阅读理解

　　The development (发展) of the English language falls into three reasonable different periods. Old English lasted from about 450A. D., when the first Germanic tribes (部落) began to settle in England, until about 1100. Middle English extended from about 1100 to about 1475. And Modern English began about 1475 and has lasted to the present time. Of course, the breaks were not as sudden and definite (确定) as these dates suggest. There has never been a year when the language was not changing. In spite of that, the traits of the three periods are so different that a man who knows both Old and Modern English well will find a great deal of difficulty reading some of the Middle English writings without additional (另外的) study in the important aspects (方面) of the language.

1．The writer organized (组织) this passage according to ________.

[　　]

2．This passage suggests that a person who knows Old English well ________.

[　　]

A．can learn foreign langnages well

B．will have much trouble in reading Modern English

C．probably has no difficulty in learning German

D．can certainly speak Modern English well

3．According to passage, which of the following statements is true?

[　　]

A．The English language will be different from what it is today in fifty years.

B．If you want to learn Modern English well, you must learn Old English well first.

C．English is spoken widely in the world.

D．The history of the English language is short and simple.

4．We know from this passage ________.

[　　]

A．Old English began with the first Germanic tribes' settlement in England

B．Middle English was developed by the Germanic tribes

C．Old English lasted 650 years

D．Middle English lasted 375 years

5．Shakespeare wrote his famous plays during the late 1500s and early 1600s, we can say that he wrote in ________.

[　　]

阅读理解

　　The development (发展) of the English language falls into three reasonable different periods. Old English lasted from about 450A. D., when the first Germanic tribes (部落) began to settle in England, until about 1100. Middle English extended from about 1100 to about 1475. And Modern English began about 1475 and has lasted to the present time. Of course, the breaks were not as sudden and definite (确定) as these dates suggest. There has never been a year when the language was not changing. In spite of that, the traits of the three periods are so different that a man who knows both Old and Modern English well will find a great deal of difficulty reading some of the Middle English writings without additional (另外的) study in the important aspects (方面) of the language.

1．The writer organized (组织) this passage according to ________.

[　　]

2．This passage suggests that a person who knows Old English well ________.

[　　]

A．can learn foreign langnages well

B．will have much trouble in reading Modern English

C．probably has no difficulty in learning German

D．can certainly speak Modern English well

3．According to passage, which of the following statements is true?

[　　]

A．The English language will be different from what it is today in fifty years.

B．If you want to learn Modern English well, you must learn Old English well first.

C．English is spoken widely in the world.

D．The history of the English language is short and simple.

4．We know from this passage ________.

[　　]

A．Old English began with the first Germanic tribes' settlement in England

B．Middle English was developed by the Germanic tribes

C．Old English lasted 650 years

D．Middle English lasted 375 years

5．Shakespeare wrote his famous plays during the late 1500s and early 1600s, we can say that he wrote in ________.

[　　]

　　Reading Comprehension

　　The development of the English language falls into three periods. Old English lasted from about A. D. 450, when the first German people began to settle in England, until about 1100. Middle English extended from about 1100 to about 1475. And Modern English began about 1475 and has lasted to the present time. Of course the breaks were not as sudden and exact as these dates suggest. There has never been a year when the language was not changing, or a time when it was spoken without any differences between regions (地区) . However, the characters of the three periods are so different that a person who knows both Old and Modern English well will find a great deal of difficulty reading some of the Middle English writings without further study in the important points of the language.

1．Shakespeare produced his famous plays during the late 1500s and early 1600s ; thus we can say that he wrote in ________ .

[　　]

A．Old English

B．Middle English

C．Early Middle English

D．Modern English

2．A person who knows Old English ________ .

[　　]

A．would probably have little difficulty learning old German

B．would want to learn Modern English

C．would have no difficulty learning Middle English

D．would have difficulty learning other languages

3．The author would advise a person learning English for the first time ________ .

[　　]

A．to study the history of the English language

B．to realize that English is very difficult

C．to remember that English will be different as time goes on

D．to appreciate that English is spoken everywhere

4．Old English ________.

[　　]

A．lasted for 450 years

B．is still spoken in some areas of Britain

C．came into being because of German influence(影响)

D．had an unusual system (系统) of writing

5．The English language ________ .

[　　]

A．has stayed about the same for the last 500 years

B．should be studied by everyone

C．is a mixture of French and German

D．is the oldest language in Europe

　　Reading Comprehension

　　The development of the English language falls into three periods. Old English lasted from about A. D. 450, when the first German people began to settle in England, until about 1100. Middle English extended from about 1100 to about 1475. And Modern English began about 1475 and has lasted to the present time. Of course the breaks were not as sudden and exact as these dates suggest. There has never been a year when the language was not changing, or a time when it was spoken without any differences between regions (地区) . However, the characters of the three periods are so different that a person who knows both Old and Modern English well will find a great deal of difficulty reading some of the Middle English writings without further study in the important points of the language.

1．Shakespeare produced his famous plays during the late 1500s and early 1600s ; thus we can say that he wrote in ________ .

[　　]

A．Old English

B．Middle English

C．Early Middle English

D．Modern English

2．A person who knows Old English ________ .

[　　]

A．would probably have little difficulty learning old German

B．would want to learn Modern English

C．would have no difficulty learning Middle English

D．would have difficulty learning other languages

3．The author would advise a person learning English for the first time ________ .

[　　]

A．to study the history of the English language

B．to realize that English is very difficult

C．to remember that English will be different as time goes on

D．to appreciate that English is spoken everywhere

4．Old English ________.

[　　]

A．lasted for 450 years

B．is still spoken in some areas of Britain

C．came into being because of German influence(影响)

D．had an unusual system (系统) of writing

5．The English language ________ .

[　　]

A．has stayed about the same for the last 500 years

B．should be studied by everyone

C．is a mixture of French and German

D．is the oldest language in Europe

                            Preface

Science is a dominant(占优势的) theme in our culture. Since it touches almost every facet of our life, educated people need at least some acquaintance with its structure and operation. They should also have an understanding of the subculture in which scientists live and the kinds of people they are. An understanding of general characteristics of science as well as specific scientific concepts is easier to attain if one knows something about the things that excite and frustrate the scientist.

 This book is written for the intelligent student or lay person whose acquaintance with science is superficial; for the person who has been presented with science as a musty storehouse of dried facts; for the person who sees the chief objective of science as the production of gadgets; and for the person who views the scientists as some sort of magician. The book can be used to supplement a course in any science, to accompany any course that attempts to give an understanding of the modern world, or – independently of any course – simply to provide a better understanding of science. We hope this book will lead readers to a broader perspective on scientific attitudes and a more realistic view of what science is, who scientists are, and what they do. It will give them an awareness and understanding of the relationship between science and our culture and an appreciation of the roles science may play in our culture. In addition, readers may learn to appreciate the relationship between scientific views and some of the values and philosophies that are pervasive（普遍的；深入的）in our culture.

 We have tried to present in this book an accurate and up-to-date picture of the scientific community and the people who populate it. That population has in recent years come to comprise more and more women. This increasing role of women in the scientific subculture is not a unique incident but, rather, part of the trend evident in all segments of society as more women enter traditionally male-dominated fields and make significant contributions. In discussing these changes and contribution, however, we are faced with a language that is implicitly sexist, one that uses male nouns or pronouns in referring to unspecified individuals. To offset this built-in bias, we have adopted the policy of using plural nouns and pronouns whenever possible and, when absolutely necessary, alternating he and she. This policy is far form being ideal, but it is at least an acknowledgment of the inadequacy of our language in treating half of the human race equally.

 We have also tried to make the book entertaining as well as informative. Our approach is usually informal. We feel, as do many other scientists, that we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously. As the reader may observe, we see science as a delightful pastime rather than as a grim and dreary way to earn a living.

According to the passage, ‘scientific subculture’ means

A  cultural groups that are formed by scientists. B  people whose knowledge of science is very limited.

C  the scientific community.    D  people who make good contribution to science.

We need to know something about the structure and operation of science because

A. it is not easy to understand the things that excite and frustrate scientists.

B Science affects almost every aspect of our life.

C Scientists live in a specific subculture.  D It is easier to understand general characteristics of science.

The book mentioned in this passage is written for readers who

A are intelligent college students and lay person who do not know much about science.

B are good at producing various gadgets.

C work in a storehouse of dried facts.    D want to have a superficial understanding of science.

According to this passage,

A English is a sexist language.  B only in the scientific world is the role of women increasing rapidly.

C women are making significant contributions to eliminating the inadequacy of our language.

D male nouns or pronouns should not be used to refer to scientists.

This passage most probably is

A. book review. B the preface of a book.  C the postscript of a book.  D the concluding part of a book.