1829 meters above sea level, of the Black Hills in the south-west of South Dakota.It is a group of huge
stone statues of four American presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln
and Theodore Roosevelt.President Washington is the founding father of the country; the 3rd President
Jefferson drafted the US Declaration of Independence; the 16th President Lincoln issued the
Emancipation Proclamation and the 26th President Roosevelt protected the average people"s right to
compete fairly with trusts.All 1829 meters above sea level, made outstanding achievements for their
country.They were pioneers of US history.
The stone statues of presidents were built at the suggestion of a historian in the State of Dakota, with
a view to carrying forward the US pioneering spirit everlastingly.
The statues are 18 meters high.They are the highest and greatest realistic stone statues in the world,
taller than a 6storied building and larger than the Great Sphinx of Egypt.The size of each head is 20sq
mt, with a 20meterlong face, a 7meterlong nose, a 2.6meterwide mouth and two 1.5meterwide eyes.
Though not facing the same direction, they are all lifelike and look ahead gravely in harmony with fixed
gazes.On clear days, one can have a sight of the four presidents with their firm and steady expression at
a distance of dozens of kilometers.
Since the stone sculpture is unique in style, the Monument is now the US National Art Centre of
Popular Education.Groups of people keep streaming everyday to the site for a visit and tourists across
the world are also interested in taking a view of this great Monument.
B. All the four presidents made great contributions to London.
C. the group of statues are made of huge stones.
D. The statues are built to honor the presidents in the US
B. were pioneers of US history
C. played an important role in the different periods of the American history
D. all of the above
B. They are like the great Sphinx of Egypt.
C. They are like true men standing there.
D. They are lifelike, looking ahead with fixed gazes.
B. to look back upon the history of the US.
C. to learn the art of sculpture
D. to enjoy the view of the Monument
The march to Italy was began.The soldiers were even more enthusiastic than Caesar (恺撒) himself.
They climbed mountains, waded rivers, endured tiredness, and faced all kinds of danger for the sake of
their great leader.
At last they came to a little river called the Rubicon (卢比孔河). It was the boundary line of Caesar"s
Province of Gaul; on the other side of it was Italy.Caesar paused a moment on the bank.He knew that to
cross it would be to declare war against Pompey and the Roman Senate; it would involve all Rome in a
fearful battle, the end of which no man could foresee.
But he did not hesitate long.He gave the word, and rode boldly across the shallow stream.
"We have crossed the Rubicon, " he cried as he reached the farther shore."There is now no turning
back." Soon the news was carried to Rome "Caesar has crossed the Rubicon" and there was great fear
among those who had planned to destroy him.Pompey"s soldiers deserted him and hurried to join
themselves to Caesar"s army.The Rome senators and their friends made ready to escape from the city.
"Caesar has crossed the Rubicon!" was shouted along the roads and byways leading to Rome; and
the country people turned out to meet and hail with joy the conquering hero.
The word was carried a second time to the city "Caesar has crossed the Rubicon" and the wild fight
began.Senators and public officers left everything behind and hurried away to seek safety with Pompey.
On foot, on horseback, in litters, in carriages, they fled for their lives-all because Caesar had crossed the
Rubicon.Pompey was unable to protect them.He hurried to the seacoast, and, with all who were able to
accompany him, sailed away to Greece.
Caesar was the master of Rome.
B. Not afraid of tiredness.
C. Brave in the march.
D. Eager to be great leaders.
B. Caesar would involve all Rome in the battle
C. Caesar would be defeated in the war
D. Caesar was determined to carry out the battle
B. The people who had turned traitor to Caesar were wild with joy.
C. The public officers and soldiers fought bravely against Caesar.
D. The Rome senators and their friends had already escaped.
B. He fled to Greece by sea with all his companions.
C. He had all his relatives and soldiers stay with him.
D. He kept calm and stayed in Rome, defeating his enemies.
Once considered a fringe(非主流的)food by the U.S. culinary mainstream, sweet potatoes are
fast becoming popular everywhere from fast food chains to expensive restaurants and the White
House table.
Three years ago, the "Wall Street Journal" wrote in a front page article that except for their use in
a Thanksgiving dish, sweet potatoes were a wholly uninteresting food. Yet over the past two years,
the number of restaurants offering a sweet potato-based side dish has increased 40 percent. Food
giant ConAgra just spent $155 million to open the world"s first plant devoted entirely to frozen sweet
potato products, and U.S. farmers are planning to harvest a record-setting 2 billion pound crop.
"It"s not something we believe is a fashion,"said Andy Johnston of ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston.
According to research conducted by ConAgra, 30 percent of sweet potato eaters report consuming
the vegetable several times per month. Only 12 percent eat them only during the Thanksgiving and
winter holiday season.
Analysts attribute the sweet potato"s growing popularity in large part is due to sweet potato fries,
which account for the majority of the vegetable"s presence in U.S. restaurants. In fact, Google searches
for "sweet potato fries" increased 40 percent over the past year.
Sweet potatoes have also become popular among more conscious eaters, however, in part because
they are high in vitamins and have a low glycemic (血糖的) index in spite of their sweetness. Both
Weight Watchers and the South Beach Diet have recommended sweet potatoes, roasted in a little oil
rather than fried, and doctors are recommending them for diabetics.
"Within the diabetic community, it"s become pretty common knowledge that sweet potatoes are good
for you, so there"s a great appeal because so many people have diabetes now,"said Chef Michel Nischan, who helps host a TV show for people with diabetes.
B. is one of the richest food-selling companies in the US
C. has asked American farmers to produce more sweet potatoes this year
D. has produced large quantities of sweet potato-based side dishes
B. is not very big
C. is falling a little bit
D. has nearly doubled
B. Google searches show more and more people are becoming interested in sweet potatoes.
C. Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins and low in glycemic index.
D. Sweet potatoes taste very sweet.
B. sweet potatoes should be roasted
C. sweet potatoes are good for diabetics
D. sweet potatoes can be made into many good dishes
attractions and most sought out accommodations. Guests stay close for warmth in sleeping bags
on beds of ice, hats pulled over their ears to prevent frostbite, while sipping cocktails (鸡尾酒) in
glasses also made of ice.
A cool place to host a memorable wedding or for a romantic getaway, the Quebec Ice Hotel
has attracted 600,000 curious tourists, including 30,000 who stayed overnight, since opening
seasonally 11 years ago. Like Victoria and Jeremy Martin, dozens of couples will exchange vows
(誓约) this winter in a temporary church next to the hotel, sculpted entirely from blocks of ice with
seats covered in furs.
Average temperatures fall below minus 20 degrees C (minus four F) in winter, but inside the hotel"s
36 rooms it is relatively cozy. Thick walls of packed snow and ice act as an insulator, trapping body
heat inside. Each room is uniquely decorated, using designs created by Quebec architecture students.
Two hotel bars also sell special cocktails in ice glasses.
First-time guests of the hotel, however, are recommended to stay only one night as sleeping in
sub-zero temperatures is not very refreshing. This year for the first time the ice hotel has teamed up
with a bricks and concrete Quebec City hotel to offer packages for one-night accommodations at
each. Prices for one night only at the ice hotel start at 200 US dollars per person.
The 3,000-square-metre (32,300-square-feet) buildings take six weeks starting in December to
build, using 15,000 tonnes of snow and 500 tonnes of ice, at a cost of some 750,000 US dollars.
Eleven weeks after its seasonal grand opening, the hotel will close on March 27 and then melt away
with the arrival of spring.
B. 30,000 people visit it each year.
C. It has stayed open for many years.
D. Wedding ceremonies are often held there.
B. collects and reflects light and heat
C. makes things become very cold
D. works like an air-conditioner
B. The temperature is always below 0°C.
C. The rooms all look alike.
D. Each room costs $200 per night.
B. their other night is with an ordinary hotel
C. new guests have less advantages over old ones
D. the first-day service is just for a test run
B. it is just being built
C. most of its rooms are vacant
D. it is crowded with guests
time is catching up with the Mona Lisa.
The health of the famous picture, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1505,is getting worse
by the year, according to the Louvre Museum where it is housed.
"The thin, wooden panel on which the Mona Lisa is painted in oil has changed shape since
experts checked it two years ago," the museum said. Visitors have noticedchanges but
repairing the world"s most famous painting is not easy. Experts are not sure about the materials
the Italian artist used and their current chemical state.
Nearly 6 million people go to see the Mona Lisa every
year, many attracted by the mystery of her smile. "It is very interestingthat when you"re not
looking at her, she seems, to be smiling, andthen you look at herand she stops, "said Professor
Margaret Livingstone of Harvard University . "It"s because direct vision is excellent at picking
updetail,but less suitedto looking at shadows. Da Vinci paintedthe smile in shadows. "
However,the actual history of the Mona Lisa is just as my stcrious as the smile. DaVinci
himself loved it so much that he always carriedit with him, until it was even-tually soldto France"s
King Francis Ⅰ in 1519.
In 1911,the painting was stolen from the Louvre by a former employee, who took it out of the
museum hidden under his coat. He said he plannedto return it to Italy. The painting was sent
back toFrance two years later. During World War Ⅱ,French hidthe painting in small towns to
keep it out of the hands ofGerman forces.
B. Mona Lisa"s beauty is fading gradually with 500 years passing by
C. the Mona Lisa has been catching people"s wide attention in the past 500 years
D. Mona Lisa does not look out of date though painted 500 years ago
B. Its painter himself lovedit greatly and always kept itin ashade.
C. Mona Lisa stops smiling when you look at her wantingto see her smiles.
D. King FrancisIbought it and then returned it to Italy.
a. It was stolen from theLouvre.
b. Its painter sold it to King FrancisⅠ .
c. Its stateof health was checked.
d. It was returned to France and housed in the Louvre Museum.
c. It was hidden andprotected against Germans.
B. d,e,c,b,a
C. d,a,c,c,b
D. b,c,a,d,e
B. it is likely tobe stolen again when it"s under repair
C. it is uncertain which country, Italy or France, should take charge
D. expertsaren"t sure about the materials or the chemical state of its oil paints
of the great performers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in
Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world"s greatest violinists, the reason
for this phenomenon."It is very clear," he told me. "They were all Jews (犹太人) and Jews at
the time were severely oppressed and ill-treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed
into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage."
As a result, every Jewish parent"s dream was to have a child in the music school because it was
a passport to the West.
Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence
in a certain field and is able to nurture (培育) talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies
seem to be in the Far East. "In Japan, a most competitive society with stronger discipline than
ours,"says Isaac Stern,"children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including
music. When Western music came to Japan after World War II, that music not only became
part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well." The Koreans and Chinese, as we
know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese.
That"s a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological
inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the
top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music.
B. Jewish children are born with excellent musical talent
C. they wanted their children to enter into the professional fields
D. it would enable the family to get better treatment in their own country
B. treasure talent and provide opportunities for its full development
C. encourage people to compete with each other
D. promise talented children high positions
B. the learning of Western music
C. strict training of children
D. variety in academic studies
the passage?_____
B. Extensive knowledge of music-
C. Very early training.
D. A prejudice-free society.
B. Training of Musicians in the World.
C. Music and Society.
D. The Making of Prodigies
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