题目内容
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56yearold becomes 1st woman to swim Atlantic
(AP)-Jennifer Figge pressed her toes into the Caribbean sand, excited and exhausted as she touched land this week for the first time in almost a month. Reaching a beach in Trinidad, she became the first woman on record to swim across the Atlantic Ocean—a dream she'd had since the early 1960s,when a stormy transAtlantic (飞越大西洋) flight got her thinking she could wear a life vest and swim the rest of the way if needed.
The 56yearold left the Cape Verde Islands off Africa's western coast on Jan.12,2009, swimming 19 out of 25 days battling waves of up to 30 feet.The distance from Cape Verde to Trinidad is about 700 miles.Crewmembers are still computing exactly how many miles she swam.
The original plan was for her to swim to the Bahamas—a distance of about 2,100 miles—but inclement (恶劣的) weather forced her to change her plans and she arrived at Trinidad on Feb.5.She now plans to swim from Trinidad to the British Virgin Islands,ending her voyage at the Bitter End Yacht Club in late February.
Her journey came a decade after French swimmer Benoit Lecomte made the first known solo transAtlantic swim,covering nearly 4,000 miles from Massachusetts to France in 73 days.No woman on record had made the crossing.
Figge wore a red cap and wet suit,with her only goodluck charm (护身符) underneath:an old,red shirt to guard against chafing (磨痛),signed by friends,relatives and her father,who recently died.The other cherished (珍惜) possession she kept onboard was a picture of Gertrude Ederle,an American who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel.“We have a few things in common,”Figge said,“She wore a red hat and she was of German descent (血统).We both talked to the sea,and neither one of us wanted to get out.”
【小题1】When did Jennifer Figge want to swim across the Atlantic Ocean?
A.After she reached a beach in Trinidad. |
B.After she pressed her toes into the Caribbean sand. |
C.After her stormy transAtlantic flight in the early 1960s. |
D.After her graduation from a university. |
A.because she wanted to shorten her voyage |
B.because of bad weather conditions |
C.because she wanted to end her voyage in late February |
D.because she wanted to set a new world record |
A.In 1999. | B.In 1988. | C.In 1978 . | D.In 1968. |
A.Figge would like to follow her example. |
B.She had the same red cap as Figge always wore. |
C.Figge also wanted to swim across the English Channel. |
D.They were both born in Germany. |
If you are asked to name some national emblems of China, the dragon will probably be one of the famous images that pop into your head. We Chinese often consider ourselves "the descendants(后代)of the dragon." It is not unfamiliar to you that your parents hope that you "may become the dragon".
As a mythical(神秘的)creature, the dragon is deeply rooted in Chinese culture. Traditionally, dragons are considered to govern rainfall. They have the power to decide where and when the rain falls. In addition, the dragon is a symbol of imperial (帝王的)power. The emperors thought they were real dragons and the sons of the heaven.
But the creature is regarded differently in Western countries. In the Bible, dragons represent the devil(恶人). Western people usually see dragons as cold-blooded reptiles(爬虫), like snakes and cruel killers. In their eyes, dragons are also dishonest.
Dragons in Western literature are presented as monsters(怪物). It is a common tale for a mediaeval knight(中世纪的骑士) to kill a dragon and save a princess and her country from its evil. Even the popular boy wizard Harry Potter has to battle against a dragon.
However, dragons are not all bad in the West. "Puff the Magic Dragon" is a well-known song. The lyrics(歌词) tell a bitter-sweet story of the dragon Puff and his playmate Jackie Paper, a little boy. When Jackie grows up, he loses interest in the imaginary adventures of childhood and leaves Puff upset. Puff represents the innocence of a child's imagination, which is very positive for a dragon.
1.The underlined word” emblems” in the first paragraph means “_______”.
A.symbols |
B.names |
C.places |
D.parks |
2.What is a dragon presented as according to Western literature?
A wizard B. A mediaeval knight C. A princess D. A monster
3.The writer gave the example of “ Puff the Magic Dragon” to show_____.
A.dragons can represent the innocence of child’s imagination |
B.children don’t like to play with dragons |
C.dragons are not all bad in the West |
D.not all people in the West like dragons |
We now think of chocolate as sweet, but once it was bitter. We think of it as a candy, but once it was a medicine. Today, chocolate can be a hot drink, a frozen dessert, or just a snack. Sometimes it’s an ingredient(配料) in the main course of a meal. Mexicans make a hot chocolate sauce called mole and pour it over chicken. The Mexicans also eat chocolate with spices like chili peppers.
Chocolate is a product of the tropical cacao tree. The beans taste so bitter that even the monkeys say “Ugh!” and run away. Workers must first dry and then roast the beans. This removes the bitter taste.
The word “chocolate” comes from a Mayan word. The Mayas were an ancient people who once lived in Mexico. They valued the cacao tree. Some used the beans for money, while others crushed them to make a drink.
When the Spaniards came to Mexico in the sixteenth century, they started drinking cacao too. Because the drink was strong and bitter, they thought it was a medicine. No one had the idea of adding sugar. The Spaniards took some beans back to Europe and opened cafes. Wealthy people drank cacao and said it was good for the digestion.
In the 1800s, the owner of a chocolate factory in England discovered that sugar removed the bitter taste of cacao. It quickly became a cheap and popular drink. Soon afterwards, a factory made the first solid block of sweetened chocolate. Later on, another factory mixed milk and chocolate together. People liked the taste of milk chocolate even better.
Besides the chocolate candy bar, one of the most popular American snacks is the chocolate chip cookie. Favorite desserts are chocolate cream pie and, of course, an ice cream sundae with hot fudge sauce.
1.It was ________that discovered sugar could remove the bitter taste of cacao.
A.The workers in the chocolate factory |
B.The Spaniards |
C.The people in England |
D.The owner of a chocolate factory |
2.According to the passage which of the following statements is true?
A.Nobody had the idea of adding sugar until the sixteenth century. |
B.The word “chocolate” comes from a Mexican word. |
C.The beans taste so bitter that even the monkeys like them. |
D.Workers must dry and roast the beans to remove the bitter taste. |
3.The Spaniards think that cacao was a medicine because________
A.it was strong and bitter. |
B.it was good for digestion. |
C.it cured man’s diseases. |
D.it was a kind of drink for good health. |
4.Which is the right time order of the events regarding chocolate?
a. Chocolate became a cheap and popular drink in England.
b. A factory made the first solid block of sweetened chocolate.
c. The Spaniards started drinking cacao.
d. It was found that sugar removed the bitter taste of cacao.
e. A factory mixed milk and chocolate together.
A.a-b-c-d-e |
B.c-d-e-b-a |
C.c-d-a-b-e |
D.c-d-b-e-a |
5.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A.chocolate can be a hot drink, a frozen dessert, or a candy bar |
B.Mexicans like chocolate very much |
C.chocolate is a product of the cacao tree |
D.people liked the taste of chocolate mixed with milk |