Human civilization has truly come a long way．From using animals for transport to the super fast automobiles that we have today．From using flint to making fire to using one touch lighters．But there are some things that we will never let go of．Some ancient traditions that have been brought down through the ages are still followed today．
Groundhog Day(土拔鼠节)，falls on the 2nd of February every year．It is observed in the United States and Canada．While this day may be a public holiday and a bank holiday，it is not a compulsory holiday declared by the government．But this is not so for all the states．State-wise holidays may vary．
Ever heard of Punxsutawney Phil? Groundhog Day is observed because of this groundhog．The day is indeed about a groundhog．Punxsutawney is the name of an apparently weather forecasting groundhog．He lives in his burrow(洞穴)on Gobler’s Knob，Punxsutawney in Pennsylvania，for a short period before the 2nd of February every year．On the 2nd of February，Phil comes out from his burrow and looks for his shadow．If he sees his shadow and goes back into the burrow，then America will have an extended winter of six weeks，But if he cannot see his shadow，and he remains outside．It means winter will soon end and spring will arrive very shortly .Phil has been‘predicting’the length of winter in this manner for almost a century and they have always been almost 100％ accurate．
Groundhog Day is celebrated in some parts of the USA and Canada．The largest celebration is held at Punxsutawney，Pennsylvania．People come in scores to visit Punxsutawney Phil．They wait eagerly, camping days in advance，to see the small groundhog appear from his burrow，check for his shadow and either go back in or stay out．People cheer when they hear it is time for winter to end and celebrate by eating sweets and singing and dancing．Today．the Groundhog Day is a widespread tradition and an exciting event．
1.People celebrate Groundhog Day because ______________.
A．some sweets are provided on Groundhog Day
B．more and more people love groundhogs
C．the groundhog predicts the beginning of spring
D．Punxsutawney Phil is worth respecting
2.What does the author intend to tell us in Paragraph 1？
A．Human civilization has a long history．
B．Some old traditions should be carried on．
C．Human civilization develops very fast．
D．Some old traditions have disappeared．
3. We learn from the passage that Punxsutawney Phil ____________．
A．forecasts the weather based on his shadow
B．witnesses the history of human development
C．organizes celebrations on Groundhog Day
D．gives performances on Groundhog Day
4.We may infer from the passage that ________________．
A．groundhogs will replace TV weathermen soon
B．groundhogs can forecast the weather accurately
C．Groundhog Day is becoming popular in the US and Canada
D．a longer shadow of a groundhog indicates a longer winter
5.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Winter will end if the groundhog goes back into the burrow.
B．Groundhog Day is a compulsory’holiday in the US and Canada．
C．A groundhog will remain outside if he sees his shadows on 2nd，Feb．
D．The celebration in Punxsutawney attracts large numbers of visitors．
Most of the people who appear most often and most gloriously in the history books are great conquerors and generals and soldiers, whereas the people who really helped civilization forward are often never mentioned at all. We do not know who first set a broken leg, or launched a seaworthy boat, or calculated the length of the year, or manured(施肥)a field; but we know all about the killers and destroyers. People think a great deal of them, so much so that on all the highest pillars (纪念柱) in the great cities of the world you will find the figure of a conqueror or a general or a soldier. And I think most people believe that the greatest countries are those that have beaten in battle the greatest number of other countries and ruled over them as conquerors. It is just possible they are, but they are not the most civilized.
Animals fight; so do savages (野蛮人); hence to be good at fighting is to be good in the way in which an animal or a savage is good, but it is not to be civilized. Even being good at getting other people to fight for you and telling them how to do it most efficiently －this, after all, is what conquerors and generals have done －is not being civilized. People fight to settle quarrels. Fighting means killing, and civilized peoples ought to be able to find some way of settling their disputes other than by seeing which side can kill off the greater number of the other side, and then saying that that side which has killed most has won. And it not only has won, but, because it has won, has been in the right. For that is what going to war means; it means saying that might is right.
That is what the story of mankind has on the whole been like. Even our own age has fought the two greatest wars in history, in which millions of people were killed or disabled. And while today it is true that people do not fight and kill each other in the streets －while, that is to say, we have got to the stage of keeping the rules and behaving properly to each other in daily life － nations and countries have not learnt to do this yet, and still behave like savages.
1.In the opening sentence the author indicates that ________.
A. conquerors, generals and soldiers should not be mentioned in history books.
B. history books focus more on those who helped civilization forward.
C. those who truly helped civilization forward is rarely mentioned in history books.
D. most history books were written by conquerors, generals and soldiers.
2.In the author’s opinion, the countries that ruled over a large number of other countries are
A. certainly both the greatest and the most civilized
B. neither the most influential nor the most civilized.
C. possibly the most civilized but not the most powerful.
D. likely the greatest in some sense but not the most civilized.
3. The meaning of “it means saying that might is right.”(The last sentence of Paragraph 2) is that ________.
A. in a war only those who are powerful will win.
B. those who are right should fight against those who are wrong.
C. only those who are powerful have the right to go to war.
D. those who fight believe that the winner is right and the loser wrong.
4. In the third paragraph, what the author wants to convey to us is that ________.
A. we have fought fewer wars but suffered heavier casualties.
B. modern time is not so civilized compared with the past.
C. our age is not much better than those of the past.
D. World War I and World War II are different from previous wars.
5. According to the passage, who helped civilization forward?
A. The pioneers in science and technology.
B. Conquerors and generals.
C. Those setting disputes by force.
The experts in military matters
6. This passage is most likely taken from an article entitled ________.
A. Who Should Be Remembered
B. Civilization and History
C. War and World Peace
D. Great conquerors in the world
Einstein's connection with the politics of the nuclear bomb is well known: He signed the letter to President Franklin Roosevelt that persuaded the United States to take the idea seriously, and he engaged in postwar efforts to prevent nuclear war. But these were not just the isolated actions of a scientist dragged into the world of politics. Einstein's life was, in fact, "divided between politics and equations(方程式)."
Sickened by what he saw as the waste of human lives during the First World War, he became involved in antiwar demonstrations. His support of civil disobedience did little to endear him to his colleagues. Then, following the war, he directed his efforts toward reconciliation(调停) and improving international relations. And soon his politics were making it difficult for him to visit the United States, even to give lectures.
Einstein's second great cause was Zionism(犹太复国主义). Although he was Jewish, Einstein rejected the idea of God. However, a growing awareness of anti-Semitism(反犹太主义), both before and during the War, led him gradually to identify with the Jewish community, and later to become an outspoken supporter of Zionism.
His theories came under attack. One man was accused of motivating others to murder Einstein and fined a mere six dollars. When a book was published entitled 100 Authors Against Einstein, he retorted, "If I were wrong, then one would have been enough!" When Hitler came to power, Einstein then in America declared he would not return to Germany. While Nazi attacked his house and confiscated his bank account, a Berlin newspaper displayed the headline "Good News from Einstein--He's Not Coming Back."
Fearing that German scientists would build a nuclear bomb, Einstein proposed that the United States should develop its own. But he was publicly warning of the dangers of nuclear war and proposing international control of nuclear weaponry. Throughout his life, Einstein's efforts toward peace probably achieved little and won him few friends. His support of the Zionist cause, however, was recognized in 1952, when he was offered the presidency of Israel. He declined, saying he was too naive in politics. But perhaps his real reason was different:" Equations are more important to me, because politics is for the present, but an equation is something for eternity."
1.The reason why Einstein was against the war was that __
A. he tried to get involved in politics B. the nuclear bomb could be built by German scientists
C. many people died during the war in vain D. President Franklin persuaded him to do so
2. We can learn from the passage that Einstein __
A. believed in God B. was proud of being Jewish
C. suggested that nuclear weaponry should be banned D. made great achievements in peace
3. The examples in paragraph 4 are used to prove __
A. many people in support of Zionism hated Einstein
B. the reason why Einstein would not return to Israel
C. Einstein was in danger of being killed
D. Einstein didn't enjoy his popularity in the field Of politics
4.What is the structure of the passage?
BERLIN (Reuters)—Germany’s postal service has announced plans to explore improved service and help protect the environment by getting “fetch friends”—ordinary people traveling across cities—to deliver parcels on their way.
It is hoped that the move, which will be tested in the coming months, might lessen traffic in inner cities and reduce CO2 emissions(排放). This should help DHL, a division of the German postal service, reach its target of improving the company’s carbon efficiency by 30 percent before 2020.
“As the world’s biggest logistics(物流) provider, we recognize a special responsibility to reduce the impact on the environment as much as possible,” said Frank Appel, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Post DHL, in a statement referring to a variety of measures being considered.
The “fetch friends” find out online about parcels that need delivering to people who live or work along the way that they are planning to travel through the city. They then select the ones that they want to take.
Codes(编码) sent to their mobile phones tell the volunteers where to pick the packages up. Parcels can be taken part of the way or passed on to another volunteer but all volunteers need to have the right code on their mobile phone so the track and trace system can be updated.
Logistics companies will be responsible for looking after the operation to make sure that the privacy of post is respected.
It’s hoped that this could be done using mobile phones but DHL says it recognizes that some security issues remain to be worked out.
1. According to the passage, the “fetch friend” program ________.
A. has been tested for months
B. aims to reduce the cost of the service
C. employs environmentalists to help with deliveries
D. encourages ordinary people to help cut the carbon footprint
2. Which of the following statements is TRUE of DHL?
A. It belongs to the Germany’s postal service.
B. It has the most up-to-date tracking system in Germany.
C. It has succeeded in improving its carbon efficiency by 30%.
D. It has designed many measures to improve its service speed.
3.What may be a problem with the new service according to the article?
A. Volunteers’ not allowing to select parcels.
B. The wrong codes in the mobile phones.
C. The possibility that parcels could be opened on the way.
D. Parcels’ being taken to the destination by a single volunteer.
4.What might be the best Title for the best passage?
A. New Challenges for the Postal Service
B. A Greener Way to Deliver Parcels
C. Solutions for Global Warming
D. Statements from DHL
IT is safe to say that George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), the Irish-born writer, is more famous for being George Bernard Shaw than he is for his writings today. Few of Shaw’s more than 60 plays, novels and essays are performed or read anymore. And yet Shaw genuinely helped make our modern world. Although you’d be lucky to get a chance to see one of his dramas today, in his time he turned the theater into a vehicle for the discussion of social issues, not only in Britain but on the stage of the world. In a way Shaw was someone who created the modern culture of Britain.
Where the theater had been dominated by entertainment, Shaw used it to teach people the importance of paying attention to the issues of their day. The plight (苦难) of the poor and the working class, the situation of women and the institutions of society, such as the education system ---- Shaw was among the most well-known figures making these topics central to public debate. His first play, Widowers’ Houses (1892), deals with the question of slum (贫民窟) housing. His Mrs Warren’s Profession (1893) brought a controversial topic to the stage.
Shaw was an important mover and shaker in new political movements too. He was an early member of the Fabian Society, which argued for the socialist cause in the UK. Shaw was also the founder (in 1895) of one of the now most famous colleges in the world, the London School of Economics.
If few of his works have really stood the test of time, many of his quotations have become part of the furniture of the English language. “Youth is wasted on the young,” he wrote. He also knew how to sum up a political philosophy(哲学) in a few memorable words. For instance: “A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.”
1. Shaw’s influence on the modern world comes mainly from ______.
A. the changes he brought to the British culture
B. his philosophies on the role of government
C. his awareness of social problems of his day
D. the support for the London School of Economics
2. Widowers’ Houses is a play that mainly focuses on ______.
A. the failure of the UK education system
B. the housing problems of poor people
C. robbery incidents in slum areas
D. socialist movements in the UK
3. By describing Shaw’s quotations as “part of the furniture of the English language”, the author means that Shaw’s words ______.
A. have become the best part of English
B. have greatly developed the English language
C. have made the English language philosophical
D. have become an inseparable part of the English language
4. Which of the following about George Bernard Shaw’s works is TRUE?
A. They should be adapted for modern readers.
B. They are mostly about the lives of working class.
C. They deal with important social issues of their day.
D. Most of them are still performed on the stage of the world today.
The adolescent girl from Tennessee was standing on the stage of a drama summer camp in New York．But the girl didn’t feel joyful．She was not the leggy，attractive Hollywood type．In fact，she described herself as stupid．
This girl was Reese Witherspoon，who had wanted to be a country singer and admired and respected Dolly Patton very much．
That day at the end of the camp her coaches told her to forget about singing．They suggested she think about another career．She took their words to heart．After all，why shouldn’t she believe the professionals?
But back at home in Nashville，her mother—a funny，happy，optimistic woman—wouldn’t let her feel depressed．Her father，a physician，encouraged her to achieve in schoo1．So she worked hard at everything and was accepted at Stanford University．
And at 1 9，she got a part in a low-budget movie called Freeway, which prepared for her role in the movie Pleasantville．But her big break came with Legally Blonde．
“If you can’t sing and you aren’t charming，play to your strengths．If you’re going to make it in this business，better focus on what you’re good at，”she told the interviewer later．
And then came the offer that took her back to her Nashville—playing the wife of a country star Johnny Cash，a singing role．
All of a sudden the old fears learned on that summer stage were back．She was so nervous on the stage．But she didn’t give up on the movie or herself．She spent 6 months taking singing lessons again．She learned to play the Autoharp．And the hard work built up her confidence．
Last March，Reese Witherspoon walked up on another stage，the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood，and accepted the Oscar as Best Actress for her heartbreaking，heartwarming singing role as June Carter Cash in Walk the Line．
1.Why was Reese Witherspoon sad that day?
A．The experts advised her to give up singing．
B．Dolly Parton told her to leave the stage．
C．The coaches described her as foolish．
D．The professionals considered her ignorant．
2.What can be inferred from Paragraph 4?
A．Reese was an optimistic girl．
B．Her parents supported her a lot．
C．Her parents were disappointed with her．
D．Reese blamed herself all day long．
3.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A．Reese’s mother was a physician．
B．Freeway was Reese’s big break．
C．Reese won the Oscar for Walk the Line．
D．New York was Reese’s home town．
4.How did Reese succeed in playing the singing role?
A．She did her best to make herself leggy and attractive．
B．She tried hard to forget about that summer stage．
C．She practised Autoharp lessons for more than 6 months．
D．She regained her confidence through hard work．
5.What can we learn from Reese’s experience?
A．Two heads are better than one．
B．When in Rome，do as the Romans do．
C．Where there is a will，there is a way．
D．Hope for the best，and prepare for the worst．
