题型：阅读选择 题类：真题 难易度：普通
2017年山东省泰安市中考英语真题试卷（含听力题目无音频）
C
Many years ago, a French naturalist, Comte de Buffon, wrote some books about natural history. The books were a great success even though some critics（批评家）did not like them.
Thomas Jefferson did not like what Comte de Buffon had said about the natural wonders（奇观）of the New World. It seemed to Jefferson that Comte de Buffon had spoken of natural wonders in America as if（好像）they were unimportant.
This troubled Thomas Jefferson. He was also a naturalist, as well as a farmer, an inventor, a historian, a writer and a politician（政治家）. He had seen the natural wonders of Europe. To him, they were no more important than those of the New World.
In 1788, Thomas Jefferson wrote about his home state, Virginia. While writing, he thought of its natural beauty and then of the words of Comte de Buffon. At that moment, Jefferson created a new word—belittle. He said, “Comte de Buffon believes that nature belittles her productions on this side of the Atlantic（大西洋）.”
Noah Webster, the American word expert, liked this word. He put it in the English language dictionary in 1806, “Belittle—to make small, unimportant.”
Americans had already accepted Jefferson's word and started to use it. In 1797, the Independent Chronicle（独立纪事报）used the word to describe a politician the paper supported. “It is an honorable man,” the paper wrote, “so let the opposition try to belittle him as much as they please.”
In 1872, a famous American word expert decided that the time had come to kill this word. He said, “Belittle shouldn't become English. And more critical writers of America, like those of Britain, feel no need of it.”
This expert failed to kill the word. Today, belittle is used where the English language is spoken.
Paris is the capital of France. Its subway is very special（特别的）. You can enjoy its culture（文化）when you are in this city.
Look, you can see many people listening to music with their headsets（耳机）on the subway. When they are on the subway or at the station, there is always a book in the hand, too.
The subway station in Paris is not big. However, each of them has its special things. Some stations look like ships. Some have clothes, hats and shoes. And every station has a big ad picture. But many of them are for selling clothes and cosmetics（化妆品）.
You can meet some beggars（乞丐）on the subway. But the beggar s on the Paris subway are also very special. They enjoy playing the violin or guitar. After playing, it is natural（自然的）for them to go around the train and ask you for some money. They think they should get the money because of their show.
If you want to learn more about Paris, go to the subway and enjoy its culture by yourself.
The Subway in Paris | |
Main feeling | The subway is not the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} as that in other cities. |
Special things | ★ People are always listening to {#blank#}2{#/blank#} or reading when they are on the subway or at the station. ★The subway in Paris is {#blank#}3{#/blank#} but special. You can enjoy its culture. If you take the subway there, you can {#blank#}4{#/blank#} clothes, hats and shoes. ★ The beggars on the subway don't feel shy to ask for money {#blank#}5{#/blank#} they think they give their show to other people. |
试题篮
