Have you ever heard of Paynes Prairie(大草原)？ It is one of the most important natural and historical areas in Florida. Paynes Prairie is located near Gainesville. It is large, 21,000 acres. This protected land is called a reserve, which is managed by the Florida Park Service.
The Paynes Prairie basin was formed when limestone(石灰石）broke down and the ground settled. It is covered by wet prairie plants. There are areas of open water. During brief periods it was flooded enough to be considered a lake. Except for that, the basin has changed little through time.
Man has lived on Paynes Prairie a very long time. He lived there as far back as 10,000 B.C.. At one time, the Seminoles lived there. The prairie is thought to have been named after King Payne, a Seminole chief. During the late 1600s, the largest farm where cattle are fed in Florida was on Paynes.
William Bartram who lived 200 years ago visited Paynes Praire in 1774. Bartram was the first person who described nature through personal experiences as well as scientific observations. At that time he called Paynes Prairie the “great Alachua Savannah". Most of the animal life, which Bartram described, is still here. A large number of animals live here in winter. The variety of animals is increased by the presence of pine flat woods, wetlands and ponds.
The Paynes Prairie Reserve State Park is open all year round. The Florida Park Service works hard so that the park will appear as it did in the past. It offers many opportunities for entertainment. In the park you can camp and picnic. You can hike and bike. You can boat and fish. You can ride on horses. And you can see Florida as it was in the early days.
【小题1】The second paragraph is mainly about   _______.

Have you ever heard of Paynes Prairie(大草原)？ It is one of the most important natural and historical areas in Florida. Paynes Prairie is located near Gainesville. It is large, 21,000 acres. This protected land is called a reserve, which is managed by the Florida Park Service.
The Paynes Prairie basin was formed when limestone(石灰石）broke down and the ground settled. It is covered by wet prairie plants. There are areas of open water. During brief periods it was flooded enough to be considered a lake. Except for that, the basin has changed little through time.
Man has lived on Paynes Prairie a very long time. He lived there as far back as 10,000 B.C.. At one time, the Seminoles lived there. The prairie is thought to have been named after King Payne, a Seminole chief. During the late 1600s, the largest farm where cattle are fed in Florida was on Paynes.
William Bartram who lived 200 years ago visited Paynes Praire in 1774. Bartram was the first person who described nature through personal experiences as well as scientific observations. At that time he called Paynes Prairie the “great Alachua Savannah". Most of the animal life, which Bartram described, is still here. A large number of animals live here in winter. The variety of animals is increased by the presence of pine flat woods, wetlands and ponds.
The Paynes Prairie Reserve State Park is open all year round. The Florida Park Service works hard so that the park will appear as it did in the past. It offers many opportunities for entertainment. In the park you can camp and picnic. You can hike and bike. You can boat and fish. You can ride on horses. And you can see Florida as it was in the early days.

1. 1.

   The second paragraph is mainly about   _______.

   1. A.
      how the present Paynes Prairie basin came into being
   2. B.
      what the present Paynes Prairie basin is covered by
   3. C.
      why the present Paynes Prairie basin is unchanged
   4. D.
      when the present Paynes Prairie basin began to exist
2. 2.

   All of the following statements are true EXCEPT that _______

   1. A.
      the Florida Park Service manages Paynes Prairie
   2. B.
      you can have fun in the Paynes Prairie Reserve State Park
   3. C.
      there used to be a big cattle farm on Paynes Prairie
   4. D.
      William Bartram was the first person to visit Paynes prairie
3. 3.

   The purpose of the passage is to _______.

   1. A.
      call on people to protect wildlife of Paynes Prairie
   2. B.
      introduce Paynes Prairie to people
   3. C.
      tell people the recorded history of Paynes Prairie
   4. D.
      attract people to visit Paynes Prairie
4. 4.

   What will the writer most probably talk about in the paragraph that follows?

   1. A.
      The effect of tourism on Paynes Prairie.
   2. B.
      The history and present of Florida.
   3. C.
      The natural resources of Florida.
   4. D.
      The future development of Paynes Prairie.

--- Have you ever ridden a horse?

--- No, but I         a came when I visited Egypt last year.

A．was riding         B．have ridden           C．rode               D．ride

I first visited hutong as part of a tourist group several years ago. We rode on a trishaw（脚踏三轮车） with a guide explaining the history, architecture and lifestyle of the local inhabitants.

Having visited the "must-sees" of Beijing, like the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Drum Tower and the Summer Palace, going into the hutong home of some famous ancient families gave the “Beijing experience” a human element.

My curiosity has sharpened over the years from reading about them at every opportunity. During the preparation for the Olympics I was eager to learn that some siheyuan courtyards in hutong were turned into accommodations（食宿） for visitors. I wished to stay in one someday.

Preparing for a recent trip to the capital, I eagerly sought one out. On my limited teacher’s salary, I settled on an affordable option, though I looked longingly at the more upscale courtyard accommodations.

As usual, I ended up having something closer to a true experience. A real family still lives in the courtyard, which is closer to the original. The rooms all opened into the central courtyard. Flowers were blooming, beans and peas were climbing up the bamboo fence, and the cat was napping in the sun. Every day after exploring the city, I'd hurry back to the hutong, take a quick shower and join the cat – snoozing（小睡） in a bamboo-made chair with a book ready nearby.

As the other guests came back we’d greet one another. There was a mother and young daughter from France, a guy from Canada, a mother and teenage daughter from the Netherlands, a teacher from England and several guests from various parts of China.

Coming and going through the narrow alleys（小巷） of the hutong, the residents would smile and give cheery “ni hao” （hello）. Laughing children were playing under the watchful eyes of the neighbors. I felt right at home in this friendly neighborhood.

The main idea of the passage is about ______________.

A. hutong days realize my desires to live local life

B. Trishaw is the only way to visit the hutong

C. living in the hutong with other visitors

D. exploring the deeper of Beijing

When did the author have the idea to visit Beijing hutong?

A. As early as he was a little child

B. when he was reading the text books at school

C. during the preparation for the Olympics

D. the author doesn’t mention it specifically  

The underlined word “upscale” in the fourth paragraph means _________.

A. inexpensive    B. high-class    C. appropriate    D. secondary

What is the impression of the author about the people in hutong?

A. They came from all over the world.

B. They all wanted to enjoy the old life of Beijing.

C. They are living together in harmony.

D. They are living in a heavenly peace life.

Recently, tests have proved that Beethoven died from lead（铅）poisoning. Bill Walsh directed the Beethoven Research Project. Mr Walsh and his team examined pieces of bone belonging to Beethoven. They found a large amount of lead in the bone pieces. They said the lead levels were equal to those found in pieces of his hair in earlier studies of other scientists.

Genetic tests proved the bone pieces and hair came from Beethoven. The researchers also examined bone fragments（碎片 from someone else who lived during the same period. Both were from the top of the skull. The fragments from Beethoven had more lead than those from the other person. Their study didn’t find measurable levels of cadmium (镉) or mercury (汞), which scientists used to consider were the causes of his health problems.

  Beethoven was sick for much of his life. He experienced strong stomach pains, a sign of lead poisoning, and a change of personality when he was around 20. He also got angry easily, and suffered from depression and hearing loss. His health problems became worse as Beethoven grew older.

  Walsh said the lead levels found in Beethoven’s skull（颅骨） suggested the metal might have been present in his body for many years. He said although there had been recognized cases of deafness caused by lead poisoning, there was no strong evidence to suggest that lead poisoning was the cause of Beethoven’s deafness.

  Ludwig van Beethoven visited many doctors to find a cure for his health problems. In a letter he wrote to a friend, he asked researchers to examine his body after he died so that other people would not have to suffer as he did.

During the research, Walsh and his team didn’t ______.

A. examine the bone pieces of Beethoven

B. examine the bone pieces of another person

C. examine the lead levels of Beethoven’s hair

D. measure the cadmium or mercury in Beethoven’s bones

From the passage, we can learn that ___________.

A. this is the first research into the cause of Beethoven’s death

B. any amount of lead will do great harm to people’s health

C. more lead was found in Beethoven’s bones than in his hair

D. scientists used to think that Beethoven’s death was caused by other metals instead of lead

In which section（版）of the newspaper might you read this report?

A. Health.          B. Technology          C. Entertainment.           D. Culture.

What is the best title of the passage?

A. A surprising discovery about Beethoven.

B. Beethoven died from lead poisoning.

C. Lead — a killer metal for human beings.

D. New examination of Beethoven’s body.