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Should we allow modern buildings to be built next to older buildings in a historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons --- for example, economic reasons --- why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?
In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own home town of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate (影响) its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.
It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt (破坏) the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative(保守的)and do not like change.
Although we have to respect people’s feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move things forward. If we always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different, even though that might be the more risky choice.
1.What does the author say about historical buildings in the first paragraph?
A. They have nothing to do with the historic feel of an area.
B. Most of them are too expensive to preserve.
C. They are more pleasing than modern buildings.
D. Some of them are not attractive.
2.By “move things forward” in the last paragraph, the author probably means“_______”
A. Destroy old buildings
B. Choose new architectural styles
C. Put things in a different place
D. Respect people’s feelings for historical buildings
3.What is the main purpose of the passage?
A. To explain why people dislike change.
B. To warn that we could end up living in caves.
C. To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings.
D. To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签 ) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart.
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me. “Thanks.”
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.
1.What made Kate angry one evening?
A. She couldn’t find her books.
B. She got the news that her grandma was ill.
C. She heard the author shouting loud.
D. She saw the author’s shoes beneath her bed.
2.The author tidied up the room most probably because_______.
A. she was scared by Kate’s anger.
B. she wanted to show her care
C. she hated herself for being so messy
D. she was asked by Kate to do so
3.How is Paragraph1 mainly developed?
A. By analyzing causes. B. By describing a process.
C. By showing differences. D. By following time order.
4.What might be the best title for the story?
A. Learning to Be Roommates B. Hard Work Pays Off
C. How to Be Organized D. My Friend Kate
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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A new word has suddenly become wildly popular in China —"tuhao" — which loosely translated means "nouveau riche". There have been more than 100 million references to the word "tuhao" on social media since early September.
It's being used to describe everything from the new People's Daily building, to expensive celebrity weddings full of bling, and the new gold-coloured iPhone.
In Chinese "tu" means earth and "hao" means rich. To say someone is tuhao is to imply they come from a poor peasant background, and have made it rich quick — but don't quite have the manners, or sophistication to go along with it. It's like the term "nouveau riche", says Professor Steve Tsang at the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies in Nottingham — but has even more negative meanings, suggesting a certain vulgarity(粗俗).
"Tuhao" is actually an old word, dating back perhaps as far as the Southern Dynasty 1,500 years ago, but it has always meant something rather different. During the communist revolution, from the 1920s to early 1950s, it was widely used to refer to landholders and gentry who would bully those beneath them.
This new usage of the term took off in September after a widely-shared joke about a rich, but unhappy man, who goes to a Buddhist monk for advice, expecting to be told to live a more simple life. The monk replies instead with the phrase: "Tuhao, let's be friends!"
Chinese Internet users are highly creative in their use of language, and are constantly inventing, and re-inventing words as a way of getting past censorship(审查) rules. But in this case, its popularity seems to be down to
the fact that it expresses China's changing society so well — many people sneer at those with wealth, but are secretly jealous.1.What is the best title of the passage?
A. Tuhao, a new popular word in China
B. The long history of Tuhao
C. The new usage of Tuhao
D. Tuhao, a newly-invented Chinese word
2.Which of the following may NOT be considered “tuhao”?
A. A vulgar nouveau riche
B. A bully landholder
C. A quick-rich peasant without proper manners
D. A Buddhist monk.
3.The last but one paragraph mainly tells us ______.
A. what the new usage of the word is
B. how the word becomes popular again
C. why the unhappy man went to the Buddhist monk
D. what advice the monk gave the unhappy man
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
the fact that it expresses China's changing society so well — many people sneer at those with wealth, but are secretly jealous.
es is affected by it, and school is no exception.