Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, the aged, and children who have lost their parents, but also friends, workmates, relatives and neighbors whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.
Over 60 years ago, when a Cleveland man noticed that some people, such as children who lost their parents and patients who lay in bed, too often felt forgotten and neglected, he developed in his mind the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this by giving them small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors, he gave those people small gifts on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed
, other Clevelanders began to take part in the celebration, which came to be called “Sweetest Day”. Over time, the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the poor, the sick and children who had lost their parents was broadened to include everyone, and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small gift. Soon the idea spread to other cities all over the USA.
Sweetest Day is
not based on any single group’s religious beliefs or on a family relationship. It is a reminder that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning.
Because for many people remembering takes the form of gift giving, Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care, in a positive way.What is Cleveland?
| A．An island. | B．A country. |
| C．A city in America. | D．A village in England. |
What do most p
eople usually do to show their care to others according to the passage?
| A．They give gifts. | B．They give money. |
| C．They send regards. | D．They offer help. |
What can we learn from the first paragraph?
| A．Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in October. |
| B．Sweetest Day is just an occasion to care about disabled people. |
| C．Sweetest Day is an occasion for lovers to express love. |
| D．Sweetest Day is a day to make others happy. |
The underlined word “neglected” in the second paragraph means “______”.
| A．remembered | B．hated |
| C．disappointed | D．paid little or no attention to |
Which of the following has little relationship to Sweetest Day?
A．Visiting sick peop le of the hospital. |
| B．Visiting children who have lost their parents. |
| C．Giving flowers to sweethearts. |
| D．Giving friends small gifts. |
In choosing a friend, one should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair weather friends. They will be with you as long as you have money or luck, but when you are down, they will run away. How do I know when I have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities of character, especially understanding, honesty and reliability(可靠).
Above all else, I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead, he tries to learn from others. He puts himself in the other person’s place, and he tries to think of ways to be helpful. He is also a good listener.
At the same time, however, a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults(过错) in others. He notices their good points. In short, a friend will try to understand me and accept me.
Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on a good friend. If he tells me he will meet me somewhere at a certain time, I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favour, he will do his best to help me. If I am in trouble, he will not run away from me.
There is a fourth quality that makes a friend special. A special friend is someone with whom we can have fun. We would enjoy our lives, and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experience and learn from each other. A good friend has a good sense of humour(幽默), too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.
When I meet someone who is reliable, honest, and understanding, I know I’ve found a friend!According to the author, the most important quality in choosing a friend is.
| A．understanding | B．honesty |
| C．reliability | D．a sense of humour |
If you have fair weather friends, .
| A．they will give you all that they have when you need help |
| B．you will be refused when you get into trouble |
| C．you will become rich |
| D．you can be sure that you get real friends |
Good friends need to .
| A．always point out each other’s mistakes |
| B．be helped with money |
| C．understand each other’s feelings |
| D．have money or luck |
This passage mainly discusses.
| A．the qualities of a friend |
| B．where to choose friends |
| C．how to get along with friends |
| D．the importance of having a friend |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．How to choose a friend? | B．My best friend |
| C．A good friend in my mind | D．Four qualities of a good friend |
During the 19th century, women’s education was not considered important in the United States. Supporters of advanced education for women faced many problems. States did require each town to provide a school for children, but teachers were often poorly prepared. Most young women were not able to continue on with their education in private schools. If they did, they often were not taught much except the French language, how to sew (缝制) clothing, and music.
Mary Lyon felt that women’s education was extremely important. Through her lifelong work for education she became the most famous woman in the 19th century America. She believed that women were teachers both at home and in the classroom. And she believed that efforts to better educate young women also served God. If women were better educated, she felt, they could teach in local schools throughout the United States and in foreign countries.
In 1837, Mary Lyon opened Mount Holyoke Seminary for Women. Only four teachers and the first class of eighty young women lived and studied in the building when the school opened. But Mary knew the importance of what had been established (建立) — the first independent school for the higher education of women. The school continued to grow. In 1893, under a state law, Mount Holyoke Female Seminary became a college. Mount Holyoke College was the first college to offer women the same education as was offered to men.
People who have studied Mary Lyon say she was not fighting a battle (战争) of equality between men and women, yet she knew she wanted more for women. Her efforts led to the spread of higher education for women in the United States. Historians say she was the strongest influence on the education of American young people during the middle of the 19th century.What did Mary Lyon think would be a result of better education for women?
| A．They could be teachers in local schools in the USA and in foreign countries. |
| B．They could help their children with the homework. |
| C．They could help their husbands with the work. |
| D．They could help their parents with the housework. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the text?
| A．Teachers were poorly prepared in the 19th century. |
| B．Mount Holyoke Seminary for Women was the first independent school for the higher education of women in the United States. |
| C．Mount Holyoke College only taught women French. |
| D．Young women studied French, sewing and music in private schools in the 19th century. |
What contributions did Mary make to education?
A. She taught a great number of young women.
B. She made the law protect men’s right to education.
C. She was responsible for the spread of higher education for women in the USA.
D. She succeeded in developing her own education system.
The first summer job is often a signal that you are on your way to adulthood, and it is also a method for earning money to pay for what you dream of. It is never too early to start considering the future. Now, here are some good choices for you!
Retail(零售) Sales
Retail offers plenty of opportunity for teens who are looking for a job. This type of work can pay from $10 to $15 an hour depending on the duty you are expected to take on. It can also be great for teens who are friendly and enjoy talking to other people. For more information, call us at 111-222-3333.
Food Service
A job in the food service industry is a natural fit for sociable teens who enjoy communicating with public. It allows employees to work as part of a team while learning about following instructions. It also comes with the opportunity to earn between $8 and $10 per hour. Just call 111-222-3533 for more information.
Babysitter
This job requires someone who is highly responsible. Though it pays generally between $6 and $8 hourly, it also requires a lot of patience. This is a great choice for teens who wish to make a career in teaching, child care, social work or any other field that makes use of social skills or requires interaction with kids. Got a question? Just call 111-222-3336.
Housekeeping
This type of work can bring in about $5 an hour and it will allow teens to learn responsibility and develop their organizational skills. The summer sees an upswing in the tourism industry, so hotels are often looking for more housekeeping staff, and parks often need more people to assist with keeping public areas clean and organized as well. Telephone: 111-222-3330.How much can you earn at least in two hours as a retailer?
| A．$10 | B．$12 | C．$16 | D．$20 |
Which of the following jobs may attract teens who want to be a teacher?
| A．Retail Sales | B．Food Service |
| C．Babysitter | D．Housekeeping |
The underlined part “an upswing” in the last paragraph can best be replaced by________
| A．an increase | B．a limit |
| C．a sign | D．a trick |
The text is mainly written for teens who__________.
| A．are faced with communication problems |
| B．want a part-time job in the summer |
| C．dream of becoming a housekeeper |
| D．plan to start their own business |
O. Henry was a pen name used by an American writer of short stories. His real name was William Sydney Porter. He was born in North Carolina in 1862. As a young boy he lived an exciting life. He did not go to school for very long, but he managed to teach himself everything he needed to know. When he was about 20 years old, O. Henry went to Texas, where he tried different jobs. He first worked on a newspaper, and then had a job in a bank. When some money went missing from the bank, O. Henry was believed to have stolen it. Because of that, he was sent to prison. During the three years in prison, he learned to write short stories. After he got out of prison, he went to New York and continued writing. He wrote mostly about New York and the life of the poor there. People liked his stories, because simple though the tales were, they would finish with a sudden change at the end, to the readers' surprise.People enjoyed reading O. Henry's stories because_____
| A．they had surprise endings. |
| B．they were easy to understand. |
| C．they showed his love for the poor. |
| D．they were about New York City. |
O. Henry went to prison because_____
| A．people thought he had stolen money from the newspaper. |
| B．he broke the law by not using his own name. |
| C．he wanted to write stories about prisoners. |
| D．people thought he had taken money that was not his. |
What do we know about O. Henry before he began writing?
| A．He was well-educated. |
| B．He was not serious about his work. |
| C．He was devoted to the poor. |
| D．He was very good at learning. |
Where did O. Henry get most materials(素材) for his short stories?
| A．His life inside the prison. |
| B．The newspaper articles he wrote. |
| C．The city and people of New York. |
| D．His exciting early life as a boy. |
Is your family interested in buying a dog? A dog can be a pleasant companion to your family, but if you choose the wrong kind of dog ，you will have a lot of troubles.
Families should sit down and thoroughly discuss the possible problems before buying a dog. Even if the children in your family are the ones who want the dog, the parents are the ones who are really responsible for seeing that the animal is properly cared for. If you don’t know much about dogs, it is a good idea to go to the library for books about different kinds of dogs, as well as books about how to train a young dog. In reading about the different breeds (种类) you should know that a dog described (描述) as very alert (机敏灵活的) may be too active. When a book describes a dog as an excellent hunting dog, it probably means that the dog won’t be happy living in a small house. Dog breeds vary (变化) in popularity as the years go by. One of the most popular dogs these days is the German shepherd. This is because it provides protection as well as companionship. The family should be warned that these dogs grow up to be very big, and may be too powerful for children to control. If space is limited, a toy dog may be a good choice. These dogs are very small and easy to train. They don’t need to be walked daily, since they can exercise in the home.According to the passage, one can get information about different kinds of dogs.
| A．by staying at home |
| B．by asking someone who has enough experience about different kinds of dogs |
| C．by buying a dog and training it |
| D．by reading books about dogs |
The German shepherd is a popular dog.
| A．because it is easy to train |
| B．because it is small and weak |
| C．because it is powerful and friendly |
| D．because it is alert and active |
Which of the following statements is not true?
| A．Don’t buy a hunting dog if your house is not big enough. |
| B．Dog breeds vary in popularity as the years go by. |
| C．The German shepherd is the most popular dog recently for it provides not only companionship but also protection. |
| D．You should have a discussion with your family before buying a dog in case it causes you a lot of troubles. |
Which is the best topic of the passage?
| A．The care and proper selection of dogs for families. |
| B．Different breeds of dogs. |
| C．Responsibility for seeing that dogs are properly cared for. |
| D．Different kinds of books about dogs. |