Beldon and Canfield are two seashore towns, not far apart．Both towns have many hotels, and in summer the hotels are full of holiday-makers and other tourists．
Last August there was a fire at the Seabreeze Hotel in Beldon．The next day, this news appeared on page two of the town’s newspaper．The Beldon Post:
FIRE AT SEABREEZE
Late last night firemen hurried to the Seabreeze Hotel and quickly put out a small fire in a bedroom．The hotel manager said that a cigarette started the fire．We say again to all our visitors： “Please don’t smoke cigarettes in bed．” This was Beldon’s first hotel fire for five years．
The Canfield Times gave the news in these words on page one：
ANOTHER BELDON HOTEL CATCHES FIRE
Last night Beldon firemen arrived just too late to save clothing, bedclothes and some furniture at the Seabreeze Hotel．An angry holiday-maker said, “An electric lamp probably started the fire．The bedroom lamps are very old at some of these hotels．When I put my bedside light on, I heard a funny noise from the lamp．” We are glad to tell our readers that this sort of adventure does not happen in Canfield．
What are the facts, then? It is never easy to find out the exact truth about an accident．There was a fire at the Seabreeze Hotel last August: that is one fact．Do we know anything else? Yes, we know that firemen went to the hotel．
Now what do you think of the rest of the “news” ?Which of the following best gives the main idea of this text?
| A．Beldon and Canfield are both good places for tourists in summer． |
| B．A fire broke out at night in Seabreeze Hotel last summer． |
| C．It was not easy to find out exact truth from newspapers． |
| D．Two newspapers gave reports on the same matter． |
Which of the following are probably facts?
a．The fire broke out in a bedroom at the hotel．
b．A cigarette started the fire．
c．An old lamp started the fire．
d．The fire broke out at night．
e．There has never been a fire in Canfield．
| A．b and c | B．a and d | C．c and e | D．a and c |
The Canfield Times used the headline like this in order to make its readers think _______．
| A．hotels in Beldon often catch fire |
| B．hotels in Beldon don’t often catch fire |
| C．this was the second fire at the Seabreeze Hotel |
| D．Beldon was a good place except that hotels there are not quite safe |
The Canfield newspaper gave a report just the opposite to the Beldon Post by saying that _______．
| A．the bedroom lamps were very old at the Seabreeze Hotel |
| B．the bedroom lights made funny noise when the fire took place |
| C．the firemen failed to save clothing, bedclothes and other things |
| D．such accidents never happened in Canfield for the past 5 years |
Your body, which has close relations with the food you eat, is the most important thing you own, so it needs proper treatment and proper nourishment (营养). The old saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is not as silly as some people think. The body needs fruit and vegetables because they contain vitamin C. Many people take extra vitamins in pill form, believing that these will make them healthy.
But a good diet is made up of nourishing food and this gives all the vitamins you need. The body doesn’t need or use extra vitamins, so why waste money on them?
In the modern western world, many people are too busy to bother about eating properly. They throw anything into their stomachs, eating hurriedly and carelessly. The list of illnesses caused or made worse by bad eating habits is frightening.“Your body has close relations with the food you eat.”It really means that ______.
| A．all kinds of food you eat can be made into your body |
| B．what you eat has great effect on your health |
| C．your body is made up of the food you eat |
| D．the more you eat, the fitter you will feel |
The old saying referred to in the passage tells us that ______.
| A．eating apples regularly does lots of good to our health |
| B．the apple is the best among all kinds of fruits |
| C．apples can take the place of doctors |
| D．an apple is a sure cure for illness |
In the second paragraph, the writer tries to let us know ______.
| A．our bodies need food or we can’t live |
| B．often eating apples is a good habit |
| C．taking extra vitamin pills is completely useless |
| D．a good diet is of great importance for our health |
In the modern western countries ______.
| A．people don’t want to pay more attention to their eating |
| B．people throw everything into their stomachs without chewing |
| C．lots of people’s illnesses are caused or made worse by bad eating habits |
| D．people are only too busy to cook meals for themselves |
From the passage we can draw a conclusion that if we want to keep healthy, we should ______.
| A．only eat an apple a day |
| B．eat properly |
| C．take as many vitamin pills as possible |
| D．throw something into our stomachs slowly and carefully |
February has long been a month of romance. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out for dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentine's Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest (神父) in the third century Rome. When the emperor decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn't allow marriage.
But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison, Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed “From Your Valentine”, an expression that is still in use today. Valentine did for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history's most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine's Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine's cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heartshaped cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St.Valentine.Which of the following is NOT a custom for a boy to do on Valentine's Day?
| A．To take his girlfriend out for dinner. |
| B．To buy his girlfriend flowers and chocolates. |
| C．To make Valentine's cards for teachers and friends. |
| D．To spell out his girlfriend's name with rose petals. |
Why did the emperor in Rome forbid marriage in his country?
| A．Because there were few women in his country at that time. |
| B．Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers. |
| C．Because there wasn't enough food for so many people. |
| D．Because he wanted to control the birth rate. |
Valentine was put into prison because ________.
| A．he killed one of the soldiers |
| B．he stole a lot of food |
| C．he didn't obey the emperor's order |
| D．he didn't want to be a soldier |
The last paragraph mainly tells us ________.
| A．students in China send cards to their teachers |
| B．Valentine's Day is also popular in China now |
| C．it is interesting to celebrate Valentine's Day in China |
| D．it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine's Day in China |
The best title for this passage should be ________.
| A．A Romantic Man | B．A Brave Priest |
| C．Valentine's Day in China | D．Valentine's Day |
As we all know, the Dragon Boat Festival is our country’s traditional festival, but do you know there is also a Dragon Boat Festival in South Korea, which also falls on May 5 of the lunar calendar(阴历)? It has been reported that South Korea will apply to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO 联合国教科文组织) to make the celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival its own intangible cultural heritage (非物质的文化遗产). If successful, people from other countries may see the Dragon Festival as a Korean creation.
As the birthplace of the yearly event more than 2,000 years ago, China is not happy with the situation. "It would be a shame if another country successfully made a traditional Chinese festival part of its own cultural heritage ahead of China," said Zhou Heping, deputy(副) culture minister. The Ministry of Culture is even thinking of making its own application to UNESCO, covering all traditional Chinese festivals, including the Dragon Boat event.
It is thought that the festival is held in memory of the great poet Qu Yuan (340-278 BC), who lived in the State of Chu during the Warring States Period. Qu was known to be a patriot (爱国者) and admired by ordinary people.
He is said to have jumped into Miluo River, because he had lost hope in his country's future. When people heard about Qu's death, they sailed up and down the river searching for his body. They also beat the drums to frighten away the fish and threw Zongzi into the water to stop the fish touching Qu. Dragon boat racing is said to come from this search for the poet's body.
Over the years, the Dragon Boat Festival has spread throughout the world. In Japan and Viet Nam, as well as South Korea, the festival has mixed with and become part of the local culture.The Dragon Boat Festival _______.
| A．is also kept by South Korea |
| B．comes from South Korea |
| C．was created by South Korea |
| D．is South Korea’s cultural heritage |
What is the reaction of the Ministry of Culture to South Korea’s intending to make the Dragon Boat Festival its own culture heritage?
| A．Fighting against South Korea |
| B．Telling South Korea it’s not right to do so |
| C．Considering doing the similar thing |
| D．Asking South Korea not to do so. |
What is the purpose of the Dragon Boat Festival’s being held?
| A．In memory of Qu Yuan |
| B．In memory of all the patriots of China |
| C．To frighten away the fish |
| D．In honor of QuYuan’s birthday |
After Qu Yuan’s death, Zongzi was thrown into the water to _______.
| A．feed him. |
| B．protect his body from going bad. |
| C．attract his soul |
| D．prevent the fish biting his body |
Now, the Dragon Boat Festival has become ______ activity.
| A．a nationwide | B．a worldwide |
| C．an Asian | D．a foreign |
Most young people enjoy some form of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling or swimming, or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some kind: football, hockey, golf, or tennis. It may be mountaineering.
Those who have a passion for climbing high and steep mountains are often looked upon with astonishment. Why are men and women are willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks on high mountains? This astonishment is caused probably by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.
Mountaineering is a sport, not a game. There are no man-made rules, as there are for such games as tennis and football. There are, of course, rules of a different kind which it would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man-made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.
If we compare mountaineering and other more familiar sports, we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a “team sport”. Then we are mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no “matches” between “teams” of climbers, but when climbers are on a rock surface linked by a rope on which their lives may depend, there is obviously teamwork.
A mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature. This sport requires high mental and physical qualities.
A mountain climber continues to improve his skills year after year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty, and most international tennis champions are in their early twenties. But it is not unusual for a man of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they probably climb with more skills than waste less effort.Why is mountaineering not a game?
| A．Because it is dangerous. |
| B．Because it has no man-made rules. |
| C．Because it is unfamiliar to many people. |
| D．Because so few people go in for this sport. |
Mountaineering can be called a team sport because ______.
| A．it is an Olympic event |
| B．teams compete against each other |
| C．there are five climbers on each team |
| D．mountaineering may depend on their opponents(对手) when in danger |
Mountaineers compete against _____.
| A．nature |
| B．high mountains |
| C．other mountaineers |
| D．international standards |
The last paragraph mainly tells us that _____.
| A．a mountaineer improves his skill constantly |
| B．a good mountaineer may be an elderly one |
| C．mountaineering is different from other sports |
| D．an elderly man climbs the highest mountains in Alps |
In this passage the author intends to _____.
| A．tell us to have sports |
| B．introduce us to sports |
| C．tell us to go mountaineering |
| D．introduce us to mountaineering |
What is the definition of “happiness?” Is it material wealth filled with fancy cars, a dream house or jewelry? Or does happiness simply mean having a roof over your head? Food in the fridge? Having a swimming pool? A designer Gucci bag? Love? Money? A perfect job?
Do you recall a time----let’s say when you were about 5 years old-----what defined happiness back then? Was it getting a puppy for Christmas? Or maybe, you were a child of divorce; and all you wanted was for Mom and Dad to get back together again? Then as you got older, you were hoping that someone would ask you to the party that would have made your day. During college, good grades made you happy, but it was short-lived. Because in the real world, you had to look for a job, and competition was fierce. But then, you got a perfect job, could you be happy?
We like having and accumulating things. We work so we can pay our rents, credit card debts, school loans, car payments… The list goes on and on. And at some point, we realize that apart from having most of what we want, we still aren’t happy. Now since we’ve learned to adapt to new standards which we’ve created for ourselves, we find that we have less time, less patience, less sleep, which leads to more stress and more anxiety. Therefore, don’t stupidly make a conclusion that happiness is just based on “things”.
Sometimes, we trade our lives for not only basic necessities, but for excessive items and services as well. Certainly, you’ve heard of individuals trying to “find themselves”, or to “rediscover themselves”. But the point has been missed: happiness is already there.
Disappointments and tragedies in life will come and go, but happiness never leaves you. We can lose our jobs, but be grateful for those who love us. We can lose our homes to nature, but be thankful to be alive. If we think we are happy, we are indeed happy. Happiness is merely a perception of each individual.
Happiness is part of love, and love is an ocean. Go dive in and get some, and then share it with everyone, which can be an endless supply. But sharing happiness with people around demands skilful techniques.The author puts forward a lot of questions to__________.
| A．ask readers for information |
| B．compare answers from readers |
| C．expect positive answers from readers |
| D．draw readers’ attention to the topic |
It can be inferred from Para.3 that___________.
| A．accumulating things is not a good habit. |
| B．pressure and worry should be ridded of. |
| C．people have to work hard to pay for daily necessities |
| D．some aren’t satisfied with what they have possessed |
Individuals trying to “rediscover themselves ” fail to realize that___________.
| A．they haven’t got lost in the material life |
| B．each individual has different opinions on happiness |
| C．there has existed something worth making them happy |
| D．it is not necessary for them to bear heavy financial burden |
People will feel happy if__________.
| A．they think of the positive aspects of life |
| B．they seek excessive items and services |
| C．they have no disappointments in life |
| D．they can get a puppy for Christmas in their childhood |
The paragraph following the last will probably talk about___________.
| A．the definition of happiness |
| B．how to share happiness with others |
| C．the ways to rediscover happiness |
| D．where to seek happiness in our daily life |