1、 Sumerians must be the mysterious people in the ancient world. We know nothing about their origin and nothing about the origin of their language. The Sumerians were rather advancedthey became the first in the Near East to use a wheel, to create an irrigation system and their unique writing. And besi
2、des, they were impressively good at maths and astronomy.Maya Some scientists believe that they are connected to legendary atlantes (男像柱), others suppose their ancestors were Egyptians. Its thought that the Maya created an efficient agricultural system and had deep astronomy knowledge. Their calendar
3、 was used by other people of Central America. Maya applied the hieroglyphic writing (象形文字) system. Now it seems that the Maya came from nowhere and disappeared nowhere.1. Whose ancestors do some scientists believe were Egyptians?A. Gypsies and Maya. B. Maya and Sumerians.C. Gypsies and Sumerians. D.
4、 Europeans and Sumerians.2. The Maya are thought to .A. exist on the earth now B. have 10 million peopleC. have no writing system D. be creative in some fields3. What can we learn from the text?A. The origion of the Maya has been discovered by scientists.B. The ancestors of the Gypsies left the land
5、 of India in the middle ages.C. The Europeans were thought to be the most mysterious people in the ancient world.D. The Sumerians were the first to use a wheel in the irrigation system in the Near East.BIve worked part time since taking early retirement ten years ago. I was inspired by an older frie
6、nd. We worked for the same company, and he retired two years before I was also considered “spare”, as some companies call it.Soon after I left work, we had lunch together. First, he assured me that there was life after work. Then he related his own experience. He didnt want to take another full-time
7、 job, so he turned his daughters old bedroom into a home office. He arranged for some consulting work from our old company, and he picked up more projects from other contacts. Soon he was working 20 to 30 hours a week. He wasnt making as much money. His kids were grown-up, so he didnt need as much i
8、ncome. “As soon as I left that job,” he told me, “my back problems went away. I started to eat better and get more exercise, I make half as much money, but I feel twice as good, and Im twice as happy.”I decided to follow a similar track. At the time, my younger child almost finished college, so my p
9、arental responsibilities were winding down. We sold our old house and moved into a townhouse. I went to work for myself. And the result? Today I, too, make less money. But we make ends meet. And I feel twice as good and twice as happy.Our experience isnt for everybody. But a lot of people have retir
10、ed early and lived to tell the tale, which proves it possible. Jack, another friend, was a salesman for a communication firm. He had a long distance to work and did a lot of traveling. He decided to leave the corporate world, in part because he had health problems and he wanted to spend more time wi
11、th his family. Later, he quit his job with flexible hours and was restored to his health. And now he has found a part-time job, and he, together with his family, is leading a more relaxing life.4. How did the author and his friends feel about their retired life?A. Its busy but wealthy. B. Its flexib
12、le but tiring.C. Its healthy and happy. D. Its relaxing and wasteful.5. What did the writers friend try to tell him at lunch that day?A. He regretted not leaving his job earlier.B. He lived a much better life after retiring.C. He made more money after finding a new job.D. His life was not easy for h
13、im after losing his job.6. Before Jack left his last job, he .A. lived a busy life B. used to find part-time jobsC. often traveled with his family D. worked hard as a real travel agent7. What does the author mainly confirm by writing the text?A. Health is more important than work.B. Young people gen
14、erally live an exhausting life.C. More retired people are paying attention to health.D. It may be a good choice for people who retire early to do a part-time job.COn Aug 29, 1988, the University of Wisconsin-Madison juniors Tim Keck and Christopher Johnson published the first-ever issue of The Onion
15、. The two founders claimed it was the “finest news source” in the US. 25 years later, the news has become one of the most established media presences in the US. But dont expect accuracy and timeliness from it, because The Onion only publishes fake news or news satire (讽刺). Its aim is to make readers
16、 laugh and see things from a different angle.Will Tracy, The Onions editor-in-chief, told the NPR in an interview. “The stories are presented in that sort of news voice which improves the news to a certain level of importance. The news isnt actually understandable but it has an ability to elegantly
17、locate a problem with concise and plain words.” For example, when George W. Bush became the US president in 2001, The Onion published a satire piece predicting massive debt and a huge growth in military spending. The headline said it allBush: “Our long national nightmare of peace and prosperity is f
18、inally over”.Traditional media outlets are cautious when reporting sensitive topics such as religion and race. Tracy says/Nothing is off limits for The Onion, no matter how uncomfortable they may make some readers.” But editors at The Onion do stand a fine line, as Tracy explains: “What you have to
19、be really careful about is what the target of the joke is. If the target of the joke is wrong, then it doesnt feel right and it also doesnt feel funny.” The Onion made the public outrageous when earlier this year, it tried to make fun of a 9-year-old Oscar-nominated (奥斯卡提名的) actress by using highly
20、impolite language. It later apologized.8. What do we know about The Onion from Paragraph 1?A. Its news materials are all timely and accurate.B. It often makes fun of the public based on the real news.C. It aims at making readers feel relaxed and see problems from different points.D. Its first articl
21、es on Aug 29, 1988 were written by Tim Keck and Christopher Johnson.9. What can be inferred from the example in Paragraph 2?A. The Onion often scolded the US president Bush.B. The Onion, s editors were very familiar with their news.C. The Onion could put their satire into effect in simple and clear
22、words.D. The Americans would face lots of difficulties when Bush became president.10. What does the underlined word “outrageous” in Paragraph 3 mean?A. Angry. B. Glad. C. Ambitious. D. Impolite.11. What can we learn about The Onion from the text?A. It has never apologized for what it published.B. It
23、 needs to be cautious about the target of the joke.C. It enjoys treating children as the targets of the joke.D. It avoids reporting news about politician, religion and race.DPound for pound, healthy food is cheaper than junk food, according to a new research from the U. K.The Institute of Economic A
24、ffairs found that the average cost for a “wide range” of healthy foods was about 2 per kilogram, compared with 3 a kilogram for less-healthy products such as processed and ready-made foods.Still, study after study finds that cost is often a barrier when it comes to healthy eating. Convenience drives
25、 consumers to care about habits more than prices, the U. K. study concluded. Taste and convenience often play a larger role in peoples food choices than price or nutritional quality.“Processed foods are extremely expensive, especially when it comes to the nutrient value. Some of the healthiest, most
26、 inexpensive foods arent so attractive. Beans cost next to nothing, especially when bought dry and in great amounts. They take time and some skills to prepare. ” said Ciara Foy, a nutritionist.Instead, busy parents reach for the chicken. “You might be getting something that has enough calories to fi
27、ll you up but youre actually not getting any nutrients, so your bodys going to keep wanting more and more food,” said Foy. “And thats why in North America we, re overfed and undernourished (营养不良的).”Makers tend to try to promote their product based on perceived health benefits, which makes consumers
28、confused at times with what is a healthy product and how much you should pay for those benefits. The most expensive items, healthy or not, are the ones that end up in the trash. “A lot of people waste a lot of food,” Foy said. Its estimated that more than $ 30 billion of food is wasted in Canada eve
29、ry year. Foy recommends taking a look in your fridge to see what needs to be used up when planning for the next nights meals. “If you actually cut down on the waste youll find that you can afford healthy food,” Foy said.12. In the authors opinion, people choose junk food mainly because of its .A. qu
30、ality and taste B. price and nutritionC. taste and convenience D. advertisement and nutrition13. Why are beans unpopular with some people?A. It is not convenient to buy them.B. They are too expensive to afford.C. They make people want more and more food.D. It is not very easy to prepare them for dis
31、hes.14. What can be learned from the text?A. Healthy food must cost more.B. Not wasting food, we can afford healthy food.C. Canadians are most fond of eating junk food now.D. Food makers always take health benefits into consideration.15. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?A. Dont
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