题目内容

London’s newest skyscraper(摩天大楼) is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres,it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However,not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.

The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London,Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire(尖顶).He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin,sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name:the Shard.Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts(桅杆) of the ships that were once on the river Thames.

The Shard has 87 floors. At the top,there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty,but eventually there will be a five?star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants,apartments and offices.

Before building work began,a lot of people didn’t want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York,but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration,only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.

Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.

The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain,however,that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.

1.London’s newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of .

A. its cost

B. its size

C. its shape

D. its height

2.When he designed the Shard,Piano wanted it to .

A. change London’s skyline

B. inherit London’s tradition

C. imitate the Egyptian style

D. attract potential visitors

3.The critics who refer to social division think the Shard .

A. is only preferred by the rich

B. is intended for wealthy people

C. is far away from the poor area

D. is popular only with Londoners

4.Which would be the best title for the passage?

A. The Shard:Cheers and Claps

B. The Shard:Work of a Great Architect

C. The Shard:New Symbol of London?

D. The Shard:A Change for the Better?

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The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before a huge pile of troublesome stuff they call “books”.

I was going to have my examination the next day. "When can I go to bed?" I asked myself. I didn’t answer, in fact I dared not.

The clock struck 12"Oh, dear!" I cried, "ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most wretched creatures in the worlD. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy ."

The clock struck one. I was quite ho peless now. I forgot all I had learnt. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I coulD. I prayed, “Oh, God, Please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.” My eyes were heavy, so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.

1.When the author was going over his lessons, all the others in the house were_____ .

A. asleep

B. working in bed

C. outside

D. quietly laughing at him

2.Reviewing his lessons didn’t help him because ________.

A. it was too late at night

B. he was very tired

C. his eyes l ids were so heavy that he couldn’t keep them open

D. he hadn’t studied hard before the examination

3. What do you suppose happened to the author?

A. He went to a church to pray again

B. He passed the exam by luck

C. He failed in the exam

D. He was punished by his teacher

4.The best title for the passage would be __________ .

A. The Night Before the Examination

B. Working Far into the Night

C. A Slow Student

D. Going Over My Lessons

You may have experienced the frustration of receiving a parking fine or finding your car towed away (拖走)after leaving it parked for a couple of minutes.

But now a high tech car sticker could help motorists avoid such a situation by allowing a traffic warden(管理员)to get in touch with them.Car owners can buy the sticker and place it inside their car’s windscreen,having set it up with vital information,such as their phone number.The slim design will i nclude a sensor that will send a text message warning a driver about a coming fine when touched by a traffic warden.The message will ask them to move their car immediately.The driver could then type a reply for the warden us ing their smartphone,which will appear on the sticker’s screen.They may choose to write something along the lines of“back in two minutes”in a bid to avoid a fine.Frankfurt-based IT consultant,Daniel Kalliontzis,came up with the idea and is raising funds on Indiegogo to put his 54 sticker into production.

The smart sticker system will rely on the good will of traffic wardens and critically,a German law.The law states:“An officer has to choose the most e fficient and inexpensive way for the car owner to remove the vehicle.”It could be cheaper for the authorities to contact the driver than to tow his car.

At the time of writing,Mr Kalliontzis has raised just over 3,000 of his 50,000 goal on Indiegogo.If he manages to raise the money,the stickers will be shipped in June 2015.But it appears that car owners using the smart system could get some unnecessary warning messages,because anyone could touch the smart sticker.

1.The first paragraph is intended to ________.

A. highlight an awkward situation

B. complain about a parking fine

C. introduce the topic of the passage

D. remind motorists of the parking risk

2.What may probably contribute to the application of the TowStop sticker in Germany?

A. The sticker’s low cost.

B. The mass production.

C. The goodwill of motorists.

D. The law of the country.

3.What can be concluded from the last paragraph about the TowStop Sticker?

A. It takes time and efforts to put it to use.

B. Only traffic wardens can touch the sticker.

C. All car owners will use the sticker in 2015.

D. Kalliontzis is experienced in raising money.

4.What’s the right order of the following statements according to the passage?

①A message is sent by the sensor.

②The sticker is put inside a car’s windscreen.

③A traffic warden touches the smart sticker.

④The sticker is set up with vital information.

⑤The motorist sends a message.

A. ②④⑤③①

B. ④②③①⑤

C. ④②③⑤①

D. ②④①③⑤

It is normal to feel that you don’t know what to say to someone who has cancer.You may have or close relationship with the person.The most important thing you can do is to acknowledge the situation.You can show interest and concern, you can express , or you can offer support.

While it is good to be encouraging, it is also important to show optimism or to tell the person with cancer to always have a attitude.It is widely considered that doing these things may their fears, concerns, or sad feelings.

Humor can be an important way of coping.Let the person with cancer take the .It is healthy if they find something funny about a side effect, like hair loss, and you can certainly join them in a good laugh.This can be a great way to stress.

When the person with cancer looks good, let them know! Hold back comments when their appearance isn’t as good, such as “You’re looking pale.” Cancer and its treatment can be very , so be prepared for good days and bad times.

Avoid telling the person with cancer stories about family members or friends who have had cancer.Everyone is different, and these stories may not be helpful. , it is better simply to tell them you know something about cancer because you’ve been through it with someone else.

1.A. long B. strange C. clear D. distant

2.A. joy B. sorrow C. encouragement D. unhappiness

3.A. sensitive B. objective C. negative D. positive

4.A. increase B. reduce C. form D. delay

5.A. charge B. lead C. responsibility D. action

6.A. stop B. reflect C. relieve D. get

7.A. unpredictable B. flexible C. unforgettable D. acceptable

8.A. Otherwise B. Specially C. However D. Therefore

In early autumn I applied for admission to college. I wanted to go nowhere but to Cornell University, but my mother fought strongly against it. When she saw me studying a photograph of my father on the sports ground of Cornell, she tore it up.

“You can’t say it’s not a great university, just because Papa went there.”

“That’s not it at all. And it is a top university.” She was still holding the pieces in her hand. “But we can’t afford to send you to college.”

“I wouldn’t dream of asking you for money. Do you want me to get a job to help support you and Papa? Things aren’t that bad, are they?”

“No,” she said. “I don’t expect you to help support us.”

Father borrowed money form his rich cousins to start a small jewellery shop, His chief customers were his old college friends. To get new customers, my mother had to help. She picked up a long-forgotten membership in the local league of women, so that she could get to know more people. Whether those people would turn into customers was another question. I knew that my Parents had to wait for quite a long time before their small investment could show returns. What’s more , they had not wanted enough to be rich and successful ;otherwise they could not possibly have managed their lives so badly.

I was torn between the desire to help them and change their lives, and the determination not to repeat their mistakes. I had a strong belief in my power to get what I wanted. After months of hard study I won a full college scholarship. My father could hardly contain his pride in me, and my mother eventually gave in before my success.

1.The author was not allowed to go to Cornell University mainly because

A. his father graduated from the university

B. his mother did not thinks it is a great university

C. his parents needed him to help support the family

D. his parents did not have enough money for him

2.The father started his small shop with the money from

A. a local league B. his university

C. his relatives D. his college friends

3.Why did the mother renew her membership in the league?

A. To help with her husband’s business

B. To raise money for her son

C. To meet her long-forgotten friends

D. To better manage her life

4.According to the text, what was the author determined to do in that autumn?

A. To get a well-paid job for himself

B. To improve relations with his mother

C. To go to his dream university

D. To carry on with his father’s business

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