It is not often realized that women held a high place in southern European societies in the 10 th and 11 th centuries. As wife, the woman was protected by the setting up of a dowry (嫁妝) or decimum. Admittedly, the purpose of this was to protect her against the risk of desertion (遺棄)，but in reality its function in the social and family life of the time was much more important. The decimum was the wife’s right to receive a tenth of all her husband’s property. The wife had the right to withhold consent, in all transactions the husband would make, And more than just a right: the documents showed that she enjoyed a real power of decision, equal to that of her husband. In no case did the documents indicate any degree of difference in the legal status of husband and wife.

The wife shared in the management of her husband’s personal property, but the opposite was not always true. Women seemed perfectly prepared to defend their own inheritance(遺產(chǎn)，繼承物)against husbands who tried to exceed their rights, and on occasion they showed a fine fighting spirit. A case in point is that of Maria, Vivas, a Catalan woman of Barcelona. Having agreed with her husband Miro to sell a field she had inherited, for the needs of the household, she insisted on compensation. None being offered, she succeeded in dragging her husband to the scribe to have a contract duly drawn up assigning her a piece of land from Miro’s personal inheritance. The unfortunate husband was obliged to agree, as the contract says, “for the sake of peace.” Either through the dowry or through being hot-tempered, the Catalan wife knew how to win herself, within the context of the family, a powerful economic position.

1. A decimum was      .

2. In the society described in the passage, the legal standing of the wife in marriage was      .

3. What compensation did Maria Vivas get for the field?

4. Which of the following is Not mentioned as an effect of the dowry system?

A plane crash in Western Russian killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and the other 96 political and military officials on board on April 10. The accident has led to huge national mourning in Poland. But it may provide an opportunity for reconciliation (和解) between Poland and Russia, countries that have a troubled relationship.
Many from the political elite were lost in the crash. Beside the president, the dead include the army chief of Staff, the head of National Security Bureau, the national bank president, the deputy foreign minister and other members of parliament.
The Polish delegation was heading to Russia to mark the 70 th anniversary of the Katyn Massacre (屠殺) when the accident occurred. In 1940, about 22,000 Polish soldiers, intellectuals, and officials captured after the Soviet Army invaded Poland in 1939, were killed secretly by Soviet police in the forest of Russia’s Katyn.
The Katyn Massacre had been a sensitive topic between the countries. The former Soviet Union always denied responsibility for the massacre. It was not until 1992 that Russian released archived documents about the killing.
Katyn is merely a short chapter in Poland and Russia’s long and troubled history. In the 18 th century, along with Prussia, (then an important part of Germany) and Austria. Russia participated in three carve – ups of Poland. In 1795, after the third carve – up, the country was erased from the map of Europe. It was in 1918 that Poland regained its independence. But in 1939, at the beginning of the World War II, it was invaded by Germany and the Soviet Union under a secret pact. After the war, Poland became a communist country with close ties to the Soviet Union.
In 1989, Poland switched to capitalism and pursued a pro – West position. The most recent tension between the two countries was in 2008. That year, Poland decided to have a US missile shield (導(dǎo)彈防御系統(tǒng)) on its soil, while neighboring Russia threatened to aim missiles at Poland.
But the plane crash has created a chance for reconciliation, with Russia sharing the sadness of Poland. Russia has declared April 12 a day of mourning for the victims. Flags flew at half – mast in Moscow. And earlier on April 7, Russia Prime Minister Vladimir Putin became the first Russian leader to mark the anniversary of the massacre.
“I think it should improve relations between the two countries, as Russians feel our grief,” said Radek Sikorski, Pland’s foreign minister.
66．Put the following events in order of time.
①The Katyn Massacre
②Poland switched to capitalism.
③Russia divided Poland with Austria and Prussia.
④Poland became a communist country.
⑤Poland was invaded by the Soviet Army.
A．③①④⑤② B．③⑤①④②  C．①③⑤④②  D．①⑤②④③
67．After the accident, which of the following did Russia do to share the sadness of Poland?
A．Flags were lowed to half – mast in the capital city of Russia.
B．Russia threatened to aim missiles at Poland.
C．Russia declared the day when the accident happened a day of mourning for the victims.
D．Vladimir Putin marked the anniversary of the massacre.
68．Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．The Katyn Massacre was the very beginning of Poland and Russia’s trouble relationship.
B．In 1939 about 22,000 Polish soldiers, intellectuals, and officials were killed by Soviet police in the forest of Russia’s Katyn.
C．Altogether 96 political and military officials were killed in the accident.
D．The relationship between Poland and Russia has not always been tense since the three carve – ups of Poland in the 18 th century.
69．It can be conclude from the article that        .
A．the relationship between Poland and Russia will be even tenser than before
B．Poland will cancel its plan to mark the anniversary of the Katyn Massacre
C．no Russian leaders have marked the anniversary of the massacre before, though Russia released the truth in 1992.
D．Poland will forgive Russians, for they showed great sympathy after the accident.
70．What would be the best title for the passage?
A．The troubled relationship between Russia and Poland.
B．Poland and Russia united by tragedy.
C．The 70 th anniversary of the Katyn Massacre.
D．A plane crash killing Polish president.

Obama Still Smokes in Secret
US President Barack Obama has just made life more difficult for cigarette makers．He has just signed a law that will set tough new rules for the tobacco industry．The new law gives the US Food and Drug Administration the power to strictly limit the making and marketing of tobacco products．
At a White House signing ceremony Monday, Obama said that he was among the nearly 90% of smokers who took up the habit before their 18 th birthday．
Obama, who has publicly struggled to give up smoking, said he still hadn’t completely kicked the habit．Every now and then he still smokes in secret．
“As a former smoker I struggle with it all the time．Do I still smoke sometimes? Yes．Am I a daily smoker, a constant smoker? No．” Obama said at a news conference．
“I don' t do it in front of my lads．I don 't do it in front of my family．I would say that I am 95% cured, but there are times when I mess up, " he said．
"Once you go down this path, it' s something you continually struggle with, which is exactly why the law is so important．The new law is not about me, it' s about the next generation of kids coming up．What we don ' t want is kids going down that path," he said．
Nearly 20% of Americans smoke and tobacco use kills about 440,000 people a year in the United States due to cancer, heart disease, and other serious diseases．
【小題1】The new law makes life difficult for             ．

Obama Still Smokes in Secret

US President Barack Obama has just made life more difficult for cigarette makers. He has just signed a law that will set tough new rules for the tobacco industry. The new law gives the US Food and Drug Administration the power to strictly limit the making and marketing of tobacco products.

At a White House signing ceremony Monday, Obama said that he was among the nearly 90% of smokers who took up the habit before their 18 th birthday.

Obama, who has publicly struggled to give up smoking, said he still hadn’t completely kicked the habit. Every now and then he still smokes in secret.

“As a former smoker I struggle with it all the time. Do I still smoke sometimes? Yes. Am I a daily smoker, a constant smoker? No.” Obama said at a news conference.

“I don' t do it in front of my lads．I don ?t do it in front of my family．I would say that I am 95% cured, but there are times when I mess up, " he said．

"Once you go down this path, it' s something you continually struggle with, which is exactly why the law is so important．The new law is not about me, it' s about the next generation of kids coming up．What we don ' t want is kids going down that path," he said．

         Nearly 20% of Americans smoke and tobacco use kills about 440,000 people a year in the United States due to cancer, heart disease, and other serious diseases．

1.The new law makes life difficult for              .

A．Obama

B．tobacco industry

C．White House

D．US Food and Drug Administration

2.What do we know about Obama?

A．He no longer smokes

B．He still smokes as usual

C．He began to smoke at eighteen

D．He is trying hard to give up smoking

3.According to the passage, Obama is most concerned about           ．

A．children       B．officials

C．his family        D．businessmen

For hundreds of years, artists have used cartoons to criticize bad rulers or landowners. As early as the 19 th century, people produced and read books of drawings. In many ways, they were similar to modern comics（漫畫）. They contained stories of naughty children and playful animals. The owl and the elephant were usually wise animals, ready to give advice. The lion and tiger were brave. The fox and wolf were cunning, greedy and dangerous.

    A century ago, an American newspaper published the first-color comic strip. It was so popular that sales of the newspaper, Morning Journal, increased quickly. Since then, newspapers throughout the world have included comic strips.

    In modern time, comics are popular in China, Japan, the USA and almost everywhere. Not even video games or CD-ROMs have reduced their popularity. Names such as Snoopy, Woodstock and Garfield are well known in dozens of countries. The Peanuts comic strip appears in over 2,000 newspapers and in more than 25 languages.

    Perhaps one day, you may like to create your own comic strip and become a millionaire. First, you must think of a good plot. It should be funny, exciting or interesting in some way. It should have plenty of action. Moreover, the language must be realistic and simple. The words should suit the characters in your story.

    Furthermore, the characters in your story must be clear to readers. They should be obviously good or bad. In many comic strips—especially those showing crime of adventure—there should also be a hero or heroine. This will attract the reader to keep on reading the story. 

1. Which of the following is NOT the name of a cartoon character?

  A. Snoopy             B. Garfield         C. Peanuts        D. Woodstock

2. We can know from the first paraphaph that rulers ________.

  A. asked the artists to draw cartoons           B. probably did not like cartoons about them.

C. often drew cartoons many years ago.        D. used cartoons to give people advice.

3. According to the passage, what makes a popular and successful comic strip?

 A. Good plot         B. suitable language      C. clear characters      D. All of above

4. The underlined word “plot” is similar in meaning to ______.

 A. places              B. stories            C. events               D. characters