MAY 14 marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel(以色列). Many Israelis, however, are not in the mood to celebrate.
Looking at the damage to her neighbor's home from a Palestinian（巴勒斯坦） rocket, Batia Katar, a 17-year-old Israeli girl, was in tears. "We can't celebrate (Israel's) independence when things like this are happening," she said.
What is clear is that Israel is not a normal country. The country has a dramatic (戲劇性) history and ancient culture but has only officially existed for 60 years. Within hours after it was established in 1948, Israel was at war with its Arab neighbors for land. It won that time, and in 1956, 1967 and 1973, acquiring the West Bank, the Golan Heights, Gaza and east Jerusalem. For good or ill, Israelis can take pride in victories with so many countries. However, it occupied much more land than the United Nations agreed, which left local Palestinians homeless.
Different from all its neighbors in religion, Israel is also far more successful economically than its neighbors. Though, it gets a great amount of support from America and other Western countries. The country is now a world leader in many industries, such as IT and modern agriculture.
However, conflict exists, just like 60 years ago. And the signal of peace is as weak as ever. Palestinian militants (武裝人員) have fired more than 7,000 missiles  from Gaza, mainly at Sedro, killing 13 people. In the same period hundreds of Palestinian civilians  in Gaza have died in Israeli military action.
In order to create peace, the world community hopes both sides accept and follow the Middle East peace plan. Optimists believe through Israeli-Palestinian negotiations there will finally be peace.
Both Israelis and Palestinians want to live in peace without explosions that remind them that they are living in a special but dangerous place.
小題1:  Why are many Israelis not in the mood to celebrate the both anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel? Because         .

A．the government didn't organize it

B．they are too busy to attend it

C．it is dangerous to celebrate it

D．conflicts and fights still exist

小題2:  The underlined word established in the fourth paragraph means         .

A．defeated

B．founded

C．a(chǎn)ttacked

D．a(chǎn)ccepted

小題3:  Israel is not a normal country because         .

A．the country has a dramatic history and ancient culture but has only officially existed for 60 years

B．within hours after its establishment, Israel was at war with its Arab neighbors for land

C．it occupied much more land than the UN agreed, which left local Palestinians homeless

D．a(chǎn)ll of the above

小題4:  Which statement about Israel is NOT true according to the passage?

A．It became a country in 1948.

B．It is different from all its neighbors in religion.

C．It is now a world leader in many industries, such as IT and modern agriculture.

D．No country has supported it since it was founded.

小題5:  It can be inferred from the passage that         .

A．it is still a question mark whether Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace

B．Israel was created as a homeland for homeless Jews

C．for good or ill, Israelis can take pride in victories with so many countries

D．Israel is far more successful economically than its neighbors

Animation means making things which are lifeless come alive and move.
Since earliest times, people have always been astonished by movement. But not until this century have we managed to take control of movement, to record it, and in the case of animation, to retranslate it and recreate it. To do all this, we use a movie camera and a projector（放映機(jī)）.
In the world of cartoon animation, nothing is impossible. You can make the characters do exactly what you want them to do.
A famous early cartoon character was Felix the Cat, created by Pat Sullivan in America in the early nineteen twenties. Felix was a wonderful cat. He could do all sorts of things no natural cat could do like taking off his tail, using it as a handle and then putting it back.
Most of the great early animators lived and worked in America, the home of the moving picture industry. The famous Walt Disney cartoon characters came to life after 1928. Popeye the Sailor and his girl friend Olive Oyo were born at Max Ficischer in 1933.
But to be an animator, you don’t have to be a professional（專業(yè)人士）. It is possible for anyone to make a simple animated film without using a camera at all. All you have to do is to draw directly on to an empty film and then run the film through a projector.
小題1:What does the passage mainly discuss?

A．Animal world

B．Movie camera

C．Cartoon making

D．Movement

小題2:According to the passage, Felix the Cat ______ .

A．was created by the American cartoonist Felix

B．was designed by Pat Sullivan in the early twentieth century

C．was unable to do what natural cats could not do

D．was created in the United States in the nineteenth century

小題3:It can be inferred from the passage that ______.     

A．Walt Disney’s cartoon characters were born earlier that Pat Sullivan’s

B．only professionals can create cartoon characters

C．Popeye the Sailor and Olive Oyo were famous cartoonists

D．the animation industry started in the United States

小題4:Which of the following statements best describes the author’s attitude towards cartoon     making?

A．Cartoon making is not a difficult job. Anyone can do it.

B．Only trained people can be employed in cartoon making industry.

C．Anyone can make cartoons under the instructions of professionals.

D．Cartoon making is no easy job. You have to spend much time drawing onto the empty film.

To find how the name Canada came about we must go back to the 16th century. At that time, the French dreamed of disclosing and controlling more land, of expanding(擴(kuò)展)trade beyond(超出)  their borders and of spreading their faith(信仰) across the world .In 1535, Francois I ,King of France, ordered a navigator (航海家) named Jacques Cartier to explore(探險(xiǎn)) the New World and search for a passage to India.
Cartier first arrived at the Gulf of the St. Lawrence, which he wanted to explore. He did not know what to expect but he hoped that this Gulf was just an arm of the ocean between two islands. If it was, he would soon be on his way to the Far East. So he sailed upstream along the St. Lawrence River. However, instead or reaching Asia he arrived at Quebec or Stadacona, as the Indians called it. It was at this point that the term “ Canada” entered the country’s history. Apparently the word “Canada” came from an Indian work “Kanata”, which means community or village. Cartier first used it when he referred to Stadacona or Quebec. What a huge “ village” Canada is!
小題1:In the early sixteenth century , the King of France ordered Cartier to ______

A． find the new world

B． build an entirely new country

C． go and visit the American Indians

D． get more information about America and find a way to Asia

小題2:Having reached the Gulf of St. Lawrence Cartier thought _____

A． he had already got to India

B． it was a water way to the New World

C． it was a water passage to the East

D． he had sailed into the Atlantic

小題3:In the early sixteenth century , Quebec was only ____.

A． an Indian village

B． a little town in southern Canada

C． a village at the entrance to the Gulf of St. Lawrence

D． the place which we call Canada now

小題4:Pick out the right statements from the following _____

A． Quebec was a village and Stadacona was another

B． Cartier mistook Quebec for Stadacona

C． Stadacona was a village in Quebec

D． Stadacona was what the Indians called Quebec then

小題5:“Canada” was first used to refer to _____

A． a small town in Stadacona

B． the place called Quebec

C． a long water passage

D． a huge village including Quebec and Stadacona

You may know your mother, but how well do you really know Mother’s Day? Cards, flowers, sales, TV specials, and a day off for someone who really deserves it —those are what probably come to mind for many people when they think of Mother’s Day. But there’s more about the story.
The earliest Mother’s Day celebrations were held during spring in Ancient Greece. The celebrations honored Rhea, the Mother of the gods. During the 1600s, England celebrated a day called Mothering Sunday. On this day even servants (仆人) were given the day off to spend with their families. A mothering cake was even served with the family meal.
In the U.S., Mother’s Day began in 1872 when Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the words of the famous song The Battle Hymn of the Republic, suggested it as a day devoted to peace. But it didn’t really become popular until 1907 when Anna Jarvis started a campaign (運(yùn)動(dòng)) to honor her own mother. She believed that mothers could help people get over the pain they experienced during the Civil War. The U.S. isn’t alone in devoting a day to its mothers. Many other countries including Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Japan, and Belgium also celebrate their Mother’s Day in May. Other countries honor their mothers at different times of the year.
Learning more about Mother’s Day and celebrating Mother’s Day is important, but probably not as important as understanding what your own mother, or grandmother, or aunt has really done for you. And that should certainly be appreciated more than one day in a year.
小題1:What is the passage mainly about?

A．The reason why people celebrate Mother’s Day.

B．How people honor mothers.

C．The history of Mother’s Day.

D．Mother’s Day in different countries.

小題2:Where was the earliest Mother’s Day celebrated?

A．In Ancient Greece.	B．In the U.S.
C．In England.	D．In Italy.

小題3:According to the third paragraph, we know that _____.

A．Julia Ward Howe composed a song about Mother’s Day

B．American people started to celebrate Mother’s Day in 1907

C．Anna Jarvis attached great importance to mothers

D．Mother’s Day celebrations are held in different times in the U.S. every year

小題4:The last paragraph tells us that ______.

A．a(chǎn)ll the people should celebrate Mother’s Day

B．only mothers are honored on Mother’s Day

C．understanding mothers’work is more important than just celebrating Mother’s Day

D．people should make every day a Mother’s Day

The casual Friday concept (星期五便裝日的概念) was one of the first signs that strict dress rules for offices were starting to relax. The principle of casual Fridays seems to have appeared around the 1950s. It was probably in response (回應(yīng)) to the changing attitudes towards workplaces. Over time, some offices have relaxed their dress rules even more by using a "business casual" dress rule.
On casual Fridays, employees (員工) may wear clothes which are considered to be "business casual", meaning they still obey certain standards (標(biāo)準(zhǔn)). Clothes must be clean and in good condition, with no spots. Men are generally allowed to wear casual trousers and bright-colored clothes, and in some offices they may be allowed to wear button-down shirts or polo shirts, with or without a tie. Women often wear neat skirts or dresses; casual trousers are common and generally allowed to wear, except in very formal workplaces.
As a general rule, extremely casual clothes, like jeans, shorts, T-shirts, tank tops, and so on, are not encouraged on casual Fridays. Employees are still expected to make an effort to look professional, out of respect for their offices and their customers.
Many people feel that casual Fridays are good for employees’mood because they encourage employees to express their individuality (個(gè)性) and feel more comfortable in the offices. Others feel that business casual clothing and the concept of casual Fridays don’t show respect for the workplaces. Casual Fridays are dealt with differently, depending on the industry and the nation. The technology industry, for example, is well known for casual clothes in general, while major financial companies still dislike casual clothes.
小題1:We can learn from the passage that ________.

A．the casual Friday concept has been out of fashion

B．people were required to wear formal clothes in offices before casual Fridays concept appeared

C．the casual Friday concept had appeared before the 1950s

D．employees who wear formal clothes lack individuality

小題2:In general, on casual Fridays, as an employee in a company you can wear ________.

A．jeans

B．tank tops

C．shorts

D．polo shirts

小題3:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The casual Friday concept changes people’s responsibility at work.

B．Button-down shirts are allowed to wear in any formal workplace.

C．In general, leading financial companies don’t prefer casual clothing.

D．The technology industry requires employees to wear formal clothing.

小題4:What does the last paragraph tell us?

A．Different kinds of casual clothes.

B．The development of the casual Friday concept.

C．People’s different opinions on casual Fridays.

D．The rules that employees must obey in companies.

Published in 1896 and one of the most memorable horror stories ever written, Dracula, by Irish writer Bram Stoker,is the story of a vampire（吸血鬼）,someone who lives on human blood. Stoker wrote the book after reading stories about Central European vampires and set his novel in Transylvania. Even today,there are readers of the book who believe that Transylvania is a mythical（神話的）country,a figment（虛構(gòu)）of Stoker’s imagination. Nothing could be further from the truth. Transylvania is part of modern-day Central European country Romania,and the country does indeed have a history of mythological vampires.
However,Romanians are always puzzled by the description of the novel’s central character, Count Dracula,a tall,elegant aristocrat（貴族）with impeccable（完美的）manners who also happens to speak very good English. This is a world away from the images of vampires that they have grown up with. Romanian vampires are half-human creatures who live solitary lives in the forests,not aristocrats living in castles with well-stocked libraries.
So where did Stoke get the image for his Dracula? The answer becomes clearer when one learns of his relationship with a man called Henry Irving,the greatest British stage actor of his time.
Stoker was working as a civil servant in his home city of Dublin when he first met Irving. Bored with his tedious life and work, Stoker took every opportunity to visit the theatre and for a while was the drama critic for the Dublin Evening Mail. One of the reviews he wrote was of a performance of Shakespeare’s play Hamlet,with Irving in the lead role.
Irving was so pleased with Stoker’s review of his performance that he asked to meet him. Stoker couldn’t believe his luck when one night,he was invited to a dinner party where Irving was the guest of honour. Irving entertained the assembled dinner guests with some renditions（表演）of famous poems and speeches from Shakespeare.
Stoker was already writing the first chapters of Dracula and began to base the central character on Irving,in the vain hope that if it ever became a stage play, Irving would play the central character. Sadly,Irving never did,but the two men became close friends,and in 1878 Stoker left the civil service and became Irving’s manager in London.
小題1:Bram Stoker set his novel in Transylvania because       .

A．it is in modern-day Romania

B．Transylvania is a mythical country

C．he wanted to tell a true story

D．he had read stories about vampires from the area

小題2:The central character of the novel       .

A．is very similar to the vampires that Romanians know about

B．Is completely different from the vampires Romanians know about

C．Has impeccable manners,like a real Romanian vampire

D．Is puzzled by the comparison with Romanian vampires

小題3:What was Stoker’s hope?

A．That the book would become a stage-play.

B．That Irving would play the central character in the stage play.

C．That he could live in London.

D．That Irving would work for him.

“We do look very different; we’re older. Leo’s 38, I’m 37. We were 21 and 22 when we made that film. You know, he’s fatter now -- I’m thinner.” So says Kate Winslet, who is thrilled at the 3-D re-release of Titanic to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the ship’s demise. “It happens every time I get on any boat of any kind." She recalls. There are all the people who want her to walk to the front of the ship and re-create her famous pose, arms flung wide. Most people remember the tragedy: The British passenger ship—said to be unsinkable—hit an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912, during its maiden voyage from England to New York City. More than 1,500 people died. But little known is what the world learned from the sinking to prevent future incidents.
Probably the greatest deficiency (不足) of the Titanic was that she was built 40 years before the widespread use of the wonderful invention radar (雷達(dá)). Her only defense against icebergs and hidden obstacles was to rely on manned lookouts. On that fateful night the eyesight of trained lookouts only provided 37 seconds of warning before the collision.
Traveling at nearly 30 miles an hour, the Titanic was moving far too fast to avoid the huge iceberg. The warning did prevent a head-on collision as the officer on the bridge managed to turn the ship slightly.
The last ship to which it could send an SOS message was the California. She was within ten miles of the Titanic during the disaster, but her radio operator went to bed at midnight and never received any of the SOS messages from the Titanic. That was one of the important lessons learned from the catastrophe, the need for 24-hour radio operators on all passenger liners.
Another lesson learned was the need for more lifeboats. The Titanic remained afloat (漂浮) for almost three hours and most of the passengers could have been saved with enough lifeboats.
1,500 passengers and workers died in the 28 degree waters of the Atlantic. Out of the tragedy, the sinking did produce some important maritime reforms. The winter travel routes were changed to the south and the Coast Guard began to keep an eye on the location of all icebergs. The new rules for lifeboats were obvious to all. There must be enough lifeboats for everybody on board.
The most important lesson learned was that no one would ever again consider a ship unsinkable—no matter how large or how well constructed. Never again would sailors place their faith in a ship above the power of the sea.
小題1:The text mainly tells us ______.

A．the reason why the Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean

B．how the unsinkable ship of Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean

C．the lessons that we could learn from the accident of the Titanic

D．the things we should do to protect the lives on the ship

小題2:According to the passage, which of the following could we infer?

A．If the captain had been more careful, he could have had the chance to save the Titanic.

B．If radar had existed 40 years ago, the Titanic would have never disappeared from the world.

C．If the lookout had had much more experience, he could have had the time to save the Titanic.

D．If there had been enough lifeboats on the Titanic, the Titanic would not have sunk in the Atlantic.

小題3:What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Lessons from the Titanic	B．Technology is Important
C．Demands of Passengers	D．Power of Sea

小題4:What’s the sailors’ attitude towards the ships after the tragedy?

A．They think there really exists the unsinkable ship.

B．They think ships could eventually defeat the sea.

C．They think there is no power that could control the sea.

D．They think the bigger the ship is, the safer it is.

Medalists of the 1948 London Olympic Games look back on their summer of victory.
SAMMY Lee, 91, U.S.
GOLD AND BRONZE, DIVING
I first had my Olympic dream at 12, when they held the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. My father and I were at a grocery store, and I asked, “What are all the flags doing here?” He said, “We are having the Olympic Games. That’s where they honor the greatest athletes in the world.” I said, “Papa, someday I’m going to be an Olympic champ.”
Walking up the 10-meter platform, I thought to myself, “I’ve waited 16 years for this moment. Am I going to win?” So I prayed to God that I was most deserving of winning the Games.
DAVID BOND, 90, BRITAIN
GOLD, SAILING
During the war, I spent six years in Royal Air Force. I think in general, the 1948 Olympics meant very little to most people. We were too busy after the war to be worried about sport very much anyway.
Our team had about six weeks before the Olympics down at Torquay and we went out sailing every day.
Winning gold was quite something. It was nice to stand on the platform with lots of people cheering. We celebrated by going to a big dance.
MICHAEL LAPAGE, 88, BRITAIN
SILVER, ROWING
I started rowing when I was 14. I joined the navy in 1942. In 1945 the war came to an end and I started rowing again.
In 1948 we were still on rations (配給供應(yīng)): 4 oz. of red meat a week. But the United States had all the meat they wanted. They were the favorites to win.
On the day of the final, we led the Americans at the start, but their stronger staying power took them through to win. There were no ribbons on the medals, so we just showed them round the family.
THOMAS GODWIN, 91, BRITAIN
BRONZE, CYCLING
At 14 I left school and got a job delivering groceries on a bicycle, which excited my interest in cycling. When the war broke out, I volunteered but was held back, so I continued riding.
After my team won our bronze medals, we went home just round the corner and had a sit-down and a chat and a laugh. It was a different world. Money was never, never thought about.
小題1: According to the passage, Sammy Lee ___________.

A．was 28 when he attended the 1948 Olympics

B．never thought he could win medals in diving

C．found that he has a talent for sports at age 12

D．prepared for the 1948 Olympics for 16 years

小題2: Michael Lapage blamed his team’s loss of the gold medal on their ___________.

A．weak will	B．poor skill
C．poor nutrition	D．hurried preparation

小題3: What did David Bond and Thomas Godwin have in common?

A．They both took part in a team event.

B．A lot of money was awarded to them.

C．The 1948 Olympics meant little to them.

D．They both served in the army during World War II.

小題4:What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Long-lived medalists	B．The 1948 Olympics
C．Famous athletes	D．Great in 1948

Nowadays more and more young athletes are taking part in the risky activities called “extreme sports” or “X-sports”.
In the past young athletes would play baseball. Today, they want risk and excitement — the closer to the edge, the better. They snowboard over cliff and hike deep mountains.
Extreme sports started as an alternative to more expensive sports such as golf. A city kid who couldn’t afford expensive sports equipment could get a skateboard and have fun. But now it has become a whole new area of sports, with specialized equipment and high levels of skill. There is even an Olympics for extreme sports, called the winter x-game, which includes snow mountain hiking and ice climbing.
What makes extreme sports so popular? Maybe it’s because people love the risk. City people want to be outdoors on the weekends and do something challenging. The new equipment is so much better that people can take more risks without getting hurt. Sure there’s a risk. Once you go mountain hiking or snowboarding, it’s impossible to go back to have riding or skiing. It’s just too boring.
Now even the older crowd is starting to join in. Every weekend, groups of friends in their early 30s get together. On weekdays they work as computer programmers in the same office. On weekends they hike mountains together.
Extreme sports are certainly not for everyone. Most people still prefer to play basketball or watch sports on TV. But it has been a fact that extreme sports are gaining popularity.
小題1:Extreme sports started as an alternative to more expensive sports because _______.

A．people didn’t like to play golf

B．some city kids couldn’t afford expensive sports equipment

C．there is an Olympics for extreme sports

D．extreme sports are gaining popularity

小題2:More and more young athletes are taking part in extreme sports because _______.

A．people want risk and excitement

B．it’s impossible to go back to have riding or skiing

C．people can take more risks without getting hurt

D．the older crowd is starting to join in

小題3:To have extreme sports, you should _______.

A．have specialized equipment and high levels of skill

B．be very young at age

C．do snow mountain hiking and ice climbing

D．a(chǎn)fford expensive sports equipment

小題4:The author gives the example of the computer programmers in the same office to show _______.

A．young people love risks

B．they can’t afford golf

C．they don’t like to play basketball or watch sports on TV

D．extreme sports are gaining popularity

小題5:The main idea of this passage is _______.

A．extreme sports are certainly not for everyone

B．the benefits and costs of extreme sports

C．the development of extreme sports

D．what makes extreme sports so popular

 Roman Pantheon （萬神殿） is one of the greatest achievements of the ancient Romans. The ancient Romans were good architects and they built many wonderful buildings. Another good example of a Roman architectural style is the Roman Coliseum, which is a large building used for public sports events or entertainment. The Roman architectural style has been borrowed by many of the western countries.
The architecture of Pantheon is unique to Rome. In Latin and Greek, pantheon means "Temple of all the Gods". Marcus Agrippa built the original Pantheon in 27 BC. But the Pantheon built by Agrippa was completely destroyed in 80 AD when a fire broke out. The Roman Pantheon that is visited by many tourists today was rebuilt in 125 AD by the Roman emperor Hadrian. Hadrian's architects followed the exact design of Marcus Agrippa. Historians believe that the Pantheon was a place of worship(崇拜) because it housed all the gods and goddesses of the ancient Romans.
The Pantheon of Rome is an amazing example of ancient Roman architecture. This building has been in use for over 2000 years. The Roman Pantheon is famous for its design, size. The most unbelievable feature of this building is its huge concrete dome(圓頂). The Pantheon’s dome was thought to be the largest, until recent times.
Phocas, the Byzantine Emperor presented the Roman Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV to save it from the destruction. In 609 AD, it was turned into a church. During Papal rule, it was used as a burial ground (墳場(chǎng)) for kings and other famous people. There are tombs of Raphael (a painter), King Victor Emmanuel II, King Umberto I and many more in the Pantheon.
Some of the buildings that were constructed on the model of the Roman Pantheon are The Rotunda - University of Virginia, Low Memorial Library - Columbia University, Grand Auditorium - Tsinghua University, Jefferson Memorial - Washington D.C. and Duomo - Florence.
小題1:From the first paragraph, we can learn that _______.

A．the Coliseum was often used for big parties

B．there were different architectural styles in Rome

C．the Roman architectural style was borrowed from many western countries

D．the Pantheon and the Coliseum are examples of Roman architecture

小題2:According to historians, the Pantheon was built to _______.

A．exhibit the terrific design of Marcus Agrippa

B．suggest the power of Emperor Hadrian

C．provide a place for Roman gods and goddess

D．show ancient Rome’s unique architectural style

小題3:The Pantheon which tourists visit at present was built in _______.

A．27BC

B．80AD

C．a(chǎn)bout 125AD

D．609 AD

小題4:The Pantheon was thought highly of especially because of its _______.

A．strange shape

B．huge dome

C．perfect quality

D．beautiful

小題5:The text mainly tells us _______.

A．some facts about the Roman Pantheon

B．the influence of ancient Roman architecture

C．Roman’s lifestyle in ancient times

D．a(chǎn)ncient Romans and their architecture