ABookReview—TheSnakeStonebyBer-优题课

The young boy saw me, or rather, he saw the car and quickly ran up to me, eager to sell his bunches (串) of bananas and bags of peanuts. Though he appeared to be about twelve, he seemed to have already known the bitterness of life. "Banana 300 naira. Peanuts 200 naira"
He said in a low voice. I bargained him down to 200 total for the fruit and nuts. When he agreed, I handed him a 500 naira bill He didn't have change, so I told him not to worry.
He .said thanks and smiled a row of perfect teeth.
When, two weeks later, I saw the boy again, I was more aware of my position in a society where it's not that uncommon to see a little boy who should be in school standing on the corner selling fruit in the burning sun. My parents had raised me to be aware of the advantage we had been afforded and the responsibility it brought to us.
I pulled over and rolled down my window. He had a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts ready. I waved them away. “What's up”. I asked him. “I...I don't have money to buy books for school.” I reached into my pocket and handed him two fresh 500 naira bills.
"Will this help?” I asked. He looked around nervously before taking the money. One thousand naira was a lot of money to someone whose family probably made about 5,000 naira or less each year. "Thank you, sir," he said. 'Thank you very much.”
When driving home, I wondered if my little friend actually used the money for school-books. What if he's a cheat (骗子)? And then I wondered why I did it. Did I do it to make myself feel better? Was I using him? Later, I realized that I didn't know his name or the least bit about him, nor did I think to ask.
Over the next six months, I was busy working in a news agency in northern Nigeria. Sometime after I returned, I went out for a drive When I was about to pull over, the boy suddenly appeared by my window with a big smile ready on his face
" Long time."
"Are you in school now?” I asked.
He nodded.
"That's good," I said. A silence fell as we looked at each other, and then I realized what he wanted. "Here," I held out a 500 naira bill. "Take this.” He shook his head and stepped back as if hurt. "What's wrong?” I asked. "It's a gift"
He shook his head again and brought his hand from behind his back. His face shine with sweat (汗水)。 He dropped a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts in the front seat before he said, "I've been waiting to give these to you."
What was the author's first impression of the boy?

A．He seemed to be poor and greedy.

B．He seemed to have suffered a lot

C．He seemed younger than his age.

D．He seemed good at bargaining

The second time the author met the boy, the boy________.

A．told him his purpose of selling fruit and nuts

B．wanted to express his thanks

C．asked him for money for his schoolbooks

D．tried to take advantage of him

Why did the author give his money to the boy?

A．Because he had enough money to do that.

B．Because he had learnt to help others since childhood.

C．Because he held a higher position in the society.

D．Because he had been asked by the news agency to do so.

Which of the following best describes the boy?

A．Brave and polite.

B．Kind and smart

C．Honest and thankful.

D．Shy and nervous.

In a recently published book, I came across some exercises with interesting names such as fishbone diagrams, lotus flowers and clustering. As I used these exercises in my classes, I noticed that students were interested. They said more and wrote more. They enjoyed expressing their ideas and sharing them in groups. They were no longer passively waiting for the bell , but actively taking part in the lesson. I find that creativity can act as a way to increase participation and improve fluency.
Creativity has become a popular word in recent years. Scholars in arts, psychology, business, education and science are all working to get a deeper understanding of it. Robert J. Stemberg is a creativity specialist and Yale professor of psychology. He defines creativity as “the ability to produce work that is both new (original) and appropriate(applicable to the situation ) ”. this definition is useful, as we want our students to use language in a new way and to use it correctly and properly. Most scholars say there are two types of creativity: big “C” creativity and small “c” creativity. Big “C” creativity refers to genius level thinking that results in artistic masterpieces and scientific breakthroughs. Small “c” creativity refers to everyday level thinking that can be used in any situation our emphasis is on the letter. While it goes without saying that any of our students could go on to be the next Picasso or Edison, our aim is to help students produce more ideas and use language in a new way.
The underlined words “waiting for the bell ” in the first paragraph probably means______.

A．longing for a phone call

B．hoping to have a bell

C．expecting the end of the class

D．waiting to speak in the class

It can be inferred from the passage that the author thinks the exercises in the book were ____.

A．popular

B．useful

C．scientific

D．creative

When you use a familiar word in a new way, you are ________.
A creative in the sense of big “C” creativity.
B. creative in the sense of small “c” creativity..
C. not creative in the sense of big “C” creativity..
D. not creative in the sense of small “c” creativity.
The main purpose of the passage is to _________.
A. show how useful the book is.
B, explain what creativity
C. discuss how one can be creative
D. tell what reaching aims at

Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature .However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses（球场） in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?

A．Cycling around a lake.	B．Motor racing in the desert.
C．Playing basketball in a gym.	D．Swimming in a sports center.

What do we know about golf from the passage?

A．It is popular in Portugal and Spain.

B．It causes water shortages around the world.

C．It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes.

D．It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green.

The author uses power walking as an example mainly because______.

A．it is an outdoor sport	B．it improves our health
C．it uses fewer resources	D．it is recommended by experts

The author writes the passage to_______.

A．show us the function of major sports

B．encourage us to go in for green sports

C．discuss the major influence of popular sports

D．introduce different types of environment-friendly sports

How to Be a Winner
　　Sir Steven Redgrave
　　Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
　　“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes(糖尿病). Believing my career（职业生涯） was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
　　Karen Pickering
　　Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success-you can’t follow a career in any field without being well—organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
　　Kirsten Best
　　Poet & Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological（心理的） tool”
What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?

A．Difficulties influenced his career.	B．Specialists offered him medical advice.
C．Training helped him defeat his disease.	D．He overcame the shadow of illness to win.

What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?

A．Her training schedule.	B．Her daily happenings.
C．Her achievements.	D．Her sports career.

What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to？

A．Ways that help one to focus.	B．Words that help one to feel less tense.
C．Activities that turn one's attention away.	D．Habits that make it hard for one to relax.

According to the passage ,what do the three people have in common?

A．Courage.

B．Devotion.

C．Hard work .

D．Self-confidence.

I was waiting for a phone call from my agent. He had left a message the night before, telling me that my show was to be cancelled(取消). I called him several times, but each time his secretary told me that he was in a meeting and that he would call me later. So I waited and waited, but there was still no call. Three hours passing by, I became more and more impatient. I was certain that my agent didn’t care about my work, and he didn’t care about me. I was overcome with that thought. I started to shout at the phone, “Let me wait, will you? Who do you think you are?”
At that time I didn’t realize my wife was looking on. Without showing her surprise, she rushed in, seized the phone, tore off the wires, and shouted at the phone, “Yeah! Who do you think you are? Bad telephone! Bad telephone! ” And she swept it into the wastebasket.
I stood watching her, speechless .What on earth…?
She stepped to the doorway and shouted at the rest of the house, “Now hear this! All objects in this room—if you do anything to upset my husband , out you go!”
Then she turned to me, kissed me, and said calmly, “Honey, you just have to learn how to take control.” With that, she left the room.
After watching a crazy woman rushing in and out, shouting at everything in sight, I noticed that something in my mood（情绪）had changed. I was laughing. How could I have trouble with that phone? Her antics helped me realize I had been driven crazy by small things. Twenty minutes later my agent did call. I was able to listen to him and talk to him calmly.
Why did the author shout at the telephone?

A．He was mad at the telephone.	B．He was angry with his agent.
C．He was anxious about his wife.	D．He was impatient with the secretary.

What did the author’s wife do after she heard his shouting?

A．She said nothing.	B．She shouted at him.
C．She called the agent.	D．She threw the phone away.

What made the author laugh?

A．His own behavior.	B．His wife’s suggestion.
C．His changeable feelings.	D．His wife’s sweet kiss.

What does the underlined word “antics” refer to?

A．Smart words.

B．Unusual actions.

C．Surprising looks.

D．Anxious feelings.

A．disappointing	B．boring
C．comfortable	D．worthwhile