I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch (大牧场) in San Isidro. He lets me use his house to hold events to raise money for youth at risk programs.
The last time I was there he greeted me by saying, “I want to tell you why I let you use my house. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of a poor horse trainer who would go from stable (马厩) to stable, farm to farm, training horses. As a result, the boy’s high school was continually interrupted (打断). One day in the last year of high school, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to do when he grew up.
“He wrote a seven-page paper about his goal of owning a horse ranch in great detail. He put a great deal of his heart into the project and even drew a detailed floor plan for the dream ranch. Then the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. But he got a low mark with a note that read, ‘See me after class.’
“The boy went to see the teacher after class and asked, ‘Why did I receive a low mark?’
“The teacher said, ‘This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from a poor family. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. There’s no way you could ever do it, your dream couldn’t come true . ’Then the teacher added, ‘If you will rewrite this paper, I will reconsider your mark.’
“The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, ‘Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’
“Finally, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He wrote, ‘You can keep the low mark and I’ll keep my dream.’
“I was that boy twenty years ago.” My friend said, smiling.Which of the following statements is TRUE about Monty Roberts?
| A．He was born in a poor family. |
| B．He received a good education. |
| C．He is raising money for the poor. |
| D．He is a horse trainer who works from farm to farm. |
From Paragraph 3, we know Monty Roberts _____.
| A．was just a daydreamer |
| B．decided to follow his father’s example |
| C．expected the teacher to praise him |
| D．had a great plan for his future |
The teacher thought Monty Roberts’s dream was _____.
| A．strange | B．great | C．pleasant | D．impossible |
From the end of the text, we can infer that Monty Roberts was very _____.
| A．careful | B．clever | C．determined | D．active |
The purpose of the text is to tell readers that _____.
| A．seeing is believing |
| B．knowledge is power |
| C．all roads lead to Rome |
| D．where there is a will, there is a way |
It’s such a shame to lose a free throw. Playing in the court has pressure from the opponent, time, your teammates, the audience, and yourself. You have to shoot the ball despite all the pressures around. But with a free throw, you have the ball, no one will try to get it from you, and you have all the time to shoot the ball. But why is it that many players, even good shooters, miss most of their free throws? Maybe they need more practice or maybe they need to apply more ways to improve their free throw.
Improve your player or your free throwing skills by following the tips below:
Make it personal. The truth is, there is no rule on how one should handle and throw the ball in a free throw. What matters is that the player should shoot the ball from the free throw line no matter how he does it. So when trying to improve your free throw shooting, better stick to what works the best for you. Do not copy other people’s techniques. Make it your own and leave those techniques as theirs.
Formulate (公式化) a repetitive way of shooting the ball. A free throw should be personalized. But it should also be repetitive. You should be able to repeat your free throw techniques whether you are in your court or in another court, whether you are energized or tired. You can’t say you have a personal free throw technique if you can’t repeat it over and over again.
Shoot at the same position and distance for every free throw. Basketball courts may be located in different places or maybe marked with different paint colors. But all of these courts maintain the same distance from the ring to the free throw line. Familiarize your perfect position when making your free throws. That should help you do your perfect throw.Why do so many players fail to make a successful free throw?
| A．Because they don’t have any special skills. |
| B．Because they are lacking in practice and tips. |
| C．Because they are not so familiar with rules. |
| D．Because many of them are green hands. |
What can you do if you want to be a wonderful free thrower?
| A．Learn from others. |
| B．Form your own throwing skills. |
| C．Keep active in the court. |
| D．Learn to throw in different locations. |
The underlined word “ring” in the last paragraph may most probably mean “________”.
| A．sound | B．basket | C．ball | D．group |
Which of the following might serve as the best title of the above passage?
| A．How to play basketball successfully in the court. |
| B．How to improve your basketball throw skills. |
| C．How to gain more points in throwing. |
| D．How to improve your basketball free throwing. |
How did your friendships begin? Most start with a short conversation on a random day. Asking about a homework assignment in class or complaining about your painful legs after playing in a soccer game, you found your best pal by accident.
“Small talk is where all your relationships begin,” Forbes magazine summed up.
The following is a five-step guide to making small talk from Bernardo J. Carducci, the director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast, US. Let’s have a look.
Getting started
Begin by talking about the setting, such as the weather outside or the room you are in (“It’s cold in here, isn’t
it?”). The purpose of talking about the setting is to show the other person that you are willing to make a conversation.
②The personal introduction
You should mention something about yourself, such as your name. A good personal introduction helps move the conversation forward.
③Looking for topics
At this point, you and your conversation partner need to find common ground. This is a good time to ask questions or to refer back to things you’ve said or heard earlier. Don’t worry if it gets quiet. The other person is probably just thinking of something to say.
④Expanding the topic
The goal is to keep the conversation going. At every stage, you should be careful not to talk too much. But don’t let the other person dominate the conversation either. If that starts to happen, mention something about yourself when he or she takes a breath.
⑤A polite ending
When ending a conversation, let the person know you’ll be leaving soon, express gratitude for the conversation and set the stage for a future conversation. For example, you could say, “I really must be going soon, but I had a great time chatting with you. I really liked hearing your opinion about that new movie. Here’s my phone number. Call or text me if you know of any other movies you think I might enjoy.”According to the article, starting by talking about the setting is meant to ________.
| A．find common ground | B．impress the other person |
| C．make a conversation | D．make the room warmer |
What does the underlined word “dominate” mean in Tip④?
| A．interrupt | B．control | C．adapt | D．simplify |
When ending a conversation, you’d better ________.
| A．talk about how much you want to keep talking |
| B．show that you’ve not enjoyed the talk |
| C．mention a specific movie that you love |
| D．give your opinion about the other person’s earlier comments |
The main purpose of the article is to ________.
| A．encourage students to make more friends |
| B．give students tips on making small talk |
| C．introduce popular topics for students |
| D．teach students how to create friendships |
“How did Norman know, Sister Emma?”
“He overheard you and Aryan arguing. I suspect that he purposely overheard on you. Norman knew or concluded what profession Aryan practiced. He might well have followed Aryan on his explorations. Whether he did or not is beside the point. When Aryan came back yesterday afternoon, Norman certainly decided that he had made some find, for Aryan told Norman that he would be leaving for the capital to meet the detective the next morning. He probably followed Aryan to your room and overheard what passed between you.
“Since you could not act against the law of man and God, he would serve a natural justice in his own way. He took the jar of poison hemlock from the chemistry shop and when Aryan asked for a drink, he supplied it. Norman did not know the precise quantity needed and so Aryan did not suffer the full effects until after the bell called the community into the dining hall for the evening meal.”
Abbess was following Sister Emma closely.
“And then?”
“Then I began my investigation, and then the detective arrived seeking Aryan for an explanation for his death.”
“But who killed Norman?”
“Norman knew that sooner or later he would be discovered. But more importantly in his guileless (坦率的) mind there was also the guilt of having taken a man’s life to be considered. Norman was a simple man. He decided that he should accept the punishment—the honor-price of a life. What greater honor-price for the life of Aryan could he offer than his own? He also took a draught of poison hemlock.”
There was a pause.What may have happened to Aryan?
| A．He was killed by poison. |
| B．He was found missing. |
| C．He was poisoned but saved. |
| D．He went away with what he had found. |
What did Abbess do according to Sister Emma when Aryan came back?
| A．She talked with Aryan about Norman’s strange actions. . |
| B．She secretly discussed with Aryan about something secret. |
| C．She followed the two men and found what they were doing. |
| D．She let Sister Emma help find out the two men’s secret. |
What can we conclude from the above story?
| A．Abbess served the detective. |
| B．Emma knows all the people mentioned. |
| C．Aryan was sent to kill Abbess but failed. |
| D．Norman seemed very devoted to Abbess. |
Which of the following might be true according to the above passage?
| A．Abbess hired Norman to fight against Aryan. |
| B．Norman told everything to Emma. |
| C．Aryan worked for the detective. |
| D．All the people came from the capital. |
Enjoy a museum visit with your class!
Available（可获得的）Programs:
Art Tells a Story: By looking at the subject matter and by drawing from personal experiences, students can find the story in some works of art. ( All grades)
Learning to Look: An interactive （互动的）tour that explores a variety of （各种各样的）art using storytelling, movements, music, games, and other techniques helps introduce children to a museum. (Preschool~ Grade 3)
Native American Collection: This program explores relationships that exist between art, culture, the geographic location and natural resources. Students will see a bowl made by Maria Martinez, a Towa storyteller, a Northwest coast mask, and Inuit clothing. ( For Grades 2~5)
The Language of Art: Classes are welcome into the museum to take part in an interactive tour of American Art. It gives participants a new set of vocabulary while helping them feel comfortable. Art-on-the-Move: Teachers may borrow suitcases filled with art objects. Free organizations with Education Membership.
Planning Your Visit:
Booking: Booking is necessary for all tours and programs. Please book at least a week in advance. Teachers are encouraged to organize self-guided visits for their classes during public hours.
Tour Hours: Tours can be organized between 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. Program Fees: Tours are free for those with Education Membership. There is a charge of $6 per student of non-member organizations. Tour with art activities cost $12 per student (non-members) or $10 per student (members).
Chaperones（保护人）:We require one adult chaperone for every 10 children. Chaperones help to make your museum visit a success. A chaperone must pay $5 admission.
Lunch: We regret that no lunch facilities are available at the museum.
Museum Rules: Don’t touch works of art. Don’t take photographs.
Ask questions. Look, and then LOOK again!
Enjoy!If teachers want their students to learn about what a museum is, they will choose____________.
| A．Art Tells a Story. | B．Learning to Look. |
| C．The Language of Art. | D．Native American Collection. |
Why does the museum feel sorry?
| A．Taking photos is not allowed at the museum. |
| B．Visitors can’t touch works of art at the museum. |
| C．Visitors are not able to have lunch at the museum. |
| D．Visitors can’t take part in all the activities at a time. |
How much should the museum charge a class of 60 students with Education Membership for a tour with art activities?
| A．$600. | B．$630. | C．$720. | D．$750. |
What do teachers need to do before leading their classes to the museum?
| A．To make bookings ahead of time. |
| B．To try to get Education Membership. |
| C．To learn about the history of the museum. |
| D．To ask for the permission of self-guided visits. |
In which section of the newspaper does the passage most probably appear?
| A．Health. | B．News. |
| C．Culture. | D．Advertisement. |
At first Kate thought the Romanian girl could not speak and understand English. Nadia would not reply to anything Kate said. Kate was in charge of（负责）showing Nadia around on her first day at Buck Minister Grade School. Kate could not figure out why the school had put Nadia in a class where she could not understand what people were saying.
“Why did they do this?” Kate wondered aloud. “I mean, you can’t learn if you can’t understand the teacher.”
Nadia’s voice was a whisper (speaking in a very low voice). “I understand English. I will learn.” Nadia’s English was perfect.
Kate was perplexed. She couldn’t understand why Nadia did not like to speak. Then she realized that moving to a new country probably wasn’t the easiest thing to do. There were hundreds of unfamiliar and unusual things to learn – all at the same time.
“There’re a lot of new things to learn, huh?” said Kate.
Nadia nodded rapidly. In a quiet voice she replied, “Many things people say, I do not understand. I have been speaking English and Romanian all my life, but I do not know what some children are saying. For example, yesterday a boy asked if I could help him find the USB port on a thin black box he was carrying. Isn’t a port a place for ships? It made no sense to me.”
“Don’t worry.” said Kate. “You’ll figure everything out in time. You see, that thin black box was a computer. A USB port is a place where you can connect other machines to a computer.”
Nadia and Kate were quiet after that. They took notes while the teacher gave a maths lesson. To Kate’s surprise, Nadia put up her hand and offered to answer the questions at the blackboard.
Nadia handled every question the teacher gave her. Some of the questions were really difficult, and no one understood what was going on except Nadia and the teacher. When the teacher said that Nadia answered everything correctly, the whole class clapped their hands.
Nadia was smiling when she sat back down next to Kate. “Some things,” she said in a normal voice, “are the same all over the world.” At the beginning of Nadia’s first day at school, she was____________.
| A．disappointed. | B．helpful. |
| C．lively. | D．shy. |
The underlined word “perplexed” probably means ____________.
| A．spellbound. | B．angry. |
| C．shocked. | D．serious. |
We can infer（推断）from the passage that _____________ .
| A．Nadia did not like Kate. |
| B．Nadia had lived by the sea before. |
| C．Nadia had never seen a computer before. |
| D．Nadia spoke in soft voice out of politeness. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Nadia was better at maths than other students. |
| B．Nadia found some of the maths questions difficult. |
| C．Nadia was encouraged to answer questions in class. |
| D．Nadia understood the maths teacher better than other teachers. |
What is the message of the story?
| A．Talking about something familiar gives you confidence in communication. |
| B．Answering questions in class makes you better understood by classmates. |
| C．Language plays an important role in communication between cultures. |
| D．Maths helps to improve communication between cultures. |