When people want to know about the weather, they usually go to there radios, TVs, newspapers, or to the Internet. However, you can also find many weather signs among wildlife, because of their highly developed senses. Drops in air pressure（压力） produce an effect on small animals in many ways. Mice and deer are good weather indicators. People who spend a lot of time outdoors have observed that, before a storm, field mice come out of their holes and run around, Deer leave high ground and come down from the mountains.
Birds are especially good weather indicators because they also show the effect of a pressure drop in many ways. For example, some birds become irritable（急躁的）and quarrelsome and will fight over a piece of bread. Other birds chirp（叽叽喳喳）and sing just before a storm. It seems they know they won’t get another chance for an hour or two. Birds also seek safe places before a storm, You will sometimes see birds settling in trees or gathering together on a wire close to a building. Pre-storm low pressure makes the are so thin that birds have difficulty flying.
It is unusual to see many birds flying overhead in the summertime, rather than during the periods in the spring or autumn. Watch for other weather signs if you see this. If they fly in the wrong direction, they may be flying ahead of a storm.
By paying closer attention to some important signs in nature, we can become better prepared for any kind of weather.The word“indicators”in paragraph I probably means ________.
| A．maps | B．services | C．signs | D．stations |
There will be a storm if birds __________ .
| A．make more noise than usual | B．fly in different directions |
| C．come down from tall trees | D．share a piece of bread |
How can birds sense the coming of a storm?________
| A．By feeling a drop in air temperature. |
| B．By noticing the change of wind directions. |
| C．By feeling a drop in air pressure. |
| D．By noticing the movements of other animals. |
The best title for the text would be ________ .
| A．Signs of a Storm | B．Drops in Air Pressure |
| C．Animals’Sharp Senses | D．Nature’s Weather Signs |
We were standing at the top of a church tower. My father had brought me to this spot in a small town not far from our home in Rome. I wondered why.
“Look down, Elsa,” father said. I gathered all my courage and looked down. I saw the square in the center of the village. And I saw the crisscross (十字形) of twisting, turning streets leading to the square. “ See, my dear,” father said gently. “ There is more than one way to the square. Life is like that. If you can’t get to the place where you want to go by one road, try another.”
Now I understood why I was there. Earlier that day I had begged my mother to do something about the awful lunches that were served at school. But she refused because she could not believe the lunches were as bad as I said.
When I turned to father for help, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he brought me to this high tower to give me a lesson. By the time we reached home, I had a plan.
At school the next day, I secretly poured my lunch soup into a bottle and brought it home. Then I asked our cook to serve it to mother at dinner. The plan worked perfectly. She swallowed one spoonful and sputtered（喷溅出） “ The cook must have gone mad！” Quickly I told her what I had done, and Mother stated firmly that she would take up the matter of lunches at school the next day!
In the years that followed, I often remembered the lesson father taught me. I began to work as a fashion designer two years ago. I wouldn’t stop working until I tried every possible means to my goal. Father’s wise words always remind me that there is more than one way to the square. The author’s father took her to the top of a church tower to ____________.
| A．enjoy the beautiful scenery of the whole town |
| B．find out how many ways lead to the square |
| C．inspire her to find out another way to solve her problem |
| D．help her forget some unpleasant things earlier that day |
What did the author want her mother to do earlier that day?
| A．Do something delicious for lunch. |
| B．Taste her awful lunch. |
| C．Dismiss the mad cook. |
| D．Speak to the school about lunch. |
The underlined sentence in the fifth paragraph suggests that_____________.
| A．the cook agreed to serve the soup to the writer’s mother. |
| B．the author’s mother was angry with the cook. |
| C．her father persuaded her mother successfully. |
| D．the method the author thought of was effective. |
What did the author’s mother think of her lunch soup after she tasted it?
| A．It was delicious. |
| B．It wasn’t so bad as the author said. |
| C．It is terrible. |
| D．It was as good as her cook did. |
By sharing her own experiences, the author tries to tell us ____________.
| A．when one road is blocked, try another |
| B．how bad the lunch of her school is |
| C．how wise her father is |
| D．about the church tower near her home |
People believe that climbing can do good to health. Where can you learn the skill of climbing then? If you think that you have to go to the mountains to learn how to climb, you’re wrong. Many Americans are learning to climb in city gyms(体育馆). Here, people are learning on special climbing
wall. The climbing wall goes straight up and has small holding places for hands and feet.
How do people climb the wall? To climb, you need special shoes and harness(保护带) around your chest to hold you. There are ropes(绳索)tied to your harness. The ropes hold you in place so that you don’t fall. A beginner’s wall is usually about 15 feet high, and you climb straight up. There are small pieces of metal that stick out for you to stand on and hold on to. Sometimes it’s easy to see the new piece of metal. Sometimes, it’s not. The most difficult part is to control your fear. It’s normal for humans to be afraid of falling, so it’s difficult not to feel fear. But when you move away from the wall, and the ropes hold you, and you begin to feel safe. You move slowly until you reach the top.
Climbing attracts people because it’s good exercise for almost everyone. You use your whole body, especially your arms and legs. This sport gives your body a complete workout. When you climb, both your mind and your body can become stronger.The most difficult thing to do in wall climbing is _______.
| A．to tie ropes to your shoes | B．to control your fear |
| C．to move away from the wall | D．to climb straight up |
The word “workout” underlined in the last paragraph most probably means _________.
| A．settlement | B．exercise |
| C．excitement | D．tiredness |
Why does the author write this passage?
| A．To tell people where to find gyms. |
| B．To prove the basic need for climbing |
| C．To encourage people to climb mountains. |
| D．to introduce the sport of wall climbing |
Mr. Samson was a newspaper editor in Boston, America. On the night of August 28, 1988, when he was on night duty, he dreamed that a volcano (火山) near the Island of Java erupted (爆发) , and that the local people were buried under lava (熔岩).
When he woke up from the bad dream with a start, he thought it was very interesting material, so he wrote it down on a piece of paper, left it on the desk and went home. Early in the morning, the editor-in-chief came to work and saw the paper. He took it for the latest news that something important had happened last night and published it immediately. Only later did he find out it was just about what Mr. Samson had seen in his dream. But it was all too late because the newspaper had already been delivered (传送).And it caused a great panic.
In no time the editors met to discuss the serious problem. They finally decided to make an apology in the newspaper. Just at that time word came that a volcano on a small Island between Java and Sumatra did erupt. The eruption made the small island lose two thirds of its area, and the seismic sea waves caused tragedy (悲剧) in human.The volcano on a small island between Java and Sumatra erupted _______.
| A．on the night of August 28, 1988. |
| B．on the morning of August 28,1988. |
| C．on the night of August 29, 1988. |
| D．on the morning of August 29,1988 |
The editor in the newspaper office ______.
| A．didn’t make an apology in the newspaper |
| B．took back all the newspaper |
| C．made an apology to the readers in the newspaper. |
| D．didn’t realize the serious problem |
From the passage we learn that ______.
| A．the eruption did little damage to the small island |
| B．Mr.Samson was an expert in volcanos |
| C．the newspaper would be more popular |
| D．Mr. Samson would lose his job for the news |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．The Bad News |
| B．News Leading to a Tragedy(悲剧) |
| C．Seeing is Believing |
| D．Dream News Became True |
Miss Wu is a young teacher of English in China. She loves teaching very much. One day when she was giving an English lesson, she found the headmaster sitting at the back of the classroom. After class, the headmaster told her that he came to her class to find out how much English and how much Chinese she was using. The result was about half English and half Chinese. She was using Chinese when she gave instructions to her students and when she wanted to get feedback (反馈） from her students. The headmaster told her that she should use more English in her class.
Miss Wu made a plan like this:
·talk with an Englishman every Sunday for two hours to learn more English expressions;
·write some English expressions on cards. These cards not only remind her to use English in class, but also help her remember some expressions;
·have a five-minute talk in English with students before class.
She used body language to help her if students could not understand.
One year later, she found she could use English freely in class. Miss Wu ______.
| A．has a poor memory | B．is a teacher of Chinese |
| C．loves her job | D．is angry with the headmaster |
The headmaster came to Miss Wu’s class to ______.
| A．write some English expressions on cards |
| B．help her improve her English teaching |
| C．give instructions to the students |
| D．get feedback from the students |
After the headmaster left, Miss Wu realized that she should _____ in her class.
| A．use more Chinese | B．use more English |
| C．use half English and half Chinese | D．use body language |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Use cards in English teaching |
| B．Talk with English-speaking people |
| C．Speak more English in English class |
| D．Learn more English expressions |
In England, we look forward to our birthdays for 364 days a year!
We invite special people to celebrate it with us.
The Presents
Presents are opened as soon as the children are awake. They can’t wait for the birthday cake later in the day!
The Cards
Friends and family send birthday cards. Sending birthday cards is a custom (风俗) that began in England about 100 years ago.
The Party
The birthday child will have a party to which friends and family are invited. Visitors to the party bring presents for the birthday child. The children play games such as musical chairs and pass the parcel (包裹).
The Cake
The birthday cake is decorated on a theme (主题). A candle for each year is lit and placed on top and the child blows out the candles making a wish. We don’t put objects inside the cake as stated on many websites.
The Bumps (碰撞)
It used to be traditional for the birthday child to have the bumps. Friends would hold the child by the legs and under the arms and lift the child up and down bumping them gently on the ground. The number of bumps given is the age of the child plus one for extra good luck. As this can be dangerous, clapping (拍手) is often done instead.
The Sweets
Some children do take sweets to school to share with their classmates on their birthdays. In England, the birthday present is opened _____.
| A．before the child wakes up |
| B．immediately after the child wakes up |
| C．as soon as the child gets up |
| D．during the birthday party |
If Alice is celebrating her 7th birthday, how many bumps will she be given?
| A．Six. | B．Seven. |
| C．Eight. | D．Nine. |
Which of the following facts about birthdays in England is NOT true?
| A．All the children will receive birthday cards on their birthdays. |
| B．Clapping is often done for the birthday child. |
| C．Objects meaning good luck are usually placed inside the birthday cake. |
| D．Nowadays children may share sweets with their classmates on their birthdays. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．How birthdays are celebrated in the world |
| B．Where to hold an English birthday party |
| C．What to send when invited to a child’s birthday |
| D．How English children celebrate their birthdays |