Old Cremona Violins
Most musicians(音樂家) agree that the best violins(小提琴) were first made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. These violins sound better than any others. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments(樂器) like the Italian violins. But they aren’t the same. Musicians still prefer the old ones.
Some people think it is the age of the violins. But not all old violins sound wonderful. Only the old violins from Cremona are special(特殊的). So age cannot be the answer.
Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood must be from certain kinds of trees.
But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape(形狀). The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians. Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood.
Size and shape may not be the answer, either. Scientists can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old ones. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish. Varnish is what covers the wood of the violin. It makes the wood look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. But no one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish.
【小題1】The passage is about          .

When I was a foreign teacher in China，every day I taught English to my students and they taught me about China．One day the topic turned to saying “I love you”．I was shocked to learn that not one of my students had said this to their mothers，nor had their mothers said it to them．“Does your mom love you?” “Of course，”they answered．
“How do you know it?” was my logical question．They responded that their moms cooked and always told them what they were doing wrong to show their caring．I was strummed. So mom's cooking and criticizing read out as “I love you”. “Then how do you say ‘I love you’ to her?” They agreed that getting good grades, followed by good jobs would be how they showed their love.
I come from a culture where most people are expressive enough，so I repeated these queries in classes over time．Gradually，I began to get different responses．Some of them had exchanged those sentiments with their moms．
One of my favorite stories of change came from a girl．When she came home from university，her mother met her at the door and hugged（擁抱）her．This had never happened before，but her mom said，“Now that you have gone I have more time to myself.”I noticed that in some places mothers and children hug each other and I decided it was a good idea and that I would begin hugging you．”
In my family we all say “I love you” a lot．While it is true that we often say the words without having great depth of feelings at that moment，and it is almost like a blessing we give each other. Those three little words carry a world of meaning，even when said as a greeting, but most especially if they are the last words we say to or hear from those we love．
【小題1】The foreign teacher _________．

As part of the first International Hot Spring Culture and Tourism Festival in Xianning, Hubei Province, Miss Friendship International 2009 was held in Wuhan, Hubei, China from 20th October 2009 to 9th November 2009 with 70 gorgeous contestants（佳麗） gathering from across the world.
The city is a popular travel spotlight, known for its hot springs and red tourism.
Beginning in 2005 in New York, Miss Friendship International is an international beauty contest, with the theme “beauty promotes（促進(jìn)） international friendship which leads to world peace.”
From 2:40pm to 3:42 pm on November 7th, 7 top hot spring hotels and scenic areas in Xianning, Hubei province began an activity called “Tens of thousands of people bath in the hot spring together”. 450 female university students from Xianning College formed the shape of the Arabic number“10000”in the big bath.
【小題1】Xianning 1st International Hotspring cultural and Tourism Festival ended ________.

There are many wetlands (濕地) in China and some of them have become the world‘s important wetlands. The Chinese Yellow Sea Wetlands are among them. They are in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province. They are home for many different kinds of birds and animals. The world’s largest Milu Deer Nature Reserve(自然保護(hù)區(qū)) is in them. More than 700 milu deer live freely there. There are not many red-crowned cranes in the world, but every winter you can see some in the Red-crowned Cranes Nature Reserve in the Yellow Sea Wetlands.
　　The temperature in the wetlands is usually neither too high nor too low. There is a lot of rain and sunshine, too. They are really good places for wildlife. Offering food and home for some special kinds of animals and birds is not the only reason why we need to protect wetlands. Wetlands are important because they also prevent flood. But some people want to change the wetlands to make more space for farms and buildings. This means there will be less and less space for wildlife.
　　Luckily, more and more people are beginning to realize the important of wetlands and wildlife. Every year, on February 2^nd, many activities are held to tell people more about wetlands.
【小題1】The Chinese Yellow Sea Wetlands are in the _______ of China.

If the rose can be said to be a special flower, then the apple can be said to be a special fruit. It is very important in American culture. American stories speak of Johnny Appleseed, who went throughout America collecting apple seeds and planting apple trees. He had a great love for nature and went through fields and farms adding richness and beauty to the country.
One of the first sayings taught to school children is, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This short saying encourages children to eat fresh fruit to keep healthy. If someone always says good words to a person, people will call him an “apple polisher”. This, however, is not a good name. If someone is very dear to us, we say that he or she is the “apple of our eye”.
Most people believe that the fruit which Eve gave to Adam was an apple, even though the Bible(圣經(jīng)) never says so. The apple, therefore, is a deep part of the language and stories of America.
An apple is also delicious. Apples can be cooked in many ways, used as a dessert, and made into sweet juice.
In many parts of the country during the harvest season, a popular activity is to go into an apple garden to pick apples. Washington, D. C. and New York are both famous for their apples.
Finally, when it’s time to take a vacation to American cities, one can always visit New York, which is “the biggest apple” of all the American cities.
【小題1】What does the underlined phrase “apple polisher” mean?

People in different countries have different ways of doing things. Something that is polite in one country may be quite impolite in another. In Britain, you mustn’t lift your bowl to your mouth when you are having some liquid (液體) food. But it’s different in China. And in Japan you even needn’t worry about making noises when you have it. It shows that you are enjoying it. But it is regarded as bad manners in Britain. If you are a visitor in Mongolia, what manners do they wish you to have? They wish you to give a loud “burp”(打嗝) after you finish eating, Burping shows that you like the food.
In Britain, you should try not to put your hands on the table when you’re having a meal. In Mexico, however, guests are expected to keep their hands on the table during a meal. But in Arab countries you must be very careful with your hands. You mustn’t eat with your left hand. Arabs consider it very bad manners eating with left hands. So, what should you do if you are on a visit in another country? Well, just do in Rome as the Romans do. You can ask the native (本土的)people to help you or just watch carefully and follow them.
【小題1】 According to the passage, making noises when you have liquid food isn’t bad manners in        .

When you think of Beijing, the beautiful green waters and hills of Beihai Park and the grand and beautiful Forbidden City will come to your mind.
In recent years, groups of modern buildings and specially designed plazas have appeared on Beijing’s streets. Standing in the street, you can feel how Beijing has changed. But foreigners still like to go to the hutongs.
The word hutong comes from the Mongolian language. Hutongs come to Beijing more than 700 years ago. As time passed, the hutongs have remained, and have become an important part of the essence of Beijing.
Many foreigners, when they come to Beijing from their far countries, will go directly to visit the hutongs after setting down. They sit in the courtyards, chatting with the native Beijingers about neighbors and their life. It seems that through their chatting, they can find the true meaning of Chinese family life.
Waving good-bye, they have to leave the hutongs, and say goodbye to the families with whom they have chatted happily. But they don’t feel like leaving. The hutongs have brought great enjoyment to them.
Although every country has it own special cultural background, economic situation and level and feelings are similar. The hutong is a cultural symbol of this city. And the families of the hutongs are also unforgettable.
【小題1】What do we often think of when we talk about Beijing？
【小題2】Where do the foreigners still like to go although Beijing has changed a lot?
【小題3】What do we know from the third paragraph ?
【小題4】將文中劃線部分譯成漢語
【小題5】 The best title for the passage can be_______.

D
Do you know what a castle is? A castle is a building special to Europe. Castles were built in the Middle Ages by king and other powerful people who live in. Castles were used by people to protect themselves from their enemies. They are big buildings made form stone and wood.
Today there are still castles all over Europe. Some are in ruins(廢墟). But some built later are still in good repair and used even today. One example is Windsor Castle, which is a home to the British queen. It is in the country or Berkshire, not far from London.
Castles have walls around them. In the old days, soldiers would stand on the walls to guard the people in the castle. If enemies came they would shoot arrows(箭) and throw stones at them. Castles also had moats. A moat is a river around the wall that makes it difficult for enemies to get in. It could be either dry or filled with water.
Other people form younger countries love European castles. In the US there are rich people who have brought broken parts of castles to their country and rebuilt them. And some people build “replica” castles---modern copies of Castle.
You probably know the Disneyland Castle in California , US. But did you know it is based on a famous castle in Germany built by King Ludwig Ⅱof Bavaria?
【小題1】 Which of the following is TRUE about the castle?

The red phone box in Britain is a perfect example of the British traditional culture. However, with the fast development of mobile phones, it has lost its place in people’s everyday life. In order to save their loved red phone boxes, people have come up with many ideas, for example, to turn them into toilets or art houses. 
In a village in Somerset, a place in South West England, villagers have found a new way to save their red phone box. They turned it into a mini library to deal with the shortage of libraries in their area. The idea was given by a local villager, Janet Fisher, who lives opposite the phone box. Villagers got together to set up the book box. Over 100 books and a lot of movies and music CDs are available at this mini library. The books are of different kinds, including from cooking books to the classics and children’s books. People can put the books that they have read inside the phone box, and take away the books that they’d like to read. The books are always changing. There is a regular check on the books to keep the phone box collection fresh.
Anyone is free to come to read books there. The phone box library is open every day around the clock and is lit (the past form of “l(fā)ight”) at night.  “ It’s very pleasing that the red phone box has been saved. More importantly, it can continue providing a service for us,” said one of the villagers.
【小題1】The red phone box has been a symbol of _________.

Today, roller-skating is easy and fun. But a long time ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, no one had any ideas of roller-skating. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. He liked to make things and play the violin in his free time. Joseph Merlin was a man of ideas and dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin was invited to a party. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make an amazing entrance at the party. He had an idea. He thought everyone at the party would show much interest if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was proud of his invention and dreamed of arrived at the party on wheels while playing the violin.
On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room playing his violin. Everyone was surprised to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. He rolled on and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. The mirror fell down, breaking into pieces. Merlin’s idea was so good that nobody forgot his special entrance for a long time. But could he find out a way to stop his roller skates?
【小題1】People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he __________.