History is full of examples of leaders joining together to meet common goals. But rarely have two leaders worked together with such friendship and cooperation as American President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. They both were born in wealthy families and were active in politics for many years. Both men loved the sea and the navy，history and nature.
Roosevelt and Churchill first met when they were lower­level officials in World War One. But neither man remembered much about that meeting. However，as they worked together during the Second World War they came to like and trust each other. Roosevelt and Churchill exchanged more than one thousand seven hundred letters and messages during five and a half years. They met many times，at large national gatherings and in private talks. But the closeness of their friendship might be seen best in a story told by one of Roosevelt’s close advisors，Harry Hopkins. Hopkins remembered how Churchill was visiting Roosevelt at the White House one day. Roosevelt went into Churchill’s room in the morning to say hello. But the president was shocked to see Churchill coming from the washing room with no clothes at all. Roosevelt immediately apologized to the British leader for seeing him naked. But Churchill reportedly said: “The Prime Minister of Great Britain has nothing to hide from the president of the United States.” And then both men laughed.
The United States and Great Britain were only two of several nations that joined together in the war to resist Hitler and his Allies. In January,1942，twenty­six of these nations signed an agreement promising to fight for peace，religious freedom，human rights，and justice. The three major Allies，however，were the most important for the war effort: the United States，Britain，and the Soviet Union. Yet，Churchill and Roosevelt disagreed about when  to attack Hitler in western Europe. And Churchill resisted Roosevelt’s suggestions that Britain give up some of its colonies. But in general，the friendship between Roosevelt and Churchill，and between the United States and Britain led the two nations to cooperate closely.
【小题1】What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Roosevelt and Churchill had much in common.

B．Roosevelt and Churchill had nothing in common.

C．Roosevelt and Churchill had no difference but cooperation.

D．Roosevelt and Churchill always joined together to meet common goals.

【小题2】Which of the following about Roosevelt and Churchill is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Since World War One they had believed in each other.

B．They exchanged just 27 letters and messages per month during the 5.5 years.

C．Harry Hopkins never let out the closeness of their friendship.

D．Roosevelt and Churchill hadn’t been presidents before World War One.

【小题3】We can know from the passage that________.

A．Roosevelt and Churchill did not always agree with each other

B．over two differences between Churchill and Roosevelt were mentioned

C．Churchill urged Roosevelt to give up some of its colonies

D．the differences between Roosevelt and Churchill had an effect on their cooperation

The early 1900s were very different from today, when toys were still the delight of children everywhere.
Theodore Roosevelt's Presidency marks the beginning of the “Teddy Bear”. In the year 1902，toy bears were named “Teddy” after the president's nickname. The Teddy Bear became known worldwide and it was only a few years later that the Teddy Bears were mass produced.
In 1913，an item called the Erector Set was invented. It was a steel，motorized toy that children could use to build models of anything. Its creator was A．C.Gilbert，a medical doctor.
Charles Pajeau created a similar wooden set called Tinker Toys in the year 1914.Tinker Toys were made for younger children.
Raggedy Ann dolls first came on the scene after newspaper cartoonist Johnny Gruelle reproduced the doll he made for his daughter. That was in 1915.
The following year，an architect's son named John Lloyd Wright，invented Lincoln Logs，which were interlocked to make structures.
Two years after Mickey Mouse was created，stuffed(填塞)Mickey Mouse dolls were made by Charlotte Clark. This was the start of Disney merchandise.
The yo­yo became popular in the United States after Donald Duncan bought a yo­yo company in 1929.
The View­Master，a three dimensional viewer，was developed by a camera enthusiast named William Gruber. The toy became popular when Gruber licensed Disney characters to make still, 3­D images from Disney movies and television programs.
Finally，in 1940，model airplanes were mass produced. They started out as a way for manufacturers to sell planes to the military，but later caught on as a toy.
The toys that we know and love today have had their roots from these ancient times. Thanks to all these creative man’s efforts, we know otherwise what we may never know.
【小题1】Why were toy bears named “Teddy”？

A．To be suitable for mass production

B．To be easily pronounced by children.

C．To meet the advertisers' needs.

D．To memorize President Theodore Roosevelt

【小题2】In which aspect do the toys created by Gilbert differ from those by Charles?

A．Shape

B．Material used

C．Themes

D．Price

【小题3】When did the View­Master become popular?

A．After William Gruber was born

B．After Gruber licensed Disney characters

C．Two years after Mickey Mouse was created.

D．When Disney merchandise was started

Today, bicycles are elegantly simple machines that are common around the world. Many people ride bicycles for recreation, whereas others use them as a means of transportation. The first bicycle was invented in Germany in 1818. Because it was made of wood, it wasn’t very strong nor did it have pedals (脚踏板）.Riders moved it by pushing their feet against the ground.
In 1839, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a Scottish blacksmith, invented a much better bicycle. Macmillan’s machine had iron-covered wheels to keep them from getting worn down. He also used foot-operated levers, similar to pedals, so his bicycle could be ridden at a quick pace. It didn’t look much like the modem bicycle, though, because its back wheel was substantially larger than its front wheel. Although Macmillan’s bicycles could be ridden easily, they were never produced in large numbers.
In 1861, Frenchman Pierre Michaux and his brother Ernest invented a bicycle with an improved pedal mechanism. They called their bicycle a velocipede，but most people called it a “bone shaker” because of the effect of the wood and iron frame. Despite the impolite nickname, the velocipede was a hit. After a few years, the Michaux family was making hundreds of the machines annually, mostly for fun-seeking young people.
Ten years later, James Starley , an English inventor, made several innovations that revolutionized bicycle design. He made the front wheel many times larger than the back wheel, put a gear on the pedals to make the bicycle more efficient，and lightened the wheels by using wire spokes. Although this bicycle was much lighter and less tiring to ride, it was still clumsy, extremely top-heavy，and ridden mostly for entertainment.
It wasn’t until 1874 that the first truly modern bicycle appeared on the scene. Invented by another Englishman, H. J. Lawson, the safety bicycle would look familiar to today’s cyclists. The safety bicycle had equal-sized wheels, which made it easier to ride. Lawson also attached a chain to the pedals to drive the back wheel. By 1893，the safety bicycle had been further improved with air-filled rubber tires, a diamond-shaped frame, and easy braking. With the improvements provided by Lawson_; bicycles became extremely popular and useful for transportation. Today, they are built, used, and enjoyed all over the world.
【小题1】This passage was most likely written in order to _____.

A．compare bicycles used for different purposes

B．describe the problems early bicycle makers experienced

C．persuade readers to use bicycles for transportation

D．tell readers about the early history of the bicycle

【小题2】Macmillan covered the wheels of his bicycle with iron to _____

A．add weight to the bicycle

B．make the bicycle easier to ride

C．allow the wheels to last longer

D．let the bicycle be more comfortable

【小题3】Which of the following bicycle types was invented by James Starley?

【小题4】Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．Two hundred years ago，bicycles did not exist.

B．The first bicycle could be ridden at a very quick pace.

C．The Michaux brothers called their bicycle a “bone shaker”.

D．Macmillan’s machine had wheels with rubber tires.

【小题5】The information about bicycles in this passage is arranged according to _____.

A．importance

B．time

C．place

D．Interest

As is known to us all, baths and bathing have long been considered of medical importance to man. In Greece there are the ruins of a water system for baths built over 3,000 years ago. The Romans had warm public baths. In some baths, as many 3,000 persons could bathe at the same time.
Treating disease by taking bathing has been popular for centuries. Modern medical bathing first became popular in Europe and by the late 1700’s has also become popular in the United States.
For many years frequent(经常的) bathing was believed to be bad for one’s health. Ordinary bathing just to keep clean was avoided, and perfume was often used to cover up body smells!
By the 1700’s doctors began to say that soap and water were good for health. They believed that it was good for people to be clean. Slowly, people began to bathe more frequently. During the Victorian Age of the late 19th century, taking a bath on Saturday night became common.
In the United States ordinary bathing was slow to become popular. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, many Americans were known as “The Great Unwashed!” In one American city, for example, a person was only allowed to take a bathe every thirty days! That was a law!
Frequency of bathing today is partly a matter of habit. People know that bathing for cleanliness is important to health, Doctors know that dirty bodies increase the chance of diseases. As a result, in the United States, people generally bathe often. Some people bath once a day at least. They consider a daily bath essential (="necessary)" to good health.
【小题1】 A water system for baths was built by _________ over 3,000 years ago.

A．the Greeks

B．the Romans

C．the Americans

D．the Europeans

【小题2】In the 18th century doctors believed that being clean was __________.

A．good for health

B．unimportant

C．harmful

D．important

【小题3】The underlined word perfume probably means _____________.

A．a strange smelling substance	B．good health
C．a sweet smelling substance	D．large wealth

【小题4】Which of the following gives the main idea of the passage?

A．Everybody inAmericatakes a daily bath.

B．A bath a day keeps the doctor away.

C．Bathing has become easier and cheaper.

D．Taking baths has become popular in the world.

The French Revolution broke out in 1789. At the time France was in a crisis. The government was badly run and people's lives were miserable. King Louis XIV tried to control the national parliament and raise more taxes. But his effort failed. He ordered his troops to Versailles. The people thought that Louis intended to put down the Revolution by force. On July 14, 1789, they stormed and took the Bastille, where political prisoners were kept. Ever since that day, July 14 has been the French National Day. Louis tried to flee the country in 1792, to get support from Austria and Prussia. However, he was caught and put in prison. In September 1792, the monarchy(君主制) was abolished_. In the same year, Louis was executed. A few months later his wife, Marie also had her head cut off. The Revolution of France had frightened the other kings of Europe. Armies from Austria and Prussia began to march against France. The French raised republican armies to defend the nation. The Revolution went through a period of terror. Thousands of people lost their lives. In the end, power passed to Napoleon Bonaparte.
【小题1】What's this passage about?

A．France.	B．King Louis.
C．The French Revolution.	D．Europe.

【小题2】Which did not happen in 1789?

A．The French Revolution broke out.

B．The national economy was developing rapidly.

C．The government wasn't well run.

D．King Louis XIV was in power.

【小题3】 What does the underlined word "abolished" mean?

A．Put off.

B．Established.

C．United.

D．Ended.

【小题4】What was NOT the effect of the Revolution?

A．July 14 has become the French National Day.

B．It brought some impact on the other European kings.

C．Louis's wife, Marie was killed.

D．The king tried to control the national parliament.

The earliest newspapers started in ancient Rome. They were handwritten news sheets. The first printed newspapers appeared in China during the Tang dynasty, which were printed from carved(雕刻的) wooden blocks. Modern papers first appeared in Venice, Italy in the middle of the 14th century. The newspapers of today, with advertising and a mixture of political, economic, and social news and comments, were started in Britain in the mid-18th century.
The main function of newspapers is to report news. Many newspapers also provide special information to readers, such as weather reports and television timetables. They also provide comments on politics, economics, arts and culture. Almost all newspapers depend on advertising to make money.
Nearly six out of ten adults in the United States and Canada read a newspaper every day. Seven out of ten read a paper each weekend. Readers search newspapers for de-tailed background information(背景资料)and analysis(分析). This is what television and radio news reports seldom offer. Newspapers tell readers what happened, and they also help readers understand what caused an event and how it will affect the world around them.
The workers at large newspaper companies work under a lot of pressure to bring news to readers as soon as possible. Reporters, photographers, artists, and editors collect articles in just a few hours. Page designers select articles, photos, advertisements, and eye-catching headlines to make the pages, and then rush their work to the printer. Printing workers may work overnight around printing presses to churn out more than 60,000 copies per hour.
【小题1】Which is the best title for the passage?

A．Production of Newspapers	B．Functions of Newspapers
C．Publication of Newspapers	D．An Introduction to Newspapers

【小题2】Modern newspapers were first made in ______.

A．China

B．Ancient Rome

C．Italy

D．Britain

【小题3】What is the main idea of the third paragraph?

A．Most adults in America and Canada read newspapers every day.

B．The importance of newspapers in people’s lives.

C．Newspapers offer readers detailed information.

D．The effects of newspapers on readers.

【小题4】We can infer everything from the passage EXCEPT that ______.

A．newspapers will become less popular because of the development of TV

B．few newspapers have no advertising

C．many adults in America read newspapers every day

D．people can read about many different issues in newspapers

【小题5】The phrase "churn out" in the last paragraph probably means ______.

A．press

B．produce

C．publish

D．sell

To many Americans，Labor Day(劳动节) marks the end of the summer，a day off from work and school，and one last chance to relax．But Labor Day is much more than just a day off . It represents a very important victory for laborers everywhere．The holiday is a celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers．
More than a century ago workers were forced to deal with harsh conditions．They were paid very little and they often worked 10-to l2-hour days．Men, women and even small children were forced to work even when they were sick．Tired of long hours and dangerous conditions，workers began organizing themselves into labor unions．On top of fighting for higher pay and shorter workdays，they also fought for the rights of children．The workers wanted employers to place limits on the age of their workers so that small children were not overworked or hurt in factories．
A New York City carpenter named Peter McGuire is credited(获得赞誉) for coming up with the idea for Labor Day．In 1872，after working many hours under poor conditions, McGuire rallied 100,000 workers to go on strike．The workers marched through the streets of New York City，demanding a better work environment．McGuire spent a decade fighting for workers’ rights．In 1882，he proposed（提议）the idea to create a special holiday for workers．On Tuesday，September 5，1882, more than 10,000 workers hit the streets of New York City for the first ever Labor Day parade．Two years later the celebration was moved to the first Monday in September．And in 1894，Congress passed a law making Labor Day a national holiday．Americans celebrated the first Labor Day holiday with a parade，picnics and fireworks．
Today，many people hit the road to enjoy the last of their summer vacation．Others enjoy the long weekend with picnics，backyard barbecues or just rest and relaxation．However you spend Labor Day，remember that the holiday is a time to pay tribute (致敬)to the workers who have made America what it is today．
【小题1】What do we know from Paragraph 1?

A．Americans have more than a day off on Labor Day．

B．Many countries in the world celebrate Labor Day．

C．Labor Day has a deep meaning for American laborers．

D．Labor Day shows the social and economic power of America．

【小题2】The underlined word “rallied” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by“___________”．

A．persuaded

B．supported

C．warned

D．gathered

【小题3】Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．There were about 100,000 workers in New York City in 1872．

B．Labor Day became a national holiday in 1884．

C．The idea for Labor Day was first put forward by McGuire in 1872．

D．The first ever Labor Day parade was held in 1882．

【小题4】According to the author，while spending Labor Day，Americans should feel ___ ．

A．surprised

B．thankful

C．dissatisfied

D．terrified

Bedfordshire had its fair share of royal visits from the early stages of the 10th Century onwards and the importance that the county placed on this is evident in the monuments, country houses, churches and any number of other structures that are still present there to this day. Bedford Castle is one of those structures and, although it is nowhere near its former glory today, it is an essential attraction to visit if you really want to grasp what its heritage means to the county!
Bedford Castle was built initially as a fortress to help protect Bedfordshire on the south of the River Ouse after the people in the local towns and villages had already been subdued. It was erected in 919 on the orders of King Edward the Elder, although it was destroyed by a Danish invasion years later. This was when it was rebuilt as the castle, of which the ruins exist today!
There is a long history behind the castle that involves several kings as a result of the Duke of Bedford being an ardent royalist. Bedford Castle repeatedly offered the kings of England refuge against various storms in the form of onslaughts from abroad and various domestic threats against them, and this is where much of its fame lies, even though the castle itself is no longer there. There are various tours of the ruins that you can take when you visit though and all of the guides are extremely knowledgeable. They will happily tell you tales of the mound and the castle that preceded it.
The mound is open to the public all year round and is a proud part of the area’s heritage. It is recommended by the majority of people that visit Bedfordshire because it tells you much about why the county is currently how it is. You can view the river from the mound and the surrounding settlements as well as the remains of the castle, and every moment spent there is worth it so enjoy the history and the very nature of the county itself!
【小题1】What do we know from the first paragraph?

A．The royals pay regular visits to Bedfordshire

B．Bedford Castle represents the heritage of the county

C．Most of the ancient buildings are in use today

D．Bedfordshire had its fair share of royal visits

【小题2】The underlined word “initially” in Paragraph 2 probably means _______.

A．at first	B．since the beginning
C．for one particular purpose	D．for a short time

【小题3】The kings of England came to Bedford Castle ______.

A．to escape from the bad weather	B．to visit the Duke of Bedford
C．to enjoy the beauty of nature	D．to seek temporary protection

【小题4】Why are visitors recommended to visit Bedfordshire? ______

A．It reflects the history of the country

B．It is the major heritage in that region

C．The ancient castle is well worth visiting

D．The castle is still in good condition

【小题5】The purpose of writing the text is _______.

A．to attract tourists to Bedfordshire	B．to tell the history of Bedfordshire
C．to introduce Bedford Castle	D．to show where the kings used to go

Barcodes (条形码) aren’t given much thought by the majority of consumers, but these codes were fairly recently applied in a working fashion in 1970.
A small food store owner decided one day that keeping records of the inventory (存货) of his stock and the associated prices were an extremely laborious process, and so, in 1948, he contacted the The Drexel Institute of Technology in a bid to work towards a solution. Bernard Sliver rose to the challenge and set out to study the problem, and began working on a solution involving an automatic way of keeping track of items that had been sold. Silver and a group of students from the institute realized their answer in the form of ultraviolet light (紫外线), ink and a scanner.

The system worked initially, but possessed some negatives. It was incredibly costly to carry out on a large scale and the system was also unstable. If the invention was to become commonplace (寻常的事) in grocery stores, these two problems had to be solved.
The patent (专利)for the bar code system was filed by Sliver and one of his students, Woodland. The patent was not granted immediately; in fact it took three years for the patent agency to grand their invention patent for the barcode, occurring on 7^th October, 1952.
Despite the patent being issued, the system was still not welcomed by the majority of store owners. It was not until 1966 that the system began moving its way into more and more grocery stores. This system was soon criticised, as there was no central mechanism for controlling uniformly coded items. In 1970, Logicorn developed the Universal Grocery Products Identification code (UGOIC), soon shortened to Universal Identification Number (UPC). It was Marsh’s superstore, in Troy, which was the very first store to install this complex barcode reading system, and its popularity has soared (升温) ever since, and is obviously now commonplace in all types of stores worldwide.
【小题1】What is stressed in the second paragraph?

A．The heavy work of store owners.

B．The function of ultraviolet light, ink and a scanner.

C．The origination of barcodes

D．Bernard Silver’s education background.

【小题2】Which of the following was NOT a drawback of Silver’s system?

A．It was expensive to be applied on a large scale.

B．It was a laborious process.

C．The system was not stable.

D．It lacked a central mechanism.

【小题3】What is the purpose of the text?

A．To tell people that failure is the mother of success.

B．To praise scientists’ efforts in making people’s lives easier.

C．To describe shop owners’ opinions of barcodes.

D．To provide information about the development of barcodes.

Since the beginning of time, man has been interested in the moon. The Romans designed a special day to show admiration and respect to the moon. They called it “Moonday”, or “Monday”, as we know it today. Later, the great mind of Leonardo da Vinci studied the moon and designed a machine to carry a human to the moon. Leonardo said that one day a great machine bird would take a person to the moon and bring great honor to the home where it was born. Four and a half centuries later, Leonardo’s idea was realized. Apollo II took three Americans, Collins, Aldrin, and Armstrong to the moon. The mission (任务) did fill the whole world with great surprise, as Leonardo had said it would. Numerous essays, articles, and books were written about man’s first moon mission. But perhaps the most interesting story was one written before the event over 100 years before. In 1865, French author Jules Verne wrote a story about the first journey to the moon. His story was very similar to the 1969 Apollo II mission. Verne’s spacecraft also contained three men—two Americans and a Frenchman. The spacecraft was described as being almost the same size as Apollo II. The launch (发射) site in Verne’s story was also in Florida. The spacecraft in Verne’s story was named the “Columbiad”. The Apollo II command ship was called “Columbia”. His account of sending the spacecraft into the space could easily have been written about how Apollo II was sent into the space.
【小题1】Leonardo da Vinci said that a great machine bird would ________.

A．bring great honor to the moon

B．fly toward the sun

C．explore the heavens

D．take people to the moon

【小题2】Jules Verne wrote his story of a man’s visit to the moon about ________.

A．100 years before the Apollo II mission

B．10 years before the Apollo II mission

C．four and one a half centuries ago

D．100 years ago

【小题3】Verne’s story is very similar to _____.

A．the first U.S. space mission

B．the Apollo II mission

C．Leonardo da Vinci’s story

D．numerous other books on the same subject

【小题4】The underlined word “spacecraft” probably means ________.

A．a kind of rocket	B．a kind of plane
C．a kind of train	D．a kind of bus