You are standing under the most famous neon lights in the centre of London, waiting to cross the road. Suddenly the traffic stops. You hear the distant sounds of cheering, clapping and shouting. Then, like a multi-colored （多彩的）train, 2, 000 people with wheels（轮子） on their feet zoom past you. You have just witnessed the London Skate, a twice weekly roller-skate event that attracts people in their hundreds and thousands London. Skate is a completely free tour of the streets of London -the only condition is that you go along on roller-skates. It lasts between two and three hours and by the end of it you have skated between 10 and 12 miles. The skate snakes sound the streets of London along several different routes. Many of the routes pass by tourist attractions such as Buckingham Palace and Big Ben. Marshals (交通协调员) go ahead of the group, stopping the traffic so that people can skate as safely as possible. Everyone is welcome to take part and people from the age of 4 to 63 years old join the fun. "I love it very much, it is amazing. It feels just like a carnival (狂欢节)，" said Celeste Beverage regular skater.
Roller-skating is really taking off across Europe and America. It is a very good way to keep fit and can be practised anywhere there is a smooth surface. Many big cities in Western Europe and
in the US now have a regular group skating event. The biggest skates take place in Paris and Munich（慕尼黑） and tens of thousands of fans show up on warm evenings. "Roller-skating is taking over the world," said Julian Grenoble, a 25-year-old ski shop employee from London. Grenoble went to the Paris-Roller (Paris skate) regularly until he moved to Britain.
"It's so exciting to skate in Paris. Everyone skates so fast and puts in their best efforts!" he said. The Paris Roller is well known because of the huge attendance, the presence of marshals and the police protection. Paris is a great city for roller-skating because of its long wide streets and smooth surfaces. Roller-skating is also becoming more popular in China among young people and children. Skating fans' favorite places to practise in China are big squares.
5. We can infer from the passage that London Skate Event ________.
A. is probably supported by the city government
B. attracts a great many tourists from all over the world
C. usually causes a lot of traffic problems
D. draws people of all ages into the sport
6. The underlined phrase "taking off " in the passage means________ .
A. rising from the ground B. becoming popular
C. setting out D. getting exciting
7. Paris is regarded as one of the most suitable places for roller-skating because ________.
A. a large number of roller players attend it B. the police protect the roller skaters
C. the streets are safe, wide and smooth D. the event usually takes place on warm evenings
8. This article mainly talks about________ .
A. places and streets for roller-skating B. roller-skating in big cities
C. London Skate Event D. roller skaters in different countries
One day in 1965，when I worked at View Ridge School in Seattle，a fourthgrade teacher approached me.She had a student who finished his work before all the others and needed a challenge.“Could he help in the library？” she asked.I said, “Send him along.”
Soon a slight，sandyhaired boy in jeans and a Tshirt appeared.“Do you have a job for me？” he asked.
I told him about the Dewey Decimal System(杜威十进分类法) for shelving books.He picked up the idea immediately.Then I showed him a stack(摞) of cards for longoverdue books that I was beginning to think had actually been returned but were misshelved with the wrong cards in them.He said，“Is it kind of a detective job？” I answered yes，and he became working.
He had found three books with wrong cards by the time his teacher opened the door and announced，“Time for break！”He argued for finishing the finding job；she made the case for fresh air.She won.
The next morning，he arrived early.“I want to finish these books，”he said.At the end of the day，when he asked to be a librarian on a regular basis，it was easy to say yes.He worked untiringly.
After a few weeks I found a note on my desk，inviting me to dinner at the boy’s home.At the end of a pleasant evening，his mother announced that the family would be moving to a neighbouring school district.Her son’s first concern，she said，was leaving the View Ridge library.“Who will find the lost books？” he asked.
When the time came，I said an unwilling goodbye.I missed him，but not for long.A few days later he came back and joyfully announced，“The librarian over there doesn’t let boys work in the library.My mother got me transferred back to View Ridge.My dad will drop me off on his way to work.And if he can’t，I’ll walk！”
I should have had an idea such focused determination would take that young man wherever he wanted to go.What I could not have guessed，however，was that he would become a genius of the Information Age：Bill Gates，tycoon(企业巨头) of Microsoft and America’s richest man.What was the author when the story happened?
| A．A teacher. | B．A librarian. |
| C．A detective. | D．A student. |
Why was the boy sent to the library by the fourthgrade teacher?
| A．He failed to finish his work on time. |
| B．He challenged the teacher in the class. |
| C．He disturbed all the other students in the class. |
| D．He needed something to do to challenge himself. |
What was the boy told to do on his first day in the library?
| A．To rearrange the books according to the new system. |
| B．To put those overdue books back to the shelves. |
| C．To find out the books with wrong cards in them. |
| D．To put the cards back in the longoverdue books. |
The boy got transferred back to View Ridge because ________.
| A．he didn’t get along well with the librarian in the new school |
| B．he was not allowed to work in the new school’s library |
| C．he missed his old schoolmates and teachers |
| D．he had to walk a long way to go to school |
Peanuts to This
Proudly reading my words，I glanced around the room，only to find my classmates bearing big smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes.Confused，I glanced toward my stonefaced teacher.Having no choice，I slowly raised the report I had slaved over，hoping to hide myself.“What could be causing everyone to act this way？”
Quickly，I flashed back to the day Miss Lancelot gave me the task.This was the first real task I received in my new school.It seemed simple：go on the Internet and find information about a man named George Washington.Since my idea of history came from an ancient teacher in my home country，I had never heard of that name before.As I searched the name of this fellow，it became evident that there were two people bearing the same name who looked completely different！One invented hundreds of uses for peanuts，while the other led some sort of army across America.I stared at the screen，wondering which one my teacher meant.I called my grandfather for a golden piece of advice：flip(掷) a coin.Heads—the commander，and tails—the peanut guy.Ah！Tails，my report would be about the great man who invented peanut butter，George Washington Carver.
Weeks later，standing before this unfriendly mass，I was totally lost.Oh well，I lowered the paper and sat down at my desk，burning to find out what I had done wrong.As a classmate began his report，it all became clear，“My report is on George Washington，the man who started the American Revolution.”The whole world became quiet！How could I know that she meant that George Washington?
Obviously，my grade was awful.Heartbroken but fearless，I decided to turn this around.I talked to Miss Lancelot，but she insisted：No redos；no new grade.I felt that the punishment was not justified，and I believed I deserved a second chance.Consequently，I threw myself heartily into my work for the rest of the school year.Ten months later，that chance unfolded as I found myself sitting in the headmaster’s office with my grandfather，now having an entirely different conversation.I smiled and flashed back to the embarrassing moment at the beginning of the year as the headmaster informed me of my option to skip the sixth grade.Justice is sweet！ (2012·北京，B)What did the author’s classmates think about his report?
| A．Controversial. | B．Ridiculous. |
| C．Boring. | D．Puzzling. |
Why was the author confused about the task?
| A．He was unfamiliar with American history. |
| B．He followed the advice and flipped a coin. |
| C．He forgot his teacher’s instruction. |
| D．He was new at the school. |
The underlined word “burning” in Para.3 probably means “________”．
| A．annoyed | B．ashamed |
| C．ready | D．eager |
In the end，the author turned things around ________.
| A．by redoing his task |
| B．through his own efforts |
| C．with the help of his grandfather |
| D．under the guidance of his headmaster |
Who give us life，raise us and are our constant support and wellwishers？Our mothers.That’s why millions of people across the world take Mother’s Day as an opportunity to express thanks and send best wishes to their moms.
However，the celebration of Mother’s Day is not the recent thing that many believe it to be.It was the ancient Greeks who started the tradition by celebrating their annual spring festival in honor of Rhea，the mother of many gods and goddesses.
Later，in the 1600s，Mothering Sunday came to be celebrated in England.On the fourth Sunday of Lent (大斋期)，children brought flowers and special fruitcakes to show their respect for their mothers.It may be the root of the modern Mother’s Day.
Thanks to the great efforts of Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis，Mother’s Day became an official festival in the US.It is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.Later，many countries began to celebrate this day as Mother’s Day.
Today，Mother’s Day is an international festival honoring mothers.It is celebrated all over the world in different ways.In Western countries，the most common way is to treat mothers with breakfast in bed.Kids often allow their mothers to sleep till late in the morning while they prepare her favorite breakfast with their fathers.Some also make handmade gifts or buy beautiful carnations (康乃馨)．It is the day when you acknowledge your mothers contribution in your life and pay a tribute (礼品) to her，often with flowers and gifts.It complements Father’s Day，the celebration honoring fathers.
Today，Mother’s Day is a day celebrated on various days in many places around the world.Why do people across the world celebrate Mother’s Day?
| A．Because they want to express thanks and send best wishes to their mothers. |
| B．Because they want to express thanks and send best wishes to Rhea. |
| C．Because Mother’s Day is an official festival in the US. |
| D．Because Mother’s Day is an international festival. |
The modern Mother’s Day came from________.
| A．Greece | B．England |
| C．America | D．China |
From the passage we can learn that________.
| A．Rhea is the mother of many gods and goddesses of England |
| B．many people wrongly believe Mother’s Day has a short history |
| C．in America Mother’s day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent |
| D．on Mother’s day fathers have to get up early to prepare breakfast |
The passage mainly wants to tell us________.
| A．how to celebrate Mother’s day |
| B．what to do on Mother’s day |
| C．the historical change of Mother’s day |
| D．the meaning of Mother’s day |
Japan Earthquake and Tsunami(海啸)：How to Help
For readers interested in contributing to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan and the Pacific region，here is a list of contact information and links for some agencies that plan to provide relief.
THE JAPAN CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE
The Japan Center for International Exchange has set up the Japan NGO Earthquake Relief and Recovery Fund.Half of the money raised will go to support six Japanese NGOs currently at work in the disaster area and half will be retained to support the longer term recovery.
AMERICAN RED CROSS
Red Cross officials say donors can text REDCROSS to 90999 and a $10 donation will automatically be charged to donors’ phone bill，or donations can be made directly on its Web site.
B’NAI B’RITH INTERNATIONAL
To help the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami，donate online on the group’s secure Web site.
Or，by mail to：B’nai B’rith International Disaster Relief Fund，Attn：Japan Earthquake,2020 K Street，NW,7th Floor，Washington，D.C.,20006.
Or by phone：8005739057
CARE
CARE is one of the world’s largest private international humanitarian organizations.Their offices in Asia are on high alert(警戒) and have ensured that staff are informed of the tsunami warnings and other related developments.(Updated information on CARE’s work in Japan is available here.)
GLOBALGIVING.ORG
GlobalGiving is working with International Medical Corps，Save the Children，and other organizations on the ground to disburse(支付) funds to organizations providing relief and emergency services to victims of the earthquake and tsunami.Donors can text JAPAN to 50555 to give$10，and larger donations can be submitted on GlobalGiving’s Web site.
THE SALVATION ARMY
The Salvation Army has been providing food and shelter to Tokyo commuters(每日往返上班者) who were stranded when public transportation was interrupted by the earthquake.They are to send a team to Sendai，a city about 250 miles away from Tokyo，to assess the situation there.Text JAPAN or QUAKE to 80888 to make a $10 donation.(Make sure to respond “YES” to the thankyou message you receive.) Donations can also be made on the organization’s Web site or by calling 1800SALARMY.If you want to make donations to the victims by phone，you can text REDCROSS to ________.
| A．90999 | B．80888 |
| C．50555 | D．20006 |
What do we know about CARE from the text?
| A．It opened a Person Finder Page online. |
| B．It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization. |
| C．It raised much money to support six Japanese NGOs. |
| D．It warned its staff in Asia of the danger of tsunami. |
Which group can provide food and shelter?
| A．THE SALVATION ARMY. |
| B．GLOBALGIVING.ORG. |
| C．B’NAI B’RITH INTERNATIONAL. |
| D．AMERICAN RED CROSS. |
The underlined word “stranded” in the last paragraph can be replaced by “________”．
| A．abandoned | B．seperated |
| C．crashed | D．delayed |
Jack Benny was one of the most famous names in show business.He was born in Chicago，Illinois，on February 14th,1894.His parents，Meyer and Emma Kubelsky，were religious Jews.They had moved to the United States from Eastern Europe.Benny was a quiet boy.For much of the time，his parents were busy working in his father’s store.As a child，Benny learned to play the violin.After finishing his school，he joined the Navy.He continued using his violin to perform for sailors.In one show he was chosen more for his funny jokes than for his skill with the violin.That experience made him believe that his future job was a comedian.
Benny developed a show personality that had all the qualities people dislike.He was known for being so stingy—he refused to spend any money unless forced to do so.On his shows Benny often spoke of his appearance，especially his baby blue eyes.As he grew older，he always claimed to be 39 years old.Benny rarely made jokes that hurt other people.Instead，he would let the other actors on the show tell jokes about him.
In real life，he was very giving and he was a person people liked having as their employer.Benny entered the new media of television in 1950.Five years later，he dropped his radio programme to spend more time developing his television show.At first his appearances on television were rare.By 1960 the Benny Show was a weekly television programme.It continued until 1965.Benny appeared in about twenty films during his life.A few became popular.But most were not.In 1963 Benny returned to Broadway for the first time since 1931.
Benny received many awards during his lifetime.Perhaps the one honour that pleased him most was that his hometown of Waukeegan named a school for him.This was a special honour for a man who had never finished high school.
Benny continued to perform.He died of cancer in 1974.At his funeral his friend Bob Hope said，“Jack Benny was stingy to the end.He gave us only eighty years.”Benny was determined to be a comedian after he ______.
| A．left high school |
| B．joined the Navy |
| C．performed in a show for the sailors |
| D．left the Navy for Broadway |
The underlined word “stingy” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by “________”．
| A．clever | B．mean |
| C．outgoing | D．hardworking |
According to the text，on Benny’s shows，he ________.
| A．developed a good personality |
| B．played the violin skillfully |
| C．often referred to his appearance |
| D．said funny things that hurt others |
Which of the following statements is TRUE about Benny?
| A．He did a good job in show business. |
| B．His first appearance on TV was very successful. |
| C．Most of his films became wellknown to Americans. |
| D．He treated all his awards as nothing. |