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The flag, the most common symbol of a nation in the modern world, is also one of the most ancient. With a clear symbolic meaning, the flag in the traditional form is still used today to mark buildings, ships and other vehicles related to a country. The national flag as we know today is no way a primitive(原始的)artifact. It is, rather, the product of thousands of years’ development. Historians believe that it had two major ancestors, of which the earlier served to show wind direction. Early human beings used very fragile houses and boats. Often strong winds would tear roofs from houses or cause high waves that endangered travelers. People’s food supplies were similarly vulnerable. Even after they had learned how to plant grains, they still needed help from nature to ensure(保证) good harvests. Therefore they feared and depended on the power of the wind, which could bring warmth from one direction and cold from another. Using a simple piece of cloth tied to the top of a post to tell the direction of the wind was more dependable than earlier methods, such as watching the rising of smoke from a fire. The connection of the flag with heavenly power was therefore reasonable(合理的). Early human societies began to fix long pieces of cloth to the tops of totems(图腾) before carrying them into battle. They believed that the power of the wind would be added to the good wishes of the gods and ancestors (祖先)represented by the totems themselves. These flags developed very slowly into modern flags. The first known flag of a nation or a ruler was unmarked. The king of China around 1000 B.C. was known to have a white flag carried ahead of him. This practice might have been learned from Egyptians even further in the past, but it was from China that it spread over trade routes through India, then across Arab lands, and finally to Europe, where it met up with the other ancestor of the national flag. 71. The best title of the passage would be “_______”. A. Development of the National Flag B. Power of the National Flag C. Types of Flags D. Uses of Flags 72. The underlined word “vulnerable ” in paragraph 3 means “_______” A. impossible to make sure of B. likely to be protected C. easy to damage D. difficult to find 73. The earliest flags were connected with heavenly power because _______. A. they could tell wind directions B. they could bring good luck to fighters C. they were handed down by the ancestors D. they were believed to stand for natural forces 74. What does the author know of the first national flag? A. He knows when it was sent to Europe. B. He believes it was made in Egypt. C. He thinks it came from China. D. He doubts where it started. 75. What will the author most probably write in the following paragraph? A. The role of China in the spread of the national flag. B. The second ancestor of the national flag. C. The use of modern flags in Europe. D. The importance of modern flags. E Malaria, the world's most widespread parasitic(寄生虫引起的) disease, kills as many as three million people every year—almost all of whom are under five, very poor, and African. In most years, more than five hundred million cases of illness result from the disease, although exact numbers are difficult to assess because many people don't (or can't) seek care. It is not unusual for a family earning less than two hundred dollars a year to spend a quarter of its income on malaria treatment, and what they often get no longer works. In countries like Tanzania, Mozambique, and the Gambia, no family, village, hospital, or workplace can remain unaffected for long. Malaria starts suddenly, with violent chills, which are soon followed by an intense fever and, often, headaches. As the parasites multiply, they take over the entire body. Malaria parasites live by eating the red blood cells they infect (感染). They can also attach themselves to blood vessels in the brain. If it doesn't kill you, malaria can happen again and again for years. The disease passed on to humans by female mosquitoes infected with one of four species of parasite. Together, the mosquito and the parasite are the most deadly couple in the history of the earth—and one of the most successful. Malaria has five thousand genes, and its ability to change rapidly to defend itself and resist new drugs has made it nearly impossible to control. Studies show that mosquitoes are passing on the virus more frequently, and there are more outbreaks in cities with large populations. Some of the disease's spread is due to global warming. For decades, the first-choice treatment for malaria parasites in Africa has been chloroquine, a chemical which is very cheap and easy to make. Unfortunately, in most parts of the world, malaria parasites have become resistant to it. Successful alternatives that help prevent resistance are already available, but they have been in short supply and are very expensive. If these drugs should fail, nobody knows what would come next. 76.According to paragraph 1, many people don't seek care because ________. A.they are too poor B.it is unusual to seek care C.they can remain unaffected for long D.there are too many people suffering from the disease 77.People suffering from malaria _________. A.have to kill female mosquitoes B.have ability to defend parasites C.have their red blood cells infected D.have sudden fever, followed by chills 78.Which of the following may be the reason for the wide spread of the disease? A.Its resistance to global warming. B.Its ability to pass on the virus frequently. C.Its outbreaks in cities with large populations. D.Its ability to defend itself and resist new drugs. (责任编辑：admin) |