Empty Deserts

    In the 19^th century Americans from the eastern states moved out west to settle in the rich new lands along the Pacific coast. The most difficult part of their trip was crossing the “Great American Desert in the western part of the United States by horse and wagon.

The western desert can be very dangerous. There is little water and there are few trees. But the desert also has scenery of great beauty. Tall towers of red and yellow stone rise sharply from the flat sandy valley floor. The scene has been photographed many times and appears in movies and in TV.

    In Arizona, man made dams across the Colorado River have made two large lakes in the middle of the dry desert country. At Lake Powell, the red stone arch of Rainbow Bridge rises high above the blue lake.

    There are few roads. Many areas of Lake Powell’s shore can only be reached by boat or on foot. But hikers in this empty desert land sometimes find very old native American pictures, painted on the rocks.

    In Death Valley, California, the summer temperature rises to 130 degrees. There is less than two inches of rain each year. Death Valley is the lowest place in America---- 925 meters below sea level. In the 1800s, many travelers died when they tried to cross this waterless valley in the terrible heat.

    Although the desert is dry and seems empty, there is plenty of life if you look closely. Small insects, snakes and rats have learned how to live in the desert heat. They live under ground and come out at night, when it is cool. Plants such as cacti need very little water.  When it does rain in the desert (sometimes only once or twice a year), plants grow quickly, and flowers open in a single day. For a short time, the desert is covered with brilliant colors.

1.In the 19^th century, Americans moved from the east to the west because they ______.

A. enjoy the trip                    B. wanted to make their home there

C. wanted to find new grassland there   D. had no water to drink

2.From the passage, we can conclude that ______.

A.       the western desert is a good place for people to live in

B.        there is little water but there are many trees in the desert

C.        the desert is dangerous but it is full of life

D.       till now, people know little about the desert

3. If you want to find some old native American pictures painted on the rock you must go ______.

A. on foot    B. by boat    C. by car    D. by plane

4.In the 1800s many travelers died in Death Valley because of ______.

A. illness                         B. high temperature   

C. cold weather                   D. poisonous water

5.In the desert, animals will die ______.

A. if they move about      B. if they cannot make holes underground

C. if they come out at night  D. if they drink much water

   Runners in a relay(接力) race pass a stick in one direction. However, merchants passed silk, gold, fruit, and glass along the Silk Road in more than one direction. They earned their living by traveling the famous Silk Road.

The Silk Road was not a simple trading network. It passed through thousands of citied and towns. It started from eastern China, across Central Asia and the Middle East, and ended in the Mediterranean Sea. It was used from about 200 B, C, to about A, D, 1300, when sea travel offered new routes(路线)　, It was sometimes called the world’s longest highway. However, the Silk Road was made up of many routes, not one smooth path. They passed through what are now 18 countries. The routes crossed mountains and deserts and had many dangers of hot sun, deep snow and even battles. Only experienced traders could return safe.

    The Silk Road got its name from its most prized product. Silk could be used like money to pay taxes or buy goods. But the traders carried more than just silk. Gold, silver, and glass from Europe were much found in the Middle East and Asia. Horses traded from other areas changed farming practices in China. Indian merchants traded salt and other valuable goods. Chinese merchants traded paper, which produced an immediate effect on the West. Apples traveled from central Asia to Rome. The Chinese had learned to graft(嫁接)　different trees together to make new kinds of fruit. They passed this science on to others, including the Romans. The Romans used grafting to grow the apple. Trading along the Silk Road led to world-wide business 2,000 years before the World Wide Web.

The people along the Silk Road did not share just goods. They also shared their beliefs. The Silk Road provided pathways for learning, diplomacy(外交), and religion (宗教)

1.It’s probable that traders along the Silk Road needed         .

A. to remember the entire trade route       B. to know the making of products

C. to receive certain special training        D. to deal with a lot of difficulties

2.The Silk Road became less important because          .

A. it was made up of different routes        B. silk trading became less popular

C. sea travel provided easier routes         D. people needed fewer foreign goods

3.New technologies could travel along the Silk Road because people          .

A. learned from one another               B. shared each other’s beliefs

C. traded goods along the route             D. earned their living by traveling

4.What is the best title for the passage?

   A. The Silk Road ; Past and Present         B. The Silk Road; East Meets West

C. The Silk Road; Routes Full of Dangers    D. The Silk Road; Pathways for Learning

       April Fool’s Day（愚人节）, was a day of laughing and jokes. This day is kept in many countries, not only in Britain and the USA. This is a day to play jokes and make people laugh. Nobody knows when was the beginning of this custom. Some people connect it with the end of winter and the return of spring which make people merry and ready to play jokes.

In Scotland young people were sent for hen’s teeth or bird’s milk and everybody laughed when they could find such things. In the USA and Britain some people could place a sign on a person’s back with the words “push me!” Children often tell a grown-up that his sock is torn or he has something black on his face, and then shout “April Fool!” There is also the old purse（钱包） trick. A purse is left lying in the street, but when someone wants to take it, it is quickly pulled back by a string which the hidden joker holds in his hand. Or the purse may be filled with stones. Sometimes invitations are sent to people, asking them to come and visit somebody, but when they come they see that nobody expects them. Some people like to telephone to the zoo on the day and ask for Mr. Fish, Miss Fox or Mrs. Cat. All these jokes are very old but still they make people laugh.

1. ____________knows when the custom of April Fool’s Day started．

2.Many tricks are played on April Fool’s day except ____ ．

3.The purpose of playing jokes is to _____ ．

4.The best title of the passage is ____ ．

Paris is the capital of France, a country in the west of Europe. It is also one of the most beautiful and most famous cities in the world.

Paris is called the City of Light. It is also an international fashion center. What modern women are wearing in Paris will soon be worn by many women in other parts of the world. Paris is also a famous world center of education. For instance, the headquarters of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, is in Paris.

The Seine River divides the city into two parts. Thirty-two bridges cross this scenic river. The oldest and perhaps most well-known is the Pont Neuf, which was built in the sixteenth century. The Sorbonne, a famous university, is located on the Left Bank (south side) of the river. The beautiful white church Sacre Coeur lies on top of the hill called Montmartre on the Right Bank (north bank) of the Seine.

There are many other famous places in Paris, such as the famous museum the Louvre as well as the cathedral of Notre Dame. However, the most famous landmark in this city must be the Eiffel Tower.

Paris is named after a group of people called the Parisii. They built a small village on an island in the middle of the Seine River about two thousand years ago. This island, called the le de la Cite, is where Notre Dame is located. Today around eight million people live in the Paris area.

1. The best title for the text would be ______.

A. The City of Paris    B. The French Language                                      

C. Education and Culture in France       D. The Eiffel Tower, the Symbol of Paris

2.The underlined word “headquarters” (paragraph 2) means _______.

A. buildings    B. research center   C. market   D. head office

3.We can infer from the text that Notre Dame is located ______.

A. on the Right Bank   B. on the Left Bank   C. on neither bank   D. on both banks

We supply the bike, panniers, all the support gear, easy to follow maps, cycle routes and either the accommodation or several accommodation suggestions depending on the tour.

All you need to do is bring your cycle gear. Book your accommodation off the detailed list  if required, and you are all set for a cheap, environmentally friendly holiday in New Zealand.

We do all the hard work of sorting routes and where to stay — you just relax and enjoy the riding! Too easy.

There are more tours to come so if you don’t see a tour that suits your needs let us know!

1.

 If you learned how to ride bike only a week ago, you should choose _______.

   A. 2 Day Self Guided Road Tour                            B. 3 Day Self Guided Road Tour

   C. 5 Day Self Guided Road Tour                            D. 8 Day Self Guided Road Tour

2.

Where can we mostly see the passage?

   A. Newspaper             B. TV                                     C. Internet                          D. Magazine

3.

What do you have to do when you want to enjoy your cycle tour?

   A. Bring your cycle gear.                                        

B. Bring your support gear and book your accommodation.

C. Book your accommodation.

D. Bring your bike gear and do some hard work.