2015.2.1阅读

A "dark horse "is one that shows unexpected racing speed and comes in first, 1 the experts said he had little chance of winning.In politics, an 2 candidate (候选人) for office who 3 a nomination(提名)or election is called a "dark horse".British Prime Minister Benjamin Disrael is believed to 4 the first to use the phrase. In his novel, "The Young Duke ", published in 1831, Disrael described a horse race and told how the two top choices fell 5 ,while "a dark horse "which had never been thought of rushing past the grandstand (看台)in a sweeping triumph.From racing to politics was a short step. As a political phrase, “dark horse ” 6 for the first time in the national Democratic Party congress of 1844. The "dark horse" was James Knox Polk who became the llth President of the United States. Polk had been the leader of the House of Representatives from 1835 to 1839. He had 7 been Governor of the state of Tennessee. But as a national leader, he was considered a political 8 .Nevertheless, he 9 won the Democratic nomination and was elected 10 .Martin Van Buren of New York, A former President, seemed sure of getting the nomination. But he opposed making the territory of Texas part of the United States as mother state. He was 11 it because there was slavery in Texas. Van Buren did not want another slave state in the Union. As a result, he 12 support among those Democrats who supported slavery.At the 1884 congress, Van Buren could not get enough votes to win the nomination. The congress got into 13 . Therefore, the Democratic leaders decided that the only wise thing would be to run a "dark horse ", 14 who could unite the party.And so, one of the party leaders, George Bancroft, proposed the name of James Knox Polk. He won, and the party 15 behind him, And he defeated his opponent , Henry Clay of the Whig Party.16 the 1844 congress, the "dark horse "candidates became an established fact of national political life. One historian said, "The invention of the dark horse was 17 a remarkable product of our professional politics. "This made 18 possible for party leaders to choose candidates who were not tied to certain ideas. Therefore, they represented 19 and had developed 20 enemies.1. A. so B. even though C. so that D. as if2. A. unknown B. famous C. popular D. known3. A. accepts B. looks forward to C. refuses D. wins4. A. be B. being C. been D. have been5. A. about B. behind C. asleep D. back6. A. happened B. appeared C. used D. was come about7. A. as well B. either C. also D. too8. A. somebody B. everybody C. anybody D. nobody9. A. difficultly B. successfully C. surprisingly D. easily10. A. President B. a President C. the President D. the governor11. A. for B. against C. in favor of D. in favor with12. A. won B. received C. lost D. wasted13. A. votes B. help C. efforts D. money14. A. a horse B. a man C. an animal D. an organization15. A. laughed B. succeeded C. won D. united16. A. After B. Since C. Before D. Because17. A. in itself B. of itself C. for itself D. by itself18. A. one B. it C. that D. this19. A. anything B. nothing C. something D. everything20. A. quite a few B. a lot of C. few D. little(1)Death Valley is one of the most famous deserts in the United States, covering a wide area with its alkali sand Almost 20 percent of this area is well below sea level, and Badwater, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and the lowest point in the United States.Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place “Tomesha”—the land of fire. Death Valley’s present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been declared a National Monument(纪念碑) and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beauty of this place. w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.m Here nature created a lot of surprising, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and variable parts of Death Valley is th e Devil’ s Golf Course, where it seems hard for one to tell reality from terrible dreams. Sand sculptures(沙雕) stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen.1. _______ is the lowest place in the desert.A. TomeshaB. Death ValleyC. NevadaD. Badwater2. The name of the valley comes from _______.A. an Indian nameB. the death of the minersC. the local peopleD. a National Movement3. From the passage we can learn that _______.A. no one had ever known the desert before the minersB. it’s still not easy to travel across the desertC. people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desertD. people have changed the natural sight of the desert4. Devil Golf Course is famous for _______.A. the frequent windB. the colors of the sandC. dream-like sightsD. the sand sculptures5. From the passage we can see that the writer _______ the Death Valley.A. appreciatesB. is fearful ofC. dislikesD. is tired of(2)The Erie Canal was the first important national waterway built in the US. It crossed New York from Buffalo on Lake Erie Troy to Albany on the Hudson River. It joined the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. The canal served as a route over which industrial goods could flow into the west, and materials could pour into the east. The Erie Canal helped New York develop into the nation’s largest city.The building of the canal was paid for entirely by the state of New York. It cost $ 7 143 789,but it soon gained its price many times over. Between 1825, when the canal was opened, and 1882, when toll charges(过运河费) were stopped, the state collected $121 461 891.For a hundred years before the Erie was built, people had been talking about a canal which could join the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. The man who planned the Erie Canal and carried the plan through was De Witt Clinton. Those who were against the canal laughingly called it “Clinton’s Ditch(沟)”. Clinton talked and wrote about the canal and drew up plans for it. He and Governor Morris went to Washington in 1812 to ask for help for the canal, but they were unsuccessful. w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.mClinton became governor of New York in 1817, and shortly afterwards, on July 4, 1817, broke ground for the canal in Rome, N.Y. The first part of the canal was completed in 1820. As the canal grew, towns along its course developed fast. The length of the canal is 363 miles.1. We can see that the Erie Canal ________.A. joined the Great Lakes togetherB. crossed New York from north to southC. played an important part in developing New York CityD. was the first waterway built in the US2. It can be inferred that ________ into the Atlantic Ocean.A. the Great Lakes flowB. the Hudson River flowsC. Lake Erie flowsD. the Erie Canal flows3. Which of the following is true according to the passage?A. The Erie Canal brought profits of over $114, 000, 000.B. It’s 363 miles from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.C. The West was more advanced than the East when the canal was built.D. Many other states helped New York built the canal.4. Which of the following is true according to the passage?A. Clinton broke ground for the canal at both ends.B. Clinton started building the canal before he became governor.C. All parts of the canal were completed at the same time.D. Construction of the canal took eight years.。