Today's word, pan, takes us back to the days of the gold rush in California.

   On January 24th, 1848, a man named James Wilson Marshall discovered gold in California. The news spread quickly. Thousands rushed west. They traveled on foot, on horseback and by boat to reach the gold fields. By 1849, the great gold rush was on. Towns and cities grew overnight. Throughout California --- in the mountains, along the streams and rivers --- thousands of people searched for gold.

   Some found areas of mountain rock thick with gold. These men got rich. But such areas were few and quickly claimed by the first men to find them. Others searched for gold in the rivers coming down the mountains. They were after pieces of gold that the rains had washed down from above .

   The only way to find this gold was by panning. First a gold miner put dirt in a metal pan and added water. Then he shook the pan so that the water would wash the dirt. Slowly, he poured the water out of the pan. If he was a lucky miner, pieces of gold would remain.

Across the nation, newspapers carried stories of the gold being found. Each one hoped that the place he claimed panned out well --- had some gold.

   For many, gold mining did not pan out. For a few, it panned out well. But in time, huge machines were built that could wash many tons of dirt at a time. Panning died out.

   The word, however, remained in the language. Today, Americans still say, “ It panned out well ,” when something they have done pleases them. A business, a discovery, a simple event pans out well if it is successful. Unhappily, sometimes things do not pan out.

   In recent years, the word pan has taken on another meaning. Today, it also means to criticize. How it got this meaning is hard to discover. But the job of a critic is to sometimes pan the work of a writer, artist or singer.

1.Why did so many people flood to California in 1848?

A. Because towns and cities there developed quickly.

B. Because the mountains in California were a great place for travel.

C. Because they wanted to get rich by looking for gold.

D. Because the land of California was fertile at that time.

2.The underlined part “It panned out well" in Paragraph 7 has the same meaning as “______”

A. Everything turned out well     B. Nothing could be worse

C. It's not the case              D. It's a pity

3.What is the purpose of this passage?

A. To tell us some stories about the gold rush.

B. To introduce the word "pan" in American English.

C. To teach us how to look for gold in rivers.

D. To introduce the history of the gold rush in California

 

XI’AN---Seven people died in a fire early on Wednesday morning in Xi’an, capital of Shanxi Province. A restaurant with a karaoke hall in the southern suburbs caught fire around 2 a. m. and seven waitresses who were sleeping on the second floor of the restaurant were killed. The restaurant was completely destroyed and the waitresses, the local police said, were killed by toxic smoke from burning decorations.
MANILA---Four people were killed yesterday in the central Philippine island of Tacloban when a bomb they had dug up exploded, local police were quoted as saying. The four people were digging to set up a septic（poisonous）tank in their house when they dug up the bomb. It went off, killing all four people, local police were quoted by radio station DZBB as saying. The police did not say where the bomb came from. Unexploded bombs from World War II are still discovered around the Philippines once in a while.
TEL AVIV---An Israeli couple kissed for 30 hours and 45 minutes which, a spokeswoman said yesterday, was a world record. The couple, both in their twenties, started kissing on Monday at 8:30 p.m. along with 250 other couples in a contest. “For nearly 31 hours they didn’t eat, drink, talk or even go to the bathroom. And the whole time, they were standing up”, said Arielle Goldman, who handled public relations for the event. She said a representative of the Guinness Book of World Records was on hang to witness the event, recorded on video. The previous record was 29 hour and 37 minutes, Goldman said. The winning couple received two round-the-world plane tickets and $2,500. (277 words)
【小题1】Which of the following statements is right?

A．The news report didn’t mention the loss caused by the fire.

B．After reading the report we know how the fire broke out.

C．The reporter tended to think the bomb had something to do with World War II

D．The police refused to admit the bomb had anything to do with World War II.

【小题2】 The underlined word “toxic” means _____.

A．poisonous

B．dangerous

C．hot

D．thick

【小题3】 The Israeli couple kissed for nearly 31 hours_____.

A．to test their endurance	B．to set a new world record
C．to show their special love	D．to prove they are very healthy

【小题4】Why did so many couples take part in the contest?

A．Because it was a good chance to enjoy themselves.

B．Because they were poor and wanted to gain the 2,500 dollars.

C．Because they wanted to attract people’s attention.

D．Because they aimed at the honor and prize.

XI’AN---Seven people died in a fire early on Wednesday morning in Xi’an, capital of Shanxi Province. A restaurant with a karaoke hall in the southern suburbs caught fire around 2 a. m. and seven waitresses who were sleeping on the second floor of the restaurant were killed. The restaurant was completely destroyed and the waitresses, the local police said, were killed by toxic smoke from burning decorations.

MANILA---Four people were killed yesterday in the central Philippine island of Tacloban when a bomb they had dug up exploded, local police were quoted as saying. The four people were digging to set up a septic（poisonous）tank in their house when they dug up the bomb. It went off, killing all four people, local police were quoted by radio station DZBB as saying. The police did not say where the bomb came from. Unexploded bombs from World War II are still discovered around the Philippines once in a while.

TEL AVIV---An Israeli couple kissed for 30 hours and 45 minutes which, a spokeswoman said yesterday, was a world record. The couple, both in their twenties, started kissing on Monday at 8:30 p.m. along with 250 other couples in a contest. “For nearly 31 hours they didn’t eat, drink, talk or even go to the bathroom. And the whole time, they were standing up”, said Arielle Goldman, who handled public relations for the event. She said a representative of the Guinness Book of World Records was on hang to witness the event, recorded on video. The previous record was 29 hour and 37 minutes, Goldman said. The winning couple received two round-the-world plane tickets and $2,500. (277 words)

1.Which of the following statements is right?

A．The news report didn’t mention the loss caused by the fire.

B．After reading the report we know how the fire broke out.

C．The reporter tended to think the bomb had something to do with World War II

D．The police refused to admit the bomb had anything to do with World War II.

2. The underlined word “toxic” means _____.

A．poisonous

B．dangerous

C．hot

D．thick

3. The Israeli couple kissed for nearly 31 hours_____.

A．to test their endurance	B．to set a new world record
C．to show their special love	D．to prove they are very healthy

4.Why did so many couples take part in the contest?

A．Because it was a good chance to enjoy themselves.

B．Because they were poor and wanted to gain the 2,500 dollars.

C．Because they wanted to attract people’s attention.

D．Because they aimed at the honor and prize.

 

XI’AN---Seven people died in a fire early on Wednesday morning in Xi’an, capital of Shanxi Province. A restaurant with a karaoke hall in the southern suburbs caught fire around 2 a. m. and seven waitresses who were sleeping on the second floor of the restaurant were killed. The restaurant was completely destroyed and the waitresses, the local police said, were killed by toxic smoke from burning decorations.

MANILA---Four people were killed yesterday in the central Philippine island of Tacloban when a bomb they had dug up exploded, local police were quoted as saying. The four people were digging to set up a septic（poisonous）tank in their house when they dug up the bomb. It went off, killing all four people, local police were quoted by radio station DZBB as saying. The police did not say where the bomb came from. Unexploded bombs from World War II are still discovered around the Philippines once in a while.

TEL AVIV---An Israeli couple kissed for 30 hours and 45 minutes which, a spokeswoman said yesterday, was a world record. The couple, both in their twenties, started kissing on Monday at 8:30 p.m. along with 250 other couples in a contest. “For nearly 31 hours they didn’t eat, drink, talk or even go to the bathroom. And the whole time, they were standing up”, said Arielle Goldman, who handled public relations for the event. She said a representative of the Guinness Book of World Records was on hang to witness the event, recorded on video. The previous record was 29 hour and 37 minutes, Goldman said. The winning couple received two round-the-world plane tickets and $2,500. (277 words)

Which of the following statements is right?

A. The news report didn’t mention the loss caused by the fire.

B. After reading the report we know how the fire broke out.

C. The reporter tended to think the bomb had something to do with World War II

D. The police refused to admit the bomb had anything to do with World War II.

The underlined word “toxic” means _____.

A. poisonous         B. dangerous        C. hot       D. thick

The Israeli couple kissed for nearly 31 hours_____.

A. to test their endurance                  B. to set a new world record

C. to show their special love                D. to prove they are very healthy

Why did so many couples take part in the contest?

A. Because it was a good chance to enjoy themselves.

B. Because they were poor and wanted to gain the 2,500 dollars.

C. Because they wanted to attract people’s attention.

D. Because they aimed at the honor and prize.

（甘肃省酒泉市肃州中学2010届高三入学考试）

C

XI’AN---Seven people died in a fire early on Wednesday morning in Xi’an, capital of Shanxi Province. A restaurant with a karaoke hall in the southern suburbs caught fire around 2 a. m. and seven waitresses who were sleeping on the second floor of the restaurant were killed. The restaurant was completely destroyed and the waitresses, the local police said, were killed by toxic smoke from burning decorations.

MANILA---Four people were killed yesterday in the central Philippine island of Tacloban when a bomb they had dug up exploded, local police were quoted as saying. The four people were digging to set up a septic（poisonous）tank in their house when they dug up the bomb. It went off, killing all four people, local police were quoted by radio station DZBB as saying. The police did not say where the bomb came from. Unexploded bombs from World War II are still discovered around the Philippines once in a while.

TEL AVIV---An Israeli couple kissed for 30 hours and 45 minutes which, a spokeswoman said yesterday, was a world record. The couple, both in their twenties, started kissing on Monday at 8:30 p.m. along with 250 other couples in a contest. “For nearly 31 hours they didn’t eat, drink, talk or even go to the bathroom. And the whole time, they were standing up”, said Arielle Goldman, who handled public relations for the event. She said a representative of the Guinness Book of World Records was on hang to witness the event, recorded on video. The previous record was 29 hour and 37 minutes, Goldman said. The winning couple received two round-the-world plane tickets and $2,500.

48. Which of the following statements is right?

A. The news report didn’t mention the loss caused by the fire.

B. After reading the report we know how the fire broke out.

C. The reporter tended to think the bomb had something to do with World War II

D. The local police refused to admit the bomb had anything to do with World War II.

49. The underlined word “toxic” means _____.

A. poisonous         B. dangerous        C. hot       D. thick

50. The Israeli couple kissed for nearly 31 hours_____.

A. to test their endurance            B. to set a new world record

C. to show their special love         D. to prove they are very healthy

51. Why did so many couples take part in the contest?

A. Because it was a good chance to enjoy themselves.

B. Because they were poor and wanted to gain the 2,500 dollars.

C. Because they wanted to attract people’s attention.

D. Because they aimed at the honor and prize.