(08·陕西D篇)

Runners in a relay(接力) race pass a stick in one direction. However, merchants passed silk, gold, fruit, and glass along the Silk Road in more than one direction. They earned their living by traveling the famous Silk Road.

The Silk Road was not a simple trading network. It passed through thousands of cities and towns. It started from eastern China, across Central Asia and the Middle East, and ended in the Mediterranean Sea. It was used from about 200 B. C. to about A.D.1300, when sea travel offered new routes(路线).It was sometimes called the world’s longest highway. However, the Silk Road was made up of many routes, not one smooth path. They passed through what are now 18 countries. The routes crossed mountains and deserts and had many dangers of hot sun, deep snow and even battles. Only experienced traders could return safe.

The Silk Road got its name from its most prized product. Silk could be used like money to pay taxes or buy goods. But the traders carried more than just silk. Gold, silver, and glass from Europe were much found in the Middle East and Asia. Horses traded from other areas changed farming practices in China. Indian merchants traded salt and other valuable goods. Chinese merchants traded paper, which produced an immediate effect on the West. Apples traveled from Central Asia to Rome. The Chinese had learned to graft(嫁接)　different trees together to make new kinds of fruit. They passed this science on to others, including the Romans. The Romans used grafting to grow the apple. Trading along the Silk Road led to worldwide business 2,000 years before the World Wide Web.

The people along the Silk Road did not share just goods. They also shared their beliefs. The Silk Road provided pathways for learning, diplomacy(外交), and religion (宗教).

53. It’s probable that traders along the Silk Road needed         .

A. to remember the entire trade route                     B. to know the making of products

C. to receive certain special training                      D. to deal with a lot of difficulties

54. The Silk Road became less important because          .

A. it was made up of different routes             B. silk trading became less popular

C. sea travel provided easier routes                D. people needed fewer foreign goods

55. New technologies could travel along the Silk Road because people          .

A. learned from one another                     B. shared each other’s beliefs

C. traded goods along the route                  D. earned their living by traveling

56. What is the best title for the passage?

   A. The Silk Road:Past and Present             B. The Silk Road:East Meets West

C. The Silk Road:Routes Full of Dangers           D. The Silk Road:Pathways for Learning

 (08·陕西C篇)

This was no ordinary class. The students who came together were all science or engineering professors at Cornell University. They had interrupted their research to accept an invitation to take part in an unusual experiment: “an interesting week of poetry”. This class was part of a study to answer the questions: Why is science difficult for many nonscience students? What can teachers learn about teaching if they take a class that is not in their field?

The students in the poetry class listened to lectures and took notes. They had reading tasks and had to write three short papers. All students noticed one thing—the importance of spoken words. In science and engineering classes, the instructors put tables and drawings on the blackboard. But in this poetry class, the instructors just talked. They didn’t write anything on the board.

The scientists and engineers noticed one similarity between science and poetry. In both subjects, students need to find layers (层次)　of meaning . Some layers are simple, clear, and on the surface; other layers are deeper and more difficult. This search for different levels of meaning doesn’t happen much in undergraduate(本科)　science classes, but it is important later, in graduate school. And it is always important in humanities(人文科学).

Both the poetry instructors and their students learned something about teaching from this experience. One poetry instructor, for example, now sees the importance of using informative as he teaches. Most of the scientists agreed on several points. First, humanities classes might help science students to see patterns and decide which information is important. Second, the poetry class was fun. One engineer decided, “We need to change the way we teach engineering to make it an enjoyable experience for students.”

But perhaps the most important result of the experience was this:All of the professors began to think about how they teach and how they can teach better.

49. What do we know about this unusual class?

A. The teachers did lots of writing on the board.

B. The teacher were invited to attend several lectures.

C. The students were professors from a university.

D. The students were studying science and humanities.

50. The experiment was designed to find out       .

   A. how to teach the students in the science class

B. whether poetry is difficult for science students

C. what to be taught in the humanities class

D. why many humanities students find science hard

51. Finding levels of meaning is       .

   A. important for graduate students in humanities

B. difficult for graduate students in humanities

C. common for undergraduate students in science

D. easy for undergraduate students in science

52. What did the science professors learn after the experiment?

   A. They should change the way they teach.

B. A poem could be explained in clear definitions.

C. A poetry class could be more informative.

D. Their teaching was an enjoyable experience.

 (08·陕西B篇)

Photographs are everywhere. They decorate (装饰) the walls of homes and are used in stores for sales of different goods. The news is filled with pictures of fires, floods, and special events. Photos record the beauties of nature. They can also bring things close that are far away. Through photos, people can see wild animals, cities in foreign lands, and even the stars in outer space. Photos also tell stories.

Reporting the news through photos is called photojournalism. At times photojournalists tell their stories through a single picture. At other times, they use a group of pictures to tell a story. Each picture is like a chapter in a book, which can do more than record the facts. It can also be a strong force for social change.

Jacob Riis was among the first photojournalists. He took pictures of parts of New York City where the poor lived. Riis believed that poverty(贫穷)　caused crime, and he used photos to help him prove his point. A few years later, the photos of small children working in factories by Lewis Hine shocked the public. Hine’s pictures helped bring about laws to protect such children.

Hundreds of pictures may have to be taken in order to get one or two really good photos. It takes science to have the photo come out clearly and art to make a photo that has a good design and expresses feeling. Photojournalists make an actual record of what they see. A photo, however, can be both a work of art and an actual record. It can record an important event as a beautiful or exciting picture.

As historical and artistic documents(文献) ,photos can become more important over time. Today photojournalists still have their pictures appear in newspapers and magazines. They also publish(发表) them in books and on the Internet.

45. The underlined word “They” in the first paragraph refers to         .

A. beauties                B. photos                 C. goods          D. events

46. The photos of the small children by Hine show us that photos            .

A. are also works of art                               B. are popular ways of reporting news

C. often shock the public                              D. can serve as a force for social change

47. What can we learn from the passage?

A. News with pictures is encouraging.           

B. Photos help people improve their life.

C. News photos mean history in a sense.    

D. People prefer reading news with pictures.

48. The text is mainly about       .

A. telling the story through pictures                B. decorating the walls of homes

C. publishing historical papers                     D. expressing feeling through pictures

 (08·陕西A篇)

They say there are three ways to experience the Grand Canyon：on foot, on mules(骡子) or by air. We chose the first. Up early, my husband and I and our three children couldn’t wait to get started. We decided to walk along a lovely path named Bright Angel Trail.

As we set out, I was shocked at how narrow the path was. And I couldn’t help noticing that the other tourists weren’t like us. They had heavy backpacks, water bottles, and hats. But as usual we were dressed.As the sun rose higher, Arizona’s famous heat seemed to roast(烘烤)us. There was no shade and our legs were aching. We decided to go back, with the girl on my back and the boys far behind. By the time we finally got back,our legs were like jelly.

The next day, after we’d had a long rest and a good breakfast, we were ready for another view of the Canyon—by air. After our last walk, this would be the easiest thing in the world.

We called to each other excitedly as the plane took off and circled around the Canyon. But the smiles on our faces disappeared as the pilot tossed(翻转)　the plane around, pretending he was going to hit the ground. I shouted, “STOP, TAKE US BACK!” When we finally arrived back on land, once again our legs were like jelly. We hardly spoke as we drove back.

As I said, there are three ways to view the Grand Canyon. We never tried the mules, but personally I’d suggest a fourth: buy yourself a good magazine like National Geographic. That way, you can see the Canyon, without fear or tiredness.

41. Which of the following is TRUE according to the second paragraph?

A. They made a careful preparation before the trip.

B. The children were more joyful than their parents.

C. Bright Angel Trail was not as lovely as they expected.

D. The summer heat prevented them from enjoying the view.

42. The underlined expression “our legs were like jelly” probably means         .

A. we were weak                                            B. we were unhappy   

C. we were dissatisfied                                     D. we were disappointed

43. Which of the following best describes their Canyon trip by air?

A. It proved to be frightening.                         B. It was more comfortable.

C. It turned out to be exciting.                        D. It made each of them tired.

44. We can infer from the passage that          .

A. experiencing the Canyon on mules would be the best way

B. one needs to dress less when visiting the Grand Canyon

C. the writer was not serious when she made the suggestion

D. the whole family narrowly escaped from the air accident