Cars are an important part of life in the United States. Without a car most people feel that they are poor. And even if a person is poor , he doesn't feel really poor when he has a car. Henry Ford was the man who first started making cars in large numbers. He probably didn't know how much the car was going to change American culture. The car made the United States a nation on wheels. And it helped make the United States what it is today. There are three main reasons why the car became so popular in the United States. First of all, the country is a big one and Americans like to move around it. The car makes the travel the most comfortable and cheapest. With a car people can go to any place without spending a lot of money. The second reason cars are popular is the fact that the United States never really developed a practical and cheap public travel system. Long distance trains have never been as common in the United States as they are in other parts of the world. Now there is a good system of air-service provided by planes. But it is too expensive to be used often. The third reason is the most important one, though. The American spirit of independence is what really made cars popular. Americans don't like waiting for a bus, or a train or even a plane. They don't like to have to follow an exact timetable. A car gives them the freedom to plan their own time. And this is the freedom that Americans want most to have. Less oil has caused a big problem for Americans. But the answer will not be a bigger system of public transportation. The real answer will have to be a new kind of car, one that does not use so much oil. We can learn from this passage that Americans _ . A) spend a lot of money traveling by car B) travel a lot in their cars C) seldom travel by plane D) use public traffic often
B
Do you know the following expressions? Faustian bargain According to most stories, Faust was a German scholar who was rather unhappy with his life.The devil , Mephistopheles, promises him that in return for his soul.he will give Faust unlimited power and knowledge.Faust agrees and experiences all kinds of pleasures, but, in the end, his soul goes to the hell.A "Faustian bargain" therefore is a deal that finally results in one's ruin.It means a bargain made for temporary gain without taking future consequences into consideration. A three-ring circus When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion.There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed.The expression comes from the world of entertainment--the circus.The area where the artists perform their acts is called the "ring".In the past, some of the circuses were so large that they had three acts taking place meanwhile in three different "rings".The audience had to decide which "ring" they wanted to focus on. In the swim(of things) When someone is in the swim of things, he is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in "I've been ill, but soon I'll be back in the swim of things." In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word "swim" to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty.So, if you are a fish man and wish to catch a lot of fish, where would you be? You would be "in the swim"! In the past, why did a circus perform different acts at the same time ? A) It was the audience's requirement. B) The time was limited. C) The circus was very big. D) They wanted to earn more money.
C
Q: The Nadam Festival, usually held from June 4 to 9(lunar calendar), is one of the most exciting and colorful festivals in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. At the center of the festivities are the fierce horse racing, archery and wrestling competitions, the traditional sports of the Mongolian warriors (the three "manly" sports, though young girls and women participate in the horse racing and archery contests). In Mongolian, the word "Nadam" means "amusement and entertainment" and the festival began in 1225 AD, when Genghis Khan organized an expedition to the west and got control of Khwarezm. In order to celebrate the victory they held the magnificent Nadam Fari. The Mongolians used this exciting gathering as a big occasion to compete in the horse racing, Mongolian wrestling and archery, which were regarded as the three basic skills of men. Gradually more and more events were added to the festival, such as marksmanship , chess, reciting epics, polo , film, drama, singing, dancing, track and field competitions and so on. There are three kinds of Nadam, the big one, the medium one and the small one. The big Nadam requires the participation of 512 wrestlers and 300 horses and usually lasts 7-10 days while the medium Nadam will have the participation of 256 wrestlers and 100-150 horses, lasting 5-7 days. And 64 or 128 wrestlers and 30 or 50 horses will take part in the small Nadam, which lasts 3-5 days. Anyone can apply to compete in Nadam, regardless of his or her ethnic origin and religious belief. Nadam has become a popular artistic and sports event participated in by people of all ages. Boys and girls can also take the opportunity to show their love, i. e. the so-called "meeting at aobao". In addition to sports competition, people also make good use of this gathering to hold talks and establish relations in economic trade or to interchange goods. What's the main idea of the passage? A) The introduction of the Nadam Festival. B) The origin of the Nadam Festival. C) The sports events of the Nadam Festival. D) The modern style of the Nadam Festival.
A: A
(Q).
Cats are creatures of habit. They like to go to sleep about the same time every day and for a certain length of time. They seem to have a natural clock inside them that tells them when to sleep. Cats increase their regular sleep with occasional cat naps . Some experts feel that humans could also benefit from this habit. Cat naps help to build up energy in the body. They are also a good way to get rid of trouble! Since cats have the same moods as humans, some experts believe that people can improve their moods. People might become happier. A number of famous people have copied cats by taking cat naps during the day. The naps would usually last from 15 to 30 minutes. Winston Churchill took cat naps. So did Presidents Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson. These famous men were known for their energy. They were also able to work long hours, often into the night. Napping was their secret. This selection was probably written to _ . A) show how lazy cats are B) talk about the habits of cats C) tell about famous people and their habits D) persuade people to take naps
(A).
D