Merton College

　　Founded in 1264, Merton has the oldest medieval library in use. J. R. R. Tolkien is said to have spent many hours here writing The Lord of the Rings. One of the college's treasures is an astrolabe(星盘)，thought to have belonged to Chaucer. The college has "the most amazing" collection of medieval coloured glass in Oxford.

　　Bodleian Library

　　The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, is the largest university library in the UK. It is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library. It holds more than 9 million printed items on 189 km of shelving and seats up to 2,500 readers. The users of the library here include five kings, 40 Nobel Prize winners, 25 British prime ministers and countless famous writers.

21.If a Harry Potter fan travels to Oxford, he'll probably visit ____________.

　A. Merton College B. Magdalen College

　C. Bodleian Library D. Christ Church College

22.Which of the following can travelers see in Magdalen College?

　A. Britain's oldest Botanic Garden. B. England's smallest cathedral.

　C. A seven-ton tower bell. D. A 15th-century tower.

23.According to the text, J. R. R. Tolkien is ____________.

　A. the owner of the astrolabe in Merton College

　B. the author of The Lord of the Rings

　C. the designer of the oldest medieval library

　D. the founder of Merton College

24.What do we know about the Bodleian Library?

　A. It lies in Magdalen College.

　B. It is the most famous library in the UK.

　C. It is smaller than the British Library.

　D. It has a collection of 2,500 kinds of books.

　　 When referring to our neighbors across the pond, it's not uncommon to hear the terms "the United Kingdom" and "Great Britain" used almost in the same way. But you would obviously be wrong if you do so, because there is a difference between the two that has its roots in geography, politics and languages.

　　Great Britain refers to the island of Britain, which, politically, is made up of Wales, Scotland, and England as well as some of the small islands off the coast of the big island, such as the Isle of Wight. In the Middle Ages, Britain also referred to a tiny part of France which is now known as Brittany. Because of that, Great Britain was used specifically for the big island at that time, geographically speaking. Besides, we can find out the words that mean different things in America and Great Britain. Even though Americans share the same language as those in Great Britain, words that commonly mean one thing here can mean something completely different across the pond.

The term the United Kingdom, is a purely political term. The United Kingdom is an independent country consisting of Scotland, Wales, England as well as Northern Ireland. The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.