| ( )1. A. missed ( )2. A. when ( )3. A. friendless ( )4. A fetched ( )5. A. hope ( )6. A. tale ( )7. A. large ( )8. A. surprised ( )9. A. Therefore ( )10. A. talked about ( )11. A. much ( )12. A. beyond ( )13. A. argument ( )14. A. study ( )15. A. provide ( )16. A. trouble ( )17. A. perform ( )18. A. means ( )19. A. needs ( )20. A. that | B. lost B. while B. worthless B. allowed B. promise B. agreement B. small B. annoyed B. Besides B. cared about B. many B. over B. skill B. design B. retell B. gift B. write B. ends B. activities B. what | C. forgot C. how C. penniless C. expected C. suggestion C. arrangement C. new C. disappointed C. Instead C. wrote about C. little C. behind C. interest C. committee C. support C. fact C. hear C. begins C. judgments C. which | D. ignored D. why D. homeless D. took D. belief D. report D. grand D. worried D. Otherwise D. heard about D. few D. through D. anxiety D. staff D. refuse D. trick D. question D. proves D. habits D. whom |
| 阅读理解。 | |||
| New archaeological discovers suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk Road probably began in some form many countries earlier than once thought. The findings, coupled with a widening range of scientific and historical research could add a fascinating new page to the epic of the Silk Road. The latest and most surprising discovery is pieces of silk found in the hair of and Egyptian mummy from about 1000 BC, long before regular traffic on the Silk Road and at least one thousand years before silk was previously thought to be used in Egypt. Other research may extend human activity along this route back even further, perhaps a million years to the migration of human ancestors into eastern Asia. The official origin of East-West commerce along the road is usually placed in the late 2nd century BC which was the agent of the Chinese Emperor Wu-di returned from a dangerous secret mission (使命) across the desert into the remote high country of Central Asia. The agent, Zhang Qian, travelled as far as Afghanistan back knowledge of even more distant lands such as Persia, Syria and a place known as Lijien, perhaps Rome. Historians have called this one of the most important journeys in ancient times. His journey opened the way for what have been thought to be the first indirect contacts between the ancient world"s two superpowers, China and Rome. Chinese silk, first traded to central Asian tribes for war horses and to the Parthians of old Persia in exchange for acrobats and ostrich eggs, was soon finding its way through a network of merchants to the luxury markets in Rome. But the new discoveries show that Chinese silk was apparently present in the West long before the Han emperor started organized trade over the Silk Road. The research could change thinking about the early history of world trade and provide insights into the mystery of just how and when Europe and the Mediterranean lands first became aware of the glorious culture at the other end of Eurasia. | |||
| 1. The word "coupled" in the first paragraph could best be replaced by _____. | |||
| A. produced B. contributed C. doubled D. combined | |||
| 2. The silk thread found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy suggests that _____. | |||
| A. Egyptians had probably travelled to China to buy silk B. trade along the Silk Road began earlier than once thought C. historical research often achieves fascinating results D. new light can now be thrown on ancient trading practices | |||
| 3. Until recently most historians believed that trade along the Silk Road _____. | |||
| A. originated in the 2nd century BC B. extended human migration into eastern Asia C. began a million years ago D. primarily benefited the Egyptians | |||
| 4. Historians have always considered Zhang Qian"s mission important because they believe _____. | |||
| A. be brought back knowledge of Rome to the emperor B. be discovered the Silk Road C. be helped establish East-West trade D. be travelled as far as Afghanistan | |||
| 阅读理解。 | |||
| It is true that good writers rewrite and rewrite and then rewrite some more. But in order to work up the desire to rewrite, it is important to learn to like what you write at the early stage. I am surprised at the number of famous writers I know who say that they so dislike reading their own writing later that they even hate to look over the publishers" opinions. One reason we may dislike reading our own work is that we"re often disappointed that the rich ideas in our minds seem very thin and plain when first written down. Jerry Fodor and Steven Pinker suggest that this fact may be a result of how our minds work. Different from popular belief, we do not usually think in the works and sentences of ordinary language but in symbols for ideas (known as "mentalese"), and writing our ideas down is an act of translation from that symbolic language. But while mentalese contains our thoughts in the form of a complex tapestry (织锦), writing can only be composed one thread at a time. Therefore it should not be surprising that our first attempt at expressing ideas should look so simple. It is only by repeatedly rewriting that we produces new threads and connect them to get closer to the ideas formed in our minds. When people write as if some strict critics (批评家) are looking over their shoulder, they are so worried about what this critic might say that they get stuck before they even start. Peter Elbow makes an excellent suggestion to deal with this problem. When writing we should have two different minds. At the first stage, we should see every idea, as well as the words we use to express it, as wonderful and worth putting down. It is only during rewrites that we should examine what we excitedly wrote in the first stage and check for weaknesses. | |||
| 1. What do we learn from the text about those famous writers? | |||
| A. They often regret writing poor works. B. Some of them write surprisingly much. C. Many of them hate reading their own works. D. They are happy to review the publishers" opinions. | |||
| 2. What do people generally believe about the way human minds work? | |||
| A. People think in words and sentences. B. Human ideas are translated into symbols. C. People think by connecting threads of ideas. D. Human thoughts are expressed through pictures. | |||
| 3. What can we conclude from the text? | |||
| A. Most people believe we think in symbols. B. Loving our own writing is scientifically reasonable. C. The writers and critics can never reach an agreement. D. Thinking and writing are different stages of mind at work. | |||
| 阅读理解。 | |||
| Since 1984, Philadelphia has been cleaning up its act. One by one, graffiti-covered walls are being changed into outdoor art. So far, more than 1,800 murals (壁画) have been painted. Philadelphia now has more murals than any other American city. The walls that were once ugly with graffiti (涂鸦) are now covered with beautiful pictures of historical heroes and modern art, thanks to the Mural Arts Program (MAP). Its work makes schools and public places attractive, and its citizens very proud. The program began as part of Philadelphia"s Anti-Graffiti Network. Jane Golden is the MAP"s artistic director. "When people ask me what our program is about," she says, "I answer them with one word: hope." Each year, the MAP offers youth art programs and workshops. Some one-time graffiti writers even help paint MAP murals. The MAP"s work, says Golden, is all about developing a sense of community (社区). When a neighborhood requests a mural, the MAP works with the people there to develop a message. Some messages have been "Safe Streets," "Love and Care," and "Peace Walk." The MAP receives up to 50 requests for murals each week. Last year, the workers painted 140 murals. "The making of a mural enters people"s collective memory as an extraordinary, pleasant moment in neighborhood history" says Golden, who began as a muralist in Los Angeles. | |||
| 1. What can be the best title for the text? | |||
| A. Love, from Graffiti Writers to Muralists B. MAP, a New Company in Philadelphia C. Jane, an Excellent Mural Artist D. Hope, One Wall at a Time | |||
| 2. What is the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia aimed at? | |||
| A. Helping the young find jobs. B. Protecting the neighborhood. C. Fighting against graffiti. D. Attracting more visitors. | |||
| 3. How does the MAP decide on the message for a mural? | |||
| A. By having discussions with people in the community. B. By seeking advice from the city government. C. By learning from the young graffiti writers. D. By studying the history of the city. | |||
| 4. Which of the following words best describes the work of the MAP? | |||
| A. Difficult. B. Dangerous. C. Experimental. D. Successful. |