Have you ever been to the beautiful country of Holland and its capital Amsterdam? Anyone who has
traveled to Amsterdam would probably agree on one thing: Amsterdam’s story is a tale of two cities - one during the day and a completely different one at night.
During the day, this largest city in the Netherlands sits quietly on the Amstel River. You can rent a
bicycle, visit the Van Gogh or Anne Frank museum, or take a water taxi. But when the sun goes down, the partying begins. In the big clubs and in the coffee shops, tourists gather to talk politics and smoke.
Several areas of the city clearly show the two worlds that rule Amsterdam. And they’re all within a
short cab ride of each other. For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open
markets, concerts and other events. Several beautiful and very popular hotels can be found there. And
there’s the Royal Palace and the Magna Plaza shopping mall.
But at night party-seekers come to the square. Hip hop or funk music (疯狂音乐) is heard there. So if you come, be ready to dance. The clubs don’t shut down until 4 am.
And while you’re there, check out the various inexpensive ways to tour the city. Don’t worry about getting lost. Although Dutch is the official language, most people in Amsterdam speak English and are happy
to help you with directions. And you’ll notice that half the people walking around in the streets are on
bicycles they rent.
Amsterdam also has a well-planned canal system. For about 10 dollars, you can use the canal bus or
a water taxi to cruise (巡游) the “Venice of the North”.
The city has a historic past. One impressive (印象深刻的) place to visit is the Anne Frank House on Nine Street. It was there that the young Jewish girl wrote her famous diary during World War II. Visitors
can view Anne’s original diary and climb behind the bookcase to the room where she and her family hid
from the Nazis for two years.
1. What means of transport is not available to visitors in Amsterdam?
A. A carriage.
B. A bicycle.
C. A canal bus.
D. A water taxi.
2. When getting lost, a visitor can ask natives for directions in _______.
A. only Dutch
B. Dutch or English
C. only English
D. Chinese and English
3. What can you learn about by visiting the Anne Frank House?
A. The wonderful past of Amsterdam
B. The experience of a beautiful girl survivor.
C. The life of Jewish during World WarⅡ
D. The suffering of the Dutch in wars.
4. The passage is intended to _______.
A. call up people’s memories of World WarⅡ
B. tell readers what A Tale of Two Cities is about
C. instruct visitors what to do and see in Holland
D. offer readers some information about Amsterdam
5. This passage is most likely taken from _______.
A. a personal diary
B. a test paper
C. a travel journey
D. a history book
( )1. A. None ( )2. A. different ( )3. A. world ( )4. A. In fact ( )5. A. both ( )6. A. how ( )7. A. thinks ( )8. A. just ( )9. A. If ( )10. A. at last ( )11. A. no ( )12. A. with ( )13. A. work ( )14. A. help ( )15. A. advised ( )16. A. reason ( )17. A. can ( )18. A. fed ( )19. A. on ( )20. A. sent | B. Few B. safe B. family B. In all B. between B. what B. imagines B. such B. Even if B. at most B. any B. for B. live B. hope B. forbidden B. fact B. may B. devoted B. as B. seldom | C. Most C. fair C. town C. In the end C. from C. which C. improves C. the same C. Unless C. at least C. all C. by C. spend C. attention C. able C. question C. must C. sent C. with C. hardly | D. Every one D. equal D. country D. In the past D. about D. those D. proves D. so D. When D. at once D. many D. from D. need D. money D. free D. problem D. should D. fit D. for D. surely |
阅读理解 | |||
People travel for a lot of reasons. Some travelers go to see places of a long history. Others are looking for cultures, or just want to have their pictures taken in front of famous places. Most European travelers are looking for a sunny beach to lie on. Northern Europeans like to pay a lot of money for the sun because they have so little of it. People of cities like London, Copenhagen and Amsterdam spend much of their winter in the dark because the days are so short, and much of the rest of the year in the rain. This is the reason why the sea attracts them. Every summer many people travel to Mediterranean resorts(度假胜地) and beaches for their vacation. They all come for the same reason: the sun. The large crowds mean lots of money for the countries along the sea. Italy"s hotels are all booked without a break every summer, and also French beaches, Spain"s coastline. The Mediterranean is becoming one of the most polluted seas on earth. But people do not mind much. They don"t go there for clean water and they allow traffic jams and seem to like crowded beaches. No matter how dirty the water is, the coastline still looks beautiful. If the sun shines, it is much better than sitting in the cold rain in those big cities. | |||
1.The writer suggests Europeans travel mostly for the reason that _____. | |||
A. they take interest in different cultural and social customs B. they prefer to take pictures before famous places C. they wish to be away from cold, dark and rainy days D. they want to see places of interest | |||
2. In the second paragraph, the underlined word "attract" most probably means _____. | |||
A. upset B. concern C. trouble D. interest | |||
3. The country to which lots of foreigners travel can _____ . | |||
A. get a lot of moneyB. have more sunshine C. have more beachesD. have dirty water | |||
4. Which of the following might damage travelers" fun at the beaches? | |||
A. Crowded beaches B. Rainy weather C. Traffic jams D. Polluted water | |||
阅读理解 | |||
Harvard University named historian Drew Gilpin Faust as its first female president on Sunday, ending a lengthy and secretive search to find a successor(接任者)to Lawrence Summers . The seven-member Harvard Corporation elected Faust, a noted scholar on History of the American South and dean of Harvard"s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, as the university"s 28th president. "This is a great day, and a historic day for Harvard." James R. Houghton, chairman of the presidential search committee, said in a statement. "Drew Faust is an inspiring and accomplished leader, a superb scholar, a dedicated(献身的) teacher, and a wonderful human being." Her selection is noteworthy given the heated debates over Summers" comments that genetic differences between the sexes might help explain the lack of women in top science jobs. Faust has been dean of Radcliffe since 2001, two years after the former women"s college was combined into the university as a research center with a mission to study gender issues(性别问题). Some professors have quietly groused that the 371-year-old university is appointing a fifth president who is not a scientist. No scientist has had the top job since James Bryant Conant retired in 1953; its last four have come from the fields of classics, law, literature and economics. Faust is the first Harvard president who did not receive a degree from the university since Charles Chauncy, a graduate of Cambridge University, who died in office in 1762. She attended the University of Pennsylvania. "Teaching staff turned to her constantly," said Sheldon Hackney, a former president of the University of Pennsylvania and historian who worked closely with Faust. "She"s very clear. She has a sense of humor, but she"s very strong-minded. You come to trust in her because she"s so solid." 1. Which might be the best title for the passage? A. Harvard named its 1st female president. B. History of Harvard University changed. C. Debates on female equality ended. D. Drew Gilpin Faust, a famous woman historian. 2. Lawrence Summers held the view that ________. A. women cannot achieve as much as men in management B. women cannot hold important positions in society C. women can match men in science jobs D. few women make top scientists owing to genes 3. The underlined word "groused" in the 6th paragraph means ________. A. approved B. commented C. complained D. indicated 4. This passage probably appears in a ________. A. biography B. personal letter C. research paper D. newspaper |