You may hear someone say, ‘It’s raining cats and dogs.’ We know it means it’s raining hard. Here is how it comes.
There are many large rats in a country. People need cats. But there are many mountains in the country. It’s hard for a plane to land (着陆）． So the cats come down by parachute（降落伞）．
In another country, the people need dogs to find people in the snow. Where can they get the dogs? You can guess. The dogs also come down by parachute.
These cats and dogs are helping the people. And the people often say it rains cats and dogs.
5. What does the sentence ‘It’s raining cats and dogs.’ mean?
A. We put the cats and the dogs in the sky. B. It means ‘It’s raining hard’.
C. people like cats and dogs. D. Cats and dogs are helping the people
6. Why do the cats come down by parachute?
A. Because it’s not safe (安全的). B. Because there are many mountains in the country:
C. Because people need cats. D. Because it’s quick to carry the cats.
7. From the article, we can know rats mean ________.
A. 大象 B. 猴子 C. 老鼠 D. 熊猫
You eat to stay fit and keep your body working, right? Then reading is food for your mind and soul. Reading informs you of what’s happening around. Reading encourages you to think and imagine, think out of the box and imagine the impossible.
In the past, people just read books, only books. Today, we have books online, which makes reading easy. The web, our new storehouse of information is just a click away.But this in no way has stolen the magic of reading books ,the sound of their pages’ flutter（翻页） and their smell…… .You can lie in bed with a book, but with a computer you possibly can’t. No matter how you read, reading is important.
Remember those bedtime stories? We read fun facts about animals, plants and the universe. We ask “whys” and “hows”. In books, we find their answers. Children who are introduced to reading at an early age are seen to have a better understanding of phonics (语音学). They master language skills easily, have a richer vocabulary and have greater reading abilities. Children, who grow up reading good books, mostly stand out. The way they think and act is very different from those who have never been introduced to reading. Reading not only adds to their knowledge but also shapes their personalities. Reading has a great influence on one’s life. Teenagers are easily influenced by whatever they read. If inspirational stories and life experiences are read in one’s teens, they can change a person for the better. They stay with him and keep encouraging him to achieve his goals and choose the right against the wrong.
The more you read, the more creative and imaginative you will become. Reading develops vocabulary, improves language skills and sharpens your problem-solving abilities. It leads to a better understanding of self. Reading gives you knowledge, it makes you more confident. The more you read about others’ lives and experiences, a better decision-maker you will become.
Reading about the importance of reading should lead you to read more, and more, and more. So choose a book you like and don’t stop reading until you reach the end. And even after that read as much as you can.Which of the following is true?
| A．Children should start reading at a young age. |
| B．Parents should tell their children stories every day. |
| C．Teenagers should think and act differently from others. |
| D．Students should find answers to their questions in books. |
The underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 means ______.
| A．reading books is no longer a pleasure to people |
| B．reading books is less interesting than reading online |
| C．reading online can’t take the place of reading books |
| D．reading online can’t be difficult for people |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．More teenagers read online now. |
| B．What teenagers read builds their future. |
| C．What children should learn first is phonics. |
| D．More practice makes reading easier. |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Why Is Reading Important? |
| B．What Should Teenagers Read? |
| C．How Is Reading Ability Improved? |
| D．When Should Children Start Reading? |
Much has been said and written recently about heroes, mainly because many people think we have too few of them. There are many different kinds of heroes, but they all seem to have two things in common. First, heroes, by their actions, show the great possibilities of human nature. Second, heroes can also stand the test of time, and their achievements will not be easily forgotten. Because of these good points, we need to choose our heroes carefully.
Olympic sports star Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who is believed to be a hero, warns young people to be careful of making athletes heroes. She hopes that if someone tries to copy her, it will be because she has achieved her goals by working hard. Joyner-Kersee says that a hero should be someone who has an influence on another person’s life.
Poet Maya Angelou believes that a hero encourages people to treat others well and to be concerned about the greater good. A hero should show politeness, courage, patience, and strength all the time. A hero should encourage others to follow him with actions that improve the world, even if only in small ways.
Author Daniel Boorstin suggests that, “Celebrities are people who make news, but heroes are people who make history.” Thus, if a person is truly worthy to be called a hero, he or she will not be soon forgotten.
We all need heroes. We need to be able to respect people who have been there, done that, and succeeded. Many times the greatest heroes are the people we deal with every day — relatives（亲戚）, friends, and neighbors — who will keep going when it is easier to give up. The parent who puts her or his family ahead of herself or himself, the teacher who will make more money at another job but chooses to help others — all these people can be considered as heroes. A hero quietly and continuously sets a good example, an example that inspires others to follow.Joyner-Kersee hopes that young people ______.
| A．will work hard | B．will become heroes |
| C．will follow her | D．will achieve her goal |
The underlined word “celebrities” in Paragraph 4 means ______.
| A．volunteers | B．reporters |
| C．sports players | D．famous people |
From the passage we know that ______.
| A．there are fewer heroes than before |
| B．many common people set examples to us |
| C．heroes should be polite, patient and famous |
| D．heroes have to reach the standard required for them |
The best title for this passage is ______.
| A．What Heroes Do | B．Who Are Heroes |
| C．How Heroes Live | D．Where Heroes are |
Do you have any books on your bookshelf for many years? Instead of throwing them away, here is another way for you to consider. If you have books that you do not read anymore, you can share them with others. You can take the books to Share and Read. Share and Read offers used books in different categories(类别), such as storybooks, children books, language books, cook books and computer books, etc. All the books are sold at low prices. Share and Read also aims to help poor children in China. The money raised will be donated to help build schools in rural areas.
We welcome all quality books. We do not want textbooks, magazines and dictionaries. Just make sure that your books are in good condition before giving them to us.
Address: 201 Riverside Main Street
Working hours: Thursdays to Sundays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Hotline: 7654-4321
We look forward to seeing you at Share and Read!If you have books that you do not read anymore, you can ______.
| A．sell them to friends |
| B．throw them away |
| C．share them with others |
| D．keep them on the bookshelf |
When can you take books to Share and Read?
| A．At 3:00 pm on Thursday |
| B．At 7:00 pm on Sunday |
| C．At 11:00 am on Tuesday |
| D．At 8:00 am on Wednesday |
Share and read does not want ______.
A. Storybooks
B. textbooks
In 1834, the clock tower in London was burned down. People planned to build a new clock which would be the biggest and best in the world. So the clock had to be big and keep very good time. The big clock was made in two years. Five more years later the tower was finished. Then people put the big clock in the tower, and made it ring out for the first time on July 11, 1859.
In order to give the bigclock a good name, people held a meeting. Someone wanted to call it the Queen of Bells, and someone thought Victoria was good. At last, a man named Benjamin Hall stood up. He was a big man. Before he started to speak, someone shouted, “Why not call it Big Ben? ”Everybody laughed and agreed with him.
From then on, Big Ben became its name. And it also became a famous building of London. People all over the world write to Big Ben. They even send birthday presents—bottles of oil-to help keep Big Ben running. Big Ben is not only a clock but also a dear friend ofpeople. Big Ben’s birthday is ___________.
| A．July 11, 1854 | B．1834 |
| C．July 11, 1859 | D．July 11, 1852 |
How did Big Ben get its name?
| A．Benjamin Hall gave it the name. |
| B．Big Ben got its name because of a joke. |
| C．Big Ben got its name from the Queen of the UK. |
| D．Victoria gave it the name. |
The phrase “keep very good time” means ____________.
| A．have a good time | B．show people the correct time |
| C．keep running | D．be made in time |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．People all over the world look Big Ben as their friend. |
| B．People all over the world even send oil to Big Ben. |
| C．People think Big Ben will reply their letters. |
| D．People think Big Ben is the biggest and best clock in the world. |
Benjamin Hall is .
| A．a man who built Big Ben |
| B．a man who was always very funny |
| C．the man who burnt down the old clock |
| D．a man who attended the meeting which was held to make a name for the big clock |
What should we do if a fire happens? Look at the following.
1. Shout——Shout as loudly as you can ,because people may be asleep.
2. Call 119——Never try to put out a fire yourself. Tell 119 where you are and what is on fire.
3. Keep down close to the floor——There’s less smoke down there, so it’s easier to breathe and see where you are going.
4. Test the door—— the door is cool, open it carefully. If the door is hot, don’t open it! Try to find a different way out.
5. Get out—— not stop to pick up anything. A fire can become very big in afew seconds!
6. Don’t use the lift（电梯）——ways use the stairs. The lift may go wrong and keep you inside.
7. Don’t go back—— if you have left your pet or favorite toy inside, don’t go back for it.
Animals have a very good sense of smell. They often get out of building before people.According to the passage, when something is on fire, you must _____ at once.
| A．look for your pet | B．telephone 119 |
| C．call 120 | D．put out the fire yourself |
The passage tells us that we can _________ in a fire.
| A．use the lift |
| B．try to put out a fire ourselves |
| C．open the hot door and go out |
| D．shout as loudly as possible |
You should keep down close to the floor because __________.
| A．people may be asleep |
| B．the firemen can find you easily |
| C．there is less smoke down there |
| D．you should look after your things carefully |
If the door is hot, we should ________.
| A．open it and get out |
| B．find another way out |
| C．stop to pick up something |
| D．go back for something |
The lift is dangerous in a fire because __________.
| A．it is too small | B．it may go wrong |
| C．it may keep you inside | D．both B an C |