Parents whose children show a special interest in a sport feel very difficult to make a decision about their children’s careers．Should they allow their children to train to become top sportsmen and sportswomen? For many children it means starting schoolwork very young．And going out with friends and other interests have to take a second place．It’s very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train five hours a day, even at the weekend, when most of his or her friends are playing．
Another problem is of course money, In many countries money for training is available from government for the very best young sportsmen and sportswomen．If this help can not be given, it means that it is the parents who have to find the time and the money to support their child’s development and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment, etc．All can be expensive．
Many parents are worried that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age．Some doctors agree that young muscles may be damaged by training before they are properly developed．Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by training when young that you can reach the top as successful sports person．It is clear that very few people do reach the top, and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training．Where can we most probably find this passage?
| A．An advertisement． | B．A diary． |
| C．A newspaper． | D．A notice board． |
What does the underlined phrase “to take a second place ”in the first paragraph mean?
| A．to become less important |
| B．To put it at another place |
| C．To happen again |
| D．They are the most important of all the things |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．It’s easy to make a decision when your children want to take up sports． |
| B．Most of the students may become top sports men after a long period of training． |
| C．Early training may damage young muscles． |
| D．It’s not very expensive for parents to support their children’s development in sports． |
I have a good memory of my grandfather，Jack. He was sitting in his armchair in the front room.
I sat next to him. We were reading aloud，our heads bent over the page in front of us，a finger marking the words；separated by seven decades，brought together by words. It's a common scene in British families；however，in our case，the usual order of things is reversed（颠倒）．Granddad had been blind since I was tiny，so I was reading to him.When reading aloud，people usually read something that's of interest to the listener. So I didn't read children's books；I read the sorts of things Granddad liked to hear about. Much of the vocabulary in Granddad’s reading material was far beyond me. When I met unfamiliar words，I'd spell them out.
Granddad would help me. It must have been painful for him to hear news；but he never hurried me along or complained. Our reading wasn't really about getting knowledge. It was a way for us to spend time together.
My grandfather wasn't always blind. He had been a good carpenter（木匠）．The first Christmas of my parents' marriage，he built my mother a bookcase，which now belongs to my son Jonah，providing a link between four generations.
I was a fortunate child；I spent a lot of time with my grandfather，and he opened the world to me in a particular way. Reading was our way of building a relationship that has had a lasting effect on me. In the school holidays，I sometimes accompanied him on trips to the seaside with the local association for the blind. This might seem strange，but I felt that my personal value was realized because I could finally do something for Granddad.
A decade later，I found a position in a nursing home，which reminded me of my early experiences；reading to senior citizens was a connection back to Granddad. More than simple conversation，reading aloud is a connection between two individuals and it can have a big emotional（情感的）effect on elderly people.What can we know from the first paragraph?
| A．The author's grandfather was born blind. |
| B．The author is seventy years younger than her grandfather. |
| C．The author often sat opposite to her grandfather while reading. |
| D．It's quite common in Britain that children read to their grandfathers. |
Why didn't the author choose to read children's books?
| A．To expand her knowledge. |
| B．To make her vocabulary bigger. |
| C．To show off in front of her grandfather. |
| D．To satisfy the needs of her grandfather. |
How did the author feel during the trips with Granddad?
| A．Proud. | B．Troubled. |
| C．Curious. | D．Embarrassed. |
Motherhood may make women smarter and may help prevent dementia(痴呆) in old age by bathing the brain in protective hormones(荷尔蒙) , U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.
Tests on rats show that those who raise two or more litters of pups do considerably better in tests of memory and skills than rats who have no babies, and their brains show changes that suggest they may beprotected against diseases such as Alzheimer’s(早老痴呆症). University of Richmond psychology professor Craig Kinsley believes his findings will translate into humans.
“Our research shows that the hormones of pregnancy(怀孕) are protecting the brain, including estrogen(雌激素),which we know has many neuroprotective (保护神经的) effects,” Kinsley said.“It’s rat data but humans are mammals just like these animals are mammals,” he added in a telephone interview. “They go through pregnancy and hormonal changes.”Kinsley said he hoped public health officials and researchers will look to see if having had children protects a woman from Alzheimer’s and other forms of age-related brain decline.
“When people think about pregnancy, they think about what happens to babies and the mother from the neck down,”said Kinsley, who presented his findings to the annual meeting of the Society of Neuroscience in Orlando, Florida.“They do not realize that hormones are washing on the brain. If you look at female animals who have never gone through pregnancy, they act differently toward young. But if she goes through pregnancy, she will sacrifice her life for her infant—that is a great change in her behavior that showed in genetic alterations(改变) to the brain.”How do scientists know “Motherhood may make women smarter”?
| A．Some researchers have told them. |
| B．Many women say so. |
| C．They know it by experimenting on rats. |
| D．They know it through their own experience. |
What can protect the brain of a woman according to the passage?
| A．Estrogen. |
| B．The hormones of pregnancy. |
| C．More exercise. |
| D．Taking care of children. |
Which title is the best for this passage?
| A．Do You Want to Be Smarter? |
| B．Motherhood Makes Women Smarter |
| C．Mysterious Hormones |
| D．An Important Study |
We spent a day in the country, picking wild flowers. With the car full of flowers we were going home.
On our way back my wife noticed a cupboard (柜厨) outside a furniture shop. It was tall and narrow.
“Buy it, ” my wife said at once. “We’ll carry it home on the roof rack. I’ve always wanted one like that.”
What could I do? Ten minutes later I was ￡20 poorer; and the cupboard was tied on the roof rack.
It was six feet long and eighteen inches square, quite heavy too.In the gathering darkness I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed unusually polite that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.
After a time my wife said, “There’s a long line of cars behind. Why don’t they overtake, I wonder?”
In fact a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously as they passed. But then, with great kindness, they led us through the rush-hour traffic. The police car stopped at our village church. One of the officers came to me.
“Right, sir, ” he said. “Do you need any more help?”
I was a bit puzzled. “Thanks, officer, ” I said. “You have been very kind. I live just on the road.”
He was staring at our car, first at the flowers, then at the cupboard. “Well, well, ” he said, laughing.
“It’s a cupboard you’ve got there! We thought it was something else.”
My wife began to laugh. The truth hit me like a stone between the eyes. I smiled at the officer. “Yes, it’s a cupboard, but thanks again.” I drove home as fast as I could. In fact the husband _______ the cupboard.
| A．would like very much to buy | B．badly wanted |
| C．was glad to have bought | D．would rather not buy |
Other drivers thought they were _______.
| A．carrying a cupboard to the church |
| B．sending flowers to the church |
| C．carrying nothing but a piece of furniture |
| D．going to attend a funeral(葬礼) at the church |
The police will be more polite to those who are _______.
| A．driving in gathering darkness |
| B．in great sorrow (悲痛) |
| C．driving with wild flowers in the car |
| D．carrying furniture |
What did the husband think of the whole matter?
| A．It was very strange. | B．He felt ashamed of it. |
| C．He took great pride in it. | D．He was puzzled at it. |
On April 1st, Mike decided to fool(愚弄) his friends.
At lunch time he said to Tom, “I think we’re going to have a test this afternoon.” “Test?” said Tom, “Really?”
“Yes, it’s quite true,” said Mike. “When I was passing by Mr. Green’s room, he was talking with another teacher about the test. Tell John, Rose and Joan about it.”
Later Tom told them about the test. Soon almost all the students knew about it. “How foolish they are!” he thought.
When class began, Mr. Green said, “Class, we’re going to have a test today.” Mike was surprised. The test was too hard for him. After class, all his classmates thanked him very much. But he could only smile. “How foolish I was !”he thought.
It really was April Fools’ Day for Mike.Mike decided to fool his friends because ________ .
| A．they were talking about the test |
| B．they began to prepare (准备) their lessons |
| C．it was April Fools’ Day |
| D．they were foolish |
________ his classmates believe (相信) him before class.
| A．Almost all | B．None of | C．Only a few | D．Some of |
Mike didn’t prepare his lessons because _______
| A．he didn’t like to |
| B．it was his holiday |
| C．he thought the test was easy for him |
| D．he believed there wasn’t going to be a test |
Mike was surprised to see ________ .
| A．the test was too hard for him |
| B．the teacher really gave them a test |
| C．Tom didn’t believe him |
| D．his classmates were so foolish |
Which of the following is wrong?
| A．Mike thought he himself was foolish. |
| B．All his classmates thanked him. |
| C．Mr. Green was talking with another teacher about the test. |
| D．Nearly everyone knew the test before long(不久). |
Tom was going home at five yesterday. He got on a bus. A mother with her little boy was sitting nearby. Suddenly the boy cried. His mother tried her best to make the boy stop crying. But the boy would not do so. At last Tom said angrily, “Oh, how that boy cried! Why don’t you give him what he wanted?” “I would if I could." answered the mother quietly,“But he wanted your cap.” What time was Tom going home yesterday?
| A．At four | B．At five | C．At six | D．At seven |
Who was sitting near Tom on the bus?
| A．An old man with his little girl |
| B．A young woman |
| C．A woman with her little boy |
| D．A young man |
The mother tried her best to make the boy ______.
| A．wake up | B．go to sleep | C．not talk much | D．stop crying |
When the boy cried, Tom ______
| A．was very angry | B．was very hungry | C．was very happy | D．did not hear this |
Why was the boy crying?
| A．Because he wanted something to eat. |
| B．Because he wanted to get off the bus. |
| C．Because he wanted to go home. |
| D．Because he wanted Tom's cap |