When most of us hear the word chocolate, the verb that comes to mind is probably
题型：不详难度：来源：
When most of us hear the word chocolate, the verb that comes to mind is probably “eat”, not “drink”, and the most proper adjective would seem to be “sweet”. But for about 90 percent of chocolate’s long history, it was strictly a beverage (饮料), and sugar didn’t have anything to do with it.
The Origin of Chocolate
Many modern historians have estimated that chocolate has been around for about 2000 years, but recent research suggests that it may be even older.
In the book The True History of Chocolate, authors Sophie and Michael Coe prove that the earliest linguistic (语言学的) evidence of chocolate consumption dates back three or even four thousand years.
Valuable and Fashionable Chocolate Beverage
It’s hard to discover exactly when chocolate was born, but it’s clear that it was cherished from the start. For several centuries in pre-modern Latin America, cacao beans were considered valuable enough to use as currency. 100 beans could purchase a good turkey hen, according to a 16th-century Aztec document.
Sweetened chocolate didn’t appear until Europeans discovered the Americas and sampled (品尝) the native cuisine. Chocolate didn’t suit the foreigners’ taste at first — one described it in his writings as “a bitter drink for pigs” — but once mixed with honey or cane sugar, it quickly became popular throughout Spain. By the 17th century, chocolate was a fashionable drink throughout Europe, believed to have nutritious, medicinal functions. But it remained largely a privilege of the rich until the invention of the steam engine made mass production possible in the late 1700s.
The Birth of Solid Chocolate
In 1828, a Dutch chemist found a way to make powdered chocolate. His product became known as “Dutch cocoa”, and it soon led to the creation of solid chocolate. In 1847, Joseph Fry created the first modern chocolate bar. By 1868, a little company called Cadbury was marketing boxes of chocolate candies in England. Milk chocolate hit the market a few years later.
Prosperous Chocolate Industry
In America, chocolate was so valued during the Revolutionary War that it was used instead of wages. Even now, statistics show that the humble cacao bean is still a powerful economic force. Chocolate manufacturing is a more than 4-billion-dollar industry in the United States, and the average American eats at least half a pound of the stuff per month.
小题1:The earliest chocolate was most probably _________.| A．a dish | B．a drink | C．a bar | D．a candy |
小题2: It can be inferred from the passage that ________________.| A．the history of chocolate is at most 4,000 years. | | B．people around the world could buy things with chocolate. | | C．chocolate was well paid attention to since it was born. | | D．an American at least eats a pound of chocolate per month. |
小题3:Why did chocolate suit the Spanish’s taste so quickly? _________| A．Because chocolate was so tasty and bitter. | | B．Because chocolate was believed to be a source of nutrition. | | C．Because chocolate was sweetened with honey or cane sugar. | | D．Because chocolate became a fashionable beverage. |
小题4:Which one shows the correct order according to the time of their appearing? _________| A．chocolate beverage----chocolate bar----chocolate candies----milk chocolate | | B．chocolate bar----chocolate beverage----chocolate candies----milk chocolate | | C．chocolate bar ----chocolate candies ----milk chocolate ---- chocolate beverage | | D．chocolate beverage ----chocolate candies----chocolate bar---- milk chocolate |
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答案
小题1:B
小题2:C
小题3:C
小题4:A |
解析
试题分析：本文是说明文。讲述了巧克力的简单历史。
小题1:细节理解题。根据首段可知，人们普遍认为巧克力是用来吃的，而且是很甜的，然而巧克力在发展史上大部分时间是一种苦涩的饮料。故选B
小题2:推理判断题。根据第四段中的首句“…but it’s clear that it was cherished from the start”可知巧克力从诞生起就受到人们的珍爱。故选C
小题3:推理判断题。由第五段的第二句“…but once mixed with honey or cane sugar, it quickly became popular throughout Spain”可知巧克力饮料被混合蜂蜜或蔗糖变甜以后，就迅速受到西班牙人的欢迎。故选C
小题4:推理判断题。由文章叙述巧克力历史的过程可知巧克力饮料是最早的形式；再根据倒数第二段中三个事件发生的事情和最后一句可知A项是按时间顺序叙述巧克力的演变史。选A |
举一反三
Perfume (香水) has been in existence for a long time. These days, certain perfumes are considered comparable to great works of art. Here are a few of the most famous perfumes in history.
Chanel No.5
This perfume is probably the best-selling scent (气味) in the history of fragrance (香水). Created by Ernst Beaux for Coco Chanel in 1921, it has been described as “the world’s most legendary fragrance”, and remains the company’s most famous perfume.
Shalimar
Jacques Guerlain created this vanilla (香草) fragrance in 1925. The perfume takes its name from the Garden of Shalimar, which was built by Emperor Shah Jehan for one of his wives. It was an immediate hit in 1925 and is still extremely popular today.
Joy
Joy is famous for having been the most expensive perfume in the world at one point. It was created in 1930 by Henri Alméras for Jean Patou to lift the bad mood that had swept over the world after the 1929 stock market crash.
L’Air duTemps
Francis Farbon created Nina Ricci’s L’Air du Temps in 1948. The fragrance is known for its spicy (香的) carnation (康乃馨) and gardenia (栀子) scents as well as its beautiful crystal (水晶的) bottle (designed by Lalique).
Eternity
Calvin Klein’s second perfume was created by Sophia Grojsman in 1988. Known for its light, flowery scent, the perfume was listed in the Fragrance Hall of Fame in 2003. It is recommended for daytime wear.
Angel
This wildly popular perfume was created in 1992 by Olivier Cresp for Thierry Mugler. The perfume was an instant success. The perfume has often been described as “delicious”, owing to its chocolatey (巧克力味的) scent. The perfume comes in beautiful star-shaped bottles. Angel perfume also comes in several bath and body products.
小题1:Who created Joy?| A．Henri Alméras. | B．Jean Patou. | | C．Sophia Grojsman. | D．Jacques Guerlain. |
小题2:Which of the following perfumes is known for its wonderful crystal bottle?| A．Shalimar. | B．Chanel No. 5 | C．L’Air du Temps. | D．Eternity. |
小题3:The Angel perfume has been described as delicious because of __________. | A．its spicy scent | B．its special bottle design | | C．its vanilla scent | D．its chocolatey scent |
小题4:Which of the following statements is TRUE?| A．Emperor Shah Jehan created the Shalimar perfume for one of his wives. | | B．Joy was created to cheer people up after the stock market crash. | | C．Lalique created Nina Ricci’s L’Air du Temps in 1948. | | D．Eternity was listed into the Fragrance Hall of Fame in 1988. |
小题5:Where can you probably see this article?| A．In a textbook. | B．In the newspaper. | | C．In a travel magazine. | D．In a fashion magazine. |
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President Abraham Lincoln’s first call for volunteers to fight in the Civil War was for whites only.The Civil War was a white man’s war，northern whites insisted.Its purpose was to preserve the Union.It was not being fought to end slavery.But by September of 1862，the sentiment toward black volunteers had changed.Lincoln had hoped that the war would be short，but it had already lasted for a year and a half.Union manpower had fallen dangerously.
Lincoln had a plan.He issued the Emancipation Proclamation.It stated that as of January 1,1863，all slaves living in the rebellious southern states would be forever free.And starting immediately，Union armies would accept black volunteers.
The southern rebels’response to Lincoln’s call for black troops was a deadly one.Captives (俘虏) of any Union regiment (团) with black troops were to be given “no quarter”．They were to be put to death immediately.
AfricanAmerican troops throughout the war distinguished themselves (表现突出) in battle at places like Milliken’s Bend，Fort Wagner，and the Crater at St.Petersburg.As to their conduct on the battlefield，Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson wrote，“Nobody knows anything about these men who has not seen them in battle.No officer in this regiment now doubts that the successful process of the war lies in the unlimited employment of black troops.” By the war’s end,186,000 black men had participated.They made up nearly 10 percent of Union forces.These black soldiers saw action in more than 250 battles.Black soldiers also gave their lives.By the war’s end，about 38,000 black soldiers had died.They died from disease，in battle，and after capture by rebel troops.
小题1:This passage is mainly about________.| A．cause of the Civil War | | B．the Emancipation Proclamation | | C．black soldiers in the Civil War | | D．why Lincoln was a good president |
小题2:What does the underlined word “sentiment” in the first paragraph mean?| A．Whites. | | B．People who keep watch. | | C．Rebels. | | D．Thought and feeling. |
小题3:What can we conclude from the passage?| A．Lincoln acted too late to free the slaves. | | B．Blacks fought well for the Union cause. | | C．The Civil War changed American history. | | D．The southern rebels nearly won the Civil War. |
小题4:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?| A．The Civil War’s purpose was to drive the black away. | | B．The Civil War ended just in one year with the help of the blacks. | | C．All slaves were set free by September of 1862. | | D．Black captives of any Union regiment were killed after Lincoln’s call. |
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While we are on the subject of crime, our listener question this week comes from Mohamad Firouzi in Iran. He wants to know about the history of Alcatraz Island and the prison that once operated there.
Alcatraz Island is in the harbor of San Francisco, California. It is best known for being a federal prison, which was also called “The Rock.” It was once the most famous prison in America.
Alcatraz was a military prison from the late eighteen fifties until the nineteen thirties. Then it became a federal prison for the country’s worst criminals. These included murderers, bank robbers and kidnappers. One of the main reasons federal officials chose Alcatraz Island to detain these prisoners was because they thought it would be impossible for prisoners to escape.
Cold, deep and dangerous waters surround the island. Also, the distance between the island and San Francisco is too far for most humans to swim. No prisoner was ever officially reported to have successfully escaped.
However, in nineteen sixty-two, three men broke out of the prison. Each man worked very hard at night for many months to cut through the stone wall of his cell. They made false heads out of paper, paint and hair. On the night of June eleventh, the men placed the heads in their beds to make it look as if they were sleeping. Then, the prisoners escaped through the holes in their cells to get to the water. The men were never seen or heard from again. It is believed that they drowned while trying to swim to San Francisco.
The prison closed in nineteen sixty-three because of the high cost of keeping prisoners there and the need for major repairs. The last prisoners were moved to other jails.
In nineteen seventy-two, the United States Congress passed a bill creating the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Alcatraz Island and the old prison are part of this area.
Each year, more than one million people visit Alcatraz to see the prisoners’ cells and listen to stories about the jail’s history. But unlike the prisoners who once lived there, visitors can escape from the prison whenever they want and return back across the harbor to San Francisco.
小题1:The text mainly tells us________.| A．about the history of Alcatraz Island and the prison there. | | B．about the history of Alcatraz Island. | | C．about a military prison. | | D．about the subject of crime. |
小题2:Why did federal officials make Alcatraz the most famous prison in America?| A．Because no prisoner successfully escaped from the prison. | | B．Because Alcatraz was Alcatraz Island. | | C．Because Alcatraz was a military prison. | | D．Because cold, deep and dangerous waters surround the island. |
小题3:Paragraph 5 is written to ________.| A．tell us the three prisoners escaped the prison. | | B．prove prisoners couldn’t successfully escape from the prison . | | C．tell us how prisoners escaped the prison. | | D．tell us the three prisoners could make false heads out of paper, paint and hair. |
小题4:Now Alcatraz ________.| A．is a place of interest . | | B．detains some prisoners. | | C．is where the United States Congress is. | | D．is still the most famous prison. |
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Who give us life, raise us and are our constant support and wellwishers？Our mothers. That’s why millions of people across the world take Mother’s Day as an opportunity to express thanks and send best wishes to their moms.
However, the celebration of Mother’s Day is not the recent thing that many believe it to be. It was the ancient Greeks who started the tradition by celebrating their annual spring festival in honor of Rhea, the mother of many gods and goddesses.
Later, in the 1600s, Mothering Sunday came to be celebrated in England. On the fourth Sunday of Lent (大斋期), children brought flowers and special fruitcakes to show their respect for their mothers. It may be the root of the modern Mother’s Day.
Thanks to the great efforts of Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis, Mother’s Day became an official festival in the US. It is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Later, many countries began to celebrate this day as Mother’s Day.
Today, Mother’s Day is an international festival honoring mothers. It is celebrated all over the world in different ways. In Western countries，the most common way is to treat mothers with breakfast in bed .Kids often allow their mothers to sleep till late in the morning while they prepare her favorite breakfast with their fathers. Some also make handmade gifts or buy beautiful carnations (康乃馨). It is the day when you acknowledge your mothers contribution in your life and pay a tribute (礼品) to her, often with flowers and gifts. It complements Father’s Day, the celebration honoring fathers.
Today, Mother’s Day is a day celebrated on various days in many places around the world.
小题1:Why do people across the world celebrate Mother’s Day?| A．Because they want to express thanks and send best wishes to their mothers. | | B．Because they want to express thanks and send best wishes to Rhea. | | C．Because Mother’s Day is an official festival in the US. | | D．Because Mother’s Day is an international festival. |
小题2:The modern Mother’s Day came from________.| A．Greece | B．China | C．America | D．England |
小题3:From the passage we can learn that________.| A．Rhea is the mother of many gods and goddesses of England | | B．many people wrongly believe Mother’s Day has a short history | | C．in America Mother’s day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent | | D．on Mother’s day fathers have to get up early to prepare breakfast |
小题4:The passage mainly wants to tell us________.| A．how to celebrate Mother’s day | | B．what to do on Mother’s day | | C．the historical change of Mother’s day | | D．the meaning of Mother’s day |
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Do you read newspapers in modern times while we have TV and other media? The first newspaper was written by hand and put up on walls in public places. The earliest daily newspaper was started in Rome in 59 BC. In the 700s the world’s first printed newspaper was published. Europe didn’t have a regularly published newspaper until 1609, when one was started in Germany.
The first regularly published newspaper in English was printed in Amsterdam in 1620. In 1621, an English newspaper was started in London and was published once a week. The first daily English newspaper was Daily Current, which came out in March 1702.
In 1690, Benjamin Harris printed the first American newspaper in Boston. But not long after it was first published, the government stopped the paper. In 1704, John Campbell started Boston Newspaper, the first newspaper published daily in the American Colonies. By 1760, the colonies had had more than thirty daily newspapers. There are now about 1,800 daily papers in the United States.
Today, as a group, English language newspapers have the largest circulation in the world. But the largest circulation for a newspaper is that of the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun. It sells more than eleven million copies every year.
小题1:The first regularly printed European newspaper was started ______.| A．in Rome in 59 BC | B．in Germany in 1609 | | C．in Amsterdam in 1620 | D．in England in 1621 |
小题2:The first daily English newspaper was started in _______.| A．1702 | B．1760 | C．1620 | D．1621 |
小题3:What can we learn from the passage_______?
A. The earliest daily printed newspaper was started in Rome in 59 BC.
B. The first regularly published English newspaper was printed in Boston.
C. The first daily English newspaper was printed in the American Colonies.
D. The first American newspaper was stopped before 1704.
小题4:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage_______?
A. Newspapers have the longest history in the United States.
B. One English language newspaper has the largest circulation in the world.
C. The first English newspaper was printed in Rome in 59 BC.
D. There are all kinds of newspapers all over the world today.
小题5:What is the best title of the passage_______?| A．History of newspapers. | | B．History of daily newspapers. | | C．The beginning of daily newspapers. | | D．The beginning of newspapers. |
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