1. Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one, that best fits according to the information given in the passage you have just read.

Historically, women have had a tough time getting rich. What follows is一if debatable-a ranking of the wealthiest women in history.

1 Empress Wu

Lived: 624- 705 AD

Nation: China

Peak Wealth/ Global GDP: 22.7%

You don't become the richest woman of all time without a little bloodshed. When Emperor Gaozong gained power, Wu was cruel in eliminating competitors for her love. She reportedly killed her own week- old daughter and pinned the crime on one of Gaozong's main consorts, Empress Wang, who was imprisoned and killed. Once Gaozong died, Wu forced her own sons to resign and was named court administrator, a position equivalent to emperor. Her strategies paid off for China's economy: Under her 15-year rule, the empire expanded its area, making it one of the largest in the world at the time. National wealth prospered thanks to the trade of tea and silk with Western nations along the Silk Road.

2 Hatshepsut

Lived: 1507- 1458 BC

Nation: Egypt

Peak Wealth/ Global GDP: about 20%

In order to rule as Egypt's first female pharaoh, Hatshepsut worked hard to convince people that her rule was the will of the gods. And who could blame her: At stake ( 利害关系) was control of gold mines with an output that would be worth $2 billion today. She rose to power after the death of her husband and went on to control one of the largest empires in the ancient world, with lands that extended beyond Egypt's borders into the Middle East.

3 Catherine the Great

Lived: 1729- 1796

Nation: Russia

Peak Wealth/ Global GDP: 5.4%

Catherine the Great's title may refer not only to her political power but also to her fortune, which today would give her economic power equal to about $ 1.5 trillion. Catherine's rule over Russia, historically one of the largest empires in terms of land, gave her control of about 5% of global GDP at the time. While most Russians' lives did not improve during Catherine's rule, their labour drove some of the empire s most ambitious military expansion and cultural projects.

4 Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken

Lived: 1954-present

Nation: Netherlands

Peak Wealth/ Global GDP: 0.017%

Every time you crack open a Heineken, you're adding to the fortune of this Dutch woman, whose wealth peaked at $12.7 billion in 2016. De Carvalho-Heineken is the only child of Freddy Heineken, who served as CEO of the world's third-largest brewer from 1971 to 1989. She inherited her 25% stake in Heineken International when her father died in 2002. Without any formal business education, de Carvalho-Heineken was a driving force behind the selection of the company's current CEO, Jean-Francois van Boxmeer. He's overseen $30 billion in company acquisitions since he took the position.

1. （1） What is the shared feature of the four women in the passage?

   A . Humble origin. B . Fortune. C . Cruelty. D . Social status.
3. （2） What can be inferred from the passage?

   A . Empress Wu contributed to the development of the Silk Road. B . Hatshepsut's power was granted by the gods to an extent. C . Catherine the Great was devoted to improving people's living. D . De Carvalho-Heineken is the richest woman alive in the world.
5. （3） What will be most probably talked about next in the passage?

   A . The factors for the success of the women. B . The challenges facing women in getting to the top. C . Comparison between rich men and women. D . More women outstanding in the ranking.