题目内容
The project is so designed that once _______ nothing can be done to change it．
A．starts B．having started C．started D．starting
C
名校课堂系列答案“Colour” and “color”, “favourite” and “favorite”···Have you ever wondered why Americans spell those words without a “u”? Is it because they are lazy?
Of course not. In fact, the difference in spelling was created by Noah Webster (1758—1843). He is a teacher who reformed English to make American identity stronger. Linguists（语言学家） celebrated his 250th birthday on October 16. After the Revolutionary War(1775—1783), Webster believed that Americans should have their own dictionary, rather than rely on British versions（版本）. He dropped the British “u” in some words. And he changed “centre” into “center” for children to learn English by spelling words more like they sounded.
Webster wasn’t shy about expressing his opinions. In defining（定义） preposterous, he wrote: “A republican government in the hands of females is preposterous.”
Webster spent 28 years on the project before completing the 70,000-word dictionary in 1828 with his American-style spellings. He also added local words. His dictionary was widely used in schools. Linguists believed it helped a new nation achieve unity and cultural independence at a time when most were focused on political freedom.
“He was the shaper of our language and the shaper of American identity,” said Joshua Kendall, who is working on a biography（传记） about Webster. “He at last bonded（联合） us through our language.”
1. According to the passage, when he worked on his dictionary, Noah Webster did all of the following EXCEPT______.
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A．dropping “u” in all the British words |
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B．changing “centre” into “center” |
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C．adding local words |
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D．expressing his opinion. |
2. When did Noah Webster probably begin his project of the dictionary?
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A．In 1758 |
B．In 1783 |
C．In 1800 |
D．In 1828 |
3. Why did Noah Webster create these differences in his dictionary?
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A．Because he wanted to make English simple and easy. |
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B．Because he wanted American English to have it own characteristics（特征）. |
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C．Because he wanted to make American English the best in the world. |
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D．Because he wanted to show that the USA is stronger than the UK. |
4. Which of the following word can best describe Noah Webster’s work?
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A．Interesting |
B．Boring |
C．Unfinished |
D．Meaningful |
5. Which of the following would probably be the best title for the passage?
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A．Webster |
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B．American identity |
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C．The shaper of American English |
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D．Spelling difference between American and British English. |
The project Wang Lin’s life is one of the many government programmes ________improving the situation for the poorest people in China.
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A．that saved; aiming at |
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B．which has saved; aimed at |
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C．which had saved; aimed at |
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D．that had saved; aiming at |
An idea that started in Seattle's public library has spread throughout America and beyond. The concept is simple: help to build a sense of community in a city by getting everyone to read the same book at the same time.
In addition to encouraging reading as a pursuit(追求) to be enjoyed by all, the program allows strangers to communicate by discussing the book on the bus, as well as promoting reading as an experience to be shared in families and schools. The idea came from Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl who launched(发起) the "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book " project in 1998. Her original program used author visits, study guides and book discussion groups to bring people together with a book, but the idea has since expanded to many other American cities, and even to Hong Kong.
In Chicago, the mayor(市长) appeared on television to announce the choice of To Kill a Mockingbird as the first book in the "One Book, One Chicago" program. As a result, reading clubs and neighborhood groups sprang up around the city. Across the US, stories emerged of parents and children reading to each other at night and strangers chatting away on the bus about plot and character.
The only problem arose in New York, where local readers could not decide on one book to represent the huge and diverse population. This may show that the idea works best in medium-sized cities or large towns, where a greater sense of unity can be achieved. Or it may show that New Yorkers rather missed the point, putting all their energy and passion into the choice of the book rather than discussion about a book itself.
Ultimately, as Nancy points out, the level of success is not measured by how many people read a book, but by how many people are enriched by the process, or have enjoyed speaking to someone with whom they would not otherwise have shared a word.
1.What is the purpose of the project launched by Nancy?
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A．To invite authors to guide readers. |
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B．To encourage people to read and share. |
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C．To involve people in community service. |
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D．To promote the friendship between cities. |
2.According to the passage, where would the project be more easily carried out?
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A．In large communities with little sense of unity. |
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B．In large cities where libraries are far from home. |
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C．In medium-sized cities with a diverse population. |
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D．In large towns where agreement can be quickly reached. |
3.The underlined words “shared a word” in Paragraph 5 probably mean .
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A．exchanged ideas with each other |
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B．discussed the meaning of a word |
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C．gained life experience |
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D．used the same language |
4.According to Nancy, the degree of success of the project is judged by .
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A．the careful selection of a proper book |
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B．the growing popularity of the writers |
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C．the number of people who benefit from reading |
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D．the number of books that each person reads |