F. Scott Fitzgerald, born on September 24, 1896, an American novelist, was once a student of St. Paul Academy, the Newman School and attended Princeton University for a short while. In 1917 he joined the army and was posted in Alabama, where he met his future wife Zelda Sayre. Then he had to make some money to impress her.

His life with her was full of great happiness, as he wrote in his diary: “My own happiness in the past often approached such joy that I could share it even with the person dearest to me but had to walk it away in quiet streets and take down parts of it in my diary.”

This side of paradise, his first novel, was published in 1920. Encouraged by its success, Fitzgerald began to devote more time to his writing. Then he continued with the novel the Beautiful and Damned (1922), a collection of short stories Thales of the Jazz Age (1922), and a play The Vegetable (1923). But his greatest success was The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, which quickly brought him praise from the literary world. Yet it failed to give him the needed financial security. Then, in 1926, he published another collection of short stories All the Sad Young Men.

  However, Fitzgerald’s problems with his wife Zelda affected his writing. During the 1920s he tried to reorder his life, but failed. By 1930, his wife had her first breakdown and went to a Swiss clinic. During this period he completed novels Tender Is the Night in 1934 and The love of the last Tycoon in 1940. While his wife was in hospital in the United States, he got totally addicted to alcohol. Sheila Graham, his dear friend, helped him fight his alcoholism.

1.How many novels written by Fitzgerald are mentioned in the passage?

A. 5                  B. 6                            C. 7                   D. 8

2.Which of the following is the correct order to describe Fitzgerald’s life according to the passage?

a. He became addicted to drinking.

b. He studied at St. Paul Academy.

c. He published his first novel This Side of Paradise.

d. The Great Gatsby won high praise.

e. He failed to reorder his life.

f. He joined the army and met Zelda.

A.f-c-e-a-b-d            B. b-e-a-f-c-d               C. f-d-e-c-b-a        D. b-f-c-d-e-a

3.We can infer from the passage that Fitzgerald            .

A. had made some money when he met Zelda in Alabama.

B. was well educated and well off before he served in the army

C. would have completed more works if his wife hadn’t broken down

D. helped his friend get rid of drinking while his wife was in hospital

4.The passage is probably followed by a concluding paragraph about _______.

A. Zelda’s personal life

B. Zelda’s illness and treatment

C. Fitzgerald’s friendship with Graham

D. Fitzgerald’s contributions to the literary world

 

Years ago, a Southern woman was in one of my workshops. When asked to tell a story that  36 her character (品質(zhì)), she described an  37 when she was 5. She was at her grandfather’s house  38 up in a beautiful white skirt and new gloves ,   39 as she could be.

Her grandfather told her she could go into the  40 and get herself a cookie. Next to the cookies was a pile of coins. Sure that no one was  41 , she took one of the coins, too.

When she 42 with her cookie, her grandfather asked her to show him her  43 . She held out only her left hand  44 , and he said, “Show me the other hand.” When she unwillingly did  45 , showing the coin, she saw  46 in her grandfather’s eyes.

He paused a moment and then 47 her up, saying, “Darling, you can have anything in the world that I have, but it breaks my heart that you’d ever  48 it.” Some 50 years later, this story of how her grandfather gave her the gift of  49 still brought tears to her eyes.

Few things have as large an influence on  50 the values of a child as the strong pain of lovingly administered shame (羞愧). It helps judge right from wrong and gives a   51 emotional (感情的) dimension to moral (道德的) and character issues.

Kids, and adults for that matter, learn from their  52 . Parents, teachers and coworkers can remind them of their moral responsibilities without shaming or  53 them.

What we can’t do is just let  54 go, unless we want to send the message that’s okay. What we allow, we  55 . And we should never encourage anything other than moral excellence.

1.                A．changed        B．a(chǎn)ffected        C．formed   D．built

 

2.                A．occasion        B．a(chǎn)dventure       C．a(chǎn)ccident D．incident

 

3.                A．put            B．brought         C．dressed   D．held

 

4.                A．proud          B．patient         C．creative  D．a(chǎn)bsurd

 

5.                A．restaurant       B．supermarket     C．kitchen   D．shop

 

6.                A．looking         B．passing         C．following  D．listening

 

7.                A．fled            B．returned        C．a(chǎn)rrived   D．continued

 

8.                A．hands          B．coins           C．cookies   D．gloves

 

9.                A．quickly         B．politely         C．cautiously     D．suddenly

 

10.               A．a(chǎn)lso           B．so             C．even D．though

 

11.               A．disappointment B．surprise        C．excitement     D．pleasure

 

12.               A．sent           B．called          C．took D．hugged

 

13.               A．possess         B．steal           C．hide D．sell

 

14.               A．confidence      B．determination    C．honesty   D．courage

 

15.               A．shaping         B．judging         C．destroying D．a(chǎn)cquiring

 

16.               A．different        B．similar          C．practical   D．powerful

 

17.               A．experiences     B．mistakes        C．a(chǎn)dventures     D．books

 

18.               A．troubling       B．endangering     C．hurting    D．cheating

 

19.               A．misbehaviors    B．faults          C．burdens   D．sufferings

 

20.               A．encourage      B．a(chǎn)gree          C．a(chǎn)djust     D．refuse

 

 

One reaction to all the concern about tropical deforestation（毀林） is a blank stare that asks the question, "Since I don't live there, what does it have to do with me?"

The answer is that your way of life, wherever you live in the world, is tied to the tropics in many ways. If you live in a house, wash your hair, eat fruits and vegetables, drink soda, or drive a car, you can be certain that you are affected by the loss of tropical forests.

Biologically, we are losing the richest regions on earth when, each minute, a piece of tropical forest, the size of ten city blocks, disappears. As many as five million species of plants, animals, and insects (40 to 50 percent of all living things) live there, and are being lost faster than they can be found and described. Their loss is immeasurable.

Take rubber for example. For many uses, only natural rubber from trees will do. Synthetics are not good enough. Today over half the world's commercial rubber is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia, while the Amazon's rubber industry produces much of the world's four million tons. And rubber is an important material in making gloves, balloons, footwear and many sporting goods. Thousands of other tropical plants are valuable for their industrial use.

Many scientists strongly believe that deforestation contributes to the greenhouse effect -- or heating of the earth from increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As we destroy forests, we lose their ability to change carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Carbon dioxide levels could double within the next half-century, warming the earth by as much as 4.5 degrees. The result? A partial melt-down of polar ice caps, raising sea levels as much as 24 feet; even 15 feet could threaten anyone living within 35 miles of the coast. Unbelievable? Maybe. But scientists warn that by the time we realise the severe effects of tropical deforestation, it will be 20 years too late.

Can tropical deforestation affect our everyday lives? Now, you should have got the answer.

1.The underlined word "synthetics" probably means_________.

A. natural rubber                   B. tropical materials

C. man-made material               D. commercial rubber

2.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A. The forests are losing their function in turning carbon dioxide into oxygen.

B. Many of our daily uses are related to the tropical forests.

C. Tropical plants can be used to make industrial products.

D. High carbon dioxide levels will make the earth warmer.

3.The author's attitude towards the tropical deforestation is _________ .

A. puzzling        B. cold          C. supporting        D. opposed

4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A. Tropical Forests                 B. The Value of Tropical Forests

C. Tropical Forests and Our Life     D. The Greenhouse Effects

 

The French word renaissance means rebirth. It was first used in 1855 by the historian Jules Michelet in his History of France, and then adopted by historians of culture, by art historians, and eventually by music historians, all of whom applied it to European culture during the 150 years spanning 1450-1600. The concept of rebirth was appropriate to this period of European history because of the renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture that began in Italy and then spread throughout Europe. Scholars and artists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries wanted to restore the learning and ideals of the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. To these scholars this meant a return to human—as opposed to spiritual-values. Fulfillment in life—as opposed to concern about an afterlife—became a desirable goal, and expressing the entire range of human emotions and enjoying the pleasures of the senses were no longer frowned on (不贊同). Artists and writers now turned to secular (非宗教的) as well as religious subject matter and sought to make their works understandable and appealing.

These changes in outlook deeply affected the musical culture of the Renaissance period—how people thought about music as well as the way music was composed, experienced, discussed, and disseminated. They could see the architectural monuments, sculptures, plays, and poems that were being rediscovered, but they could not actually hear ancient music—although they could read the writings of classical philosophers, poets, essayists, and music theorists that were becoming available in translation. They learned about the power of ancient music to move the listener and wondered why modern music did not have the same effect. For example, the influential religious leader Bernardino Cirillo expressed disappointment with the learned music of his time. He urged musicians to follow the example of the sculptors, painters, architects, and scholars who had rediscovered ancient art and literature. The musical Renaissance in Europe was more a general cultural movement and state of mind than a specific set of musical techniques. Furthermore, music changed so rapidly during this century and a half—though at different rates in different countries—that we cannot define a single Renaissance style.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

A. The musical compositions that best illustrate the developments during the European Renaissance.

B. The musical techniques that were in use during the European Renaissance.

C. The European Renaissance as a cultural development that included changes in musical style.

D. The ancient Greek and Roman musical practices used during the European Renaissance.

2.According to the passage, Renaissance artists and writers had all of the following intentions EXCEPT _______.

A. to use religious themes

B. to express only the pleasant parts of human experience

C. to produce art that people would find attractive

D. to create works that were easily understood

3.The word "disseminated" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _______.

A. played                     B. documented          C. spread                              D. ignored

4.What can be inferred about the music of ancient Greece and Rome?

A. It expressed different ideals than classical sculpture, painting and poetry.

B. It was played on instruments that are familiar to modern audiences.

C. It had the same effect on Renaissance audiences as it had when originally performed.

D. Its effect on listeners was described in a number of classical texts.

 

According to sociologists(社會學(xué)家), every modern industrial society has some form of social stratification(階層). Class, power and status are important in deciding people’s rank in society.

Class means a person’s economic position in society. A commonly used classification is lower class, middle class and upper class. While sociologists disagree on how these terms should be exactly defined, they do describe societies like the United States quite well. One study shows that 53% of Americans belong to the lower class, 46% the middle class, and 1% the upper class. Interestingly, a surgeon earning ＄500,000 a year and a bus driver earning ＄50,000 a year both regard themselves as the middle class!

Power refers to the amount of control a person has over other people. Obviously, people in positions of great power (such as governors) exercise(行使)big power, but people who take orders from others have less power. Power and class do not always go hand in hand, however. For example, the governor of a state has great power, but he or she may not belong to a corresponding (相應(yīng)的)economic class. Generally, however, there is a relationship between power and class.   

To our knowledge, there aren’t too many people who aren’t millionaires in the U.S. Senate!

Status is the honor or respect attached to a person’s position in society. It can also be affected by power and class, but not necessarily so. For example, a university professor may have a high status but not belong to a high social class or have a lot of power over others.

1.What can we learn about “the middle class” from Paragraph 2?

A．People earning ＄50,000 a year belong to the middle class.

B．Nearly half Americans belong to the middle class.

C．People generally consider bus drivers as the middle class.

D．Sociologists have a clear definition of the middle class.

2.According to the text, we know that _____.

A．power and class do not always correspond with each other

B．status refers to a person’s economic position in society

C．people with high status have a lot of control over others

D．class is less important in deciding a person’s social rank

3.Which of the following shows the structure of the whole text?