阅读理解。 Farmers grow cocoa trees in the shady areas of rainforests near the Ea

题型：0107 月考题难度：来源：

阅读理解。     Farmers grow cocoa trees in the shady areas of rainforests near the Earth"s equator. These trees can be
difficult to grow. They require an exact amount of water, warmth, soil and protection. After about five years,
cocoa trees start producing large fruits called pods. The seeds inside these pods are harvested to make
chocolate.
     Today we travel around the world exploring the history of chocolate. Its story begins with a plant whose
scientific name, The obroma cocoa, means "food of the gods". People have been enjoying the rich flavor of
chocolate, a product made from this plant.
     Most people know that chocolate is made from cocoa and that the origins of chocolate can be traced back
to Central and South America. For centuries, the natives there regarded cocoa as a gift from the gods. But how
did chocolate go from being the food of the gods to being the food of love?
     Historians believe the Maya of Central America first learned to farm cocoa plants around two thousand
years ago. The Maya took the cocoa trees from the rainforests and grew them in their gardens. They cooked
the cocoa seeds, and then crushed them into a soft substance. They used the cocoa bean as the main part in a
dark, bitter drink that we would call"chocolate". They believed that chocolate had mystical characteristics-but
cocoa also had commercial (商业的)value. In fact, cocoa beans were used as a form of currency that was
worth its weight in gold!
     The explorer Christopher Columbus brought cocoa seeds to Spain after his trip to Central America in 1502.
But the Spanish explorer Conquistador Hernando Cortez was the first European explorer to realize cocoa"s
commercial possibilities. When he arrived in the New World in 1519, he soon established his own cocoa
factory. In 1529, Cortez returned to Spain and introduced chocolate - as a drink mixed with sugar, vanilla, and
cinnamon-to European society.
     The wealthy people of Spain first enjoyed a sweetened type of the chocolate drink. Later, the popularity
of the drink spread throughout Europe. The English, Dutch and French began to plant cocoa trees in their own
countries. Chocolate remained a drink that only wealthy people could afford to drink until the eighteenth
century. During the period known as the Industrial Revolution, new technologies helped make chocolate less
costly to produce.
     It caught on-especially with the noble people, who enjoyed hot chocolate as an aphrodisiac (a kind of
medicine). As its popularity spread, people found new ways to make and use chocolate. These days, chocolate
is enjoyed as both a tasty treat and a romantic gift everywhere. 1. According to historians, cacao trees were first planted in _____. A. South America
B. Central America
C. Spain.
D. Africa 2. Cocoa trees are difficult to grow because they require these EXCEPT _____.

A. protection
B. warmth
C. soil of good quality
D. plenty of fertilizer

3. According to the passage, which one is NOT RIGHT? A. Christopher Columbus brought cacao seeds to Central America.
B. The wealthy people of Spain first didn"t enjoy a chocolate drink.
C. Chocolate is made from the branches of coco trees.
D. At first only wealthy people could afford to drink chocolate. 4. Which is the right order of the events according to when they happened?
① The English, Dutch and French began to plant cocoa trees in their own colonies.
② Christopher Columbus brought cocoa seeds to Spain.
③ Cortez set up his own cocoa plantation.
④ Cortez introduced chocolate to European society. A. ②③④①
B. ②③①④
C. ②④③①
D. ③②④①5. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage? A. History of chocolate, as rich as its taste.
B. Chocolate, food of the gods.
C. Value of chocolate, as costly as gold.
D. Chocolate, food of love.

答案

1-5: BDDAA

举一反三

阅读理解。     The writings of Shakespeare are today little read by young people in Britain. His young readership is limited
to those who choose to study literature at university.
     Shakespeare"s work, together with most other classics, is seen as remote, and written in a 400-year-old
version of English that is about as inviting as toothache.
     Still, in British schools, it is compulsory to study the bard (诗人), and when something is made compulsory,
usually the result is boredom, resentment (憎恨) or both.
     This was my experience of the classics at school. But when I reached my late teenage years, I had a change
of heart. Like every other young person since the dawn of time, the world confused me. I wanted answers, so
I turned to books to find them.
    I went on to take a PhD in literature and have taught it in Britain and China. I have never regretted it. There
is something in literature that people want, even if they don"t read books. You see this in the popularity of TV
and movie adaptations of great works, the recent film version of Jane Austen"s Pride and Prejudice being a case
in point. These popular adaptations may help increase people"s interest in the classics.
     Reading a simplified Romeo and Juliet may perhaps lead to a reading of Shakespeare play. If that is the case,
then I welcome the trend. But do not make the mistake of thinking that it is the same thing. Shakespeare is a
poet. His greatness is in his language. Reading someone else"s rewriting of his work is like peeling a banana,
throwing away the fruit, and eating the skin. Take on the original. It really is worth the effort. 1. Which of the following is true according to the passage? A. The language used in classics is no longer in use today.
B. British students usually find compulsory reading dull.
C. Only those studying literature read Shakespeare"s works.
D. For British people, Shakespeare"s works are no longer classics. 2. According to the passage, the writer _____. A. has liked literary classics since an early age
B. was forced to read the classics for a PhD
C. turned to literature to seek answers in his teens
D. thinks only people who read books like literature 3. The popularity of TV and movie adaptations of great works may help people _____. A. learn more about tradition
B. get a PhD in literature
C. seek their answers about the world
D. become more interested in the classics 4. What does the writer intend to tell us in the last paragraph? A. The fruit of a banana is more useful than its skin.
B. The rewriting trend does more harm than good.
C. Readers should try to read the original versions.
D. Readers need to learn the language in the classics.

题型：0108 月考题难度：| 查看答案

阅读理解。     For nine days in October, the New Mexico skies are painted as hundreds of balloons lift off from
Albuquerque"s Balloon Fiesta (or festival) Park. For ballooning fans worldwide, the Albuquerque International
Balloon Fiesta is a pilgrimage(朝圣). There"s something for everyone to enjoy-special shapes filled with equal
parts of hot air and wonder, and Balloon Glows that create a magical night landscape for spectators(or audience)to wander.
     The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a world-famous attraction and destination for kids of all ages. For more than three decades, the first week in October brings the smell of roasting chiles(辣椒) and the
beautiful, magical moving picture show of hot air balloons sailing silently through the crisp fall air.
     Guests from all over the world come to Albuquerque to celebrate ballooning. Literally hundreds of balloons
will be taking flight from the Balloon Fiesta Park this year.
     From its beginnings in 1972 with 13 balloons launching from a shopping mall parking lot, the Balloon Fiesta
has grown to various events launching year-round at the custom-designed, 365-acre Balloon Fiesta Park. Our
signature event remains Balloon Fiesta-which, with 700 balloons, is the largest ballooning event on earth, the
most photographed event on earth, and the largest yearly international event held in the United States.
     Imagine 54 football fields, all put together. That"s the size of Balloon Fiesta Park"s 78-acre launch field! And
at this Park"s "playing field", there are no losing teams and no viewing stands. Guests walk the field and are part
of the action....
     Balloon Fiesta Park is located north of Alameda Boulevard, one mile west of Interstate-25. 1. This text is mainly about ______. A. the fantastic scene of a balloon festival
B. the history of a balloon festival
C. where to enjoy the biggest balloon festival
D. what is a balloon festival 2. Which of the following is true according to the text?A. Balloon Fiesta has a history of 30 years.
B. Balloon Fiesta is only held in the daytime.
C. During Balloon Fiesta moving show or cartoons will be played.
D. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is held at the beginning of October. 3. The part omitted in Paragraph 5 is probably about ______. A. how the festival begins
B. when the Balloon Fiesta Park was built
C. the description of the busy festival scene
D. why so many visitors are present at the festival 4. This text comes most probably from ______. A. a news report
B. an advertisement
C. a diary
D. a guide"s explanation

题型：0108 月考题难度：| 查看答案

阅读理解。     Land Art, sometimes referred to as Earth Art or Earthworks, is a form of art which involves using physical
landscapes to create art, taking art out of the museum and into the outside world. Modern Land Art movement
really got going in the 1960s, when American artists began creating Land Art on a large scale (规模). Today,
works of modern Land Art can be seen all over the world, sometimes right alongside much older pieces of
Land Art created by people who lived thousands of years ago.
     Land art, which is not necessarily unchangeable, can take a number of forms. For example, in 1970 Robert
Smithson created the Spiral Jetty (螺旋码头), made of a collection of stones and mud, in the Great Salt Lake.
The American artist made a large jetty in a spiral shape which sticks out into the waters of the lake.
     Reshaping the landscape is a common characteristic of Land Art. It can be created by moving parts around. People can also add things to the environment to create Land Art, like salt, which is added to the Spiral Jetty. It
is possible to use plants. In all cases, Land Art is immovable.
     Land Art is designed to gradually form, change, and eventually decay (衰落). That"s one of the biggest
differences between Land Art and most of the art one sees in the museums. Some works of art can exist only
for a few hours or days. Others are exposed to rain and wind so that they develop and decay over time, which
is part of the attractiveness in the eyes of the artists. 1. From Paragraph 1, we can learn that _____. A. Land Art aims to get people interested in nature
B. American artists were the first to create Land Art
C. Land Art was the most popular art in the 1960s
D. people have been creating Land Art for thousands of years 2. All of the following are used to design the Spiral Jetty EXCEPT ______. A. plants
B. stones
C. salt
D. mud 3. Which of the following statements about Robert Smithson is TRUE?A. He made the most famous Land Art.
B. He is an American artist.
C. He is a pioneer in creating Land Art.
D. He lives near the Great Salt Lake. 4. Land Art is attractive to the artists partly because ______.A. it makes use of the landscape around
B. it offers the artists a chance to change nature
C. it will develop and be destroyed gradually by natural processes
D. it shows the extreme beauty of nature because artists use natural material

题型：吉林省期末题难度：| 查看答案

阅读理解。     Today anyone will accept money in exchange for goods and services. People use money to buy food,
furniture, books, bicycles and hundreds of other things they need or want. When they work, they usually get
paid in money.
     Most of the money today is made of metal or paper. But people used to use all kinds of things as money.
One of the first kinds of money was shells.
     Shells were not the only things used as money. In China, cloth and knives were used. In the Phillipine
Islands, rice was used as money for a long time. Elephant tusks, monkey tails and salt were used as money in
parts of Africa.
     The first metal coins were made in China. They were round and had a square hole in the centre. People
strung (串联) them together and carried them from place to place.
     Different countries have used different metals and designs for their money. The first coins in England
were made of tin (锡). Sweden and Russia used copper (铜) to make their money. Later some countries began
to make coins of gold and silver.
     But even gold and silver were inconvenient if you had to buy something expensive. Again the Chinese
thought of a way to improve money. They began to use paper money. The first paper money looked more like
note from one person to another than the paper money used today.
     Money has had an interesting history from the days of shell money until today. 1. In the Philippines Islands _____ was once used as money. A. rice
B. knife
C. cloth
D. wheat 2. What was the first used as money? A. Elephants tusks
B. Cloth
C. Salt
D. Shells3. The first metal coins looked like _____. A. square-shaped with some designs on them
B. square-shaped with a round hole in the center
C. round-shaped with a square hole in the middle
D. round-shaped with a round hole in the middle4. The first paper money ______. A. was passed from west Asia to China
B. looked like a note used today
C. was first used in Europe
D. looked like a piece of fur 5. We can infer from the passage that _____. A. paper money isn"t difficult to make
B. money must be suited to carry
C. people need money to exchange goods with each other
D. people prefer metal coins to paper notes

题型：吉林省期末题难度：| 查看答案

阅读理解。     The tradition of birthday parties started in Europe a long time ago. It was feared that evil spirits were
particularly attracted to people on their birthdays.   1 Giving gifts brought even more good cheer to keep
away from the evil spirits. This is how birthday parties began.
     The following are some countries" birthday traditions:
     Canada -Greasing the nose with butter. In Atlantic Canada, the birthday child"s nose is greased for good
luck. China -   2 .The birthday child pays respect to his/her parents and receives a gift of money. Friends
and relatives are invited to lunch and noodles are served to wish the birthday child a long life.
     England -Fortune telling cakes. Certain symbolic objects are mixed into the birthday cake as it is being
prepared.   3
     Italy-Pulling ears. The child"s ears are pulled as many times as how old they are turning.
     Japan-New clothes. The birthday child wears entirely new clothes mark the occasion.
     New Zealand-  4 .After the birthday cake is lit, the happy birthday song is sung loudly and often out of
tune and then the birthday person receives a clap for each year they have been alive and then one for good
luck. The
     United States-Cake, candles and song.   5   A. A cake is made, and candles are put on top based on how old the person is.
B. In China, on a child"s second birthday, family members put many things on the floor around the child.
C. If your piece of cake has a coin in it, then you will be rich.
D. To protect them from harm, friends and family would come to stay with the birthday person and bring
     good thoughts and wishes.
E. Noodles for lunch.
F. The tradition of birthday parties started a long time ago.
G. Birthday claps.

题型：山西省期末题难度：| 查看答案