题目内容

Most buildings are built to stand up straight, but these look as if they might fall over!

The church tower of Suurhusen

Built in 1450, the 27-meter-high church tower lies in Suurhusen, Germany. It was built in wet land on foundations of oak tree trunks (树干). When the land was drained (排水) later, the wood broke down, causing one side of the tower to be a little lower than the other. In 1975, the tower became a real hazard and people were not allowed to enter until the foundations were made strong again. The lean (倾斜) of the tower is now about five degrees.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

The work of building the tower began in 1173, and was finally completed in 1372. In fact, it began to lean after just a couple of floors were built. And this condition continued in the centuries after its completion. The tower was finally closed to the public in 1990 after people failed to stabilize (使稳固) its foundations. In 2001, it was reopened after engineers removed soil from underneath its raised side. Now it leans just an angle of 3.97 degrees.

Capital Gate of Abu Dhabi

Completed in 2011, the Capital Gate tower in Abu Dhabi was designed to lean eighteen degrees. The building stands next to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and contains, among other things, a fine hotel with wonderful views of the harbour. Also known as the leaning tower of Abu Dhabi, the tower is one of the tallest buildings in the city.

Big Ben of London

The building leans 0.26 degrees to the northwest. This is mainly caused by the engineering projects that have been carried out in the ground below it since the late 1800s. The tower, which has been continuously open since it was completed in 1858, has nowhere near the lean of the Tower of Pisa and is still completely safe to enter.

1.The underlined word “hazard” in Paragraph 2 probably means “_____”.

A. danger B. church C. castle D. treasure

2.What can we learn about the Leaning Tower of Pisa?

A. It didn’t lean until ten years after its completion.

B. It took almost two hundred years to complete.

C. It was built on foundations of oak tree trunks.

D. It has been open since it was completed.

3.Which of the following towers leans the most according to the text?

A. The church tower of Suurhusen.

B. The Leaning Tower of Pisa.

C. Capital Gate of Abu Dhabi.

D. Big Ben of London.

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

A. The history of towers

B. The art of building a tower

C. The leaning towers of the world

D. Top four tallest towers in Europe

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Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.

Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.

There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don't need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.

Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be "green gyms". They are better replacements(代替物) for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it's free.

1.Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?

A. Motor racing in the desert.

B. Cycling around a lake.

C. Playing basketball in a gym

D. Swimming in a sports center.

2.The author uses power walking as an example mainly because_________.

A. it is an outdoor sport

B. it improves our health

C. it uses fewer resources

D. it is recommended by experts

3.What do we know about golf from the passage?

A. It is popular in Portugal and Spain.

B. It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green.

C. It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes.

D. It causes water shortages around the world.

4.The author writes the passage to ________.

A. show us the function of major sports

B. discuss the major influence of popular sports

C. encourage us to go in for green sports

D. introduce different types of environment-friendly sports

Junot Diaz, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

The winner in Culture critics’ survey is Junot Diaz’s first novel, about a bookworm called Oscar, who dreams of finding love. It also was named as the number-one book by the most critics. “It is a big deal for me to fall in love with a book whose topic is science fiction, fantasy and imagination,” says Elizabeth Taylor, the Chicago Tribune’s literary editor.

Edward P. Jones, The Known World

Set in 1855 on the plantation of Henry Townsend——born a slave, now a slave-owner—The Known World is a success, leading readers into a complex moral time without making simple judgments. Facing an early death, Townsend thinks about the future of his 50-acre Virginia plantation and the slaves he treats the way his former owner, now his teacher, taught him.

Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall

Mantel’s boldly reimagined legend of 16th Century Europe, told from the point of Thomas Cromwell, winning the Man Booker and National Book Critics Circle awards, was adapted to the stage and has been filmed as a new BBC miniseries(短剧). Mary Ann Gwinn, Seattle Times book editor writes, “I have never felt so completely buried into a character’s mind, not to mention a long ago and far-away place.”

Marilynne Robinson, Gilead

Rev John Ames, a small town minister, describes his life and anti-slavery tradition to his young son in beautiful language in this first part of Robinson’s trilogy (along with Home and Lila). “I can’t think of a living novelist who writes more seriously and profoundly about religious faith, which has become an almost forbidden topic in modern literature,” writes Dawn Raffel, who ranked Gilead first on her list. Critic Karen R. Long says, “This multi-generational story tells a desire for transcendence (超越), and makes a case for spiritual life in the 21st century—its own kind of miracle. Gilead will be read in 100 years.”

1.What can we learn from the passage?

A. Oscar likes reading books. B. Townsend worked in a church.

C. Rev John Ames likes farming. D. Thomas Gromwell won an Oscar Award.

2.What does Mary Ann Gwinn think of the book “Wolf Hall”?

A. She thinks it’s too dull. B. She doesn't like the character in the book.

C. She thinks it’s fascinating. D. She doesn’t like some contents in the book.

3.Which of the following books will have a far-reaching influence in the future?

A. Gilead B. Wolf Hall

C. The Known World D. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Speed-reading is a vital skill in the Internet age. We skim over articles and e-mails to try to grasp key words and the essential meaning of a certain text. Bombarded(轰炸)with information from our electronic devices, it would be impossible to cope if we read word by word, line by line. But a new trend calls on people to unplug and enjoy reading slowly.

A recent story from The Wall Street Journal reported on a book club in Wellington, where members meet in a café and turn off their smartphones. They sink into cozy chairs and read in silence for an hour. Unlike traditional book clubs, the point of the Slow Reading Club isn’t exchanging ideas about a certain book, but to get away from electronic devices and read in a quiet, relaxed environment. According to the Journal, the Wellington book club is just one example of a movement started by book lovers.

Slow readers, such as The Atlantic’s Maura Kelly, say a regular reading habit sharpens the mind, improves concentration, reduce stress levels and deepens the ability to understand others.

Yet technology has made us less attentive readers. “Screens have changed our reading habits from the linear, left-to-right sequence, to a wild skimming and skipping pattern as we hunt for important words and information, which leads to weaker comprehension than reading plain text. The Internet may have made us stupider,” says Patrick Kingsley from The Guardian.

Slow reading means a return to an uninterrupted pattern, in a quiet environment free of distractions. Aim for 30 minutes a day, advises Kelly. “You can squeeze in that half hour pretty easily if only during your free moments–whenever you find yourself automatically starting your laptop to scan your favorite site for something to pass the time—you pick up a meaningful work of literature,” Kelly said. “Reach for your e-reader, if you like. Kindles make books like War and Peace less heavy. “

1.What’s the real purpose of the book club in Wellington?

A. To turn off its members’ smartphones.

B. To let its members relax in cozy chairs.

C. To make people share ideas about books.

D. To provide a quiet, relax environment for readers.

2.Slow reading has the following benefits except ________ according to Maura Kelly.

A. sharpening the mind B. reducing stress levels

C. broadening the view D. improving concentration

3.What Patrick Kingsley said suggests that ________.

A. the Internet slows our reading speed

B. the Internet is full of mistaken information

C. electronic devices have changed our reading patterns

D. electronic devices enable us to have a better understanding

4.What’s the best title for the text?

A. Time to Go Slow Reading B. Electronic Devices Takeover

C. Kindles for Readers D. Reading Matters More

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