【題目】The National Gallery

Description:

The National Gallery is the British national art museum built on the north side of Trafalgar Square in London. It houses a diverse collection of more than 2,300 examples of European art ranging from 13th-century religious paintings to more modern ones by Renoir and Van Gogh. The older collections of the gallery are reached through the main entrance while the more modern works in the East Wing are most easily reached from Trafalgar Square by a ground floor entrance

Layout:

The modern Sainsbury Wing on the western side of the building houses 13th- to 15th-century paintings, and artists include Duccio, Uccello, Van Eyck, Lippi, Mantegna, Botticelli and Memling.

The main West Wing houses 16th-century paintings, and artists include Leonardo da Vinci, Cranach, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bruegel, Bronzino, Titan and Veronese.

The North Wing houses 17th-century paintings, and artists include Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Van Dyck, Velazquez, Claude and Vermeer.

The East Wing houses 18th- to early 20th-century paintings, and artists include Canaletto, Goya, Turner, Constable, Renoir and Van Gogh.

Opening Hours:

The Gallery is open every day from 10am to 6pm (Fridays 10am to 9pm) and is free, but charges apply to some special exhibitions.

Getting There:

Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross (2-minute walk), Leicester Square (3-minute walk), Embankment (7-minute walk), and Piccadilly Circus (8-minute walk).

【1】 In which century’s collection can you see religious paintings?

A. The 13th. B. The 17th. C. The 18th. D. The 20th.

【2】 Where are Leonardo da Vinci’s works shown?

A. In the East Wing. B. In the main West Wing.

C. In the Sainsbury Wing. D. In the North Wing.

【3】Which underground station is closest to the National Gallery?

A. Piccadilly Circus. B. Leicester Square.

C. Embankment. D. Charing Cross.

【題目】Be careful what you say around your dog. It might understand more than you think.

A border collie named Rico recognizes the names of about 200 objects, say researchers in Germany. The dog also appears to be able to learn new words as easily as a 3-year-old child. Its word-learning skills are as good as those of a parrot or chimpanzee(黑猩猩).

In one experiment, the researchers took all 200 items that Rico is supposed to know and divided them into 20 groups of 10 objects. Then the owner told the dog to go and fetch one of the items and bring it back. In four tests, Rico got 37 out of 40 commands right. As the dog couldn’t see anyone to get clues, the scientists believe Rico must understand the meanings of certain words.

In another experiment, the scientists took one toy that Rico had never seen before and put it in a room with seven toys whose names the dog already knew. The owner then told Rico to fetch the object, using a word the dog had never heard before.

The correct object was chosen in seven out of l0 tests, suggesting that the dog had worked out the answer by process of elimination(排除法). A month later, Rico remembered half of the new names, which is even more impressive.

Rico is thought to be smarter than the average dog. For one thing, Rico is a border collie, a breed (品種)known for its mental abilities. In addition, the 9-year-old dog has been trained to fetch toys by their names since the age of nine months.

It’s hard to know if all dogs understand at least some of the words we say. Even if they do, they can’t talk back. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to sweet-talk your dog every now and then. You might just get a big, wet kiss in return!

【1】From paragraph 2 we know that __ .

A. animals are as clever as human beings

B. all dogs are smarter than parrots and chimpanzees

C. chimpanzees have very good word-learning skills

D. all dogs have similar learning abilities as 3-year-old children

【2】Both experiments show that .

A. Rico is smart enough to get all commands right

B. Rico can recognize different things including toys

C. Rico has developed the ability of learning mathematics

D. Rico won’t forget the names of objects once recognizing them

【3】Which of the following statements is true?

A. The purpose of the experiments is to show the border collie’s mental abilities.

B. Rico has a better memory partly because of its proper early training.

C. The border collie is world-famous for recognizing objects.

D. Rico is born to understand its owner’s commands.

【4】What does the writer want to tell us?

A. To train your dog.

B. To talk to your dog.

C. To be friendly to your dog.

D. To be careful with your dog.

【題目】The baby is just one day old and has not yet left hospital. She is quiet but alert （警覺(jué)）. Twenty centimeters from her face researchers have placed a white card with two black spots on it. She stares at it carefully. A researcher removes the card and replaces it by another, this time with the spots differently spaced. As the cards change from one to the other, her gaze（凝視） starts to lose its focus — until a third, with three black spots, is presented. Her gaze returns: she looks at it for twice as long as she did at the previous card. Can she tell that the number two is different from three, just 24 hours after coming into the world?

Or do newborns simply prefer more to fewer? The same experiment, but with three spots shown before two, shows the same return of interest when the number of spots changes. Perhaps it is just the newness? When slightly older babies were shown cards with pictures of objects (a comb, a key, an orange and so on), changing the number of objects had an effect separate from changing the objects themselves. Could it be the pattern that two things make, as opposed to three? No again. Babies paid more attention to squares moving randomly on a screen when their number changed from two to three, or three to two. The effect even crosses between senses. Babies who were repeatedly shown two spots became more excited when they then heard three drumbeats than when they heard just two; likewise （同樣地） when the researchers started with drumbeats and moved to spots.

【1】The experiment described in Paragraph 1 is related to the baby’s__.

A. sense of hearing B. sense of sight

C. sense of touch D. sense of smell

【2】Babies are sensitive to the change in______.

A. the size of cards B. the colour of pictures

C. the shape of patterns D. the number of objects

【3】Why did the researchers test the babies with drumbeats?

A. To reduce the difficulty of the experiment.

B. To see how babies recognize sounds.

C. To carry their experiment further.

D. To keep the babies’ interest.

【4】Where does this text probably come from?

A. Science fiction. B. Children’s literature.

C. An advertisement. D. A science report.

【題目】Have you ever heard of Paynes Prairie? It is one of the most important natural and historical areas in Florida. Paynes Prairie is located near Gainesville. It is large, 21,000 acres. This protected land is called a preserve. The Florida Park Service manages the preserve.

The Paynes Prairie basin was formed when limestone dissolved and the ground settled. It is covered by marsh(沼澤)and wet prairie vegetation. There are areas of open water. During brief periods it has flooded enough to be considered a lake. Except for that, the basin has changed little through time.

Man has lived on Paynes Prairie a very long time. He lived there as far back as 10,000 B. C. At one time, the Seminoles lived there. The prairie is thought to have been named after King Payne, a Seminole chief. During the late 1600s, the largest cattle ranch in Florida was on Paynes Prairie. Today, Paynes Prairie is preserved land. It is occupied by visitors and Florida Park Service employees.

Willam Bartram visited Paynes Praire. Bartram was the first person who portrayed (described) nature through personal experience as well as scientific observation. He lived 200 years ago. He visited Paynes Prairie in 1774. At that time he described it. He called Paynes Prairie the “great Alachua Savannah.”

Most of the animal life, which Bartram described, is still here. A large number of sandhill cranes, hawks and waterfowl are here in winter. The animal diversity is increased by the presence of pine flatwoods, hammock, swamps and ponds.

The Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is open year round. The Florida Park Service works hard so that the park will appear as it did in the past. It offers many opportunities for recreation. At the park you can camp and picnic. You can hike and bike. You can boat and fish. You can ride on horse trails. And you can see lots of nature and wildlife. You can see Florida as it was in the early days.

Paynes Prairie is a part of our Florida history. It is an example of our Florida natural resources. It is a place for recreation. Paynes Prairie is an important experience of the Real Florida.

【1】How was the Paynes Prairie basin formed?

A. By the Seminole Indians.

B. By the Florida Park Service.

C. From dissolved limestone and the ground settling.

D. From lots of flooding and wet prairie vegetation.

【2】The underlined word “diversity” means “ .”

A. variety B. society C. population D. area

【3】All of the following are true EXCEPT that __ .

A. Paynes Prairie has changed little through time

B. Paynes Prairie is covered by wet prairie grasses

C. there used to be a big cattle farm on Paynes Prairie

D. William Bartram was the first person to visit Paynes Prairie

【4】The purpose of the passage is to .

A. call on people to protect widlife

B. attract people to this preserved park

C. show you the formation of Paynes Prairie

D. introduce the recorded history of Paynes Prairie

【題目】Some people will do just about anything to save money. And I am one of them. Take my family’s last vacation. It was my six-year-old son’s winter break form school, and we were heading home from Fort Lauderdale after a weeklong trip. The flight was overbooked, and Delta, the airline, offered us $400 per person in credits to give up our seats and leave the next day. I had meetings in New York，So I had to get back. But that didn't mean my husband and my son couldn't stay. I took my nine-month-old and took off for home.

The next day, my husband and son were offered more credits to take an even later flight. Yes, I encouraged—okay, ordered—them to wait it out at the airport, to "earn" more Delta Dollars. Our total take: $1,600. Not bad, huh?

Now some people may think I'm a bad mother and not such a great wife either. But as a big-time bargain hunter, I know the value of a dollar. And these days, a good deal is something few of us can afford to pass up.

I've made living looking for the best deals and exposing （揭露） the worst tricks. I have been the consumer reporter of NBC's Today show for over a decade. I have written a couple of books including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide. And I really do what I believe in.

I tell you this because there is no shame in getting your money’s worth. I’m also tightfisted when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants. But I wouldn't hesitate to spend on a good haircut. It keeps its shape longer, and it's the first thing people notice. And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture. Quality lasts.

【1】Why did Delta give the author's family credits?

A. They took a later flight.

B. They had early bookings.

C. Their flight had been delayed.

D. Their flight had been cancelled.

【2】What can we learn about the author?

A. She rarely misses a good deal.

B. She seldom makes a compromise.

C. She is very strict with her children.

D. She is interested in cheap products.

【3】What does the author do?

A. She's a teacher. B. She's a housewife.

C. She's a media person. D. She's a businesswoman.

【4】What does the author want to tell us?

A. How to expose bad tricks.

B. How to reserve airline seats.

C. How to spend money wisely.

D. How to make a business deal.

【題目】閱讀下面材料，在空白處填入適當(dāng)?shù)膬?nèi)容或空號(hào)內(nèi)單詞的正確形式。

Many weight loss programs seem attractive to people. But for most people 【1】 are overweight, the results are so【2】 (limit) that they will give up long before achieving any realistic results. It turns out that the programs are practically of no use. You lose weight for a while, only 【3】 (gain) back more weight when you stop your weight loss program. This is【4】 such programs are not natural. Is there a natural weight loss solution?

A sure way of achieving natural weight loss is to increase【5】 amount of exercise you get every day. 【6】 , this doesn’t necessarily mean spending hours at the gym 【7】 in front of a weight loss video. Increase your weight levels【8】 (nature) by walking or biking short distances instead of driving, or by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. There are even exercise that you can do while 【9】 (sit) at your desk. All of these activities can burn extra calories 【10】 taking up too much time.

【題目】單詞拼寫(xiě)

【1】The meeting had scarcely begun when it was ________(打斷).

【2】It was very ________(考慮周到的) of you not to play the piano while your mother had a bad headache.

【3】The government is _________(呼吁）to people to protect the environment.

【4】I am glad to hear that you have _________(克服）such difficulties.

【5】We ________(原諒）his bad temper because we knew that his son’s illness had put him under great stress.

【6】He was faced with the severe financial b________ of caring for his wife and five children.

【7】The two men q________ bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by the police.

【8】If you are in trouble, don’t h________ to ask me for help.

【9】The company has to be shut down for l________ of money.

【10】He has a________ himself quickly to the heat of the country.

【題目】Robert Owen was born in Wales in 1771. At the age of ten he went to work. His employer had a large private library so Owen was able to educate himself. He read a lot in his spare time and at nineteen he was given the job of superintendent(監(jiān)工) at a Manchester cotton mill. He was so successful there that he persuaded his employer to buy the New Lanark mill in Scotland.

When he arrived at New Lanark it was a dirty little town with a population of 2,000 people. Nobody paid any attention to the workers’ houses or their children’s education. The conditions in the factories were very bad. There was a lot of crime and the men spent most of their wages on alcoholic drinks.

Owen improved the houses. He encouraged people to be clean and save money. He opened a shop and sold the workers cheap, well-made goods to help them. He limited the sale of alcoholic drinks. Above all, he fixed his mind on the children's education. In 1816 he opened the first free primary school in Britain.

People came from all over the country to visit Owen’s factory. They saw that the workers were healthier and more efficient than in other towns. Their children were better fed and better educated. Owen tried the same experiment in the United States. He bought some land there in 1825, but the community was too far away. He could not keep it under control and lost most of his money.

Owen never stopped fighting for his idea. Above all he believed that people are not born good or bad. He was a practical man and his ideas were practical. “If you give people good working conditions”, he thought, “they will work well and, the most important thing of all, if you give them the chance to learn, they will be better people.”

【1】For Owen, his greatest achievement in New Lanark was _____________.

A. improving worker’s houses

B. helping people to save money

C. preventing men from getting drunk

D. providing the children with a good education

【2】From the passage we may infer that Owen was born ___________.

A. into a rich family B. into a noble family

C. into a poor family D. into a middle class family

【3】We may infer form the passage that no children in Britain could enjoy free education until ___.

A. 1771 B. 1816 C. 1825 D. 1860

【題目】With his eyes ______ the family album, he thought of the fun he had when he lived with his parents.

A. fixed on B. fixing on

C. to be fixed on D. being fixed on

【題目】根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的選項(xiàng)中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)，選項(xiàng)中有兩項(xiàng)為多余選項(xiàng)。

Can you imagine your parents choosing your husband or wife for you? And can you imagine not setting eyes on him or her until your wedding day? This situation is common in India, the Middle East and many parts of Africa， 【1】 We don't realize t hat people in other places often get married in very different ways ---and with different motives（動(dòng)機(jī)）．

【2】 A marriage provides a safe and stable home for the husband and wife．It also joins children, making sure the couple will be taken care of in old age．Because a marriage is important for the whole family, some cultures don't let young people choose whom to marry．

Just as there are many different reasons for marriage, there are also many different wedding rituals（儀式）, 【3】 In a typical Western wedding, the bride seeks good luck by wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.” Something old represents the past．Something new represents success in the future．Something borrowed reminds the bride she can get help from her friends and family. 【4】

In Poland, one wedding tradition is not only lucky, but also very practical．The wedding guests pin money to the bride's dress while she is dancing．Th e money is meant to bring luck and to help the young couple build their new life．In Bermuda, the young couple plants a tree in the yard of their new home．Once they move in, they take good care of the tree , making it grow and blossom．The planting of the tree is a good metaphor（隱喻） for/span> marriage. 【5】

A．Every culture has its own ways of bringing good luck to the happy couple．

B．A truly good marriage is something that grows with care．

C．In the United States, parents do not arrange marriages for their children．

D．And something blue reminds her to be true to her husband．

E．Marriage customs around the world often differ from our own．

F．In many countries, marriage is a practical matter．

G．Different countries have different cultures．