Silk production has a long and colourful history unknown to most people. Scientific discoveries have shown that silk production existed in China from around 2500 B.C., although it could be much older. For hundreds of years, China kept the secret of silk to itself as one for the most closely protected secrets in history. Anyone revealing the secret of silkworms or trying to take silkworm eggs out of ancient China was punished by death.

At one time silk was reserved only for the Chinese emperor. Gradually, others began wearing silk. In addition to being used for clothing, silk came to have industrial uses in ancient China, something that happened in the West only in modern times. Silk was used to make musical instruments, fishing lines, weapons, ropes and even paper. During the Han Dynasty silk became a form of money. Farmers paid taxes in both rice and silk. The prices of goods were calculated in lengths of silk just as they had once been calculated in gold. The importance of silk is even reflected in the Chinese language. For example, of the 5000 most common Chinese characters, around 500 have silk as their “key”.

In spite of their secrecy, the Chinese eventually lost their monopoly on silk production. It reached Korea in around 200 B.C. when immigrants from China arrived there. Silk production came to India in 300 A.D.. It was not until 500 A.D. that silk production came to Europe when travellers smuggled out silkworms in hollow tubes of bamboo. These were used to establish silk industry in Rome (modern-day Italy), although Chinese silk was still considered to be the best.

Silk was brought to Rome from China by means of the Silk Road. There were actually two Silk Roads, one over land and one on the sea. The land route in particular had a huge effect in history. All sorts of trade goods — silver, gold, jade, porcelain — passed along this road. Ideas travelled the Silk Road too. For example the religion of Buddhism was carried to China from India by traders on the Silk Road. The Silk Road created the first international culture, exposing many people to the ideas and treasures of both Western and Chinese cultures.

1. How was China able to keep the secret of silk production?

A. It refused to sell its silk to other countries.

B. Foreigners were not permitted to enter China.

C. The silkworms needed were not able to survive outside China.

D. Chinese passing on the secret to foreigners were seriously punished.

2. Which of the following uses of silk is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A. A way of purchasing goods people sold.

B. A material used for making different products.

C. A method of paying money to the government.

D. A valuable gift given to foreigners travelling in China.

3.In what order did silk production spread throughout the world according to the passage?

A. Europe à India à Korea à China.                 B. China à Korea à India à Europe.

C. China à India à Korea à Europe.                 D. China à Europe à India à Korea.

4.The underlined phrase “smuggled out” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ________.

A. quietly traded                                                     B. openly removed

C. illegally transported                                            D. violently stole

5.Which of the following is true about the Silk Road?

A. It allowed for economic and cultural exchanges between countries.

B. It made China the most powerful country in the ancient world.

C. It could only be completed by travellers with access to a boat.

D. It was first developed for transferring religious ideas.

Making an advertisement for television often costs more than a movie. For example, a two – hour movie costs ＄6 million to make. A TV commercial can cost more than ＄6 000 a second. And that does not include cost of paying for air time. Which is more valuable, the program or the ad? In terms of money – and making money is what television is all about – the commercial is by far the more important.

Research, market testing, talent, time and money —— all come together to make us want to buy a product.

No matter how bad we think a commercial is, it works. The sales of Charm went up once the ads began. TV commercials actually buy their way into our head. We, in turn, buy the product.

And the ads work because so much time and attention are given to them. Here are some rules of commercial ad making. If you want to get the low middle – class buyer, make sure the announcer has a though, manly voice. Put some people in the ad who work with their hands. If you want to sell to upper – class audience, make sure that the house,  the furniture, and the hair style are the types that the group identifies  with. If you want the buyer feel superior to the character selling the product, then make that person so stupid or silly that everyone will feel great about himself or herself.

We laugh at commercials. We don’t think we pay that much attention to them. But evidence shows we are kidding ourselves. The making of a commercial that costs so much money is not kid stuff. It’s big, big business. And it’s telling us what to think , what we need, and what to buy. To put simply, the TV commercial is a form of brainwashing.

1.TV commercials are more important than other programs to television because      .

A．they bring in great profits                 B．they require a lot of money to make

C．they are not difficult to produce            D．they attract more viewers than other programs

2.The purpose of all the efforts made in turning out TV commercials is         .`

A．to persuade people to buy the product

B．to show how valuable the product is

C．to test the market value of the product

D．to make them as interesting as TV movies

3.From the rules set for making commercial ads, we can see that         .

A．the lower – middle – class buyer likes to work with his hand

B．the more stupid the characters, the more buyers of the product

C．ad designers attract different people with different skills

D．an upper – class buyer is only interested in houses and furniture

4.It is believed by the writer that         .

A．few people like to watch TV commercials

B．TV commercials are a good guide to buyers

C．TV commercials often make people laugh

D．people do not think highly of TV commercials

5.What does the author actually mean in the last paragraph?

A．He asks TV viewers never to laugh at the TV commercial ads.

B．Commercials are used to show the true value of a product to be sold.

C．TV commercials cost much and they do influence us in one way or another.

D．Brainwashing must be introduced to sell something on TV.

随着生活水平的提高，人们越来越关注健康问题。健康专家提出了保持健康的几点建议：

I decided to go back to school in the fall of 2008 after not being happy with my current job and financial status. I obtained my Associate’s Degree in May 2002 in Commercial Arts. After graduation, I had trouble obtaining a job in that field. For years, I was going from one job to another feeling unfilled, and I was not satisfied with the instability.

    I decided to go back to school for either International Business or Psychology. I weighed the pros and cons of both professions and Psychology won. I like helping my friends and family, when they go through hard situations in their life by giving them sound advice and being honest with them. Also, I was interested in “the mind”.

    I was searching for online schools because my work schedule at my current job would not allow me to attend a regular class. I was nervous about starting online classes because I heard mixed stories from other friends who were taking online classes. I decided to do it anyway to experience something different. I wanted to find an online school that was affordable and reputable. Through my search, I discovered Walden University, which is specially for working adults who want to obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher. The process of getting accepted was easy, which included writing an essay on why I wanted to attend their school, transferring my previous credits, etc.

    I am currently enrolled in the Bachelors program for psychology, and I am paying for college via financial-aid loans and grants. This experience has been interesting yet trying as sometimes it was difficult to balance work, school and home life. I learned a lot about psychology and myself. For example, I like writing about current events, relationships and traveling. I thought my English composition was ordinary, but after taking a few classes at Walden University, I improved my English composition and it made me feel confident enough to start writing professionally so I became a freelance (自由撰稿) writer. Currently, I am only three classes away from obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology! It was one of the best decisions I made in my life.

1.What did the author study originally when he was in college?

A. Psychology  B. Commercial Arts   C. International Business   D. English Composition

2.What do we know about the author from Paragraph 2?

A. He decided to study International Business at first.

B. He wanted to study two majors.

C. He liked Psychology better.

D. He chose his major with the help of his friends.

3.Why was the author nervous about starting online classes?

A. Because he heard some negative remarks about it.

B. Because he was worried that he didn’t have enough time to study.

C. Because he feared he would fail the entrance exam.

D. Because he was afraid that he didn’t have enough money.

4.Which of the following best describes the author’s learning experience?

A. Dull and challenging.             B. Interesting and easy.  

C. Interesting and challenging.        D. Dull and easy

5.According to the passage, the author _________.

A. was not able to find a full-time job

B. is most interested in writing

C. pays for his schooling with the help of his family

D. is satisfied with his achievements.

Many a young person tells me he wants to be a writer. I always encourage such people, but I also explain that there’s a big difference between “being a writer” and writing. In most cases these people are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long hours alone as a typewriter. “You’ve got to want to write,” I say to them, “not want to be a writer.”

The reality is that writing is a lonely, private and poor-paying affair. For every writer kissed by fortune there are thousands more whose wish is never rewarded. When I left a 20-year career in the U.S, Coast Guard to become a freelance writer(自由撰稿者), I had no hope at all. What I did have was a friend who found me my room in a New York apartment building. It didn’t even matter that it was cold and had no bathroom. I immediately bought a used typewriter and felt like a real writer.

After a year or so, however, I still hadn’t got a break and began to doubt myself. It was so hard to sell a story that barely made enough to eat. But I knew I wanted to write. I had dreamed about it for years. I wasn’t going to be one of those people who die wondering. What if? I would keep putting my dream to the test even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure. This is the shadow land of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there.

1.The writer wrote the passage to ________.

A．warn young people of the hardships that a successful writer has to experience

B．advise young people to give up their ideas of becoming a professional writer

C．show young people it’s unrealistic for a writer to dream of wealth and fame

D．encourage young people to gain a writing career

2.What can be concluded from the passage?

A．Real writers often find their works interesting and rewarding.

B．A writer’s success depends on luck rather than on effort.

C．Famous writers usually live in poverty and loneliness.

D．The chances for a writer to become successful are small.

3.The underlined part “people who die wondering. What if?” refers to “those _______.”

A．who think too much of the dark side of life

B．who regret giving up their careers halfway

C．who think a lot without making a decision

D．who are full of imaginations even upon death

4.What is the best title of the passage?

A．how to be a writer                      B．how to earn fame

C．how to write well                       D．how to keep dreaming