B. The popularity of rugby in New Zealand.

C. A traditional dance goes on today in New Zealand.

D. The magic of warm-ups before rugby matches.

【解析】选C。主旨大意题。根据短文关键词haka可知, 本文主要介绍新西兰的传统舞蹈haka。因此答案选C。

2. The underlined word "intimidate" (Para. 4) is closest in meaning to __________.

A. threaten　　　 　　　　 B. satisfy

C. amaze　　　　 D. attract

【解析】选A。词义猜测题。结合"show off their strength"和"enemy"可知向敌对的一方炫耀自己的力量, 由此可以推测, 该词意为"恐吓, 威胁"。因此答案选A。

3. All Blacks players perform the haka before a rugby match starts because __________.

A. they are crazy about it

B. they want to please their fans

C. it can let them be in high spirits

D. it is a tradition passed down from their ancestors

【解析】选C。推理判断题。根据第四段"What better way is there to get excited before the game than doing a war dance? "一句可知, 新西兰橄榄球队热身时跳haka是为了鼓舞士气。

4. What can we learn about the haka from the passage?

A. The haka is only performed before rugby matches in New Zealand.

B. The haka is a good way to show nationalism in New Zealand.

C. The haka is a symbol of fighting in the past and future.

D. The haka has helped the New Zealand's national rugby team win all the time.

【解析】选B。推理判断题。根据第六段". . . one of the world's most perfect acts of nationalism. . . fighting for a common future. . . "一句可以推断, haka这种舞蹈充分展现了新西兰的民族精神。因此答案选B。

To the people who came to Christopher Morley Park in Roslyn, he had no name. To them, he was "the ice cream man". He had just two hands and a smile handing back ice cream from the van window. To me, he was my older brother, Andrew.

Once, he worked on Wall Street. But later he spent his days selling ice cream to an endless line of kids, moms and dads in swimming suits, perhaps daydreaming of a beach faraway.

All day long, while he sold bags of potato chips, cans of soda, and all types of ice cream, he would do this sort of robotic motion-turn to the right, bend down, hand the item out of the window and collect the money.

His drinking days were over. They ended one night after he took a severe beating when someone followed him home and robbed him when he was drunk. It left him memories of pain and misery. He was determined he would never take another drink again.

One day after years later, I went to see him. I slipped into the high driver's seat and sat quietly watching him work. Occasionally, he would ask me to hand him a diet root