A Book Review—The Snake-Stone by Berlie Doherty
The setting: Urban England (the cities), but also rural England (the countryside) including remote English villages．
The theme: The main theme is a teenage research of self-discovery, in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age．Its other concerns are love, getting on with others, being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts, troubles and worries．As the book moves to a close, James’ swimming coach says to him: “You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more．You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going．”
The characters: James is the hero of the story．He is a championship diver, and has a comfortable life with his foster parents (养父母)．Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother．The other characters in The Snake-Stone, James’ parents, his diving instructor, best friend, the villagers, people he meets on his journey, are pictured realistically．
The turning point: The turning point in the story comes while James’ foster parents are away in London, and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother．The only clue he has is a fossil, “the snake stone” which she left behind along with a note on which she had written: “Take good care of Sammie．It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there．
The journey: Instead of going to London, James decides to find his birth mother．With help from his geography teacher, James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found．James has painful, challenging, but also humorous and happy travels．The mother he finally meets, Anne, has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel．He comes to understand why she left him at a stranger’s door fifteen years before．Although the meeting is not long, it leaves him with a feeling of completeness．As a journey of self-discovery The Snake-Stone also provides its readers with a happy ending．Its hero says, on returning to his foster parents, “I was home．”What is the main theme of the novel?
| A．A journey of self-discovery． |
| B．Life in the world of diving． |
| C．Life with foster parents． |
| D．A travel around the country． |
What do the coach’s words in Paragraph 2 suggest?
| A．James is a successful diver． |
| B．James is an independent young man． |
| C．James is an outgoing young man． |
| D．James is a hopeful swimmer． |
The snake stone in the novel is ．
| A．a stone with an address on it |
| B．a gift from the swimming coach |
| C．a clue left by the birth mother |
| D．a fossil left by the foster parents |
Which of the following is true about the novel?
| A．The story has a sad ending． |
| B．The story takes place in the city of London． |
| C．The characters are vividly described． |
| D．The turning point comes after the hero meets his birth mother． |
It can be concluded that James’ journey is _________．
| A．disappointing | B．boring |
| C．comfortable | D．worthwhile |
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I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles” of directions every time I ask “How can I get to the post office?”
Foreign tourists are often confused(困惑) in Japan because most streets there don’t have names; in Japan, people use landmarks(地标) in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat; in many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.”
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map; they measure distance in time, not miles. “How far away is the post office?” you ask. “Oh,” they answer, “it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn’t know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “I don’t know.” People in Yucatan believe that “I don’t know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!
67. When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually ______.
A. describe the place carefully B. show him a map of the place
C. tell him the names of the streets D. refer to recognizable buildings and places
68. What is the place where people measure distance in time?
A. New York.. B. Los Angeles. C. Kansas. D. Iowa.
69. People in Yucatan may give a tourist a wrong answer ______.
A. in order to save time B. because of honesty
C. so as to be polite D. for fun
70. What can we infer from the text?
A. It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences.
B. It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly.
C. People have similar understandings of politeness.
D. New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors.
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What is “Walk to School”?
Now we are working on a programme of “Walk to School”. We would like as many parents and children as possible to take part, even if in a small way. Children who walk to and from school along with their parents can learn essential (基本的) road safety and life skills.
You can take part by…
Walking to and from school with your child every day.
■ Walking for one or two days during the week.
■ Encouraging others to walk, if you already do.
Walking is great!
■ Walking is great exercise！A walk is good for your body and can keep you fit.
■ You won’t have to waste time looking for a parking site.
■ It’s free. You’ll save money by not using the car.
■ It’s pollution free.
■ It’s a good chance to talk to your children and to meet other parents, too.
Enjoying walking to school!
Here are some suggestions to help you and your child enjoy walking to school.
■ Plan a safe route together.
■ Teach children what a kerb (马路牙子) is and what it means.
■ Encourage your child to help you choose the safest places to cross the road.
■ Look at and discuss the things you see on your way － especially road signs and what they mean.
Walk to school! Thousands of parents and children already take part, could you?
Please go to www.walktoschool.org.uk for more information.
63. Who are encouraged to take part in the programme of “Walk to School”?
A. Children. B. Parents and children.
C. Bus drivers. D. Teachers.
64. By walking to and from school, children can learn ________.
A. driving skills B. road safety and life skills
C. running skills D. knowledge about science
65. What is the first thing to do if you want to enjoy your walking to school?
A. Plan a safe route with your children.
B. Learn what a kerb is and its meaning.
C. Choose the safest places to cross the road.
D. Find road signs and know their meanings.
66. According to the writer, you can learn more about “Walk to School” by________.
A. reading a newspaper B. making a phone call
C. going to the Internet D. having a traffic lesson
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There’re five people at our table, including myself. I’ve already learnt a great deal about them in the short time we’ve been at sea, although we rarely meet except at meal times.
First of all, there’s Dr Stone. He’s a man of about sixty five, with gray hair and a friendly face. He gave up his work a short while ago and is now traveling round the world before he retires to some quiet country village. As a young man, he served for many years as a doctor in the Army and visited many countries. He’s told us a lot about the city to which we are going.
Then there’s “Grandmother”. I call her that because her name escapes me. In spite of being a grandmother, she looks rather young, not more than fifty, She’s on her way to visit a daughter who went to Australia some years ago. Naturally she is very excited at the thought of seeing her again, and her three grandchildren, whom she has never seen.
Then there’s a man I don’t care for very much, an engineer by the name of Barlow. He has been on leave in England and is now returning to his work in Singapore.
The other person who sits at our table is Mrs. Hunt. I’ve found out hardly anything about her. She’s extremely quiet and rarely talks, except to consult(咨询)the doctor about children’s various illness. She’s on her way to join her husband in India.
60. What can we know about Mr. Stone?
A. He is a doctor in the Army now.
B. He is going to give up his work.
C. He knows a lot about the city the author is going to.
D. He has been retired for many years.
61. The writer calls the second person “Grandmother” because_______.
A. she looks old B. She has three daughters
C. he respects her D. he can’t think of her name
62. Which of the following is TRUE?
A. Dr Stone lives in a quiet village now. B. “Grandmother” is an Australian.
C. Barlow works in Singapore D. Mrs Hunt is a woman of many words.
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第三部分：阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，共30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Mark was walking home from school one day when he noticed the boy ahead of him had tripped （绊倒）and dropped all of the books he was carrying, along with two sweaters, a baseball bat, a glove and a small tape recorder. Mark knelt down and helped the boy pick up the scattered （散落的）articles. Since they were going the same way, he helped to carry part of the burden. As they walked Mark discovered the boy’s name was Bill, that he loved video games, baseball and history, and that he was having lots of trouble with his other subjects and that he had just broken up with his girlfriend.
They arrived at Bill’s home first and Mark was invited in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed pleasantly with a few laughs and some shared small talk, then Mark went home. They continued to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, then both graduated from the junior high school. They ended up in the same high school where they had brief contacts over the years. Finally the long awaited senior year came and three weeks before graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could talk.
Bill reminded(提醒) him of the day years ago when they had first met. “Did you ever wonder why I was carrying so many things home that day?” asked Bill. “You see. I had stored away some of my mother’s sleeping pills and I was going home to kill myself. But after we spent some time together talking and laughing, I realized that if I had killed myself, I would have missed that time and so many others that might follow. So you see, Mark, when you picked up those books that day, you did a lot more, you saved my life.”
56. Mark helped Bill _______ on his way home.
A. read all his books B. play baseball in a game
C. buy two sweaters and a glove D. pick up the scattered articles
57. They watched TV, and drank Coke _______.
A. at Bill’s home B. at Mark’s home C. at school D. at the college
58. Bill wanted to kill himself by _______.
A. carrying many things home B. taking sleeping pills
C. cleaning his locker D. talking and laughing
59. We learn from the passage that _______.
A. Mark saved Bill’s life
B. Bill’s mother asked him to die
C. Bill’s girlfriend carried books for him
D. Mark wanted to commit suicide, too
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Sometimes you may have a strong desire to do something strange or terrible. However, chances are that you don't act on your impulse (冲动), but let it pass instead. You know that to take the action is wrong in some way and that other people will not accept your behavior.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change over the years, how certain behavior and attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly acceptable and natural at another point in time. Topics such as death, for example, were once considered so upsetting that it was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the publication of important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people have become more aware of the importance of expressing feelings about death and, as a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject.
One of the newest taboos is the topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is a topic that people talk about constantly. It's not taboo to talk about fat; it's taboo to be fat. The "in" look is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, slim manager to sell their image as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline and self-respect. After all, how can people permit themselves to become fat? In an image-conscious society, thin is "in", fat is "out".
It's not surprising that millions of people have become obsessed (着迷) with staying slim and "in shape". The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, the only reason for people's obsession with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the importance of diet and exercise for personal health. As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style of people has changed since last century. Modern machines do all the physical labor. Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point. As a result of inactivity and disuse, people's bodies can easily become weak. In an effort to avoid such a fate (命运), millions of people are spending more of their time exercising. Parks are filled with joggers and bicyclists, and many companies are providing special exercise equipment for their employees to use during the work day.
67. What does the word "taboo" refer to in the passage?
A. A crime committed on impulse.
B. An unfavorable impression left on other people.
C. A strong desire to do something strange or terrible.
D. Behavior considered unacceptable to the society.
68. What does the underlined phrase "in" look probably mean?
A. The fashionable look. B. The hidden look.
C. The usual look. D. The inside look.
69. According to the passage, the common belief is that _________________.
A. fat people are full of energy
B. thin people are more successful
C. fat people prefer to have fat bosses
D. thin people are less image-conscious
70. People pay more attention to diet and exercise because of _________________.
A. their need to kill time B. their love for sports
C. their concern for health D. their belief in hard work