No one knows what before it really happens.——青夏教育精英家教网—

Old Cremona Violins
Most musicians(音乐家) agree that the best violins(小提琴) were first made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. These violins sound better than any others. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments(乐器) like the Italian violins. But they aren’t the same. Musicians still prefer the old ones.
Some people think it is the age of the violins. But not all old violins sound wonderful. Only the old violins from Cremona are special(特殊的). So age cannot be the answer.
Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood must be from certain kinds of trees.
But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape(形状). The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians. Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood.
Size and shape may not be the answer, either. Scientists can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old ones. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish. Varnish is what covers the wood of the violin. It makes the wood look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. But no one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish.
【小题1】The passage is about .

A．making violins	B．musical instruments
C．scientific ideas	D．the old Italian violins

【小题2】Other people think the Italian violin makers .

A．did not know much about violins	B．were lucky
C．used many kinds of wood	D．knew something special

【小题3】Violins made today .

A．have the same size and shape as the old ones

B．sound the same as the old ones

C．are better than the old ones

D．have the same varnish as the old ones

【小题4】Some scientists believe that the secret of the old violins was .

You may have heard of the famous saying, "East or West, home is the best. "
What does the word "home" mean to you? How do you say the word in French? In Chinese? In your language? Although people usually know what the word means, it sometimes has no exact translation. It's not surprising, because the idea of home is "different from country to country, and from person to person. A home is more than a roof and four walls. It's the cooking, eating, talking, playing and sleeping that go on inside. And at home you usually feel safe and relaxed.
Homes look different in different countries. They also have different things inside. For example, in cold northern Europe, there's a fire in the living room or kitchen and all the chairs face it. In the south, where the sun shines a lot and it's more important to keep the heat out, there are small windows and cool stone floors.
We asked some people about their homes.
How often do people move house in your country?
"In my country many people don't stay in one place for a very long time. They often move every ten years or so. "
--Chery, Boston, USA.
What a e features (特征) of homes in your country ?
"In Britain, even in town, there's always a garden. We have separate bedrooms and living rooms. But we don't often have balconies(阳台). The weather isn't warm enough !"
--Pat, Exeter, England
【小题1】The word "home" sometimes has no exact translation because________.

A．people can't find this word in the dictionary

B．no one knows what it is

C．it has different meanings in different countries

D．people can't understand each other very well

【小题2】According to the passage, at home, you can do everything except______.

A．making friends	B．cooking and eating
C．playing and talking	D．sleeping and relaxing

【小题3】Why is it important to keep the heat out of the houses in southern Europe?

A．Because they want to breathe fresh air outside.

B．Because there's a fire in the living room.

C．Because they wear heavy clothes all day long.

D．Because the sun there shines a lot.

【小题4】 From the second paragraph, what kind of homes people have depends on _____.

A．whether they are rich or not

B．the climate(气候) they have

C．how old they are

D．whether they live in the city or countryside

【小题5】Which one of the sentences below is true?

A．People in Britain seldom have balconies because it's so hot outside.

B．Some Americans move house several times during their lifetime.

C．Homes look the same in different countries.

D．Houses in northern Europe have big windows and cool stone floors.

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Mary likes to invent things. She creates a new language and teaches it to her friend, Jean. Mary and Jean like to talk to each other in their own language because they think no one understands them and it is funny. When they go shopping, they say things like: “Look! He is fat.” “This CD is awful.” “I want to eat free hamburgers.” A clerk comes but he can’t understand what they say. He asked them: “May I help you?” Mary and Jean just laugh. What fun it is to create something new.
【小题1】Which is Mary’s invention?

A．Teaching her friend.

B．A new language.

C．Go shopping.

D．Making hamburgers.

【小题2】Why does Mary like speaking her new language with her friend Jean?

A．Because they can talk but no one knows what they say.

B．Because it’s easy to speak new language.

C．Because her friend Jean likes it.

D．Because she wants free hamburgers.

【小题3】What do they do in the store?

A．They buy some things.

B．They talk with the clerk.