题目内容
Country music is one of the most popular kinds of music in the United States today because it is about simple but strong human feelings and events-love, sadness, good times, and bad times. It tells real-life, stories and sounds the way people really talk. As life becomes more complicated(复杂), it is good to hear music about ordinary people.
Country music, sometimes called country-western, comes from two kinds of music. One is the traditional music of the people in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern Unite States. The other is traditional cowboy music from the west. The singers usually play guitars, and in the 1920s they started using electric guitars. At first city people said country music was low class. It was popular mostly in the South. But during World War II, thousands of Southerners went to the Northeast and Midwest to work in the factories. They took their music with them. Soldiers from the rest of the country went to army camps(军营)in the South. They learned country music. Slowly it became popular all over the country.
Today country music is also popular everywhere in the United States and Canada—in small towns and in New York City, among black and white, and among educated and uneducated people. About 1, 200 radio stations broadcast country music twenty-four hours a day. English stars sing it in British English, and people in other countries sing it in their own languages. The music that started with cowboys and poor southerners is now popular all over the world.
【小题1】It can be learned from the passage that country music comes from .
| A.the Northeast and Midwest |
| B.factories and army camps in the South |
| C.real-life stories in small towns |
| D.the Appalachian Mountains and the West |
| A.the north | B. the south | C.the Midwest | D.the Northeast |
| A.they wanted to take music with them |
| B.they wanted to make other people like country music |
| C.they wanted to work in the factories there |
| D.they wanted to make country music popular |
| A.city people said it was low class |
| B.people could sing it in many different languages |
| C.it started with cowboys and poor Southerners |
| D.it is loved by different kinds of people in the world |
| A.Country music is about human feelings and events. |
| B.Country music is sung by stars all in English. |
| C.Country music is popular among city people today. |
| D.City people didn’t like country music at first. |
【小题1】D
【小题2】B
【小题3】C
【小题4】D
【小题5】B
解析试题分析:本文评述美国乡村音乐起源与在现代的发展。
【小题1】D细节理解题。根据第二段提到Country music, sometimes called country-western, comes from two kinds of music. One is the traditional music of the people in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern Unite States. The other is traditional cowboy music from the west.乡村音乐来源有两个,一是美国东部阿巴拉契亚山脉二是美国西部传统牛仔音乐,故选D项。
【小题2】B 细节理解题。根据第二段提到But during World War II, thousands of Southerners went to the Northeast and Midwest to work in the factories. They took their music with them. Soldiers from the rest of the country went to army camps(军营)in the South. They learned country music. Slowly it became popular all over the country.二战期间,来自其它地方的战士加入南方的军营,学习乡村音乐,很快流行起来,故选B项。
【小题3】C细节理解题,依据是第二段“World War II, thousands of Southerners went to the northeast and Midwest to work in the factories.”二战期间许多南方人去东北和中西部的工厂工作,可知选C
【小题4】D细节推断题,根据最后一段的第一句 “Today country music is also popular everywhere in the United States and Canada—in small tows and in New York City, among black and white, and among educated and uneducated people.”可知它被许多黑人白人,受过教育和没有受过教育的人所喜欢,选D
【小题5】B正误判断题。根据第一段提到It tells real-life, stories and sounds the way people really talk. As life becomes more complicated(复杂), it is good to hear music about ordinary people可知乡村音乐是表达人们情感的和事情的一种音乐,可知选B
考点:文化类阅读。
When someone says “SHARK” most people think of a big, toothy, underwater animal; basically we are imagining a Great White. In fact sharks come in all shapes, sizes and even colors! Follow me please; I’d like to show you a very special small shark commonly known as horn sharks, only found in the coastal waters of north-west North America.
Look at this shark, and you can easily see the horns on it and you will know the reason why it is called the horn shark is that it has the broad, flattened head and two large horn-like spines(脊椎) found behind its eyes and makes it one of the hardiest of all shark species. What makes it unique is that as its enemy attempts to swallow it, the spines on its back will stick into the enemy’s mouth and give a good chance for it to get away.
The horn shark is brown in color with black spots all over its body. The adults can reach up to a length of 4 feet and weigh up to 10 kg. An interesting fact about the horn shark is that it has five gills(鳃). The horn shark is a clumsy swimmer using its flexible pectoral fins(胸鳍)to push itself along the bottom of the ocean. The maximum distance that has ever been recorded for a horn shark to have traveled out from its habitat is 10 miles.
Today, as so little is known about its population off the Californian coast, they have been listed as being “Data Deficient” in the World Conservation Union. The horn shark is being threatened both by water pollution and commercial fishing in the area. Though they are not among those sea creatures hunted primarily for food, but they often get caught as a by-catch in fishing expeditions.
【小题1】The horn shark gets its name for______.
| A.its small size | B.its large eyes |
| C.its two large spines | D.its brown color with spots |
| A.By giving descriptions | B.By following time order |
| C.By analyzing causes | D.By making comparisons |
①That people like hunting them for pets ②That people fish them for fun
③Water pollution off the coast ④Knowing little about them
| A.①② | B.②③ | C.①④ | D.③④ |
| A.it doesn’t travel far |
| B.it is good at swimming |
| C.its spines can be used to attack the enemy and escape |
| D.it is only found in the coastal waters of north-west North America |
Dear Betty,
My roommate’s family wants me to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with them in their home. I accepted the invitation, and I’m excited about going, but I’m a little nervous about it, too. The social customs in my country are different from those here, so I’m a little worried about making mistakes.
Should I bring a gift, such as candy or flowers? Should I arrive on time or a little late? At the dinner table, how can I know which fork or knife to use? How can I let the family know that I’m thankful for their kindness?
Yours,
Knowing Nothing
Dear Knowing Nothing,
It’s a good idea to bring a gift when you go to a dinner party. Flowers are always welcome, or you can bring a bottle of wine if you know the family drink it.
You should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late. Don’t get there early. If you are going to be more than fifteen minutes late, you should call and tell them.
Try to relax at the dinner table. If you don’t know how to use the right fork, knife or spoon, just watch the other guests, and follow them. If you still have no idea of what to do, don’t be shy about asking the person next to you; it’s better to ask them than to be silently uncomfortable and nervous.
If you like the food, say so. Of course, you’ll thank the host and hostess for the meal and for their kindness. It’s also a good idea to send a card to thank them the day after.
Yours
Betty
【小题1】Knowing Nothing wrote a letter to Betty to _____.
| A.tell Betty some good news |
| B.ask for some advice |
| C.answer some questions |
| D.invite her to dinner |
| A.can only bring some flowers |
| B.can’t bring wine |
| C.should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late |
| D.should arrive twenty minutes late |
| A.relax at the dinner table |
| B.watch the other guests |
| C.ask the person beside him |
| D.keep silent at table |
| A.say nothing but goodbye. |
| B.send a card to thank them the day after. |
| C.thank the host and hostess for the meal and for their kindness at once |
| D.invite the host and hostess for a dinner the next day |
Almost anywhere in the world, you can probably see graffiti (涂鸦画). Although it’s usually more common in big cities, it can be found in almost any community, big or small.
The problem with graffiti art is the question of whether it’s really art. This isn’t always an easy question to answer, simply because there are so many different types of graffiti. While some simply consists of collections of letters, known as tags, with little artistic value, such examples are easy to find, especially on larger spaces such as walls.
If it weren’t for the fact that most graffiti is placed on private property without permission, it might be more commonly recognized as a legal form of art. Most graffiti, however, annoys the property owner, who is more likely to paint over it or remove it than accept it as art.
Many ways of removing graffiti have been developed, such as paints that dissolve graffiti paint, or make it easy to remove. Community groups and government departments often organize graffiti-removal teams.
It hardly makes sense to encourage artists to deface (丑化) private or public property; but perhaps there are ways to work with them rather than just oppose them. Graffiti artists can, for example, create murals (壁画) for property owners, and get paid for them.
Maybe we need to start at a very basic level, and find a way to encourage the creation of graffiti art on paper or canvas rather than on walls. After all, who would remember Monet or Picasso if they’d created their masterpieces on walls, only to have them painted over the next day? Finding a solution to such a complex problem is never going to be easy, but with more and more graffiti art being recognized in galleries around the world, we do need to try.
【小题1】What would be the best title for this passage?
| A.How to Be a Good Graffiti Artist. |
| B.Stop Removing Graffiti! |
| C.Do You Like Graffiti? |
| D.Is Graffiti Art? |
| A.makes buildings ugly | B.has no artistic value at all |
| C.robs private property | D.takes up too much space |
| A.change | B.flow | C.remove | D.freeze |
| A.they are world-famous artists |
| B.they are good at graffiti |
| C.walls are right places to keep their masterpieces |
| D.their works, if painted on the wall, might not be kept long |
| A.should be removed by more countries |
| B.should be saved on larger spaces |
| C.should be created only on paper or canvas |
| D.may be accepted as art |
Nearly all the tourists who come to southeast France make a tour to Monaco(摩纳哥), too. Lying near the French-Italian border, Monaco is not part of France, but a separate principality(公国), though it is surrounded by its greatest neighbour.
Monaco became a principality in the 16th century after being owned by a family member of a certain Italian king. The French and Italians, however, soon came to “protect” it one after another, until 1861, when it became its own master again.
Facing the blue Mediterranean(地中海), Monaco is mainly made up of two cities, Monaco, where the palace of the prince(王子)stands, and Monte Carlo(蒙特卡洛), which is a wonderful place for tourists. Every year, around half a million people from all parts of the world come to Monaco, nearly 25 times as much as its population.
Believe it or not, Monaco has no soldiers or policemen of its own. Law and order is kept by French police, and French stands for it in its foreign affairs, even the money used in Monaco is franc, too.
【小题1】Monaco is .
| A.another name for Monte Carlo |
| B.mostly visited by French tourists |
| C.surrounded by France |
| D.more related to Italy than to France |
| A.over 20, 000 | B.20, 000 or so |
| C.more than 25, 000 | D.no more than 20, 000 |
| A.The national income of Monaco depends mainly on France. |
| B.Monaco is famous for having no soldiers or policemen of its own. |
| C.Monaco does not have a seat in the UN because it is too small a country. |
| D.Monte Carlo City seems more important for the existence of this principality. |
| A.the King |
| B.the President of France |
| C.a member of the royal family |
| D.the Emperor |
China’s new term, tuhao, may be in next year’s Oxford English Dictionary. The word caught the attention of the dictionary's editing team after BBC’s recent program on influential Chinese words. “If its influence continues, it is very likely to appear on our updated list of words,” said Julie Kleeman, project manager with the editing team.
In Chinese tu means uncouth (笨拙的) and hao means rich. It has traditionally been referred to rich people who throw their weight around in China’s countryside. The word became more popular in September with the launch of Apple’s new gold-colored iPhone, which is loved by China’s rich people. The color became known as “tuhao gold.” The word is now also used by the online community to refer to people who have the cash but lack the class to go with it. Kleeman also mentioned two other Chinese words — dama and hukou — which may also make it into the dictionary.
People can have an intuitive (直观的) grasp of the meanings if they see pinyin, Kleeman said, adding that people avoid using an English word to keep the original meaning.
“We have nearly 120 Chinese-linked words now in Oxford English Dictionary,” she said. Some of them are: Guanxi, which means “connection”; Taikonaut, a mix of taikong, meaning outer space, and astronaut.
The new words will be first uploaded on the official website before the dictionaries arrive. The online version is also renewed every three months. “It at least broke our old rules. It used to take 10 years to include a new word but now we keep the pace with the time,” according to a statement from ex-chief-editor John Simpson.
【小题1】Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
| A.Dama and hukou have made it into Oxford English dictionary. |
| B.Some influential Chinese words appeared on one of BBC’s recent programs. |
| C.tuhao refers to people who have both the cash and the class. |
| D.John Simpson thinks that it is not good to break old rules. |
| A.Give orders to others. | B.Get ready to help others. |
| C.Go on a diet. | D.Put on weight. |
| A.it is very likely to appear in Oxford English Dictionary |
| B.it is often used by the online community |
| C.people use Chinese pinyin to keep the original meaning |
| D.Apple launched a new gold-colored iPhone |
| A.tuhao may end up in Oxford English Dictionary |
| B.sometimes pinyin makes Chinese words better understood |
| C.tuhao has a new meaning at the present time |
| D.Oxford English Dictionary Includes new words faster than before |
Below are pages adapted from, http://sochi2014.com/en/
Sochi Volunteers![]()
【小题1】Sochi 2014 Volunteer Training Program was launched on .
| A.30 May 2013 | B.11 March 2013 | C.16 December 2013 | D.19 September 2013 |
| A.Sochi | B.St. Petersburg |
| C.the United Kingdom | D.Moscow |
| A.The 25 ,000 volunteers were from Russia. |
| B.Winners of Cultural Program Competition weren't known until 19 September 2013. |
| C.From August,25 to September,8,you were able to enjoy Winter Games in Sochi. |
| D.Few of the cultural activities were intended for creating atmosphere of Sochi Winter Games. |
| A.importance | B.place | C.date | D.name |
Threequarters of a million tourists flock to the white beaches every year, but this booming industry has come at a price. Poisonous smoke rising from open fires, rubbish made up of plastic bottles, packets...it's_a_far_cry_from the white sands, clear waters and palm trees that we associate with the Maldives(马尔代夫), the paradise island holiday destination set in the Indian Ocean.
Of its 200 inhabited islands, which are spread across an area of 35,000 square miles, 99 are good resorts(度假胜地). So many tourists come every year, more than double the local population. Of these tourists, over 100,000 travel from the UK. The capital, Malé, is four times more densely populated than London. Given these facts, it's hardly surprising that the Maldives has a waste disposal problem.
Years ago, when the tourists left, the government had to deal with a stream of rubbish. Their solution was to turn one of the islands into a dumping ground. Four miles west of Malé is the country's dumping ground, Thilafushi. What you are seeing here is a view of the Maldives on which no honeymooners will ever clap eyes. Each visitor produces 3.5 kg of waste per day. The country dumps more than 330 tons of rubbish on the island every day.
Now, since many waste boats, fed up with waiting seven hours or more, directly offload their goods into the sea, the government of the Maldives has banned the dumping of waste on the island. So, the waste boats ship the rubbish to India instead.
【小题1】What is the main cause of the waste disposal problem?
| A.The big local population. |
| B.Too many waste boats. |
| C.The large number of tourists. |
| D.Open fires on the islands. |
| A.it's quite similar to | B.it's a long distance from |
| C.it's a loud shout from | D.it's totally different from |
| A.It is much more crowded in Malé than in London. |
| B.Another island will be used as a dumping ground. |
| C.No honeymooners are willing to visit the Maldives. |
| D.Waste on islands will be offloaded directly into the sea. |
| A.To attract more tourists to the Maldives. |
| B.To state the waste disposal problem in the Maldives. |
| C.To call on us to protect the environment. |
| D.To explain the causes of pollution in the Maldives. |