B
My House
My mother moved a lot when she was growing up on account of Grandpa being in the army. She hated having to adjust to new schools and make new friends. That’s why I thought she was joking when she put forward the idea of moving. But she was completely serious. “For just the two of us,” my mother said, “an apartment in the city will suit our needs much better.” Personally, I think she’s lost her mind. I guess I can understand why she would want to move, but what about me and what this house means to me?
I suppose if you looked at my house, you might think it was just another country house. But to me it is anything but standard. I moved into this house with my parents ten years ago. I can still remember that first day like it was yesterday. The first thing I noticed was the big front yard. To me it seemed like an ocean of grass—I couldn’t wait to dive in. The backyard was full of gnarled (扭曲的, 粗糙的) and scary trees that talk on windy nights. But I grew to like them and the shadows they cast in my room. My father and I even built a small tree house, where I often go to remember all the wonderful times we had before Father’s death.
This house is special—maybe only to me—but special nevertheless. It’s the little seemingly insignificant things that make this house so special to me: the ice-cold tile floors that make me tremble on midnight snack runs; the smell of my father’s pipe that still exists; the towering bookcases of my mother; the view outside my bedroom window.
This house holds too many memories, memories which would be lost if we gave it up.
59. Why did the author’s mother decide to move?
A. Because she hated the countryside.
B. Because Grandpa was on constant move.
C. Because Dad’s death made her lose her mind.
D. Because she thought a city flat more fit for them.
60. What impressed the author when she first moved into the house?
A. The tree house. B. The big trees.
C. The cold floors. D. The green grass.
61. How did the author let us feel that the house was special to her?
A. By arguing whether the house was standard.
B. By explaining why the house suited their needs.
C. By describing the small things related to her house.
D. By comparing the differences between country and city life.
62. The author describes the house with ______.
A. affection B. responsibility C. commitment D. enthusiasm
Many families find that when it comes to a Caribbean getaway, they prefer bigger hotels. If you’re considering an Aruba vacation, there are plenty of resorts that will suit your every need.
Aruba Marriott Resort and Casino(娱乐场)
This resort is on Aruba’s famous palm Beach, and has the largest rooms of all Aruba hotels. A recent upgrade gives it a very fashionable look and feel. The resort offers excellent services on site including delicate fine dining and a 24-hour casino.
Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort
Popular with families, this resort stands out by its style and elegance. The most attractive aspect is the Spanish-style architecture and garden-like grounds. you will find waterfalls flowing into the beautiful man-made lake which add to the relaxing atmosphere. This hotel offers plenty to enjoy.
Renaissance Aruba Ocean Suites
This resort is absolutely fantastic for families with young children and features 40 acres of private beaches. The pool complex (建筑群)features several outdoor pools, two pool-side bars, and a swim-up bar. There is also a kids club which offers many activities. Guests at this hotel even have full access to the Radisson Aruba Resort Casino & Spring.
Occidental Grand Aruba
This resort is set on a beautiful white sandy beach and offers everything from sailing to late-night dancing. There is always plenty to do on the resort free of charge, but if you want to pay a little extra you can book yourself in for deep-sea fishing, golf, or private tennis lessons. What is the main characteristic of Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort?
A.Its large rooms. | B.Its sandy beach |
C.Its outdoor pools. | D.Its style and elegance. |
If you want your children to enjoy themselves you’d better choose_____.
A.Aruba Marriott Resort | B.Occidental Grand Aruba |
C.Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort | D.Renaissance Aruba Ocean Suites |
The author writes the passage to ________.
A.introduce | B.educate | C.reason | D.persuade |
In 1886 explorer Robert Peary traveled to Greenland for the U.S. Navy. Before his journey, no one knew Greenland’s size or shape. On Peary’s first trips, he explored Greenland, mapping parts of it.
When Peary returned to the United States, he went to a businessman to sell some furs. There he met Matthew Henson, an African American mechanic, builder and navigator. When Peary went to Nicaragua on a Navy mission(任务),Henson went with him. When that job was over, the two headed to the Arctic.
Henson and Peary set sail for Greenland. When they landed, Henson built a house for their base camp. Peary and his men set out to explore the land by dog sledge(雪橇). Henson was injured and had to stay at the base. While there, he made friends with the Inuit, the native people.
In 1895 Henson, Peary and Hugh Lee went out on another dog sledge journey. This time, they found Greenland’s northernmost point. They now knew that the North Pole lay under the frozen Arctic Ocean. Peary had hoped to cross the ice. but the group ran out of food and returned to base camp. In the years that followed, Peary and Henson tried several times to reach the North Pole, but each time they failed. On one trip, Peary’s feet froze, and he lost his toes(脚趾).
Peary and Henson planned last trip when Peary was 53 years old. They started across the sea ice from Ellesmere Island, which is located(位于) north of Canada. The temperature dropped as low as—51 degrees Celsius. The explores’ cheeks froze , and they suffered snow blindness from the sun’s glare. They experienced high winds and storms, and they also faced a hidden danger. Under the frozen ocean were powerful currents(潮流). The ice moved and broke apart leaving open water, called leads. Twice Peary fell into leads. But eventually he and Henson became the first persons to reach the North Pole. What did Peary and Henson find in 1895?
A.Greenland is near the Artic Ocean. |
B.Ellesmere Island is located north of Canada. |
C.The North Pole is located in the Artic Ocean. |
D.Greenland’s northernmost point is the North Pole. |
Which of the following words can be used to describe Peary?
A.Determined. | B.Modest. | C.Generous. | D.Honest. |
What was the potential danger that Peary and Henson faced on their last trip?
A.Snow blindness. | B.High winds. | C.Storms. | D.Leads. |
The best title for the passage might be “____”.
A.The mapping of the Arctic Ocean. |
B.Peary and Henson: Arctic explorers |
C.Early explorers’ trips to the South Pole |
D.Henson and Peary: discoverers of Greenland |
Volunteering can help you deal with stress and problems, have more confidence, and introduce you to exciting new ideas and people. But what kind of volunteering should you do?
Firstly, think about what you enjoy. What are you interested in? What do you want to be when you grow up? For example, if you love animals, you can volunteer to care for abandoned(被遗弃的) pets or injured wildlife. If you want to grow up to be a doctor or a nurse, you can look for a youth volunteer program at a local hospital.
Secondly, think about what you’re good at. What skills do you have? What kinds of jobs do you do best? Try to find a volunteer position that will let you make the most of your strengths and talents. For example, if you’re a great speaker, then you could try educating others about a problem you care about. If you’re a cook, you might find a way to help feed hungry people in your area.
Thirdly, look for what your own community needs. What should be improved in your town, city, or school? What types of volunteer projects would do the most good? For example, if there are a lot of homeless people in your area, you could raise money to help them. If your town has empty areas filled with dirt or rubbish, you could organize or join a group to plant trees and flowers to make these areas more attractive.
The problems of the world, or even just of your community, might seem gigantic. Some people might even feel like there’s no point trying to do anything, since what they can contribute seems so small. But every person is important, and can do some good and make a difference. Like you!What is the text mainly about?
A.How to be a good volunteer. |
B.What we can do when we grow up. |
C.What kind of volunteering one can do. |
D.How to improve society by volunteering. |
The text does NOT mention _____ as a basis for volunteering.
A.interests | B.abilities | C.people’s needs | D.what one gets in return |
The word “gigantic” in the last paragraph can be replaced by “_____”.
A. huge B. serious C. meaningless d. differentHow is the text mainly developed?
A.Through reasoning. | B.Through similarities. |
C.Through examples. | D.Through explanations. |
When I was small and my grandmother died, I couldn’t understand why I had no tears. But that night when my dad tried to cheer me up, my laugh turned into crying.
. So it came as no surprise to learn that researchers believe crying and laughing come from the same part of the brain. Just as laughing has many health advantages, scientists are discovering that so, too, does crying.
Whatever it takes for us to reduce pressure is important to our emotional (情感的) health, and crying seems to study found that 85 percent of women and 73 percent of men report feeling better after crying.
Besides, tears attract help from other people. Researchers agree that when we cry, people around us become kinder and friendly and they are more ready to provide support and comfort. Tears also enable us to understand our emotions better; sometimes we don’t even know we’ re very sad until we cry. We learn about our emotions through Crying, and then we can deal with them.
Just as crying can be healthy, not crying — holding back tears of anger, pain or suffering — can be bad for physical (身体的) health, Studies have shown that too much control of emotions can lead to high blood pressure, heart problems and some other illnesses. If you have a health problem, doctors will certainly not ask you to cry. But when you feel like crying, don’t fight it. It’s a natural — and healthy — emotional response (反应).Why didn’t the author cry when her grandmother died?
A.Because her father did not want her to feel too sad. |
B.Because she did not love her grandmother. |
C.Because she was too shy to cry at that time. |
D.The author doesn’t give the explanation. |
According to the author, which of the following statements is true?
A.Crying is the best way to get help from others. |
B.Fighting back tears may cause some health problems. |
C.We will never know our deep feelings unless we cry. |
D.We must cry if we want to reduce pressure. |
What might be the most suitable title for the text?
A.Power of Tears |
B.How to Keep Healthy |
C.Why We Cry |
D.A New Scientific Discovery |
Most young people enjoy some form of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling or swimming, or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some kind, football, hockey, golf or tennis. It may be mountaineering.
Those who have a passion for climbing high and difficult mountains are often looked upon with astonishment. Why are men and women willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks on high mountains? This astonishment is caused probably by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.
Mountaineering is a sport and not a game. There are no manmade rules, as there are for such games as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of a different kind which it would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man-made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.
If we compare mountaineering and other more familiar sports, we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a “team game”. We should be mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no “matches” between teams of climbers, but when climbers are on a rock face linked by a rope on which their lives may depend, there is obviously team work. The mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature. His sport requires high mental and physical qualities.
A mountain climber continues to improve in skill year after year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty, and most international tennis champions are in their early twenties. But it is not unusual for a man of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they probably climb with more skill and less waste of effort, and they certainly experience equal enjoyment.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A.Differences between Golf and Mountaineering. |
B.Sports and Games. |
C.Mountaineering. |
D.Why are so many people crazy about mountaineering? |
The biggest difference between golf and mountaineering lies in ____.
A.team game |
B.enjoyment |
C.age |
D.rules |
The mountaineering can also be called a team sport because ____.
A.mountain climbers usually compete in groups |
B.mountaineers depend on each other while climbing |
C.mountaineering climbers are free to use their won rules to climb |
D.mountaineering is a sport not a game |
In the author’s opinion, one of the most important reason why so many people enjoy
mountaineering is that ____.
A.there are no man-made rules for mountaineers |
B.mountaineering is a sport and not a game |
C.it is one of the most dangerous sports |
D.mountaineering brings us more enjoyment than other sports |