Since 1984, Philadelphia has been cleaning up its act. One by one, graffiti-covered walls are being changed
into outdoor art. So far, more than 1,800 murals (壁畫) have been painted. Philadelphia now has more murals
than any other American city.
     The walls that were once ugly with graffiti (涂鴉) are now covered with beautiful pictures of historical
heroes and modern art, thanks to the Mural Arts Program (MAP). Its work makes schools and public places
attractive, and its citizens very proud. The program began as part of Philadelphia's Anti-Graffiti Network. Jane
Golden is the MAP's artistic director. "When people ask me what our program is about," she says, "I answer
them with one word: hope." Each year, the MAP offers youth art programs and workshops. Some one-time
graffiti writers even help paint MAP murals.
     The MAP's work, says Golden, is all about developing a sense of community (社區(qū)). When a neighborhood
requests a mural, the MAP works with the people there to develop a message. Some messages have been "Safe
Streets," "Love and Care," and "Peace Walk."
     The MAP receives up to 50 requests for murals each week. Last year, the workers painted 140 murals.
     "The making of a mural enters people's collective memory as an extraordinary, pleasant moment in
neighborhood history" says Golden, who began as a muralist in Los Angeles.

1. What can be the best title for the text?

A. Love, from Graffiti Writers to Muralists
B. MAP, a New Company in Philadelphia
C. Jane, an Excellent Mural Artist
D. Hope, One Wall at a Time

2. What is the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia aimed at?

A. Helping the young find jobs.
B. Protecting the neighborhood.
C. Fighting against graffiti.
D. Attracting more visitors.

3. How does the MAP decide on the message for a mural?

A. By having discussions with people in the community.
B. By seeking advice from the city government.
C. By learning from the young graffiti writers.
D. By studying the history of the city.

4. Which of the following words best describes the work of the MAP?

A. Difficult.
B. Dangerous.
C. Experimental.
D. Successful.

                                                       The way we do things round here
     Some years ago, I was hired by an American bank. I received a letter from the head of the Personnel
Department that started, "Dear John, I am quite pleased that you have decided to join us." That "quite"
saddened me. I thought he was saying "we're kind of pleased you decided to join us although I wish we
had hired someone else." Then I discovered that in American English "quite" sometimes means "very",
while in British English it means "fairly".
     So the first lesson about working in other countries is to learn the language and by that I don't just
mean the words people speak. It is body language, dress, manners, ideas and so on. The way people do
things highlights many of the differences we see between cultures (文化).
     Some of these differences may be only on the surface-dress, food and hours of work-while others
may be deeper and take longer to deal with. Mostly, it is just a question of getting used to the differences
and accepting them, like the climate (氣候), while getting on with business.
     Some of the differences may be an improvement. People are more polite; the service is better; you ask
for something to be done and it happens without having to ask again. However, other differences can be
troubling, like punctuality (準(zhǔn)時(shí)). If you invite people to a party at 7 o'clock your guests will consider it
polite to turn up exactly on time in Germany, five minutes early in the American Midwest, an hour early
in Japan, 15 minutes afterwards in the UK, up to an hour afterwards in Italy and some time in the evening
in Greece. I prefer not to use the word "late" because there is nothing wrong with the times people arrive.
It is simply the accepted thing to do in their own country.

1. The author was unhappy as mentioned in Paragraph 1 because he thought _____.

A. the American bank didn't think much of him
B. the American bank might hire another person
C. it's difficult to get used to American culture
D. it's easy to misunderstand Americans

2. The word "highlights" in Paragraph 2 probably means _____.

A. encourages
B. helps to narrow
C. increases
D. draws attention to

3. According to the author, what should we do with most cultural differences?

A. Ask the native people for help.
B. Understand and accept them.
C. Do things in our own way.
D. Do in-depth research.

4. When invited to a party the people who are usually punctual are _____.

A. Italians
B. Germans
C. Greeks
D. the British

     Imagine a world 400 years ago where children were used as chimney sweeps. The pay was low, it was
a dirty trade and there was little reward for the men who did the job and even less for children.
     Medway's annual Sweeps Festival recreates the joy and laughter enjoyed by the chimney sweeps at their
traditional holiday: the one time of the year the sweeps could leave the soot (煙灰) behind and have some fun.
The sweeps' holiday was traditionally held on 1 May each year. Locally, they used to mark the occasion by
staging a procession through the streets of Rochester.
     Their fun continued with the Jack-in-the-Green ceremony, a seven-foot character that they used to waken
at dawn on Blue Bell Hill, Chatham. The Jack-in-the-Green would walk with the chimney sweeps in their
parade. When the Climbing Boys' Act 1868 made it illegal to employ young boys to carry out the trade, the
traditional procession gradually began to fade. The final May celebration was held in the early 1900s.
     The modern day Rochester Sweeps Festival is a colorful mix of music, dancing and entertainment with
more than 60 Morris sides and entertainers celebrating throughout the three-day festival. The festival was
revived in 1981 by local businessman Gordon Newton, a keen historian. He decided it was time to bring it
back and over the years he has helped develop the festival into what it is today-an excellent performance of
traditional Britain.
     Gordon researched the Sweeps' tradition and organized a small parade, involving local Morris teams. In
time, Medway Council took over organization of the festival but Gordon remained actively involved. Today
he is festival producer and plays melodeon (簧風(fēng)琴) for several Morris teams. Doug Hudson is the festival's
music director, a role he has held for many years. Through Gordon's vision and hard work, Doug's musical
ability and the council's help, the Rochester Sweeps Festival has become the largest May Day celebration of
its kind in the country.

1. According to the writer, chimney sweeps _____.

A. were highly respected
B. were well rewarded
C. led a hard life in the past
D. worked in good conditions

2. Medway's Sweeps Festival _____.

A. has been organized by the Jack-in-the-Green
B. dated back to the May celebration in the early 1900s
C. is held to honor those chimney sweeps every other year
D. has become a time for chimney sweeps to enjoy themselves

3. The underlined word "revived" in the 4th paragraph most probably means _____.

A. realize
B. review
C. recreate
D. recognize

4. It can be inferred from the passage that _____.

A. the festival has never been supported by the local government
B. The festival is a good way to see British folk customs in action
C. youngsters has been forbidden to be chimney sweeps since 1981
D. the modern festival lasts five days celebrating the coming of spring

5. What is the passage mainly concerned about?

A. Sweeps Festival history
B. Medway's traditional holidays
C. Climbing Boys' Act 1868
D. a procession in Rochester

     The Mayan Indians lived in Mexico for thousands of years before the Spanish arrived in the 1500s. They
had farms, beautiful palaces, and cities with many buildings. 1_____ This knowledge helped them to live a
better life than most people of that rime, because they could use it to make their life more comfortable and
rewarding.
     In ancient Mexico there were many small clearings in the forest. In each clearing was a village with fields
of corn, beans, and other crops around it. To clear the land for farms, the Maya cut down trees with stone
axes. They planted seeds by digging holes in the ground with pointed sticks. 2_____ 
     The Maya believed in many gods, including rain gods, sun gods, and corn gods. The people built large
temples to honor the Mayan gods, around which cities were built. Today, many of these ancient Mayan cities
and temples are still standing.
     Although the cities were beautiful, and the people worked hard to build them, few of them lived there.
Usually, only the priests lived in the cities. The other people lived in small villages in the forests. They lived in
small huts with no windows. The walls were made of poles covered with dried mud, and the roof was made
of grass or leaves. 3_____ 
     Measuring time was important to the Maya. 4_____ The Maya developed a system for measuring time
accurately. Mayan priests made a system to keep track of time. They made a calendar based on their study
of the sun, moon and stars. The Mayan calendar was far more accurate than the European calendars of the
time.
     Around the year 800, the Maya left their villages and beautiful cities, never to return. 5_____ They may
have died from an infectious disease. They may have left because the soil could no longer grow crops.
Scientists are still trying to find the lost secrets of the Maya. They are still one of our greatest mysteries.

A. No one knows why this happened.
B. Most Maya lived a simple life close to nature.
C. The Maya were an intelligent, culturally rich people,
D. Farmers needed to know when to plant and harvest their crops.
E. They had to fight against natural disasters as common occurrences.
F. One farmer was able to grow crops producing food for several people.
G. The Mayan people knew a lot about nature and the world around them.

     If you are a fan of the Newbery-Award winning book Bridge to Terabithia, then you're going to love author
Katherine Paterson's new creation The Day of the Pelican (鵜鶘). In the book, Paterson takes readers on a
journey with 12 year-old Meli Lleshi and her Albanian family of seven.
     The family lives in Kosovo, in eastern Europe. The country is at war with neighboring Serbia. Eventually,
life becomes too dangerous in Kosovo, so the Lleshis have to pack up and move out of their home. To Meli,
leaving meant giving up her whole life. She will have to say goodbye to her friends, home, school and Baba's
market. Worse, the family's trouble began, in Meli's mind, when she drew a picture of her teacher with a
pelican nose and had to stay after school as punishment.
     As the Lleshis travel along the road at night, they come across burning homes and other refugees just like
them. Living in a tiny tent surrounded by many other people becomes tiring, and but for Baba's and Mama's
efforts to keep the family together, the family would probably have given up. Every night, Meli longs to go
home and Baba tells her, "Your home is with your family." With everyone already crowding together for food,
now is not the time to complain. The family needs all their courage to keep going."We have to be very patient
and very brave," Meli says.
     Soon, traveling from place to place becomes too much of a hassle (爭(zhēng)論) and nearly breaks the family
apart. Baba makes an important decision. The family will be moving to an exciting new country. There will be
no enemies and no one to run from. They will be able to stay in one place and build a new life. Although Meli
still longs for home she wonders if this will finally mean freedom for her family.
     The Day of the Pelican is a book you won't be able to put down. Those who enjoy realistic fiction will love
this moving story about Meli and her family.

1. What's the author's purpose in writing this passage?

A. To tell us how happy we are to live a peaceful life.
B. To explain how the Lleshis survived the war.
C. To get us to learn about a new book.
D. To introduce a book Bridge to Terabithia

2. Why did the family move to other countries?

A. Because they wanted to find well-paid jobs.
B. Because they had to escape from the war.
C. Because Meli and her family needed food.
D. Because they just looked for adventure.

 3. The third paragraph is mainly about _____.

A. Baba's importance during the trip
B. complaints about the life journey
C. various difficulties as travellers
D. ways to get the family together

4. From the passage we can learn that _____.

A. The Day of the Pelican won the Newbery-Award
B. Meli no longer longs for home in the new place
C. the family found the freedom and settled down
D. without Baba's encouragement the family would have broken

     Massachusetts today looks nothing like it did when the first English settlers arrived. Back in the 17th
century, forest blanketed the land. Today, roads and towns cover much of the area. But the past is not
dead and gone. Just an hour's drive from Boston lies Plimoth Plantation.
     There you'll experience the 17th century life from the days of tAe Pilgrims (清教徒移民). You can
look in the Pilgrims' homes, watch the way they cook, and ask them about their daily lives. You can even
help them build houses or work in the fields.
     When you arrive at Plimoth, you are greeted with "How do you fare?" instead of "How are you?" In
this living history plantation, actors portray (扮演) real people of 17th-century Plymouth. Each actor has
taken the identity of someone from that period. All the actors speak the language of Shakespeare. They're
happy to talk about the hardships of their lives or just share the gossip of the day. But don't try to discuss
modem topics. They won't understand what you are talking about!
     In fall, you can enjoy a harvest dinner very similar to the first Thanksgiving. You'll dine with your hands
like Pilgrims. You'll find no pepper on the table. This expensive spice was used only sparingly (節(jié)儉地) in
cooking. You'll find no last-course "dessert" either. At the time, people ate sweet dishes right along with the
meal.
     Cranberries were on the menu then and still are today. A short distance from Plimoth, you can visit
Cranberry World. At this unique museum, you'll see how cranberries are harvested and can taste different
cranberry products.
     Of course, the first Thanksgiving included not only the Pilgrims, but also their Wampanoag guests. If
you want to find out something about the Wampanoag, explore a re-created Wampanoag Home Site. It is
just a short walk from Plimoth. Step into the Native American home and enter a different world. Native
Americans dressed in 17th-century Wampanoag outfits (服裝) describe how their people lived 400 years
ago. Outside, you can help make a traditional boat or learn about native plant remedies (治療法).
     Much in Massachusetts has changed since the 17th century. But in Plimoth, the past lives on.

1. From the text we know Plimoth Plantation _____. 

A. is a cranberry plantation in Plimoth.
B. is where some old Pilgrims are still living.
C. presents the Pilgrims' life in the 1600s.
D. is a plantation dating back to the 1700s.

2. What did the English settlers greet each other in the 17th century?

A. How do you fare?
B. How are you?
C. Hi, nice to meet you.
D. How do you do?

3. In Cranberries World tourists can _____.

A. harvest cranberries by yourself
B. learn how to grow cranberries
C. taste various cranberry products
D. visit an old history museum

4. The purpose of the rebuilt Wampanoag Home life is _____.

A. to protect Native Americans, the Wampanoag
B. to attract more tourists to stay in Plimoth
C. to show how the Wampanoag helped the Pilgrims
D. to keep the 17th century Native Americans life alive

     Although it might have happened anywhere, my encounter with the green banana started on a steep
mountain road in the central area of Brazil. I was driving up through beautiful countryside when the radiator
(水箱) began to leak. I stopped at the next village, which consisted of a small store and a few houses. People
came over to look. "That's easy to fix," a man said. He sent a boy running for some green bananas. He patted
me on the shoulder, assuring me that everything would work out. "Green bananas," he smiled. Everyone agreed. 
     We chatted casually while all the time I was wondering what they could possibly do to my radiator with
their green bananas. I did not ask them, though, as that would show my ignorance, so I talked about the beauty
of the land that lay before our eyes. Huge rock formations, like Sugar Loaf in Rio,rose up all around us. "Do
you see that tall one right over there?" asked the man, pointing to a particularly tall, slender pinnacle (尖端) of
dark rock. "That rock marks the center of the world."
     I looked to see if he was teasing me, but his face was serious. He, in turn, inspected me carefully, as if to
make sure I grasped the significance of his statement. The occasion called for some show of recognition on
my part. "The center of the World?" I repeated, trying to show interest. He nodded, "The absolute center.
Everyone around here knows it."
     At that moment the boy returned with an armful of green bananas. The man cut one in half and pressed
the cut end against the radiator jacket. The banana melted into a glue against the hot metal, stopping the leaks
instantly. I was so astonished at this that I mush have looked rather foolish and everyone laughed. They then
refilled my radiator and gave me extra bananas to take along. An hour later, after using the green banana once
more, my radiator and I reached our destination.
     It took me a little longer to fully grasp the importance of the rock which the villagers believed marked the
center of the world. I had at first doubted their claim, as I knew for a fact that the center was located
somewhere else in New England. After all, my grandfather had come from there. But gradually I realized the
village people had a very reasonable belief and I agreed with them. We all tend to regard as the center that
special place where we are known, where we know others, where things mean much to us, and where we
ourselves have both identity and meaning: family, school, town and local region could all be our center of the
world.
     The lesson which gradually dawned on me was actually very simple. Every place has special meanings for
the people in it, and in a certain sense every place represents the center of the world. The world has numerous
 such centers, and no one student or traveler can experience all of them. But once a conscious breakthrough
to a second center is made, a life-long perspective and collection can begin.
     The cultures of the world are full of unexpected green bananas with special value and meaning. They have
been there for ages, ripening slowly, perhaps waiting patiently for people to come along to encounter them. In
fact, a green banana is waiting for all of us if we would leave our own centers of the world in order to
experience other places.