When students and parents are asked to rate(排名) subjects according to their importance, the arts are unavoidably at the bottom of the list. Music is nice, people seem to say, but not important. Too often it is viewed as only entertainment, but certainly not an education priority(优先). This view is shortsighted. In fact, music education is beneficial and important for all students.
Music tells us who we are. Because music is an expression of the people who create it, it reflects their thinking and values, as well as the social environment it came from . Rock music represents a lifestyle just as surely as does a Schubert song. The jazz influence that George Gershwin and other musicians introduced into their music is obviously American because it came from American musical traditions. Music expresses our character and values. It gives us identity(身份) as a society.
Music provides a kind of perception(感知)that cannot be gained any other way. Science can explain how the sun rises and sets. The arts explore the emotive(情感的)meaning of the same phenomenon(现象). We need every possible way to discover and respond to our world for one simple but powerful reason: No one way can get it all.
The arts are forms of thought as powerful as maths and science. They are ways we human beings “talk” to each other. They are the language of civilization(文明) through which we express our fears, our curiosities, our hungers, our discoveries, our hopes. The arts are ways we give form to our ideas and imagination so that they can be shared with others. When we do not give children  some important way of expressing themselves such as music, we take away the meanings that music expresses from our children.
Science and technology do not tell us what it means to be human. The arts do. Music is an important way we express human suffering, happiness, the meaning and value of peace and love.
So music education is far more necessary than people seem to realize.
【小题1】According to Paragraph 1, students      

A．regard music as a way of entertainment

B．disagree with their parents on education

C．view music as an overlooked(被忽视的) subject

D．prefer the arts to science

【小题2】 In Paragraph 2, the author uses jazz an example to       

A．compare it with rock music

B．show music identifies(身份) a society

C．introduce American musical traditions

D．prove music influences people’s lifestyles

【小题3】According to the passage, the arts and science      .
A. approach the world from different angles(角度)
B. explore different phenomena of the world
C express people’s feelings in different ways
D. explain what it means to be human differently
【小题4】 What is the main idea of the passage ?

A．Music education deserves(值得) more attention.

B．Music should be of top education priority(优先).

C．Music is an effective communication tool.

D．Music education makes students more imaginative.

Mandara seemed to know something big was about to happen. So she let out a yell, caught hold of her 2-year-old daughter Kibibi and climbed up into a tree. She lives at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
And on Tuesday, August 23rd, witnesses say she seemed to sense the big earthquake that shook much of the East Coast before any humans knew what was going on. And she’s not the only one. In the moments before the quake, an orangutan (猩猩) let out a loud call and then climbed to the top of her shelter.
“It’s very different from their normal call,” said Brandie Smith, the zookeeper. “The lemurs (monkey-like animals of Madagascar) will sound an alarm call if they see or hear something highly unusual.”
But you can’t see or hear an earthquake 15 minutes before it happens, can you? Maybe you can — if you’re an animal. “Animals can hear above and below our range of hearing,” said Brandie Smith. “That’s part of their special abilities. They’re more sensitive to the environment, which is how they survive.”
Primates weren’t the only animals that seemed to sense the quake before it happened. One of the elephants made a warning sound. And a huge lizard (蜥蜴) ran quickly for cover. The flamingoes (a kind of bird) gathered before the quake and stayed together until the shaking stopped.
So what kind of vibrations were the animals picking up in the moments before the quake? Scientist Susan Hough says earthquakes produce two types of waves — a weak “P” wave and then a much stronger “S” wave. The “P” stands for “primary”. And the “S” stands for “secondary”. She said she thinks the “P” wave might be what set the animals off.
Not all the animals behaved unusually before the quake. For example, Smith says the zoo’s giant pandas didn’t jump up until the shaking actually began. But many of the other animals seemed to know something was coming before it happened. “I’m not surprised at all,” Smith said.
【小题1】Why did Mandara act strangely one day?

A．Because it sensed something unusual would happen.

B．Because its daughter Kibibi was injured.

C．Because it heard an orangutan let out a loud call.

D．Because an earthquake had happened.

【小题2】According to Brandie Smith, _____.

A．many animals’ hearing is sharp

B．earthquakes produce two types of waves

C．primates usually gather together before a quake

D．humans can also develop the ability to sense a quake

【小题3】 Which word in the passage has a close meaning to the underlined word “cover”?

A．vibration

B．shelter

C．quake

D．range

【小题4】 Which animal seems unable to sense a quake?

A．A giant panda.

B．A flamingo.

C．A lemur.

D．A lizard.

【小题5】 What is the best title for the passage?

A．How animals survive a quake.

B．How animals differ from humans.

C．How animals behave before a quake.

D．How animals protect their young in a quake.

Laptop computers （笔记本电脑）are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptops connect people to their workplace. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.
Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do schoolwork anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are part of a ＄10 million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year-old college. The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use e-mail to "speak" with their teachers, their classmates, and their families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fast-food restaurant or under the trees－anywhere at all!
Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable. As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the portable computers can connect students to not only the Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher-education officials are studying how laptops can help students. State officials are also testing laptop programs at other universities, too.
At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff（全体员工）use computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, "Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we're giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything."
【小题1】The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to _____.

A．use for their schoolwork

B．access the Internet

C．work at home

D．connect them to libraries

【小题2】Why is the word "speak" in the second paragraph in quotation marks (引号)?

A．They can speak loudly.

B．They use the computer language.

C．Laptops have speakers.

D．They don't really talk.

【小题3】Which of the following is TRUE about Westlake College?

A．All teachers use computers.

B．1500 students have laptops.

C．It is an old college in America.

D．Students there can do everything.

Americans can travel almost anywhere they choose. But to protect its people, the government lists a few dangerous places where Americans cannot go. These places are unfriendly countries or countries at war. There, the travelers might not be safe. These countries are listed in a small book called a passport(护照).
This passport is a government request for the safety of its traveling people. It is also a government’s pledge(保证) that the people will obey the rules of the host country. To receive a passport from the government, a traveler must prove that he is an American citizen. An American cannot go abroad without a passport. Only certain close countries such as Canada and Mexico do not ask for passports
Stuck(贴) inside the passport is the traveler’s picture. Children traveling with their parents are included in one parent’s book.
Thousands of people from the United States visit other countries every year. An American traveler might carry plane tickets, money, clothing and many other things. But the most important thing that he carries in another country is his passport.
【小题1】Why does a traveler need a passport?

A．It helps the country to protect the people

B．It helps the traveler to know where he will go

C．He needs to have his picture taken more often

D．He needs something more to carry when he travels

【小题2】A passport is not needed when an American goes to_____.

A．European countries	B．Dangerous areas
C．Canada or Mexico	D．Russia and China

【小题3】It can be inferred from the text that_____.

A．Americans abroad need nothing except a passport

B．children can’t travel to foreign countries

C．a traveler is not safe in most countries

D．Americans travel abroad a lot

【小题4】Which is best supported by the text?

A．A passport is needed whenever an American is traveling

B．Everyone in American can get a passport from the American government

C．The American travelers abroad must obey the rules of foreign countries

D．The American government allows its people to work in dangerous countries

Face masks are commonly used in ceremonies and performances. They not only hide the real face of the mask wearer but they often evoke powerful emotions in the audience—danger, fear, sadness, joy. You might think, because so many things vary cross-culturally, that the ways in which emotions are displayed and recognized in the face vary too. Apparently they do not. Recent research on masks from different cultures supports the conclusion that masks, like faces, tend to represent certain emotions in the same ways. We now have some evidence that the symbolism used in masks is often universal.
The research on masks builds on work done by anthropologists, who used photographs of individuals experiencing various emotions. These photographs were shown to members of different cultural groups who were asked to identify the emotions displayed in the photographs. Emotions were identified correctly by most viewers, whatever the viewer’s native culture.
Coding schemes were developed to enable researchers to compare the detailed facial positions of individual portions of die face (eyebrows, mouth, etc.) for different emotions. What exactly do we do when we scowl? We contract the eyebrows and lower the corners of the mouth; in geometric terms, we make angles and diagonals (斜线) on our faces. When we smile, we raise the corners of the mouth; we make it curved.
Psychologist Joel Arnoff and his colleagues compared two types of wooden face masks from many different societies—masks described as threatening versus masks associated with nonthreatening functions. As suspected, the two sets of masks had significant differences in certain facial elements. The threatening masks had eyebrows and eyes facing inward and downward and a downward-facing mouth. In more abstract or geometrical terms, threatening features generally tend to be angular or diagonal and nonthreatening features tend to be curved or rounded, a face with a pointed beard is threatening; a baby's face is not. The theory is that humans express and recognize basic emotions in uniform (一致的) ways because all human faces are quite similar, skeletally and muscularly.
【小题1】What does the passage mainly discuss?

A．The techniques for comparing facial expressions across cultures.

B．The photography of faces.

C．Cultural variations in mask.

D．The uniformity of facial expressions in revealing emotions.

【小题2】According to the passage, masks are used in performances to _______.

A．disguise the real emotions of the performers

B．cause members of the audience to have strong emotions

C．remind the audience that an illusion is being created

D．identify the cultural background of the performers

【小题3】What does the author mean by stating, "the symbolism used in masks is often universal"?

A．Masks are sometimes used to hide emotions.

B．Performers often need help conveying emotions to an audience.

C．Not all societies use masks in their rituals.

D．People from different cultures generally express certain emotions in similar ways.

【小题4】The passage mentions "baby’s face" in the last paragraph as an example of a _______.

A．typical human face

B．source of inspiration in the creation of masks

C．nonthreatening face

D．face that expresses few emotions

The French word renaissance means rebirth. It was first used in 1855 by the historian Jules Michelet in his History of France, and then adopted by historians of culture, by art historians, and eventually by music historians, all of whom applied it to European culture during the 150 years spanning 1450-1600. The concept of rebirth was appropriate to this period of European history because of the renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture that began in Italy and then spread throughout Europe. Scholars and artists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries wanted to restore the learning and ideals of the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. To these scholars this meant a return to human—as opposed to spiritual-values. Fulfillment in life—as opposed to concern about an afterlife—became a desirable goal, and expressing the entire range of human emotions and enjoying the pleasures of the senses were no longer frowned on (不赞同). Artists and writers now turned to secular (非宗教的) as well as religious subject matter and sought to make their works understandable and appealing.
These changes in outlook deeply affected the musical culture of the Renaissance period—how people thought about music as well as the way music was composed, experienced, discussed, and disseminated. They could see the architectural monuments, sculptures, plays, and poems that were being rediscovered, but they could not actually hear ancient music—although they could read the writings of classical philosophers, poets, essayists, and music theorists that were becoming available in translation. They learned about the power of ancient music to move the listener and wondered why modern music did not have the same effect. For example, the influential religious leader Bernardino Cirillo expressed disappointment with the learned music of his time. He urged musicians to follow the example of the sculptors, painters, architects, and scholars who had rediscovered ancient art and literature. The musical Renaissance in Europe was more a general cultural movement and state of mind than a specific set of musical techniques. Furthermore, music changed so rapidly during this century and a half—though at different rates in different countries—that we cannot define a single Renaissance style.
【小题1】What is the passage mainly about?

A．The musical compositions that best illustrate the developments during the European Renaissance.

B．The musical techniques that were in use during the European Renaissance.

C．The European Renaissance as a cultural development that included changes in musical style.

D．The ancient Greek and Roman musical practices used during the European Renaissance.

【小题2】According to the passage, Renaissance artists and writers had all of the following intentions EXCEPT _______.

A．to use religious themes

B．to express only the pleasant parts of human experience

C．to produce art that people would find attractive

D．to create works that were easily understood

【小题3】The word "disseminated" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _______.

A．played

B．documented

C．spread

D．ignored

【小题4】What can be inferred about the music of ancient Greece and Rome?

A．It expressed different ideals than classical sculpture, painting and poetry.

B．It was played on instruments that are familiar to modern audiences.

C．It had the same effect on Renaissance audiences as it had when originally performed.

D．Its effect on listeners was described in a number of classical texts.

In 1826, a Frenchman named Niepce needed pictures for his business .But he was not a good artist .So he invented a very simple camera (照相机).He put it in a window of his house and took a picture of his garden .That was the first photo.
　　The next important date in the history of photography (摄影术) was in 1837.That year, Daguere, another Frenchman, took a picture of his reading room .He used a new kind of camera in a different way. In his picture you could see everything very clearly, even the smallest thing. This kind of photo was called a Daguerreotype.
　　Soon, other people began to use Daguerre's way .Travelers brought back wonderful photos from all around the world .People took picture of famous buildings, cities and mountains.
　　In about 1840, photography was developed .Then photographers could take picture of people and moving things .That was not simple .The photographers had to carry a lot of film(胶片) and other machines. But this did not stop them, for example, some in the United States worked so hard.
　　Mathew Brady was a famous American photographer. He took many picture of great people .The pictures were unusual because they were very lifelike(栩栩如生的)
　　Photography has also became one kind of art by the end of the 19th century .Some photos were nor just copies of the real world .They showed feelings, like other kinds of art.
【小题1】The first photo taken by Niepce was a picture of ____________

A．his business

B．his house

C．his garden

D．his window

【小题2】The Daguerreotype was____________.

A．a Frenchman	B．a kind of photo
C．a kind of camera	D．a photographer

【小题3】If a photographer wanted to take pictures of moving things in the year of 1840, he had to__________.

A．watch lots of films

B．buy an expensive camera

C．stop in most cities

D．take many films and something else with him.

【小题4】Mathew Brady______________.

A．was very lifelike

B．was famous for his unusual pictures

C．was quite strong

D．took many pictures of moving people

Businesses put lots of time and money into new plans, programs and excellent employees with the hope things will change. Yet, at the end of the effort, not much changes. What happens?
In most cases, those new plans, programs and employees enter a company with an existing culture (文化). And plans, programs and new employees have a way of conforming to(顺应)the existing culture. The culture of your business is the result of a particular mindset, or a particular way of thinking and the general feelings about certain things. Most often, it is the mindset of the founder or people managing the business.
The founder has gotten to where he is because of his skill sets, knowledge base and personal beliefs, which unfortunately all come with inherent (固有的)limits. Why Skills, knowledge and beliefs come from what he or she already knows or has experienced. In other words, it comes from the past. We (people) try to make the past fit the future. Just because something worked in the past, doesn't mean it is suitable for the future. As the saying goes, if you do and think what you have always done and thought, you will have what you have always had.
Therefore, lasting changes have to start with the way people think. To make changes in the way you think, you will be required to set goals beyond your basic abilities and continuously think them through. It is a way to train yourself and people to get out of the comfort zone where you feel happy with your knowledge and skills.
【小题1】Which question does the author try to answer?

A．What past experience is useful for businesses

B．How much time is needed for making plans

C．How can changes be made in businesses

D．What kinds of employees are the best

【小题2】Where does the business culture mainly come from?

A．The founder

B．The progress

C．The new employees

D．The collective effort

【小题3】What does the author think about the mindset of the company leader?

A．It can prevent the enrichment of experience

B．It is useful far skill and knowledge learning

C．It is important for personal beliefs build-up

D．It may limit the company's development

A fellow speaker from California named Geri flew to Japan, in her favorite jeans and a casual jacket, to give her first speech. Fourteen hours later, four perfectly dressed Japanese gentlemen greeted her at Narita Airport. Smiling and bowing low, they handed her their business cards. With her bag in one hand, Geri took their cards with the other. She thanked them, glanced briefly at the cards, and put them into her jeans pocket quickly.
When the five of them arrived at the hotel, they invited Geri to tea in the lobby (大厅). While sipping tea, the gentlemen presented her with a small gift which she eagerly opened. She was thrilled with the gift and shouted excitedly, “Oh, it’s beautiful!”
At this point, the four Japanese gentlemen stood up and, bowing only very slightly, said “Sayonara” and left immediately. Poor Geri was left astonished. What did she do wrong?
Everything! Her jeans were the first gaffe. Even if you’re coming off a bicycle in Japan, you do not meet c1ients (客人) casually dressed. The second mistake was Geri’s handling of their business cards rudely. In Japan, the business card is one of the most important communicative tools. It is always presented and accepted respectfully with both hands. However, Geri put their cards away much too quickly. In Japan, people use business cards as a conversation starter. You chat about each other’s cards and work and do not put theirs away until they gently and respectfully place yours in safekeeping. Putting it carelessly into her jeans pocket was the ultimate disrespect.
Then, the fourth horror of horrors was that Geri should not have opened the gift in front of her clients. In a land where saving face is critical, it would be embarrassing to discover the gift they gave was not as nice as the one they received. What is worse, Geri hadn’t even given them a gift!
【小题1】In the four Japanese gentlemen’s eyes, Geri took their cards _____________.

A．excitedly

B．embarrassingly

C．politely

D．disrespectfully

【小题2】Why did the four Japanese gentlemen leave Geri suddenly?

A．Because they couldn’t bear Geri’s behavior any longer.

B．Because they had finished the task.

C．Because Geri had something more important to do.

D．Because Geri felt embarrassed.

【小题3】What does the underlined word “gaffe” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．ignorance

B．sadness

C．mistake

D．carelessness

【小题4】The third mistake Geri made was that she _____________.

A．used her own card as a conversation starter

B．took her clients’ cards with one hand

C．kept her clients’ cards in a wrong place

D．met her clients in jeans

【小题5】What lesson can we draw from this story?

A．Honesty is the best policy.

B．Think twice before you take any action.

C．When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

D．Don't claim to know what you don't know.