阅读提升

（一）

A

On a cold early morning, an old woman was carrying a big basket of cabbages on her head to the market. She hoped to sell them to the people in the town.

The mountain road was narrow (狭窄) and the old woman was walking carefully, because she did not want to lose her cabbages.

Suddenly she heard a loud bell and a bicycle came round. It passed her and went very fast down the hill. The old woman had to jump up to one side of the road so quickly that basket of cabbages nearly fell into the valley (山谷).

She looked up, and saw that a young boy was on the bicycle. He was riding on without even looking round to see whether the old woman was all right.

The old woman began to shout, “Come back, young man! You dropped something!”

When he heard this, the boy stopped the bicycle so suddenly that he nearly fell off. Then he turned and began to push the bicycle back up to the hill. “What is it?” he asked. “What did I drop?” “Little boy,” the old woman answered, “you dropped your manners.”

1. What was the old woman carrying in the basket?

A. Eggs. B. Pears.

C. Apples. D. Cabbages.

2. Why did the woman go to the town?

A. To see her son. B. To buy cabbages.

C. To buy a bicycle. D. To sell her cabbages.

3. What was the mountain road like?

A. Wide. B. Narrow.

C. Long. D. Untidy.

4. Why did the boy stop?

A. To buy some cabbages.

B. To pick up the cabbages.

C. To take the old woman to the town.

D. To ask the old woman what he dropped.

5. What did the boy drop?

A. His books. B. His money.

C. His manners. D. His cabbages.

B

Its not WASTE until it is WASTED!

With the World Environment Day coming, our school is now requiring every student to form a habit of sorting (分類) the waste. Here in our schoolyard we place four different colors of rubbish bins for different kinds of rubbish. The red is for harmful waste; the blue is for waste that can be recycled; the green is for kitchen waste; the yellow is for other waste.

The followings are some instructions for you.

Glass: Empty bottles without caps can be recycled to make new glass bottles.

Warning: Mirrors and light bulbs (电灯泡) must not be included in the glass waste.

Paper: Newspapers, magazines, boxes must be clean enough to be recycled.

Warning: Paper tissues (餐纸) and wall paper are not recyclable as paper and should be kept separately.

PMD waste: Packaging (包装) made of Plastic or Metal and Drink boxes are used to make new packaging.

Warning: Plastic pots (e.g. yoghurt pots), plastic bags must not be included with the PMD waste.

Harmful waste: out-of-date drugs, used batteries, paint and oil …

Besides, if you dont need your old bikes at all, our school volunteers will collect them. Were going to fix them up and then give them away to kids who dont have enough money for a bike.

To find out more about recycling, you can visit our school website.

6. How many different colors of rubbish bins are laid in the schoolyard?

A. 2. B. 3.

C. 4. D. 5.

7. The fish bones should be thrown in the __________ .

A. red bin B. blue bin

C. green bin D. yellow bin

8. What are harmful waste?

A. Paper tissues. B. Empty bottles.

C. Drink boxes. D. Out-of-date drugs.

9. If you give your old bike to the volunteers, it will be __________ .

A. sold to collect money for the poor kids

B. fixed up and given back to you for free

C. given away immediately to the poor kids

D. fixed up and given away to the poor kids

10. Whats the main purpose of this passage?

A. To introduce waste sorting.

B. To look for volunteers for waste sorting.

C. To introduce the World Environment Day.

D. To advertise glass, paper and plastic products.

C

We know the mosquito very well. Mosquitoes fly everywhere. They can be found almost all over the world, and there are more than 2,500 kinds of them.

No one likes the mosquito. But the mosquito may decide that she loves you. She? Yes, she. Its true that male mosquito doesnt bite and only the female mosquito bites because she needs blood to lay eggs. She is always looking for animals or people she wants to bite. If she likes what she finds, she bites. But if she doesnt like your blood, she will turn to someone else for more delicious blood. Next time a mosquito bites you, just remember you are chosen. Youre different from the others!

If the mosquito likes you, she lands on your body without letting you know. She bites you so quickly and quietly that you may not feel anything different. After she bites, you will have an itch (癢) on your body because she puts something from her mouth together with your blood. By the time the itch begins, she has flown away.

And then what happens? Well, after her delicious dinner, the mosquito feels tired. She just wants to find a place to have a good rest. There, on a leaf or a wall, she begins to lay hundreds of eggs.

11. What does the underlined word “mosquito” in Paragraph 1 mean in Chinese?

A. 苍蝇 B. 蜻蜓

C. 跳蚤 D. 蚊子

12. Why does the writer say we know mosquitoes very well?

A. They can fly.

B. They love people.

C. They need peoples blood.

D. They are quite common in our life.

13. The female mosquito bites people to __________ .

A. feed themselves

B. get blood to lay eggs

C. get food for the rest

D. get food for the males

14. If the mosquito doesnt bite you, it is because __________ .

A. it is angry with you B. be afraid of you

C. it isnt hungry D. it doesnt like your blood

15. Which of the following is TRUE about mosquitoes?

A. Male mosquitoes like to bite people for blood.

B. The itch begins after the mosquito bites you.

C. You feel tired when the mosquito bites you.

D. Mosquitoes lay eggs when biting.

D

根据短文内容，判断正（T）误（F）。

A man went to see his doctor one day, because he was suffering from pains in his stomach. After the doctor had examined him carefully, he said to him, “Well, theres nothing really wrong with you, Im glad to say. Your only trouble is that you worry too much. Do you know, I had a man with the same trouble as you a few weeks ago, and I gave him the same advice as I am going to give you. He was worried because he couldnt pay his tailors bills. I told him not to worry about the bills any more. He took my advice and when he came to see me again two days ago, he told me that he now felt quite all right again.” “Yes, I know all about that,” answered the patient sadly. “You see, Im that mans tailor!”

16. The tailor went to see his doctor because he had a headache.

17. There was nothing serious with the tailor.

18. The man had the same trouble as the tailor.

19. The doctor gave the man and the tailor the same advice.

20. The tailor was worried because the man couldnt pay his bills.

（二）

A

Little Tommy was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything—tutors (家庭教師), cards, special learning centers—in short, everything they could think of. Finally they took Tommy to a catholic (天主教的) school.

After the first day, little Tommy came home with a very serious look on his face. He didnt kiss his mother hello. Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread out all over the room and little Tommy was hard at work. His mother was surprised. She called him down to dinner and as soon as he finished eating, he went back to his room, without a word. In no time he was back studying the books as hard as before. This went on for some time while the mother tried to understand what was happening.

Finally, little Tommy brought home his report card. He quietly put it on the table and went up to his room and hit the books. His mom looked at it and, to her surprise, little Tommy got an A in math. She could no longer hold her curiosity. She went to his room and asked, “Son, what was it? Was it the nuns (修女)?”

Little Tommy looked at her and shook his head, “No. ” “Well then,” she asked again, “what was it?”

Little Tommy looked at her and said, “Well, on the first day of school, when I saw that man nailed (被釘住) to the plus sign, I knew they werent joking. ”

1. Why did Tommys parents send him to a catholic school?

A. He could eat well there.

B. He could learn more about nuns.

C. They wanted him to do better in his math.

D. They didnt want him to learn math any more.

2. Tommys mother felt surprised that his son ＿＿＿.

A. ate so much at dinner

B. worked hard but said little

C. was still the same as usual

D. kissed her hello after school

3. What do the underlined words “hit the books” in Paragraph 3 probably mean in Chinese?

A. 用功 B. 捶书

C. 发泄 D. 振作

4. Which is TRUE about little Tommy according to the last paragraph?

A. He felt sorry for the man.

B. He didnt like the plus sign.

C. He was afraid of being nailed.

D. He liked playing jokes on others.

5. What can we infer from the passage?

A. Mistaking might do good sometimes.

B. Teachers should be strict with their students.

C. A catholic school is much better than other ones.

D. Nuns are good at helping children with their math.

B

Do you know why different animals or pests (昆虫) have special colors? Colors in them seem to be used mainly to protect themselves.

Some birds like eating locusts (蝗虫), but birds cannot easily catch them. Why? Because locusts change their colors with the change of the colors of crops. When crops are green, locusts look green. But as the harvest time comes, locusts change to the same brown color as crops have. Some other pests with different colors from plants are easily found. So they have to hide themselves for lives and appear only at night.

If you study the animal life, youll find the main use of coloring is to protect themselves. Bears, lions, and other animals move quietly through forests. They cannot be easily seen by hunters, because they have the colors much like the trees.

Have you ever noticed an even stranger act? A kind of fish in the sea can send out a kind of very black liquid (液體) when in danger. While the liquid spreads over, its enemies cannot find it. And it immediately swims away. So it has lived up to now though it is not strong at all.

6. What can we learn about the locusts?

A. They are friendly animals.

B. They can be easily found by birds.

C. They are dangerous to some of their enemies.

D. They change their colors to protect themselves.

7. How can pests with different colors from plants keep out

of danger?

A. They can move quietly.

B. They can run away quickly.

C. They have the colors much like their enemies.

D. They hide themselves by day and appear at night.

8. Why can bears and lions keep safe in the forests?

A. They move quietly and fast.

B. They can not be seen by hunters.

C. They have the colors much like the trees.

D. They are the strongest animals in forests.

9. Why can the fish mentioned in the last paragraph live up

to now?

A. It is very smart.

B. It swims very fast.

C. Its color can help them hide from the enemies.

D. The liquid it sends out can help them run away.

10. Which is the best title for this passage?

A. The Main Use of Colors for Animals and Pests

B. The Change of Colors for Animals and Pests

C. Colors of Different Animals and Pests

D. Animals and Pests

C

If you look into the sky at night, you may see something moving and shining that you have never seen before. It might be a comet (彗星). A comet sometimes looks like a star. Like a planet, a comet has no light of its own. It shines from the sunlight it reflects. Like the earth, a comet goes round the sun, but on a much longer path than the earth travels.

Some scientists think that a large part of a comet is water frozen into pieces of ice. This is mixed with iron and rock dust and perhaps a few big pieces of rock. When the sun melts (融化) the ice in the comet, great clouds, together with the dust, forms a long tail. Many people have seen a comet. However, no one knows how many comets there are. There may be millions of comets, but only a few come close enough to the earth for us to see. Even then its not often that a comet comes close enough to be seen without a telescope (望远镜).

An English man named Edmund Halley, who lived from 1656 to 1742, found out a lot about the paths that comets take through the sky. Some comets never come back. Others keep coming back at regular intervals (有规律的间隔). A big comet that keeps returning was named after Halley because he was the one who worked out when it would come back again.

Some people saw Halleys Comet in 1910. Maybe you have ever seen Halleys Comet because the last time it came close to the sun and the earth was in 1986. If not, you will probably wait for a long time.

11. Which is TRUE about comets according to Paragraph 1?

A. They travel on a shorter path than earth do.

B. They are either stars or planets.

C. They can shine by themselves.

D. They travel around the sun.

12. A large part of a comet is __________.

A. rock dust and a few big pieces of rock

B. water frozen into pieces of ice

C. ice, iron and rock dust

D. ice and iron

13. What did Halley find about the comets?

A. The paths of them. B. The weights of them.

C. The return time of them. D. The size of them

14. When may you be able to see Halleys Comet?

A. In 2018. B. In 2056.

C. In 2062. D. In 2090.

15. What can we learn from the passage?

A. Halley died in the 17th century.

B. Halleys Comet looks like a star.

C. Not many comets can be seen by people.

D. Halley discovered a few paths that comets take.

D

根據短文内容，判断正（T）误（F）。

In order to know a foreign language thoroughly (完全地), four things are necessary. Firstly, we must be able to understand the language when we hear it. Secondly, we must be able to speak it correctly with confidence and without hesitation (犹豫). Thirdly, we must be able to compose (创作) sentences that are grammatically correct. Fourthly, we must know how to put sentences into paragraphs, so as to write a good letter or composition.

There is no easy way to success in language learning. A good memory is of great help but it is not simply enough to memorize rules from a grammar book. It is not much use learning long lists of words and their meanings by heart. We must learn words not by themselves but in sentences. We must learn by using the language. “Learn through use” is a good piece of advice for those who are studying a new language. Practice is very important. We must practice speaking and writing the language whenever we can.

16. The passage is mainly about how to learn a foreign language.

17. The first step of learning a language is reading.

18. When we try to speak a foreign language, we must be able to speak it correctly with confidence.

19. The writer advises us to use a dictionary whenever we can.

20. It is very important for us to practice speaking and writing when we learn a new language.

（三）

A

Nowadays, a new method is used to decide on the top students in school. The best students are those who not only get high marks, but also follow the rules and the behavior standards (标准) for them. Here are some of the new rules and standards.

Have you ever copied someone elses work on an exam? If you have, dont do it again! Thats not something an honest student should do. If you were playing computer games in your room, dont tell your parents you were doing homework.

Learn to be loving and caring. Good students love animals and care for other people.

Learn to work with others. It would be more fun when more people work together. Did you quarrel with your teammates when your basketball team lost? Only working together can make your team stronger. Be friendly to the people you are with. Try to think of others, instead of only yourself.

Be open to new ideas. Have you ever thought that people could live on the moon? Perhaps youll discover EarthⅡ someday. Dont look down on new ideas. You should welcome them, because new ideas make life better for everyone.

Use the Internet carefully. The Internet can be very useful for your studies. Some websites on the Internet arent for kids, however, so make sure to visit the web pages that are good for you.

1. The new rules tell kids ＿＿＿.

A. how they can be the best student

B. how they can get high marks

C. what they should not do at school

D. what is right and what is wrong

2. What does the writer tell us in Paragraph 4?

A. To make the team stronger.

B. To learn to work with others.

C. To be friendly to your teammates.

D. To quarrel with others at the right time.

3. What should you do if someone says that human beings will discover EarthⅡ someday?

A. Leave it alone. B. Welcome it.

C. Laugh at it. D. Refuse it.

4. According to the last paragraph, good websites for children can __________.

A. help them with their studies

B. do homework for them

C. also be a waste of time

D. make life simpler

5. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A. How to use the Internet.

B. How to care for others.

C. How to work with others.

D. How to be the top students.

B

According to a new survey, students safety has become a big problem. Nearly 50% of students say they are worried about robbery (搶劫) on the way to and from school. Now in main big cities in China some schools have taught an unusual lesson: self-protection. Students like this lesson because there are no exams or boring classes. And they can learn how to save lives and know how to stop danger before it really happens.

Ma Xiaocui, a teacher at Beijing No.37 Middle School, gives young students advice on how to deal with danger.

If you are being robbed

Keep calm. If you cannot cry for help or run away, give the robber your money. Try to remember what the robber looks like and tell the police later.

If you are in a traffic accident

If a car hits you, you should remember the car number. If it is a bicycle, try to call your parents before you let the rider go. This is because you dont know how seriously you are hurt.

If it is raining hard and there is lightning

Dont stay in high places and stay away from trees.

When there is a fire

Get away as fast as you can. Put wet things on your body and try to find an exit. Do not take the lift.

If someone is drowning (溺水)

If you cant swim, dont get into the water. Cry out for help.

Remember that danger is never as far away as you think. Take care of yourself at all times!

6. Why do students like the self-protection lesson?

a. There are no tests.

b. The lessons are exciting.

c. They can learn how to save lives.

d. They will learn how to stop danger before it happens.

A. a, b, c B. b, c, d

C. a, b, d D. a, c, d

7. What should you do if a bicycle hurts you?

A. Stop the rider going away and call your parents.

B. Let the rider go before calling parents.

C. Let the rider go and go to the hospital.

D. Remember the bicycle number.

8. What must you do if your house is on fire?

A. Put things on your body.

B. Take the lift to run quickly.

C. Take what you have and then run away.

D. Run away and find an exit as quickly as you can.

9. How many kinds of danger are talked about in the passage?

A. 3. B. 4.

C. 5. D. 6.

10. What should be the best title for this passage?

A. How to Keep Calm B. Self-protection

C. A Special Lesson D. Danger

C

We do everything we can to hide from the sun in summer. Some wear hats, others buy umbrellas or sit under trees. But can you imagine what it would be like to have two suns over your head?

Well, the Kepler-47 system does have two stars in its sky, according to a discovery in the Science Journal.

The new system was found by NASAs Kepler space telescope. It is about 5,000 light-years away from us. One of the stars is similar to our sun, but the other is much smaller and less than 1 percent as bright.

In fact, systems with two stars are quite common. “Unlike our sun, many stars are part of multiple-star (多个恒星的) systems. There, two or more stars circle each other,” said a scientist from NASAs Research Center in the US.

Scientists are more surprised that there could be two planets in the Kepler-47 system because it is very hard for planets to form in such a complex environment.

One of the planets, Kepler-47b, is closer to the stars. Its three times larger than Earth. The other one, Kepler-47c, is about 4.5 times the size of Earth. Most importantly, Kepler-47c is neither too close nor too far away from the stars. It means the planet wont be too hot or cold. So scientists believe there could be water on it or even life.

11. What ways are mentioned in the passage for people to hide from the sun?

a. Wearing hats.

b. Wearing sunglasses.

c. Buying umbrellas.

d. Sitting under trees.

A. a, b, c B. b, c, d

C. a, b, d D. a, c, d

12. According to Paragraph 3 and 4, the two stars in the Kepler-46 system ＿＿＿ .

A. are similar to our sun in size

B. always move around each other

C. are quite unusual to exist together

D. belong to another multiple-star system as well

13. What does the word “complex” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A. 不寻常的 B. 单一的

C. 艰难的 D. 有利的

14. Which is TRUE about the planets in the Kepler-47 system?

A. Kepler-47c is neither too hot nor too cold.

B. Kepler-47c is proved to be suitable for lives.

C. Kepler-47b is 4.5 times as large as the Earth.

D. Kepler-47b is farther away from the stars than Kepler-47c.

15. The passage mainly talks about __________ .

A. the newly-found Kepler-47 system

B. the stars and planets of multiple-star system

C. the information of different systems in space

D. the special environment of our solar system

D

根据短文内容，判断正（T）误（F）。

A famous teacher was speaking to the students at our school. He began his lesson by holding up a $100 bill. Then he said to the three hundred students, “Who would like this $100 bill?” The students began to put up their hands at once.

Then he said, “I am going to give this $100 to one of you, but first, let me do this.” He then made the bill into a ball. Then he said, “Who wants it now?” The hands went back into the air.

“Well,” he said, “what if I do this?” He dropped it on the floor and stepped on it. He picked up the dirty, crumpled(變皱的) bill and said, “Who still wants it?” Hands went back into the air.

“My friends,” he said, “you have learned a valuable lesson today. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not go down in value.”

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and stepped on by the chances we take and the things that happen to us. We feel as if we are worth nothing. But remember, no matter what has happened to you, you will never lose your value: you are always valuable to those people who love you. Your value doesnt come from what you do or whom you know, but who you are.

16. “The hands went back into the air” means “the students put up their hands again.”

17. The teacher used the bill in order to make the students know what value was.

18. Even though it was dirty, the bill was still valuable.

19. Your value comes from what you do, not from who you are.

20. We are always valuable to the people who pay us.

（四）

A

Alfred Nobel, the great Swedish inventor and industrialist, was born in Stockholm on October 21, 1833, but moved to Russia with his parents in 1842, where his father, Immanuel, made a strong position in the engineering industry. Immanuel Nobel invented landmine (地雷) and made a lot of money from the government during the Crimean War, but went bankrupt (破產) soon after. Therefore, the family returned to Sweden in 1859, where Alfred began his own study of explosives (爆炸物) in his fathers lab.

He had never been to school or university but had taught himself, and by the time he was twenty, he became a skillful chemist and excellent linguist, speaking Swedish, Russian, German, French, and English. He built up over 80 companies in 20 different countries. He was always searching for the meaning to life. He spent much time and money working on how to end wars and build peace between nations, until his death in Italy in 1896. His famous last will, in which he left money to provide prizes for outstanding work in physics, chemistry, physiology, medicine, literature, and peace, is a memorial to his interests and ideas. And so, the man is remembered and respected long after his death.

1. Where was Alfred Nobel born?

A. In Sweden. B. In America.

C. In Russia. D. In Germany.

2. When was landmine invented?

A. In 1842.

B. During World War I.

C. Before Alfred was born.

D. During the Crimean War.

3. Why did Alfred Nobel return to Sweden?

A. His father was put in prison.

B. His father went bankrupt.

C. His father was ill.

D. His father died.

4. How many companies did Alfred Nobel build up?

A. 60. B. 80.

C. Less than 60. D. Over 80.

5. What was Alfred Nobel always searching for?

A. More work and more money.

B. The peace between nations.

C. The true meaning to life.

D. The end of the war.

B

As young students, you have many dreams. These dreams can be very big, like winning the Nobel Prize; they can also be small, like becoming one of the best students in your class.

Andrew Matthews, an Australian writer, tells us that making your dreams real is lifes biggest challenge. You may think youre not very good at some school subjects, or that its impossible for you to become a writer. Those kinds of ideas stop you from realizing your dream.

In fact, everyone can realize his dream. The first thing you must do is to remember what your dream is. Dont let it leave your heart. Keep telling yourself what you want every day and then your dream will come true faster. You should know that a big dream is made up of many small dreams.

You must also never give up your dream. There will be difficulties on the road to your dreams. But the biggest difficulty comes from yourself. You need to decide what is the most important. Studying instead of watching TV will help you to get better exam results, while saving five dollars instead of buying an ice cream means to buy a new book.

As you get closer to your dream, it may change a little. This is good as you have the chance to learn something more useful and find new hobbies.

6. What is the first thing you must do to realize your dream?

A. To remember what your dream is.

B. To learn something useful.

C. To decide small dreams.

D. To do well in school.

7. According to the writer, on the way to success, the biggest difficulty comes from __________.

A. yourself B. failures

C. exam results D. your classmates

8. What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph stand for?

A. The money you save. B. The difficult situation.

C. The time of watching TV. D. Your dream.

9. Which of the following is TRUE about dreams according to the passage?

A. Find another dream if it cant be realized at an early age.

B. Dreams may change a lot when you get closer to them.

C. Realizing a dream includes facing difficulties.

D. Young students should have small dreams.

10. What can be the best title of this passage?

A. Never Give Up

B. How to Become a Writer

C. Big Dream? Small Dream?

D. How to Make Your Dream Real

C

Nowadays, many children spend hours a day looking at computer screens or other digital products. Some eye care doctors say all the screen time has caused more children to have what they call computer vision syndrome (視力综合征).

Nathan Warford is an optometrist in the US. He says he has seen more children having eye problems. “More children come into my office because their parents have noticed that they have headaches or red eyes, or because their degree of short-sightedness appears to be increasing very fast and theyre worried,” he says.

Dr Warford says part of the problem is that even if their eyes start to feel uncomfortable or they start to get a headache, some children dont tell their parents because they dont want their games or the computer taken away. Another part of the problem is that people blink (眨眼睛) less often when they look at the screen. A person who uses a computer or a digital product blinks about a third as much as we normally do in everyday life. If eyes cant stay wet or are too tired, they will not be protected normally.

11. What can be caused by too much screen time?

A. Wet eyes. B. Headaches.

C. Small eyes. D. Toothache.

12. Why dont some children tell their parents when their eyes start to feel uncomfortable?

A. They dont think it is serious.

B. Their parents dont care about them.

C. They dont want their parents to worry.

D. They want to continue playing computer games.

13. What can we learn from the passage?

A. Its useless to blink.

B. Tears cant protect eyes.

C. Blinking is good for eyes.

D. Children should blink as much as possible.

14. When people use computers, they blink about  __________ as they normally do.

A. two thirds as much B. a third as much

C. half as much D. as much

15. What is the passage mainly about?

A. Eye problems in children caused by using digital products.

B. Dr Warfords experience of working out eye problems.

C. Some information about the latest digital products.

D. The problems with digital products.

D

根据短文内容，判断正（T）误（F）。

My friend Matt and I arrived at the Activity Center on Friday evening. The accommodation (住宿) wasnt wonderful, but we had everything we needed (beds, blankets, and food), and we were pleased to be out of the city and in the fresh air.

On Saturday morning we met the other ten members of our group. Cameron came along with two friends, Kevin and Simon, while sisters Carole and Lynn came with Amanda. There were some other members I didnt know. We came from different places and none of us knew the area.

We knew we were going to spend the weekend outdoors, but none of us was sure exactly how. Half of us spent the morning caving while the others went rock-climbing and then we changed at lunchtime. Matt and I went to the caves (岩洞) first. Climbing out was harder than going in, but after a good deal of pushing, we were out at last. Though we were covered with mud, we were pleased and excited by what wed done.

16. The writer spent the Saturday morning fishing on a river.

17. There were twelve members in all in the writers group.

18. Some of the group members already knew each other.

19. The writer had a good time over the weekend.

20. This passage mainly introduces outdoor sports at the  Activity Center.

（五）

A

Look carefully at the back of a California state quarter (2角5分硬幣). A man with a walking stick is pictured there. Who is this man, and why is he so important that he appears on the back of a coin?

The man on this quarter is John Muir. Even as a child, Muir loved watching nature. As a young man, he spent much of his life exploring (探索) the beauty of the wilderness. He walked more than a thousand miles across the country. He liked writing about the places he visited.

Muir also wrote about problems. In order to create more farmland for sheep and cattle, many trees were being cut down. This upset and worried Muir because he knew that trees were important to forests and to the animals that lived in them. Muir believed that nature should be protected instead of being changed by human beings. He wrote articles in magazines and newspapers to spread the word about conserving forests. Soon, others began to listen.

Muir wrote letters to important people, such as President Theodore Roosevelt. The president admired Muirs love for nature. When Roosevelt came to visit Muir in California, Muir convinced (说服) the president to go camping with him for three nights under the trees so they could talk about conservation. Later, President Roosevelt set aside 148 million acres of land for national forests and built five national parks. One of these parks is Yosemite National Park.

Though it has been almost one hundred years since John Muir died, people continue his work today. His work as a conservationist helped us to see the beauty of our natural world.

1. What did John Muir often do when he was a young man?

A. He watched natural views.

B. He wrote about the places he lived in.

C. He explored the beauty of the wilderness.

D. He created farmland for sheep and cattle.

2. Why did President Theodore Roosevelt visit John Muir?

A. He loved watching nature.

B. He received letters from John Muir.

C. He admired John Muirs love for nature.

D. He was sad about the problems with farmland.

3. What happened after President Roosevelt went camping with John Muir?

A. Many trees were cut down.

B. Five national parks were built.

C. More houses and businesses were built.

D. More farmland was used for sheep and cattle.

4. What did John Muir do as a famous person?

A. Traveling.

B. Exploring.

C. Enjoying the beauty of nature.

D. Acting to protect nature.

5. What is the writers purpose of writing this text?

A. To advise readers to protect nature.

B. To make us interested in a great man.

C. To tell us the story about John Muir.

D. To give information about how to protect the environment.

B

Time Temp Glasses

Do you want to know the time and temperature during the day? You might like Time Temp Glasses. These special glasses show the time above your right eye and the temperature above your left eye. It is surely easier than wearing a wristwatch, and you never have to guess the temperature.

Alarm Fork

Do you eat too quickly and too much? How can the Alarm Fork help you? Arent you curious? Well, this special fork has two lights: green and red. When the green is on, its OK to eat a piece of food. The fork “knows” when you eat a piece, and soon the red goes on. Wait for the green light before you eat another piece.

Smell This

So do you know if your breath smells nice, or if it smells bad? Its difficult to know, because its very hard to smell the air that comes out of your own mouth. Smell This is useful for this situation. It tells whether your breath is nice, or you need a piece of gum (口香糖).

Banana Suitcase

Has this ever happened to you? You put a banana in your lunch bag in the morning, and when you open the bag at noon, the banana looks like someone drove a car over it. If you put your banana in a Banana Suitcase, this will never happen. It keeps a banana safe, delicious, and banana-like!

6. Which invention is most helpful for someone waiting for a train?

A. Time Temp Glasses. B. Alarm Fork.

C. Smell This. D. Banana Suitcase.

7. A person who wants to lose weight may be interested in ＿＿＿.

A. Time Temp Glasses B. Alarm Fork

C. Smell This D. Banana Suitcase

8. What can you buy if you want to know how your breath is?

A. Time Temp Glasses. B. Banana Suitcase.

C. Smell This. D. Alarm Fork.

9. If one uses the Banana Suitcase, he may ＿＿＿ .

A. eat bananas only at home

B. need to throw away a banana

C. have little interest in eating bananas

D. love bananas and brings lunch to school every day

10. Which word can be used to describe these inventions?

A. Strange. B. Expensive.

C. Unusual. D. Useless.

C

A new report shows what life might be like in 100 years. It describes skyscrapers that are much taller than todays buildings, underwater “bubble” cities and holidays in space. The report is from a company. It asked experts on space and architecture (建筑學), as well as city planners, to give their ideas on the life in 2117. They said the way we live, work and play will be completely different from how we do these things today. The experts used the Internet as an example. They said that 25 years ago, people could not imagine how the Internet and smartphones would change our lives. The Internet has completely changed the way we communicate, learn and do daily things. The experts said the changes in the next century would be even more unbelievable.

Researchers questioned 2,000 adults about the predictions (预言) they thought were most likely (很可能的) to happen in the future. They predicted that in the future, few people will go to an office but will work at home and have work meetings online. People will have highly developed 3-D printers that will let you download a design for furniture or a food recipe and then “print” the sofa, table or pizza at home. There will also be less need for visits to the doctor. We will all have a home health instrument that will tell us what the problem is and give us treatment. We will also be going into space for holidays and to get resources that we have run out of on Earth. A prediction that is missing is whether people will still need to study English.

11. The writer uses the example of the Internet in Paragraph 1 to show ＿＿＿ .

A. the Internet was often used

B. the Internet has developed fast

C. people will not believe the changes

D. technology will change peoples lives

12. With the help of highly developed 3-D printers, a way to get a sofa in 2117 is to ＿＿＿ .

A. download a design and “print” one

B. design and make one by oneself

C. ask somebody to make one

D. get one without payment

13. According to the passage, the missing prediction is __________ .

A. how people will work

B. where people will get resources

C. what people will have at home to treat illness

D. whether people will still need to learn English

14. The passage is mainly about __________ .

A. the life in 2117

B. holidays in space

C. medical treatment

D. the history of the Internet

15. The passage is most probably from __________ .

A. an advertisement B. a newspaper

C. a detective story D. a health report

D

根據短文内容，判断正（T）误（F）。

My friend Mr Smith is a famous doctor and has a hospital. So he has enough money to travel all over the world. And hes been to a lot of places of interest. He likes to play with children and has a lot of little friends. They often ask him to tell them all kinds of funny things he saw. It makes them happy and his room is always full of children when hes free.

It was my little sons seventh birthday yesterday. The boy wanted to ask his old friend Mr Smith to the party. He called Mr Smith himself and told him about it. The doctor accepted his invitation happily.

Mr Smith came on time, with a nice present in his hand. After dinner the children sat around the traveler and asked him to tell them some funny stories. Mr Smith agreed and his stories made them laugh again and again. At last he told them the funniest story. He said, “Once I reached a city on a foggy day. The fog was the thickest in the world …”

“Please wait a moment, Mr Smith,” said my son, “Its said that the fog in London is the thickest in the world.”

“Youre right, my clever boy.” said the funny doctor.” The city had much fog that day…” “Whats it, then?” the boy couldnt wait to ask again.

“The fog was so thick that I couldnt see it at all.” the funny doctor said with a smile.

16. Mr Smith has been to a lot of places of interest.

17. Mr Smith is good with children.

18. Mr Smith turned down the invitation to my sons birthday party at first.

19. The stories Mr Smith told were not interesting.

20. The funny doctor couldnt see London because of the thick fog.

（六）

A

Wednesday 23rd May

Dear Kim,

We arrived at Holiday Cove in Australia on Monday and we are having lots of fun.

The flight was so boring. I nearly fell asleep but at least everything went—not like last time.

When we landed we went straight to our camp. My cousin Gemma is staying next to us.

I am excited because we are going to visit the crocodile (鱷鱼) farm tomorrow. Peter is scared and says he wants to go to the aquarium (水族馆) instead.

Tom

PS. We are leaving for Rest Harbor on Friday. Kim Allen

4 ansdowne Parade

MILL HILL QLD 4332

1. Who is this postcard sent to?

A. Peter. B. Gemma.

C. Kim. D. Tom.

2. Which country does this postcard come from?

A. Canada. B. China.

C. England. D. Australia.

3. How did Tom go to Holiday Cove?

A. By plane. B. By ship.

C. By car. D. By train.

4. Why does Peter want to go to the aquarium instead of the crocodile farm?

A. He is afraid of crocodiles.

B. He is interested in dolphins.

C. He has no tickets to the farm.

D. He has visited the farm before.

5. Where is Tom going on Friday?

A. Mill Hill. B. Rest Harbor.

C. Holiday Cove. D. Golden Beach.

B

With the development of science, more and more students dont like taking notes by hand. Instead, they use digital (数码的) cameras to take pictures of the words that their teachers write on the blackboard or record what their teachers say in class.

The children might think there are too many notes to take or their teachers write or speak so fast that they cant take more specific notes. They are trying to find ways to make things easier, so they use digital cameras. In fact, children are very clever to make use of new technology.

But do digital cameras really make taking notes easier?

Not really. Before you read notes from digital cameras, there are a lot of things you have to do. To begin with, you have to find a computer. Then you need to send the photos into the computer. Next, you will need a printer to print the photos. Another thing is that you cant hear the sound from the digital cameras clearly because there is usually lots of noise. You will have to listen to it slowly several times before you understand everything.

In fact, taking notes by hand has many advantages. For example, it can help you remember and understand what you are learning. In order to save time, you can choose the most important things or the things you dont understand to write down. You dont have to write down everything.

Dont be afraid to take notes by hand. Its really an effective way.

6. Why do students take notes with digital cameras?

A. They want to take right notes.

B. They want to make things easier.

C. Their teachers want them to do so.

D. They always want to try new things.

7. How many steps do the students need to read the notes from digital cameras?

A. Two. B. Three.

C. Four. D. Five.

8. A right way to take notes is to write down __________.

A. what you dont understand or some key words

B. all the words on the blackboard

C. everything the teacher says

D. less and memorize more

9. What does the underlined word “effective” in the last paragraph mean in Chinese?

A. 有趣的 B. 快捷的

C. 新潮的 D. 有效的

10. What is the best way to take notes according to the writer?

A. Taking pictures of what teachers write.

B. Recording what teachers say in class.

C. Taking notes with your hand.

D. Copying others notes.

C

The undersea world is very beautiful. Now more and more people want to dive in the water to find the secret there. Scuba diving (水肺潛水) is a new sport today. It can take you into a wonderful undersea world.

You will find many strange animals in the sea. Some are as large as a school bus. Many sea animals give out light in the dark and some have sharp teeth.

During the day, there is enough light. Here, under the sea, everything is blue and green.

When fish swim nearby, you can catch them with your hands. When you have bottles of air on your back, you can stay in deep water for a long time. However, you cant dive too deep. And you must be very careful when you dive in deep water.

The deep sea is not an easy place to live in. Its cold, and its dark, too. The deeper it is, the less sunlight there is. About 3,000 feet, there is no light at all. It is very dark in the sea. Many fishes have no eyes. Some have big eyes. A few have eyes on one side.

Besides the cold and the darkness, deep-sea animals face a third danger—other animals. Animals eat! They must find food to eat. Many animals eat plants. However, some animals eat meat. This means these sea animals have two big jobs. They need to find animals as food, and they have to try not to become other animals meal.

11. Why do people want to dive in the sea?

A. To catch fish.

B. To see how deep the sea is.

C. To study the plants in the sea.

D. To find the secret of the undersea world.

12. What can you find when you dive in the daytime?

A. Everything green and blue.

B. Dangerous big fish.

C. Nothing wonderful.

D. Bottles of air.

13. You can stay in deep water for a long time if you __________ .

A. are very careful

B. have bottles of air

C. dive in deep water

D. dive freely without any danger

14. How many kinds of dangers will animals meet in the deep sea according to the passage?

A. Five. B. Four.

C. Three. D. Two.

15. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The deeper the sea is, the darker it is.

B. The deep sea is a comfortable place to live in.

C. One animal finds other animals to eat, and it tries not to be eaten.

D. At the depth of 3,000 feet under the sea, all animals can find their way by seeing.

D

根據短文内容，判断正（T）误（F）。

John was a very strong man. Once he got a job cutting wood in a forest. His boss gave him an axe (斧头) and showed him the area where he should work.

The first day, John cut down eighteen trees.

“Good,” the boss said, “Keep that up!”

Happily, John tried harder the next day, but could only cut down fifteen trees.

The third day he tried even harder, but could only cut down ten trees. Day by day he was cutting down fewer and fewer trees.

“I must be losing my strength,” John thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

“When was the last time you sharpened (磨) your axe?” the boss asked.

“Sharpened? I have no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut down trees!” said John.

While John was working hard, he didnt work “smart”. Many of us never learn new skills. We think that what we have learned is enough.

16. The boss was pleased with Johns work the first day.

17. On the third day, John cut down three trees fewer than the first day.

18. John never sharpened his axe.

19. Its a waste of time for John to sharpen the axe.

20. The story tells us that we should work “smart”.

（七）

A

The story happened during the Second World War. An old man lived in a small town of Germany. He had three sons and they all worked in the same factory where he had worked. After the war began, his sons were all made to join the army one after another and they all died in the battle. The old man was very sad. he didnt have enough food and was often hungry. Nobody helped him and he didnt know how to go on living.

It was a very cold winter night. The old man couldnt go to sleep. He had been hungry for two days and it was so cold in his room that ice could be seen. He had to get up and begin to run in the room until he lay down on the ground. The next morning he had to beg from door to door. He had been to a lot of cities ever since.

Once he came to a village, but the villages were all poor and couldnt give him anything. He was too hungry to go to another village. He thought hard and found a way. He came to a police station and called out, “Hitler is a foolish pig!”

Out came an old policeman at once. He took the old man into a room, gave him some bread and a cup of tea. Then he said, “Dont say that in our village, sir!”

“Im sorry, sir,” said the old man, “I dont know its Hitlers hometown.”

“No, no, sir,” the policeman said in a hurry, “Its the pigs hometown!”

1. The old man was __________.

A. a German B. a French

C. an Australian D. an Englishman

2. Why was the old man sad?

A. He had no food or clothes.

B. He lived in the small town alone.

C. His three sons had to join the army.

D. His three sons all died during the war.

3. Why did the old man get up and run in his room?

A. To keep healthy.

B. To forget he was sad.

C. To make himself warm.

D. To forget he was hungry.

4. Why did the old man shout outside the police station?

A. Hitler killed his sons.

B. He was angry with the police.

C. He wanted to make the police angry.

D. He thought he might be given some food in prison.

5. Which is TRUE about the old policeman?

A. He hated Hitler.

B. He liked pigs.

C. He would send the old man in prison.

D. He regarded the old man as his best friend.

B

A young father was visiting an old neighbor. They were standing in the old mans garden, and talking about children. The young man said, “How strict should parents be with their children?”

The old man pointed to a string between a big strong tree and a thin young one.

“Please untie that string,” he said. The young man untied it, and the young tree bent (彎曲) over to one side.

“Now tie it again, please,” said the old man. “But first pull the string tight (紧) so that the young tree is straight again.”

The young man did so. Then the old man said, “There, it is the same with children. You must be strict with them, but sometimes you must untie the string to see how they are getting on. If they are not yet able to stand alone, you must tie the string tight again. But when you find that they are ready to stand alone, you can take the string away.”

11. Most earthquakes wont hurt people because theyre too __________ .

A. deep B. weak

C. quick D. usual

12. What should we do when an earthquake is happening?

A. Stand by windows.

B. Drive near a big bridge.

C. Stay under a big building.

D. Stay under a strong furniture.

13. What is safe for you to do when the earthquake happens?

a. Run out of the building.

b. Stay in a corner of the building.

c. Cover your mouth with a towel.

d. Cover your head with your arms.

A. a, b, c B. a, b, d

C. b, c, d D. a, c, d

14. What should you do while driving during an earthquake?

A. Get out of your car if possible.

B. Keep driving at the same speed.

C. Stop your car and stay inside it.

D. Drive to a parking lot as quickly as possible.

15. What should be the best title for this passage?

A. How to Drive a Car

B. How Earthquakes Happen

C. Why Earthquakes Happen

D. What We Should Do in Earthquakes

D

根據短文内容，判断正（T）误（F）。

A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was cooking supper, and passed her a piece of paper. After his mom dried her hands on an apron (围裙), she read what it was on the paper:

For cutting the grass: $5.00.

For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00.

For going to the supermarket for you: $1.00.

For looking after my little brother while you went shopping: $1.00.

For taking out the trash: $1.00.

For getting a good report card: $5.00.

For cleaning up the garden: $2.00.

Total: $16.00.

Well, his mother looked at him for a while, and then she picked up a pen, turned over the paper hed written on, and this was what she wrote:

For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me, free.

For all the nights that Ive sat up with you, fed you, and sung songs for you, free.

For all the tears that youve caused through the years, free.

For all the nights that were filled with worries, free.

For the toys, food, clothes, and even cleaning your nose, free.

Son, when you add it up, the full cost of my love is free.

After the boy finished reading, there were tears in his eyes and he looked straight at his mother and said, “Mom, I sure do love you.” And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote, “PAID IN FULL.”

16. The boy came to his mother for money.

17. After the mother dried her hands on an apron, she gave his son the money right away.

18. When his mother went shopping, the boy looked after his little sister.

19. The boy thought that his mother should pay him $16.

20. The mother did everything for the boy for nothing.

（八）

A

The story happened during the Second World War. An old man lived in a small town of Germany. He had three sons and they all worked in the same factory where he had worked. After the war began, his sons were all made to join the army one after another and they all died in the battle. The old man was very sad. he didnt have enough food and was often hungry. Nobody helped him and he didnt know how to go on living.

It was a very cold winter night. The old man couldnt go to sleep. He had been hungry for two days and it was so cold in his room that ice could be seen. He had to get up and begin to run in the room until he lay down on the ground. The next morning he had to beg from door to door. He had been to a lot of cities ever since.

Once he came to a village, but the villages were all poor and couldnt give him anything. He was too hungry to go to another village. He thought hard and found a way. He came to a police station and called out, “Hitler is a foolish pig!”

Out came an old policeman at once. He took the old man into a room, gave him some bread and a cup of tea. Then he said, “Dont say that in our village, sir!”

“Im sorry, sir,” said the old man, “I dont know its Hitlers hometown.”

“No, no, sir,” the policeman said in a hurry, “Its the pigs hometown!”

1. The old man was __________.

A. a German B. a French

C. an Australian D. an Englishman

2. Why was the old man sad?

A. He had no food or clothes.

B. He lived in the small town alone.

C. His three sons had to join the army.

D. His three sons all died during the war.

3. Why did the old man get up and run in his room?

A. To keep healthy.

B. To forget he was sad.

C. To make himself warm.

D. To forget he was hungry.

4. Why did the old man shout outside the police station?

A. Hitler killed his sons.

B. He was angry with the police.

C. He wanted to make the police angry.

D. He thought he might be given some food in prison.

5. Which is TRUE about the old policeman?

A. He hated Hitler.

B. He liked pigs.

C. He would send the old man in prison.

D. He regarded the old man as his best friend.

B

A young father was visiting an old neighbor. They were standing in the old mans garden, and talking about children. The young man said, “How strict should parents be with their children?”

The old man pointed to a string between a big strong tree and a thin young one.

“Please untie that string,” he said. The young man untied it, and the young tree bent (彎曲) over to one side.

“Now tie it again, please,” said the old man. “But first pull the string tight (紧) so that the young tree is straight again.”

The young man did so. Then the old man said, “There, it is the same with children. You must be strict with them, but sometimes you must untie the string to see how they are getting on. If they are not yet able to stand alone, you must tie the string tight again. But when you find that they are ready to stand alone, you can take the string away.”

6. The story is about           .

A. how to plant trees

B. how to take care of young trees

C. how strict parents should be with their children

D. how the young father should get on with his old neighbor

7. The young man untied the string __________ .

A. in order to throw it away

B. only to know how the trees grew

C. so that both of the trees would grow straight

D. only to find that one tree bent over to one side

8. The string could be taken away when __________ .

A. the old man left

B. the young tree died

C. the young man untied it next time

D. the young tree grew strong enough

9. At last the old man told the young man that he should

__________.

A. be strict with his children if they could not stand alone

B. always be strict with his children

C. not look after his children

D. be hard on his children

10. The old man talked about the young tree to mean that

__________ .

A. the way a child grows is just like that of its growth

B. a tree can grow well, tied to a string

C. what the young father does is wrong

D. children should be treated like a tree

C

Earthquakes happen without warning. They can happen at any time of a day, at any point during the year. But dont worry because most are too weak to be felt. Only a few big ones hurt people. However, its important to know what to do when an earthquake is happening.

Do not go outside. You could get injured from falling glass or parts of buildings. If you are outside, stay away from buildings and power lines.

Stay under a desk, table, or other strong furniture. Hold on to it. Or stay in a corner of the building. Cover your face and head with your arms and cover your mouth with a towel (毛巾) or clothing. Stay inside until shaking stops and it is safe to get out.

Keep away from windows, pictures, advertisements on the wall or the building, and anything else that could fall and hurt you. Most people get injured by falling things during an earthquake, not by the shaking itself.

Also keep away from fire. You could fall down and burn yourself on the fire.

If you are driving when an earthquake happens, stop the car if its safe. Stay inside your car until the earthquake stops, and dont drive near bridges. Try not to stop by power lines or trees. These could fall and hurt you.

11. Most earthquakes wont hurt people because theyre too ＿＿＿ .

A. deep B. weak

C. quick D. usual

12. What should we do when an earthquake is happening?

A. Stand by windows.

B. Drive near a big bridge.

C. Stay under a big building.

D. Stay under a strong furniture.

13. What is safe for you to do when the earthquake happens?

a. Run out of the building.

b. Stay in a corner of the building.

c. Cover your mouth with a towel.

d. Cover your head with your arms.

A. a, b, c B. a, b, d

C. b, c, d D. a, c, d

14. What should you do while driving during an earthquake?

A. Get out of your car if possible.

B. Keep driving at the same speed.

C. Stop your car and stay inside it.

D. Drive to a parking lot as quickly as possible.

15. What should be the best title for this passage?

A. How to Drive a Car

B. How Earthquakes Happen

C. Why Earthquakes Happen

D. What We Should Do in Earthquakes

D

根據短文内容，判断正（T）误（F）。

A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was cooking supper, and passed her a piece of paper. After his mom dried her hands on an apron (围裙), she read what it was on the paper:

For cutting the grass: $5.00.

For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00.

For going to the supermarket for you: $1.00.

For looking after my little brother while you went shopping: $1.00.

For taking out the trash: $1.00.

For getting a good report card: $5.00.

For cleaning up the garden: $2.00.

Total: $16.00.

Well, his mother looked at him for a while, and then she picked up a pen, turned over the paper hed written on, and this was what she wrote:

For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me, free.

For all the nights that Ive sat up with you, fed you, and sung songs for you, free.

For all the tears that youve caused through the years, free.

For all the nights that were filled with worries, free.

For the toys, food, clothes, and even cleaning your nose, free.

Son, when you add it up, the full cost of my love is free.

After the boy finished reading, there were tears in his eyes and he looked straight at his mother and said, “Mom, I sure do love you.” And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote, “PAID IN FULL.”

16. The boy came to his mother for money.

17. After the mother dried her hands on an apron, she gave his son the money right away.

18. When his mother went shopping, the boy looked after his little sister.

19. The boy thought that his mother should pay him $16.

20. The mother did everything for the boy for nothing.