Argentina in the late nineteenth century was an exciting place. Around 1870, it was experiencing an economic boom(繁荣), and the capital, Buenos Aires, attracted many people. Farmers, as well as a flood of foreigners from Spain and Italy, came to Buenos Aires seeking jobs. These jobs didn’t pay well, and the people felt lonely and disappointed with their new life in the city. As the unhappy newcomers mixed together in the poor parts of the city, the dance known as the tango(探戈舞) came into being.

At the beginning the tango was a dance of the lower classes. It was danced in the bars and streets. At that time there were many fewer women than men, so if a man didn’t want to be left out, his only choice was to dance with another man so that he could attract the attention of the few available women. Gradually, the dance spread into the upper classes of Argentinean society and became more respectable.

In Europe at this time, strong interest in dance from around the world was beginning. This interest in international dance was especially evident in Paris. Every kind of dance from ballet(芭蕾舞) to belly dancing could be found on the stages of the Paris theaters. After tango dancers from Argentina arrived in Europe, they began to draw the interest of the public as they performed their exciting dance in cafes. Though not everyone approved of the new dance, saying it was a little too shocking, the dance did find enough supporters to make it popular.

The popularity of the tango continued to grow in many other parts of the world. Soldiers who returned to the United States from World War I brought the tango to North America. It reached Japan in 1926, and in 2003 the Argentinean embassy(大使馆) in Seoul hired a local tango dancer to act as a kind of dance ambassador, and promote tango dancing throughout South Korea.

1.The origin of the tango is associated with ________.

A. the capital of Argentina

B. a Spanish city

C. American soldiers

D. belly dancers

2.Which of the following is true about the tango?

A. A dancer in Seoul became the Argentinean ambassador.

B. People of the upper classes loved the tango most.

C. It was often danced by two males in the beginning.

D. It was created by foreigners from Spain and Italy.

3.Before World War I, the tango spread to ________.

A. South KoreaB. JapanC. FranceD. America

4.What can be the best title for the text?

A. The Modern Tango BoomB. The History of the Tango

C. How to Promote the TangoD. How to Dance the Tango

NEW YORK—Australian mining enterpriser Clive Palmer on Tuesday unveiled(公布) blueprints (蓝本) for Titanic Ⅱ, a modern copy of the doomed ocean liner, although he didn’t call the ship unsinkable any more.

The ship will largely recreate the design and decoration of the fabled original, with some modifications to keep it in line with current safety rules and shipbuilding practices, and the addition of some modern comforts such as air conditioning, Palmer said at a press conference in New York.

The three passenger classes, however, will be prevented from mingling(混杂), as in 1912, Palmer said. “I’m not too superstitious(迷信的). ”Palmer said when asked whether recreating a ship best-known for sinking was tempting fate.

White Star Line, the operator of the original ship, had said the Titanic was designed to be unsinkable. About 1, 500 people died on Titanic’s maiden voyage in 1912 from Southampton to New York after the ship collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic.

Palmer, who created the company Blue Star Line last year, refused to make a similar boast.

“Anything will sink if you put a hole in it,”Palmer said. “I think it would be very cavalier(漫不经心的) to say it.”

Unlike the original, TitanicⅡ will have more than enough space in its lifeboats for every person on board and will have additional escape staircases. Markku Kanerva, sales director at Deltamarin, the Finnish company designing the ship, said it would be “the safest cruise ship in the world”.

Palmer refused to answer questions about the project’s cost. Although the Titanic was the world’s largest ship in her time, she would be smaller than many of today’s modern cruise ships.

“It’s not about the money, ”Palmer said. “I’ve got enough money for it. I think that’s all that matters.”

Forbes estimated Palmer’s net worth to be $795 million in 2012. He describes himself as a billionaire.

TitanicⅡ will be built by Chinese state-owned CSC Jinling Shipyard, which has already built four ore carriers for Palmer’s mining business, he said. The contract to build TitanicⅡ has not yet been signed, Palmer said.

1.What can be inferred about TitanicⅡ from the passage?

A. TitanicⅡ will have more space in its lifeboats than the Titanic.

B. TitanicⅡ will be the largest cruise ship in the world.

C. TitanicⅡ will allow different classes of passengers to mingle.

D. TitanicⅡ will be a real unsinkable cruise ship.

2.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. 1, 500 people died on Titanic’s maiden voyage in 1912.

B. The Titanic collided with an iceberg in the South Pacific.

C. The Titanic was equipped with air conditioning.

D. The Titanic was the world’s largest ship at that time.

3.What’s the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A. To tell us the story of the Titanic.

B. To tell us TitanicⅡ will cost a lot of money.

C. To tell us about the future TitanicⅡ.

D. To tell us a Chinese Shipyard will build TitanicⅡ.

4.What’s the best title of the passage?

A. The old Titanic

B. The blueprints of TitanicⅡ

C. The unsinkable TitanicⅡ

D. Clive Palmer—a billionaire

根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项,选项中有两项为多余选项。

Why is volunteering important?

When it comes to service work, it is important to realize that the actual goal should be getting the most out of your volunteering work. 1.

Gaining new/social experiences

Volunteering allows students to get involved with new things and develop social and academic skills that couldn’t be learned in a classroom environment. 2.

Giving back and helping others

Volunteers create better environments for others; they create healthier communities and they brighten lives. Jill, a senior student, has been a volunteer in her community for more than three years.

3.“They always tell me how great we sound and how they wish they had taken time to learn an instrument in their youth.”

Creating connections with people

4.Not only does the volunteer work you do show who you are as a person, but it reflects many positive qualities that possibly employers and admission officers want to see. Volunteering allows you to meet a wide variety of people from all sorts of walks of life.

5.

Volunteering isn’t one of the most attractive jobs, but it is one of the most beneficial and up lifting(令人振奋的). It’s taking some time out of your day and helping others. Volunteer work makes us feel good. It builds self-confidence and lifts up the spirits.

A. Building career choices.

B. Developing a sense of achievement.

C. Volunteering means a lot more.

D. Building relationships with people is very important.

E. Volunteering is an excellent way to improve your independence.

F. She volunteers by performing in concerts for senior citizens.

G. Volunteering allows you to experience different environments and situations.

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网