"I wish that in one instant I could tell you of my safe arrival, but we are 3,000 miles apart and must wait four long weeks to hear from each other." Samuel Morse was 20 when he wrote this sentence in a letter to his mother in 1811. He was in London studying art. She was at the home in Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA, where he had been born. Perhaps it was at the moment of writing the letter that young Morse first had the wish to bridge space with flying words. This wish was later to give the world the electric telegraph (电报).
He returned in 1815 to work on history painting much admired in Europe. Morse completed an oil painting The House of Representatives, expecting that this would bring him fame(名声). But there was hardly any demand in the United States for history painting, and he unwillingly started to support himself by painting portraits(肖像画). He was often close to poverty during his career as an artist.
During a voyage from Europe to America in 1832, Morse met Thomas Jackson, a scientist who had recently attended lectures on electricity in Paris. Conversations with Jackson made the artist believe that an electrical current could be used for communication. During the rest of the voyage he worked excitedly on drawings for his plan. After his arrival home, he abandoned his artistic career to give his full attention to the project.
Morse had an inventive mind but little knowledge of electricity. He did years of work and study to perfect his invention. In 1837 he applied for a patent on the American Electromagnetic Telegraph. He went to England, France, and Russia asking for aid for his invention but met with failure there as at home. People admired his courage in the face of poverty and disappointment. Finally in 1843 the United States Congress provided Morse with $30,000 to build a line from Washington to Baltimore.
In May 1844 the first message was flashed over this wire. Newspapers, railroads, and businesses quickly found use for the telegraph, which for the first time created a global community.
21. According to Paragraph 1, Morse probably thought .
A. communication by letter was not convenient
B. it was amazing to communicate by telegraph
C. life in London was not as happy as he expected
D. he should return to America to care for his mother
22. After returning from Europe in 1815, Morse .
A. became famous thanks to his The House of Representatives
B. found Americans had little interest in history painting
C. got very curious about painting portraits for others
D. led an easy and peaceful life on the whole
23. The third paragraph is about how Morse .
A. painted the first telegraph
B. got the idea for his invention
C. became an expert on electricity
D. learned from a scientist from Paris
24. What is the best title of the text?
A. Samuel Morse: From Home to World
B. Samuel Morse: From Poverty to Fame
C. Samuel Morse: From Artist to Inventor
D. Samuel Morse: From Europe to America
ABBC
Holidays
Holiday News Vacancies(空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome. Reduced prices for low season. |
The Snowdonia Centre The Snowdonia Centre for young mountain climbers has a mountain climbing lesson. The beginners’ costs are £57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost. You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of mountain climbing adventure. |
The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking, waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another. On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home. During the trip, you can rest on deck, enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play. You will visit all the places most people only dream about — from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokoy and Hong Kong. For a few thousand pounds, all you’ve ever hoped for can be yours. |
25.What can you do if you like to go on holidays with pets?
A. Choose the holiday in Devon.
B. Go to the Snowdonia Centre.
C. Join the World Sea Trip of 2008.
D. Visit Acapulco and Hawaii.
26.In what way is the Snowdonia Centre different from the other two holidays?
A. It provides chances of family gatherings.
B. It provides customers with good food.
C. It offers a sports lesson.
D. It offers comfortable rooms.
27.What is special about the World Sea Trip of 2008?
A. You can have free meals on deck every day.
B. You can sleep on a ship and tour many places.
C. You will have chances to watch and act in a play.
D. You have to do your own packing and unpacking.
ACB
Scientists in Mexico have just begun a new study of one of the world’s biggest pyramids(金字塔): the Pyramid of the Sun, north of Mexico City. They’re putting lots of small, high-tech machines under the pyramid to try to unlock some of its secrets. For thousands of years, people have tried to uncover the secrets of the pyramids.
The people who built the pyramids made lots of secret doors and rooms to stop robbers from finding the treasures inside. However, there always have been some smart thieves in history. Now, almost all of Egypt’s pyramids have been robbed, including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, which is the largest pyramid in the world. It is the only one of the ancient wonders of the world that is still standing.
In AD 820, an Arab king named Abdullah AL Manum got a group of workers to dig their way into the Great Pyramid and have a look. Inside the pyramid, they found three rooms --- the Queen’s Chamber, the Grand Gallery and the King’s Chamber. But to their surprise, the men didn’t find the treasures they wanted. The Queen’s and King’s Chambers were both empty! Where were the King’s mummy and his treasures? Had someone already taken them away? The huge stone doors at the pyramid’s entrance were still closed when AL Manum’s men went inside. How had the thieves got in and out?
Since then, many people have gone inside the Great Pyramid to have a look or to try to take things. But still, no other chambers or walkways have been found.
In 2002, an American team made the most recent visit to the Great Pyramid. Scientists sent a robot into the pyramid, but they only found a mysterious locked stone door.
28.The first two paragraphs were written to show that ________.
A.the Pyramid of the Sun is an unusual historic building
B.ancient Egyptian emperors were cruel
C.construction workers led a hard life in ancient Egypt
D.the secrets of the pyramids remain to be uncovered
29.Which of the following is NOT true to the Great Pyramid of Khufu?
A.It is the largest pyramid in the world.
B.It is the only one of the ancient wonders that is still standing.
C.Abdullah AL Manum took the King’s mummy and his treasures away.
D.Scientists found a mysterious locked stone door to the Great Pyramid.
30. What is the purpose of making some secret doors to the pyramids? _______.
A. To try to unlock some of its secrets
B. To stop robbers from finding the treasures inside
C. To refuse some visitors all over the world into it
D. To tell the truth to the people in the future
31. What would be the best title for the text?
A.The Pyramid of the Sun
B.The Great Pyramid of Khufu
C.A Mysterious Locked Stone Door
D.Unlocking the Doors of History
DCBD
The Way We Do Things Round Here
Some years ago, I was hired by an American bank. I received a letter from the head of the Personnel Department that started, "Dear John, I am quite pleased that you have decided to join us." That "quite" saddened me. I thought he was saying "we're kind of pleased you decided to join us although I wish we had hired someone else." Then I discovered that in American English "quite" sometimes means "very", while in British English it means "fairly".
So the first lesson about working in other countries is to learn the language and by that I don't just mean the words people speak. It is body language, dress, manners, ideas and so on. The way people do things highlights many of the differences we see between cultures.
Some of these differences may be only on the surface—dress, food and hours of work—while others may be deeper and take longer to deal with. Mostly, it is just a question of getting used to the differences and accepting them, like the climate, while getting on with business.
Some of the differences may be an improvement. People are more polite; the service is better; you ask for something to be done and it happens without having to ask again. However, other differences can be troubling, like punctuality(准时). If you invite people to a party at 7 o'clock your guests will consider it polite to turn up exactly on time in Germany, five minutes early in the American Midwest, an hour early in Japan, 15 minutes afterwards in the UK, up to an hour afterwards in Italy and some time in the evening in Greece. I prefer not to use the word "late" because there is nothing wrong with the times people arrive. It is simply the accepted thing to do in their own country.
32. The author was unhappy as mentioned in Paragraph 1 because he thought .
A. the American bank didn't think much of him
B. the American bank might hire another person
C. it's difficult to get used to American culture
D. it's easy to misunderstand Americans
33. The word "highlights" in Paragraph 2 probably means .
A. encourages B. helps to narrow
C. increases D. draws attention to
34. According to the author, what should we do with most cultural differences?
A. Ask the native people for help.
B. Understand and accept them.
C. Do things in our own way.
D. Do in-depth research.
35. When invited to a party the people who are usually punctual are .
A. Italians B. Greeks C. Germans D. the British
ADBC
American black bears appear in a variety of colors despite their name. In the eastern part of their range, most of these bears have shiny black fur, but in the west they grow brown, red, or even yellow coats. 36 Even in the same litter (一窝幼崽), both brown and black furred bears may be born.
Black bears are the smallest of all American bears, ranging in length from five to six feet, weighing from three hundred to five hundred pounds. 37 . 38 .However, if attacked, most can climb trees and cover ground at great speeds. When angry or frightened, they are formidable(可怕的) enemies.
Black bears feed on leaves, herbs, fruit, berries, insects, fish, and even larger animals. 39 .
Unlike squirrels, woodchucks, and many other woodland animals, bears do not actually hibernate
(冬眠) .. Although the bear does not eat during the winter months, sustaining itself from body fat, its temperature remains almost normal, and it breathes regularly four or five times per minute.
40 They prefer to live in caves. Baby black bears are born in January or February after a gestation(怀孕) period of six to nine months, and they stay with their mother until they are fully grown or about one and a half years old. Black bears can live as long as thirty years in the wild, and even longer in some nature reserves.
A. To the north, the black bear is actually gray or white in color.
B. Black bears mate(交配) all year round.
C. One of the most interesting characteristics of bears, including the black bear, is their winter sleep.
D. Like all bears, the black bear is timid, clumsy, and rarely dangerous.
E. Bears often eat a lot of food before they hibernate in their caves.
F. Most black bears live alone, except during mating season.
G. Their eyes and ears are small and their eyesight and hearing are not as good as their sense of smell.
AGDCF
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