After my husband died suddenly from a heart attack,my world crashed around me.My six children were all under 10,and I was burdened with the responsibilities of earning a living,and caring for the children.I was fortunate to find a wonderful housekeeper to care for the children during the week,but from Friday nights to Monday mornings,the children and t were alone.
One Friday evening I came home from work to find a big pretty German shepherd off our doorstep.This dog seemed to intend to enter the house.The children liked “German” immediately and begged me to let him in.I agreed to let him sleep in the basement.That night I slept peacefully for the first time in many weeks.
The following morning we made phone calls and checked lost-and-found ads for German’s owner, but with no results.
On Sunday I had planned to take the children on a picnic.Since I thought it best to leave German behind in case his owner came by,we drove off without him.When we stopped to get gas, we were amazed to see German racing to the gas station after us.No way was he going to be left behind.
Monday morning I let him out for a run.He didn’t come back and we were all disappointed.
We were convinced that we would never see him again.We were wrong.The next Friday evening,
German was back on other doorstep.Again he stayed until Monday morning,when our housekeeper arrived.
This pattern repeated itself every.weekend for almost 10 months.We grew more and more fond of German.We took comfort in his strong,warm presence,and we felt safe with him near us.
As German became part of the family,he considered it his duty to check every bedroom to be sure each child was cozy in bed.
Each week,between German’s visits,I grew a little stronger,a little braver and mole able to cope;every weekend we were no long alone and enjoyed his company.Then one Monday morning we patted him on his head and let him out for what turned out to be the Iast time.We never saw German again.
64.The dog first came when .
A.it was needed most B.the mother became strong enough
C.her father died suddenly D.she was busy on the weekday
65.Which of the following can’t be used to describe the dog?
A.Loyal. B.Beautiful. C. Lovely. D.Wild.
66.The wriier was very the German shepherd.
A.afraid of B.grateful to C.cruel to D.annoyed with
67.The family planned to go on a picnic without the German shepherd because .
A.German was too wild to control B.German was too young to walk so far
C.the owner might come by to look for it D.it might spoil the trip
First Lady Michelle Obama is a big fan of volunteering. Volunteering means working for free to help someone else. Mrs. Obama says volunteering is very important. “It should be part of everyone’s life,” she says.
Many teens agree. They say that helping others feels great and makes a difference. These days, more teens volunteer than work for pay. Teens clean up parks, walk dogs at animal shelters, visit the elderly and more.
Some cities ---- including Seattle, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. ----require high school students to volunteer. Students must volunteer in order to graduate. The student volunteers learn new skills and help their communities.
Many parents are in favor of the idea ---- they say volunteering helps teens build job skills. But most teens don’t want to be forced to volunteer. They say they are busy. And they say volunteering is only fun if it’s a choice.
Read both sides of the debate and decide.
YES
Volunteering can help teens get into college or get a job.
Many cities and towns need help. Volunteers can help keep important programs going.
Not all teens will volunteer if it isn’t required. Schools should require students to do all they can to get ready for adult life.
NO
Most teens are already very busy with classes, homework, jobs and sports. Forcing them to do more isn’t fair.
It should be up to each person. Helping out doesn’t feel as good if you have to do it.
Finding a volunteer job isn’t always easy. Students shouldn’t be kept from graduating because of something they can’t control.The writer mentions Michelle Obama in order to___________.
A.show she enjoys volunteering | B.explain what volunteering is |
C.tell what she does for the US | D.introduce the topic of the text |
According to the text, in Chicago,.
A.finding a volunteer job is quite easy |
B.volunteering is a must for high school students |
C.more people would rather work for pay |
D.college students have to volunteer before graduation |
Which question does the text mainly discuss?
A.Should students be required to volunteer? |
B.Is volunteering good for students? |
C.What is the best time to volunteer? |
D.Which volunteer jobs should students do? |
If you, a man, are looking through this, congratulations: you are a survivor (幸存者). According to a survey, you are more than twice likely to die of skin cancer than a woman, and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. If you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you will die on average five years before a woman.
There are many reasons for this. Men take more risks than woman and are more likely to drink and smoke—but perhaps more importantly, men don’t go to the doctor.
“Men aren’t seeing doctors as often as they should.” says Dr. Gullotta,“This is particularly so for the over 40s, when diseases tend to strike.”Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two. For those over 45, it should be at least once a year. Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old man who had delayed(延迟) doing anything about his smoker’s cough for a year. “When I finally saw him it had already spread and he has since died from lung cancer.”he says.“Earlier finding and treatment may not have cured him, but it would have made him live longer.”
According to a recent survey, 95% of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of men in the same age group.
“A lot of men think they are strong enough. While some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know. Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies.” Dr. Gullotta says. He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be found out by check-ups. Regular check-ups for men would place strain on the public purse, Gullotta says. “But prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to cure the diseases. Besides, the final/highest cost is far greater: it is called premature death(过早死亡).” From the first paragraph, we can know that _________.
A.women are more likely to die of skin cancer |
B.men are more likely to get some deadly diseases |
C.men can live five years longer than women |
D.men who live long are very lucky |
What is a more important reason for man’s death?
A.Men take more risks than women. |
B.Diseases tend to strike men easily |
C.Men don’t go to doctors for check-ups. |
D.Men like drinking and smoking. |
Why does the author take a 50-old-man as an example?
A.To realize the importance of disease prevention. |
B.To show he could have avoided death. |
C.To prove smoking leads to lung cancer. |
D.To think highly of the doctor’s work. |
What can be drawn from the last paragraph?
A.Treatment would cost a lot of money. |
B.Cars are more valuable than health. |
C.Men are brave to accept the reality. |
D.Check-ups are necessary and worthwhile. |
Blogs have become an important part of life. Millions of people have blogs. Perhaps you would like to have one; you would like to improve your blog; perhaps you would like to make your blog as a means of earning money or attracting more people. Whatever your aim is, this course shows you how to become better bloggers. You will learn how to find the right tone for your blog, set it up and keep it, write something that are effective and worth reading, and attract people from all over the world to your blog. While it’s simple to start a blog, it takes energy and skill to do it really well, as is true of any kind of writing.
Among the topics covered: introduction to the blog, the benefits of blogging, focusing on your blog concept, how to set up and keep a page, tips for effective blog writing and drawing visitors to your blog.
Course offered
How to blog
In this four-week course, a blogging expert will guide you through the process of designing, setting up, writing, and improving a blog. Each student will talk with the expert on blog, then set up a “live” blog and introduce it to the rest of the class for suggestions. Students will also have chances to ask the expert questions.
Online classes
Tuition(学费): $ 125. Registration(注册): $ 25.
Each class is strictly limited to 25 students aged 18 and up.
Start |
New Lecture |
Location |
Time |
Jan.12 |
Wednesday |
Online |
24 hrs. a day |
Feb. 9 |
Wednesday |
Online |
24 hrs. a day |
Mar. 16 |
Wednesday |
Online |
24 hrs. a day |
In the course, you will learn something Except _________.
A.focusing on your blog concept | B.how to set up a blog |
C.the benefits of blogging | D.how to follow others’ blog |
What do we know about the course?
A.There are more than 25 students in each class. |
B.The course is intended for teenagers under 18. |
C.It will cost you $ 150 to learn the course. |
D.New lectures are given each day. |
The passage is mainly about _________.
A.an online course about how to blog |
B.an online plan on writing |
C.an online program about blog history |
D.an online competition in writing blogs |
Which word can be used to describe the course for bloggers?
A.Difficult. | B.Helpful. | C.Simple. | D.Boring. |
On Christmas, children are curious about what to be in the stockings (长筒袜). It might be safe to think children will ask Santa for an extensive list of toys, games and big dinners. But a survey of their lists for Father Christmas has shown many have more serious concerns, requesting "a dad" instead. Despite their material requests, a 'dad' is tenth most popular Christmas list request for children who would be happy to give up the latest iPad, toy or new pet, a survey of 2,000 British parents has found.
Most children will put a new baby brother or sister at the top of their Christmas list, closely followed by a request for a real-life reindeer (驯鹿). A "pet horse" was the third most popular choice, with a "car" at number four.
The survey also found children aged 3 to 12 years also wanted a dog, chocolate and a stick of rock. Traditional hopes for a white Christmas were represented by a wish for "snow" in ninth place, with sensible youngsters also requesting a "house". Of the top 50 festive requests, 17 related to pets and animals, with some imaginative children hoping for a chicken and an elephant. iPhones and iPads also appeared on the list, with some quirky children asking for the moon, a time machine, and a pond cover. A request for a "mum" reached number 23 on the list. What’s the No.1 on the children’s Christmas list?
A.A new baby brother or sister. | B.A real-life reindeer. |
C.A pet horse. | D.A house. |
Which of the following is not included on the Christmas list?
A.A car. | B.A chicken. |
C.A stick of rock. | D.A monkey. |
What do quirky children in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A.Children with quick reaction. | B.Children with wild ideas. |
C.Children with cleverness. | D.Children with good manners. |
Which of the statements is Not True according to the passage?
A.Some children would rather request a dad than the latest iPad for Christmas. |
B.Children of different character or ages may ask for different Christmas gifts. |
C.A real-life reindeer is next to a car on children’s Christmas list. |
D.According to the survey, a ‘dad” is tenth most popular Christmas list request. |
Dear Betty,
My roommate’s family wants me to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with them in their home. I accepted the invitation, and I’m excited about going, but I’m a little nervous about it, too. The social customs in my country are different from those here, so I’m a little worried about making mistakes.
Should I bring a gift, such as candy or flowers? Should I arrive on time or a little late? At the dinner table, how can I know which fork or knife to use? How can I let the family know that I’m thankful for their kindness?
Yours,
Knowing Nothing
Dear Knowing Nothing,
It’s a good idea to bring a gift when you go to a dinner party. Flowers are always welcome, or you can bring a bottle of wine if you know the family drink it.
You should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late. Don’t get there early. If you are going to be more than fifteen minutes late, you should call and tell them.
Try to relax at the dinner table. If you don’t know how to use the right fork, knife or spoon, just watch the other guests, and follow them. If you still have no idea of what to do, don’t be shy about asking the person next to you; it’s better to ask them than to be silently uncomfortable and nervous.
If you like the food, say so. Of course, you’ll thank the host and hostess for the meal and for their kindness. It’s also a good idea to send a card to thank them the day after.
Yours
BettyKnowing Nothing wrote a letter to Betty to _____.
A.tell Betty some good news |
B.ask for some advice |
C.answer some questions |
D.invite her to dinner |
According to Betty, Knowing Nothing ______ when going to a dinner party.
A.can only bring some flowers |
B.can’t bring wine |
C.should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late |
D.should arrive twenty minutes late |
Betty does NOT advise Knowing Nothing to _____.
A.relax at the dinner table |
B.watch the other guests |
C.ask the person beside him |
D.keep silent at table |
After a dinner party , Knowing Nothing should _____________.
A.say nothing but goodbye. |
B.send a card to thank them the day after. |
C.thank the host and hostess for the meal and for their kindness at once |
D.invite the host and hostess for a dinner the next day |