题目内容
Reading Comprehension
Read the following passages, and choose the best answer that can answer the question.
One of New York's most beautiful and valuable buildings is in danger. The New York Public Library, in the heart of the city at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue, may have to close its doors.
The library is a very special place. Even though it is in the busiest part of the city, it has grass and trees around it, and benches for people to sit on. Even more unusual in crowded New York, its rooms are very large. The roof of the main reading room is fifty-one feet high. Here, a reader can sit and think and work in comfort.
And what books there are to work with. The library has over thirty million books and paintings. It owns one of the first copies of a Shakespeare play, a Bible printed by Gutenberg in the 15th century, and a letter written by Columbus in which he tells of finding the new world.
Every New Yorker can see and use the library's riches- free. But the cost of running the library has risen rapidly in recent years, and the library does not have enough money to continue its work. In the past, it was opened every evening and also on Saturdays and Sundays. Now it is closed at those times, to save money.
The library is trying in every possible way to raise more money to meet its increasing costs. Well-known New York writers and artists are trying to help. So are the universities, whose students use the library, and the governments of New York City State. But the problem remains serious.
Yet a way must be found to save the library because, as one writer said, “The Public Library is the most important building in New York City-it contains all our knowledge.”
1.What part of New York City is the Public Library at?
[ ]
A.It's very far from the heart of the city.
B.It's at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue in the heart of the city.
C.It's opposite the 42nd Street and the 5th Avenue crossing.
D.Its doors face 42nd Street and other Avenues.
2.Which of the following statements is true?
[ ]
A.There are so many books to work with in the library.
B.It's possible to grow grass and trees in the heart of New York.
C.The Library's costs are going down.
D.The library needs more books and paintings.
3.When is the library open now?
[ ]
A.It's open every day from morning to evening.
B.It's open every day except Sunday from morning to evening.
C.It's open every day except weekends from morning to afternoon.
D.It's closed every evening.
4.How much does a New Yorker have to pay to use the library?
[ ]
A.He doesn't have to pay anything to use the library.
B.He used to pay nothing but now, has to pay a little money to use the library.
C.He has to pay its increasing costs.
D.Every New Yorker can visit the library's riches- free, and use it without paying.
5.Why is it important to save the library?
[ ]
A.Because it is one of New York's most valuable buildings.
B.Because it contains all our knowledge.
C.Because there are a lot of rooms, which readers can sit and think in comfort in.
D.Because well-known New York writers and artists are trying to use it.
Welcome to my Message Board! | |
Subject Slimming down classics? | |
Mr. Handsome 2007-5-12&24 AM | Orion Books,which decides there is a market in creating cut-down classics(经典著作),is slimming down some novels by such great writers as L.Tolstoy,M.Mitchell and C.Bronte.Now,each of them has been whittled down to about 400 pages by cutting 30 to 40 per cent of the original,with words,sentences,paragraphs and,in a few cases,chapters removed.The first six shortened editions,all priced at £6.99 and advertised as great reads “in half the time”,will go on sale next month,with plans for 50 to 100 more to follow.The publishing house believes that modern readers will welcome the shorter versions. |
Mr. Edwards 2007-5-12 9:40 AM | Well,I’m publisher of Orion Group.Thanks for your attention,Mr.Handsome. I must say,the idea developed from a game of “shame”in my office.Each of us was required to confess(承认)to the most embarrassing blanks in his or her reading.I admitted that I had never read Anna Karenina and tried but failed to get through Gone with the Wind several times.One of my colleagues acknowledged skipping(跳读)Jane Eyre.We realised that life is too short to read all the books you want to and we never were going to read these ones. As a leading publishing house,we are trying to make classics convenient for readers but it’s not as if we’re withdrawing the original versions.They are still there if you want to read them. |
Ms.Weir 2007-5-12 11:35 AM | I’m director of the online bookclub www.lovereading.co.uk. Mr.Edwards,I think your shortened editions is a breath of fresh air.I’m guilty of never having read Anna Karenina,because it’s just so long.I’d much rather read two 300-page books than one 600-page book.I am looking forward to more shortened classics! |
Mr. Crockatt 2007-5-124:38 PM | I’m from the London independent bookshop Crockatt & Powell. In my opinion,the practice is completely ridiculous.How can you edit the classics?I’m afraid reading some of these books is hard work,and that is why you have to develop as a reader.If people don’t have time to read Anna Karenina,then fine.But don’t read a shortened version and kid yourself it’s the real thing. |
A.opposes the reading of original classics |
B.is embarrassed for cutting down classics |
C.thinks cut-down classics have a bright future |
D.is cautious in its decision to cut down classics |
A.make them easier to read |
B.meet a large demand in the market |
C.increase the sales of literary books |
D.compete with their original versions |
A.speaks highly of the cut-down classics |
B.shows gailty of the original classics |
C.feels guilty of not reading the classics |
D.disapproves of shortening the classics |
A.reading the classic works is a confusing attempt |
B.shortening the classics does harm to the original |
C.publishing the cub-down classics is a difficult job |
D.editing the classic works satisfies children’s needs |
Britain is set to face an increase in cold winters, with up to one-in-seven hitting the UK with longer periods of time when temperatures are below freezing, a study has suggested.The prediction was based on research that found out how low solar activity affected winter weather patterns.
However, the researchers were eager to stress that their findings did not suggest that the region was about to fall suddenly into a "little ice age".The findings appear in the journal Environmental Research Letters."We could get to the point where one-in-seven winters are very cold, as we had at the start of last winter and all through the winter before last," said co-author Mike Lockwood, professor of space environment physics at the University of Reading.
Using the Central England Temperature (CET) record, the world's longest instrumental data series that dates back to 1659, the team said that in general temperatures during recent winters had been obviously lower than the longer-term temperatures."The mean CET for December, January and February for the recent relatively cold winters of 2008 ~ 2009 and 2009~2010 were 3.50℃ and 2.53℃ respectively," they wrote."However, the mean value for the previous 20 winters had been 5.04℃.The series of lower winter temperatures in the UK during the last three years had raised questions about the probability of more similar, or even colder, winters occurring in the future."
Last year.Professor Lockwood and colleagues published a paper that found a link between fewer sunspots and atmospheric conditions that "blocked" warm westerly winds reaching Europe during winter months, opening the way for cold easterly winds from the Arctic and Russia to sweep across the region.Professor Lockwood, while acknowledging that there were a range of possible meteorological factors (气象因素) that could influence blocking events, said the latest study moved things forward by showing that there was "improvement in the predictive skill" when solar activity was taken into consideration.
【小题1】We can know from the second paragraph that _____.
A.research shows that Britain will soon fall into an ice age |
B.Mike Lockwood's research focuses on space environment physics |
C.it was quite cold in Britain over the entire winter last year |
D.so far one-in-seven winters have been very cold in Britain |
A.average | B.stable | C.ungenerous | D.changeable |
A.It was sunspots that blocked warm westerly winds reaching Europe. |
B.Meteorological factors hardly have any influence on blocking events. |
C.The latest study done by Professor Lockwood was of little practical value. |
D.Considering solar activity or not affects the accuracy of weather forecasting. |
A.Another big danger approaching the UK |
B.Research finds out solar activity is to blame for the cold |
C.UK faces more cold winters due to weaker solar activity |
D.Changes in weather patterns should be responsible for low solar activity |