Adrian’s “Amazing Race” started early when his parents realized that he, as a baby, couldn’t hear a thing, not even loud noises. In a special school for the hearing-impaired(听力受损的), he learned sign language and got to mix with other disabled children. However, the sight of all the disabled children communicating with one another upset his mother. She wanted him to lead a normal life. So after speaking to an advisor, she sent him to private classes where he learned to read lips and pronounce words.
Later on, Adrian’s parents decided to send him to a regular school. But the headmaster tried to prevent them from doing so, saying regular schools couldn’t take care of a special needs student. His parents were determined to take the risk and pushed him hard to go through his work every day because they wanted to prove that, given the opportunity, he could do anything. Adrian made the grade and got accepted. It was a big challenge. The pace (节奏) was faster so he had to sit at the front of the class and really pay attention to the teacher, which wasn’t always easy. But he stuck to it and did a lot of extra work after school.
The efforts made by Adrian and his parents paid off. Adrian graduated with good grades and got into a top high school. He also achieved a lot in life outside school. He developed a love for the outdoors and went to Nepal to climb mountains. He even entered the World Yacht Race 05/06—being the first hearing-impaired Asian to do so.
But none of these achievements would have been possible without one of the most important lessons from his mother. “If you believe in yourself and work hard, you can achieve great results,” she often said.How did Adrian communicate with other children in the special school?
A.By speaking |
B.By using sign language. |
C.By reading lips. |
D.By making loud noises |
Adrian’s parents decided to send him to a regular school because ___________
A.they wanted him to live a normal life |
B.they wanted to prove the headmaster wrong |
C.he wouldn’t mix with other disabled children. |
D.he wasn’t taken good care of in the special school |
How did Adrian finally succeed in his study?
A.He did a lot of outdoor activities. |
B.He was pushed hard to study every day. |
C.He attended private classes after school. |
D.He worked very hard both in and after class. |
Why is Adrian’s life described as an “Amazing Race”?
A.He did very well in his study. |
B.He succeeded in entering a regular school. |
C.He reached his goals in spite of his disability. |
D.He took part in the World Yacht Race 05/06. |
Who is the most important person behind Adrian’s achievements?
A.The headmaster. | B.His mother. |
C.The other disabled children. | D.An advisor. |
Societies all over the world name places in similar ways. Quite often there is no official naming ceremony but places tend to be called names as points of reference by people. Then an organized body steps in and gives the place a name. Frequently it happens that a place has two names: One is named by the people and the other by the government. As in many areas, old habits died hard, and the place continues to be called by its unofficial name long after the meaning is lost.
Many roads and places in Singapore are named in order that the pioneers will be remembered by future generations. Thus we have names such as Stamford Road and Raffles Place. This is in keeping with traditions in many countries —in both the West and the East.
Another way of naming places is naming them after other places. Perhaps they were named to promote friendships between the two places or it could be that the people who used to live there were originally from the places that the roads were named after. The mystery is clearer when we see some of the roads named in former British bases. If you step into Selector Airbase you will see Piccadilly Circus—obviously named by some homesick Royal Air Force personnel.
Some places were named after the activities that used to go on at those places. Bras Basah Road is an interesting example, “Base Basah” means “wet rice” in Malay. Now why would anyone want to name a road “Wet Rice Road”? The reason is simple. During the pioneering days, wet rice was laid out to dry along this road.
A few roads in Singapore are named by their shapes. There is “Circular Road” for one. Other roads may have part of their names to describe their shapes, like “Paya Lebar Crescent”. This road is called a crescent(月牙) because it begins on the main road, makes a crescent and comes back to join the main road again.
46. We learn from Paragraph 1 that _____.
A. the government is usually the first to name a place
B. many places tend to have more than one name
C. a ceremony will be held when a place is named
D. people prefer the place names given by the government
47. What does the underlined phrase “die hard” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A. Change suddenly. B. Change significantly(greatly).
C. Disappear mysteriously. D. Disappear very slowly.
48. Which of the following places is named after a person?
A. Raffles Place. B. Selector Airbase. C. Piccadilly Circus. D. Paya Lebar Crescent.
49. Bras Basah Road is named _______.
A. after a person B. after a place C. after an activity D. by its shape50. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Some place names in Singapore are the same as in Britain.
B. Some places in Singapore are named for military purposes.
C. The way Singaporeans name their places is unique.
D. Young Singaporeans have forgotten the pioneers.
第三部分阅读理解(共15小题,每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more worried about how the grizzly bear and mountain lion can cross the road.
“Millions of animals die each year on U.S. roads,” the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact, only about 80 ocelots, an endangered wild cat, exist in the U.S. today. The main reason? Roadkill.
“Eco-passages” may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. “These eco-passages can be extremely useful, so that wildlife can avoid road accidents,” said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Protection Society.
But do animals actually use the eco-passages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an eco-passage that went under a highway. This showed that the lions used the passage.
Builders of eco-passages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders (火蜥蜴) and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.
The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animal overpass!
41. The writer uses the example of “ocelots” to show that _______.
A. wild animals have become more dangerous
B. the driving condition has improved greatly
C. the measure for protecting wildlife fails to work
D. an increasing number of animals are killed in road accidents
42. From the story, we know an eco-passage is ________.
A. an underground path for cars B. a fence built for the safety of the area
C. a bridge for animals to get over a river D. a path for animals to cross the road
43. When the writer says that “animals seem to be catching on”(Para. 6), he means __.
A. animals begin to realize the dangers on the road
B. animals begin to learn to use eco-passages
C. animals are crossing the road in groups
D. animals are increasing in number
44. The writer asks visitors and drivers to look around when traveling because _____.
A. wild animals may attack cars B. wild animals may jam the road
C. they may see wild animals in the park D. they may see wild animals on eco-passages
45. The best title for the passage is ________.
A. Special bridges help animals cross the road B. Endangered animals increase because of roadkill
C. Animals fail to cross the road D. Take steps to protect animals in danger
I have a close friend who has a good family tradition, that is, each year after Thanksgiving dinner, all of the people sit around in the living room and each person takes a few minutes and gives thanks for what really matters and what has added value to their life over the last year. This is something I valued and followed. I have thought about a lot in the last year, and I finally came up with two things.
The first one is the healthiness of my daughter. She’s as healthy as she can be, and her weight and height are in good condition and she has no illnesses or genetic diseases. I am so thankful for having this wonderful baby in my life, and thankful that she has the gift of good health.
Secondly, I am thankful for the discovery of the value of writing in my life. A year ago, my website. The simple Dollar was only a few weeks old and was far from popular, but on Thanksgiving Day Last year it had about three score readers who ordered it in advance. The process of writing was bringing me enjoyment, but I hadn’t yet realized that I could be successful in it and attract many readers. This past year showed me a lot and I am deeply thankful for it.
After thinking for a while, I began to realize that it was a very powerful and wonderful positive exercise. You spend time reflecting deeply on the positive things in your life, and you often realize that even when things are bad, you do have a lot to be thankful for because there is lots of good in your life, and it can shine a bright light even in a dark spot in your life.What is the good family tradition of the author’s friend’s?
A.Learning from the past and planning for the future. |
B.Taking about the things that are most worth appreciation. |
C.Learning from the strong points of other family members. |
D.Having Thanks giving dinner together with family members. |
The author is thankful for all the following thins EXCEPT.
A.her success with writing | B.the enjoyment in writing |
C.the healthiness of her daughter | D.the founding of a magazine |
How many people had ordered The simple Dollar by Thanksgiving Day last year?
A.About 30. | B.About 20. | C.About 60. | D.About 40. |
What’s the purpose of this passage? It tells us that people should .
A.hold a positive attitude | B.reflect on their mistakes |
C.have low expectations of life | D.neglect their disadvantages |
The other day at a supermarket, I saw a naughty boy of about six crying loudly, falling to the floor and refusing to move. All the while the troubled mother was trying to persuade him to behave well but failed.A little smack on his bottom would have done the job,I thought.
Teenagers also cause discipline(纪律)problems.As a teacher, I had a 16-year-old student who had fallen in love with a waiter at a fast-food restaurant.In fact,she had left home to stay with him.So we decided to put her in the school hostel.She refused.When she heard her mother begging her to stay in the hostel she turned round and said:“Why don't you stay in the hostel if you like it so much?”
My palms were itching to slap her for being so rude but the poor mother continued to cajole her,hoping that gentle persuasion would work wonders.It did not.The last I heard,she had run away from home again.
The list goes on and on.Could it be that today's parents are softer and believe that they must not rod(棍棒惩罚)their children for fear of the bad result? Or do they actually believe that the children will get rid of the bad habits and behave well naturally as they grow older? I beg to disagree.I believe it is the parents' duty to discipline the children even at a young age.
My children who are now adults will prove the fact that I used the rod when I thought it necessary.Later when they went abroad,they related to their British university friends on how they were disciplined.Their friends abroad were filled with horror and told my daughter that I could be charged with child abuse(虐待).However,my daughter showed great respect for me when she told them that she would not be where she was today if not for my strict discipline.The underlined word“cajole”probably means .
A.persuade | B.scold | C.forgive | D.punish |
The author would probably .
A.beat the children every day | B.treat the children in a softer way |
C.leave the children as they are | D.punish the children when necessary |
We can learn from the passage that .
A.the naughty boy’s mother hit him |
B.the teacher’s daughter is living with the teacher |
C.the author’s daughter was thankful for the author’s strict discipline |
D.the author was charged with child abuse by her daughter’s friends abroad |
Which of the following could be the best title for this passage?
A.Spoil Kids | B.Value Discipline | C.Respect Parent | D.Protect Kids |
A Day of Design
Sunday, June 27,2010
9 a. m. ~ 4 p. m.
Thomas College Student Center
Join us for a free day of fun! A Day of Design will encourage those interested in flowers and design to get in touch with their creative side and get some tips from the experts – Jeff and Scott. Pleas see the schedule below for details about this wonderful opportunity!
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Registration (登记) for the day runs from 9 a.m. in the Student Center. Later guests will take a tour of the Thomas College campus before the day’s events.
10:30 a. m. ~ 12:00 p. m.
Jeff and Scott will design more than a dozen arrangements in a variety of sizes and colors and auction (拍卖) will be held and guests will have the opportunity to bid on the flower arrangements.
12:00 p. m. ~ 1:00 p. m.
A delightful boxed lunch will be served. During the lunch hour, Jeff and Scott will create a centerpiece for the holiday table and give tips for creating a beautiful centerpiece using things found in the home.
3:00 p. m. ~ 4:00 p. m.
A fitting way to end the day – guests are invited to enjoy a wine and cheese party. Jeff and Scott will be available to answer questions or just talk about flowers!
There is no charge for this event.
REGISTER NOW!
Space is limited to 45 guests.What are guests supposed to do from 9:00 a. m. to 10:30 a. m.?
A.To design flower arrangements. | B.To enjoy a wine and cheese party. |
C.To learn how to create a centerpiece. | D.To take a tour of the Thomas College campus. |
When will an auction be held?
A.9:00 a.m. ~ 10:30 a.m. | B.10:30 a.m. ~ 12:00 p.m. |
C.1:00 p.m. ~ 3:00 p. m. | D.3:00 p. m. ~ 4:00 p. m. |
The underlined word “centerpiece” is probably .
A.a photo on the wall | B.a picture that has been drawn |
C.a decoration for the center of a table | D.a flower that is carved out of stone |
We can learn from the passage that A Day of Design .
A.lasts for eight hours | B.is free of charge |
C.is held annually in July | D.is aimed at fashion designers |