Beijing opera or Peking opera is a form of Chinese opera which arose in the late 18th century and
became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. The form was extremely popular in
the Qing Dynasty court and has come to be regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China. Major
performance troupes (剧团,戏班子) are based in Beijing and Tianjin in the north,and Shanghai in the
south. The art form is also enjoyed in Taiwan,and has spread to other countries such as the United
States and Japan.
     Beijing opera features four main types of performers. Performing troupes often have several of
each variety,as well as numerous secondary and tertiary performers. With their elaborate (认真的,
精心的) and colorful costumes,performers are the only focal points on Beijing opera's characteristically
small stage. They make use of the skills of speech,song,dance,and combat in movements that are
symbolic and suggestive,rather than realistic. Above all else,the skill of performers is evaluated
according to the beauty of their movements. Performers also hold a variety of stylistic conventions that
help audiences navigate the plot of the production. The layers of meaning within each movement must
be expressed in time with music. The music of Beijing opera can be divided into the Xipi and Erhuang
styles. Melodies include arias (唱腔),fixed-tune melodies,and percussion patterns. The repertoire of
Beijing opera includes over 1,400 works,which are based on Chinese history,folklore,and,increasingly,
contemporary life.
     In recent years,Beijing opera has attempted numerous reforms in response to sagging audience
numbers. These reforms,which include improving performance quality,adapting new performance
elements,and performing new and original plays,have met with mixed success. Some Western works
have been adopted as new plays,but a lack of funding and an adverse political climate have left Beijing
opera's fate uncertain as the form enters the 21st century.

1. How long has Beijing Opera become a popular art form?

A. About one and a half centuries.
B. More than two centuries.
C. More than one century.
D. About half a century.

2. How many art forms of Beijing Opera at present?

A. Two including Beijing and Tianjin,and Shanghai in the south.
B. Two including Beijing and Tianjin in the north.
C. Three including Beijing and Tianjin,and Shanghai in the south and Taiwan.
D. Five including Beijing and Tianjin,and Shanghai in the south,Taiwan,US and Japan.

3. What are the features of the performers' movements of Beijing Opera?

A. Elaborate.
B. Colourful.
C. Realistic.
D. Representative.

4. Which of the followings is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Performers can take different stylistic traditions in the plays.
B. The standard to estimate a performer is the amount of his/her movements.
C. It's necessary to keep movements along the music in time.
D. The content of Beijing Opera is plentiful but much fixed.

5. What will be the future of the Beijing Opera?

A. Very bright.
B. Certainly good.
C. Much uncertain.
D. More popular.

     Started in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest of all the many colleges and universities in
the United States. Yale, Princeton , Columbia and Dartmouth were opened soon after Harvard.
     In the early years , these schools were much alike. Only young men went to college. All the
students studied the same subjects, and everyone learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Little was
known about science then , and one kind of school could teach everything that was known about
the world . when the students graduated ,most of them become ministers or teachers.
     In 1782,Harvard started a medical school for young men who wanted to become doctors.
Later lawyers could receive their training in Harvard's law school. In 1825, besides Latin and
Greek ,Harvard began teaching modern languages, such as French and German ,Soon it began
teaching American history.
     As knowledge increased, Harvard and other colleges began to teach many new subjects .
Students were allowed to choose the subjects that interests them.
    Today. There are many different kinds of colleges and universities. Most of them are made
up of smaller schools that deal with special fields of learning. There's so much to learn that one
kind of school can't offer it all.

1. The oldest university in the US is ______.

A. Yale  
B. Harvard  
C. Princeton  
D. Columbia

2. From the second paragraph, we can see that in the early years, ______.

A. those colleges and universities were the same
B. people, young or old might study in the colleges
C. students studied only some languages and science
D. when the students finished their school, they became lawyers or teachers

3. Modern languages the Harvard taught in 1825 were _______.

A. Latin and Greek
B. Latin and Greek, French and German
C. American history and German
D. French and German

4. As knowledge increased, colleges began to teach_______.

A. everything that was known
B. law and something about medicine
C. many new subjects
D. the subjects that interested students

5. On the whole, the passage is about _______.

A. how to start a university
B. the world-famous colleges in America
C. how colleges have changed
D. what kind of lessons each college teaches

     You may admire both the romantic love story and the mysterious city of Rome in the movie
Roman Holiday.If you are planning to visit Rome,here are some cultural dos and don'ts you
should know.
     Coffee Etiquette:Italian breakfast consists of pastry and a cup of Cappuccino or shot of
espresso.If eaten outside of home,breakfast is always consumed standing up at the local bar.
An espresso is not sipped;it is downed in one gulp.Cappuccino is generally a morning drink
and is not drunk after noon by real Italians.A post dinner espresso,however,is common practice.
     Dinner Rules:It is expected for guests to arrive for dinner reservations at least fifteen minutes
late.In many restaurants,printed menus are for tourists.Regular patrons know to ask for the daily
specials,which typically feature the freshest ingredients.Bread,when served,is rarely accompanied
by butter or olive oil.
     Drink the Water:Rome has plenty of public water fountains,and real Romans (and their dogs)
always drink directly from them.Many people also refill their water bottle from these fountains.
     Mind the Traffic:Unless there's a traffic light,or you are in a crosswalk,don't expect cars to
stop for you.Though crosswalks go first,in a car?crazy city,still you'd better keep cautious
and walk cautiously.
     Money:Always have some euros with you.Most major hotels,restaurants,and shops take
credit cards,but many smaller operations either will be unwilling to accept them for smaller
purchases or do not accept credit cards at all.ATMs are available around the city and at the
airports.
     About Soccer:Most Italian men are passionate about their soccer.Arm yourself with some
knowledge of Italy's soccer scene,and you will find ready conversation partners almost
everywhere.
     The Romans:The people here love to share their thoughts,opinions and emotions.They are
creative,passionate,playful,occasionally rude or vain but always entertaining,and almost always
good humoured.

     February has long been a month of romance. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic
films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
     On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers
and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what
you see on Valentine's Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest(牧师) in the third
century Rome. When the emperor (皇帝) decided that single men could become better soldiers
than those with wives, he didn't allow marriage.
     But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers in secret. When his
actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison, it is said that
Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter,
which he signed "From your Valentine", an expression that is still in use today. Valentine died for
what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history's
most romantic characters.
     Nowadays, Valentine's Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are
planning to make Valentine's cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties
at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped cakes. The idea is to have fun and
encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine.

1. Why did the emperor in Rome not allow marriage in his country

A. Because there were few women in his country at that time.
B. Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers.
C. Because there wasn't enough food for so many people.
D. Because he wanted to control the birth rate.

2. Valentine was put into prison because ______.

A. he killed one of the soldiers  
B. he stole a lot of food
C. he didn't obey the emperor's order    
D. he didn't want to be a soldier

3. The last paragraph mainly tells us ______.

A. students in China send cards to their teachers
B. it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine's Day in China
C. it is interesting to celebrate Valentine's Day in China
D. Valentine's Day is also popular in China now

4. What is the author's feelings toward Valentine?.

A. Honor and respect.            
B. Love and joy.  
C. Praise and disbelief.            
D. Sorrow and humor.

5. Which of the following can NOT be inferred from the passage?

A. Valentine's Day is a Festival in honor of a person.
B. Valentine is a brave priest who died for what he believed in.
C. All the young people in the 3rd Century could not get married freely.
D. People at that time in Rome lived in a hard time under the control of the emperor.

1.The words "boats on land" underlined in Paragraph 2 refer to . _____

A.animals for taking goods
B.creatures for pulling plows
C.treasures of the folk culture
D.tools in the farming economy

2.From the third paragraph,we know that._____

A.oxen are no more important today than in the past
B.ceremonies are held when people cook cattle bone soup
C.oxen are treated as human in some areas of China
D.people run with oxen to shake off diseases every month

3.Which of the following helps to develop traditional customs? _____

A.The special role of oxen in farming.
B.People's respect and love for oxen.
C.The practical value of an ox's body.
D.The contribution of oxen to the economy.

4.Why does the author write the text? _____

A.To stress the importance of oxen in farming.
B.To introduce the Chinese folk culture.
C.To describe how to celebrate the Year of Ox.
D.To explain how to develop agriculture with oxen.

    Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong
signal. Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasize(强调) the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree.
For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with
people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a glass of tea, before
they do any job. In many European countries - like the UK or France - people find it easier to build up a
lasting working relationship at restaurants or caf?s rather than at the office.
     Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had
expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead, there was an uncomfortable
silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better, I
realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through
words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
      Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English
and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more
quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes
decisions more quickly.
      People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite
against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment will offer a
wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.

1. The author mentions his experience in Thailand to show that _________.

A. the English prefer to make long speeches      
B. too many words are of no use
C. even talk and silence can be culturally different
D. people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature

2. According to the text, how can people from different cultures understand each other better?

A. By sharing different ways of life.    
B. By accepting different habits.
C. By recognizing different values.    
D. By speaking each other's languages.

3. What would be the best title for the text?

A. Multicultural Environment          
B. Cross-Cultural Differences
C. How to Understand Each Other      
D. How to Build Up a Relationship

     Mouse potatoes joined couch potatoes (who spend much time watching TV on the couch), google
officially became a verb and drama queens (extremely emotional persons) finally found the attention when
they crossed over from popular culture to mainstream English language.
    The mouse potato, the himbo (attractive, empty-headed man) and drama queen were among 100 new words added to the 2006 update of America's best-selling dictionary, the Merriam-Webster Collegiate
Dictionary《韦氏大词典》. The Internet search engine Google also found its way into the dictionary for
the first time as a verb, meaning to find information quickly on the worldwide web. 
    New words and phrases from the fields of science, technology, pop culture and industry are chosen
each year by Merriam-Webster's team of editors after months of looking through books, magazines and
even food labels. "They are not tracking spoken language. They are looking for evidence that words have been used in the written English language," said Arthur Bicknell, senior editor of Merriam-Webster.
    Other words first coming into the dictionary this year were soul patch (a small growth of beard under
a man's lower lip), unibrow (two eyebrows joining together) and supersize － the fast food industry
phrase for extra large meals.
    The technology world contributed ringtones (changeable incoming cellphone call signals) and spyware
(software installed in a computer to track a user's activities) while biodiesel (生物柴油) and avian
influenza(禽流感) came from the world of science.
America's first dictionary-Noah Webster's A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language －was
published 200 years ago and also introduced some fresh words that have now become familiar. Those
"new" words in 1806 included slang, surf, psychology, naturally and Americanize.

1. The mouse potato refers to ____________.

A. a mouse that lives by potatoes
B. a person who spends much time on the computer
C. a mouse that is shown on the screen of the computer
D. a person who likes to eat mice and potatoes

2. Which group of words and phrases is NOT the fresh words for the dictionary of this   year?  

A. mouse potatoes, google, drama queen.
B. himbo, soul patch, unibrow, supersize.
C. ringtones, spyware, biodiesel, avian influenza.
D. couch potatoes, surf, psychology, Americanize.

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the text?

A. New words and phrases were introduced into the dictionary have close relationship with the time.
B. New words and phrases chosen by the editors of the dictionary have been used in  
     written English somewhere.
C. Some words that are now familiar to us used to be fresh words collected in the dictionary.
D. The Merriam-webster Collegiate Dictionary becomes the best-seller because 100 new words
      are added to it.

      Barbie (芭比娃娃),believe it or not,is 50 this year and she's still as popular as ever. A doll
is a doll,but Barbie illustrates how,over the last five decades,women have become a standard for
judging what freedom really means. How women are treated in different countries tells you a lot
about the politics and culture of where they live.
      The doll that every little girl wants enables young children to test their possibilities in role
playing,giving them a glimpse of what they might be when they grow up,whether to be frivolous
or serious (or both).
But in many countries that's not an option. In Saudi Arabia,where woman can't drive or go out
publicly unless covered,Barbie is banned. They think Barbie dolls are offensive to Islam (伊斯兰教)
and a threat to morality.
     In America,she represents the swiftly changing roles of women. Barbie is fun to tease but she's
as American as miniskirts_and_pantsuits in her flexible identities and her "growth" from model to
astronaut.
      Barbie inspired a dollrevolution movement. When a Teen Talk Barbie was programmed
electronically to say "Math class is tough",she was criticized by a national women's group and
was regarded as a bad stereotype. Some of her critics also say she has a bad influence because
she's too thin and encourages anorexia,that she has run through too many stereotypes,and that
she lends too much significance to the fantasy stages of child's play.
     In some Muslim countries,substitute Barbie dolls have been developed that promote traditional
values,with their modest clothing and profamily backgrounds. They are widely seen as an effort to
resist the American dolls that have flooded the market.
     Toyseller Masounmen Rahimi welcomed the dolls,saying Barbie was "foreign to Muslim culture"
because some of the dolls have little clothing. She said young girls who play with Barbie could grow
into women who reject Muslim values. "I think every Barbie doll is more harmful than an American
missile(导弹)." Ms Rahimi said.

1. Barbie is forbidden in some Muslim countries because ________.

A.she is more deadly than a missile
B.toys are not allowed there
C.she looks 1ike an American
D.she sets a poor example to children

2. The writer mentioned "miniskirts and pantsuits" (Paragraph 4) to imply that ________.

A. these are the only clothes a doll should wear
B. these are very traditional American clothes for women
C. there are a range of different life options available for women
D. readers should wear these clothes more often

3. The underlined word "anorexia"(Paragraph 5) most probably means "________".

A. an illness of refusing to eat
B. giving up math study
C. the wearing of inappropriate clothes
D. a decrease in people's imagination

4. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. People all over the world understand what freedom really means.
B. How Barbie is treated seems to reflect a country's politics and culture.
C. Women in Saudi Arabia have no options in deciding what to wear.
D. Barbie dolls have contributed much to Muslim culture.