The Great Fire of London started in the very early hours of September 2, 1666. In four days it destroyed more than three-quarters of the old city, where most of the houses were wooden and close together. One hundred thousand people became homeless, but only a few lost their lives.
The fire started on Sunday morning in the house of the King's baker in Pudding Lane. The baker, with his wife and family, was able to get out through a window in the roof. A strong wind blew the fire from the bakery into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into the Thames Street. That was the beginnings.
By eight o'clock three hundred houses were on fire. On Monday nearly a kilometer of the city was burning along the River Thames. Tuesday was the worst day. The fire destroyed many well-known buildings, old St Paul's and the Guildhall among them.
Samuel Pepys, the famous writer, wrote about the fire. People threw their things into the river. Many poor people stayed in their houses until the last moment. Birds fell out of the air because of the heat.
The fire stopped only when the King finally ordered people to destroy hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire. With nothing left to burn, the fire became weak and finally died out.
After the fire, Christopher Wren, the architect, wanted a city with wider streets and fine new houses of stone. In fact, the streets are still narrow; but he did build more than fifty churches, among which was new St Paul's.
The fire caused great pain and loss, but after it London was a better place: a city for the future and not just of the past.
1. The fire began in ___________________________.
A. a hotel         B. the palace          C. Pudding Lane          D. Thames Street
2. The underlined word "family" in the second paragraph means “________________________________”.
A. home             B. children              C. wife and husband    D. wife and children
3. It seems that the writer of the text was most sorry for the fact that ________________________________.
A. some people lost their lives              
B. the birds in the sky were killed by the fire
C. many famous buildings were destroyed     
D. the King’s bakery was burned down
4. Why did the writer cite(引用) Samuel Pepys?
A. Because Pepys was among those putting out the fire.
B. Because Pepys also wrote about the fire.
C. To show that poor people suffered most
D. To give the reader a clearer picture of the fire.
5. How was the fire put out according to the text?
A. The king and his soldiers came to help.
B. All the wooden houses in the city were destroyed.
C. People managed to get enough water from the river.
D. Houses standing in the direction of the fire were pulled down.
6. Which of the following were reasons for the rapid spread of the big fire?
(a) There was a strong wind.
(b) The streets were very narrow.
(c) Many houses were made of wood.
(d) There was not enough water in the city.
(e) People did not discover the fire earlier.
A. (a) and (b)                                        B. (a), (b) and (c)         
C. (a), (b), (c) and (d)                            D. (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e)

At the moment when looking round the world, all kinds of dance performances are being offered. There are competitions that claim to be a World Cup or World Championship, and the young dancer or the dance teacher who wants to enter his students might be quite confused. Which is which? Which is of high standard and good quality, and which is not worth going to? First of all it has clearly got to be distinguished between the different styles of dance and the purpose of such competitions. When a person wants to learn classical ballet, he or she would never dream of going to a ballroom teacher. Such a teacher might even have been world champion in his ballroom dancing, but he would definitely not be qualified in teaching proper classical ballet.
People in Britain and the USA are taking more interest in modern dance. Dance classes of all kinds are popular; the audiences going to watch modern dance companies are also larger. And perhaps the most popular modern dance company in Britain is the Ballet Rambert.
The Ballet Rambert is Britains’ oldest established dance company which began in 1926. In the 60 s the company lacked the money to go on staging big productions. The directors wanted to encourage new talent and to keep up their high standards. A change of direction was necessary. They decided to give the ballet a ‘new look” in 1966. The aim was to provide a chance for new talent – for musicians and designers as well as dancers – and to show dance as a contemporary art form. And although some of the company’s previous fans dislike the change, new audiences came to see the productions.
The modern dance pieces and modern music found unexpected popularity. In the 21 st century the Ballet Rambert was a great success in London’s West End. The company became a focus for new, progressive talent in the art.
Then, the Ballet Ramvert started to introduce young people to modern dance by giving performances at schools, which again, was a success.
The Ballet Rambert has managed to make modern dance popular while creating original and often avant – garde (标新立异) productions. It can claim to be the oldest dance company in Britain and at the same time one of the most modern!
【小题1】If a person wants to learn classical ballet, he or she will go to         .

A.the Ballet RambertB.a ballroom teacher
C.a world championD.a qualified school
【小题2】The underlined phrase “new talent” in Para. 3 probably means         .
A.new programsB.new audiences
C.avant – garde productionsD.skilled young dancers
【小题3】From the passage we know that the Ballet Rambert          .
A.has succeeded in making modern dance popular
B.wanted to become the oldest dance company
C.was once a popular dance company
D.changed old dance into new ones
【小题4】This passage is mainly about          .
A.the popularity of modern dance
B.the introduction to new modern dancers
C.the development of the Ballet Rambert
D.the high standard of dance performances

Visit New York City with your kids where there are numerous things to do which will entertain their spirits and feed their minds.

●The Whispering Gallery

Make your way to the Whispering Gallery. Kids can get a lot of fun there. Once inside the gallery, place one person facing the corner at one end of the room and then place another person facing the corner at the opposite end. Ask one of them to whisper a phrase or a quick sentence and the person at the opposite end will be able to hear every word that was said.

E.42nd St. New York, NY 10017

212-771-5322

grandcentralterminal.com

●American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History was founded in 1869. In addition to its impressive exhibits, permanent attractions bring the cool feeling to kids. They can enter the Fossil Halls and take in the impressive dinosaur skeletons. And the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life educates kids on the fragility (脆弱) of the ocean.

Central Park West at 79th St. New York, NY 10024

212-769-5606

amnh.org

●The Scholastic Store

Most parents want their children to read, and moreover, to enjoy reading. The Scholastic Store helps to make that wish a reality by publishing well-written stories that appeal to children, such as Clifford the Big Red Dog, the Magic School Bus and Harry Potter, the Scholastic Store will delight your children.

557 Broadway. New York, NY 10012

212-343-6100

scholastic.com

●Ellen’s Stardust Diner

The restaurant is a place where each person in your family can find something to eat. A diverse menu will satisfy every one’s appetite. Arugula salads, grilled cheese burgers and meatloaf are all on this varied menu. The hall of beauty queens, a drive-in theatre can add to the unique dining experience.

1650 Broadway, corner of 51st St. New York, NY 10019

212-956-5151

ellensstardustdiner.com

1.In addition to your favorite food in Ellen’s Stardust Diner, you can also ________.

A.make some good friends                  B.meet many beautiful queens

C.receive the first-class service              D.enjoy some entertaining programs

2.Which of the following websites helps kids learn about ancient animals?

A.ellensstardustdiner.com                  B.grandcentralterminal.com

C.amnh.org                              D.scholastic.com

3.The author has written this text probably for ________.

A.children          B.parents           C.educators         D.teachers

 

B

ON March 17 there will be an explosion of green across the World in celebration of St Patrick’s Day.The Irish traditionally wear green on this day, as the color is associated with Ireland.

But there are others, non-Irish,who use the occasion to make jokes about the Irish.They use the stereotype(成见)of the Irish as hot-tempered(脾气暴躁的)drinkers,who love to fight and will do anything to avoid a day's work.

However, today the Irish are more often admired for their musical talent and many other abilities.It’s no accident that many of today's most popular music groups,such as singer Enya and rock band U2,are Irish born and bred.Lonely Planet readers even ranked Ireland in 2007 as the friendliest country in the world.

So where did the negative Irish stereotype come from? From the 19th century when it was a bad time to be Irish.

Ireland then was poverty-stricken and starving.Many Irish moved to the United States to escape famine, but there they had to compete---occasionally with their fists for jobs and housing with other immigrant groups,such as the Italians.It was on the US’ streets that the Irish earned their reputation for street fighting.

The stereotype of the Irish as big drinkers may be unfair, but Ireland can boast(为……自豪) its fair share of famous drinks.It was the Irish after all who created one of the world’s best-loved beers,Guinness.

65.What is the story mainly about?

A.How the Irish earned their reputation.

B.The festival-St Patrick’s Day.

C.Jokes about the Irish people.

D.Famous Irish stereotype and the truth.

66.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A.St Palrick’s Day is celebrated nowhere else but Ireland.

B.Modern Irish show no interest in drinking alcohol.

C.Part of the stereotype about the Irish is that they are lazy.

D.Irish people usually get hot-tempered when laughed at.

67.Where did the negative Irish stereotype come from?

A.From their everyday behavior toward other people.

B.From the behavior of Irish immigrants to America in the 19th century.

C.From the historical record of 19th century Ireland.

D.From most people’s impression of Irish people

 

At the moment when looking round the world, all kinds of dance performances are being offered. There are competitions that claim to be a World Cup or World Championship, and the young dancer or the dance teacher who wants to enter his students might be quite confused. Which is which? Which is of high standard and good quality, and which is not worth going to? First of all it has clearly got to be distinguished between the different styles of dance and the purpose of such competitions. When a person wants to learn classical ballet, he or she would never dream of going to a ballroom teacher. Such a teacher might even have been world champion in his ballroom dancing, but he would definitely not be qualified in teaching proper classical ballet.

People in Britain and the USA are taking more interest in modern dance. Dance classes of all kinds are popular; the audiences going to watch modern dance companies are also larger. And perhaps the most popular modern dance company in Britain is the Ballet Rambert.

The Ballet Rambert is Britains’ oldest established dance company which began in 1926. In the 60 s the company lacked the money to go on staging big productions. The directors wanted to encourage new talent and to keep up their high standards. A change of direction was necessary. They decided to give the ballet a ‘new look” in 1966. The aim was to provide a chance for new talent – for musicians and designers as well as dancers – and to show dance as a contemporary art form. And although some of the company’s previous fans dislike the change, new audiences came to see the productions.

The modern dance pieces and modern music found unexpected popularity. In the 21 st century the Ballet Rambert was a great success in London’s West End. The company became a focus for new, progressive talent in the art.

Then, the Ballet Ramvert started to introduce young people to modern dance by giving performances at schools, which again, was a success.

The Ballet Rambert has managed to make modern dance popular while creating original and often avant – garde (标新立异) productions. It can claim to be the oldest dance company in Britain and at the same time one of the most modern!

1.If a person wants to learn classical ballet, he or she will go to         .

A.the Ballet Rambert                       B.a ballroom teacher

C.a world champion                         D.a qualified school

2.The underlined phrase “new talent” in Para. 3 probably means         .

    A.new programs                         B.new audiences

    C.avant – garde productions            D.skilled young dancers

3.From the passage we know that the Ballet Rambert          .

    A.has succeeded in making modern dance popular

    B.wanted to become the oldest dance company

    C.was once a popular dance company

    D.changed old dance into new ones

4.This passage is mainly about          .

    A.the popularity of modern dance

    B.the introduction to new modern dancers

    C.the development of the Ballet Rambert

    D.the high standard of dance performances

 

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