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A Christmas Carol was written by Charles Dickens. The first 6,000 copies of the book were sold out in a week. And the book has inspired many plays and movies. The first play was put on in 1844. The first two movies were silent films made in 1901 and 1908. Since then, the story has been remade more than 60 times for television and cinema. What makes such a tale so attractive? Audiences have always loved a good plot, a villain(反面人物) who harms other people or breaks the law, and the ending of right over wrong. The book offers all three.
The book tells the story of a man named Ebenezer Scrooge. He is mean and cruel(残忍的) to his clerk and turns away his only living relative. One night, Scrooge is visited by three spirits. The first shows scenes from Scrooge’s youth that led to this present state. The second takes him to the homes of his clerk and his nephew. Here Scrooge sees that people can be happy without lots of money. The spirit also shows him the desperate poor people of London. The third spirit shows Scrooge will die alone, and no one will care if he continues to live as he has. At last the message is understood, and Scrooge repents. He becomes generous and caring to all around him, especially to his clerk’s sick son, Tiny Tim.
Every year, thousands of people watch A Christmas Carol. Why? They may be touched by its lessons on the true meanings of wealth and happiness. They may enjoy the special effects and feelings or watching every year may be just a habit. Viewers never seem to grow tired of the old miser(守财奴), Scrooge, and his dramatic message of hope and change.
1.What do we know about the book A Christmas Carol?
A.It was written in the early 19th century.
B.Dickens completed the book in a week.
C.It has been adapted for cinema and television.
D.It didn’t attract readers when published for the first time.
2.The third spirit shows Scrooge .
A.where he will die and who will care about him B.how others care about his present life
C.when and how he will die alone D.what his future life will be like
3.The underlined part “Scrooge repents” probably means .
A.Scrooge feels sorry for what he has done B.Scrooge does things as he did before
C.Scrooge is angry with the three spirits D.Scrooge gives the three spirits a hand
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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Sweetest Day is always the third Saturday in October. This holiday is much more important in some regions than in others (Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo being the biggest Sweetest Day cities). It is a holiday that is gaining in popularity every year throughout the country.
Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, aged, and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.
Over 60 years ago, a Cleveland man, believing that the city’s orphans and shut-ins (卧病在床的人) too often felt forgotten and neglected, formed the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this through the distribution(分发) of small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors, he distributed these small remembrances on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed, other Clevelanders began to participate in the celebration ceremony, which came to be called “Sweetest Day”. In time, the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the underprivileged(弱势群体)was broadened to include everyone, and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small remembrance. And soon the idea spread to other cities all over the country.
Sweetest Day is not based on any single group’s religious belief or on a family relationship. It is a reminder that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning. Because for many people remembering takes the form of gift-giving, Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care, in a practical way.
1.Which of the following is TRUE according to the first paragraph?
A.More and more people are now celebrating Sweetest Day in the whole country.
B.Sweetest Day is a holiday which always falls on the Saturday in October.
C.Sweetest Day is much more important in big cities than in small cities.
D.Only a few religious have the tradition to celebrate the holiday.
2.The idea of creating Sweetest Day came from _____.
A.the city’s orphans and shut-ins B.a city named Cleveland 60 years ago
C.a man who cared orphans and shut-ins D.a man’ s friends, relatives and associates
3.Sweetest Day is celebrated in the following ways EXCEPT _____.
A.a kind act B.a family party C.gift-giving D.a small remembrance
4.From the third paragraph we can learn that _____.
A.it is the people in Cleveland who spread Sweetest Day to other cities
B.only with the help of the man’s friends and neighbors, he got a small remembrance
C.over 60 years ago, a man too often felt forgotten and neglected
D.all people loved to be remembered by others on Sweetest Day in Cleveland
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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On hearing the words “Just do it!”, you will know there is a Nike product nearby. If it’s “Always Coca-Cola”, you can be sure someone wants to sell you a refreshing drink.
An advertising slogan(广告标语) is to a brand what eyes are to a person. The slogan helps people understand the brand better by telling them what it wants to sell to its customers. Good slogans leave a message inside people’s minds. It’s almost certain that every brand has a popular slogan.
Here are a few examples:
“Just do it!”-This slogan speaks out to teens. It tells them to do something, but only if they think it’s worth it. And if so, why not do it wearing Nike?
“Always Coca-Cola.”-Coke’s slogans change every few years, but this one has enjoyed a lasting popularity because it shows the brand’s spirit. It seems to say “Coke is the only drink there is; there are no other forms of drinks.”
“Share moments, share life.”-This slogan from Kodak connects photos and beauty. It asks people to remember the happy moments in life by taking photos of them-using Kodak film of course!
1.What would be the best title for the text?
A.Just Do It! B.Slogan And Brand C.Famous Slogans D.What Is A Good Slogan?
2.Which of the following can best explain the underlined sentence (paragraph 2)?
A.A good advertising slogan should draw people’s attention.
B.A brand should have an advertising slogan just as people have eyes.
C.An advertising slogan is as important to a brand as eyes are to a person.
D.An advertising slogan acts as the eyes of a brand.
3.The word “them” in the last paragraph refers to____.
A.people B.the happy moments C.photos and beauty D.Kodak film
4.Which of the following tables can best match the slogans with their brands?
A.
B.
C.
D.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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Many scientists today are convinced that life exists elsewhere in the universe---life probably much like that on our own planet. They reason in the following way.
As far as astronomers can determine, the entire universe is built of the same matter. They have no reason to doubt that matter obeys the same laws in every part of the universe. Therefore, it is reasonable to guess that other stars, with their own planets, were born in the same way as our own solar system. What we know of life on earth suggests that life will arise wherever the proper conditions exist.
Life requires the right amount and kind of atmosphere. This eliminates(除去) all those planets in the universe that are not about the same size and weight as the earth. A smaller planet would lose its atmosphere; a larger one would hold too much of it.
Life also requires a steady supply of heat and light. This eliminates double stars, or stars that flare up suddenly. Only single stars that are steady sources of heat and light like our sun would qualify.
Finally, life could evolve(进化) only if the planet is just the right distance from its sun. With a weaker sun than our own, the planet would have to be closer to it. With a stronger sun, it would have to be farther away.
If we suppose that every star in the universe has a family of planets, then how many planets might support life? First, eliminate those stars that are not like our sun. Next eliminate most of their planets; they are either too far from or too close to their suns. Then eliminate all those planets which are not the same size and weight as the earth. Finally, remember that the proper conditions do not necessarily mean that life actually does exist on a planet. It may not have begun yet, or it may have already died out.
This process of elimination seems to leave very few planets on which earthlike life might be found. However, even if life could exist on only one planet in a million, there are so many billions of planets that this would still leave a vast number on which life could exist.
1.The existence of life depends on all of the following factors EXCEPT .
A.the right amount of atmosphere B.our own solar system
C.steady heat and light D.the right distance from the sun
2.Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?
A.The planet must be as big and heavy as the earth.
B.Proper conditions are essential to the existence of life.
C.Double stars can provide steady light and heat.
D.The distance between a planet and its sun should be right.
3.What kind of planet might NOT support life?
A.Most of the planets of the stars. B.Stars similar to our sun.
C.Planets similar to the earth. D.Planets with proper conditions.
4.At the end of the passage the author suggests that .
A.it is impossible for life to exist on planets. B.earthlike life could only exist on a few planets.
C.life could exist on only one planet in a million. D.life could exist on a great number of planets.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析