The peanut is a native South American plant. Scientists believe that it grew wild in Brazil long ago. They think that for several thousand years the early peoples of South America made it a part of their diet. These peoples were nomads who moved on when a natural food could no longer be found in one area. Along the way they probably let fall some peanuts, which got into the ground and grew. This is believed to be the way the plant reached the place where the Incas（印加人）lived. The Incas, from about 1100 to 1532, thought highly of peanuts. The peanuts were eaten in several forms and used as sacrificial offerings（祭品）to the Incan Sun God. Later in the 16^th century, European soldiers had brought peanuts to other parts of the world, including North America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Pacific Islands.
Although peanuts were found native in South America, they are now grown in almost every country that has warm weather. India produces the most peanuts. China’s production is next, followed by the United States.
The peanut is special in more ways than one. It can be eaten raw, boiled, roasted, or fried. Hundreds of widely different products have been made from it. Carver, an American scientist, set himself the task of discovering new uses for eating and for many other products.
Peanuts are very highly nutritious and are also high in protein （蛋白质）. Americans use about seven-tenths of their protein in the form of meat. In India, where the poor can’t pay for meat or milk, peanut meal and peanut milk have been produced. These have been a great help to the poor.
New products are continually being made from peanuts, among them peanut cheese and a powder that becomes peanut butter when water is added. The fact is that peanuts are so healthy that they were used by astronauts. The unusual nut that isn’t a nut is one of nature’s most amazing gifts.

1. 1.

   Although we like eating peanuts, many of us don’t know peanuts belong to _______ family.

   1. A.
      the pea
   2. B.
      the nut
   3. C.
      both the pea and the nut
   4. D.
      neither the pea nor the nut
2. 2.

   Which paragraph（段落）mainly talks about the history of the peanut?

   1. A.
      Paragraph Four
   2. B.
      Paragraph Three
   3. C.
      Paragraph Two
   4. D.
      Paragraph One
3. 3.

   What does the underlined word nutritious mean?

   1. A.
      Helpful for staying healthy.
   2. B.
      Helpful to the poor.
   3. C.
      Delicious and tasty.
   4. D.
      Rich in fat and oil.
4. 4.

   Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?

   1. A.
      Nomads always stayed in the same place.
   2. B.
      The peanut was first found in South America.
   3. C.
      Astronauts ate lots of peanuts to keep healthy.
   4. D.
      China grows fewer peanuts than the US.
5. 5.

   What is the purpose of the article?

   1. A.
      To show that peanuts belong to the pea family.
   2. B.
      To advise us to use more peanut products.
   3. C.
      To tell us some new uses of peanuts.
   4. D.
      To let us know more about peanuts.

The story of silk is a fascinating one.

26 4,000 years ago the Chinese 27 the secret of the cocoon( 茧 ). No one knows28 how or when this important discovery was 29.One story says that a young princess was 30 tea in hear her garden and 31 the silkworms form cocoons. By channce one dropped into tea and hot liquid soften it. When the girl tried 32 the cocoon out of her tea, she pulled out a long silk thread.

　 33 Chinese learn to weave the silk thread 34 cloth. For 2,000 years they were the only people who knew 35 to make silk. Chinese merchants (商人) sold silk throughout Asia and Europe and become 36 rich.

　 Everyone wanted to learn how to make silk, but the Chinese 37 the secret carefully.

　 Finally the secret was stolen in the sixth century. It is said that two monks, 38 about the silkworms and their cocoons. They spent several years in China and finally 39 a way to take some silkworms eggs 40the country.The monks always carried canes (手杖). One day they hid some eggs in the canes, and left China with them. It is said that the development of the silk industry in other countries came from those few eggs which the monks carried out of China.

(　 )26.A.In about　 B.During about　 C.At about　 D.About

(　 )27.A.found　　 B.discovered　　 C.saw　　　 D.understood

(　 )28.A.straight　 　B.indeed　　　 C.certainly　 D.exactly

(　 )29.A.made　　 B.done　　　　 C.found　　 D.seen

(　 )30.A.taking　　 B.to take　　　 C.drinking　 D.to drink

(　 )31.A.looking　　 B.seeing　　　 C.noticing　 D.watching

(　 )32.A.to take　　 B.taking　　　　 C.to make 　D.making

(　 )33.A.The　　　 B.An　　　　　 C.A　　　　 D./

(　 )34.A.to　　　　 B.into　　　　　 C.of　　　　 D.from

(　 )35.A.want　　 B.how　　　　 C.why　　　 D.when

(　 )36.A.a　　　　 B.the　　　　　 C.an　　　　 D./

(　 )37.A.put　　　 B.kept　　　　 C.stored　　 D.held

(　 )38.A.learned　 B.studied　　　 C.heard　　　 D.realized

(　 )39.A.found out B.found　　　　 C.looked for　 D.caught

(　 )40.A.from　　 B.to　　　　　 C.in　　　　 D.out of

A Korean(韩国的) wave is sweeping across China. Many Chinese women think South Korean actors Kim Soo-hyun(金秀贤) and Lee Min-ho(李敏镐) are their demigods(男神). Chinese people have different ideas about South Korean TV dramas, but there is no doubt that many people in China are interested in Korean TV dramas. And a big part of the credit(功劳) for that goes to You Who Came From The Star《来自星星的你》, the South Korean TV series which is on the air now.
In You Who Came From The Star ,the top South Korean actors Jun Ji-hyun(全智贤) and Kim Soo-hyun recently earned a popularity rating(收视率) of 24.8 percent in their country.  You Who Came From The Star and The Heirs(继承者们) have  been subjects of hot online discussions throughout Asia.
The two TV programs have several common elements(元素): a tall, handsome, and rich hero who loves a woman and always protects her, and an equally handsome man madly in love with the same woman. Both programs represent the purity of love. Perhaps that’s the secret of their success; perhaps people still love Cinderella-type(灰姑娘型的) stories.
However, Chinese TV screens are full of poorly made soap operas(肥皂剧). Most of the Chinese TV dramas either describe the War against Japanese or blindly copy foreign programs. There are too many TV series on time travel or fights in the palace of Qing Dynasty (清朝1644-1911). These, in short, do harm to Chinese TV productions.
Hopefully, the success of South Korean TV programs will encourage Chinese TV drama makers to think of new ideas and give up their bad practice of copying foreign productions in order to attract more viewers at home, and possibly abroad.

【小题1】Who is the main actor in the Korean TV dramas You Who Came From The Star?

　　The tiger is the largest wild cat in the world. The big cat weighs about 363 kilograms and is about two metres long.

　　Tigers wait until it is dark, then they go out to find their food. When a tiger sees an animal, it moves very quietly, then jumps on the animal to kill it. Sometimes it can take several days for a tiger to finish eating its kill. The tiger eats until it's had enough, then it covers the dead animal with leaves. Later, when the tiger is hungry again, it comes back to eat some more.

　　Tigers are different from others in the cat family: they like water, and they often jump into rivers to swim.

　　Some tigers live in very cold places—in parts of North Korea, eastern Russia, and northeast China. Other tigers live in warmer places—in India and parts of Southeast Asia.

　　All tigers are in danger. People killed them to use their skins for clothes, and their bodies for medicine. In addition, there is also less and less land for tigers to live on. But now people know that tigers are in danger and have made plans to protect them.

(1) How weighty is a big tiger?

[　　]

(2) When do tigers go out for their food?

[　　]

(3) Can tigers swim?

[　　]

(4) Which country can't you see the wild tigers in?

[　　]

(5) What do people kill tigers for?

[　　]

A．Eat their meat.

B．Use their skin for clothes.

C．Drink their blood.

D．All above.