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Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some way. Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar.
In western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on January 1st. People may go to parties, dress in formal clothes—like tuxedos(小礼服)and evening gowns, and drink champagne at midnight. During the first minutes of the New Year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sun rise. They welcome the New Year with the first light of the sunrise.
It is also a common Western custom to make a New Year’s promise, called a resolution. New Year’s resolutions usually include promises to try something new or change a bad habit in the new year.
Many cultures also do special things to get rid of bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh (again). Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on                the first day of the new year.
Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck is to eat grapes on New Year’s Day. The more grapes a person eats, the more good luck the person will have in the year. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some people eat black– eyed peas(豇豆)for good luck——but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them!
小题1:Which culture celebrates New Year in the morning?
A.The United States.B.Spain.
C.France.D.The passage doesn’t say.
小题2:According to the third paragraph, what is a resolution?
A.Something you burn.B.Something you eat.
C.Something you say.D.Something you wear.
小题3:What is the topic of the fourth paragraph?
A.Bringing good luck. B.Keeping away bad luck.
C.Planning for the next year.D.Remembering the past.
小题4:Which is probably true about eating black – eyed peas on New Year?
A.Black-eyed peas taste bad.B.The peas are very difficult to cook.
C.One pea brings one day of luck.D.It is bad luck to eat a lot of black-eyed peas.

答案

小题1:D
小题1:C
小题1:B
小题1:C
解析

核心考点
试题【Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another i】;主要考察你对题材分类等知识点的理解。[详细]
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As we all know sewing-machine(缝纫机) repair is one of the fastest growing businesses in the world today. Newspapers, women’s magazines, high schools and colleges are all encouraging millions of American women to do their own sewing, not only to make their own shirts and sweaters, but also to make nice clothes for their husbands, sons, or boyfriends. The lattes figures(数字) show that over 89 million American women, because of the high costs of ready-to-wear clothing are now making almost all of their families’ clothes. Most of these women get great satisfaction from making the family clothes on their own sewing machines. So it is natural that the demand(要求) for excellent service of sewing machines is growing.
Think of it! 89 million or more sewing machines, not including another 10 million sewing machines in schools of all kinds, need service at least once a year, and quite possibly four or more times each year. I know some women who return their sewing machines to repairmen time after time to get them fixed properly. I’ve seen sewing machines come out of repair shops in worse condition than they were when they went in.
So I’ve decided to write an introduction book to sewing-machine repair and teach people how to repair their own sewing machines at home. It’s not that difficult. In the book, I will teach you everything you need to know about how to repair your sewing machine.
小题1:The author wrote the passage to       .
A.teach women to repair their sewing machines.
B.explain his or her purpose in writing the book
C.introduce the reasons for doing one’s own sewing
D.tell us that sewing-machine repair is a fast-growing business
小题2:American women make clothes by themselves because       .
A.they cannot buy the clothes they see in magazines
B.their husbands or boyfriends want them to do so
C.ready-to-wear clothes cost a great deal of money
D.they can’t get great satisfaction from buying clothes
小题3:We learn from the passage that sewing machines       .
A.aren’t very difficult to be repaired
B.cannot work well after one year
C.don’t easily get broken
D.need service 4 times a month
小题4:It can be inferred from the passage that       .
A.the book will also show you how to make nice clothes
B.there are not enough sewing-machine-repair shops in America
C.over 99 million sewing machines need service at least once a year
D.the demand for excellent service of sewing machines grows the fastest in America

题型:不详难度:| 查看答案
Taking the train is a wonderful way to see America. In the 19th century, train routes appeared from coast to coast, carrying both people and goods Today, a long-distance Amtrak train trip is a different way to experience the United States.
The long-distance Amtrak trains have lots of room. Coach seats have lots of leg room and wide aisles(走廊),sightseeing lounges(休闲室) have large windows, and sleeping areas can provide a good night’s rest. On a train trip, there’s time to talk, play cards or board games, and read to one another. On a car trip, parents have to drive while on a train, parents can sit back and watch the scenery go by. Unlike an airplane, traveling by train is not the quickest way to arrive at your destination; the train is the destination in itself.
Amtrak manages long-distance trains that run through the United States. Routes have different names, such as Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Sunset Limited and Southwest Chief. The long-distance trains have double-decker cars(Superliners), sightseeing lounges, and a real dining car. On shorter trains, such as from New York to Washington. DC, the cars are single level and only have a snack bar. In the Superliner trains, the sightseeing lounge is lined with windows on the second level while on the lower level a snack bar and tables can be found. In the evening, videos are shown in the lounge car—either entertaining movies or documentaries.
Tip: As delays are common on Amtrak trains, always call the station before you go there. Otherwise, you may be cooling your heels(脚后跟) for hours.
小题1:What’s the advantage of seeing America by train?
A.There are more services on the train than any other
B.Traveling by train is the quickest way to reach your destination.
C.Traveling by train gives people more time to see and do things.
D.The trains like Amtrak allow people to enjoy the journey cheaply.
小题2:Which of the following can be found on short-distance Amtrak trains?
A.Sleeping areas.B.Snack bars.C.Sightseeing lounges.D.Coach seats.
小题3:What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?
A.You will have to wait.
B.You make your heel cool.
C.You will have no place to stand on the train.
D.Your feet will be hurt on the train.
小题4:Which of the following about Superliners is true?
A.There are lines of windows on the lower level.
B.The snack bar is on the higher level.
C.A sightseeing lounge is on the upper level.
D.Both levels are equipped with videos.

题型:不详难度:| 查看答案
Spanish men will have to learn to change diapers and do dishwashing under the terms of a new law designed to strike a blow.
The law, due to be passed this month, is likely to cause a revolution in family affairs in a country where 40% of men reportedly don’t do housework at all. It will oblige men to “share domestic responsibilities and the care and attention” of children and elderly family members, according to the draft approved by the Spanish parliament’s justice commission.
“This will be a good way of reminding people what their duties are. It is something feminists (女权主义者) have been wanting for a long time,” said Margarita Uria, of the Basque Nationalist Party, who was behind what is an amendment to a new divorce law.
Failure to meet the obligations will be taken into consideration by judges when determining the terms of divorces. Men who refuse to do their part may be given less frequent contact with their children.
Spanish women spend five times longer on housework than husbands. Even when both have jobs outside the home, Spanish women still do three times as much work in the house.
“It is not just about housework, though,” said Ms. Uria.
A study five years ago by Spain’s Center for Sociological Investigation concluded that fathers spent an average of 13 minutes each day looking after their children.
Only 19 % of Spanish men thought it was right for mothers of school-age children to have a full-time job. More than a third thought mothers should not work outside the home at all.
The Change to the Spanish legal code will see domestic obligations added to a list of marital(婚姻的) duties that currently includes fidelity, living together and helping one another.
That should guarantee that, when the law—which will also make divorce proceedings faster and easier—is voted on in parliament in the next few weeks, the obligation to share domestic chores will be added to the statute books.
小题1: What is the percentage of Spanish men who don’t do any housework?
A.19%B.40%C.60%D.80%
小题2:About the new law, which of the following is NOT true?
A.Men are obliged to do housework.
B.Men will have to take care of children.
C.Women have to have full-time jobs.
D.Men will have to take care of the elderly.
小题3:According to the fourth paragraph, which of the following is TRUE?
A.If a man fails to fulfill the obligation, he will get a divorce.
B.If a man fails to fulfill the obligation, he will be thrown to the jail.
C.If a man fails to fulfill the obligation, he will be in an unfavorable condition in a divorce.
D.If a man fails to fulfill the obligation, he will not be allowed to see the child any more.
小题4:What is the general topic of the passage?
A.Spain will pass a new law to oblige men to share domestic responsibilities.
B.Men have to share more domestic responsibilities.
C.There will be a revolution by provoked (被激怒的) feminists.
D.Marital laws in Spain are not enough yet.

题型:不详难度:| 查看答案
  The idea of “law” exists in every culture. All societies have some kind of law to keep order and to control the interactions of people with those around them. The laws of any culture tell people three things: what they can do (their right), what they must do (their duties), and what they may not do. In addition, there are usually specific types of punishment for those who break the law.
Although all societies have laws, not all have the same idea of justice—which is “right” and “wrong” and how “wrong” should be punished. In most Western cultures, it is thought that punishing criminals will prevent them from committing other crimes. Also, it is hoped that the fear of punishment will act as a deterrent(威慑) that prevents other people from committing similar crimes; in other words, people who are considering a life of crime will decide against it because of fear of punishment. In most non-Western cultures, by contrast, punishment is not seen as a deterrent. Instead, great importance is placed on restoring balance in the situation. A thief, for example, may be ordered to return the things he has stolen instead of, as in Western societies, spending time in prison.
Another difference in the concept of justice lies in various societies’ ideas of what laws are. In the West, people consider “laws” quite different from “customs”. There is also a great contrast between “sins” (breaking religious laws) and “crimes” (breaking laws of the government). In many non-Western cultures, on the other hand, there is little separation of customs, laws, and religious beliefs; in other cultures, these three may be quite separate from one another, but still very much different from those in the West. For these reasons, an action may be considered a crime in one country, but be socially acceptable in others. For instance, although a thief is viewed as a criminal in much of the world, in a small village where there is considerable communal(公共的) living and sharing of objects, the word thief may have little meaning. Someone who has taken something without asking is simply considered an impolite person.
Most countries have two kinds of law: criminal and civil. People who have been accused of acts such as murder or theft are heard in the criminal justice system, while civil justice deals with people who are believed to have violated others’ rights. The use of the civil system reflects the values of the society in which it exists. In the United States where personal, individual justice is considered very important, civil law has become “big business.” There are over 600,000 lawyers in the United States, and many of them keep busy with civil lawsuits; that is, they work for people who want to sue others. If a man falls over a torn rug in a hotel and breaks his arm, for instance, he might decide to sue the hotel owners so that they will pay his medical costs. In a country like Japan, by contrast, there is very little use of the civil justice system. Lawsuits are not very popular in Japan, where social harmony is even more important than individual rights, and where people would rather reach agreement outside court.
小题1: The main point of paragraph 1 is that____.
A.all societies, Western or non-Western, have some kind of law to keep order.
B.most countries in the world have two kinds of law “criminal and civil ”
C.there are usually specific types of punishment for those who break the law.
D.the laws of any culture dictate people’s rights, duties and what they are not supposed to do
小题2: Which is TRUE in most Western cultures?
A.Punishment has double functions.
B.A thief may be referred to as an impolite person.
C.Punishment is not regarded as a deterrent.
D.There is lots of communal living and sharing of objects.
小题3:Which statement is NOT true according to the article?
A.In the West, people think laws and customs are rather different.
B.In the West, there is little difference between “sins” and “crimes”.
C.An action that is considered a crime in one country may be socially acceptable in another.
D.There is far less use of the civil justice system in Japan than in the United States.
小题4:Which of the following cases are not heard in the criminal justice system?
A.Robbing a pedestrian.B.Kidnapping people for ransom.
C.Breaking into a bank.D.Failing to pay back the money.

题型:不详难度:| 查看答案
When you think of the tremendous technological progress we have made, it’s amazing how little we have developed in other respects. We may speak scornfully of the poor old Romans because they enjoyed the seemingly excited killing that went on in their arenas(竞技场). We may despise them because they mistook these goings on for entertainment. We may forgive them because they lived 2000 years ago and obviously knew no better. But are our feelings of superiority(优越)really justified? Are we any less blood-thirsty? Why do boxing matches, for instance, attract such universal interest? Don’t the audience who attend them hope they will see some violence? Human beings remain as bloodthirsty as ever they were. The only difference between ourselves and the Romans is that while they were honest enough to admit that they enjoyed watching hungry lions tearing people apart and eating them alive, we find all sorts of arguments to defend sports which should have been banned long ago.
  It really is incredible that in this day and age we should still allow hunting or bull-fighting, that we should be prepared to sit back and watch two men punch each other in a boxing ring, that we should be relatively unmoved by the sight of one or a number of racing cars crashing and bursting into flames. Any talk of ‘the sporting spirit’ is merely hypocrisy(虚伪). People take part in violent sports because of the high rewards they bring. Audience are willing to pay vast sums of money to see violence. A world heavyweight championship match, for instance, is front page news. Millions of people are disappointed if a big fight is over in two rounds instead of fifteen. They feel disappointment because they haven’t experienced the exquisite pleasure of witnessing continuous violence.
  Why should we ban violent sports if people enjoy them so much? You may well ask. The answer is simple: they are uncivilized. For centuries man has been trying to improve himself spiritually and emotionally—though with little success. But at least we no longer tolerate the sight madmen imprisoned in cages, or public punishment of any of the countless other barbarous (野蛮的) practices which were common in the past. Prisons are no longer the harsh forbidding places they used to be. Social welfare systems are in operation in many parts of the world. Big efforts are being made to distribute wealth fairly. These changes have come about not because human beings have suddenly improved, but because positive steps were taken to change the law. The law is the biggest instrument of social change that we have and it may exert great civilizing influence. If we banned dangerous and violent sports, we would be moving one step further to improving mankind. We would recognize that violence is unworthy of human beings.
小题1:It can be inferred from the passage that the author’s opinion of nowadays’ human beings is ________________
A.not very high.B.high.C.scornful.D.neutral
小题2:Why does the author mention the old Romans in this article?
A.To reveal that the old Romans first started violent sports.
B.To prove that the old Romans were not civilized.
C.To show human beings in the past knew nothing better.
D.To indicate human beings today are as bloodthirsty as the old Romans.
小题3:How many dangerous sports does the author mention in this passage?
A.Three.B.Four.C.Five.D.Six.
小题4:     What does the author want to illustrate in this article?
A. By banning the violent sports, we human beings can improve ourselves.
B. By banning the dangerous sports, we can improve the law.
C. We must take positive steps to improve social welfare system.
D. Law is the main instrument of social change.

题型:不详难度:| 查看答案
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