get rid of them now. Then the lady turned to her husband and said quietly. “Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don’t we just start our own?” Her husband nodded. Since their offer was turned down. Mr, and Mrs Stanford traveled to California where they founded the University that bears their name, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.
1. According to the first paragraph, we know that ______.| A．the headmaster knew the couple would come to his office |
| B．the couple saw the president very smoothly |
| C．the secretary was willing to help the couple |
| D．the couple didn’t become disappointed |
| A．They wanted to tell their son’s story. |
| B．They loved the school. |
| C．They wanted to do something to honor his son. |
| D．They were invited three. |
| A．They were very angry. | B．They said nothing. |
| C．They built a university. | D．They donated over $7,500,000 to the school. |
The Committee to Protect Journalists(CPJ) has reported that Syria was the most dangerous place for journalists in 2015. 13 reporters were killed in a state that has been suffering from civil war. Sudan, Bangladesh and Brazil are among other countries in which journalists were killed. Many of them were sent to cover civil wars, corruption and human rights issues.
In addition, several journalists were kidnapped(绑架) and are still being held in prison. The most typical is a Washington Post journalist who has been imprisoned in Iran for over one and a half years On Wednesday he will spend his 527th day in prison, taken away not only freedom but also justice. At the end of 2015, 199 journalists were held in prison in 28 countries around the world, including Egypt and Turkey.
Media experts believe that criminals and militant(激进的) organizations are becoming more and more threatening towards journalists. In the past vehicles that were marked with a PRESS sign got more protection and were not targeted. Although western countries are strongly against it when something happens to journalists, there is often nothing they can do about it. Warring sides sometimes use kidnapped journalists to get media attention.
1. How many journalists died during the attack on Charlie Hebdo?
| A．8. | B．13. | C．69. | D．119. |
| A．Most journalists were killed in Sudan. |
| B．A committee has been found to protect journalists. |
| C．The Washington Post journalist was kidnapped three years ago. |
| D．Western countries work well in protecting journalists. |
| A．To be better protected. | B．To draw media attention. |
| C．To show their anger. | D．To call for help. |
| A．Fighting for Terrorist Groups | B．Keeping off the Killings |
| C．A Dangerous Year for Journalists | D．Dangerous Places for Journalists |
When Chinese President Xi Jinping
7 . A century ago in the United States, when an individual brought suit against a company, public opinion tended to protect that company. But perhaps this phenomenon was most striking in the case of the railroads. Nearly half of all negligence cases decided through 1896 involved railroads. And the railroads usually won.
Most of the cases were decided in sate courts, when the railroads had the climate of the times on their sides. Government supported the railroad industry; the progress railroads represented was not to be slowed down by requiring them often to pay damages to those unlucky enough to be hurt working for them.
Court decisions always went against railroad workers. A Mr. Farwell, an engineer, lost his right hand when a switchman’s negligence ran his engine off the track. The court reasoned that since Farwell had taken the job of an engineer voluntarily at good pay, he had accepted the risk. Therefore the accident, though avoidable had the switchmen acted carefully, was a “pure accident”. In effect a railroad could never be held responsible for injury to one employee caused by the mistake of another.
In one case where a Pennsylvania Railroad worker had started a fire at a warehouse and the fire had spread several blocks, causing widespread damage, a jury found the company responsible for all the damage. But the court overturned the jury’s decision because it argued that the railroad’s negligence was the immediate cause of damage only to the nearest buildings. Beyond them the connection was too remote to consider.
As the century wore on, public sentiment began to turn against the railroads—against their economic and political power and high fares as well as against their callousness toward individuals.
1. Which of the following is NOT true in Farwell’s case?| A．Farwell was injured because he negligently ran his engine off the track. |
| B．Farwell would not have been injured if the switchman had been more careful. |
| C．The court argued that the victim had accepted the risk since he had willingly taken his job. |
| D．The court decided that the railroad should not be held responsible. |
| A．The railroad compensated for the damage to the immediate buildings. |
| B．The railroad compensated for all the damage by the fire. |
| C．The railroad paid nothing for the damaged building. |
| D．The railroad worker paid for the property damage himself. |
| A．political power | B．high fares | C．economic loss | D．indifference |
| A．Railroad oppressing individuals in the US. |
| B．History of the US railroads. |
| C．Railroad workers’ working rights. |
| D．Law cases concerning the railroads. |
Napoleon, as a character in Tolstoy’sWar and Peace, is more than once described as having “fat little hands.’’ Nor does he “sit well or firmly on the horse.’’ He is said to be “undersized.’’ with“short legs’’ and a “round stomach”. The issue here is not the accuracy of Tolstoy’s description--it seems not that far off from historical accounts but his choice of facts：other things that could be said of the man are not said. We are meant to understand the difference of a warring commander in the body of a fat little Frenchman. Tolstoy’s Napoleon could be any man wandering in the streets and putting a little of powdered tobacco up his nose—and that is the point.
It is a way the novelist uses to show the moral nature of a character. And it turns out that, as Tolstoy has it, Napoleon is a crazy man. In a scene in Book Three ofWar and Peace, the wars having reached the critical year of 1812,Napoleon receives a representative from the Tsar(沙皇), who has come with peace terms. Napoleon is very angry：doesn’t he have more army? He, not the Tsar, is the one to make the terms. He will destroy all of Europe if his army is stopped. “That is what you will have gained by engaging me in the war!” he shouts. And then, Tolstoy writes, Napoleon “walked silently several times up and down the room, his fat shoulders moving quickly.’’
Still later, after reviewing his army amid cheering crowds, Napoleon invites the shaken Russian to dinner. “He raised his hand to the Russian’s…face,” Tolstoy writes, and “taking him by the ear pulled it gently….” To have one’s ear pulled by the Emperor was considered the greatest honor and mark of favor at the French court. “Well, well, why don’t you say anything?’’ said he, as if it was ridiculous in his presence to respect any one but himself, Napoleon.
Tolstoy did his research, but the composition is his own.
1. Tolstoy’s description of Napoleon in War and Peaceis _________.
| A．far from the historical facts | B．based on the Russian history |
| C．based on his selection of facts | D．not related to historical details |
| A．he thought he should be the one to make the peace terms |
| B．the Tsar's peace terms were hard to accept |
| C．the Russians stopped his military movement |
| D．he didn’t have any more army to fight with |
| A．To walk out of the room in anger. | B．To show agreement with him. |
| C．To say something about the Tsar. | D．To express his admiration. |
| A．ill-mannered in dealing with foreign guests | B．fond of showing off his iron will |
| C．determined in destroying all of Europe | D．crazy for power and respect |
| A．A writer doesn’t have to be faithful to his findings. |
| B．A writer may write about a hero in his own way. |
| C．A writer may not be responsible for what he writes. |
| D．A writer has hardly any freedom to show his feelings. |
Probably the greatest deficiency (不足) of the Titanic was that she was built 40 years before the widespread use of the wonderful invention radar (雷达). Her only defense against icebergs and hidden obstacles was to rely on manned lookouts. On that fateful night the eyesight of trained lookouts only provided 37 seconds of warning before the collision.
Traveling at nearly 30 miles an hour, the Titanic was moving far too fast to avoid the huge iceberg. The warning did prevent a head-on collision as the officer on the bridge managed to turn the ship slightly.
The last ship to which it could send an SOS message was the California. She was within ten miles of the Titanic during the disaster, but her radio operator went to bed at midnight and never received any of the SOS messages from the Titanic. That was one of the important lessons learned from the catastrophe, the need for 24-hour radio operators on all passenger liners.
Another lesson learned was the need for more lifeboats. The Titanic remained afloat (漂浮) for almost three hours and most of the passengers could have been saved with enough lifeboats.
1,500 passengers and workers died in the 28 degree waters of the Atlantic. Out of the tragedy, the sinking did produce some important maritime reforms. The winter travel routes were changed to the south and the Coast Guard began to keep an eye on the location of all icebergs. The new rules for lifeboats were obvious to all. There must be enough lifeboats for everybody on board.
The most important lesson learned was that no one would ever again consider a ship unsinkable—no matter how large or how well constructed. Never again would sailors place their faith in a ship above the power of the sea.
1. The text mainly tells us ______.
| A．the reason why the Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean |
| B．how the unsinkable ship of Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean |
| C．the lessons that we could learn from the accident of the Titanic |
| D．the things we should do to protect the lives on the ship |
| A．If the captain had been more careful, he could have had the chance to save the Titanic. |
| B．If radar had existed 40 years ago, the Titanic would have never disappeared from the world. |
| C．If the lookout had had much more experience, he could have had the time to save the Titanic. |
| D．If there had been enough lifeboats on the Titanic, the Titanic would not have sunk in the Atlantic. |
| A．Lessons from the Titanic | B．Technology is Important |
| C．Demands of Passengers | D．Power of Sea |
| A．They think there really exists the unsinkable ship. |
| B．They think ships could eventually defeat the sea. |
| C．They think there is no power that could control the sea. |
| D．They think the bigger the ship is, the safer it is. |
