I was born and raised in the shadow of the Capitol(美国国会大厦), in Washington, D.C., as were my parents and my mother’s parents.

Our row house was on a tree-lined street just blocks from the building that was the heart of the federal legislative branch. When I was a child, in the 1940s, friends and I would pack a lunch or ride a streetcar to the Capitol. If we roller-skated, we hid the skates in the bushes in the park across the street before entering the building.

I knew every corner of the Capitol. We’d play hide-and-seek and pretend we saw ghosts in the halls and stairways. I don’t know how we got away with it. I remember the beautiful ladies’ rooms, with their marble floors and sinks. I pretended that I was a fine lady in them.

In those days, you could walk around the Capitol dome(圆顶屋), which was a little scary for me. I loved the wonderful paintings and statues and the subway rides to the Senate Office Building. It was like an amusement ride. I even used to sit in the gallery of the U.S. House of Representatives—until I became bored with all the talk and went on another adventure.

Whenever I ran up the steps to the huge bronze doors of the Rotunda, I would look back to the world below like a hero. As soon as the doors were opened, the sense of history surrounded me, and I knew it was someplace special.

Those were lucky days, when an American citizen could wander in the Capitol and be a part of history.

Once war was declared, some things changed in the nation’s capital. Because of concerns that Washington might be attacked, as London had been, everyone prepared. Kids at my elementary school wore dog tags, and each of us was fingerprinted.

My father, a pipe worker, became a civil defense warden(民防队员). During an air-raid(空袭), his job was to turn off any leaking gas. Since he always had a cigarette in his mouth, maybe that was not a good choice, but he had a gas mask and flashlight hanging in the rafters of our basement. The mask looked like a monster in the ceiling. My 15-year-old brother was a junior civil defense warden. During air-raid drills, he knocked on doors and asked people to put out their lights. I remember huge searchlights that crisscrossed the skies during the drills, looking for enemy planes.

What can we infer from the passage?

A. The writer attended the meeting in House of Representative.

B. The writer’s family lived in Washington D.C. for generations.

C. American citizen, except children, could never enter the Capitol.

D. The writer’s father had a gas mask to prevent him from smoking.

When the writer said “I was born and raised in the shadow of the Capitol” (1st paragraph),    she most probably meant that ________.

A. she spent her childhood in an area near the Capitol

B. she grew up under the pressure of the Capitol

C. the Capitol had some bad influence on my childhood

D. she was born and brought up secretly in the Capitol

By telling the childhood experience, the passage suggests that ________.

A. London was attacked during the war, as well as Washington

B. the writer is a daughter of a member of Representatives

C. the writer’s father and brother joined the army during the war

D. the Capitol used to be open to the public in history

What is the writer’s attitude towards the things that changed in the nation’s capital?

A. neutral                     B. positive             C. negative D. ironic

   WASHINGTON—A chaotic scene unfolded near the U S．Capitol（美国国会大厦）on Wednesday after police shot and killed an armed man in what authorities described as a rush hour traffic stop that turned deadly．

    U S．Capitol Police spokeswoman Sgt．Kim Schneider said the unidentified 35-year-old man sped away in a white car after being stopped a few blocks from the Capitol．The man drove the wrong way down a street and crashed into a police car in a heavily guarded area about a block north of the Capitol grounds，striking two officers with his car along the way，she said．    Police then opened fire after seeing the man hold up his handgun and refuse to put it down，said Schneider，who described the melee（人群）as“very fast moving”．“The officers felt they were being threatened-they were in fear for their lives，”Schneider said．

    She did not know if the man ever fired at police．He was taken to a hospital，where he was pronounced dead．

    The officers who were hit——one of whom was on a motorcycle——had minor injuries，Schneider said．

    The late afternoon scare occurred as lawmakers were wrapping up a third day of hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor．Police briefly closed up part of the Capiltol as a precaution，but the buildings were reopened about a half—hour later．Authorities said the shooting was not related to the Capitol．

    Carol Lanigan，of Toledo，Ohio，described how she save a white car come flying down the street with two police cars chasing it．She said she heard about four or five shots．

    “There were so many gunshots being fired，my family got down．”said Robert Drumm of Oklahoma，who was touring the nation’s capital with his family．

    Numerous emergency vehicles came together quickly on the area．

    Lanigan’s husband，Dale Lanigan，described a similar scene，saying that as the car sped past him the driver had one hand on the wheel and it looked like he was reaching for something．

What can be learned from the passage？

    A．Three police officers were hurt in the shooting．

    B．The shooting had something to do with the Capitol．

    C．The Capitol was unprotected when the gunshot happened．

    D．The gunshot case had nothing to do with the Capitol．

When the case happened，     ．

    A．CaroI Lanigan heard five shots exactly

    B．many emergency vehicles appeared in the area

    C．Robert Drumm stopped to tour the nation’s capital by himself

    D．Carol Lanigan didn’t come to the scene

Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word“chaotic”？

    A．disordered       B．accessible       C．lifelike     D．arranged

Which of the following is the best title of the passage？

    A．A police accident near the U．S．Capitol

    B．Defend the U．S．Capitol

    C．Police chasing the peace breaker

    D．Armed man was shot near the Capitol by police

New York Helmsley Hotel

New York City, NY

KAYAK members are specially offered the New York Helmsmen Hotel, a world – class hotel located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, within walking distance of Times Square, Grand Central Station and the United Nations, as well as the Theatre District and Rockefeller Center.

Gaylord Palms

Orlando, FL

Gaylord Palms Hotel and Convention Center offers excitement to KAYAK members with world – class restaurants, dynamic on – site recreation, and breathtakingly beautiful gardens under glass. The Gaylord offers great room and food service close to the world’s most trilling places – Disney, Sea World, and Universal.

Affinia Chicago

Chicago, IL

Steps from the Magnificent Mile, the Affinia Chicago is best known for its perfect location at the Windy City’s center of shopping, entertainment, culture and business. Known for its fast pace, famous museums, amazing buildings, and action – packed sporting events, Chicago offers something for every KAYAK member.

The Liaison Capitol Hill, An Af finia Hotel

Washington DC

KAYAK members seeking the typical DC experience are offered the Liaison Capitol Hill. Having a great location on Capitol Hill, The Liaison Capitol Hill is the closest hotel to the U. S. Captiol. The Smithsonian, Union Station and dozens of the country’s most visited museums and monuments are within walking distance.

1．What do these hotels have in common?

         A．They are all near shopping center.

         B．They are all favorably located.

         C．They all have world – class restaurants.

         D．They all attract people with their low prices.

2．Which might be the best place for parents with kids to spend their holiday?

         A．Orlando, FL                      B．Chicago, IL

         C．Washington DC          D．New York City, NY

3．If you are interested in museums, which may be your best hotels to stay in?

         A．New York Helmsely Hotel and Affinia Chicago.

         B．The Liaison Capitol Hill and Gaylord Palms.

         C．The Liaison Capitol Hill and Affinia Chicago

         D．Gaylord Palms and New York Helmsley Hotel.

You are invited to join PTPI （People to People International）’s President and CEO, Mary Jean Eisenhower, in America’s Capitol for the 2009 Global Youth Conference!  In D． C．, you will spend four exciting days exploring into this year’s theme, “Global Sustainability: It’s All Connected!”  Come to the GYC to learn how you can work together with friends from around the world to create a better, brighter and greener future!

       250 students will stay in the Hyatt Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Virginia from November 11-15, 2009 for this eye-opening conference．We hope that you will join us in exploring PTPI’s mission through international understanding, education, leadership and humanitarianism!

Highlights of this event will include:

       ?? A key-note address presented by PTPI’s President and CEO, Mary Jean Eisenhower!

?? An interactive student group, featuring your peers from across the globe!

?? Take an active part in sustaining Washington,   D． C．through a service project benefiting the

       Anacostia Watershed!

       ?? A unique tour of Washington, D． C．--- we promise that you have never seen D． C．this way before!

       ?? An opportunity to reunite with old friends and make new ones from around the World!

       Application

       Successful applicants aged 13-18 who will be enrolled in a middle school, high school or home school during the time of the conference will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis．

       We urge students to APPLY ON-LINE TODAY, as applications will likely exceed available space．Upon acceptance into the Global Youth Conference, you will receive a confirmation notice and other important information via e-mail．If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact People to People International: youthconference@ptpi．org

Which of the following students is most likely to be able to attend the GYC?

       A．A third grader in a primary school．

       B．A 19-year-old student at college．

       C．A student who receives a confirmation notice．

       D．A student who sends the application on Nov．17．

Which of the following can best explain the underlined part “on a first-come, first-served basis”?

       A．Your application will be dealt with as soon as it is received．

       B．Although your application arrives late, it will be dealt with in time．

       C．Your application will be dealt with in the order in which it arrives．

       D．You’d better send your application early．

The following are the attractions of this event EXCEPT that __________．

       A．there will be a very special tour of Washington,

       B．they will stay in a famous hotel in Arlington D． C．

       C．it’ll be a great chance to make new friends from across the world

       D．Mary Jean Eisenhower will deliver a key-note address

Dear all,

Please read Professor Hume's email about his next lecture on Rosa Parks.

Susan Miller

Secretary

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

Dear Susan,

Please forward this message to students of my history class.

Besides the life story of Rosa Parks in the textbook, the students are also required to read the passage below and some related stories that can be borrowed from the school library.

Ted Hume

The early experiences of Rosa Parks(1913-2005), long known as the “mother of the civil rights movement, ”were not different from those of many African-Americans at that time. The black woman, however, turned the course of American history in December 1955 when she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. “By sitting down, ”remarked John Lewis, “she was standing up for all Americans. ”

Among the numerous awards Parks received in her life were the Presidential Medal of Freedom(1996)and the Congressional Gold Medal(1999).

Parks died on Oct. 24, 2005. At St. Paul A. M. E. Church in Montgomery, a large crowd including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice celebrated her life. Rice said she and others, who grew up when the political activities of Parks held public attention, might not have realized her impact(影响)on their lives, “but I can honestly say that without Mrs. Parks, I probably would not be standing here as Secretary of State. ”

After her casket(灵柩)was placed at the Capitol, U. S. President Bush, members of Congress and ordinary Americans paid their respects. In American history Parks is the first woman to lie in state at the Capitol, a very high regard usually reserved for Presidents of the United States.

What is the main purpose of Susan’s email?

A. To make arrangements for Professor Hume's class. B. To introduce to the students Rosa Parks.

C. To help the students organize a lecture.         D. To answer Professor Hume's last email.

What does the underlined word “forward” mean?

A. Explain.              B. Send.             C. Take.                 D. Read.

The political impact of Rosa Parks lies in the fact that she .

A. helped Condoleezza Rice achieve political success

B. joined the civil rights movement at a young age

C. made racial equality a common value in American society

D. set a good example in her early life for other black Americans

How was Rosa Parks treated after her death?

A. She was named “mother of the civil rights movement. ”

B. She was received by President Bush at the Capitol.

C. She was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

D. She was honored to lie in state at the Capitol.