Katherine Paterson"s new creation The Day of the Pelican (鹈鹕). In the book, Paterson takes readers on a
journey with 12 year-old Meli Lleshi and her Albanian family of seven.
The family lives in Kosovo, in eastern Europe. The country is at war with neighboring Serbia. Eventually,
life becomes too dangerous in Kosovo, so the Lleshis have to pack up and move out of their home. To Meli,
leaving meant giving up her whole life. She will have to say goodbye to her friends, home, school and Baba"s
market. Worse, the family"s trouble began, in Meli"s mind, when she drew a picture of her teacher with a
pelican nose and had to stay after school as punishment.
As the Lleshis travel along the road at night, they come across burning homes and other refugees just like
them. Living in a tiny tent surrounded by many other people becomes tiring, and but for Baba"s and Mama"s
efforts to keep the family together, the family would probably have given up. Every night, Meli longs to go
home and Baba tells her, "Your home is with your family." With everyone already crowding together for food,
now is not the time to complain. The family needs all their courage to keep going."We have to be very patient
and very brave," Meli says.
Soon, traveling from place to place becomes too much of a hassle (争论) and nearly breaks the family
apart. Baba makes an important decision. The family will be moving to an exciting new country. There will be
no enemies and no one to run from. They will be able to stay in one place and build a new life. Although Meli
still longs for home she wonders if this will finally mean freedom for her family.
The Day of the Pelican is a book you won"t be able to put down. Those who enjoy realistic fiction will love
this moving story about Meli and her family.
B. To explain how the Lleshis survived the war.
C. To get us to learn about a new book.
D. To introduce a book Bridge to Terabithia
B. Because they had to escape from the war.
C. Because Meli and her family needed food.
D. Because they just looked for adventure.
B. complaints about the life journey
C. various difficulties as travellers
D. ways to get the family together
B. Meli no longer longs for home in the new place
C. the family found the freedom and settled down
D. without Baba"s encouragement the family would have broken
century, forest blanketed the land. Today, roads and towns cover much of the area. But the past is not
dead and gone. Just an hour"s drive from Boston lies Plimoth Plantation.
There you"ll experience the 17th century life from the days of tAe Pilgrims (清教徒移民). You can
look in the Pilgrims" homes, watch the way they cook, and ask them about their daily lives. You can even
help them build houses or work in the fields.
When you arrive at Plimoth, you are greeted with "How do you fare?" instead of "How are you?" In
this living history plantation, actors portray (扮演) real people of 17th-century Plymouth. Each actor has
taken the identity of someone from that period. All the actors speak the language of Shakespeare. They"re
happy to talk about the hardships of their lives or just share the gossip of the day. But don"t try to discuss
modem topics. They won"t understand what you are talking about!
In fall, you can enjoy a harvest dinner very similar to the first Thanksgiving. You"ll dine with your hands
like Pilgrims. You"ll find no pepper on the table. This expensive spice was used only sparingly (节俭地) in
cooking. You"ll find no last-course "dessert" either. At the time, people ate sweet dishes right along with the
meal.
Cranberries were on the menu then and still are today. A short distance from Plimoth, you can visit
Cranberry World. At this unique museum, you"ll see how cranberries are harvested and can taste different
cranberry products.
Of course, the first Thanksgiving included not only the Pilgrims, but also their Wampanoag guests. If
you want to find out something about the Wampanoag, explore a re-created Wampanoag Home Site. It is
just a short walk from Plimoth. Step into the Native American home and enter a different world. Native
Americans dressed in 17th-century Wampanoag outfits (服装) describe how their people lived 400 years
ago. Outside, you can help make a traditional boat or learn about native plant remedies (治疗法).
Much in Massachusetts has changed since the 17th century. But in Plimoth, the past lives on.
B. is where some old Pilgrims are still living.
C. presents the Pilgrims" life in the 1600s.
D. is a plantation dating back to the 1700s.
B. How are you?
C. Hi, nice to meet you.
D. How do you do?
B. learn how to grow cranberries
C. taste various cranberry products
D. visit an old history museum
B. to attract more tourists to stay in Plimoth
C. to show how the Wampanoag helped the Pilgrims
D. to keep the 17th century Native Americans life alive
Olympic Committees (NOCs) have been invited to submit the name of a city within their jurisdiction as an
Applicant City to host the Games in nine years time.
Phase Ⅰ: the candidature acceptance procedure
This phase involves a thorough review by the IOC of each city"s potential to organize the 2016 Olympic
Games. Cities will be asked to reply to a questionnaire. Their answers will be studied by the IOC in order to
help the IOC Executive Board to select the cities that will become Candidate Cities and therefore move on to
Phase Ⅱ. All relevant information and deadlines relating to the first phase are contained in the Candidature
Acceptance Procedure and Questionnaire.
Phase Ⅱ: the candidature evaluation procedure
Candidate Cities will be requested to submit their Candidature File, that is to say, an in-depth description of their Olympic project, and prepare for the visit of the IOC Evaluation Commission. The | |
阅读理解。 | |
Although it might have happened anywhere, my encounter with the green banana started on a steep | |
1. The author stopped at a village on his way because he wanted to ____. | |
A. have his car repaired B. enjoy the beautiful scenery C. look for some bananas to fix his radiator D. talk to some villagers to learn about their way of life | |
2. What"s the author"s reaction to the man"s remarks on the center of the earth? | |
A. He thought the man was serious about what he said. B. He thought that the man was telling the truth. C. He thought that the man was telling a story. D. He thought the man was making fun of him. | |
3. What does the author come to learn from the man"s remarks? | |
A. The rock mentioned by the man is really the center of the world for everyone. B. There are lots of such "rocks" in the world representing the center of the world. C. There is only one center in the world that is actually in New England. D. As a matter of fact, the center of the world does not exist in his opinion. | |
4. What can we infer from the last paragraph? | |
A. A green banana refers to a banana that is not ripe. B. A green banana is something that can be used to repair a leaking radiator. C. A green banana refers to a certain culture that is unknown to an outsider. D. A green banana is something useful that we find unexpectedly. | |
阅读理解。 | |
What is the single largest cause of sick leave in the UK? The answer is not the common cold or flu, but back pain. Back pain affects one in three British adults, costs the country over 5bn every year and is obviously difficult to treat. But now Britain"s National Health Service (NHS) will be offering a new solution: acupuncture (针刺疗法). The ancient Chinese needle therapy has been around in the UK for many years, but this is the first time it has been officially endorsed by the NHS"s advisory body, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). Traditionally, doctors in the UK have advised back pain sufferers to stay active, do stretching exercises and take painkillers when necessary. In more serious cases some people are given X-ray treatment or injections with therapeutic substances. NICE, however, say there is evidence that acupuncture may be more effective than expensive X-rays or injections, so patients who have been suffering for over six weeks should be give a choice. As an alternative to acupuncture, patients will be able to choose either a course of spinal manipulation (用 针操作), or a series of special exercise sessions. In the UK, acupuncture is classed as a complementary therapy, which is the term given to a medical procedure which hasn"t been subjected to the strict trials by which scientists prove some treatments work. While many experts have welcomed the move to make acupuncture available on the NHS, some are still skeptical about its effectiveness. Research from the US earlier this month found that simulated acupuncture using toothpicks which do not pierce the skin could be as good as using real needles. So while some are yet to be convinced, back pain sufferers will be hoping that acupuncture helps get them feeling healthy and mobile again. Employers, on the other hand, will be hoping it gets them back to work. | |
1. What can be the best title for the passage? | |
A. The largest cause of sick leave in the UK B. Different ways to treat back pain C. Acupuncture in the UK D. The ancient Chinese needle therapy | |
2. According to NICE, which of the following ways is more effective to treat back pain? | |
A. To stay active and do stretching exercises. B. To take painkillers. C. To take X-ray treatment or injection. D. To use the Chinese needle therapy. | |
3. Which of the following statements about acupuncture is true? | |
A. Acupuncture costs less money and have slower effects than X-rays or injections. B. Patients suffering back pain for a long time are more advised to use acupuncture. C. Patients taking acupuncture have to take a course of spinal manipulation. D. Doctors can use needles or toothpicks to perform acupuncture. | |
4. Why is acupuncture classed as a complementary therapy in the UK? | |
A. Some British don"t have trust in it. B. Its medical procedure hasn"t been strictly tested scientifically. C. The main British treatment is very effective. D. It is not strict in the treatment. | |
阅读理解。 | |
A vuvuzela is a horn, about a meter long, usually made of a colorful cheap plastic. It is the choice of noise-makers for South African football fans. When it"s blown by thousands of supporters at the same time, it"s loud, very loud. It sounds a bit like and air horn and you can hear it a lot during the 2010 World Cup. The vuvuzela was originally made from a kudu horn and was traditionally used to summon people to gatherings. But the horn you see at soccer matches in South Africa today originated from a tin horn that became popular with South African soccer fans around 15 years ago. A sports company began to mass- produce a plastic version in the South Africa colors, and this is what you see (and hear) at every soccer match. Now it"s become an official symbol of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and more popular around the world. The vuvuzela will be ubiquitous during the 2010 World Cup. There was a call for FIFA to ban the vuvuzela during the Confederations Cup that took place in South Africa in June 2009. European joumalists got into a tizzy(紧张) about the noise. The Guardian reported:"It sounds like extremely terrible." But FIFA stood its ground, as Mr Blatter, FIFA"s president says "Vuvuzelas, drums and singing are part of African football culture. It is part of their celebration, it is part of their culture, so let them blow the vuvuzelas." Adam Carnegie, a graphic artist from Cape Town, founded the Kelp Environmental Learning Project. The project employs local men and women to collect kelp, dry it and then hand paint colorful designs on it. The mission is simple. "We want to create jobs, make a noise, make people laugh, remind people to be in the moment." Like most trumpets, getting any noise from a vuvuzela requires significant pursing of the lips and the ability to blow with force. Your cheeks will be zinging afterward. You can personalize your vuvy blowing techniques with a lot of practice, but generally it produces one big sound. | |
1. The vuvuzela ____. | |
A. is usually made of metal B. has a length of two and a half feet C. was first used in a local sports game D. is one of the official symbols of the 2010 World Cup | |
2. The underlined word "ubiquitous" in the 3rd paragraph probably means "____". | |
A. banned B. heard everywhere C. extremely expensive D. strictly limited | |
3. Why did FIFA stand its ground on the issue of the vuvuzela? | |
A. Because the vuvuzela is typical of African football culture. B. Because it is the host country"s right to make their choice. C. Because the vuvuzela will make the 2010 World Cup special. D. Because more member countries support the use of the vuvuzela. |