The centerpiece of curling(冰壶)is the curling stone. Kays of Scotland has been making curling stones since 1851, when William Kay and his sons Andrew and Thomas set up a workshop in Mauchline, Ayrshire, in southwest Scotland. Kays is still owned by the relatives of the founder, and today it is the only curling stone maker left in Scotland.
Used in a highly competitive sport, the curling stones are made to exact standards. First, stones are sliced and then into round “cheeses”. Finally, the cheeses are shaped and polished into curling stones in a series of steps.
Each stone must weigh 44 pounds. Each must have a maximum diameter (直径) of 36 inches. Polishing is done by hand on a wheel using water, diamond-talcum power, and felt. Finishing the stone’s “running edge” is done entirely by hand with a special kind of paper and a digital measure and magnifying glass (放大镜). Lastly, a handle(把手) is fitted into holes on the top of the stone. Stones are computer-matched into pairs. Sixteen stones----8 pairs----are needed for a game, and since curling game field usually have 6 lanes, each game field needs 96 matched stones!
Kays is a small company, employing less than ten skilled workers. Master craftsman and co-owner James Wyllie is skilled at all phases of curling stone making and is also an enthusiastic curler, as well as active member of Mauchline’s Burns Club, which meets regularly to honor well-known Mauchline residents.What is true about Kays?
| A．It is a family business. |
| B．It’s a brand(牌子) of curling stones. |
| C．It’s a place in Scotland. |
| D．It’s the name of a curling stone dealer(业者). |
How many curling stones are needed for two games happening at the same time?
| A．8 | B．16 | C．32 | D．96 |
What does the underlined word “sliced” mean in Chinese in the second paragraph?
| A．切割 | B．镶嵌 | C．移开 | D．固定 |
Which of the following statements is NOT RIGHT according to the passage?
| A．Kays of Scotland has been curling stone maker for more than 150 years. |
| B．The weight of each curling stone must be 44 pounds. |
| C．We use a special machine to polish the curling stone. |
| D．The workers in Kays are all experienced. |
What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．The history of curling. |
| B．How to make a curling stone. |
| C．The rules of curling. |
| D．How to become a curling stone maker. |
I went to technology fair where people were showing their ideas for better learning. At the show I got a chance to try out lots of new, interesting equipment that might be introduced to schools. I thought some of it were great and would make learning more fun.
Cyber Coach Mat
The first thing I tried was the Cyber Coach Mat. This allows children to learn things like yoga(瑜伽) and tai chi(太极拳) with virtual instructors(虚拟教练). Also you can play football or have dance battles on it.
Sony PSP
The second piece of equipment I tried was the Play Station Portable. or PSP. It lets you access(获得) lots of education materials and helps learning in many ways. It's really fun and even has a built-in camera and video so you can have fun with friends.
Lego NXT
The final thing I tried was the Lego NXT. This involves(涉及) building a robot and programming it to follow instructions(指令).
The robot can pick up sound waves which can then be sent to the computer or a phone. I would really like to do this kind of thing in my lesson!
Overall the fair was great and I learn how to use a lot of things that I think could really help children to learn and have fun at the same time.
My favourite was the Cyber Coach Mat because it allows you to learn new skills and it"s a great way to do a PE lesson if it's cold and raining outside!The underlined word "fair" means "_______" in Chinese.
| A．公平的 | B．漂亮的 | C．集市 | D．博览会 |
Which equipment does the writer like best ?
| A．The first one. | B．The second one. |
| C．The last one. | D．None of them. |
The robot can be controlled by_____.
| A．letters | B．sounds | C．pictures | D．telephones |
What does the passage talk about?
| A．New ways of learning PE. |
| B．Inventions for making friends. |
| C．New equipment for better learning. |
| D．A kind of robot. |
Algae(水藻) are very simple plants. They grow in fresh water or salty water. Seaweed is algae that grow in salty water. Seaweed is red or brown in color. The Japanese people use these plants from the sea in many ways. From it, they make a food called Kombu. Kombu is seaweed that has been dried, cooked and pressed together. Then it is dried again and cut into long pieces. The Japanese eat a lot of Kombu and like it very much.
Japanese farmers often use seaweed as fertilizer. It makes their plants grow better. Many farmers also find seaweed makes a fine food for their animals.
From seaweed the Japanese also get iodine(碘), which they sell to other countries. Iodine is used in many ways all over the world. It is used in making medicine. It is added to the salt we use at the table. Scientists even use one form of iodine to "seed clouds" when they want rain to fall.Kombu is a kind of ____ according to the text.
| A．plant | B．medicine | C．food | D．fertilizer |
In the last sentence of the text, "seed clouds" means ____.
| A．clouds spreading like seeds |
| B．the seeds like clouds |
| C．to make rain fall with human power |
| D．dropping seeds by clouds |
The main idea of the story is that ____.
| A．The Japanese eat seaweed when they want rain to fall. |
| B．Kombu is made into medicine for farmers. |
| C．The Japanese use seaweed in many ways. |
| D．The Japanese eat a lot of Kombu. |
The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before a huge pile of troublesome stuff they call “books”.
I was going to have my examination the next day. "When can I go to bed?" I asked myself. I didn’t answer, in fact I dared not.
The clock struck 12. "Oh, dear!" I cried, "ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most wretched creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to study so hard when he was a boy ."
The clock struck one. I was quite hopeless now. I forgot all I had learned. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, “Oh, God, Please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.” My eyes were heavy, so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.When the author was going over his lessons, all the others in the house were_____ .
| A．asleep | B．working in bed |
| C．outside | D．quietly laughing at him |
Reviewing his lessons didn’t help him because ________.
| A．it was too late at night |
| B．he was very tired |
| C．his eyes lids were so heavy that he couldn’t keep them open |
| D．he hadn’t studied hard before the examination |
What do you suppose happened to the author？
| A．He went to a church to pray again |
| B．He passed the exam by luck |
| C．He failed in the exam |
| D．He was punished by his teacher |
Jean Driscoll can go faster in her wheelchair than the world’s best marathoners can run!
In April, Jean finished the Boston Marathon in 1 hour 34 minutes 22 seconds. That’s about 33 minutes faster than the winning male runner! She competed on the track, too. She was second in the 800 meter wheelchair race at the 1992 Olympics.
Jean doesn’t like to be told she’s brave. “I’m in sports because I’m a competitive person!” Jean was born with spina bifida(脊柱裂), a birth illness that damages the spine（脊椎）. She began to use a wheelchair to get around in high school. Then she tried wheelchair race and was amazed.” Players banged each other and fell out of their chair,” she says, “It was fun.”
Jean tried other wheelchair sports. At the University of Illinois, her wheelchair basketball team won two national titles.
Now Jean coaches and teaches. She tries to get people to set goals. “When I sign my autograph（亲笔签名）,says Jean, “I write, dream big and work hard.”What made Jean take part in sports?
| A．She was brave. | B．She was competitive. |
| C．She was strong. | D．She was disabled |
What kind of education did she receive?
| A．High school. | B．Junior middle school. |
| C．High education. | D．Primary school. |
What is Jean’s advice on how to succeed?
| A．Work hard. | B．Hope for the best. |
| C．Dream a lot. | D．Have great wishes and work hard. |
| We’ve Moved! Please come to the party in our new house. 8:00pm.on November 5 Betty and Jack Add:31 Station Street Tel:342-1525 E-mail:betty12@email.net |
Must Sell $275 Best washing machine Only 6 months old Owner going abroad Call Mike Green Add:10 Park Street Tel:342-2691 E-mail:mikegreen@hotmail.com |
Smith’s Book Club New and old books Over 1,000 kinds Good coffee and tea Open every day 10:00 to 22:00 Add:15 North Street Tel:342-7391 or 342-7350 E-mail:smith15@yahoo.com |
If you want to go to Betty and Jack’s party, you can call .
| A．342-1525 | B．342-7391 | C．342-2691 | D．342-7350 |
Mike Green has to sell his washing machine because.
| A．he wants to buy a new one |
| B．he will go abroad |
| C．he wants to buy a new house |
| D．There’s something wrong with it |
Smith’s Book Club is open a day.
| A．8 hours | B．10 hours | C．12 hours | D．20 hours |
If you want to read some books, you can go to.
| A．31 Station Street | B．15 North Street |
| C．10 park Street | D．15 Apple Street |
You can use the e-mail mikegreen@hotmail. com if you want to.
| A．read some books | B．go to a family party |
| C．drink some good coffee | D．buy a washing machine |