When 19-year-old Sophia Giorgi said she was thinking of volunteering to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation (基金会)，nobody understood what she was talking about. But Sophia knew just how important Make – A –Wish could be because this special organization had helped to make a dream come true for one her best friends. We were interested in finding out more, so we went along to meet Sophia listen to what she had to say.
Sophia told us that Make – A –Wish is a worldwide organization that started in the United States in 1980. ” It’s a charity(慈善机构)that helps children who have got very serious illnesses. Make – A –Wish help children feel happy even though they are sick, by making their wishes and dreams come true, ” Sophia explained.
We asked Sophia how Make – A –Wish had first started. She said it had all begun with a very sick young boy called Chris, who had been dreaming for a long time of becoming a policeman. Sophia said lots of people had wanted to find a way to make Chris’s dream come true ----so, with everybody’s help, Chris, only seven years old at the time, had been a “policeman” for a day. ” when people saw how delighted Chris was when his dream came true, they decided to try and help other sick children too , and that was the beginning of Make – A –Wish, ” explained Sophia.
Sophia also told us the Foundation tries to give children and their families a special, happy time. A Make-A-Wish volunteer visits the families and asks the children what they would wish for if they could have anything in the world. Sophia said the volunteers were important because they were the ones who helped to make the wishes come true. They do this either by providing things that are necessary, or by raising money or helping out in whatever way they can.Sophia found out about Make-A-Wish because her best friend had .
| A．benefited from it | B．volunteered to help it |
| C．dreamed about it | D．told the author about it |
According to Sophia, Make-A-Wish .
| A．is an international charity |
| B．was understood by nobody at first |
| C．raises money for very poor families |
| D．started by drawing the interest of the public |
What is said about Chris in Paragraph3?
| A．He has been a policeman since he was seven. |
| B．He gave people the idea of starting Make-A-Wish |
| C．He wanted people to help make his dream come true. |
| D．He was the first child Make-A-Wish helped after it had been set up. |
Which of the following is true about Make-A-Wish volunteers?
| A．They are important for making wishes come true. |
| B．They try to help children get over their illnesses. |
| C．They visit sick children to make them feel special. |
| D．They provide what is necessary to make Make-A-Wish popular. |
It has always been said that women are not good drivers, because they simply don't have very good driving ability. On the other hand, most car accidents happen to men; very few happen to women.
From this, we can see that women are much more careful while driving. Another very interesting fact that we should point out is that in the past, women preferred to let their husbands be the only driver in the family rather than have a driving license. Som
ehow they were prevented from making this step in their lives, but nowadays there are many women that want to pass their driving tests from an early age.
However, we have to admit that men are more skillful drivers than women, but this does not mean that a woman cannot become a good driver by accumulating (积累) experience. So more and more teenagers and women around the age of thirty now want to pass their driving tests. While taking their driving lessons, they also have a number of special lessons with their parents or somebody in the family that has a driving license, this is just to improve their driving abilities and help them to pass the tests more easily.
To conclude, we can say that women are not such bad drivers. They just need more experience than men in order to be able to drive well. And on the other hand, there are a number of women that show better driving skills than the men around them. Compared with the past, nowadays many women___.
| A．prefer to have a driving license | |
| B．have more accidents while driving | |
C．are somehow prevented from driving |
D．are the only driver in the family |
What advantage do women have over men in driving?
| A．They have more skills. |
| B．They are much more careful |
| C．They know more traffic rules |
| D．They have more driving experience |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Teenage girls cannot take driving tests. |
| B．Men didn't allow women to drive in the past. |
| C．With enough experience, women can become good drivers. |
| D．Women can easily pass their tests by taking driving lessons. |
The passage mainly talks about___.
A．women and their driving ability.  |
| B．men and their driving ability. |
| C．why men are better drivers than women. |
| D．why more women like to have a driving license |
The Los Angeles Zoo has many public programs that aim to teach the public about animals and natural protection.
Safari shuttle(旅游电车)
While you’re here, take the Safari shuttle for a quick trip from one end of the Zoo to the other. All day long, seven days a week (from 10 am to 5 pm), the Safari Shuttle picks up passengers, circles the Zoo, and returns to the main flamingo (火烈鸟) exhibit near the front entrance. You can get on and off the shuttle as often as you like.
Food
Safari Café (at the Zoo entrance) offers Starbucks coffee, fresh-baked cookies, and ice cream. Gorilla Grill is the spot for grilled (烤的) food, kids’ meals, refreshments (点心), and ice cream. La Casita serves a variety of Mexican food and refreshments. Silverback’s Cafe offers sandwiches, salads, bread bowls, cold beer, and refreshments.
Hour
The Zoo is open from 10 am to 5 pm every day of the year except Christmas Day. Special summer long hours are until 6 pm from July 1 to September 7. Please remember, the Zoo starts putting animals in for the night at 4 pm during regular hour, and at 5 pm during summer hours.
Admission Prices(票价)
Adults (aged 13 and above):$9
Seniors(aged 62 and above):$6
Children(aged 2 to 12):$4
Children(under 2):free
Items Not Allowed on Zoo Grounds
Alcohol, Glass bottles, Pets, Bicycles, Skateboards, and In--line skate.
If you are planning a picnic while visiting the Zoo, please do not bring any glass items or other things that are easy to break. Also for the safety of the animals, no plastic bags are allowed within the Zoo.Which of the following provides kids’ meals?
| A．Safari Cafe. | B．Gorilla Grill. | C．La Casita. | D．Silverback’s Café |
People can see all the animals at the Los Angeles Zoo at ___.
| A．11 am on Christmas Day | B．4:30 pm on May 5 |
| C．3 pm on March 5 | D．6 pm on September 7 |
How much does it cost if a couple with their one-year-old twins visit the Los Angeles Zoo?
| A．$18 | B．$26 | C．$22 | D．$17 |
When visiting the Los Angeles Zoo, people can___.
| A．ride a bike through the Zoo | B．have a picnic on the Zoo grounds |
| C．take food with plastic bags | D．take their pets along |
One Canada, Two Languages
Canada is one of the few nations in the world to have two official languages: English and French. There are 10 provinces in the country but only one of these—Quebec is known as “French Canada”. This is because it was founded by French explorers while British adventurers discovered the rest.
Canada left the British empire(帝国) in 1867 to become an independent country and English and French have been recognized as the official languages ever since.
Most people speak English as their first language and the two national television networks broadcast in English throughout the country. Apart from in Quebec and a few places on the east coast, French television is very rare.
The same goes for traffic signs and menus, for example, outside of Quebec, there are only a few places where you’ll see traffic signs in French. In restaurants, it’s almost impossible to find French on the menu unless you are in the heartland (中心地带) of French Canada. However, all products sold in Canada must, by law, have labels (标签) and instructions in both languages.
In Canada’s English speaking provinces, official bilingualism (双语) means that students can choose to complete a special French language course. Under this program, they are taught most of their subjects in French.
If a student begins the course in kindergarten (幼儿园) or Grade One, it is likely that all their lessons will be in French. However, if they start at junior high school, 25 percent of the teaching will continue to be in English.How many provinces are there in Canada?
| A．Ten. | B．Nine. | C．Eleven. | D．Two. |
Which country controlled Canada before its independence?
| A．France. | B．Britain. | C．America. | D．Germany |
Where can you watch French television programs?
| A．Only in Quebec. |
| B．In Quebec and a few other places. |
| C．From the two national television networks. |
| D．All over Canada |
What do we know about the education in Canada?
| A．In English speaking provinces only English courses are offered. |
| B．If you choose a special French language course, most of the subjects are taught in French. |
| C．The courses in primary school are all taught in English. |
| D．Most of the courses in junior high schools are taught in English. |
Shane Thomas is a 10-year-old pianist from England. He’s being called the next Mozart because of his amazing abilities.
He has only been having piano lessons for four months, and practices four hours a week, but he has already played difficult classical pieces. He was just seven when he sat down at the piano, and could play at once. He also says he never gets nervous.
When Shane was three years old, he said that he could play the piano, but nobody took him seriously. At school, he could listen to the teacher and do his work while composing (作曲) in his head. Shame remembers all the melodies（旋律）,and when he gets home he plays them on the piano, while his father records them. Shane loves playing the piano, and when he grows up he wants to be a composer.
His tutor, Richard Goffin-Lecar, says he is like Amadeus Mozart, who lived during the 18th century in Salzburg, Austria, and was one of the most famous composers ever. Mr. Goffin-lecar says, “I don’t teach Shane very much. I just give him directions, then sit back and watch.”
His father, a single parent with two other children, says that although he has little money, he wants to send Shane to a good music school. “I’m a single father, but I have this gifted child. I don’t have much money, but I want to give him the best teachers, and also take him into a studio to record.”When did Shane tell others that he could play the piano?
| A．At age three. | B．At age ten. | C．At age seven. | D．At age four. |
Which of the following is TRUE about Shane?
| A．He feels nervous while playing the piano |
| B．He can compose in his head while doing his work. |
| C．He wants to be a piano tutor when he grows up. |
D．He doesn’t like to listen to the teacher at  school. |
What do we learn about Shane’s father?
| A．He also plays the piano well. |
| B．He’s a single father with two children. |
| C．He believes in Shane’s talent for music and will support him. |
| D．Not having enough money, he will ask the teachers for help |
Mexico City is truly one of the most amazing cities in the world with a mixture of both the old and new world. From the moment your plane starts to descend into this vast city, you know that your trip will be quite an adventure.
Once in your taxi and the moment you leave the airport, you are amazed at the large amount of slow traffic. The volume of the traffic can be stressful to some.
The "Paseo de la Reforma(改革大道)", running southwest across the city, is one of the major tourist and business areas in Mexico City with many high quality hotels only walking distance from great restaurants and other tourist attractions. The only problem you will have is trying to see all of these sites during your vacation time.
One of the most popular attractions in this area is the National Museum of Anthropology along the northwest part of the street. There are thousands of artifacts on display showing the history of the area and numerous items found from the many Aztec sites in the area. Walking southwest from the museum, you will soon reach the Mexico City Zoo, which is a great place to spend an afternoon.
Across the street from the museum is the Chapultepec Castle, once an important site in the Mexican-American war. It's also a good idea to take the train up the hill to where the castle is located as the hill is steep. It's important to keep in mind that Mexico City is over 7,000 feet above sea level and some feel it difficult to breathe when walking.
You can take a taxi to the Coyoacan market during the evening on a weekend. It's a great place to get some cheap souvenirs to bring back home and to enjoy some traditional Mexican cuisine. However, you must be careful where you eat and that the meat is well cooked.The tourists in Mexico City may not be satisfied with______.
| A．the high speed of the traffic | B．the heavy traffic of the city |
| C．the polluted air in the city | D．their safety in the city |
From the third paragraph, we can learn that______.
| A．the number of the city attractions can't meet the needs of the tourists |
| B．it is convenient for tourists to visit the city from where they stay |
| C．tourists have problems when visiting the sites in Mexico City |
| D．tourists often have their three meals in the high quality hotels |
Which of the following shows the correct positions of the following places?
P =" Paseo" de la Reforma M =" the" National Museum of Anthropology
C =" the" Chapultepec Castle Z =" the" Mexico City Zoo
Which of the following attractions may interest those who want to study the military (of thearmy) history of Mexico City?
| A．The National Museum of Anthropology. | B．The Coyoacan market. |
| C．The Chapultepec Castle. | D．The Aztec sites. |