Argentina in the late nineteenth century was an exciting place. Around 1870, it was experiencing an economic(经济的)boom, 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 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 .The 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 of the Paris theaters .After tango dances from Argentina arrive in Europe, they began to draw the interest of the public and they performed their exiting 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(流行)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 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. Belly dances B. American soldiers

C. Spanish city D. the capital of Argentina

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

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

B. People of the upper classes loved the tango most

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

D.A dancer in Seoul became the Argentinean ambassador.

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

A. America B. Japan C. France D. South Korea

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

A. How to Dance the Tango

B. The History of the Tango

C. How to Promote the Tango

D. The Modern Tango Boom

Obama, Lady Gaga and Steve Jobs—what do they have in common? They are, of course, all Americans. And according to a survey by social networking site baidu. com, they all best illustrate(举例说明) the word “cool”.

But just what does it mean to say someone is “cool”? Most would answer that it is something to do with being independent-minded and not following the crowd.

Yale University art professor Robert Farris Thompson says that the term “cool” goes back to 15th century West African philosophy. “Cool” relates to ideas of grace under pressure.

“In Africa, ” he writes, “coolness is a positive quality which combines calmness, silence, and life.”

The modern idea of “cool” developed largely in the US in the period after World War II. “Post-war ‘cool’ was in part an expression of war-weariness (厌战情绪), . . . it went against the strict social rules of the time,” write sociologists Dick Pountain and David Robins in Cool Rules:Anatomy of an Attitude.

But it was the American actor James Dean who became the symbol for “cool” in the hugely successful 1955 movie Rebel without a Cause. Dean plays a tough guy who disobeys his parents and the authorities. He always gets the girl, smokes cigarettes, wears a leather jacket and beats up bullies. In the movie, Dean showed what “cool” would mean to American young people for the next 60 years.

Today the focus of “cool” has changed to athletics (体育运动) stars. Often in movies about schools, students gain popularity on the athletics field more than in the classroom. This can be seen quite clearly in movies like Varsity Blues and John Tucker Must Die.

But many teenagers also think being smart is cool. Chess and other thinking games have been becoming more popular in schools.

“Call it the Harry Potterization of America—a time when being smart is the new cool,” writes journalist Joe Sunnen.

1.If you were considered“cool”in Africa in the 15th century, you_____.

A. thought and acted differently from the majority

B. had a calm and quiet attitude towards life

C. didn’t observe rules and authorities

D. had all kinds of “bad” manners

2.The heroes in Varsity Blues and John Tucker Must Die are likely to be those who ________.

A. do very well in their studies

B. are very skilled at sports

C. are good at chess and other thinking games.

D. have supernatural powers like Harry Potter

3.Which of the following is NOT true according to the article?

A. It is generally considered “cool” to be independent-minded and not to follow the crowd.

B. “Cool” was used as early as the 15th century.

C. Disobeying one’s parents and the authorities is considered “cool” among American young people nowadays.

D. Getting the first place in an exam can also be considered “cool”.

4.What does the article mainly talk about?

A. The origin of the word “cool”.

B. The kinds of people who are “cool”.

C. The changing meaning of the word “cool”.

D. How to be a “ cool” person.

Last night’s meteor(流星)shower left many people in the community dissatisfied and demanding answers.According to Gabe Rothschild,Emerald Valley’s mayor,people gathered in the suburbs of the city,carrying heavy telescopes,expecting to watch the brightly burning meteors passing through the sky.What they found instead was a sky so brightened by the city’s lights that it darkened the light of the meteors passing overheaD.

“My family was so frustrated,”admitted town resident Duane Cosby.“We wanted to make this an unforgettable family outing,but it turned out to be a huge disappointment.”

Astronomers—scientists who study stars and planets—have been complaining about this problem for decades.They say that light pollution prevents them from seeing objects in the sky that they could see quite easily in the past.They call on people and the government to take measures to fight against it.

There is yet a population besides professional and amateur star observers that suffers even more from light pollution.This population consists of birds,bats,frogs,snakes,etC. For example,outdoor lighting severely affects migrating birds.According to the International Dark-Sky Association.“100 million birds a year throughout North America die in crashes with lighted buildings and towers.”

Countless more animal casualties(伤亡)result from the use of artificial lighting.Clearly,people enjoy the benefits of lighting their evenings,but some scientists think it can be harmful for humans,too.They worry that exposure to light while sleeping can increase a person’s chances of getting cancer.

Emerald Valley is only one community that is becoming aware of the negative effects of light pollution.For years,Flagstaff,Arizona,has enforced lighting regulations in its city in order to assist astronomers at the Lowell Observatory.Similar efforts have been made worldwide,and a movement is underway to remind us to turn off lights when we are not using them,so that other creatures can share the night.

1.It happened last night that

A. the city’s lights affected the meteor watching

B. the meteors flew past before being noticed

C. the city light show attracted many people

D. the meteor watching ended up a social outing

2.What do the astronomers complain about?

A. Meteor showers occur less often than before.

B. Their observation equipment is in poor repair.

C. Light pollution has remained unsolved for years.

D. Their eyesight is falling due to artificial lighting.

3.What is the author concerned about according to Paragraph 4?

A. Birds may take other migration paths.

B. Animals’ living habits may change suddenly.

C. Varieties of animals will become sharply reduceD.

D. Animals’ survival is threatened by outdoor lighting.

4.What message does the author most want to give us?

A. Saving wildlife is saving ourselves.

B. Great efforts should be made to save energy.

C. Human activities should be environmentally friendly.

D. New equipment should be introduced for space study.

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