Bedazzling (眼花繚亂) with their bright colors and eye-catching displays, fireworks light up our night skies during the holidays. However, these crowd-pleasers can have some damaging side effects.
Once a firework is set off, it only takes a couple of seconds before smoke, dust and harmful chemicals are let out into the atmosphere. The loud booming noises are caused by gunpowder. While the sounds may excite some people, they can be frightening to domestic and wild animals—as well as some humans.
The pretty colors you see are a result of more chemicals. Barium, added to make green, is known for its poisonous and radioactive qualities. Blue comes from copper compounds. Cadmium, lithium and lead—all found in fireworks—have been linked to diseases, such as allergies and skin rashes in both humans and animals. Acid rain has been linked to gases given off by fireworks, which sometimes go beyond the toxin(毒素) limits of the United States Clean Air Act.
Once all those chemicals come back down to the ground, they can cause problems too. Debris (碎片) from the fireworks falls to the ground, where animals can burn their paws or noses on piping hot pieces. Humans also are at risk of stepping on or picking up something sharp or hot. Meanwhile, debris that finds its way into waterways can damage animal habitats and water supply sources.
Instead of setting off fireworks, try to come up with some new ways for fun. Here are some ideas to get you started:
? Sky lanterns—a tradition that originated long ago in the most-populated Asian country.
? Party crackers—a favorite in the United Kingdom—give you noise and surprises without the mess of fireworks. You can make your own or buy eco-friendly crackers.
? Want noise excitement with less volume? Consider a fireworks sound recording beforehand or break out the party horns (號角) and blow up a storm!
【小題1】The advantages of fireworks can be seen below EXCEPT that _____.
| A．the special sounds of fireworks excite people |
| B．debris from fireworks can even find its way into water |
| C．the pretty and bright colors add to the beauty of night skies |
| D．fireworks are enjoyed as one of the crowd-pleasers |
| A．Copper compounds are needed to make green in fireworks. |
| B．Chemicals in fireworks are both poisonous and dangerous. |
| C．Too much gases from fireworks can result in acid rain. |
| D．Chemicals in fireworks are harmful in the air and on the ground. |
| A．mineral materials | B．tiny solids | C．chemical elements | D．broken pieces |
| A．Gunpowder in fireworks makes loud booming noises. |
| B．It must be Indians who first started to hang sky lanterns. |
| C．Fireworks does less harm in the air than on the ground. |
| D．Fireworks can even break the balance of nature. |
| A．It is not allowed to set off fireworks except during the holidays. |
| B．Fireworks should be banned and replaced by some other means. |
| C．Night is the best time to set off fireworks and see the pretty colors. |
| D．You cannot set off fireworks unless you come up with new ways. |
【小題1】B
【小題2】A
【小題3】C
【小題4】D
【小題5】B
解析試題分析：本文主要講述的是燃放煙花爆竹的害處，呼吁我們不要再燃放煙花爆竹，以保護我們的環(huán)境不受破壞。
【小題1】B 細節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章1,2段中的However, these crowd-pleasers can have some damaging side effects.
While the sounds may excite some people,和Bedazzling (眼花繚亂) with their bright colors and eye-catching displays可知ACD三項都是煙花的好處。只有B項文章沒有提及。
【小題2】A 細節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章第三段第2行Blue comes from copper compounds.可知含有銅的物質會帶來藍色。故A項中說帶來綠色的說法是錯誤的。
【小題3】C 推理題。根據(jù)文章第2段1,2行Once a firework is set off, it only takes a couple of seconds before smoke, dust and harmful chemicals are let out into the atmosphere. 可知在煙花中有很多的化學物質。接著在第三段里提及了帶來不同顏色的不同的化學物質�？芍@些斜體字表示的都是化學物質。故Ｃ正確。
【小題4】D 推理題。根據(jù)文章第4段最后一句Meanwhile, debris that finds its way into waterways can damage animal habitats and water supply sources.可知這些煙花中的有害物質甚至進入了水循環(huán)，破壞我們的自然平衡。故D正確。
【小題5】B 推理題。根據(jù)Instead of setting off fireworks, try to come up with some new ways for fun. Here are some ideas to get you started:可知作者認為我們應該禁止燃放煙花，因為他們污染了環(huán)境。我們也應該使用另外一些被的方法來替代煙花。故B正確。
考點：考察社會知識類短文閱讀
科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
WHAT happens to a teenage kid when the world he thought he knew suddenly changes? Find out in Little Brother by American author Cory Doctorow. It is a fascinating book for a new generation of sci-fi readers.
Marcus Yallow, 17, from San Francisco is much more comfortable in front of a computer than obeying the rules of society. Smart, fast and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting （騙過） his high school's monitoring system. This way he and his friends get to head off to play a popular online game in real life.
While they are playing, a bomb explodes on the Bay Bridge. Marcus stops a military vehicle to get help for his injured friend, but this simple act throws him into a Department of Homeland Security （DHS） secret prison.There he is treated as a possible terrorist. He is eventually let go after four days, but his injured friend disappears.
When he returns, Marcus discovers that there are many "security measures" in place and that now all citizens are treated like potential terrorists.While some consider this government action necessary for public safety, Marcus sees this as a complete destruction of the rights he is supposed to have as a citizen.
He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him with only one thing to do: to take down the DHS himself. He helps organize a large network called Xnet to spread the truth, anonymously(匿名地).
The book presents a young man who is irresponsible, but learns about himself, and grows, in the course of the story. As part of this learning and growing he becomes aware of very serious issues about his society.
【小題1】What kind of article does this passage belong to?
| A．A fascinating story. | B．A book review. |
| C．A news report. | D．A TV programme. |
| A．he killed his friend |
| B．he bombed a military vehicle |
| C．he did something that a possible terrorist could do |
| D．his injured friend disappeared |
| A．Marcus Yallow is much more comfortable obeying the rules of society |
| B．Marcus Yallow is smart, fast and wise in real life |
| C．Marcus Yallow always plays online games in real life |
| D．Marcus Yallow is expert at the network world |
| A．is supposed to be more irresponsible |
| B．becomes aware of very serious issues about his society |
| C．presents a young man who is irresponsible |
| D．plays a popular online game in real life |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
“Tom!”
There was no answer.
“Tom!”
Still no answer.
“Where’s that boy gone? Tom!”
The old lady looked all around the room. She looked under the bed, but found only the cat.
“If I catch that boy, …” she murmured to herself.
She opened the door and looked out into the garden.
“Tom!” she shouted.
Then she heard a slight noise behind her. She turned round just in time to catch the boy as he came out of a cupboard.
“And what have you been doing in there?”
“Nothing,” said the boy.
“Nothing! Look at your hands and your mouth! What is that stuff?”
“I don’t know, Aunt.”
“Well, I know. It’s a jam. I’ve told you forty times that if you touched that jam, I’d skin you.
Give me that stick.”
“Look out, Aunt! Look behind you!”
The old lady turned round and Tom was out of the door in a flash, over the garden fence and away.
“Damn that boy! Will I never learn? He’s always playing tricks on me. And he seems to know just now how far he can go, too. But I can’t take a stick to him. I really can’t. After all, he’s my dead sister’s boy. Ah well, he’ll play truant today and I’ll have to make him work tomorrow.”
At supper Aunt Polly tried to trick Tom into admitting that he hadn’t gone to school.
“It was rather hot today, wasn’t it, Tom?”
“Yes,” answered Tom.
“You didn’t have to open your shirt collar where I sewed（縫） it, then.”
Tom was confident, now. He opened his jacket. His collar was securely sewed.
“Oh Tom,” said Aunt Polly. “You’re a good boy really.”
She was sorry that she had been wrong about him.
“But Aunt,” came a voice. It was Sidney, Tom’s younger brother. “Didn’ t you sew Tom’s collar with white cotton? Look! Now it’s black.
Tom was already running out of the door.
---The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
【小題1】The underlined word “skin” probably mean in the passage?
| A．praise | B．cheat | C．touch | D．beat |
| A．stupid | B．clever | C．naughty | D．brave |
| A．Tom made his jacket dirty on purpose. |
| B．Tom didn’t go to school that day. |
| C．Tom was a dirty boy. |
| D．Sidney hated Tom so he wanted to punish him. |
| A．Tom’s mother passed away. |
| B．Tom’s aunt was a good sewer. |
| C．Tom was good at sports. |
| D．Aunt Polly felt sorry for his misunderstanding to Tom. |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Writing about poetry is very similar to writing about a story or research you have conducted .The first thing you have to do to write an essay about a poem is to read the poem Very carefully and read it more than once．
Each poem says something，so try to figure out what the poem is saying to You .What ’s the theme of the poem ?What’s the attitude of the speaker of the poem ?How does the poem use words and sounds to communicate its message ?When you answer these questions，it can help you come up with a thesis(論題)for your essay·
It，s necessary to have a thesis statement written before you start writing your essay，especially when you’re writing about a poem． Your thesis should make an argument about the poem you're dealing with． You might want to argue that the poem is presenting a specific message，or that the words in the poem work together to create a certain tone. You may even want to argue that the poet wrote this particular poem because of a specific moment in history or a specific event in his or her life．The possibilities are infinite . As long as you can use evidence from the poem and from your research about the poem or poet ,your thesis is correct．
Before you even start writing， read the poem again once you have your thesis· At this point，you’U be able to read the poem with new eyes since you know what you’ll be writing about．Go through the poem with a fine-toothed comb and pick out everything that supports your thesis．When you find quotes you want to use，write them down In an outline of the main points of your essay．This will help keep you organized．When you write a quote down, be sure to cite(引用)it correctly．Depending on the text of your essay, you may or may not want to include the poet’s name in your quote． Once you have everything ready to go，You are all set to write your essay．
【小題1】The passage mainly talks about________
| A．the function of poems | B．how to look for quotes |
| C．how to write about poetry | D．the benefit of writing about poetry |
| A．writing an essay | B．understanding a poem |
| C．understanding key words | D．collecting enough evidence |
| A．unnecessary | B．unclear | C．meaningless | D．endless |
| A．Read the poem again and try to find important quotes? |
| B．Write about the poem immediately without referring to it again． |
| C．Put aside the poem and search the Internet for supporting evidence? |
| D．Cite quotes from the poem including the poet’s name and page numbers? |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Every morning my father buys a newspaper on his way to work. Every evening my mother looks through magazines at home. And every night, I look at the posters with photos of David Beckham and Yao Ming on my bedroom wall before I go to sleep. Can we imagine life without paper or print?
Paper was first created about 2,000 years ago, and has been made from silk, cotton, bamboo, and, since the 19th century, from wood. People learned to write words on paper to make a book. But in those days, books could only be produced one at a time by hand. As a result, they were expensive and rare. And because there weren’t many books, few people learned to read.
Then printing was invented in China. When printing was developed greatly at the beginning of the 11th century, books could be produced more quickly and cheaply. As a result, more people learned to read. After that, knowledge and ideas spread quickly.
Today information can be received online, downloaded from the Internet rather than found in books, and information can be kept on CD-ROMs or machines such as MP3 players.
Computers are already used in classrooms, and newspapers and magazines can already be read online. So will books be replaced by computers one day? No, I don’t think the Yao Ming poster on my bedroom wall will ever be replaced by a computer two metres high!
【小題1】What does the writer do before he goes to sleep’?
| A．He reads books. | B．He reads newspapers |
| C．He looks through magazines | D．He looks at the posters on the wall. |
| A．About 2.000 years ago. | B．In the 19th century. |
| C．About 1.000 years ago. | D．In the 11th century. |
| A．People didn’t want to buy books. |
| B．Printing was invented in China. |
| C．Knowledge and ideas spread quickly. |
| D．The Internet was introduced to people soon |
| A．People won’t need books any more |
| B．Books won’t be replaced by computers. |
| C．People prefer to find information in books. |
| D．Computers have already replaced books. |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Why do Chinese people love hot pot so much? As the winter months begin to settle in, I find myself wondering what it is about this traditional meal, which has existed for more than 1，000 years, that makes it a Chinese food favorite．But it seems that the answer lies beyond the dish itself．
Hot pot isn't just designed to keep you warm during the cold months; it's also a social experience．It's a "theater” cuisine that turns a meal into an event．There is a lot of fun for everyone to have in adding ingredients to the hot pot．
Hot pot is eaten over two to three hours．For this reason, it is often, considered an evening's entertainment, and time to spend with friends and family．However, many westerners would be put off by the idea of other people sticking chopsticks in their food．When we come to eat at the table in the UK, we tend to have our own individual portions （份額）, although the experience is still a social one．
A similar experience to the hot pot one can be found in Korean barbecue restaurants, which let you cook your own meat．This allows people to have their meat done however they want．
For most Westerners, the idea of going to a restaurant to cook their own food is bizarre （古怪的）．But having given hot pot a go, I find it's now one of my favorite meals in Beijing．The steam from the pot left my clothes smelling of food when I got home, but perhaps this is also part of the experience．When the chilly （刺骨的） wind is blowing outside, just grab （抓） some chopsticks, some good friends, and dig in．For me it's like throwing a dinner party where my taste buds （味蕾） and my appetite are equally satisfied in the warm company of friends．
【小題1】According to the author, hot pot is popular in China because ________．
| A．it is a fun social experience |
| B．it has been developing for over 1,000 years |
| C．it involves many unique ingredients |
| D．it keeps people warm in winter and it is creative |
| A．prefer a Korean barbecue to Chinese hot pot |
| B．find it interesting to cook their own food in restaurants |
| C．don't like sharing food with others |
| D．don't mind the smell of food staying on their clothes after dinner |
| A．excited | B．disappointed | C．puzzled | D．discouraged |
| A．Appreciative | B．Longing | C．Humorous． | D．Serious． |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Chinese and Nigerian media should pay more attention to their own growing roles and strive to present a reliable image of China to African audiences and vice versa(反之亦然). Agreement on this important step in ongoing cooperation between the two sides was reached by media representatives attending a media forum on September 19 in Abuja, Nigeria.
The agreement comes in the wake of increasing attention being paid by the international community on Africa's deepening relationship with China. "This presents an important opportunity for media in China, Nigeria and other African countries. We should seize the moment to expand cooperation between Chinese and Nigeria media, increase our say, and contribute to cooperation between China, Nigeria and Africa as a whole," said Li Wufeng, Vice Minister of the State Council Information Office at the China-Nigeria Media meeting.
The media meeting was jointly held by the State Council Information Office, the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, and the Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria. It formed part of the "Experience China" program, which aims to increase cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between China and other parts of the world.
In the past, due to poor communication facilities, China and African countries could only learn about each other through third parties, in particular Western media, which may have given rise to and perpetuated misunderstandings.
"China is still not a constant feature or subject on the front page and prime time in the news media in Nigeria unless there are disasters and alleged human rights abuses to be reported," said Martins Oloja, Editor of The Guardian.
Major Western media continue to promote a Cold War mentality and view Sino-African ties through the lens of geopolitics, framing everything as competition between East and West, Chinese and Nigerian media professionals said at the forum. Some Western media outlets accuse China of ignoring mutually beneficial solutions or sustainable development of African people, while robbing the continent of its natural resources.
"Nigerians cannot expect Aljazeera or BBC to report on Africa, and indeed Nigeria and China relations, the way we want," said Oloja.
Mutually objective coverage will generate more cooperation and better understanding between China and Nigeria, said Li Xiaohua, a representative from China. org.cn, a leading multi-language website in China.
【小題1】What is the purpose of this media forum on September 19 in Abuja?
| A．More international community should pay attention to Africa’s deepening relationship with China. |
| B．People should seize the moment to expand cooperation between China and African countries. |
| C．Chinese and Nigerian media should pay more attention to their own growing roles and strive to present a reliable image to each other. |
| D．Let more Chinese people know about the culture of Africa. |
| A．defeated | B．continued | C．disappeared | D．decreased |
| A．The State Council Information Office and "Experience China" program attended this China-Nigeria Media meeting. |
| B．In the past, China and African countries could learn about each other very well. |
| C．Chinese people and Chinese events has been well reported through African media. |
| D．Nowadays, some African media still cannot give the true stories of China. |
| A．They think highly of it. |
| B．They report it as it is. |
| C．They view it through the angle of geopolitics. |
| D．They view it as a competition between two countries. |
| A．Having a bigger say |
| B．A Media Forum between China and Nigeria |
| C．Helping the African Media |
| D．Improving our report in Africa |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Melbourne, with a population of over 3.5 million, is the second largest city in Australia. It is clean, safe, dynamic and exciting, and well known internationally for its universities and other educational institutions. The city has well-planned tree-lined wide streets and many beautiful parks and gardens. It has a good transport system of roads, buses, trains, and trams. The La Trobe University campus is connected to the Central Business District by trams, express buses, and bus and train connections. Melbourne is a culturally rich city, and is home to large communities of people from all parts of Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. The city is famous for its restaurants, theatres, music, opera, ballet, art, culture, and shops, and a lively and dynamic nightlife. Melbourne people are fond of sports, and the city hosts many famous international sports events. Near Melbourne there are beautiful coastlines with excellent beaches, national parks, forests, wineries (葡萄酒廠), winter snowfields and summer resorts. The climate is temperate and comfortable, with warm summers and cool winters. In summer, maximum daytime temperatures range from 26°C to 36°C, and in winter from 12°C to 18°C. The weather in Melbourne can be variable from day to day. Melbourne was rated the world's best city to live in by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
【小題1】 Melbourne is well-known in the world for its _____.
| A．large population | B．educational institutions |
| C．transport system | D．beautiful parks and gardens |
| A．rich people choose to live | B．the best wine is produced |
| C．various cultures exist | D．Asian food is popular |
| A．hot | B．mild | C．dry | D．cold |
| A．An Ideal Place for Shopping | B．A City with the Best Climate |
| C．The World's Best City to Live in | D．The World's Most Beautiful City |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Great Britain
“Great Britain” has several different names. Some people say “Britain”, or “the United Kingdom”, or just “UK”. There are four different countries in the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Everyone from Britain is British, but only people from England are English. People from Scotland are Scottish, people from Wales are Welsh, and people from Northern Ireland are Irish. Don't call a Scottish or Welsh person English. He won’t like it!
Altogether more than 56 million people live in Britain, many of them in big industrial cities like London, Liverpool and Manchester, but people are often surprised by how much of Britain is open country, with lovely hills and woods, quiet rivers, lakes and farmlands.
Everyone in Britain speaks English. But in some parts of Scotland and Wales people speak an older language as well. The Welsh are especially proud of their language, and you can see road signs in Welsh all over Wales.
Everyone speaks English, but they do not all speak it in the same way. A Scottish person has to listen carefully if he wants to understand a Londoner. And when a Welsh person speaks, everyone knows at once where he comes from!
Many people think that the weather is cold and wet in Britain all the year round. But it isn't! True, it sometimes rains and even snows for days and days, but every year there are weeks of beautiful sunny weather when the British put on their bikinis and go out to sunbathe.
Britain is only a small country, but every part is different. Scotland is a land of mountains, lakes and romantic castles. The winters are cold, with plenty of snow, but the summers are often warm and sunny. Most farmers keep sheep, and there are many small factories which make fine sweaters from their wool. In some parts of Scotland, there are very few people. Deer live in the hills, and the rivers are full of fish. But Glasgow and Edinburgh are both large and busy, with all that is good (and bad) in modern cities.
Northern Ireland has its problems, but it has beauty too. In the warm, wet climate, the grass grows a brilliant green, and much of the land is farming country. Belfast is a large industrial city with many fine buildings and a big port from which ships come and go to Scotland and England. But Belfast has had many difficult years, and it is not the busy place it once was.
In the north of England there are many old industrial towns. Now, a great number of factories have closed and thousands of people have no work. Some have moved to the new towns, built in the 1960s and 1970s, where the industries are more modern. Outside the towns, much of this part of England is beautiful countryside, with green hills, lakes and sandy beaches. Fishing is an important industry in the North East, and every night (except Sunday) the fishing boats go out to sea.
The centre of England (the “Midlands”) is also an important industrial area, especially near the huge cities of Coventry and Birmingham, the centre of the car industry. But everywhere, even in the heart of a modern city, there are buildings from an older Britain — cathedrals, castles, and houses built hundreds of years ago.
Wales is a special place, a country of high mountains and pretty valleys. But Wales has plenty of industry too, with many factories and coal mines. The people of Wales are very musical. Every year they have a festival of Welsh music and poetry called an “Eisteddfod”.
The west of England is rich farming country. It produces milk, cream, butter, cheese and apples, which go to make cider, a popular drink. In the villages, country people often grow their own fruit, vegetables and flowers.
Some areas of Britain are very crowded. Around Manchester, in northwest England, and Glasgow, in Scotland, are large city areas of houses and factories. The southeast of England, too, has many towns and cities, including London, the giant capital. But quite near London there are still some quiet villages and peaceful farms.
Britain is an island, of course, and you are never far from the sea. Some of the coast, especially in the west, is wild and rocky, with small, sandy beaches, and romantic old harbours. Other parts are industrial. The east coast of Scotland, for example, is busy with oilrigs and fishing boats. The most popular beaches are near the many holiday towns on the south coast, where the weather is usually warmer. It is here that Londoners come to relax.
London London has been a capital city for nearly a thousand years, and many of its ancient buildings still stand. The most famous of these are the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, but most visitors also want to see the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace (the Queen's London home) and the many magnificent museums.
Once, London was a small Roman town on the north bank of the Thames, but slowly it grew into one of the world's major cities with more than nine million people. Fewer people live in the centre now, but the suburbs are still growing.
Places now in the heart of London, like Westminster, once stood in the middle of green fields. Many small villages, like Hampstead, Chelsea and Mayfair, became part of London, but they still keep some of their old atmosphere. Different areas of London seem like different cities. The West End is a rich man's world of shops, offices and theatres. The East End is the old working people's district, where there are many small flats and houses, some old, some new.
London is always changing. New buildings go up and old ones come down. Poorer areas become fashionable and people with more money move into them.
A hundred years ago, the river was crowded with ships, leaving for Java and Japan, New Zealand and New York, but now the port is nearly empty. People travel by air, and London's main airport, Heathrow, is one of the busiest in the world.
Like all big cities, London has streets and concrete buildings, but it also has many big parks, full of trees, flowers and grass. Sit on the grass (you're allowed to!) in the middle of Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens, and you will think that you are in the country miles away.
Many people live outside the centre of London in the suburbs, and they travel to work by train, bus or underground. Every day, nearly half a million office workers travel into the “City”, the business centre of London, a small area full of banks and offices. Some people come from far out of London, even from the coast, and spend up to four hours travelling every day.
Working hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. From 8 until 10 every morning, and 4.30 to 6.30 every evening, the trains are crowded with people, and after the morning “rush hour” the shoppers come.
By day the whole of London is busy. At night, the City is quiet and empty, but the West End stays alive, because this is where Londoners come to enjoy themselves. There are two opera houses here, several concert halls and many theatres, as well as cinemas, and the pubs, restaurants and night clubs are busy half the night.
Many people think that London is all grey, but in fact red is London's favorite colour. The buses are red, the letter boxes are red, and the mail vans are all bright, bright red. London is at its best when people are celebrating. Then the flags, the soldiers' uniforms, the cheering crowds and the carriages and horses all sparkle in the sunshine —if it's not raining, of course!
Edinburgh Edinburgh is Scotland's capital, and one of the most beautiful cities in Britain. The heart of Edinburgh is the thousand-year-old castle, where the kings of Scotland lived for centuries.
From Edinburgh castle you can see for miles, north over the beautiful old streets, an arm of the sea that pushes inland. Far away are the mountains of central Scotland, often covered with snow.
Edinburgh has a busy cultural life. Every year, in September the International Festival takes place. Musicians, actors and singers come from all over the world and thousands of visitors fill the city. In the evening, the opera house, the theatres and the concert halls are full. In cafes and pubs, small groups sing, act and read poetry.
The castle is at its best in festival time. Every night there is a magnificent military “Tattoo”. Highland soldiers wearing “kilts” play the bagpipes, and march to the music.
Tartans, the patterns of the kilts, have an interesting history. Since the fifteenth century, each Scottish family has worn its own tartan as a kind of badge. It was a useful way of recognizing people, especially in times of war. Many tartans date only from the nineteenth century, but some of the old patterns still exist. “Dress” tartans, worn on special occasions, have light, bright colours. ”Hunting” tartans are usually green, blue or brown.
Oxford What is so special about Oxford and Cambridge, the two oldest universities in England? Why do so many students want to study there?
Both of these university towns are very beautiful. They have some of the finest architecture in Britain. Some of their colleges and libraries are three, four and even five hundred years old, and are full of valuable books and precious paintings. Both towns have many lovely gardens, where the students can read and relax in the summer months.
Oxford is the older university of the two. The first of its colleges was founded in 1249. The university now has thirty-four colleges and about twelve thousand students, many of them from other countries. There were no women students at Oxford until 1878, when the first women's college, Lady Margaret Hall, opened. Now, women study at most colleges.
Oxford is, of course, famous for its first class education as well as its beautiful buildings. Some of the most intelligent men and women in the country live and work here. Oxford gives them what they need: a quiet atmosphere, friendly colleagues, and the four-hundred-year-old Bodleian library, which has about five million books.
It is not easy to get a place at Oxford University to study for a degree. But outside the university there are many smaller private colleges which offer less difficult courses and where it is easy to enroll. Most students in these private schools take business, secretarial or English language courses.
【小題1】Providing that you want to visit a most beautiful city and see “kilts” worn by men, you are supposed to go to ________.
| A．Edinburgh | B．London | C．Manchester | D．Birmingham |
| A．it has a big and modern library |
| B．it has a quiet and friendly atmosphere |
| C．tremendous of the most intelligent people in the country live and work there |
| D．a(chǎn)ll of the above |
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