Watercolor is the oldest paints known. It dates back to the early cave men who discovered they could add lifelike qualities to drawings of animals and other figures on the walls of caves by mixing the natural colors found in the earth with water.
Fresco(壁画), one of the greatest of all art forms, is done with watercolor. It is created by mixing paints and water and applying these to wet plaster(灰泥). Of the thousands of people who stand under Michelangelo's heroic ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, very few know that they are looking at perhaps the greatest watercolor painting in the world.
The invention of oil painting by the Flemish masters in the fifteenth century made fresco painting go down-hill, and for the next several centuries watercolor was used mainly for doing sketches(素描) or as a tool for study. It was not until the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that English painters put back watercolor as a serious art form. The English have a widely-known love for the outdoors and also small, private pictures. The softness of watercolor had a remarkably strong attraction for them.
The popularity of watercolor continued to grow until in the twentieth century. The United States passed England as the center for watercolor, producing such well-known watercolor artists as Thomas Eakins and Andrew Wyeth.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A. The gradual weakness of fresco painting.
B. Oils having more power or influence over watercolor.
C. The rediscovery of watercolor in England.
D. The start and development of watercolor.
2.The first watercolor artists were ______.
A. early cave men
B. Italian fresco artists
C. Flemish masters
D. English artists of the 18th century
3.According to the passage, watercolor painting was put back in England because ______.
A. it was easy to use outdoors
B. it was a strong medium
B. it was extremely bright in color
D. it was well suited to popular tastes
4.What would the next paragraph most probably deal with?
A. the works of famous American watercolor artists.
B. The weakness of oils as popular paints.
C. Techniques of producing watercolor.
D. Modern American oil painters.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Did you know that women’s brains are smaller than men’s? The average women’s brain weighs 10% less than men’s. Since research has shown that the bigger the brain, the cleverer the animal, men must be more intelligent than women. Right? Wrong. Men and women always score similarly on intelligence tests, despite the difference in brain size. Why? After years of study, researchers have concluded that it’s what’s inside that matters, not just the size of the brain. The brain consists of “grey matter” .
It has been suggested that smaller brain appears to work faster, perhaps because the two sides of the brain are better connected in women. This means that little girls tend to learn to speak earlier, and that women can understand sorts of information from different sources at the same time. When it comes to talking to the boss on the phone, cooking dinner and keeping an eye on the baby all at the same time, it’s women who come out on top every time.
There are other important differences between two sexes. As white matter is the key to spatial(空间的) tasks, men know better where things are in relation to other things. “A great footballer always knows where he is in relation to the other players, and he knows where to go,” says one researcher. That may explain one of life’s great mysteries: why men refuse to ask for directions … and women often need to!
The differences begin when fetuses(胎儿) are about nine weeks old, which can be seen in the action of children and young as one. A boy would try to climb a barrier (障碍物) before him or push it down while a girl would attract help from others. These brain differences also explain the fact that more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills, while more women speech skills. It may all go back to our ancestors(祖先) ,among whom women needed speech skills to take care of their babies and men needed spatial skills to hunt, according to one research.
If all this disappoints you, it shouldn’t. “The brain changes throughout our lives according to what we do with it.” says a biologist.
1.Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph?
A. Women’s brain is 10% less than men’s.
B. Grey matter plays the same role as white matter.
C. Grey matter controls thinking in the brain.
D. Both sexes have the same amount of white matter.
2.What can we infer from the second and third paragraphs?
A. Women prefer doing many things at a time.
B. Men do better dealing with one job at a time.
C. Women do not need to tell directions.
D. Men have weaker spatial abilities.
3.Which of the following do you agree with according to the fourth paragraph?
A. Young boys may be stronger than young girls.
B. More women take up jobs requiring speech skills
C. Women may have stronger feelings than men.
D. Our ancestors needed more spatial skills.
4.What is the writer’s attitude in writing this passage?
A. Defensive. B. Persuasive.
C. Supportive. D. Objective.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A serious problem for today’s society is who should be responsible for our elderly and how to improve their lives. It is not only a financial problem but also a question of the system we want for our society. I would like to suggest several possible solutions to this problem.
First, employers should take the responsibility for their retried employees. To make this possible, a percentage of profits should be set aside for this purpose. But when a company must take life long responsibility for its employees, it may suffer from a commercial disadvantage due to higher employee costs.
Another way of solving the problem is to return the responsibility to the individual. This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement. This does not seem a very fair model since some people have enough trouble paying for their daily life without trying to earn extra to cover their retirement years. This means the government might have to step in to care for the poor.
In addition, the government could take responsibility for the care of the elderly. This could be financed through government taxes to increase the level of pensions. Furthermore, some institutions should be created for senior citizens, which can help provide a comfortable life for them. Unfortunately , as the present situation in our country shows, this is not a truly viable answer. The government can seldom afford to care for the elderly, particularly when it is busy trying to care for the young.
One further solution is that the government or social organizations establish some workplaces especially for the elderly where they are independent.
To sum up, all these options have advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that some combination of these options may be needed to provide the care we hope to give to our elderly generations.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A. The problem faced by the old in society.
B. Why we should take responsibility for the old.
C. How we can improve the lives of the old.
D. Where the old can go to get their pensions.
2.According to the passage, how can the government help to improve the lives of retired people?
A. Set aside some profits to help people with problems after they retire
B. Increase saving levels of people during their working years
C. Increase the discounts for food and transport for the old
D. Make available pensions for those who have retired
3.The underlined word “viable” most probably means ____.
A. impossible B. practical
C. useful D. successful
4.What can be concluded from the passage?
A. Taking care of the old is mainly an issue of money
B. Employers should allow their workers to retire at a later age
C. Becoming independent should be the goal of most old people
D. There is no single solution to the problem of the old
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farm, in the winter especially, we were quite cut off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that my life has its problems ,too.
One big disadvantage is money. It costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma(哮喘), and at times the air is so bad that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of traveling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.
Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever you tastes in culture or entertainment(娱乐活动). Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising --- and , what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.
Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is , when you are in your teens(十几岁)or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.
1.Which of the following is true about the writer?
A. He is very old now.
B. He is in good health.
C. He prefers driving a car.
D. He lives in the city now.
2.In the passage, the writer tries to __________.
A. express his opinions about way of life
B. describe his life in the countryside
C. an interest in the outside world
D. persuade the reader to live in the city
3.How is the passage mainly developed?
A. By inferring.
B. By comparing.
C. By listing examples.
D. By giving explanations.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
A：Good morning. __1._
B：Yes, please. Could you introduce me a nice place to see over the weekend?
A：OK, Qingdao is a nice place to visit. __2.__ The weather is neither hot nor cold.
B：Sounds good. 3.___
A：You can get there by train.
B：Shall I visit places of interest by bus in Qingdao?
A：Sure. __4.__
B：Really perfect. __5.__
A：280 yuan each person. It includes train tickets, park tickets, hotel and meals.
B：Well. It’s nice. I’d like to book the tour for two.
A. It’s the right time to go there.
B. Which place are you going to visit?
C. How can I get there?
D. Hope you will have a great time there.
E. How much does it cost?
F. Can I help you, madam?
G. Our sightseeing bus will take you around the city.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Down-to-earth means someone or something that is honest, practical and easy to deal with. It is _________ to find someone who is down-to-earth. A person who is down-to-earth is easy to talk to and _________ other people as equals. A down-to-earth person is just the _________ of someone who acts important and proud．
Down-to-earth persons _________ be important members of society. _________ they don’t let their importance “go to their heads”. They do not _________ themselves to be better persons than others of less importance. Someone who is filled with his own importance and pride, often without cause, is _________ to have “his nose in the air”. There is _________ way a person with his nose in the air can be down-to-earth.
Americans _________ another expression that means almost the same as down-to-earth. The expression is “both-feet-on-the-ground”. Someone with both-feet-on-the-ground is a person with a good _________ of reality. He _________ what is called “common sense”. He may have 52 , but he does not allow them to_________ his knowledge of what is real. The opposite kind of 54 is one who has hid “head-in-the-clouds”. A man with his head-in-the-clouds is a dreamer whose _________ is not in the real world．
_________ , such a dreamer can be brought back to reality. _________ words from a teacher can usually get a day-dreaming student to put both feet back on the ground．Usually, the person who is down-to-earth is very _________ to have both feet on the ground． _________we have both our feet firmly on the ground, we are down-to-earth, and we act honestly and openly _________ others. Our lives are like the ground below us, said and strong.
1.A．pleasant B．sad C．common D．surprising
2.A．meets B．welcomes C．receives D．accepts
3.A．case B．kind C．opposite D．example
4.A．must B．may C．should D．will
5.A．But B．So C．For D．And
6.A．wish B．expect C．desire D．consider
7.A．said B．told C．asked D．made
8.A．some B．a C．no D．every
9.A．discover B．find C．make D．use
10.A．understanding B．wish C．reason D．expectation
11.A．demands B．lacks C．has D．likes
12.A．fortunes B．dreams C．achievements D．disadvantages
13.A．block B．protect C．own D．gain
14.A．idea B．people C．attitude D．person
15.A．mind B．life C．body D．head
16.A．Always B．Therefore C．However D．Sometimes
17.A．Sharp B．All C．No D．Bad
18.A．possible B．probable C．likely D．able
19.A．Though B．Since C．When D．Unless
20.A．towards B．for C．over D．onto
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空。
David: Hi, Linda, what are you doing?
Linda: Hi, David．I 1. （prepare） for the test tomorrow．
David: But 2. are you sitting here in the garden?
Linda: Well, the library is full and the classroom is too noisy． Are you ready 3. the test ?
David: I am afraid not．I feel very nervous． We don't have much time 4. （leave）．
Linda: We can prepare together．Maybe that can help．
David: Good idea．How many units will be included in 5. coming test?
Linda: Three altogether．They are Unit 4,Unit5 and Unit 6．
David: Really? I 6. （think） Unit 6 would not be covered．
Linda: It is included 7. it is only partly finished by our teacher． Now let's ask each other questions．You go first．
David: All right．Please name three European countries．
Linda: It's easy．France, Germany and Russia．I 8. even say more．
David: It seems you are 9. （well） prepared than me． Now it's 10. turn to ask me questions．
Linda: OK．What are the seven continents of the world?
David: Asia, Europe, Africa, and err．．．．I really can't remember them all．
Linda: Don't worry． You still have some time today to prepare．
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错
此题要求改正所给短文中的错误。文中共有10处语言错误。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Never shall I forget the first English lesson giving by Miss Liu. One Monday morning, when she entered the classroom, we found that she was a young or beautiful lady. Then she introduced herself and said they shouldn’t call her Teacher Liu but Miss Liu. Later, she asked us to go to the blackboard and said something about ourselves with English in turn. When it was my turn, I felt so shyly that I didn’t dare to say anything before the class. She went up to me and said kindly, “Don’t afraid. I believe you can do them well.” At the last, 1 went to the blackboard. She praised me for which I had done.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
书面表达
假设你叫李华，你校高二同学正在开展一场讨论，主题是: 高中学生要不要参加体育锻炼。请根据下面所提供的信息，给英文报社写一封信，介绍讨论情况。
55%的同学认为：
应该每天进行体育锻炼；
做早操，打乒乓球、打篮球，但不要时间过长；
锻炼能增强体质，减少疾病；
锻炼能使大脑休息，使学习效果更好。
45% 的同学认为：
锻炼浪费时间;
锻炼容易使人疲劳；
锻炼以后很兴奋，较长时间不能投入学习；
锻炼中途可能会受伤。
[写作要求] 1. 可适当增加细节，使行文连贯。
2.表达清晰。
3.词数100左右。
4.开头结尾已写出，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：build their body and reduce lot of diseases. 增强体质，减少疾病;
a waste of time and tiring 浪费时间, 使人疲劳
be hurt 受伤
Dear Editor,
I’m writing to tell you about a discussion we’ve had about whether students should take physical exercise.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely，
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析