B

She is widely seen as proof that good looks can last for ever. But, at nearly 500 years of age, time is catching up with the Mona Lisa.

The health of the famous picture, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1505, is getting worse by the year, according to the Louver Museum(卢浮宫) where it is housed.

“The thin, wooden panel on which the Mona Lisa is painted in oil has changed shape since experts checked it two years ago,” the museum said. Visitors have noticed changes but repairing the world’s most famous painting is not easy. Experts are not sure about the materials the Italian artist used and their current chemical state.

Nearly 6 million people go to see the Mona Lisa every year, many attracted by the mystery of her smile. “It is very interesting that when you’re not looking at her, she seems to be smiling, and then you look at her and she stops,” said Professor Margaret Livingstone of Harvard University. “It’s because direct vision(视觉) is excellent at picking up details, but less suited to looking at shadows. Da Vinci painted the smile in shadows.”

However, the actual history of the Mona Lisa is just as mysterious as the smile. Da Vinci himself loved it so much that he always carried it with him, until it was eventually sold to France’s King Francis I in 1519.

In 1911, the painting was stolen from the Louver by a former employee, who took it out of the museum, hidden under his coat. He said he planned to return it to Italy. The painting was sent back to France two years later. During World War Ⅱ, French hid the painting in small towns to keep it out of the hands of German forces.

5.We can infer from the text that_______

A. the Mona Lisa is proved to be able to last another 500 years

B. Mona Lisa’s beauty is fading gradually with 500 years passing by

C. the Mona Lisa has been catching people’s wide attention in the past 500 years

D. Mona Lisa does not look out of date though painted 500 years ago

6.Which of the following is true about the Mona Lisa?

A. It was once taken away and hidden up by German forces.

B. Its painter himself loved it greatly and always kept it in a shade.

C. Mona Lisa stops smiling when you look at her wanting to see her smiles.

D. King Francis I bought it and then returned it to Italy.

7.Choose the right order about the happenings onto Mona Lisa.

a. It was stolen from the Louver.

b. Its painter sold it to King Francis I

c. Its state of health was checked.

d. It was returned to France and housed in the Louver Museum.

e. It was hidden and protected against Germans.

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

8.It may add to the difficulty in repairing the painting that_____.

A. experts haven’t noticed changes in its shape as visitors do

B. it is likely to be stolen again when it’s under repair

C. it is uncertain which country, Italy of France, should take charge

D. experts aren’t sure about the materials and the chemical state of its oil paint

C

Dorothea Dix left home at an early age—of her own free will—to live with her grandmother.

At fourteen, Dorothea was teaching school at Worcester, Massachusetts. A short time after she had begun teaching, she set up a school for young girls in her grandparents’ home. Stress was placed on moral character at Dorothea’s school, which she conducted until she was thirty-three.

She was forced to give up teaching at her grandparents’ home, however, when she became ill a few years of inactivity followed.

In 1841 Dorothea began to teach again, accepting a Sunday school class in the East Cambridge, Massachusetts prison. Here she first came upon insane people (精神病人) locked up together with prisoners.

In those days insane people were treated even worse than prisoners. There were only a few madhouses in the entire country. Therefore prisons, poor houses, and houses of correction were used to keep the insane.

Dorothea Dix made a careful investigation of the inhuman treatment of the insane. It was considered unfeminine (不适合) for a woman to devote herself to such work at this time. But this did not stop Dorothea Dix from providing proper medical care for the insane.

Gradually, because of her investigations, conditions were improved. More than thirty mental institutions were founded or rebuilt in the United States because of her hard work. Dorothea also spread her investigations to England and to other parts of Europe.

During the Civil War, Dorothea served as superintendent (负责) of women hospital nurses in the Union army. When the war was over, she returned to her work of improving conditions for insane people.

1. This article is mainly about ________.

social problems of the nineteenth century

how Dorothea Dix got her education

how Dorothea Dix devoted herself to education

how Dorothea Dix devoted herself to the work of improving conditions for insane people

2. How did Dorothea Dix first realize the mistreatment of insane people?

Her grandmother treated the mistreatment of insane people.

She worked in an insane hospital as a young woman.

She taught Sunday school in a prison.

She was asked to investigate the problem.

3. The author implies Dorothea Dix’s work with the insane was interrupted because of ________.

A. an illness       B. the Civil War      C. her trip to England      D. her grandmother’s death

4. How are the events of Dorothea Dix’s life presented in the passage?

A. In space order.                      B. In time order.

C. In alphabetical (字母的) order.         D. From greatest to least important.

Some people can never go above 4,000 meters because their body is unable to ______ to these extreme conditions.

   A. adopt          B. adjust           C. addict        D. access

It ______ to be seen whether Yao Ming will be fit enough to play in the new season.

   A. stays       B. keeps       C. appears       D. remains

------What’s the model plane look like?

    -------The wings of the plane are ______ of its body.

   A. more than the length twice                   B. twice more than the length

   C. more than twice the length                   D. more twice than the length

 33Luckily, we’d brought a road map without       we would have lost our way.

     A．it           B．which       C．this          D．that

In 1988, Mary Anderson was at the Miami airport checking in for a flight to Norway to be with her husband when she was told she wouldn’t be able to check her luggage without paying a $100 surcharge (超载) .

Mary had no money as her new husband had left for Norway and she had no one else to call .

 “ I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without ,” says Mary .

As tears ran down her face , a voice behind her said , “That’s okay, I’ll pay for her .”

Rather surprised , Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before . He had a gentle and kind voice that was firm and decisive .

Although this happened twenty years ago , Mary still remembers the authority that radiated (发出)from the man .

Mary was pleased to bring her luggage to Norway and told the stranger she would give his money back . The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper and gave it to Mary . She thanked him repeatedly . When she finally walked off towards the boarding gate, he waved goodbye to her .

That man turned out to be Barack Obama .

Mary paid the money back to Obama the day she joined her husband . At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker in Chicago , and had started his law studies at Harward University .

In the spring of 2006 , Mary’s parents heard Obama was considering a run for President . They wrote a letter saying that they would support him. At the same time , they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier .

And Obama replied , “ I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport . I’m happy I could help her then , and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway . Please send her my best wishes . Sincerely , Barack Obama,

United States Senator .”

Why did Mary feel completely desperate ?

 A. She had missed the only flight to Norway .

 B. Her new husband abandoned her suddenly .

 C. She didn’t have the money to buy a ticket .

 D. She had no money to pay for the surcharge .

How did Mary feel when someone offered to help her ?

 A. Amazed       B. Puzzled     C. Delighted      D. Annoyed

Mary asked the stranger to leave his name and address _________ .

  A. in order to contact him later              B. so that she could repay him

  C. because he impressed her deeply          D. because she fell in love with him

What’s the passage mainly about ?

  A. A letter from Barack Obama           B. Mary’s parents support Obama

  C. Obama helped a stranger 20 years ago    D. Mary was lucky to get help at the airport

（2010·浙江诸暨中学高三10月月考）   20. – If our parents would listen more to us, they would understand us better.

-- ______. They just expect us to listen.

A. I believe not      B. No problem      

C. Good idea  D. I can’t agree more

（2010·黑龙江哈三中高三10月月考）   33. ---Have all the mysteries been cleared up?

--- Almost. But ______ only one question ______.

A. there remains; answered                B. it remains; to be answered

C. there remains; to be answered        D. it remains; answered

（2010·山东临港一中高三上10月月考）      30._____ team wins on Saturday will go through to the national championships.

  A. No matter what   B. No matter which   C. Whatever  D. Whichever