unit3篇章文稿

Group 1

Passage one

Almost all states in America have a state fair. They last for one, two or three weeks. The Indiana state fair is one of the largest and oldest state fairs in the United States. It is held every summer. It started in 1852. Its goals were to educate, share ideas, and present Indiana’s best products. The cost of a single ticket to enter the fair was 20 cents. During the early 1930s, officials of the fair ruled that the people could attend by paying with something other than money. For example, farmers brought a bga of grain in exchange for a ticket. With the passage of time, the fair has grown and changed a lot, but it’s skill one of Indian’s most celebrated events. People from all over Indiana and from many other states attend the far. They can do many things at the fair. They can watch the judging of the price cows, pigs and other animals; they can see sheep getting their wool cut, and they can learn how that wool is made into clothing; they can watch cows giving birth. In fact, people can learn about the animals they would never see except at the far. The air provides a chance for the arming community to show its skills and farm products for example, visitors might see the world’s largest apple, or the tallest sunflower plant. Today, children and adults at the far can play new computer games, or attend more traditional games of skill. They can watch performances put on by famous entertainer. Experts say such fairs are important, because

people need to remember that they’re connected to the earth and its products, and they depend on animals for many things.

1. What were the main goals of the Indiana’s state fair when it started?

2. How did some farmers gain entrance to the fair in the early 1930s?

3. Why are state fairs important events in America?

Passage 2

The territorial growth in the United Sates was followed by great industrial expansion. The country was rich in natural resources. A constant flow of immigration provided the labor force necessary to develop these resources. New industries were started. Chicago, St. Louis, and Detroit grew from small towns to large cities. The United States became the greatest industrial country in the world. Detroit’s growth has been typical of these new American cities. Situated on the Detroit River close to the Great Lakes, it had the geographical advantages necessary for industrial growth. Factories for manufacture of bicycles and wagon bodies were established there. With the coming of the automobile, these factories were converted into automobile plants. The American system of mass production was introduced. The industry grew and Detroit grew with it. Detroit today is the fifth largest city in the United States. Four Detroit automobile companies produce 96 percent of all American cars. Twenty thousand of these cars roll off Detroit assembly lines each day. Some of the factories there never stop. They have three groups or “shifts”of