THE BRONTE FAMILY
Yorkshire, England was the setting for two great novels of the 19th century. One of them is Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte.
The Bronte family had three girls and a boy. Charlotte was born in 1816, Emily was born in 1818 and Anne in 1820. Their brother Branwell was born in 1817. The children wrote and told stories and walked over the hills. They grew up largely self-educated.  Branwell showed a great interest in drawing.  The girls took positions as teachers or taught children in their homes. The girls were determined to earn money for Branwell's art education.
As children, the girls had all written many stories.  Charlotte alone wrote 22 books, each with 60 to 100 pages of small handwriting. Therefore, they turned to writing for income. By 1847, Charlotte had written The Professor; Emily, Wuthering Heights; and Anne, Agnes Grey.  After much difficulty, Anne and Emily found a publisher (出版商), but there was no interest shown in Charlotte's book. ( It was not published until 1859. ) However, one publisher expressed an interest in seeing more of her work. Jane Eyre was already started, and she hurriedly finished it. It was accepted at once; thus each of the sisters had a book published in 1847.
Jane Eyre was immediately successful; the other two, however, did not do so well. Emily lived only a short while after the publication of her book, and Anne died in 1849.
Charlotte published Shirley in 1849, and Villette in 1853. In 1854 she married Arthur Bell Nicholls. But only a year later, she died of tuberculosis (肺结核) as her sisters had.
【小题1】What did the Bronte sisters want to do for Branwell Bronte?

A．Help him write stories.

B．Help him get trained in art.

C．Teach him how to draw well.

D．Teach him how to educate himself.

【小题2】We know from the text that

A．Jane Eyre was published in 1847

B．Charlotte Bronte wrote 22 books in all

C．the Bronte sisters received good education

D．the father helped his daughters with their writing

【小题3】The underlined words "the other two" in Paragraph 4 refer to ________.

A．Shirley and Villette

B．The Professor and Agnes Grey

C．Agnes Grey and Wuthering Heights

D．The Professor and Wuthering Heights

【小题4】What do we know about the Bronte sisters from the text?

A．Their novels interested few publishers.

B．None of them lived longer than 40 years.

C．Emily was the least successful of the three.

D．None of them had more than two books published.

The Peales were a famous family of American artists. Charles Willson Peale is best remembered for his portraits of leading figures of the American Revolution. He painted portraits of Franklin and Jefferson and over a dozen of George Washington. His life-size portrait of his sons Raphaelle and Titian was so realistic that George Washington reportedly once tipped his hat to the figures in the picture.
Charles Willson Peale gave up painting in his middle age and devoted his life to the Peale museum, which he founded in Philadelphia. The world’s first popular museum of art and natural science mainly covered paintings by Peale and his family as well as displays of animals in their natural settings. Peale found the animals himself and found a method to make the exhibits more lifelike. The museum’s most popular display was the skeleton (骷髅) of a huge, extinct elephant, which Peale unearthed on a New York farm in 1801.
Three of Peale’s seventeen children were also famous artists. Paphaelle Peale often painted still lives of flowers, fruit, and cheese. His brother Rembrandt studied under his father and painted portraits of many noted people, including one of George Washington. Another brother, Rubens Peale, painted mostly landscapes and portraits.
James Peale, the brother of Charles Willson Peale, specialized in miniatures (小画像). His daughter Sarah Miriam Peale was probably the first professional female portrait painter in America.
【小题1】What is the main topic of the passage?

A．The life of Charles Willson Peale.	B．Portraits in the 18th century.
C．The Peale Museum.	D．A family of artists.

【小题2】The underlined word “unearthed” is closest in meaning to“ ______”.

A．showed

B．dug up

C．invented

D．looked over

【小题3】Which of the following is NOT the child of Charles Willson Peale?

A．Titian Peale.

B．Rubens Peale.

C．Raphaelle Peale.

D．Sarah Miriam Peale.

【小题4】The author’s attitude toward the Peales is in general _______.

A．puzzled

B．excited

C．admiring

D．disappointed

The question this week comes from our listener Herve Acard, who asks about the American word “OK”, which means “all right” or “acceptable”. It expresses agreement or approval. The word is used more often than any other word in the world.
Language expert Allen Walker Read said the word began as a short way of writing a different spelling of the words “all correct”. Old stories say some foreign-born people would write “all correct” as o-l-l k-o-r-r-e-c-t and spoke it as “OK”. Some people say it came from the Native American Indian tribe known as the Choctaws. The Choctaw word “okeh” means the same as the American word “OK”. Experts say early explorers in the Western America spoke the Choctaw language in the nineteenth century. The language spread across the country.
According to some people, “OK” was a way to shorten Greek words that mean everything is fine. It is also said that a railroad worker named Obadiah Kelly invented the word. He is said to have put the first letters of his names — O and K — on each object people gave him to place on the train.
Another explanation is that “OK” was invented by a political organization that supported Martin Van Buren for president in the 1800s. They called their organization the OK Club. The letters O and K were taken from the name of the town where Martin Van Buren was born — Old Kinderhook, New York.
Not everyone agrees with these explanations, but experts do agree that the word is purely American and has spread to almost every country on Earth. Yet in the United States, it is used mostly in speech. Serious writers prefer using words, such as “agree”, “approve” or “confirm” instead.
【小题1】Where does the passage probably come from?

A．A newspaper.	B．A textbook.
C．A radio program.	D．A language magazine.

【小题2】Of the following origins, which one has the same meaning as the American word “OK”?

A．The OK Club

B．The Choctaw word “okeh”

C．The word invented by Martin Van Buren

D．The short form of “all correct”

【小题3】According to the passage, which statement is NOT true?
A. People disagree about the origin of “OK”.
B. “OK” is often used in formal writing in the USA.
C. The word “OK” is widely used all over the world.
D. Native American language once influenced American English.

It was in the Victorian Era (维多利亚时期) that the novel became the leading form of literature in English. Most writers were more concerned to meet the tastes of the middle class. The best known works of the period included the works of Charles Dickens and the Bronté sisters and others.
Charles Dickens came on the literary scene in the 1830s. Dickens wrote vividly about London life and the struggles of the poor. Most of his works were written in a very humorous style, which was popular with readers of all classes.
The Bronté sisters were English writers of the 1840s and 1850s. They began to write from early childhood. In 1846 they published the first book at their own expense as poets; however, their book attracted little attention, selling only two copies. Then the sisters turned to writing novels, each producing a novel in the following year.
An interest in rural(田园的) matters and the changing social and economic situation of the countryside may be seen in the novels of Thomas Hardy and a number of others.
Literature for children developed as a single style. Some works became well-known, such as those of Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear. Adventure novels were written for adults but are now generally grouped in the list for children. Helen Beatrix Potter was an English author at the end of the Victorian Era, best known for her children’s books, which featured (以……为特色) animal characters. In her thirties, Potter published the highly successful children’s book The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902.
【小题1】What can we know about Charles Dickens from the text?

A．He showed an interest in rural matters in his writing.

B．He focused on changing social and economic situation of the countryside

C．He wrote about the struggles of the poor in London?

D．He published the highly successful children’s book

【小题2】Which is TRUE about the Bronté sisters?

A．They were English writers of the 1830s.

B．They paid to have their first book published.

C．They began their writing from the rural life.

D．Their first book was successful.

【小题3】Who wrote the famous children’s book The Tale of Peter Rabbit according to the text?

A．Lewis Carroll.	B．The Brontésisters.
C．Thomas Hardy.	D．Helen Beatrix Potter.

【小题4】The author states in the last paragraph that ________.

A．Edward Lear was famous for writing about animals

B．adventure novels were not written for children at first

C．Thomas Hardy was not as famous as Lewis Carroll

D．society changed rapidly in the Victorian Era

【小题5】This text is mainly about ________.

A．literature in the Victorian Era

B．writing styles in the Victorian Era

C．famous works in the Victorian Era

D．the importance of literature in the Victorian Era

The United States is one of the few countries in the world that has an official day on which fathers are honored by their children．On the third Sunday in June, fathers all across the United States are given presents, treated to dinner or otherwise made to feel special．
However, the idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington．A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father’s Day while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909．Having been raised by her father, Henry Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her．It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices（牺牲） and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a selfless and loving man．Sonora’s father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration in Spikane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910．
In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge declared the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day．Roses are the Father’s Day flowers: red to be worn for a living father and white if the father has died．
When children can’t visit their fathers or take them out to dinner, they send a greeting card．Traditionally, fathers prefer greeting cards that are not too sentimental（伤感的）．Most greeting cards are too special so fathers laugh when they open them．Some give heartfelt thanks for being there whenever the child need Dad．
【小题1】The United States is special in Father’s Day because ______．

A．many people celebrate the day	B．only America celebrates the day
C．America makes it an official day	D．all men are honored in America

【小题2】At first, Father’s Day was fixed on June 19th because ______．

A．Sonora honored her father on her father’s birthday

B．Sonora’s birthday was June 19

C．it was decided by the president at that time

D．her mother died on June 19

【小题3】How many years has passed before Father’s Day became an official day since the father’s day was celebrated?

A．4

B．10

C．14

D．24

【小题4】According to the passage, we can infer that Henry Jackson Smart ______．

A．was very kind to anyone

B．was the first father honored in 1924

C．did a lot for his daughter

D．always help others by giving money

Reading to oneself is a modern activity which was almost unknown to the learned in the early days of the history, while during the fifteenth century the term “reading” undoubtedly meant reading aloud. Only during the nineteenth century did silent reading become popular.
One should be careful, however, of supposing that silent reading came about simply because reading aloud is distraction（分散注意力）to others. Examination of reasons connected with the historical development of silent reading shows that it became the usual mode of reading for most adult reading tasks mainly because the tasks themselves changed in character.
The last century saw a gradual increase in literacy（读写能力）and thus in the number of readers. As readers increased, so the number of listeners dropped, and thus there was some reduction in the need to read aloud. As reading for the benefit of listeners grew less common, so came the popularity of reading as a private activity in such public places as libraries, trains and offices, where reading aloud would disturb other readers in a way. 
Towards the end of the century there was still heated argument over whether books should be used for information or treated respectfully, and over whether the reading of material such as newspapers was in some way mentally weakening. Indeed this argument remains with us still in education. However, whatever its advantages are, the old shared literacy culture had gone and was replaced by the printed mass media on the one hand and by books and magazines for a specialized readership on the other.
By the end of the century students were being advised to have some new ideas of books and to use skills in reading them which were not proper, if not impossible, for the oral reader. The social, cultural, and technological developments in the century had greatly changed what the term “reading” referred to.
【小题1】Why was reading aloud common before the nineteenth century?

A．Because silent reading had not been discovered.

B．Because there were few places for private reading.

C．Because few people could read for themselves.

D．Because people depended on reading for enjoyment.

【小题2】The development of silent reading during the nineteenth century showed_______.

A．a change in the position of literate people

B．a change in the nature of reading

C．an increase in the number of books

D．an increase in the average age of readers

【小题3】Educationalists are still arguing about__________.

A．the importance of silent reading

B．the amount of information provided by books and newspapers

C．the effects of reading on health

D．the value of different types of reading material

The International Space Station，one of the most ambitious space projects ever and a key launching board for exploration of the solar system，turns l0 years old Thursday．
On Nov．20，1998，the first part of the space station was launched by the Russians from Kazakhstan．NASA followed up two weeks later with Piece No 2 carried up by a space shuttle．
The space station has grown into a giant outpost(前哨)355 km up，home to three people at any given time—soon to be six．
Thanks to the newly arrived shuttle Endeavour，the space station now has five sleep stations，two baths，two kitchens and two mini—gyms．Ahogether，there are nine rooms，three of which are full scale labs．
The United States has financed the main part of the project，estimated to cost some 100 billion dollars．Fifteen other countries have also contributed，including Russia，Japan，Canada，Brazil anti eleven nations belonging to the European Space Agency．
Fhe space station has traveled 2．1 billion km，orbited Earth more than 57，300 times，hosted 167 people from 15 countries，and served up more than l 9，000 meals
“The ISS is the largest ever expenment in international technological cooperation，” said John Logsdon。a historian at the National Air and Space Museum in US．
“1 think it’s a necessary stepping stone to long—term human activities in new Areas of operations，”Logsdon said．The station is“off the planet and it’s the first Step outward—not all end in itself，but a step along the way．”
【小题1】The passage is mainly about             ．
A the construction of the International Space Station
B．the history of the International Space Station．
C the tenth anniversary of the International Space Station．
D．the eountries that help establish the International Space Station．
【小题2】Piece No 2 of the ISS was put into orbit oil             

A．Nov．6，1998	B．Nov．24，1998
C．Dec．8，1998	D．Dec．9，1998

【小题3】Which of the following is true about Endeav our according to the passage?

A．Endeavour is a newly built shuttle

B．Endeavour is part of the space station

C．Endeavour didn’t get close to the space station

D．Endeavour carried a lot of equipment for the apace station

【小题4】Which of the following country has not made a contribution to the eonstruction of the International space station according to the passage?
A．USA．    B．Japan．    C．Korea．    D．Spain

Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let’s see if I can name a few proverbs “off the cuff” since I haven’t prepared for it.

English expressions with “pants”

People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies. We sometimes say that people who are restless or nervous have “ants in their pants.” They might also “fly by the seat of their pants” -- they use their natural sense to do something instead of their learned knowledge. Sometimes, people may “get caught with their pants down” -- they are found doing something they should not be doing. And, in every family, one person takes control. Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do. Then we say “she wears the pants in the family.”

When people what to say something about money

Pants usually have pockets to hold things. Money that is likely to be spent quickly can “burn a hole in your pocket.” Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants. If you have less money than usual, you may have to “tighten your belt” -- you may have to live on less money and spend your money carefully. But once you have succeeded in budgeting your money, you will have that skill “under your belt.” I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. I really “take my hat off to them.” Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it “at the drop of a hat” -- immediately, without waiting. And sadly, you cannot “pull money out of a hat” -- you cannot get money by inventing or imagining it.

English expressions with “shoes”

Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are “too big for their boots” think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people. I really do. You can bet your boots on that! Yet, truly important people are hard to replace. Rarely can you “fill their shoes” -- or replace them with someone equally effective.

English expressions with “shirt”

My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him well think he is too firm and severe. They think he is a real “stuffed shirt.” But I know that my father “wears his heart on his sleeve” -- he shows his feelings openly. And, he knows how to “keep his shirt on” -- he stays calm and never gets angry or too excited.

 
【小题1】What is this passage mainly about?

A．How to say English correctly and properly.

B．Why English expressions include words about clothes.

C．Which words can be used to describe my father.

D．What people mean when they use some proverbs.

【小题2】Which of the following proverbs are not related to money?

A．tighten one’s belt	B．burn a hole in one’s pocket
C．get caught with their pants down	D．take one’s hat off to them

【小题3】Tim often considers himself the most important person in the world , which is far from the truth .We may say ____.

A．he is “too big for their boots”.

B．he “bet his boots on that ”.

C．he “ fill their shoes”.

D．he “wears his heart on his sleeve ”.

【小题4】If you want to praise somebody for his calmness when facing danger , you may say ___.

A．“You really fill your shoes”

B．“Awesome ! You wear your heart on your sleeve!”

C．“Amazing !How can you keep your shirt on at that time!”

D．“Cool! You are truly a stuffed shirt”.

A reader from Brazil recently wrote to us asking for some advice. He’s planning a trip to the United States, and wanted to know about the best places to travel in America. Today, we are going to give you some information which may help you when choosing your destination.
Each of the 50 states in America has interesting things to offer visitors, but some are more popular than others. Washington, D.C. is famous for its historical places, like the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. Visitors to Los Angeles, California can see the Hollywood Walk of Fame or shop the stores on Rodeo Drive where they may see a star or two. The Grand Canyon in Arizona appeals to hikers, climbers and nature lovers, as does Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
TripAdvisor is a website where people can write reviews about their travel experiences. Every year, TripAdvisor makes a list of the top 25 cities to visit in the United States. The results are based on the opinions of visitors to the website.
Brooke Ferencsik of TripAdvisor said the top picks on the list were not surprising. And it’s no secret why New York City was named the number one destination.
New York City is sometimes called “the city that never sleeps” because it can be very busy. It is an exciting place for many people because there is so much to do. But the city might be too busy for travelers looking for rest and calm. They might want something more like Myrtle Beach, in the state of South Carolina, which made it to number 21 on Trip Advisor’s list.
“A lot of people come to Myrtle Beach for great weather, it’s a wonderful family vacation spot, the beaches - got the wonderful Atlantic beaches there - there’s a lot of family-friendly parks and water parks.”
Many people take time off from their jobs in the summer to travel. Because there are many tourists visiting other places, June until August is known as “high season.” Traveling during the high season can be crowded. Hotels, restaurants, and transportation might also be very expensive.
If you want to save money on a trip, it is a good idea to plan to leave before or after the summer months. These times are known as “shoulder seasons” for travel.
“If you’re looking for value, try and think about traveling through the shoulder season if it’s possible - the shoulder season being the fall or the spring. The weather is still very good in some of these destinations, and you can get better prices.”
America’s major cities are still the most popular destinations for visitors. Ferencsik says this is because of the good quality of services they provide tourists.
“They do a great job of giving travelers what they want when they’re on vacation. I think they kind of cater to every type of traveler need. So whether you’re traveling alone, you’re traveling for business, you’re traveling with your family - whatever it is, those destinations are really tuned in to delivering amazing experiences and just a lot of different opportunities when you’re there.”
【小题1】Lily has great interest in nature and American history. She can visit___________. 
A. The Grand Canyon and Rodeo Drive
B. California and Los Angeles
C. White House and Arizona
D. Washington, D.C and The Grand Canyon
【小题2】Which of the following is NOT true about Myrtle Beach?

A．People can enjoy a wonderful holiday with their family there.

B．It’s a place where people can have rest and calm.

C．It’s on the list of the top 25 cities to visit in the United States.

D．It’s in North Carolina with great weather that attracts tourists.

【小题3】Why does the author suggest traveling through the shoulder seasons?

A．To enjoy good weather in spring and fall.

B．To have good quality of services.

C．To have better value of traveling .

D．To save money and energy.

【小题4】The author write this passage to ___.
A. give some information about the top 25 cities to visit in USA.
B. talk about some American popular places and advice on traveling
C. advise tourists to visit big cities for their good service and opportunities.
D. give advice on saving money and time when traveling in America.
【小题5】This passage may probably be taken from ____.

A．a travel journal	B．a magazine
C．News Weekly	D．a website