I entered high school having read hundreds of books. But I was not a good reader. Merely bookish, I lacked a point of view when I read. Rather, I read in order to get a point of view. I searched books for good expressions and sayings, pieces of information, ideas, themes—anything to enrich my thought and make me feel educated. When one of my teachers suggested to his sleepy tenth-grade English class that a person could not have a "complicated (复杂的) idea" until he had read at least two thousand books, I heard the words without recognizing either its irony (嘲讽) or its very complicated truth. I merely determined to make a list of all the books I had ever read. Strict with myself, I included only once a title I might have read several times. ( How, after all, could one read a book more than once?) And I included only those books over a hundred pages in length. ( Could anything shorter be a book?)
There was yet another high school list I made. One day I came across a newspaper article about an English professor at a nearby state college. The article had a list of the "hundred most important books of Western Civilization. " "More than anything else in my life," the professor told the reporter with finality , " these books have made me all that I am . " That was the kind of words I couldn’t ignore (忽视). I kept the list for the several months it took me to read all of the titles. Most books, of course, I hardly understood. While reading Plato's The Republic, for example, I needed to keep looking at the introduction of the book to remind myself what the text was about. However, with the special patience and superstition (迷信) of a schoolboy, I looked at every word of the text. And by me time I reached the last word, pleased, I persuaded myself that I had read The Republic, and seriously crossed Plato off my list.On hearing the teacher's suggestion of reading, the writer thought________.
| A．one must read as many books as possible |
| B．a student should not have a complicated idea |
| C．it was impossible for one to read two thousand books |
| D．students ought to make a list of the books they had read |
While at high school, the writer________.
| A．had plans for reading | B．learned to educate himself |
| C．only read books over 100 pages | D．read only one book several times |
The underlined phrase "with finality" probably means
| A．firmly | B．clearly | C．proudly | D．pleasantly |
The writer's purpose in mentioning The Republic is to________.
| A．explain why it was included in the list |
| B．describe why he seriously crossed it off the list |
| C．show that he read the books blindly though they were hard to understand |
| D．prove that he understood most of it because he had looked at every word |
The writer provides two book lists to ________.
| A．show how he developed his point of view |
| B．tell his reading experience at high school |
| C．introduce the two persons' reading methods |
| D．explain that he read many books at high school |
Kristy,28,a cook in La Gross, often wondered what she’d do in a life threatening situation. On August 29, she got her answer. While she was driving on a road,a big truck hit its head on a pickup car.The pickup burst into flames.Kristy rushed out and ran to the pickup.Two farmers,Dean Bernhard,51, and his brother,Donald,44,were inside.
When she got close,Kristy could see the unconscious driver.The other man was under the passenger seat. “The smells were sicking.I was afraid the truck would blow up and kill us all,” said kristy.
The driver of the big truck was struggling to open the passenger door,so Kristy rushed to the driver’s side.Finally they opened the door.She reached in,seized the driver and, to her horror,felt her hands sink into his chest.She quickly dragged the man to safety on the roadside,then hurried back.As Kristy started down the ditch(水沟) with the passenger,the pickup exploded..She jumped on top of him and they both rolled to safety.
Today,the two farmers,each the farmer of two children,are good friends with Kristy.To show their deep appreciation,they bought her a ring with nine diamonds---one for each member of their immediate families,and the ninth for her.Which is the correct order according to the passage?
a.carried Dean and Donald to safety
b.rushed to the pickup
c.the pickup exploded
d.saw the truck hit on the pickup
e.got out of her car
f.wondered what she’d do when in danger
| A．e,d,b,a,c,f | B．f,e,b,a,d,c | C．f,d,e,b,a,c | D．f,c,e,d,b,a |
When coming to save Donald and Dean Bernhard,Kristy never thought that she___.
| A．could have any help from others |
| B．would be successful in saving both of them |
| C．might be killed |
| D．would be tested in dangerous situations |
This sentence “The pickup burst into flames.”in the first paragragh means “_______”.
| A．The pickup was on fire |
| B．The pickup started smoking badly |
| C．A terrifying cry came out of the pickup |
| D．The pickup was broken into pieces |
Which of the following best shows Kristy’s true heroism?
| A．She did not feel terrified at the accident |
| B．She protected herself as well as the two brothers from harm. |
| C．She put her life “on the line” to save others. |
| D．She was regarded as a member of Dean’s and Donald’s families. |
When I first began to work with international students, I asked someone at a lunch, “What brings you here today?” Looking at me like I was a bit crazy, he answered, “ The bus.” That was my first realization that no matter how good a speaker is, there are phrases that will always tend to cause confusion to non-native speakers. These idiomatic phrases(惯用语) add color and interest to any language and are worth learning if you want to talk fluently with native speakers.
“By no stretch”----The speaker is referring to something that’s very hard to achieve or realize, even with great effort, as in “It was not a good meal, by any stretch of the imagination.” Which means that ______________.
“Half dead”----An expression of extreme tiredness, having nothing to do with actual health. Commonly used at the end of a long and tiring day.
“By the book”----This means that an action should follow the rules exactly. It also describes the nature of someone who won’t deviate(背离) from a set of rules no matter what the situation is.
“More power to you”----This isn’t a wish for you to have better electricity from the power company----it’s a statement, usually slightly ironic(讽刺的), that the speaker thinks that you are unlikely to do a task, but you should try if you think you can complete it. It generally means the speaker has no intention of helping you achieve your goal neither will they discourage you from attempting to reach it. For example, “I don’t think you can meet that deadline, but more power to you.”
“As easy as pie”----A reference that something is as simple or easy as eating a delicious dessert, or that it requires little effort to successfully achieve. In chatting, this phrase does not refer to the process of cooking or eating.The example given by the author in the first paragraph is used to show__________.
| A．the importance of learning idioms | B．the beauty of the English language |
| C．the foolishness of the student | D．the cause of the misunderstanding |
According to the passage, which of the following would be proper to fill in the blank in Paragraph 2?
| A．the meal is very delicious | B．it’s very hard to make the meal delicious |
| C．people make great efforts to make the meal delicious | |
| D．even if people try to believe it, the meal could not be described as good |
If someone says he is half dead, he means____________.
| A．he is in poor health | B．he cannot move |
| C．he has a sound sleep | D．he is exhausted |
If a person daren’t do things in a creative way, you may describe him by using “__________”.
| A．by no stretch | B．by the book |
| C．as easy as pie | D．the breaker of rules |
There was a story many years ago of a school teacher----Mrs.Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn't play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.
Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother's perfume(香水）.
Teddy said, "Mrs.Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to." After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and math. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs.Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy.The boy's mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
Six years went by before she got a note from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs.Thompson got two more letters from him with the last signed, Theodore F. Stoddar, M. D. (医学博士）.
The story doesn't end there. On his wedding day, Dr.Stoddard whispered in Mrs.Thompson's ear," Thank you, Mrs. Thomson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Thompson , with tears in her eyes, whispered back,"Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you.What did Mrs.Thompson do on the first day of school?
| A．She made Teddy feel ashamed |
| B．She asked the children to play with Teddy. |
| C．She changed Teddy's seat to the front row. |
| D．She told the class something untrue about herself. |
What did Mrs. Thompson find out about Teddy?
| A．He often told lies. | B．He was good at math |
| C．He needed motherly care | D．He enjoyed playing with others |
In what way did Mrs. Thompson change?
| A．She taught fewer school subjects. |
| B．She became stricter with her students. |
| C．She no longer liked her job as a teacher. |
| D．She cared more about educating students. |
Why did Teddy thank Mrs.Thompson at his wedding?
| A．She had kept in touch with him. |
| B．She had given him encouragement. |
| C．She had sent him Christmas presents. |
| D．She had taught him how to judge people. |
Do you know Australia? Australia is the largest island in the world. It is a little smaller than China. It is in the south of the earth. Australia is big, but its population is not large. The population of Australia is nearly as large as that of Shanghai.
The government has made enough laws to fight pollution. The cities in Australia have got little air or water pollution. The sky is blue and the water is clean. You can clearly see fish swimming in the rivers. Plants grow very well.
Last month we visited Perth, the biggest city in Western Australia, and went to a wild flowers’ exhibition. There we saw a large number of wild flowers we had never seen before. We had a wonderful time. Perth is famous for its beautiful wild flowers. In spring every year Perth has the wild flowers’ exhibition. After visiting Perth, we spent the day in the countryside. We sat down and had a rest near a path at the foot of a hill. It was quiet and we enjoyed ourselves. Suddenly we heard bells ringing at the top of the hill. What we saw made us pick up all our things and run back to the car as quick as we could. There were about three hundred sheep coming towards us down the path.
Australia is famous for its sheep and kangaroos(袋鼠). After a short drive from any town, you will find yourself in the middle of white sheep. Sheep, sheep, everywhere are sheep. Australia is __________.
| A．the largest country in the world | B．as large as Shanghai |
| C．not as large as China | D．the largest island in the north of the earth |
The government had made _________.
| A．not enough laws to fight pollution |
| B．so many laws that it can fight pollution |
| C．enough laws that it can hardly fight pollution |
| D．enough laws because the pollution is very serious |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Perth is famous for its beautiful wild flowers |
| B．Perth is bigger than any other city in Western Australia |
| C．Perth lies in the west of Australia |
| D．No other city is larger than Perth in Australia |
One of the best-known American writers of children’s books is Alfred Strong, or Doctor Strong, as he is better known to readers everywhere. Now, an art show called “Doctor Strong from then to now” is traveling around the United States. The pictures and drawings show the history of Doctor Strong.
Doctor Strong first became famous almost fifty years ago when his first children’s book was published. Since then, he has written forty-five books that have sold more than hundred million copies around the world.
Doctor Strong’s books are known for their easy use of words and colorful, hand-drawn pictures. These drawings bring life to his imaginary creatures. The Cat in the Hat, Horton the elephant, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and hundreds of others.
The San Diego Museum, in California, organized the art show. It included about three hundred Doctor Strong’s original(最早的) drawings and some of his writings.
Most of Doctor Strong’s books, although written in a funny way, have serious messages. For example, in Mc Elligot’s Pool, he describes the danger of pollution. He discusses the arms race in The Butter Battle Book, written in 1984.
Doctor Strong is almost eighty-four years old now. He says he never planned to write stories just for children. He says he uses easy words so that everyone, even a child, can understand.Alfred Strong is a famous __________ in the United States.
| A．doctor | B．artist | C．writer | D．reader |
Doctor Strong first became famous in __________.
| A．his eighties when an art show was traveling around the United States |
| B．his fifties when his drawings and writings were published |
| C．1984 when his book McElligot’s Pool was published |
| D．his thirties when his first book was published |
Doctor Strong’s books are very popular in America because _________.
| A．they are stories about animals such as cats, elephants and so on |
| B．they are written in easy words with colorful pictures |
| C．he organized the art show in California |
| D．they are written in a funny way |
His purpose in writing many such books is _________.
| A．to show his original pictures and drawings |
| B．to organize a special art show of his own |
| C．to make his readers laugh or smile when they read his books |
| D．not only to interest people but to expose(揭露) some serious social problems |