Music is an international language. The songs that are sung or played by instruments are beautiful to people everywhere.

Popular music in America is what every student likes . Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class, and at lunch. Students with cars buy large speakers and play the music loudly as they drive on the streets.

Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, the weather, politics, and activities of the American people. Most of the radio broadcast is music.

Pop or popular music singers make much money. They make a CD or tape which radio stations use in every state. Once the popular singer is heard throughout the country, young people buy his or her tapes. Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. Now the singer has become a national star.

There are other kinds of music that are important to Americans. One is called folk music. It tells stories about the common life of Americans. Another is called western or country music. This was started by cowboys who would sing at night to the cows they were watching. Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl is called western or country music.

Serious music for the concert halls is called classical music. Music for instruments is called orchestra music(管弦乐), such as the symphonies(交响乐) of Beethoven. There is opera(歌剧) for singers. There is ballet(芭蕾舞剧) for dancers like the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai in China.

1. In what sense can music be regarded as an international language?

A. Popular music is what everyone enjoys.

B. The songs that are sung or played by instruments are so beautiful and understandable that everyone can enjoy them.

C. When music is played, it seems as if it were speaking to us.

D. Music is so popular throughout the world that everyone can play it.

2. What can we know about music and people in America?

A. Student drivers carry small radios with earphones when they drive on the streets.

B. Students always listen to music before class, in class and after class.

C. Adult drivers listen to news as well as music when they drive to work.

D. Adult drivers never listen to music when they drive to work.

3. How many kinds of music are mentioned in the passage?

A. Six. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. Eight.

C. Five. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Seven.

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

A. All people in America like popular music.

B. Pop singers can get all the money from the tapes.

C. Now, western or country music is a little different from its beginning.

D. Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai is a kind of pop music.

The Waltz

“This indecent(不文雅的) foreign dance was introduced at the English court on Friday last. . . we trust it will never again be tolerated in any moral English society. ”(The Times 1816. )

The waltz was the first court dance since Shakespeare’s time where the couple were allowed to spin round holding each other very closely. The fact that it was labeled “immoral”or even“obscene(下流的) ”no doubt helped to make people think it was rather shocking fun.

The waltz originated in Germany from the energetic folk-dances of the country people. By the mid-18th century the smart town people were trying it and very soon, it had spread throughout the rest of Europe, although parts of Germany and Switzerland banned it completely! In Vienna the waltz became very fast, with the couples racing each other seven or eight times round the ballroom floor, until they were in a state of collapse. So the police decided to forbid the extreme forms of the dance, as it was creating a public disturbance.

However, it was also in Vienna that Lanner and Strauss made their fortunes as bandleaders and composers. Strauss’ son, John Strauss established himself as the“waltz”. Chopin complained that classical music was being ignored in favor of the waltz. He also complained that pieces by Mozart and Beethoven were being “waltzified”to please the public taste. But this did not lower its popularity, which still continues even today.

1. The music of waltz was firstly played in __________.

A. England　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　    B. Germany

C. Switzerland　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Vienna

2. Why did the police decide to forbid the extreme dance of waltz in Vienna?

A. Because the police thought the dancers were holding each other very closely.

B. Because the police thought the dancers were spending too much time in dancing.

C. Because the police thought the dancers of waltz were creating trouble in the public.

D. Because the police thought the dancers of waltz were always in a state of being worn out.

3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. In the beginning the waltz was created by some famous composers.

B. Although the waltz was banned in one or two countries, yet it had spread all over the rest of Europe by the mid-18th century.

C. The dance of waltz was usually performed by only one person.

D. As a great composer Chopin took the side of the waltz.

4. What conclusion can we draw from the passage?

A. The waltz is immoral or even obscene.

B. All people accepted the waltz completely in the beginning.

C. The waltz was even thought to be rather shocking fun.

D. At the present time people still think well of love and enjoy the waltz.

Japan has a new craze:“the virtual pet”—Tamagotchi(电子鸡). The new object of consumer desire is the latest in high-tech-an electronic bird creature, the size of an egg that has been sold out everywhere and is now only available on the streets at more than 20 times its original price of 1 980 yen or $19.

You can feed it, stroke(抚摸) it, carry it in your pocket and even take it to the bathroom—all with the push of a button. But be aware that if you don’t take care of your Tamagotchi (Japanese word for“lovely egg”) —your pet will die before your eyes and before its time.

The Tamagotchi starts life as a bird-like image on the screen of an egg-shaped key-ring device. It changes from a chick to a fully-grown adult in around 10 days. However, the owner must feed, clean and calm the digital creature by pushing the proper buttons to prevent it from dying from neglect. The owner may choose to feed the creature digital sweets and enjoy its sounds of delight by pressing buttons in response to the creature’s movements.

1. What is the present price of Tamagotchi?

A. Over 18 dollars.

B. Over 60 dollars.

C. Over 380 dollars.

D. Over 1 200 dollars.

2. The underlined word“neglect”in the passage means“__________”.

A. lack of care or attention

B. pushing the wrong buttons

C. paying too much attention

D. lack of electricity

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true about Tamagotchi?

A. It can grow up in around 10 days.

B. It has to be fed, cleaned and calmed in case it might die.

C. It can produce a sound of delight.

D. It can be bought everywhere now.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A. A new type of pet

B. Take good care of the Tamagotchi

C. The popularity of the Tamagotchi in Japan

D. A newly found bird—the Tamagotchi

Personal computers and the Internet give people a  new choice about how to spend their time. Some may use this freedom to share less time with certain friends or family members, but new technology will also let them stay in closer touch with those they care most about. I know this from personal experience.

E-mail makes it easy to work at home, which is where I now spend most weekends and evenings. My working hours aren’t necessarily much shorter than they once were but I spend fewer of them at the office. This lets me share more time with my young daughter than I might have if she’d been born before electronic mail became such a practical tool.

The Internet also makes it easy to share thoughts with a group of friends. Say you do something funny—see a great movie perhaps—and there are four or five friends who might want to hear about it. If you call each one, you will get tired of telling the story.

With E-mail, you just write one note about your experience, at your convenience, and address it to all the friends who you think might be interested. They can read your message when they have time, and read only as much as they want to. They can reply at their convenience, and you can read what they have to say at your convenience.

E-mail is also an inexpensive way to stay in close touch with people who live far away. More than a few parents use E-mail to keep in touch, even daily touch, with their children off at college.

We just have to keep in mind that computers and the Internet offer another way of staying in touch. They don’t eliminate(排除) any of the old ways.

1. The purpose of this passage is to __________.

A. explain how to use the Internet

B. describe the writer’s joy of keeping up with the latest technology

C. tell the merit (价值) and usefulness of the Internet

D. introduce basic knowledge about computers and the Internet

2. The use of E-mail has made it possible for the writer to__________.

A. spend less time working

B. have more free time with his child

C. work at the office on weekends

D. work at a speed comfortable to him

3. According to the writer, E-mail has an advantage(优势) over the telephone because it can__________.

A. reach a group of people at one time conveniently

B. keep one’s communication as personal as possible

C. pass on much more information

D. get in touch with one’s friends faster

4. The best title for this passage is__________.

A. Computers: New Technological Advances

B. Internet: a New Tool to Keep Friendship

C. Computers: Machines to Make Life Easier

D. Internet: a Convenient Tool for Communication

Two-way Televisions

Communication by television has been one-way since its beginning. However, the television watcher will soon be able to talk back. Two-way television is now a possibility, making electronic communication a goal for the future. Because of computers and cable television(有线电视), the audience(观众) will be more than watchers. They will be able to do more than choose their programs. They will also be able to give feedback(反馈) on them. Two-way TV is not a dream. The hardware(硬件) for such a two-way system already exists(存在). For example, the cable television systems that are spreading rapidly connect stations and television sets. The same equipment can be used to return information. One experimental group of cable-television watchers is called Cube, in Columbus, Ohio. Cube has thirty channels. Members pay for what they watch. The choice of programs includes everything from sports to children’s shows, from TV games to natural history. Most importantly, however, the viewers can talk back. A book-sized box of buttons makes it possible. For example, after a program, the announcer might ask for the opinions of the audience. The audience can respond by pushing buttons. An electronic signal goes to a bank of computers at the Cube station. Almost instantly, the data is analyzed, and the viewers see the results on their TV sets.

A nationwide Cube system would have many users. Government leaders could use it to get feedback from the people. It could even be used for voting. Besides, teachers in television classrooms could communicate with their unseen students. A television communication system would have a great influence on a country. For example, after a talk about a new product, an announcer could ask the audience for opinions. Would they buy the product? During a talk by a government leader, the announcer could ask the audience to talk back. The leader would know whether the audience believed him or not.

Out of all these dreams of progress, however, there comes one question: Is this what people need and want? With a Cube system, a person might not need to leave the TV set. What would happen to society?

1. The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 1 refers to__________.

A. two-way televisions

B. computers and cable TV

C. the audience

D. programs

2. The hardware for a two-way TV system is __________.

A. the cable TV system

B. the back of computers

C. the thirty channels

D. electronics

3. The most important feature of Cube is that viewers can__________.

A. watch programs on their channels

B. watch any program by sending electronic signals

C. talk back to the announcers by pushing buttons

D. use computers at the Cube station through their TV sets

4. According to the passage, the Cube system is__________.

A. widely used in the USA

B. being tested in a lab in Ohio

C. expensive

D. a dream that will never come true

Make a few mouse clicking and one of the most important things in your life can be perfectly settled. Though the web may not provide you with a pleasant lover, it can make all the wedding arrangements for you.

“Couples are now inclined(倾向) to arrange their weddings on line while business people are changing strategy(策略) by working together with marriage websites to generate(产生) profits(利润), ”said Lin Zhen, assistant to the chief executive officer(CEO首席执行官) at 51marry. com, the city’s only marriage website.

Some newlyweds-to-be(快要结婚的人) get satisfied with its convenience(方便) and high quality. Most young couples who are busy with their own work may feel it troublesome to care about every detail. “I felt a bit dizzy trying to make all my wedding arrangements on my own, ”said Zhang Jianbin, a young white-collar worker who is planning to turn to website for his October wedding.

“I can enjoy a favorable price that is 30 percent lower than in the off-line market.”Zhang added.

On the other hand, some wedding photo studios, hotels, wedding costume(服装) producers and travel agencies also seize the opportunity to cooperate with the website.They think that the website’s large database(资料库) can bring them more customers and increase their profits.

51marry. com has now attracted 900 couples since it began to operate in February this year. People expect more websites targeting(把……作为目标) the marriage market.

1. The website 51marry. com is mainly to __________.

A. provide you with a pleasant lover

B. help people to make friends with each other

C. make on-line wedding arrangements for people

D. help young couples to make dates

2. Couples like to arrange their weddings on line because __________.

A. they have not enough time to care about every detail

B. they are not satisfied with their marriages

C. they have not enough money

D. they want more people to attend their weddings

3. Which of the following is NOT true?

A. It’s easy to ask the wedding websites for wedding arrangements.

B. It doesn’t cost much money to arrange wedding on line.

C. Besides 51marry. com, there are other marriage websites in the city now.

D . 51marry. com began to operate less than one year ago.

4. From the passage it can be inferred that__________.

A. the price will be much higher

B. more marriage websites will come forth

C. couples won’t care about their weddings any longer

D. the website will provide you with a pleasant lover instead of arranging weddings

    Beldon and Canfield are two seaside towns, not far from each other．Both towns have many hotels; and in the summer the hotels are full of holiday-makers and other people.

    Last August there was a fire at the Seabreeze Hotel in Beldon．Next day, this news was on page two of the town’s newspaper, THE BELDON POST:

Fire at Seabreeze

    Late last night firemen hurried to the Sea-breeze Hotel and quickly put out a small fire in a bedroom．The hotel manager said that a cigarette started the fire．We say again to all our visitors:’ please don’t smoke cigarettes in bed’ This was Beldon's first hotel fire for five years.

    THE CANFIELD TIMES gave the news in these words on page one.

Another Beldon Hotel Catches Fire

    Last night Beldon firemen arrived just too late to save clothing, bedclothes and other things at the Seabreeze Hotel．An angry holiday-maker said, ‘An electric lamp probably started the fire．The bedroom lamps are very old at some of these hotels．When I put my bedside light on, I heard a funny noise from the lamp.’ We are glad to tell our readers that this kind of accident does not happen in Canfield.

    What are the facts, then? It is never easy to find out the exact truth about an accident．There was a fire at the Seabreeze Hotel last August．That is one fact．Do we know anything else? Yes—we know that firemen went to the hotel.

    Now what do you think of the rest of the “news” ?

1．When did the Seabreeze Hotel catch fire？

A．Late last August

B．Late last night

C．In summer

D．Last August

2．The writer of “Another Beldon Hotel Catches Fire ”wanted to tell us that ________.

A．too many people smoke in bed in hotels

B．this was the second fire at the Seabreeze Hotel

C．hotels in Beldon often caught fire

D．there was a small fire at the Seabreeze Hotel

3．Why isn’t it easy to find out the exact truth about the fire?

A．Because neither of the newspapers knew the exact truth about the fire.

B．Because either of the newspapers stood on its own side and gave a different report.

C．Because no one dared speak of the truth.

D．Because no one saw the fire.

4．From the two pieces of news we can believe that ________.

A．there are at least two fire accidents at the Seabreeze Hotel that year

B．the bedroom lamps were very old in some hotels in Beldon

C．firemen went to the hotel to put out the fire

D．fire accidents never happened in Canfield

Calories show the energy content of different foods．We all need a certain amount each day to make our bodies work properly．Unfortunately, people in Europe and the US now eat about 20 times as much sugar and at least five times as much fat as they did in 1800．This may have something to do with the increase in heart disease in Western countries.

    For wedding feasts(婚宴), the Bedouin people sometimes prepare a meal of stuffed roast camel．First, they stuff a fish with eggs, then they put the fish inside a chicken．They put the chicken inside a whole roast sheep．Then, finally, they put all of this inside a cooked camel!

    The avocado(鳄梨) contains 165 calories of every 100 grams of fruit．This is more than eggs or milk．It also contains twice as much protein(蛋白质)as milk and has more vitamin A, B and C.

1．Which of the following figures (图表) shows us the correct proportion (比例) of the fat and sugar that the Europeans and the Americans eat in 1800 and 1900?

2．Calories show ________.

A．the fat content of food

B．the sugar content of food

C．the heat and energy content of food

D．the protein content of food

3．The writer tells about the “stuffed roast camel” because it ________.

A．shows how important wedding feast to the Bedouin people

B．serves as an example of high calorie food

C．is made in a very special way

D．is more tasty than any other food

4．What is special for the avocado?

A．It weighs 100 grams.

B．It is a fruit.

C．An avocado fruit has 165 calories.

D．It contains more calories and vitamin A, B and C than milk and eggs.

5．Which of the statements is correct according to the passage?

A．People eat more sugar in Europe than in the US.

B．People in Europe and the US eat less sugar than ever before.

C．People eat more fat in the US than in Europe.

D．People who eat too much fat and sugar will have some health problems.

The sun can be used to heat your home in two ways．The first is called passive solar heating because no mechanical equipment is used．Windows in the house are positioned to allow a large amount of sunlight in during the day．As sunlight passes through the windows, it heats up the walls and floors in the room．These radiate the heat slowly, keeping the room warm longer after the sun has set．Thick curtains are lowered at night to keep the heat in．During our coldest months, an extra heating source, such as a furnace(火炉).will be needed to help the passive solar house.

    The second way to heat your house is with active solar heating．Mechanical aids (things that help) are used．Specially setup solar panels (镶板) are fitted on the roof, collecting the rays from the sun．Under the panels are a network of water pipes．The panels heat up in the sunlight and in turn heat the water in the pipes．The hot water is then stored in a special holding tank, usually in the basement of the house．It is now ready to be piped into radiators in the house, giving heat to the rooms.

1．What does solar have something to do with?

A．the wind.

B．The rain.

C．The sun．

D．The air.

2．What’s the weakness of the passive solar house?

A．On the coldest days of the year some extra heater is needed to help to heat the room.

B．More curtains are needed.

C．In winter sunlight is not able to pass through the glass window.

D．Mechanical aids are expensive.

3．How does the solar energy heat the passive solar house?

A．Sunlight is kept in by the windows and walls.

B．The furnace in the middle of the room sends out heat.

C．Sunlight heats up the walls and floors through the windows and these heated walls and floors radiate the heat slowly.

D．Many windows are positioned in the house to prevent sunlight from coming in

4．What’s a radiator?

A．A large holding tank in the basement in which hot water is stored.

B．A heater in the room which radiates heat from hot water supplied, through pipes.

C．A solar panel on the roof.

D．A thick curtain keeping the heat inside the room.

5．Which of the following do you think correct?

A．The active solar house is useless in our modem life.

B．The passive solar house is more useful than the active solar house.

C．The active solar house is probably more expensive than the passive solar house.

D．The passive solar house is probably more expensive than the active solar house.

Most American children eat potatoes every day．But many children do not know what part of the potato is the best for food．Take a sharp knife and cut from the middle of the potato a piece as thin as paper．Hold the piece between your eyes and light．You will see that potato has a skin, an outside rim(边), and an inside part．The outside rim which is immediately below the skin of the potato is the most valuable part of all．This is often thrown away with the skin．Even the skin itself is better for food than the inside．When having a potato, if you eat the inside and leave the outside you are wasting the best part of it ．If you cannot eat the whole potato, eat the outside rim and leave the inside.

What is the writer’s main point in telling this passage?

________.

A．How to cut potatoes

B．How to cook potatoes

C．How to skin potatoes

D．How to have potatoes