【Irelandhashadaverydifficulthistory.Theproblemsstartedinthe16thcenturywhenEnglishrulertriedtoconquerIreland.Forhundredsofyears,theIrishpeoplefoughtagainsttheEnglish,Finally,in1921,theBritishgovernmentwasforc】

　　Irelandhashadaverydifficulthistory.Theproblemsstartedinthe16thcenturywhenEnglishrulertriedtoconquerIreland.Forhundredsofyears,theIrishpeoplefoughtagainsttheEnglish,Finally,in1921,theBritishgovernmentwasforcedtogiveindependencetothesouthofIreland.Theresultisthattodaytherearetwo"Irelands".NorthernIreland,inthenorth,ispartoftheUnitedKingdom.TheRepublicofIreland,inthesouth,isanindependentcountry.

　　Inthe1840sthemaincrop,potatoes,wasaffectedbydiseaseandabout750,000peoplediedofhunger.This,andashortage(短缺)ofwork,forcedmanypeopletoleaveIrelandandliveintheUSA,theUK,AustraliaandCanada.Asaresultoftheseproblems,thepopulationfellfrom8.2millionin1841to6.6millionin1851.

　　Formanyyears,themajorityofIrishpeopleearnedtheirlivingasfarmers.Today,manypeoplewillworkonthelandbutmoreandmorepeoplearemovingtothecitiestoworkinfactoriesandoffices.Lifeinthecitiesisverydifferentfromlifeinthecountryside,wherethingsmoveataquieterandslowerpace.

　　TheIrisharefamousforbeingwarm-heartedandfriendly.OscarWilde,afamousIrishwriter,oncesaidthattheIrishwere"thegreatesttalkerssincetheCreeks".Sinceindependence,Irelandhasrevived(复兴)itsowncultureofmusic,language,literatureandsinging.DifferentareashavedifferentstylesofoldIrishsongswhicharesungwithoutinstruments.OtherkindsofIrishmusicusemanydifferentinstrumentssuchastheviolin,whistles,etc.

　　小题1:Whatdoestheauthortellusinparagraph1?A．HowtheIrishfoughtagainsttheEnglish.B．HowIrelandgainedindependence.C．HowEnglishrulerstriedtoconquerIreland.D．Howtwo“Irelands”cameintobeing.小题2:WelearnfromthetextthatinIreland________.A．foodshortagesinthe1840sledtoadeclineinpopulationB．peoplearemovingtothecitiesforlackofworkinthecountrysideC．itishardertomakealivingasafarmerthanasafactoryworkerD．differentkindsofoldIrishsongsareallsungwithinstruments小题3:Thelastparagrap