上海市阅读理解之文化与习俗专练卷含答案(14篇)

Passage 1
Every people uses its own special word to show its ideas and feelings. Some of these expressions are commonly used for many years. Others are popular for just a short time. One such American expression is “Where’s the beef?” It is used when something is not as good as it is said to be. In the early 1980s “Where’s the beef?” was one of the most popular expressions in the United States. It seemed as if everyone using it at the time.
Beef, of course, is the meat from a cow, and food is more popular in America than a hamburger made from beef. In the 1960s a businessman named Ray began building small restaurants that sold hamburgers at a low price. Ray called this “McDonald’s”. Ray became one of the richest businessmen at last in America.
Other business people watched his success. Some of them opened their own hamburger restaurants. One company called “Wendy’s” said its hamburgers were bigger than those sold by McDonald’s or anyone else. The Wendy’s Company began to use the expression “Where’s the beef?” to make people know that Wendy’s hamburgers were the biggest. The Wendy’s television advertisement showed three old women eating hamburgers. The bread that covered the meat was very big, but inside there was only a bit of meat. One of the women said she would not eat a hamburger with such a little piece of beef. “Where’s the beef?” she shouted in a funny way. The advertisement for Wendy’s hamburger restaurants was success. As we said, it seemed everyone began using the expression “Where’s the beef?”.
1. _______ started McDonald’s restaurant.
A. Ray B. McDonald C. Wendy D. Three old women
2. Other people wanted to open hamburger restaurants because they thought _______.
A. they could sell hamburgers at a low price
B. hamburgers were easy to make
C. beef was very popular in America
D. they could make a lot of money
3. Wendy’s made the expression known to everybody _______.
A. with many old women eating hamburgers
B. by a television advertisement
C. while selling bread with a bit of meat in it
D. at the McDonald’s restaurant
4. We can learn from the passage that the expression “Where’s the beef?” means _______.
A. The beef in hamburgers is not as much as it is said to be
B. The hamburgers are not as good as they are said to be
C. It is used when something is not as good as it is said to be
D. Wendy’s is the biggest
【答案与解析】本文主要讲述 ‘‘Where’s the beef?’’ 这一表达语是如何产生并流行于美国大众的。
1. A。细节题。根据短文内容 McDonald(麦当劳) restaurant 是由美国商人 Ray 创办的。
2. D。判断题。由于 Ray 的成功，他成了富豪，其他商家也看到了商机，所以他们也开办快餐店(Hamburger restaurants)，因为他们认为能赚大钱。
3. B。细节题。根据文章内容可知the expression “Where’s the beef?” 是 Wendy 通过电视广告使大众感知的。
4. C. 细节题。从文章的第一自然段中可找到答案。


Passage 2
The yearly Academy Awards ceremony was once a private affair. Now, because of television, it is very much a public affair. Hundreds of people gather in Hollywood to see the Oscars presented to outstanding(杰出的) actors, and others involved(参与) in the motion picture industry. Millions more watch on television.
It all began on May 16, 1929, when 270 men and women sat down to dinner at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. There was no secret about the winners. The names of the winners had been known for months. Janet Gaynor, for example, had won as Best Actress. Douglas Fairbanks presented her with the famous gold statue(塑像). The little statue was not then called Oscar. Like a new actor, Oscar was unknown. About six years later, it somehow got that renowned name. A number of explanations have been offered for its origin(由来), but nobody knows the true story for certain.
Nowadays the results of the Oscar voting are kept secret. Only two people know the winners before the names are announced at the ceremony. The counting of votes is not done by one group of people but by different groups. Nobody except two members of an accounting(计票) company sees the final results.
The information is not kept in open files(卷宗). Winners’ names are placed in closed envelopes. The accountants each carry a complete set of envelopes to the ceremony. One set is simply a spare to be used in case something happens to the other one.
1. As used in Paragraph 2, renowned means _______.
A. strange B. wonderful C. much-disliked D. famous
2. May 16, 1929 marks _______.
A. Douglas Fairbanks’ first winning of an Academy Award
B. the first time Oscar got its name
C. the first time the Awards were kept secret
D. Janet Gaynor’s recognition as Best Actress
3. Two sets of envelopes are prepared for the ceremony _______.
A. one for New York, one for Hollywood
B. in order to be perfectly safe
C. one for the ceremony, one for the newspapers
D. just because that is the custom
【答案解析】本文介绍了奥斯卡金奖的由来。
1. D。词义猜测题。根据第2段 …Like a new actor, Oscar was unknown. About six years later, it somehow got that renowned name 可知原来不为人所知，后来变得闻名，故选 D。
2. D。细节题。根据第2段 …Janet Gaynor, for example, had won as Best Actress.可推知答案为 D。
3. B。细节题。根据最后一段 …One set is simply a spare to be used in case something happens to the other one 可知两套信封装选票是为安全着想，故答案为 B。









Passage 3
Mark, a young person, tells me he wants to be a writer. I always encourage such people, but I also explain that there’s a big difference between “being a writer” and writing. In most cases these people are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long hours alone at a typewriter. “You’ve got to want to write,” I say to them, “not want to be a writer.”
The reality is that writing is a lonely, private and poor-paying affair. For every writer kissed by fortune there are thousands more whose longing is never rewarded(报答). When I left a 20-year job in the U. S. Coast Guard to become a writer, I had no hopes at all. What I did have was a friend who found me my room in a New York apartment building. It didn’t even matter that it was cold and had no bathroom. I immediately bought a used typewriter and felt like a real writer.
1. 1.The passage is meant to _______.
A. warn young people of the hardship that a successful writer has to experience
B. advise young people to give up their idea of becoming a professional writer
C. show young people it’s unrealistic for writers to seek wealth and fame
D. encourage young people to seek good jobs
2. What can be concluded from the passage?
A. Real writers often find their work interesting and rewarding.
B. A writer’s success depends on luck rather than on effort.
C. Famous writers usually live in poverty.
D. The chances for a writer to become successful are small
3. Why did the author begin to doubt himself after the first year of his writing work?
A. He wasn’t able to produce a single book.
B. He hadn’t seen a change for the better.
C. He wasn’t able to have a rest for a whole year.
D. He found his dream would never come true.
4. “Shadow land” in the last sentence refers to _______.
A. the wonderland one often dreams about
B. the bright future that one is looking forward to
C. a world that exists only in one’s imagination
D. the state of uncertainty before one’s final goal is reached
1. A。主旨题。从第 2 段第 1 句话 The reality is that writing is a lonely, private and poor-paying affair. For every writer kissed by fortune there are thousands more whose longing is never rewarded 可得到答案。
2. D。主旨题。从文章第 2 段的第 1 句可推知答案为 D。
3. B。语义理解题。从第 3 段第 2 句话 It was so hard to sell a story that barely made enough to eat 中便知。
4. D。词义猜测题。从最后一段的最后两句不难猜测出 Shadow land 指的是最终目标得以实现前的那种半信半疑的状态。

Passage 4
In Britain in the 1890s there was a postcard “craze(热潮)”. People formed clubs and collected and exchanged postcards. Even Queen Victoria had her own private collection.
When Edward was the king, the British had a cheap and good postal system. If anyone wanted to tell a friend that they were coming for tea in the afternoon, they would send a postcard in the morning. “Drop me a card” was as common then as “give me a ring” as now.
In 1902 an important step was taken. The government said that half of the side that was used for the address on the postcard could be used for messages, and the whole of the other side could be used for a picture. It was then that the simple postcard, as we know now, was created.
1. In Britain in the 1890s, _______.
A. people were interested in sending cards
B. people were interested in playing cards
C. people were interested in collecting postcards
D. people were interested in buying postcards
2. “Give me a ring” in the passage means _______.
A. send me a gold ring B. send me a card
C. give me a telephone call D. give me a bell ring
3. Which statement is TRUE?
A. Postcards were not used in the 19th century.
B. It was not until 1902 that the simple postcard as we know was created.
C. Postcards were used only for collection in the 1890s.
D. There was no message on the old postcard.
4. Choose the best title for the passage.
A. Postcards Old and New B. Postcard Clubs in the 1890s
C. Creation of the Present Postcard D. Postal System in Britain
(1—4 CCBA)
【答案解析】本文介绍了英国新、旧明信片的历史和由来。
1. C。细节题。根据 People formed clubs and collected and exchanged(交换)postcards.可推知此题答案为C。
2. C。词义猜测题。give me a ring 和drop me a card一样，是用来传递信息的，而现在传递信息最普通的方式就是打电话，故C比较符合情理。
3. B。细节题。根据 It was then that the simple postcard, as we know now, was created.可推知此题答案为B。
4. A。主旨题。本文介绍了英国新旧明信片的历史和由来。故A项最佳。











Passage 5

Even a child knows that nodding(点头) the head means “Yes”. But some people will probably be puzzled when they first come to India. When they talk to an Indian, he often shakes his head. They might think that the Indian does not like what he said, but on the contrary he is expressing agreement.
The Indians have a habit of shaking their heads slightly when they talk to somebody. It doesn’t mean “No”, but “Yes”.
If a person doesn’t know this, it might cause misunderstanding.
At one time a foreigner in India told his driver who was an Indian to take him to his office. The driver shook his head. The foreigner repeated his request and the driver shook his head again. At last, the foreigner shouted angrily, “Drive me to my office at once!” The driver said in a low voice, “Yes, sir,” smiling and shaking his head again at the same time.
1. Generally speaking, nodding the head means _______, and shaking the head means _______.
A. Yes, No B. No, Yes C. Yes, Yes D. No, No
2. According to the habit of India, if someone agrees with you, he will _______.
A. nod his head
B. shake his head
C. neither nods his head nor shakes his head
D. either nod his head or shake his head
3. Why did the Indian driver shake his head when the foreigner asked him to drive him to his office? Because _______.
A. the Indian driver has something important to do
B. the foreigner promised to give him only a little money
C. The driver felt uncomfortable at that time
D. In India shaking the head means agreement
4. Why did the foreigner become angry? Because _______.
A. the Indian driver didn’t want to send him to his office
B. He misunderstood the meaning of shaking the head in India
C. he asked the driver to send him to his office, but the India driver didn’t say any words
D. the Indian driver asked him for a lot of money
5. The phrase “on the contrary” means _______.
A. just the opposite
B. clear difference between two things
C. doing what you want to do
D. on the other hand
【答案与解析】本文介绍肢体语言在不同国家所表达的不同含意。
1. A。第1句话说即便一个小孩都明白点头表示 yes，由此可知答案为A。
2. B。据第2段可推知答案为B。
3. D。在印度摇头表示同意。因此选择D项。
4. B。根据第3段中的 If a person does not know this, it might cause misunderstanding 可知答案为B。
5. A。由 on the contrary 之前的 but 可知，后面的内容与前面的内容相反，故选A。


Passage 6
Habiba keeps a record of new words and expressions in English. He usually writes them in a notebook. Then, one day, she asks her teacher about them. “Mrs Thomas, these expressions are new to me — She is blue today. What’s the matter? You are yellow. A little white lie. After looking at the notebook, Mrs Thomas says, “In everyday English, Habiba, blue sometimes means sad. Yellow means afraid. A person with a green thumb grows plants successfully and a white lie is not a bad lie.” “I don’t understand. Please give me an example.” “For example, I offer you some cake. The truth is, you don’t like my cake. You don’t say that. Instead, you say, ‘No, thanks. I’m not hungry.’ That’s a white lie.” “I see. Thanks for the explanation.”
1. I don’t have a green thumb. All my plants _______.
A. are green B. have died　　
C. are yellow D. are growing well
2. “You are yellow to fight” means _______.
A. you dare not fight B. you are happy to fight
C. you are in a hurry D. you are able to fight
3. If you say “It’s a white lie.” it means that someone _______.
A. is telling a lie
B. is telling the truth
C. doesn’t want to tell the truth in a polite way
D. is unfriendly
4. “The weather is bad, and _______.”
A. I’m yellow today B. I’m blue today
C. I’m greenD. I’m white today　　
【答案与解析】本文Habiba的提问和Mrs Thomas 的解答介绍了一些英语习惯用语的意义和用法。
1. B。推断题。根据文章中的 A person with a green thumb grows plants successfully可推知此题答案为B。
2. A。细节题。根据Mrs Thomas说 Yellow means afraid可推知此题答案为 A。
3. C。推断题。根据文章Mrs Thomas所举的最后一个例子可推知此题答案为 C。
4. B。细节题。根据Mrs Thomas的解释blue sometimes means sad可推知此题答案为 B。
















Passage 7
At present we will explain a very old saying that has had a great effect on rock-and-roll music. That saying is “A rolling stone gathers no moss（苔藓）”．It has several meanings. One meaning is that a person who never settles down in one place will not be successful. Another?is that someone who is always moving, with no roots in one place, avoids responsibilities.
This proverb was said to be first used in the 1500s. But in the 1960s, the expression “rolling stone” became famous in the world of rock-and-roll music. It became the name of a song, a rock group and a magazine.
Experts say it all started with a song by the American singer and guitarist Muddy Waters. He was one of the country's top blues musicians until his death in 1983. His music influenced singers like Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan. In 1950, Muddy Waters recorded a song called “Rolling Stone”．
A British rock group is said to have taken its name from Muddy Waters' song. The Rolling Stones performed for the first time in 1962.The group's members called themselves “the?world's greatest rock-and-roll band”．
In 1965, Bob Dylan released （发行）his song “Like a Rolling Stone”．It is one of his best known and most influential works.
It is an angry song about a woman who was once rich and successful. But now she is on her own, “with no direction home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone”.
In 1967, a young man named Jann Wenner started a magazine and he named it “Rolling Stone”. The magazine reported on rock music and the popular culture that the music created. By 1971, “Rolling Stone” had become the leading rock music and counterculture publication. It is still popular today.
1．All of them are musicians except ________．
A．Jann Wenner B．Muddy Waters C．Elvis Presley D．Bob Dylan
2. Which person can be described as a rolling stone according to the proverb?
A．A person who has a?successful career. B．A person who always changes his jobs.
C．A person who is out of work. D．A person who has no family.
3．Who first used “rolling stone” as a name for music?
A．Elvis Presley. B．Jann Wenner. C．Muddy Waters. D．Bob Dylan.
参考答案： ABC

















Passage 8
Every people uses its own special word to show its ideas and feelings. Some of these expressions are commonly used for many years. Others are popular for just a short time. One such American expression is “Where’s the beef?” It is used when something is not as good as it is said to be. In the early 1980s “Where’s the beef?” was one of the most popular expressions in the United States. It seemed as if everyone using it at the time.
Beef, of course, is the meat from a cow, and food is more popular in America than a hamburger made from beef. In the 1960s a businessman named Ray began building small restaurants that sold hamburgers at a low price. Ray called this “McDonald’s”. Ray became one of the richest businessmen at last in America.
Other business people watched his success. Some of them opened their own hamburger restaurants. One company called “Wendy’s” said its hamburgers were bigger than those sold by McDonald’s or anyone else. The Wendy’s Company began to use the expression “Where’s the beef?” to make people know that Wendy’s hamburgers were the biggest. The Wendy’s television advertisement showed three old women eating hamburgers. The bread that covered the meat was very big, but inside there was only a bit of meat. One of the women said she would not eat a hamburger with such a little piece of beef. “Where’s the beef?” she shouted in a funny way. The advertisement for Wendy’s hamburger restaurants was success. As we said, it seemed everyone began using the expression “Where’s the beef?”.
1. _______ started McDonald’s restaurant.
A. Ray B. McDonald C. Wendy D. Three old women
2. Other people wanted to open hamburger restaurants because they thought _______.
A. they could sell hamburgers at a low price
B. hamburgers were easy to make
C. beef was very popular in America
D. they could make a lot of money
3. Wendy’s made the expression known to everybody _______.
A. with many old women eating hamburgers
B. by a television advertisement
C. while selling bread with a bit of meat in it
D. at the McDonald’s restaurant
4. We can learn from the passage that the expression “Where’s the beef?” means _______.
A. The beef in hamburgers is not as much as it is said to be
B. The hamburgers are not as good as they are said to be
C. It is used when something is not as good as it is said to be
D. Wendy’s is the biggest
【答案与解析】本文主要讲述 ‘‘Where’s the beef?’’ 这一表达语是如何产生并流行于美国大众的。
1. A。细节题。根据短文内容 McDonald(麦当劳) restaurant 是由美国商人 Ray 创办的。
2. D。判断题。由于 Ray 的成功，他成了富豪，其他商家也看到了商机，所以他们也开办快餐店(Hamburger restaurants)，因为他们认为能赚大钱。
3. B。细节题。根据文章内容可知the expression “Where’s the beef?” 是 Wendy 通过电视广告使大众感知的。
4. C. 细节题。从文章的第一自然段中可找到答案。

Passage 9
There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do．
In the ancient world，as is today，most boys played with 80me kinds of toys and most girls with another．In societies where social roles are rigidly determined，boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers．This is true because boys and girls fire being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world．
What is noticeable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same. The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology. It is the universality of toys concerning the development in all part of the world and their persistence to the present that is amazing．Egypt，the Americas，China，Japan and among the Arctic peoples，generally the same kinds of toys appeared, Variations depended on local customs and ways of life because toys imitate the surroundings．Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles．
Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characterize inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of advancement．The progress from a rattle used by a baby in 3000 BC to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness．Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of materials．
( )1．The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls
play with is that________．
A．their social roles are rigidly determined
B．most boys would like to follow their fathers’ work
C．boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothers
D．they like challenging activities
( )2．“The universality of toys”refers to__________.
A．technological advances have greatly improved the quality of toys
B．the improvement of craftsmanship depends on the efforts of universities
C．the exploration of the universe has led to the creation of new kinds Of toys
D．the basic characteristics of toys are the same over the world
( )3．Which of the following is the author’s view on the historical development of toys?
A．The craftsmanship in toy-making has remained unchanged．
B．Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries．
C．The toy industry has experienced great leaps in technology in recent years.
D．Toys are playing an important role in shaping a child’s character．
( )4．Regarded as a kind of art form, toys_________
A．follow a direct 1ine of ascent
B．also appeal greatly to adults
C．are not characterized by technological progress
D．reflect the pace of social progress
( )5．The author used the example of a rattle to show that_______．
A．in toy-making there is a continuity in the use of materials
B．even the simplest toys can reflect the progress of technology
C．it often takes a long time to introduce new technology into toy-making
D．even a simple toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the time
参考答案： ADBCD

Passage 10

Paper-cut is a very special visual art of Chinese handicrafts. One saying is that it originated from the religious ceremony or offering sacrifices(贡品). The ancient people cut papers into animals or people. They either buried them with the dead or burned them on the funerals, wishing that things that paper stood for could be with the dead. Later, they were used during festivals to decorate gates and windows. After hundreds of years' development, now they have become a very popular means of decoration among country folk, especially women.
It is easy to learn about cutting a piece of paper but very difficult to master it with perfection. Beginners need only a knife and paper. For craftsman, they need knives and gravers of various types to make complicated(复杂的) patterns. It can be one piece of paper or many pieces. Simple patterns can be cut with a knife. For complicated patterns, people first pasted the pattern on the paper and then used various kinds of knives to make it. No mistake can be made during the process otherwise the work would fail.
Paper cutting covers nearly all topics, from flowers, birds, animals, legendary people, figures in classic novels, to types of facial make-up in Peking opera. Paper cutting has various styles in different parts of China.
In the past, women living in the countryside gathered in their free time to make paper cutting, which is a way to judge their skillfulness. As society develops, fewer and fewer people learn this skill while there are some who still regard it as a profession. At present, there are factories and associations for paper cutting in China. Exhibitions and exchanges are held regularly and books of this kind are published. Paper cutting has changed from decoration to a kind of art. At the same time, paper cutting also appears in cartoons, on stage, in magazines or in TV series.
1. What is the passage mainly about?
A. Ancient religious ceremonies.
B. A special kind of art form in China.
C. Decoration of festivals in ancient China.
D. Animals made of paper.
2. Why did ancient people burn paper animals or people on the funerals?
A. They wanted to give them warmth.
B. They wanted the dead to have enough food.
C. They wanted the animals to accompany the dead.
D. They wanted the dead to use them as decoration.
3. From the passage we can see that ?.
A. it is very easy to become a paper cutting artist
B. it takes great patience and skill to make perfect paper cutting
C. paper cutting is limited to some topics
D. people in different parts of China have similar styles
4. What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. More and more people regard paper cutting as a profession.
B. Paper cutting is in danger of disappearing in the future.
C. Paper cutting is a way to judge a woman's skill.
D. As a kind of art, paper cutting is still popular today.

参考答案： BCBD
Passage 11
Whether you’re eating at a fancy restaurant or dining in someone’s home. Proper table manners are likely to help you make a good impression. According to a US expert, Emily Post, “All rules of table manners are made to avoid ugliness.”
While Henry Hitchings of the Los Angeles Times admits that good manners can reduce social conflict, he points out that mostly their purpose is protective - they turn our natural warrior-like selves into more elegant ones.
So where did table manners come from In medieval England, a writer named Petrus Alfonsi took the lead to urge people not to speak with their mouths full. And King David I of Scotland also proposed that any of his people who learned to eat more neatly be given a tax deduction (减除).
Disappointingly, that idea never caught on . It was during the Renaissance, when there were real technical developments, opinions of correct behavior changed for good. “None of these was more significant than the introduction of the table fork,” wrote Hitchings. “Gradually, as forks became popular, they brought the new way of eating, making it possible, for instance, to consume berries without making one’s fingers dirty.”
Forks were introduced to Britain in 1608 and 25 years later, the first table fork reached America. Yet while most of the essentials (基本要素) are the same on both sides of the Atlantic, there are a few clear differences between what’s normal in the US and what holds true in the UK. For example, in the US, when food needs cutting with a knife, people generally cut a bite, then lay aside the knife and switch the fork to their right hand. Then they pick up one bite at a time. By contrast, Britons keep the fork in the left hand and don’t lay the knife down.
Though globalization has developed a new, simpler international standard of table manners, some people still stick with the American cut-and-switch method.The Los Angeles Times noted, “They are hanging on to a form of behavior that favors manners above efficiency.”
【小题1】What does the story mainly talk about
A．The importance of proper table manners .
B．The development of table manners in Western countries.
C．Some unwritten rules of table manners in the US and UK.
D．Differences between American and British table manners.

【小题2】The underlined phrase “caught on” in the passage probably means ______.
A．worked in practice B．became popular
C．drew attention D．had a positive effect

【小题3】Which of the following events influenced people’s table manners most according to the article
A．The introduction of forks.
B．The tax deduction policy.
C．The rise of the Renaissance.
D．Petrus Alfonsi’s efforts in promoting table manners.

【小题4】What can we conclude from the article
A．British and American table manners are completely different from each other.
B．American people pay more attention to their table manners than British people do.
C．With globalization, the American cut-and-switch method has been abandoned in the US.
D．British people’s way of using a knife and fork may be more efficient than American people’s.


参考答案： BBAD


Passage 12

If Confucius were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake，there would be a lot of candles．He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out．
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day，few people in the United States will give him a passing thought．It’s nothing personal．Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes．
But this doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius．In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China．
In the past two decades，the Chinese study programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities．More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries．These schools teach both Chinese language and culture．The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art，history and philosophy．Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the old Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy．Students in the United States，at the same time，are racing to learn Chinese．So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States．Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers．

So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well．
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West．
As for the old thinker，he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West，even if his birthday is．
1. The first paragraph is mainly intended to_________．
A. provide some key facts about Confucius
B. prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations
C. show great respect for the old thinker
D. attract the readers’ interest in the subject
2．The reason why few Americans remember Confucius on his birthday is probably that______．
A. they don’t care about Confucius at all．
B. they consider their own national heroes more important．
C. he has become a bridge between foreigners and China.
D. they don’t pay much attention to the birthdays of famous people．
3. We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students________．
A. were not interested in Chinese studies before
B. take an active part in Chinese competitions
C. have a great interest in studying Chinese
D. hope to make money in China
4. What is the best title for the passage?
A. Old Thinker with a Big Future B. Huge Fans of the Chinese Language
C. Chinese Culture for Westerners D. Forgotten Wisdom in America

参考答案： DDCA

Passage 13

? Big Ben, the landmark of London, a clock famous for its accuracy and chimes(和谐的钟声), stopped working for 90 minutes, an engineer said Saturday.
? People do?not know why the 147-year-old clock on the banks of the River Thames stopped at 10:07 p.m. Friday. It continued keeping time, but stopped again at 10:20 p.m. and remained silent for about 90 minutes before starting up again, a spokeswoman for the House of Commons said.
? There has been speculation(推测) that a recent period of hot weather may have been to blame(责备). Temperatures in London reached 90?℉on Saturday, and forecasters called it England’s hottest day in May since 1953.
? The clock has experienced occasional problems. In 1962, snow caused the clock to stop before the New Year. In 1976, the clock stopped when a piece of its machinery broke. Big Ben also stopped on April 30, 1997, and once more three weeks later.
1. How many times has Big Ben stopped up to now?
A. Three???????? B. Five??????? C. Six???????? D. Eight
2. The probable reason for Big Ben stopping working this time is ________.
A. high temperature??????????????? B. low temperature
C. broken machine???????????????? D. heavy snow
3. The passage mainly talks about ________.
A. Big Ben’s history???????????????? B. the solution to Big Ben’s problem.
C. the landmark of London?????????? D. Big Ben’s silence??
参考答案： CAD

























Passage 14

The people who lived in Italy and northern Europe during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were the first people to think of themselves as belonging to an era（时代）. It was the Renaissance（文艺复兴）, a period of renewed interest in learning after the Middle Ages.
The motto（座右铭）of the Renaissance was “A man can do all things if he wills,” and the man who fulfilled that motto more than any other was Leonardo da Vinci. Da Vinci was good at portraiture, a new art form that described people as individuals. His painting of the “Mona Lisa” remains the most famous portrait ever done.
But Leonardo was also a skilled architect and engineer, who designed a submarine, helicopter and airplane, long before those inventions were ever built. Hundreds of drawings and thousands of pages in his notebooks proved his interest in astronomy, anatomy，botany, geology, and above all mathematics. He was interested in city planning and sanitation and was reportedly a gifted musician.
Since the Renaissance, the term “Renaissance man” has been applied to（适用到）others, who, like Leonardo da Vinci, excelled in many various fields. Thomas Jefferson is perhaps the best example. He, too, was a born musician and architect as well as botanist, philosopher, writer and third President of the?United States.
?
1. Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A. The motto of the Renaissance was “A man can do all things.”
B. Leonardo da Vinci made the most achievements among people during the Renaissance.
C. Portraiture was a new art form of painting pictures.
D. “ Mona Lisa” is among the most famous portraits in history.
2. “Renaissance man” means _______.
A. any person during the period of Renaissance
B. any person who makes great achievements in some certain field.
C. any person who experts at many different fields during the Renaissance
D. any person who experts at many different fields ever since the Renaissance
3. Which of the following is NOT the common interest to Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas Jefferson?
???????A. Music?????????????????????????????B. Sanitation??????????C. Architecture?????????????????????D. Botany
参考答案： ADB