It was 1961 and I was in the fifth grade. My marks in school were miserable and, the thing was, I didn’t know enough to really care. My older bother and I lived with Mom in an ugly multi-family house in Detroit. We watched TV every night. The background noise of our lives was gunfire and horses’ hoofs(马蹄) from “Wagon Train” or “Cheyenne”, and laughter from “I Love Lucy”, or “Mister Ed”. After supper, we’d lie on Mom’s bed and stare for hours at the TV screen.
But one day Mom changed our world forever. She turned off the TV. Our mother had only been able to get through third grade. But, she was much brighter and smarter than we boys know at the time. She had noticed something in the suburban houses where she cleaned books. So she came home one day, switched off the TV, sat us down and explained that her sons were going to make something of themselves. “You boys are going to read two books every week,” she said. “And you’re going to write a report on what you read.”
We moaned（不满,发牢骚） and complained about how unfair it was. Besides, we didn’t have any books in the house other than Mom’s Bible. But she explained that we would go where the books were: “I’ll drive you to the library.”
So pretty soon there were these two peevish（坏脾气的）boys sitting in her white 1959 Oldsmobile on their way to Detroit Public Library. I wandered reluctantly（不情愿） among the children’s books. I loved animals, so when I saw some books that seemed to be about animals, I started leafing through them.
The first book I read clear through was Chip the Dam Builder. It was about beavers（河狸）. For the first time in my life I was lost in another world. No television program had ever taken me so far away from my surroundings as did this virtue visit to a cold stream in a forest and these animals building a home.
It didn’t dawn on me at the time, but the experience was quite different from watching TV. There were images forming in my mind instead of before my eyes. And I could return to them again and again with the flip（快速翻动）of a page.
Soon I began to look forward to visiting this quiet sanctuary form my other world. I moved from animals to plants, and then to rocks. Between the covers of all those books were whole worlds, and I was free to go anywhere in them. Along the way a funny thing happened: I started to know things. Teachers started to notice it too. I got to the point where I couldn’t wait to get home to my books.
Now my older brother is an engineer and I am chief of pediatric neurosurgery(儿童神经外科)at John Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore. Sometimes I still can’t believe my life’s journey, from a failing and indifferent student in a Detroit public school to this position, which takes me all over the world to teach and perform critical surgery.
But I know when the journey began the day Mom switched off the TV set and put us in her Oldsmobile for that drive to the library.We can learn from the beginning of the passage that ___________.
| A．the author and his brother had done well in school |
| B．the author had been very concerned about his school work |
| C．the author had spent much time watching TV after school |
| D．the author had realized how important schooling was |
Which of the following is not true about the author’s family?
| A．He came from a middle-class family. |
| B．He came from a single-parent family. |
| C．His mother worked as a cleaner. |
| D．His mother had received little education. |
How did the two boys feel about going to the library at first?
| A．They were afraid | B．They were reluctant. |
| C．They were impatient. | D．They were eager to go. |
The author began to love books for the following reasons EXCEPT that ___________.
| A．he began to see something in his mind |
| B．he could visualize what he read in his mind |
| C．he could go back to read the books again |
| D．he realized that books offered him new experience |
Part-time jobs for 15 and 16 years olds
Waiter / Waitress
A job as a waiter or waitress is a good choice for 16-year-olds. Not only can one earn $9-$12 an hour, but they can also get the tips (小费). Most people that visit a restaurant don’t just have good food. They come here to relax and have a good time. Besides serving food quickly, a young waiter who talks to them politely with a smile on his face will make the diners enjoy their time at the restaurant.
Work in a library
If one is fond of books, working in a library is another suitable choice. Besides the pay is good, it offers a lot of free time when students can actually sit down and finish their homework. So on returning home, they would have time to hang around with friends or just relax. So working in a library is an excellent part-time job for teens, especially for school students.
Internet jobs
There are many ways of making money through online jobs like clicking on advertisements, visiting sites and signing up with them. However, such online jobs don’t pay well. A better Internet job for teens is to complete online surveys. These are quite simple surveys that usually ask one about his/ her opinions and ideas. Many companies use these ideas to make products designed for teenagers.What does the writer think of the job as a waiter/waitress?
| A．It needs a period of training. |
| B．It pays much more than other jobs. |
| C．It can improve one’s leadership skills. |
| D．Making diners comfortable is part of the job. |
A student who is busy with his research paper will probably choose to work ______.
| A．in a restaurant | B．in a library |
| C．on the Internet | D．in an IT company |
The writer wrote this text to ______.
| A．tell us the importance of doing part-time jobs |
| B．advise teenagers how to choose a part-time job |
| C．teach young people how to make lots of money |
| D．introduce his/her experience of doing part-time jobs |
Why do some companies ask the teens to do surveys?
| A．The teens have more free time. |
| B．They can pay less to the teens. |
| C．They need advice to make products for teens. |
| D．The teens usually express their true opinions. |
It was a cold night in Washington, D.C. and I was heading back to the hotel when a beggar walked up to me. He asked if I would give him some money so he could get something to eat. After a short hesitation, I shook my head and kept walking. With helplessness, he said, “I really am homeless and I really am hungry! You can come with me and watch me eat!” But still, I kept on walking.
The incident bothered me for the rest of the week. In fact, I had money in my pocket and it wouldn’t have killed me to hand over a dollar or two even if he had been lying. On a freezing cold night, I wondered what would happen to a hungry man.
Flying back to my hometown, Anchorage, I couldn’t help thinking of him. I tried to find excuses for my failure to help. After all, government agencies, churches and charities were there to feed him. Besides, you’re not supposed to give money to beggars.
But I just couldn’t forget the incident and began to think I must do something. At that time, I was writing a garden column(专栏) for the local Daily News. Suddenly, I came up with an idea. Why not try to get all my readers to plant one row in their gardens donated to Bean’s? Bean’s Cafe, the soup kitchen which has volunteered to feed hundreds of hungry people every day for many years.
The idea began to take off. I began to receive more e-mails and calls from kind people. They tried their best to show their concerns about the hungry. Food was sent by different warm-hearted people and even those who only grew flowers sent their flowers. They are food for the spirit, which comforted me a lot.
Next year, the Garden Writers Association of America held their annual conference in Anchorage and after learning of Anchorage’s program, Plant a Row for Bean’s became Plant a Row for the Hungry. You can imagine how happy I was then. According to the passage, the reason why the author refused to give some money to the beggar probably is that ________.
| A．he happened not to take money then |
| B．he wasn’t fond of beggars |
| C．he thought that the beggar was lying |
| D．he didn’t like being bothered |
Why did the author can’t help thinking of the beggar ?
| A．Because he felt he had done wrong for his failure to help him. |
| B．Because he wanted to know whether the beggar had lied to him. |
| C．Because he was worried that the beggar might die from hunger. |
| D．Because some agencies, churches and charities should help the beggar. |
What does the underlined phrase “take off” in Paragraph 5 mean?
| A．remove clothes. | B．leave suddenly. |
| C．become successful. | D．come into being. |
What’s the correct order to record the author’s launch of the program “Plant a Row for the Hungry?”
① He ran into a beggar.
② He was regretful.
③ He came up with the idea of planting a row for Bean’s.
④ The Plant a Row for Bean's became Plant a Row for the Hungry.
⑤ He went back home.
⑥ Writers gathered in Anchorage.
| A．①②③④⑤⑥. | B．①⑤②③④⑥. |
| C．①②⑤③④⑥. | D．①②⑤③⑥④. |
Children start out as natural scientists, eager to look into the world around them. Helping them enjoy science can be easy; there’s no need for a lot of scientific terms or expensive lab equipment. You only have to share your children’s curiosity(好奇).
Firstly, listen to their questions. I once visited a classroom of seven-year-olds to talk about science as a job. The children asked me “textbook questions” about teaching, salary(薪水) and whether I liked my job. When I finished answering, we sat facing one another in silence. Finally I said, “Now that we’re finished with your lists, do you have questions of your own about science?” After a long pause, a boy raised his hand, “Have you ever seen a grasshopper(蚱蜢) eat? When I try eating leaves like that, I get a stomachache. Why?” This began a set of questions that lasted nearly two hours.
Secondly, give them time to think. Studies over the past 30 years have shown that, after asking a question, adults often wait only one second or less for an answer, no time for a child to think. When adults increase their “wait time” to three seconds or more, children give more logical(符合逻辑的), complete and creative answers.
Thirdly, watch your language. Once you have a child involved in a science discussion, don’t jump in with “That’s right” or “Very good”. These words work well when you encourage their good behavior(行为). But in talking about science, quick praise can mean that discussion is over. Instead, keep things going by saying “That’s interesting” or “I’d never thought of it that way before”, or coming up with more questions or ideas.
Lastly, show and don’t tell. Real-life impressions of nature are far more impressive than any lesson children can learn from a book or a television program. Let children look at their fingertips through a magnifying glass(放大镜), and they’ll understand why you want them to wash before dinner. Rather than saying that water evaporates(蒸发), set a pot of water to boil and let them watch the water level drop.According to the passage, children are natural scientists, and to raise their interest, the most important thing for adults to do is _______.
| A．to let them see the world around |
| B．to share the children’s curiosity |
| C．to explain difficult phrases about science |
| D．to supply the children with lab equipment |
In the second paragraph, “your lists” could best be replaced by ______.
| A．any questions |
| B．any problems |
| C．questions from textbooks |
| D．any number of questions |
According to the passage, children can answer questions in a more logical, complete and creative way if adults ________.
| A．ask them to answer quickly |
| B．wait for one or two seconds after a question |
| C．tell them to answer the next day |
| D．wait at least for three seconds after a question |
In which paragraph does the author tell us what to say to encourage children in a science discussion?
| A．The second | B．The third |
| C．The fourth | D．The fifth |
The author mentions all of the following techniques(技巧) for adults to share with their children’s curiosity except that adults should ________.
| A．tell their children stories instead of reciting (背诵) facts |
| B．offer their children chances to see things for themselves |
| C．be patient enough when their children answer questions |
| D．encourage their children to ask questions of their own |
Michael Jackson is one of the world's best singers. Michael Jackson was born in the middle west of the city of Gary, Indiana, in 1958. He began singing with his four brothers. They called the group "The Jackson Five". The group became very popular after appearing on a television program. They started singing in 1965, and became popular soon. In 1970 the group made their first record with the name of "I Want You Back". It was very popular. One of their hit records was "Never Say Goodbye".
Michael was good at dancing as well as singing, such as his dance moves and moon walking. He was asked to act in a film in 1978 for the first time, and in the same year he made a record on his own, which sold eight million copies all over the world.
Michael nearly didn't go out because he was too famous. Once his fans went off in a faint(晕倒) when they saw him at the concert. No one can do it by now. He lived in a large house and kept lots of animals. He never ate meat. He often raised money for Charity. This made him win the Guinness World Records(吉尼斯世界记录)in 2006. He died on June 25th, 2009, but he would live in our heart forever.How many people are there in Michael's group except him?
| A．Three. | B．Five. | C．Four. | D．Six. |
What's the name of their first record？
| A．"Never Say Goodbye" | B．"See You, See Me" |
| C．"I Want You Back" | D．"On the World" |
The underlined word "copies" means ___________ in Chinese.
| A．抄写 | B．张/份 | C．复制 | D．模仿 |
Michael was good at ____________according to the passage.
| A．rock music | B．street dance |
| C．playing the piano | D．moon walking |
Why did Michael have to stay at home most of time?
| A．Because he had no friends. |
| B．Because he often felt lonely. |
| C．Because he was too famous. |
| D．Because his company asked him to do so. |
King’s College Summer School is an annual(每年的) training program for high school students at all levels who want to improve their English. Courses are given by the teachers of King’s College and other colleges in New York. Trips to museums and culture centers are also organized. This year’s summer school will be from July 25 to August 15.
More information is as follows:
Application (申请) date
●Students in New York should send their applications before July 18, 2015.
●Students of other cities should send their applications before July 16, 2015.
●Foreign students should send their applications before July 10, 2015.
Courses
●English Language
Spoken English: 22 hours
Reading and Writing: 10 hours
●American History: 16 hours
●American Culture: 16 hours
Steps
●A letter of self-introduction
●A letter of recommendation(推荐)
The letters should be written in English with all the necessary information.
Cost
●Daily lessons: $200
●Sports and activities: $100
●Travels: $200
●Hotel service: $400
You may choose to live with your friends or relatives in the same city.
Please write to:
Thompson, Sanders
1026 King’s Street
New York, NY 10016, USA
E-mail: KC-Summer-School@ yahoo. comHow many kinds of courses are offered?
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
If you are to live with your relatives in New York, you will have to pay the school _______.
| A．$200 | B．$400 | C．$500 | D．$900 |
Which of the following is true about King’s College Summer School?
| A．Only top students can take part in the program. |
| B．King’s College Summer School is run every other year. |
| C．Visits to museums and culture centers are part of the program. |
| D．Only the teachers of King’s College give courses. |
You can most probably read the text in ________.
| A．a newspaper | B．a travel guide |
| C．a textbook | D．a telephone book |
What information can you get from the text?
| A．The program will last two months. |
| B．You can write to Thompson only in English. |
| C．As a Chinese student, you can send your application on July 14, 2015. |
| D．You can get in touch with the school by e-mail or by telephone. |