According to legend, the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy, which connects the Palazzo Ducale to an ancient prison, got its name because the walk across it gave prisoners on their way to jail a final chance to appreciate the beauty of the city.

The view from the bridge today, however, is more likely to be of a giant billboard selling Bulgari or Coca – cola. Beyond the billboards, monuments are being restored. The money comes from advertising profits.

But when the Coke billboards went up this summer on buildings near the Piazza San Marco, which is at the historic heart of Venice, there was a public debate.

“We can’t commercialize everything,” said Alessandra Mottola Molfino, a Venetian. “The lesson that goes out is that a price is for everything.”

“We couldn’t stay quiet,” said Maria Camilla Bianchini d’Alberigo, president of a heritage protection association. “Too much is too much.”

There needed to be rules, she added, rules that prevent the advertising billboards clashing (冲突) with the monuments of the city.

City of officials, however, argue that without these ads, the city could not afford to maintain its heritage. Many have been damaged by centuries of wear and are even a threat to public safety.

“I can’t turn down the image of bottle when there are pieces of the Palazzo Ducale falling to the ground,” said Renata Codello, a Cultrue Ministry official.

The Culture Minister has a budget of about $ 47 million (315 million yuan) for restoration of monuments, but Italy has a rich architectural heritage, and funds are always tight．Of that amount,

$ 1.8 million was given to the entire Vector region,  which includes Venice．

Two years ago, the city signed an agreement with the Dotter Group, a company responsible for the restoration of the Bridge of Sighs and the Palazzo Ducale．It allows it to sell ad space．

But there is a condition in the agreement: The ads should not offend public taste,

In August, Venice banned US actress Julianne Moore's Bulgrari ad from a billboard in the Piazza San Marco．

The photo shows a naked Moore covered with lion cubs, handbags and jewelry, Mayor Giorgio Orsoni called the image too racy (猥亵) and unsuitable for the Piazza San Marco．

"I take account of the fact that Venice is part of the real world… but we cannot accept these Hollywood-style images．There arc intelligent sponsors, and we need to come up with advertising that suits Venice, not Times Square," he said in a speech．

1.The article is mainly about        in Venice

A．restoration of cultural heritage

B．widespread commercialization

C．the conflict between ads and cultural heritage

D．the difficulty of restoring monuments

2.In the first paragraph, the beautiful view from the Bridge of Sighs is mentioned to      .

A．introduce other monuments of the ancient city

B．show how much many ancient structures need restoring

C．indicate that the view is blocked by huge ads

D．create interest in the famous city

3.From the article we can conclude that Rcnata Codello        the advertising．

A．is in favor of	B．is worried about
C．objects to	D．doesn't mind

4.Why do many Venetians complain about the ads?

A．They are intolerant of commercialization．

B．They feel the ads are damaging the city．

C．The ads are usually racy and in an American style．

D．The ads don't present a traditional view of Venice,

5.It can be inferred from the passage that

A．Hollywood stars' ads cannot go up in Venice

B．the mayor of Venice is expecting new advertising

C．the Dotter Group may stop its restoration work for lack of funds

D．people can buy Bulgaria or Coca-cola on the Bridge of Sighs

 

 

第三部分：阅读理解 (共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)

请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选山最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该项涂黑。

Have you ever stayed in a hotel? Most Chinese hotels often provide guests with things like disposable (一次性的) toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and slippers. Many guests like the idea because they don't have to bring their own. But, if you travel to Beijing, remember to bring your own things. Starting from June, some hotels in Beijing will no longer provide guests with these disposables. They want to ask people to use less disposable things.

Many disposable things are made of plastic. People throw them away after only using them once. It is a waste of natural resources (资源) and is very bad for the environment. Do you know, one Chinese person makes as much as 400kg of waste a year! Most of that waste comes from disposable things. In Beijing, people throw away about 19,000 tons of plastic bags and 1,320 tons of plastic lunch bowls every year! Plastic can take between 100 and 400 years to break down. So the less plastic we throw out, the better. So, wherever you travel, bring your own things and use them again and again.

Back at home and school, you can also do something to make our world a better place. Try to do these things in your daily life:  Use cloth shopping bags, not plastic ones. After using a plastic bag, wash it out and let it dry. Then you can use it over and over again. Do not use paper cups. At your school canteen（食堂）, use your own bowl and chopsticks instead of disposable ones.

1. Why do many hotels provide guests with some disposable things?

A. Let their guests be convenient during their travelling.

B. Hope their guests use less disposable things.

C. Wish their guests to save money.

D. Want their guests to use more disposable things.

2. Some Beijing hotels will no longer provide guests with ____.

A. cheap food and drink                             B. disposable things

C. good service                                                  D. free TV programmes

3. Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Many disposable things are made of plastic.

B. Throwing disposable things away is a waste of natural resources.

C. Plastic is very bad for the environment.

D. Plastic breaks down easily.

4. What can we do to make our world a better place at home and school?

A. Use shopping bags made of plastic.           

B. Do not throw away paper cups.

C. Use disposable plates, bowls and chopsticks.  

D. Do not forget to reuse daily necessities（日用品）.

5. We can tell from the story that ____.

A. people don't like disposable things at all

B. we can't use paper or plastic bowls at school

C. we should use less plastic things and protect our environment

D. hotels won't provide disposable things because they want to save money

 

Many foreigners who have not visited Britain call all the inhabitants(居民) English, for they are used to thinking of the British Isles as England. In fact, the British Isles contain a variety of peoples and only the people of England call themselves English. The others refer to themselves as Welsh, Scottish, or Irish, as the case may be; they are often slightly annoyed(苦恼) at being classified as 'English'.

In Scotland the sound denoted by the letter 'R' is generally a strong sound, and 'R' is often pronounced in words in which it would be silent in southern English. In the Highlands and the Western Isles the ancient Scottish language, Gaelic, is still heard. The Scots are said to be a serious, cautious, thrifty(节约的) people, rather inventive(善于创造的) and somewhat mystical. All the Celtic peoples of Britain (the Welsh, the Irish, the Scots) are often described as being more 'fiery(暴躁的)' than the English. They are often of a race that is quite different from the English.

The Welsh have protected their language to a remarkable extent. The English generally look upon the Welsh as an emotional(易动感情的) people who are, however, somewhat difficult to get to know easily.

Ireland is divided into two parts. The six countries of Northern Ireland are still part of Great Britain, though, in normal circumstances(环境), they have their own Parliament. The Irish are known for their charm and vivacity(活泼), as well as for the beauty of the Irish girls. Irish, often calls Erse, is a form of Gaelic. It was in danger of dying out, but when the territory(地域) of the Republic became independent, Erse was received, and is now the official first language of the Republic, English being the second. The Irish are known for their charm and vivacity, as well as for the beauty of the Irish girls.

1.Why do many foreigners call the inhabitants English?

A．Because only English live on the British Isles.

B．Because only English plays a more important role than the others.

C．Because all the people are glad to be regarded as English.

D．Because they are used to thinking of the British Isles as England.

2.Today we still can hear Gaelic--the ancient Scottish language in __________.

A．both England and Scotland

B．both Wales and Ireland

C．both Highland and Western Isles

D．both Northern Ireland and England

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

A．“R” is often pronounced in words in which it would be silent in north English.

B．The Welsh, the Irish and the Scots are all the Celtic peoples of Britain.

C．The Celtic peoples are often of a race that is little different from the English.

D．The Welsh have not protected their language very carefully.

4.Irish is a form of ________, and is now the official ______ language of the Republic.

A．English; first

B．Gaelic; second

C．Gaelic; first

D．English; second

 

Australia has passed regulations that will enable more international students to further their education in the country.

    The new measures were released by the Australian Department of Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations in September and will take effect in mid-2012.

    As a result, the student visa(签证) application process for overseas students has been simplified, and the deposit(押金) required to study in Australia has been reduced. Language requirements for overseas students have also been eased.

    Also, overseas students receiving a higher education in Australia will be given a working visa lasting from two to four years after graduation, as long as they meet the basic IELTS requirement.

    “This change will definitely make Australia a more attractive destination for Chinese students planning to study overseas,” says Wang Lan, an expert from Education International Cooperation Group(EIC), a Beijing-based company that provides services to students wishing to study overseas.

    However, in the past few years, many of Wang's student clients(客户) could not start studies in Australia because they did not meet the language requirements, visa processing took a long time and deposit regulations were difficult. The change in policy is good news for the parents of students wishing to study in Australia, Wang says.

    A 22-year-old female student surnamed Li, in Beijing, who is planning to do her postgraduate studies in Australia, learned about the policy change several weeks ago.

    “According to the previous deposit requirement for my student visa, my family was required to put down 550,000 yuan($86,850). Now we only need to prepare 410,000 yuan. This is a relief for my parents,” Li says.

    She also says that the two to four years working visa makes her feel much clearer about her study plans.

    “I believe several years of working experience abroad will strengthen my competitiveness when I return to China,” she says.

    Gaining a competitive advantage is the major reason for Chinese students to study abroad, according to the report by EIC.

1.What’s the main idea of the passage?

   A. Language requirement for overseas students have been eased in Australia.

   B. Australia is a most attractive place for students in China.

    C. Australia widens window of opportunity for international students.

    D. More students will work in Australia after their graduation.

2.After the new regulations are passed,                .

   A. more students will come to Australia to work

   B. more Chinese students will choose to live in Australia

   C. the opportunities to work in Australia decrease for overseas students

    D. more Chinese students will choose to further their education in Australia

3.How much can Li’s parents save according to the new regulations?

   A. 550,000 yuan.      B. 140,000 yuan.  C. 410,000 yuan.       D. 86,850 yuan.

4.Why do many students want to work in Australia after their graduation?

    A. The working experience abroad will strengthen their competitiveness.

   B. They can earn more money in Australia.

    C. Their working experience can make them stay in Australia forever.

    D. They have to do so according to the new regulations.

 

Australia has passed regulations that will enable more international students to further their education in the country.
The new measures were released by the Australian Department of Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations in September and will take effect in mid-2012.
As a result, the student visa application process for overseas students has been simplified, and the deposit (押金) required to study in Australia has been reduced. Language requirements for overseas students have also been eased.
Also, overseas students receiving a higher education in Australia will be granted a working visa lasting from two to four years after graduation, as long as they meet the basic IELTS requirement.
"This change will definitely make Australia a more attractive destination for Chinese students planning to study overseas," says Wang Lan , a consultant from Education International Cooperation Group (EIC), a Beijing-based company that provides services to students wishing to study overseas.
However, in the past few years, many of Wang's student clients (客户) could not start studies in Australia because they did not meet the language requirements, visa processing took a long time and deposit regulations were tough. The change in policy is good news for the parents of students wishing to study in Australia, Wang says.
A 22-year-old female student surnamed Li, in Beijing, who is planning to do her  postgraduate studies in Australia, learned about the policy change several weeks ago.
"According to the previous deposit requirement for my student visa, my family was required to put down 550,000 Yuan ($86,850). Now we only need to prepare 410,000 Yuan. This is a relief for my parents," Li says.
She also says that the two to four years working visa makes her feel much clearer about her study plans.
"I believe several years of working experience abroad will strengthen my competitiveness when I return to China," she says.
Gaining a competitive advantage is the major reason for Chinese students to study abroad, according to the report by EIC.
【小题1】What's the main idea of the passage? 

A．Language requirement for overseas students have been eased in Australia.

B．Australia is a most attractive place for students in China.

C．Australia widens window of opportunity for international students.

D．More students will work in Australia after their graduation.

【小题2】Which of the following is NOT the content of the new regulations? 

A．The student visa application process for overseas students has been simplified.

B．The deposit required to study in Australia has been reduced.

C．Language requirements for overseas students have been more difficult.

D．After graduation, some overseas students can get a working visa in Australia.

【小题3】After the new regulations are passed, _______ . 

A．more students will come to Australia to work

B．more Chinese students will choose to live in Australia.

C．the opportunities to work in Australia decrease for overseas students

D．more Chinese students will choose to further their education in Australia

【小题4】How much can Li's parents save according to the new regulations? 

A．550,000 yuan	B．140,000 yuan
C．410,000 yuan	D．86,850 yuan

【小题5】Why do many students want to work in Australia after their graduation? 

A．The working experience abroad will strengthen their competitiveness.

B．They can earn more money in Australia.

C．Their working experience can make them stay in Australia forever.

D．They have to do so according to the new regulations.