“How many common English words were invented by Shakespeare?”
How long did it take people to find the answer to this question 15 years ago? And now! You can google it and find the answer immediately!
Google is the most popular Internet search engine（搜索引擎）in the world. It was invented by two students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. They met in 1993, when they were studying computer science at Stanford University, USA. They dreamed of producing something that could also answer any question in seconds.
Internet search engines at that time were slow and gave many websites that weren’t useful. In January 1996, Page and Brin decided to make a better and faster search engine. They thought the results should be based on the most popular websites.
Nobody would give them money for their project, so they used their own money. They also borrowed money from family and friends. Then, in 1998, they were given a cheque for $100,000, and they started their own company(公司). Their first office was in a friend’s garage(车库).The company name is Google, a word which comes from mathematics. A “google” is a very high number — 1 followed by a hundred zeros.
The Google search engine was soon used by thousands of people worldwide because it was fast, easy and correct. By 2002 it was the biggest search engine on the Internet. Now, more questions have been answered by Google than any other Internet service, from sport to science, and from music to medicine. Google hopes that in the future all the world’s information will be put on the Internet, so that everybody can find everything.Why did the writer begin this passage by asking you a question?
| A．Because he or she liked to begin this passage by asking readers a question. |
| B．Because he or she was afraid that the readers didn’t know this question. |
| C．Because he or she wanted to make the readers interested in this passage. |
| D．Because Shakespeare is one of the most famous people in the world. |
The underlined word “cheque” in the fifth paragraph means _______.
| A．楼房 | B．账单 | C．订单 | D．支票 |
From the passage we know that at the beginning of their project, _______.
| A．there was not any search engine on the Internet |
| B．nobody supported them except their family and friends |
| C．Larry Page and Sergey Brin dreamed to answer any question |
| D．one of the most popular websites gave them a cheque for $100,000 |
Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Now the Google search engine is widely used in the world. |
| B．The Google search engine was not the biggest one before 2002. |
| C．Larry Page and Sergey Brin named google after a hundred zeros. |
| D．The service of the Google search engine is very popular. |
The passage mainly tells us _______.
| A．the development of the Google search engine |
| B．about Larry Page and Sergey Brin |
| C．how to find information on the Internet |
| D．how to use the Google search engine |
My problems started after I went to a boar ding school. I was only 14, and at first I missed my family a lot. I often called them and cried on the phone. But after two weeks, I found I enjoyed being with my classmates at school.
I had many friends who were boys. I thought of them as my best friends - but only friends. I never guessed my friendships with boys would become a problem.
Then, three months later, my friends told me that some teachers and girls said I was hanging out with boys all day long in order to get attention from them. Seven months after that, the head teacher Mr. Wang asked the class to choose some students to join the Student Union. I thought I could win for I was doing well in school. I'd already won prizes for the best math and English exams. A week later, the list came out and it didn't include me. I was sad.
Mr. Wang came to me and sai d, "Don't be sad. I know you're excellent! Maybe
you're a little distant from the girls in our class. They don't know much about you, so some of them didn't choose you. It doesn't matter. Do your best to get along well with everyone and I think you'll make it next time."What was the writer's problem when she first entered the boarding school?
| A．She didn't like her new school. |
| B．She didn't get along well with her classmates. |
| C．She missed her family very m uch. |
| D．She didn't like her new teacher. |
Many of the writer's friends in her new school were _______.
| A．teachers | B．boys | C．girls | D．women |
Why did the writer fail to join the Student Union?
| A．Her teachers didn't like her. |
| B．She was a poor student. |
| C．Some girls didn't choose her. |
| D．She likes showing off herself. |
Which of the following is NOT true, according to the passage?
| A．The writer won prizes for the best science and English exams. |
| B．The writer didn't realize that her friendships with boys would cause problems. |
| C．The writer was sad because she failed to join the Student Union. |
| D．The teacher thought she was an excellent student |
Very hot weather is common in many parts of the world. Although hot weather just makes most people hot, it can cause medical problems and death.
Floods, storms and other terrible natural events kill thousands of people every year. And we hear much about them in news reports. We general hear little about heat, which experts say may be nature’s most dangerous killer.
Health experts say that since the year 1900, very hot weather has killed more people in the United States than any other natural event. One year--- the unusually hot summer of 1980 heat caused about 1,700 deaths in the United States. In 1995, more than 600 people died in another heat wave in one city----Chicago, Illinois.
Besides drinking lots of cool water , doctors say there are some other things to do to protect against the health dangers of heat. Stay out of the sun, if possible. Wear loose and light—colored clothes. Wear a hat while in the sun. Eat fewer hot and heavy foods. And, when possible, cook foods during cooler time of the day. If possible, rest more often.
Health experts say these simple steps can prevent the dangerous health problems caused by heat. They will prevent sickness, help you feel better and may even save your life. Hot weather is common ______.
| A．all over the world. | B．in many parts of the world |
| C．in some parts of the world | D．in a few parts of the world |
Experts say maybe _______is natural’s most dangerous killer.
| A．heat | B．a flood | C．a storm | D．an earthquake |
About 1,700 people died of heat in the US _______.
| A．in 1900 | B．in 1980 | C．in 1995 | D．in 2000 |
The passage is talking about _______.
| A．all kinds of terrible natural events in the world |
| B．some health problems caused by hot weather |
| C．how to prevent health problems |
| D．the health problems in hot weather and the ways to stop them |
Readers’ favorite landmarks
Arizona’s Grand Canyon Skywalk(人行天桥)is the best new bridge, New York by Gehry(盖里设计的纽约大厦) is the top new skyscraper and the National September11Memorial(911纪念馆)is the favorite new public space, according to Travel+ Leisure magazine (《悦乐》杂志).
What do the three architectures have in common? They were all opened in the last fifteen years and are this year’s new best landmarks. It shows that some architectures could become classics in a very short time.
How were these top new landmarks voted(投票)?The New York-based travel magazine carried out an online survey to discover the world’s top new landmarks in2012.They asked readers to vote their favorite ones in different categories(类别)—skyscrapers, parks and public spaces, museums, bridges, sports and performance places.
The architectures having the most votes in each category are crowned as the best new landmarks. Each category has a top new landmark.Arizona’s Grand Canyon Skywalk is ________.
| A．the best new bridge | B．a high building |
| C．a new walkway | D．a street. |
In the passage , ______ famous architectures are mentioned.
| A．1 | B．2 | C．3 | D．4 |
How long have the architectures been open ? ________.
| A．5 years | B．10 years | C．15 years | D．150 years |
The architectures are crowned as the best new landmarks according to having the most votes on_________ .
| A．skyscrapers, parks and public spaces, museums, bridges, sports and performance places. |
| B．skyscrapers, parks and public spaces, museums, bridges and performance places |
| C．parks and public spaces, museums, bridges, sports and performance places. |
| D．skyscrapers, parks and public spaces and performance places. |
The cartoon series , Tom and Jerry, is a very popular program. What do you think of it ? Come on and try our question.
NAME: Paul Smith
AGE: 12
SCHOOL: primary school.
| Questions and Comments |
(very satisfied ) 1 |
(satisfied) 2 |
Not satisfied) 3 |
| 1. Do you like the stories in it ? |
P |
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| Comments: The stories are great ! Tom and Jerry are both lovely guys. I have fun watching it. |
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| 2. Do you enjoy the pictures in it |
P |
||
| Comments: How cute the pictures are ! I really want to know who draws them. I hope one day I can learn from him how to draw cartoons. |
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| 3. Are you happy with the music in it ? |
P |
||
| Comments: Every time I hear the music in it, I’ll be excited! I always follow the songs in it. |
|||
| 4. Are you satisfied with the show time ? |
P |
||
| Comments: The show time is OK. If it is a little later, that’ll be better, because I’m having the painting class at 6:00 pm. Sometimes I miss the beginning of the program. What a pity! |
Paul Smith is _______.
| A．the chart designer | B．one of the characters |
| C．a primary school student | D．a primary school teacher |
We can guess from the chart that Paul may be interested in _______.
| A．drawing | B．dancing | C．sports | D．writing |
According to the chart, Paul Smith is not very satisfied with _______.
| A．the stories | B．pictures | C．music | D．the show time |
A poor farmer had a friend who was famous for the wonderful apple tree he grew.
One day, his friend gave the farmer a young apple tree and told him to plant it. The farmer was pleased with the gift, but he did not know where to plant it.
He was afraid that if he planted the tree near the road, strangers would steal the fruit. If he planted the tree in one of his fields, his neighbors would come at night and steal some of the apples. If he planted the tree near his house, his children would take the fruit. Finally he planted the tree in his wood. But without sunlight and good soil(土壤),the tree soon died,
Later the friend asked the farmer why he had planted the tree in such a poor place. "What's the difference? " the farmer said angrily and then told what he had thought.
"Yes," said the friend, "but at least someone could have enjoyed the fruit. Now you not only have robbed everyone of the fruit, but also you have destroyed a good apple tree !"Was the farmer famous for planting the apple tree?
What gift did the farmer get from his friend one day?
Did the farmer plant the apple tree near his house or in his wood at last?
Why did the apple tree soon die?
Who destroyed the apple tree?