The whole morning we just checked our own things. We were looking for items to give away. We thought of blankets, food and clothing. Our aim was not to find things we no longer wanted, but things we use every day and would be useful to others.
We made up boxes with the things and added some small toys. Inside the boxes a simple letter was placed, reading:
“Please take these items and know that your life is important. Times are difficult but they will pass. We share what we have, believing it will matter. Use the blanket to stay warm. Be safe and know that the human spirit can overcome anything. Don’t hold your head down. Someday please do the same when you can. How you do it and when, your heart will tell you.
This kind act was not because the phone rang or for any reason. It was simply because it was the right time to do. We have often seen homeless people at the park where we left the belongings. The city would say that it isn’t a problem but I see the lives walking to and from it.
I noticed that my wife had put her favorite green coat into one of the boxes. I asked if she was sure about it and she simply replied that it had a hood (风帽). She liked the coat but knew the hood could shelter (遮挡)someone from the rain.
We don’t know where these gifts of compassion（同情）will go. We never go back and see what happens. It’s unimportant. The right things will find the right people and that is all that counts. On the way my wife started to cry. When I asked why, she said because some things felt so right.What can we learn from the first paragraph about the couple？
| A．They had deep feelings of their work |
| B．They often threw the useless daily items away |
| C．They liked helping others by sharing their things |
| D．They often gave away the daily items they didn’t use |
The couple placed the letter inside the box mainly to_______________.
| A．help the poor go through the difficulties |
| B．let the poor know who gave away the things |
| C．tell the poor how to use the items correctly |
| D．tell the poor to pass on the spirit to others |
The couple liked this kind act because _______.
| A．they thought it was the right thing to do |
| B．they had a good habit of saving things |
| C．they often received telephone calls for help |
| D．they hated being troubled by homeless people |
What’s the best title for this passage?
| A．Boxes filled with compassion |
| B．Good behavior leading to happiness |
| C．The most important thing in our life |
| D．Happiness coming from sharing things |
A campaign(活动) is being launched to encourage children to surrender 30 minutes of screen time a day to head for the great outdoors.
The newly formed Wild Network—a collaboration of nearly 400 organizations—is attempting to attract youngsters away from television and computer screen and to fields, woods and parks. Members of the network include the National Trust, RSPB, Play England and the NHS. Organizers say it is the UK’s biggest ever campaign to reconnect children with nature and outdoor play, and claim it could help improve fitness, mental alertness(机敏) and general wellbeing.
A documentary film, Project Wild Thing, will forecast the launch at more than 50 cinemas across the UK from Friday. It looks at the increasing link between children and nature.
Andy Simpson, chairman of the Wild Network, said, “The tragic truth is that kids have lost touch with nature and the outdoors in just one generation. Time spent outdoors is down, roaming(漫步) ranges have fallen largely, activity levels are declining and the ability to identify common species has been lost.”
Suggestions of how to get more time in nature include collecting conkers(七叶树果), camping or snail racing, and observing autumn colour on trees.
From January, the network will aim to make suggestions to politicians on how government can do more to get children muddy and bright-eyed.
This is not the first time the message of less screen, more play has been brought up. Children in the 1980s were requested to do the same by the BBC TV series Why Don’t You, which somewhat confusingly called on its viewers to “switch off your TV set and go to do something less boring instead”.What does the underlined word “surrender” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
| A．Give up | B．Get around |
| C．Take up | D．Run away |
For what purpose is the Wild Network organized?
| A．To make children read more books. |
| B．To help children distinguish(辨别) the natural world. |
| C．To encourage children to participate in outdoor activities. |
| D．To get children out of too much homework from school. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．The outdoors can be beneficial to children’s wellbeing. |
| B．The Network advocates(提倡) keeping children’s distance from TV. |
| C．It is the first time for less screen, more play to be brought up. |
| D．The government should do more to get children to go outdoors. |
Which of the following shows that kids have lost touch with nature and the outdoors?
| A．Time spent outdoors is less and activity levels are down. |
| B．Chances of travelling abroad are fewer and fewer. |
| C．Time spent on the study is decreasing. |
| D．The ability to identify common species has been improved. |
Which is confusing according to the passage?
| A．Government took measures to get children muddy and bright-eyed. |
| B．A BBC TV series called on its viewers to shut off their TV sets. |
| C．More children went out to keep in touch with nature. |
| D．Wild Network launched a campaign to encourage children to go outdoors. |
People visit other countries for many reasons．Some travel on business；others travel to visit interesting places that are only found in other countries，such as the Taj Mahal (泰姬陵)in India．
Wherever you go, and for whatever reason，it is important to be safe．While the majority of people you will meet when traveling are sure to be friendly and welcoming, there are dangers—theft being the most common．Just as in your home country, do not expect everyone you meet to be friendly and helpful．It is important to prepare for your trip in advance, and to take precautions (预防措施)while you are traveling．
As you prepare for your trip, make sure you have the right paperwork．You don't want to get to your destination only to find you have the wrong visa，or worse，that your passport is about to expire．Also, make sure you travel with proper medical insurance, so that if you are sick during your travels，you will be able to get treatment．If you want to drive while you are abroad，make sure you have an international driver's license．
Buy a guidebook and read about the local customs of the country you are going to．Also, try to learn a few basic words and phrases。
When you get to your destination, use official transport．Always go to bus and taxi stands; don't accept rides from strangers who offer you a lift．If there is no meter(计时器) in the taxi, agree on a price before you get in．If you prefer to stay in cheap hotels while traveling，make sure you can lock the door of your room from the inside．If you are traveling with valuables such as jewelry, or a lot of cash, you should ask about a safe for storing them in．Finally, remember to smile．Smiling is the friendliest and most sincere form of communication, and is sure to be understood in any part of the world!Who is the passage intended for?
| A．Students who study abroad |
| B．High school English teachers |
| C．Exchange students |
| D．Tourists who plan to travel abroad |
Which of the following will expire?
| A．Hotel | B．Luggage |
| C．ID card | D．Name |
Which of the following details about the passage is true?
| A．People mainly travel to other countries for business reasons. |
| B．It is important to be prepared , as well as cautious, when you travel. |
| C．You should carry your insurance with you so that you can rent a car. |
| D．You should store your valuables in the front desk of a hotel. |
Choose the best title for the passage.
| A．Some precautions when traveling abroad. |
| B．The two main reasons for people traveling. |
| C．The official documents a traveler needs. |
| D．Advice on using local transportation. |
Where can you read this kind of passage?
| A．Economy | B．Education |
| C．Sports | D．Tourism |
When my family moved to America in 2010 from a small village in Guangdong, China, we brought not only our luggage, but also our village rules, customs and culture. One of the rules is that young people should always respect elders. Unluckily, this rule led to my very first embarrassment in the United States.
I had a part-time job as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant. One time, when I was serving food to a middle-aged couple, the wife asked me how the food could be served so quickly. I told her that I had made sure they got their food quickly because I always respect the elderly. As soon as I said that, her face showed great displeasure. My manager, who happened to hear what I said, took me aside and gave me a long lecture about how sensitive(敏感) Americans are and how they dislike the description “old”. I then walked back to the table and apologized to the wife. After the couple heard my reason, they understood that the problem was caused by cultural differences, so they laughed and were no longer angry.
In my village in China, people are proud of being old. Not so many people live to be seventy or eighty, and people who reach such an age have the most knowledge and experience. Young people always respect older people because they know they can learn from their rich experience.
However, in the United States, people think “growing old” is a problem since “old” shows that a person is going to retire or that the body is not working well. Here many people try to keep themselves away from growing old by taking exercise, and women put on makeup, hoping to look young. When I told the couple in the restaurant that I respect the elderly, they got angry because this caused them to feel they had failed to stay young. I had told them something they didn’t want to hear.
After that, I changed the way I had been with older people. It is not that I don’t respect them any more; I still respect them, but now I don’t show my feelings through words.Jack brought the couple their food very fast because _______.
| A．the manager asked him to do so |
| B．he respected the elderly |
| C．the couple wanted him to do so |
| D．he wanted more money |
When Jack called the couple “elderly”, they became _______.
| A．nervous | B．satisfied |
| C．unhappy | D．excited |
In Jack’s hometown, _______.
| A．people dislike being called “old” |
| B．young people can learn from old people’s experience |
| C．many people reach the age of seventy or eighty |
| D．the elderly are the first to get food in restaurants |
After this experience, Jack _______.
| A．lost his job in the restaurant |
| B．made friends with the couple |
| C．no longer respected the elderly |
| D．changed his way with old people |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The more Jack explained, the angrier the couple got. |
| B．Jack wanted to show his feelings through words after his experience. |
| C．The manager went back to the table and apologized to the couple. |
| D．From this experience, Jack learned more about American culture. |
Libraries give kids a quiet and safe place to read and learn. For over 100 years, libraries have played an important role in Americans’ education. But how are these book-filled buildings changing with the times? You may be surprised to find out.
Benjamin Franklin famously founded (创建) America’s first lending library in 1731. But the public library system got its biggest development in the American history in the late 1800’s. Businessman Andrew Carnegie donated （捐赠）millions of dollars to help build free public libraries across the country. Between 1886 and 1919, Carnegie’s donations helped build 1,679 new libraries.
Carnegie believed that libraries could offer the chances to Americans, young and old. He knew that the more libraries there were, the more people would have opportunities to read and use books, speeches and news.
If you can easily find a public library in your community(社区), you’ll get more chances. After all, the United States has 9,225 public libraries. Today, libraries keep growing. Seven tenths of the libraries have free Internet. It provides（提供） much more information and opportunities机会） to ask for jobs online.
Libraries are also teaching kids about the fun of reading. The new program Read! Build! Play! adds reading into playtime. As kids listen to a book that is being read aloud, they use Legos (乐高积木) to build images(图像) from the story happily. Today’s libraries are always looking for creative programs to bring people into the library.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “The doors of wisdom(智慧) are never shut.” As long as（只要） the doors of public libraries are open, what he said is most certainly correct!Benjamin Franklin founded the first lending library in _______.
| A．1731 | B．1800 | C．1886 | D．1919 |
How many public libraries have free Internet now?
| A．2767. | B．6458. |
| C．9225. | D．1679. |
The right order of the following statements is ______ .
①The public library system in America developed fast.
②The first lending library was founded.
③ Libraries provide information and chances to ask for job online.
④ Libraries try to bring people into the library by using creative programs.
| A．②①③④ | B．②③④① |
| C．③④①② | D．①②③④ |
The best title for the passage is _______.
| A．the libraries in the world |
| B．libraries and opportunities |
| C．libraries teach kids to read and learn |
| D．the development of the American libraries |
Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could do to help her 3-year-old son Michael prepare for it. She and her husband found out that the new baby was going to be a girl. Day after day, night after night, Michael sang to his sister in his mom’s tummy(肚子).
Finally, Michael’s little sister was born. But she was in a very serious condition. The doctor told the parents there was very little hope. They kept the baby girl in the ICU(重症室). Karen was so sad. She decided to say goodbye to the baby. Michael, however, kept asking his parents to let him see his sister. “I want to sing to her,” he would say. Finally Karen decided to take Michael to his sister. This might be the last time he saw her alive.
Michael looked at his baby sister. After a moment, he began to sing. In the lovely voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang: “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray.” Suddenly the baby girl seemed to be better. Her heart beat well little by little.
“Keep on singing, Michael,” encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes. “You never know, dear, how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away.” As Michael sang to his sister, the baby’s breath(呼吸) became smooth.
After a few days, the little girl was well enough to go home. The doctors called it a miracle(奇迹).What can we learn from the first paragraph?
| A．Michael didn’t like his little sister at all. |
| B．Michael didn’t want to accept his new sister. |
| C．Karen wished that the baby would be a boy. |
| D．Karen helped Michael prepare for the change. |
What happened to Michael’s little sister after she was born?
| A．She was very healthy. |
| B．She was seriously ill. |
| C．She was born to be blind. |
| D．She was crying all the time. |
Why did Karen decide to take Michael to see the newborn baby?
| A．The doctor asked her to do so. |
| B．She thought he might be able to save the baby. |
| C．She wanted to know what Michael would do for his sister. |
| D．She thought it might be his last chance to see his sister. |
The writer tells us the story to show_____.
| A．the power(力量) of science |
| B．the miracle (奇迹) of doctors |
| C．the power of love |
| D．the miracle of a mother |