题目内容
Argentina in the late nineteenth century was an exciting place. Around 1870,it was experiencing an economic(经济的)boom, and the capital, Buenos Aires, attracted many people. Farmers, as well as a flood of foreigners from Spain and Italy, came to Buenos Aires seeking jobs. These jobs didn′t pay well, and the people felt lonely and disappointed with their new life in the city. As the unhappy newcomers mixed together in the poor parts of the city, the dance known an the tango(探戈舞)came into being
At the beginning the tango was a dance of the lower classes. It was danced in the bars and streets. At that time there many fewer women the men, so if a man didn′t want to be left out, his only choice was to dance with another man so that he could attract the attention of the few available women. Gradually, the dance spread into the upper classes of Argentinean society and became more respectable.
In Europe at this time, strong interest in dance from around the world was beginning. This interest in international dance was especially evident in Paris. Every kind of dance from ballet(芭蕾舞)to belly dancing could be found on the stages of the Paris theaters of the Paris theaters. After tango dances from Argentina arrive in Europe, they began to draw the interest of the public an they performed their exciting dance in cafes. Though not everyone approved of the new dance, saying it was a little too shocking, the dance did find enough supporters to make it popular.
The popularity（流行）Of the tango continued to grow in many other parts of the world. Soldiers who returned to the United States from World War I brought the tango to North America. It reached Japan in 1926,and in 2003 the Argentinean embassy in Seoul hired a local tango dancer to act an a kind of dance ambassador, and promote tango dancing throughout South Korea.
【小题1】The origin of the tango is associated with
A Belly dances B. American soldiers
C. Spanish city D. the capital of Argentina
【小题2】Whith of the following is true about the tango?
| A．It was created by foreigners from Spain and Italy. |
| B．People of the upper classes loved the tango most |
| C．It was often danced by two male in the beginning |
| D．A dancer in Seoul became the Argentinean ambassador. |
| A．America | B．Japan | C．France | D．South Korea |
【小题1】Ｄ
【小题2】C
【小题3】C
解析试题分析：这篇短文主要介绍了探戈舞的产生历史及其在世界上的传播过程。探戈舞是十九世纪末期，在阿根廷首都布宜诺斯艾利斯，有一些外来者和当地人创造。最开始这是一种下层阶级的舞蹈，那时女人比男人少，一开始是两个男人一起跳。后来传播到上层阶级。同时期，在法国流行的是芭蕾舞，一战前，这种舞蹈在传到法国以后，很快流行起来。在一战后有美国的水手把这种舞蹈传回了美国，继而流行全世界。
【小题1】细节题：根据短文第一段描述As the unhappy newcomers mixed together in the poor parts of the city, the dance known an the tango(探戈舞)came into being，可知探戈舞发源于阿根廷的首都布宜诺斯艾利斯，故选Ｄ。
【小题2】根据第二段At that time there many fewer women the men, so if a man didn′t want to be left out, his only choice was to dance with another man so that he could attract the attention of the few available women. 描述, 可知探戈舞一开始是由两个男人一起跳, 故选C. 本题容易混淆的地方是选项A, 在第一段当中并没有明确说明这些舞蹈是新来的人创造的, 也有本地人的功劳.
【小题3】根据最后一段可知在一战之后，探戈舞传到了美国，日本和南韩。结合倒数第二段可知传到法国应是在一战前，故选C。
考点：考查历史文化类短文
Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge's new son will be named George Alexander Louis, the royal family says. A statement from William and Catherine's settlement Kensington Palace said the baby, third in line to the throne(王位), would be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.
On Wednesday the royal couple took their son to Catherine's parents' house in Berkshire, following a half-hour visit by the Queen. All three names had been among the favourites listed by British bookmakers and the announcement was relatively quick by royal standards. It took a month for the name ofPrince Charles, the heir to the throne, to be announced, and a week for William, his eldest son.
George has been the name of six British kings. The last, George VI, was the father of Queen Elizabeth II and reigned from 1936 to 1952. Alexandra, the female form of Alexander, is one of the Queen's middle names and was also the name of the Queen mate of King Edward VII at the start of the last century. Louis is one of William's middle names and was the given name of Prince Charles's tutor and great-uncle Louis Mountbatten, who was murdered by the IRA in 1979.
The choice of name, relatively short by royal standards, does not necessarily mean the baby will eventually become King George VII. The Queen's father was named Albert, but chose to be crowned as George VI.
"It's interesting that they chose to go with just three names," historian Suzannah Lipscomb told Sky News. "It's almost as if the royal family is coming down with ordinary people, who tend to have fewer middle names than monarchs(君主).It is a name that none can find any problems with. George itself can't be shortened in any obvious offensive way. They've probably gone for something that is safe."
【小题1】Which of the following statements can best sum up the passage ?
| A．New royal baby named George Alexander Louis |
| B．The royal couple gave birth to their eldest son. |
| C．The choice of name was interesting and complicated . |
| D．The new baby, third in line to the throne . |
| A．Catherine | B．George. | C．Charles | D．William |
| A．Prince Charles was the third heir to the British throne. |
| B．George Alexander Louis was the third heir to the British throne. |
| C．The announcement of the new loyal baby’s name is slow by royal standards. |
| D．All three names , George Alexander Louis, were unpopular with British bookmakers. |
| A．resign | B．boom | C．govern | D．retire |
| A．the name of an ordinary person is simple but meaningful . |
| B．George itself can't be simplified in any obvious offensive way. |
| C．a monarch or a prince has usually more names in the middle than the ordinary people. |
| D．a person with more middle names must be a monarch or a prince . |
February has long been a month of romance.With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentine's Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest in third century Rome.When the emperor decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn't allow marriage.
But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers in secret.When his actions were discovered, the emperor had him put to death.While in prison, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard.Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed “From your Valentine”， an expression that is still in use today.Valentine died for what he believed in and so was made a Saint(圣者), as well as becoming one of history's most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine's Day is also popular among Chinese young people.Some students are planning to make Valentine's cards for parents, teachers and friends.Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart－shaped cakes.The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St.Valentine.
【小题1】The best title should be __________.
| A．Valentine's Day | B．A Brave Priest |
| C．Valentine's Day in China | D．A Romantic Man |
| A．树叶 | B．枝条 | C．花瓣 | D．花粉 |
| A．Because there were few women in his country at that time. |
| B．Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers. |
| C．Because there wasn't enough food for so many people. |
| D．Because he wanted to control the birth rate. |
| A．he killed one of the soldiers |
| B．he stole a lot of food |
| C．he didn't obey the emperor's order |
| D．he didn't want to be a soldier |
ANIMALS have always been used to represent certain human characteristics. Countries also use animals as symbols. From eagles to lions, many countries use an animal to show its national spirit and character.
The image of an eagle is on the US President’s flag, and on the one-dollar bill. The bald eagle is a large, powerful, brown bird with a white head and tail. The term “bald” does not mean that this bird lacks feathers. Instead, it comes from the old word piebald, that menas, “marked with white”.
The US declared that the eagle was its national bird in 1782. It was chosen because of “its long life, great strength, and noble looks”.
A few eagles have even become American heroes. An eagle named “Old Abe”, the mascot of a Wisconsin troop of soldiers during the Civil War, traveled 14,000 miles with its men. He was often shot at by the enemy, but survived 42 battles.
But, one of the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin didn’t agree with the choice. “The bald eagle … is a bird of bad moral character, like those among men who live by robbing, he is generally poor, and often very messy,” he argued. Franklin wanted the turkey as the country’s national bird.
If Americans chose their national symbol deliberately, the symbol of England arose out of history.
King Herry Ⅰ(1068-1135) was a brave warrior but also wise. His appreciation for the rule of law earned him the nickname the Lion of Justice. He was the first English King to use a lion as a royal symbol, which is popularly known as the “king of the jungle”. By the year Richard Ⅰ, known as “The Lionheart” for his bravery, came to the throne in 1189, the famous Three Lions badge had been formed. Now it can be seen on the shirts of England’s sports teams.
Although people might not think of lions when they think of England, everyone knows about the Australian kangaroo. Legend has it that the kangaroo gets its name from an early meeting between local aborigines and white settlers. When asked by the Europeans what these strange-looking animals were, a native replied “kangaroo”, meaning “I don’t understand you.”
The kangaroo is an individualistic animal. Although it does gather in groups, the kangaroo is not a herd animal. If a group is attacked, individuals run off in different directions. Australians think the kangaroo represents positive values, such as individual responsibility and pride.
【小题1】The general idea of this passage should probably be __________ .
| A．animals are friends of human beings |
| B．nearly all the countries have an animal as their national animal |
| C．animals’ good values are always used to show a country’s national spirit and character |
| D．certain human characteristics are the same as some animals, so some countries love animals |
A. It was Benjamin Franklin who made the bald eagle as the national animal of the USA.
B. The term “bald” means “marked with white”.
C. The bald eagle can show American national spirit and character.
D. “Old Abe” was even an American hero.
【小题3】The reason why the lion was made as the national animal of the United Kingdom was that ______ .
| A．it could always be used to represent certain human characteristics of England |
| B．the Kings of England loved lions |
| C．there are many lions in England |
| D．lions are “king of the jungle” |
| A．Group. | B．Respect of others. |
| C．Not understanding | D．Positive values. |
Say you are a 17th century construction worker who’s worked hard to build a splendid tower for the dead wife of your emperor.
Now say that the emperor orders your fingertips cut off so you can never build another one. Yes, this story is about the Taj Mahal, one of the most famous buildings in the world. And the tale behind the construction is just as impressive (令人赞叹的) as the building itself.
First, there’s the emperor of northern India, Shah Jehan, also called the King of the World. In 1612, Shah Jehan married Mumtaz Mahal. Mad in love, they had 14 children over the next 20 years. But then sadness came. As Mumtaz was about to give birth to child number 14, she said she heard her unborn baby cry out. It was a sign of death. And as Mumtaz lay dying, she asked Jehan to build a lasting memorial (纪念物) to celebrate their love.
The heartbroken Jehan ordered his wife’s dying wish carried out, and more than 20,000 workers worked nearly 22 years to complete the construction. In 1653, Jehan placed Mumtaz’s remains under the center of the building.
Later, son number five, Aurangzeb, murdered his brothers and took over the power from his aging father. Jehan lived the rest of his days, eight years, imprisoned not far from the Taj Mahal. Jehan was only allowed to climb onto the top of his prison to see the timeless treasure from a distance. But never again would he be allowed to visit it until he was buried next to his wife.
Today 25,000 people visit the Taj Mahal each day. Though the reason for building the tower was a strange and sad story, people who see its breath-taking beauty are reminded of the happiness that inspired its construction.
【小题1】The first two paragraphs were written mainly to show that ______.
| A．the Taj Mahal is an unusual historic building |
| B．India has some of the most famous buildings in the world |
| C．ancient Indian emperors were cruel |
| D．construction workers led a hard life in ancient India |
| A．a memorial building | B．a tourist attraction |
| C．a prison | D．a gift to Mumtaz |
| A．1626 | B．1653 | C．1632 | D．1634 |
| A．the happiness Jehan felt on completing the Taj Mahal |
| B．the pleasure tourists experience when visiting the Taj Mahal |
| C．the married happiness of the emperor and his wife |
| D．the great pleasure Jehan once found in exercising his power |
While shell-like roofs, unlike anything else in the world, make the Sydney Opera House an image of timeless beauty. It is famous for being a symbol, not only of a city, but a whole country and condition too.
Its creator, Danish architect Jorn Utzon , turned 85 last Wednesday. And he was awarded the Prizker Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of Architecture, on April 6. But Utzon has never seen his Opera House.
The story began in 1957 when Utzon won an international competition to design an opera house in Sydney.
But not everyone was enthusiastic (热心的 ) . Utzon left his Opera project in 1966 after an argument with the local government and a storm of public criticism over the building’s design. It was not completed until seven years later and Utzon has never returned to Australia to see the result of his work.
“Utzon made a building well ahead of its time, and he persevered (坚持) through criticism to build a building that changed the image of an entire country,” said Frank Gehry, a Pritzer Architecture Prize judge.
Although the Sydney Opera House was Utzon’s masterpiece, it damaged his career. Upon his return to Denmark, he found work hard to come by , so he become a teacher at a university in Hawaii.
Utzon said he once saw posters of the Opera House. The interiors were different from his design. But, he said, “There is no regret, for it gave me such a wonderful experience in Australia and towards which I only have love and appreciation .”
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth opened the Opera House in 1973, and it now holds around 3000 events every year. It is recognized as one of the great symbolic buildings of the 20th century.
【小题1】The Sydney Opera House was completed_____.
| A．in 1957 | B．in 1906 | C．in 1973 | D．in 1980 |
| A．it has white shell-like roofs, unlike anything else in the world |
| B．its creator is Danish architect, who returned to Denmark |
| C．he was not awarded the Pritzker Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of Architecture |
| D．he argued with the local government and was criticized over his design |
| A．find | B．pass | C．hire | D．develop |