Ballet is a precise and beautiful form of dancing that is performed in a theatre. A kind of ballet first appeared in Italy in the 1400s, but ballet as it is danced today began in France. During the reign of King Louis XIV, in the 1600s, it was officially recognized as a form of art. The French Royal Academy of Dance was founded in 1661 to promote ballet.

Traditional, or classical, ballet follows strict rules and traditions. There are standard positions for the arms, legs and hands, and special movements that make the dance flow smoothly.

    Classical ballet uses orchestras（交响乐团）, fine scenery and splendid costumes. Many ballets tell a story, but the dancers do not speak any words. They act out the story, using their bodies. The person who arranges the dance movements is called the choreographer（舞蹈指导）.

    Some ballets are very famous. They have been danced for many years. Giselle, a story of a tragic young village girl who dies in love-stricken grief, was first performed in 1841. Two other long-time favourites are Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. These two ballets are as famous for their music as for their dancing.

   Modern ballets often look very different from classical ones. They include freer, more modern dance steps. Sometimes, instead of telling a story, they dwell on certain moods or themes. Special effects may be produced with lighting, rather than scenery.

1．Ballet first turned up in _________ and it was officially thought of as a form of art in ________.

       A．Italy in the 1600s; in France in 1400      B．Italy in the 1400s; in France in 1400

       C．Italy in the 1400s; in France in 1600      D．Italy in the 1600s; in France in 1600

2．Which statement is not true according to the passage?

       A．Classical ballet follows strict rules and traditions.

       B．Many ballets tell a story, and the dancers sometimes need to speak on the stage.

       C．Many ballets tell a story, but the dancers do not speak any words.

       D．The ballets always use their bodies to act out the story.

3．__________are as famous for their music as for their dancing.

       A．Swan Lake and Giselle                 B．Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake

       C．Sleeping Beauty and Giselle              D．Traditional and modern ballets

4．The underlined phrase “dwell on” in the last paragraph might mean “______”.

       A．tell sth in detail                              B．live in

       C．live on                                            C．tell sth in general

It is men’s nature to live together in families and tribes(部落), and cities and nations, and therefore men have learned to prize those qualities in each other which make social life the happiest and best.
Of these qualities one of the most important is sympathy－fellow-feeling. If a man had no fellow-feeling, we should call him “inhuman”; he would be no true man. We think so much of this quality that we call a kind man “human”－that is, man-like in his conduct, first to other men, and afterwards to all living things.
If you are cruel to animals, you are not likely to be kind or thoughtfull to men; and if you are thoughtful towards men, you are not likely to be cruel and thoughtful towards animals. This is why the wise man of old wrote, “The merciful man is merciful to his beast.”
What a pleasure it is also to be loved by our pets or domestic animals; and to feel that we are caring for them and are deserving of their love; or to watch the ways of wild creatures, and gradually to make friends with them!
Treating animals kindly does not mean that we must never inflict any pain on them. We ourselves are trained by pains as well as by pleasures; so too, punishment is sometimes needed to train our dogs and horses to obey us. We endure pains at the hands of the surgeon, to cure some wound or to heal some disease; so too, animals must submit to being doctored.
We send out our bravest men to face wounds, sickness and death, for the good of the nation; so too, we let our horses share the risk of battle. For similar reasons, we cannot hesitate to destroy dangerous creatures like wolves and show senseless ferocity(残忍). It is no excuse to say that these animals deserve to be treated cruelly on account of their own cruelty. They are not really cruel, for they tear and kill not from love of unkindness, but because they must do so in order to live.
【小题1】One of the most important qualities of men is fellow-feeling because      .

It is men’s nature to live together in families and tribes(部落), and cities and nations, and therefore men have learned to prize those qualities in each other which make social life the happiest and best.

Of these qualities one of the most important is sympathy－fellow-feeling. If a man had no fellow-feeling, we should call him “inhuman”; he would be no true man. We think so much of this quality that we call a kind man “human”－that is, man-like in his conduct, first to other men, and afterwards to all living things.

If you are cruel to animals, you are not likely to be kind or thoughtfull to men; and if you are thoughtful towards men, you are not likely to be cruel and thoughtful towards animals. This is why the wise man of old wrote, “The merciful man is merciful to his beast.”

What a pleasure it is also to be loved by our pets or domestic animals; and to feel that we are caring for them and are deserving of their love; or to watch the ways of wild creatures, and gradually to make friends with them!

Treating animals kindly does not mean that we must never inflict any pain on them. We ourselves are trained by pains as well as by pleasures; so too, punishment is sometimes needed to train our dogs and horses to obey us. We endure pains at the hands of the surgeon, to cure some wound or to heal some disease; so too, animals must submit to being doctored.

We send out our bravest men to face wounds, sickness and death, for the good of the nation; so too, we let our horses share the risk of battle. For similar reasons, we cannot hesitate to destroy dangerous creatures like wolves and show senseless ferocity(残忍). It is no excuse to say that these animals deserve to be treated cruelly on account of their own cruelty. They are not really cruel, for they tear and kill not from love of unkindness, but because they must do so in order to live.

1.One of the most important qualities of men is fellow-feeling because      .

A．you are likely to be cruel and thoughtful without it

B．a man would be inhuman without it

C．men can’t bear any pain on themselves and animals

D．only sympathy makes a man man-like in his conduct

2.The author would probably agree with the following EXCEPT that   　.

A．we must never force any pain on animals

B．some people have to kill some animals in order to live

C．it is human for a doctor to cut off some part from the animals

D．wise men are not only good to men but also to animals

3.What do you think is the title of the passage?

A．Loving your pet. B．Fellow-feeling.

C．Making friends with animals.        D．Kindness to animals.

4.Which of the following is inhuman according to the writer?

A．To treat animals cruelly because they are cruel.

B．To train animals.

C．To destroy some of the dangerous animals.

D．To make animals submit to being doctored.

5.The underlined word “inflict” here means      .

A．make sb/sth suffer                  B．forbid

C．punish       D．avoid

It is men’s nature to live together in families and tribes(部落), and cities and nations, and therefore men have learned to prize those qualities in each other which make social life the happiest and best.
Of these qualities one of the most important is sympathy-fellow-feeling. If a man had no fellow-feeling, we should call him “inhuman”; he would be no true man. We think so much of this quality that we call a kind man “human”-that is, man-like in his conduct, first to other men, and afterwards to all living things.
If you are cruel to animals, you are not likely to be kind or thoughtfull to men; and if you are thoughtful towards men, you are not likely to be cruel and thoughtful towards animals. This is why the wise man of old wrote, “The merciful man is merciful to his beast.”
What a pleasure it is also to be loved by our pets or domestic animals; and to feel that we are caring for them and are deserving of their love; or to watch the ways of wild creatures, and gradually to make friends with them!
Treating animals kindly does not mean that we must never inflict any pain on them. We ourselves are trained by pains as well as by pleasures; so too, punishment is sometimes needed to train our dogs and horses to obey us. We endure pains at the hands of the surgeon, to cure some wound or to heal some disease; so too, animals must submit to being doctored.
We send out our bravest men to face wounds, sickness and death, for the good of the nation; so too, we let our horses share the risk of battle. For similar reasons, we cannot hesitate to destroy dangerous creatures like wolves and show senseless ferocity(残忍). It is no excuse to say that these animals deserve to be treated cruelly on account of their own cruelty. They are not really cruel, for they tear and kill not from love of unkindness, but because they must do so in order to live

1. 1.

   One of the most important qualities of men is fellow-feeling because

   1. A.
      you are likely to be cruel and thoughtful without it
   2. B.
      a man would be inhuman without it
   3. C.
      men can’t bear any pain on themselves and animals
   4. D.
      only sympathy makes a man man-like in his conduct
2. 2.

   The author would probably agree with the following EXCEPT that  　

   1. A.
      we must never force any pain on animals
   2. B.
      some people have to kill some animals in order to live
   3. C.
      it is human for a doctor to cut off some part from the animals
   4. D.
      wise men are not only good to men but also to animals
3. 3.

   What do you think is the title of the passage?

   1. A.
      Loving your pet
   2. B.
      Fellow-feeling
   3. C.
      Making friends with animals
   4. D.
      Kindness to animals
4. 4.

   Which of the following is inhuman according to the writer?

   1. A.
      To treat animals cruelly because they are cruel
   2. B.
      To train animals
   3. C.
      To destroy some of the dangerous animals
   4. D.
      To make animals submit to being doctored
5. 5.

   The underlined word “inflict” here means

   1. A.
      make sb/sth suffer
   2. B.
      forbid
   3. C.
      punish
   4. D.
      avoid