The Winter Palace was built between 1754 and 1762 for Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great. Unfortunately, Elizabeth died before the palace was completed and only Catherine the Great and her successors were able to enjoy the great interior (内部) of Elizabeth’s home. Many parts of the palace’s impressive interior have been remodeled since then, particularly after 1837, when a huge fire destroyed most of the building. Today the Winter Palace, together with four more buildings arranged side by side along the river embankment, houses the extensive collections of the Hermitage. The Hermitage Museum is the largest art gallery in Russia and is among the largest and most respected art museums in the world.

    The museum was founded in 1764 when Catherine the Great bought a collection of 255 paintings from the German city of Berlin. Today, the Hermitage boasts over 2.7 million exhibits and displays, a diverse range of art and artifacts (手工艺品) from all over the world and throughout history (from Ancient Egypt to the early 20th century Europe). The Hermitage’s collections include works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian, a collection of Rembrandts and Rubens, many French Impressionist works by Renoir, Cezanne, Monet and Pissarro, and several works by Rodin. The collection is really worth a stop for all those interested in art and history. The experts say that if you were to spend a minute looking at each exhibit on show in the Hermitage, you would need 11 years before you’d seen them all. However, we suggest you choose a guided tour instead!

    Location: Dvortsovaia Naberezhnaia, 32-38.

    Open: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, Sunday till 5 pm.

    Closed: Mondays. Ticket-office closes 1 hour before closing time.

1. According to the passage, the Winter Palace was built for ______.

A. Catherine the Great.      B. Empress Elizabeth

C. Peter the Great.           D. Empress Elizabeth’s successors

2. What’s the main reason why many parts of the palace’s impressive interior were remodeled?

A. Catherine the Great and her successors didn’t like the design.

B. Empress Elizabeth wanted to remodel the palace.

C. A huge fire destroyed most of the building in 1837.

D. The building became old itself.

3. According to the passage, which of the following is CORRECT?

A. The Winter Palace was built between 1753 and 1761.

B. The Hermitage’s collections don’t include works by Monet.       

C. The Hermitage Museum is the largest art gallery in Russia.

D. The Hermitage Museum was founded in 1764 when Empress Elizabeth bought a collection of 255 paintings from Berlin.

4.If you want to visit the museum, when can you go?

A. At 10:30 am on Monday.      B. At 10:00 am on Tuesday.

C. At 11:00 am on Sunday.       D. None of the above.

The Winter Palace was built between 1754 and 1762 for Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great. Unfortunately, Elizabeth died before the palace was completed and only Catherine the Great and her successors were able to enjoy the great interior (内部) of Elizabeth’s home. Many parts of the palace’s impressive interior have been remodeled since then, particularly after 1837, when a huge fire destroyed most of the building. Today the Winter Palace, together with four more buildings arranged side by side along the river embankment, houses the extensive collections of the Hermitage. The Hermitage Museum is the largest art gallery in Russia and is among the largest and most respected art museums in the world.
The museum was founded in 1764 when Catherine the Great bought a collection of 255 paintings from the German city of Berlin. Today, the Hermitage boasts over 2.7 million exhibits and displays, a diverse range of art and artifacts (手工艺品) from all over the world and throughout history (from Ancient Egypt to the early 20th century Europe). The Hermitage’s collections include works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian, a collection of Rembrandts and Rubens, many French Impressionist works by Renoir, Cezanne, Monet and Pissarro, and several works by Rodin. The collection is really worth a stop for all those interested in art and history. The experts say that if you were to spend a minute looking at each exhibit on show in the Hermitage, you would need 11 years before you’d seen them all. However, we suggest you choose a guided tour instead!
Location: Dvortsovaia Naberezhnaia, 32-38.
Open: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, Sunday till 5 pm.
Closed: Mondays. Ticket-office closes 1 hour before closing time.
【小题1】 According to the passage, the Winter Palace was built for ______.

The Winter Palace was built between 1754 and 1762 for Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great. Unfortunately, Elizabeth died before the palace was completed and only Catherine the Great and her successors were able to enjoy the great interior (内部) of Elizabeth’s home. Many parts of the palace’s impressive interior have been remodeled since then, particularly after 1837, when a huge fire destroyed most of the building. Today the Winter Palace, together with four more buildings arranged side by side along the river embankment, houses the extensive collections of the Hermitage. The Hermitage Museum is the largest art gallery in Russia and is among the largest and most respected art museums in the world.

    The museum was founded in 1764 when Catherine the Great bought a collection of 255 paintings from the German city of Berlin. Today, the Hermitage boasts over 2.7 million exhibits and displays, a diverse range of art and artifacts (手工艺品) from all over the world and throughout history (from Ancient Egypt to the early 20th century Europe). The Hermitage’s collections include works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian, a collection of Rembrandts and Rubens, many French Impressionist works by Renoir, Cezanne, Monet and Pissarro, and several works by Rodin. The collection is really worth a stop for all those interested in art and history. The experts say that if you were to spend a minute looking at each exhibit on show in the Hermitage, you would need 11 years before you’d seen them all. However, we suggest you choose a guided tour instead!

    Location: Dvortsovaia Naberezhnaia, 32-38.

    Open: 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, Sunday till 5 pm.

    Closed: Mondays. Ticket-office closes 1 hour before closing time.

According to the passage, the Winter Palace was built for ______.

A. Catherine the Great.      B. Empress Elizabeth

C. Peter the Great.           D. Empress Elizabeth’s successors

What’s the main reason why many parts of the palace’s impressive interior were remodeled?

A. Catherine the Great and her successors didn’t like the design.

B. Empress Elizabeth wanted to remodel the palace.

C. A huge fire destroyed most of the building in 1837.

D. The building became old itself.

According to the passage, which of the following is CORRECT?

A. The Winter Palace was built between 1753 and 1761.

B. The Hermitage’s collections don’t include works by Monet.       

C. The Hermitage Museum is the largest art gallery in Russia.

D. The Hermitage Museum was founded in 1764 when Empress Elizabeth bought a collection of 255 paintings from Berlin.

If you want to visit the museum, when can you go?

A. At 10:30 am on Monday.      B. At 10:00 am on Tuesday.

C. At 11:00 am on Sunday.       D. None of the above.

第二节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从41-60各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项
Football is, I suppose, the most popular game in England; one has only to go to one of the important matches to see. Rich and poor, young and old, one can see   37_  there, shouting or cheering for one side or  _38 _.
One of the most   39 _ things about football in England to a   40_  is the great   41   of the game which even the smallest boy seems to _ 42 _. He can tell you the names of the players in   43   of the important teams. He has   44   of them and knows the results of many matches. He   45   tell you proudly who he expects will   46   a game, and his opinion is   47   right.
Most schools in England _ 48 _ football seriously--   49   seriously than all the others   50   lessons are the most important. In England, it is   51   that education is not only an activity of filling a boy's _ 52 _ with facts in a classroom, education also   53   character training; and one of the best ways to do this is to play   54   games. The school   55   arranges games and matches for its pupils. Football is a good game for the body,   56   and a quick brain. As a result, it is the school's favourite game in winter.
37. A. all them                 B. them of all      C. all of whom      D. them all 
38. A. another              B. other                 C. the other           D. two
39. A. surprising           B. exciting             C. moving          D. puzzling
40. A. neighbour           B. stranger             C. native         D. relative
41. A. consideration       B. invention        C. knowledge         D. decision    
42. A. belong to            B. grasp             C. hold               D. have
43. A. more                  B. most                 C. few                   D. mostly
44. A. faces                  B. papers              C. photos              D. records
45. A. will                    B. may                  C. should         D. must
46. A. have                   B. win                   C. defeat         D. beat
47. A. ever               B. seldom             C. usually             D. once
48. A. regard             B. see                    C. worry             D. take
49. A. much more         B. much             C. very                  D. very much 
50. A. which                 B. where             C. that                   D. as
51. A. guessed           B. decided             C. believed            D. made
52. A. mind                  B. head                 C. brain.                  D. thought
53. A. means                 B. takes                 C. appears             D. proves
54. A. team                   B. personal            C. single            D. serious
55. A. still              B. therefore      C. somehow     D. never
56. A. feet                    B. running             C. skill                  D. sight