A rat looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? But he discovered that it was a rattrap (捕鼠夹）.
Going back to the farmyard, the rat started to give a warning.
The rat turned to the pig and told him：“There is a rattrap in the house, a rattrap in the house!”
‘Tm sorry，Mr. Rat，” said the pig，“I can only say this is something terrible to you, but it is of no influence to me. I cannot be bothered with it.”
The rat turned to the cow. But the cow said，“Like wow，Mr. Rat? A rattrap? I am in danger, Huh?”
The rat returned to the house, head down and dejected. So the rat had to face the farmer's rattrap alone.
That very night, a sound was heard throughout the house，like the sound of a rattrap catching its prey (猎物）The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness，she did not notice that it was a poisonous snake whose tail had been caught by the trap. The snake bit her.
The farmer rushed her to hospital. She returned home with a fever. Everyone knows that a fever could be treated with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his knife to the farmyard for the soup. However, his wife's sickness continued.
The farmer's friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer killed the pig. But she didn't get well. Finally, she diedand so many people came for the last sight that the farmer had the cow killed to provide meat for all of them.
So the next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that the whole farmyard is at risk when there is a rattrap in the house.From the passage we know that______.
| A．the pig helped the rat get rid of the trap |
| B．the cow strongly believed in what the rat said |
| C．no animals showed concern over the rat's warning |
| D．the snake was killed immediately after being caught |
The underlined word ‘‘dejected” is the closest in meaning to______.
| A．disappointed | B．surprised | C．determined | D．excited |
We can learn from the article that_____.
| A．the farmer had planned to kill the rat |
| B．the rat was very wise in avoiding the trap |
| C．the farmer's wife got good treatment in hospital |
| D．the rat had expected what would happen to the pig and cow |
What message does the story intend to pass?
| A．We should mind our own business. |
| B．Everything is related to something else. |
| C．We'd better treat animals in a friendly way. |
| D．The farmer couple and their friends are all foolish. |
The slogan “a dog is for life, not just for Christmas” has been going strong for 27 years now. Dogs and cats have been popular Christmas gifts in the gifts in the UK and Europe for many years. But some people still haven't quite got the message.
The slogan still holds good. Some 105,000 dogs were rounded up by local government last year because they had been abandoned, many of them shortly after the festival season.
The main reason given by owners for handing their dogs over to the Dogs Trust is that the dogs need more attention than they can give; behavioral problems and moving home are also reasons given.
But Eleanor Silk, the Trust's communications director, says, “It's often four or five months after Christmas, in early summer, when owners find that the dog has got too big and too active, or it hasn't been trained properly and has caused damage around the home.”
In any case, some organizations that help pets are quick to point out that if you are serious about getting a puppy as a pet, Christmas is not the time to do it. Puppies need to get used to their new surroundings, to be introduced to a routine, and to be looked after like small children. It's hard to meet any of these needs at Christmas. What's more, pulling a puppy out of a Christmas stocking in itself sends the wrong message to children. It encourages children to think of the puppy as a toy, rather than a responsibility.
Appreciating what you're taking on with a dog can be a sobering (清醒的) realization. “For life” means thinking about the effect they'll have on your life. It also infers that you will need to care for the dog for its whole life.What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Dogs and Cats—the Most Popular Christmas Gifts |
| B．A pet is for Life, Not just for Christmas |
| C．How to Take Care of Your Pets over Christmas |
| D．Let's Help Those Abandoned Pets |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT a reason for pets to be abandoned?
| A．Pets spread some diseases. |
| B．Pets damage some things in the house. |
| C．The owners can't take good care of the pets. |
| D．The owners have to move to other places. |
The fifth paragraph mainly tells us ________
| A．how to take best care of Christmas pets. |
| B．the right time to have a puppy as a pet. |
| C．the reason why Christmas is not the time to get a pet. |
| D．the worries about Christmas pets from organizations that help pets. |
Why is the author against the idea of putting a dog in the Christmas stocking as a Christmas gift?
| A．Because these dogs can still cause damage. |
| B．Because children will not take dogs seriously. |
| C．Because children don’t like to have dogs as Christmas gifts. |
| D．Because a Christmas stocking is not big enough to put a dog in. |
Liyuan style
Peng Liyuan，wife of President Xi Jinping, has drawn extensive attention from people both at home and abroad for her charisma and grace. Accompanying her husband on his first overseas trip after becoming president, Peng Liyuan exhibited graceful demeanor, a pleasant personality and well-chosen dress, prompting people to coin the term “Liyuan style”.
Peng Liyuan, as one of China’s best-known singers, was popular among Chinese people long before her husband became the president. Loved by her fans, she has been in touch with the people for years.
“Liyuan style” is not only representative of a fashion idol, but also overpass cultural and diplomatic barriers. The beautiful handbags Peng has carried, and the plain but elegant and delicate dresses she has worn have become popular. Her choice of clothing, made-in-China instead of luxurious foreign brands, shows her belief in domestic dress designs.
But “Liyuan style” is not only about clothing and a woman’s paraphernalia. It is also about diplomacy and promoting, China’s soft power. In Moscow, Peng visited a boarding school for orphans and children estranged（疏远）from their parents, encouraging them to strive for a better life, which brought out the maternal side of her character. In Tanzania, she donated sewing machines and school bags to women and children. And as a World Health Organization ambassador in the fight against AIDS, Peng is devoted to many public causes, including those relating to charity and healthcare.
Some observers have already started saying that Peng’s activities have become part of public diplomacy in China.
Also, “Liyuan style” has boosted the confidence of the Chinese people. Modern but not flashy, elegant but not arrogant, Peng has all the virtues of a Chinese woman and carries them to the international stage.
Since the 18th Party Congress and the annual sessions of the NPC and CPPCC, the country’s new leadership has vowed to adopt a down-to-earth work style to connect with the people. Peng’s plain but elegant style shows that thriftiness and an earthy style need not be drab and boring.
So it can be said that Peng’s first appearance on the international stage has kicked off well.What’s the meaning of the underline word “paraphernalia”?
| A．Things she carried with | B．Her self-charm |
| C．Her diplomatic measures | D．Her support to her husband |
This passage is mainly about.
| A．President Xi’s wife Peng |
| B．Peng liyuan’s charming character |
| C．a cultural phenomenon named as “Liyuan style” |
| D．the achievements of Peng on charity and healthcare. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Peng firstly appears in the pubic as the “First Lady” in Moscow. |
| B．“Liyuan style” is only a fashion idol. |
| C．Peng Liyuan, as the wife of President Xi, admires lots of Luxurious brands. |
| D．Pend Liyuan is willing to fight against AIDS and become an ambassador of WHO. |
At present time, roller skating (滑旱冰) is easy and fun. But many years ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, people never tried skating on wheels. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin’s work was making instruments. In his free time he liked to play the violin. Merlin was a man with many ideas and many dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to go to an important party. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think. He wanted to find a way to make a wonderful entrance at the party. Merlin had an idea. He thought that he would attract much attention if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skate shoes. Merlin was very proud of them. He dreamed of arriving at the party and skating into the room while playing the violin. He was sure that everyone would be very surprised.
On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room, playing his violin. Everyone was really surprised to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skating. He rolled on, playing the violin. Then, with all eyes on him, Merlin hit into a huge mirror on the wall. The mirror broke into many pieces with a very loud noise.
Nobody forgot Merlin’s wonderful entrance after that.The first paragraph tells us that people began to skate on wheels from 1750 because (of) _______.
| A．it is very easy |
| B．it is very exciting |
| C．Joseph Merlin’s instruments |
| D．it is very popular |
People called Merlin a dreamer because ___________.
| A．he slept and dreamed a lot |
| B．he was full of different ideas and dreams |
| C．he invented the first roller skates |
| D．he always made people’s dreams come true |
What was Merlin’s problem after he rolled into the room?
| A．He couldn’t stop his roller-skating. |
| B．He couldn’t attract a lot of attention. |
| C．Everyone was surprised at him. |
| D．He couldn’t play the violin while rolling. |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Joseph Merlin’s Story |
| B．How Roller Skating Was Invented |
| C．A Surprising Entrance to the Party |
| D．Violin and roller skating |
Japanese high school students either walk or ride bicycles if the distance is not too great. In other cases, students must take public buses and trains. After junior high school, students attend schools based on their high school entrance examination scores. So some students travel a great distance to attend the school.
*________
The school day begins at 8:30. Then students assemble in their homeroom classes for the day's studies. Each homeroom has an average of 40-45 students. Students stay in their homeroom classrooms for most of the school day. Only for physical education, laboratory classes, or other subjects requiring special facilities do students move to different parts of the school. Between classes and at lunchtime, classrooms can be noisy, lively places. Some schools may have a cafeteria, but most do not. In most schools, students bring a box lunch from home, prepared by the mother in the early morning hours.
Japanese students spend 240 days a year at school, 60 days more than American students. Students in high schools take three years' each of the following subjects mathematics, social studies, Japanese, science, and English. Other subjects include physical education, music, art, and moral studies. All the students in one grade level study the same subjects. Given the number of required subjects, electives(选修科目) are few.
* After—school Activities
Club activities take place after school every day. Students can join only one club, and they rarely change clubs from year to year, so the clubs are relatively stable. Clubs are made up of sports clubs (baseball, soccer, judo, kendo, etc.) and culture clubs (English, broadcasting, science, etc.). New students usually are encouraged to select a club shortly after the school year begins in April. Clubs meet for two hours after school each day and many clubs continue to meet during school vacations.Most Japanese high school students often have their lunch________.
| A．in restaurants | B．in school cafeterias |
| C．at home | D．in homeroom classrooms |
Students in the USA go to school _________ days a year.
| A．180 | B．200 | C．240 | D．300 |
From the passage we know that________.
| A．there are less than 40 students in each class in Japanese high schools |
| B．students must stay in homeroom classrooms for physical education |
| C．there are few subjects for students to choose except the required ones |
| D．there will not be any club activities during school vacations |
The best subtitle for the second and third paragraphs may be "________".
| A．At school | B．In class | C．Subjects | D．Homerooms |
The trip to the United Stated opened my eyes to the fact that there are a lot of similarities as well as differences between American youth and French youth.
The first difference is in appearance. Going around in the U.S., I found that American youth do not really care about their appearance. In the morning, they choose something in their closet and wear it with another thing, often of different colors and styles, without wondering whether their choices make them look strange. The reason behind this is that they don’t care what people look like, but are just interested in their ideas. I think it’s great, but it also causes problems. Since they don’t care about their appearance, they don’t really care about their weight. Often they get fat without realizing it.
There are differences in relationships too. When the American youth fall in love, they don’t really think of the future. Also, there are differences in the rules concerning behavior that is allowed. In some respects, the French are more accepting. For example, in America it is generally unacceptable to make physical display of love. Lovers, in theory, can’t kiss or hold each other everywhere they want. People think that not showing love in public places is a way to respect others. On the contrary, the French youth can do almost everything they want.
With regard to other types of relationships, there are also big differences. Americans act differently from French people in front of unknown people. When an American girl, for example, arrives in front of people she has never met before, she will talk with them, trying to create a kind of bond between her and this new circle of people. The French girls will just think about rather than really do this kind of thing because they are too shy and lacking in self-confidence.
To finish, I noticed that in American classes, when pupils want to say or ask something, they just do it. In general, they don’t really care how the others will judge them. In France, it’s not the same case. If somebody wants to ask something, he/she will think about it before speaking up. I appreciate the freedom in Americans’ behavior, ideas, and ways of expressing themselves.American young people _______.
| A．are just interested in people’s clothes |
| B．show more interest in people’s ideas |
| C．care more about their weight |
| D．are more concerned about appearance |
When American youth fall in love with each other, they _________.
| A．will not hold each other |
| B．will always think about their future |
| C．will rarely display their love in public |
| D．will kiss wherever they like |
It can be inferred from the passage that French youth may think more about ______.
| A．their relationship’s future |
| B．their public images |
| C．their physical displays |
| D．their lover’s ideas |
The passage is mainly about the______ between American youth and French youth.
| A．similarities | B．friendship |
| C．differences | D．differences and the similarities |