—_____ is the population of America?

—I don’t know. But I know it’s _______ than that of China.

A. What; smaller        B. How much; smaller   C. What; less               

 

 

 One of the greatest mysteries on Earth is the statues which stand on Easter Island. Easter Island, which was almost uninhabited when it was discovered on Easter Day in 1722 by a Dutch captain, is the most distant island in the world covered with hundreds of giant statues, each weighing several tons and some standing more than 30 feet tall.

Who built these statues and why and how did they get there? Nobody knows the answer for sure.

One theory suggests that Easter Island was first inhabited by Polynesians, who traveled thousands of miles in their canoes（独木舟）in 400 A.D. However, the ocean currents（洋流）which carried them there would not take them back, so that they could not leave.

The statues appear to have been made out of the top edge of the walls of a volcano on the island. Then, it may have been rolled or dragged down to the foot of the volcano(火山). Then, it was stood upright（直立）and ropes were tied around it, which was made to act as a pulley（滑轮）. Over a period of months, a statue could be walked for miles down to the ocean. Finally, it was placed in line with other statues, all of them looking towards the center of the island.

This process was difficult. If a statue fell over, it was too heavy to be pulled upright again, so the islanders went back and carved another statue.

The population of Easter Island must have reached 11,000. Later, the resources of the island were used up and people began fighting and eating each other. Work on the statues stopped and the statues were knocked over. When the first Europeans finally arrived on the island, most of these people had died out.

1.This passage is mainly about ________ .

A. the discovery of Easter Island             B. the statues on Easter Island

C. the history of Easter Islanders             D. the earliest population on Easter Island

2. Which of the following correctly tells of the possible working process after a statue was made?

a. It was stood upright and ropes were tied around it.

b. It was walked for miles down to the ocean.

c. It was placed in line with other statues.

d. It was moved to the foot of the volcano.

A. c-d-a-b             B. d-b-a-c          C. a-c-b-d            D. d-a-b-c

3. It’s not a fact that ________ .

A. Easter Island is the most distant island in the world    

B. Easter is the name of a holiday

C. not all the statues were placed in a line  

D. the island was once rich in natural resources

4.The underlined word uninhabited most probably means ________.

   A. mysterious                                 B. lost 

C. unknown to the world                             D. with no people living there

 

The population of the world ____ still ____ now.

A．has; grown        B．is; growing         C．will; grow          D．is; grown

 

American cities are similar to other cities around the world: In every country, cities reflect（反映）the values of the culture. American cities are changing, just as American society is changing.
After World War Ⅱ, the population of most large American cities became smaller; however, the population shifts（转移）to and from the city reflect the changing values of American society. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, city residents（居民）became richer. They had more children so they needed more space. They moved out of their flats in the city to buy their own homes. They bought houses in the suburbs（郊区）.
Now things are changing. The children of the people who left the cities in the 1950s are now adults. Many, unlike their parents, want to live in the cities. They continue to move to Sun Belt cities and older ones of the Northeast and Midwest. Many young people are moving back into the city. They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there; or they just enjoy the excitement and what the city offers.
This population shift is bringing problems as well as some advantages. Countless poor people must leave their flats in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make flats for sale instead of for rent（租金）. In the 1950s, many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs; now many of these same people do not have enough money to stay in the cities.
Only a few years ago, people thought that the older American cities were dying. Some city residents now see a bright, new future. Others see only problems. One thing is sure: many dying cities are alive again.
【小题1】The main idea of the passage is _________.

A．cities around the world

B．the dying cities

C．the changing American cities

D．the changing of the American culture

【小题2】 Why did American city residents want to live in the suburbs after World War Ⅱ?

A．Because older American cities were dying.

B．Because they were richer and needed more space.

C．Because cities included the worst parts of society.

D．Because they could hardly afford to live in the city.

【小题3】 According to the 4th paragraph, a great many poor people in American cities _________.

A．are faced with housing problems

B．are made to move to the suburbs

C．want to sell their buildings

D．need more money for daily costs

【小题4】We can know from the passage that _________.

A．American cities are changing for the worse

B．the population is getting smaller in older American cities

C．many people are now moving from American cities

D．people have different views on American cities

Asia is home to more than half of the world's population and three of the four most crowded countries are in Asia. China, India, and Indonesia alone have more than 2.5 billion people.

Until recently, most Asian nations fell behind the western countries in many fields. Government reform(改革), however, has led to important progress in each of these Asian countries. Across the area, education systems have been improved and economies（经济） have been growing. Most Asian countries now have a system of compulsory(义务的) education. Many countries have recently allowed private universities to be built, which was not allowed before. There are more chances for students to go to university now.

However, in Asia, there are still not enough chances for students to get higher education and many people prefer to go abroad for further study. As a result, India, China, South Korea, Japan and other Asian countries send thousands of students to study in the United States and Europe each year.

Part of the people in Asian countries can speak English, and English has become the most important language for business across the area. The percentage(百分比) is the largest in Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, SriLanka and South Korea. Many people in China, India and Malaysia can also speak English. Some countries have made English part of the primary and secondary education program. In some countries, children begin to study English even at the age of 4 or 5.

1.The population of Asia is about__________         .

   A. 2.5 billion  B. half of the world's population

C. 1.3 billion   D. 6 billion

2.Most Asian countries __________ the western countries in many fields.

    A. are better than             B. are more powerful than

    C. get greater progress than.    D. are not as good as

3.In the past, __________ was not allowed in many Asian countries.

    A. speaking English             B. moving to other countries

    C. building private universities     D. building middle schools

4.Why do so many students in Asia go to study in the USA and Europe?

A. Because they are rich.

B. Because there are not enough chances for students to get higher education in Asia.

C. Because they don't want to work hard.

D. Because they can speak English very well.

5.Which of the following is NOT true?

  A. There're more than 2.5 billion people in China, India and Indonesia.

  B. The economies in Asian countries are becoming worse.

  C. Education in Asia has had great changes.

D. In some Asian countries, English has become very important for business