What places do you want to visit when you visit Beijing? Are you going to visit Tian'anmen Square? Are you going to visit the National Museum of China? Are you going to do shopping in Xidan? Well... these places are all on the same street. That is Chang'an Avenue.

Chang'an Avenue has a history of about 600 years. In Chinese,Chang'an means "long peace and satfety". It is a good name for Chinese people.

In Chinese history, many important events happened on Chang'an Avenue. On May 4,1919 ,more than 3,000 college students came there. They were angry about the government and the Treaty of Versailles(《凡尔赛条约》). All Chinese people knew the important event which happened there on October l,1949. On that day,Chairman Mao stood at the ros- trum(城楼) on Tian'anmen Gate and announced that new China was founded. Every person was excited to hear the words from Chairman Mao.

(　 )16. Chang'an Avenue has a history of about ______years.

A. 300　　　　 B. 500　　　　 C. 600　　　　 D. 900

(　 )17. What does Chang'an mean in Chinese?

　 　A. Long peace and happiness.　 B. Long life and safety.

　 　C. Long peace and safety.　

D. Happiness anti safety.

(　 )18. Why were the students angry?

　 　A. Because the government wanted the students Io do that.　

B. Because the government kept the students waiting for long.

　 　C. Because they hated the government and the Treaty of Versailles.

　 　D. Because they supported the government and the Treaty of Versailles.

(　 )19. When people heard of the words from Chairman Mao, they felt______.

　 　A. excited　　　　　　　　　　 B. pleased

　 C. disappointed　　　 　　　　 D. interested

(　 )20. What's the main idea of the passage?

A. It's about Chang'an Avenue.

　 B. It's about the capital of China.

C. It's about the history of Beijing.

D. It's about interesting places in Beijing.

When people visit Switzerland for the first time，they look with great interest，not only at the mountains but also at a type of clock—a Cuckoo-clock，on sale there．Cuckoo-clocks are very popular with tourists looking for a souvenir．A Cuckoo-clock has a small painted cuckoo that comes out near the top of the clock every half an hour and says，“Cuckoo”．Every hour it comes out and says “Cuckoo” the right number of times．It does not get a sore throat at midnight or mid-day! Children find these clocks wonderful．Adults gradually get annoyed because the cuckoo never misses an hour or a half hour，and this makes a short sleep in an armchair rather difficult．

In Europe，the cuckoo's call is a welcome sign that summer is on the way．This is the time when the mother cuckoo flies round，looking for a nest（巢）to lay one of her eggs．She chooses a nest belonging to another bird which already has eggs．When the nest is left unnoticed for a minute or two，the cuckoo rushes down，lays an egg and hurries off．In this way，she may lay her eggs in as many as four different nests．not one of which has been built by herself．

When a cuckoo egg hatches（孵化），the baby bird is bigger and stronger than the other nestlings．Step by step，it pushes other baby birds and any unhatched eggs out of the nest．In this way，it receives all the food from its foster-parents（养父母）and has a better chance of surviving．

1．When tourists first visit Switzerland，                  ．

A．they are impressed by the mountains

B．they do not find the mountains interesting

C．the Cuckoo-clocks are more interesting to them than the mountains are

D．they find neither the mountains nor the clocks interesting

2．Which of the followings is NOT true?

A．Cuckoos often lay eggs in other birds' nests．

B．If it's exactly 12 o'clock now，the cuckoo will say “cuckoo” twelve times．

C．The cuckoo does not say “cuckoo” at midnight and mid-day．

D．The adults don't like the Cuckoo-clocks as much as the children．

3．Tourists like to buy Cuckoo-clocks                ．

A．to remind them of a visit

B．because they can tell time exactly

C．to amuse their children

D．because they are cheaper than other clocks

4．Why are Europeans happy to hear the call of the cuckoo?

A．They like to catch and eat this large bird．

B．The bird has a beautiful way of singing．

C．This bird is used to tell the time in Switzerland．

D．It makes them think that warmer weather is coming．

5．What may other birds think when a cuckoo lays an egg in their nest?

A．They push it out of their nest．

B．It seems that they don't know what has happened．

C．They don't like it but cannot do anything about it．

D．They welcome the egg and the young cuckoo．

American and British people both speak English of course. But sometimes it does not seem like the same language. In fact, there are some important differences between British English and American English.

     First of all, they sound very different. Often, Americans don’t say each word separately. They say several words together. Americans may say “I dunno” instead of “I don’t know”. Or they may say “Whaddya say?” instead of “What did you say?” however, the British are more careful in their speech. They usually say all the words and keep them separate.

    Words sometimes have different meanings too. Some American words are never used in England. The same thing is true of some British words in America. For example, the vocabulary（词汇）for cars and driving is very different. Americans drive trucks, but in England people drive lorries.

     Many expressions are also different in the two countries. In England, if you are going to telephone your friends, you “phone them up”. In America, you “give them a call”.

     There’re also some differences in grammar. For example, when Americans ask a question., they say “Do you have a storybook?” But the British often say “Have you a storybook?”

     All these differences can be confusing （易混淆的）if you are learning English. But most languages are like this. Languages change over time. When people live in separate places, the languages change in different ways. This is what has happened to English. It can also happen to other languages, such as French. Many people in Canada speak French but their French is very different from the French of France.

1.What does the word “separate” mean in the passage? It means “____”

A. 含糊的     B. 快速的    C. 分开的      D. 简略的

2.The vocabulary for cars and driving is _____.

A. an example of British English

B. an example of American English

C. the same in America and England

D. not the same in America and England

3.Language _________.

A. are always changing as time passes

B. keep unchanged even if time changes

C. are the same in all places

D. are easy to learn

4. This passage is mainly about ______.

A. English vocabulary

B. how American sounds are different from British sounds

C. the way the British say words

D. some differences between American and British English

American and British people both speak English of course. But sometimes it does not seem like the same language. In fact, there are some important differences between British English and American English.
First of all, they sound very different. Often, Americans don’t say each word separately. They say several words together. Americans may say “I dunno” instead of “I don’t know”. Or they may say “Whaddya say?” instead of “What did you say?” however, the British are more careful in their speech. They usually say all the words and keep them separate.
Words sometimes have different meanings too. Some American words are never used in England. The same thing is true of some British words in America. For example, the vocabulary（词汇）for cars and driving is very different. Americans drive trucks, but in England people drive lorries.
Many expressions are also different in the two countries. In England, if you are going to telephone your friends, you “phone them up”. In America, you “give them a call”.
There’re also some differences in grammar. For example, when Americans ask a question., they say “Do you have a storybook?” But the British often say “Have you a storybook?”
All these differences can be confusing （易混淆的）if you are learning English. But most languages are like this. Languages change over time. When people live in separate places, the languages change in different ways. This is what has happened to English. It can also happen to other languages, such as French. Many people in Canada speak French but their French is very different from the French of France.
【小题1】What does the word “separate” mean in the passage? It means “____”