The United States of America is the most culturally diverse(多样化) country in the world in terms of culture religion, ethnicity(种族) and sexual orientation. As a combination of various races and cultures, America is home to all. The culture here is so unique that citizens can be just as proud of their original cultural heritage(遗产) as they are to be American.
What is now the US was initially inhabited(居住) by native people until the land was settled by various European groups and African slaves. Since the 20th century, the country has become a heaven for people from all over the globe(全球).
The arrival of immigrants(移民) has shifted populations from rural(农村的) areas into cities because immigrants tend to settle in urban areas. At present, 81 percent of the inhabitants in the US live in cities.
Cultural and ethnic diversity adds a unique flavor to cities that is expressed through distinct(独特的) neighborhoods, restaurants, places of worship, museums, nightlife and multicultural learning environments.
Unique musical forms, such as jazz, rock and roll, Chicano music, and the blues, grow in the US by mixing a variety of culturally distinct musical traditions to create a new form.
At the executive (行政的) level, the country is headed by a mixedrace president; two posts(职位) on the Supreme Court are held by members of the country's two largest minorities.There is also diversity in state and local governments.
Without its rich mixture of races and cultures, America would not be the nation that it is today. Founded upon the basis of equality and freedom, America acts as a stage where different cultures not only coexist peacefully, but develop well.
1.According to the passage, America is a country________.
A．that welcomes people from all over the world
B．where citizens take more pride in their original culture
C．that is mostly settled by Europeans and Africans
D．where 81% of the population are immigrants
2.Where did most people live before many immigrants came to America?
A．In the urban areas. B．In the rural areas.
C．In the southern part of America. D．In the northern part of America.
3.We can learn from the sixth paragraph that________.
A．diversity(多样化) has existed in America in almost every aspect(方面)
B．most posts in American state governments are held by mixedrace people
C．equality and freedom make America a fair country
D．diversity has greatly affected the American political field
4.What's the best title for this passage?
A．The effects of culture and diversity on America.
B．The influence of globalization on America.
C．The political development of America.
D．The bright future of America.
5.We would most probably read this passage in a book about________.
A．science B．history C．culture D．amusement
Tabb doesn't look like a typical music teacher. But every weekday evening in the French Quarter New Orleans, he beats out the rhythm on his music stand as students play their chosen instruments.
“I'm doing my best to take young people away from harmful things,” said Tabb. His program, "The Roots of Music”, offers free music education to more than 100 students. He struggles to keep young people on the straight and narrow in the city with the nation's highest murder rate(凶杀率).
Tabb chose to target 9to14yearolds with his program. “That's a very important time in your life,” he said. “If I catch them then, I can hold onto them for at least four or five years and guide them the way that will lead them to success.”
Students meet from 4 pm to 7 pm every weekday, all year round. They work with tutors(助教) on schoolwork, practice their music and eat a hot meal before heading home. With the money provided by some people, Tabb's group is able to provide bus transportation, instruments and food for free. He calls it his “no excuse” policy. “You have no excuse why you're not here,” Tabb said. Tabb owes the success in part to the nature of music. “You're always learning something new,”he said. “That's what keeps the kids coming back every day.”
But the program isn't only about fun. “Music is about discipline (纪律),”said Tabb. He insists on good behavior and keeps kids in order with threats of situps(仰卧起坐), pushups(俯卧撑) or tasks like picking up grains of rice — but these measures aren't just punishment. Tabb wants young people to realize that music can help them build a better future. “I don't say that I'm saving lives,” he said. “I say I'm giving life — a whole different life of music.”
1.The underlined phrase "keep young people on the straight and narrow” may mean ________.
A．keep young people standing straight
B．keep young people on the correct life track(道路)
C．keep young people busy performing music
D．keep young people away from the dangerous parts of the city
2.Which of the following kids may NOT be included in Tabb's program “ The Roots of Music”？
A．Jack, 8 years old. B．Tom, 9 years old.
C．John, 11 years old. D．Linda, 13 years old.
3.What attracts children to join in the program to learn music?
A．The free food and transportation. B．The famous music teacher.
C．The chance to learn new things. D．The strict discipline rules.
4.By saying “music is about discipline”, Tabb means ________.
A．keeping discipline is more important than learning music
B．obeying(遵守) rules is important in playing music well
C．music is also connected with kids' grades
D．kids can learn how to behave through music
5.What is the main idea of this passage?
A．Tabb's program offers young people help.
B．Kids improve grades through music learning.
C．Tabb offers kids free food to learn music.
D．Tabb performs music for street children.
Arthur Miller was born on October 17th, 1915 and died on February 10th, 2005.Over the course of seven decades(十年) of literature career(文学生涯), Arthur Miller created some of the most memorable stage plays(舞台剧) in American Literature. He is the author of DeathofaSalesmanandTheCrucible. Born and raised in Manhattan, Miller went through the best and the worst of American society.
Arthur Miller's childhood：His father was a productive shopkeeper and clothing manufacturer(制造商) until the Great Depression(大萧条时期) dried up nearly all business opportunities.Yet, despite being faced with poverty, Miller made the best of his childhood. He was a very active young man, in love with such sports as football and baseball. When he wasn't playing outside, he enjoyed reading adventure stories. He was also kept busy by his many boyhood jobs. He often worked alongside his father. During other times in his life, he delivered bakery goods and worked as a clerk in a car parts warehouse.
College life: In 1934, Miller left the east coast to attend the University of Michigan. He was accepted into their school of journalism. His experiences during the Depression made him skeptical (怀疑的) about religion. Politically, he began leaning towards the "Left”.And since the theater was the cutting edge way for socioeconomic liberals (自由主义者) to express their views, he decided to enter the Hopwood Drama competition. His first play, NoVillain, received an award from the university.It was an impressive beginning for the young playwright; he had never studied plays or playwriting, and he had written his play in just five days!
Miller's later years: In 1987, his autobiography was published. Many of his later plays dealt with personal experience. In particular, his final play, FinishingthePicture mirrors the last days of his marriage to Marilyn Monroe.In 2005, Arthur Miller passed away at the age of 89.
1.What can we know about Arthur Miller from Paragraph 2?
A．He was born into a poor family.
B．His father wasn't good at business.
C．He couldn't adjust himself to poverty.
D．He had to do lots of jobs to make a living.
2.Arthur Miller began to write plays ________.
A．when he was in college
B．when he was a small boy
C．because his father encouraged him to do so
D．because it was one of his school assignments(作业)
3.We can infer from Paragraph 3 that ________.
A．the University of Michigan is on the east coast of the USA
B．Miller's university education made him doubt religion
C．Miller learned playwriting all by himself
D．socioeconomic liberals were probably not politically "left”
4.Which of the following plays tells the story of Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe?
A．Death of a Salesman.
B．The Crucible.
C．No Villain.
D．Finishing the Picture.
5.The passage is intended to________.
A．introduce Arthur Miller's plays
B．tell us about Arthur Miller's childhood
C．explain how Arthur Miller started to write plays
D．give us a brief introduction to Arthur Miller's life
阅读下面短文,按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求,在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空。
I enjoy doing physical training in my free time. Yesterday, when I was working out at a gym on my lunch hour, I saw 1. elderly lady there riding on a bike. She couldn't walk very well, 2. she had a cane (手杖) near her, but she was still there 3. (work) hard.
After I finished my exercising, I told her that I was going to wait for her 4. she got done and that I would walk her out to her car. It was a little far to her car and it was a 5. (fog) day yesterday in Missouri. I walked her to the car and opened the car door for her, 6. won me her big smile and gratitude.
I know 7. is a small thing, but I felt so good inside for helping her. 8. my help, she could have fallen so 9. (easy) out in the wet parking lot, and no one would have known she had fallen. I 10. (know) she needed my help, and her smile was enough to make my day.
Fiona Famous was a very popular girl at school. She felt 1 as no other girl had so many friends at school and in the neighborhood.
But everything 2 on National Friendship Day. On that day in class everyone had to make three presents to give to their three best friends. Fiona 3 the task of choosing three from all the dozens of her friends. However, she was the only one in her class who did not 4 a present! She felt terrible, and spent hours 5 . Everyone came and comforted her for a while.But each one only stayed for a short time before leaving.This was 6 what Fiona had done so many times to others.
She 7 that she was a good companion and acquaintance (泛泛之交), but she had not been a true friend to anyone. She had tried to be close to everyone, but now she found that was not enough to create 8 friendships.
When she got home that night, Fiona told her mother about the whole thing. Her mother said, "You can't be a close friend to everybody.It's only 9 to have a few true friends.The others will just be playmates or acquaintances.”
Hearing this, Fiona decided to change her way so that she could finally have some true friends. That night, in 10 , she thought about what she could do to get them. She thought about her mother. Her mother was always willing to 11 her, she put up with all of Fiona's dislikes and 12 , she always forgave her, she loved her a great deal ... That was what makes a 13 ！
And Fiona 14 , realizing that she already had the best friend that anyone could 15 .She fell asleep and had a good dream.
1. A．tired B．lucky C．strange D．surprised
2. A．mattered B．developed C．changed D．appeared
3. A．enjoyed B．improved C．failed D．ruined
4. A．receive B．show C．complete D．make
5. A．remaking B．thinking C．crying D．checking
6. A．especially B．gradually C．briefly D．exactly
7. A．forgot B．realized C．doubted D．complained
8. A．new B．true C．long D．smart
9. A．possible B．fair C．important D．natural
10. A．chair B．bed C．school D．table
11. A．correct B．follow C．help D．find
12. A．dreams B．ideas C．stories D．problems
13. A．playmate B．parent C．friend D．mother
14. A．smiled B．suffered C．screamed D．hesitated(犹豫)
15. A．compare B．protect C．remember D．want
读写任务（共1小题；满分25分）
阅读下面的短文，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。
Nowadays, we live in a global village, and many difficulties will arise if we can’t express ourselves fluently in English.
In spite of my awareness of its importance, I seldom find chances to practice and improve my oral English. So, I am still very weak with regard to this respect（方面）. One reason is that my pronunciation and intonation aren’t good enough. The other is that I am so shy that I am always too nervous to find other exact words to express my ideas and feelings. As a result the best way for me to do is to remain silent when others are practicing and making great progress in their oral English every day.
Now I am attaching much more importance to oral English and I have made up my mind to seize every opportunity to practice. I begin to participate in activities, such as going to “English Corners”, talking in English with my classmates and with native speakers. As the Chinese saying goes, “Nothing is difficult in the world if you really put your heart into it.” If I can build up my confidence, if I am not afraid of losing face any more, if I really work hard at it, I am sure my oral English will be excellent some day
【写作内容】
1.以约30个词概括短文的要点；
2.然后以约120个词写一篇英语短文谈谈广东高考英语口试对你口语练习造成的影响，并包括如下要点：
（1）你以前对英语口语的态度及原因；
（2）广东高考英语口试对你目前英语口语练习造成的某些影响；
（3）你的感想或期望。
【写作要求】
1. 作文中可使用自己的亲身经历或虚构的故事，也可以参照阅读材料的内容，但不得直接引用原文中的句子；标题自定。
2. 作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称。
