To be sure, only children experienced some things differently from those with sisters and brothers. Many feel more pressure to succeed. In the absence of brothers and sisters, only children also tend to look more exclusively to their parents as role models.
In India, 10-year-old Saviraj Sankpal founded a support group for the tiny minority of only children. Among other things, the group does volunteer work to counter the myth that they are not responsible. “People think we’re treated too kindly and ruined,” says Sankpal, a computer engineering student. “But I’d like to remind them how lonely it can get.”
Most only children, however, say they wish for sisters or brothers only when it comes to caring for aging, unhealthy parents. Britain’s David Emerson, coauthor of the book The Only Child, says that such a person bears a terrible burden in having to make all the decisions alone. Emerson knows from experience: After his father died, he chose to move his elderly mother from their family home, where she was vulnerable(易受攻击的) to house breakers, to a new one with more security. “The move was quite hard on her, and she might feel that I pushed her into it,” he says. “After all, I am left with that responsibility.”
In the future, more and more only children will likely face similar choices. With working mothers increasingly the rule, many families are finding they simply don’t have the time, money or energy to have more than one child. As only children become common, perhaps the world will realize that the charge made against them is unjust.
| A．critical | B．objective | C．hostile | D．unjust |
| A．find a support group for their only children |
| B．do volunteer work to help their only children |
| C．let their only children make all the decision alone |
| D．set good examples for their only children |
| A．is the only one who cares about her |
| B．doesn’t want to leave her alone |
| C．wants to share the responsibility with her |
| D．is worried about her safety |
| A．spend all her time and money on her only child |
| B．be responsible for bringing up her only child |
| C．have and bring up only one child |
| D．devote all her energy to her job |
D
Weall know about “Brother Sharp” , “King of Calm” and “Brother Buckteeth”----names that netizens(网民) have given those with special characteristics, or who have done something special.
Recently, a new name has been added to that list----“Brother Banner(横幅)”. What did he do to get the name?
“Brother Banner” is Chen Yihua, a Senior 1 student at Guangzhou No.16 High School. On the afternoon of May 4, he made a banner, dressed in school uniform, and stood outside a Line 1 subway station in Guangzhou.
Chen was protesting(抗议)Guangzhou Metro(地铁) Company’s renovation(整修) project for the line.
The company was planning to renew 16 stations on the line over three years. It said that the station would be renovated in similar styles, and the cost of the project would be 92.27 million yuan.
The banner that Chen held said: “The special features of Line 1 stations will disappear. The program is also a waste of resources. I hope you will help my protest be signing my subway petition(请愿) against the renovation .”
His action attracted the attention of passers-by. In three days, Chen collected more than 300 signatures(签名) from the public.
The metro company also noticed Chen, and responded to him, three times, over the following week.
On May 6, the company announced that the project was to replace aging equipment that has been running for a long time, because it had “safety risks”. The public was unsatisfied with the response.
The next day, the company met with Chen and gave further details of the project. Chen remained unconvinced.
The company made a 180-degree turn in its third response to Chen’s protest on May 10.
Zhong Xuejun, spokesman for the company, said the renovation would be based on the principle of saving energy and being economical. It would focus on the old equipment and the look of the stations wouldn’t be changed much.
Finally, Chen’s voice had been heard.What do “Brother sharp”, “King of Calm” and “Brother Buckteeth” have in common?
| A．They’re handsome. |
| B．They only exist in the net. |
| C．They’re characters(角色,特征) of a novel. |
| D．They have done something special or have special character. |
How many times has the metro company responded？
| A．1 | B．2 | C．3 | D．4 |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．“Brother Banner” is a Senior 1 student. |
| B．“Brother Banner” collected more than 300 signatures in three days. |
| C．“Brother Banner” has made a difference through his action. |
| D．“Brother Banner” is not a normal student. |
C
We all love festivals. But since culture develops differently in many places, some festivals are, to us, very strange. Let’s take a look at some unique(独特的)festivals around the world.
Cheese Rolling Festival (England)
The festival started in the 15th century in May. When a round cheese is rolled, competitors run down the hill and try to catch it before it reaches the bottom. As the cheese can reach speeds of up to 112 km/h, it’s rare that someone catches the cheese. First to the bottom wins the cheese. But running down a very steep(陡峭的) hill behind a cheese can be dangerous. Eight people were injured in 1992.
Roswell UFO festival (New Mexico, US)
The Roswell UFO festival celebrates the anniversary(纪念日) of the “Roswell Incident”, when a UFO was said to have crashed(坠毁) nearby. Every year in July, experts, authors, researches and lecturers come to discuss the incident. The celebration also includes an alien parade, an alien costume contest, and an alien hot air balloon ride.
Hemingway Days (Florida, US)
This festival has normal stuff (材料，东西) like short-story readings and exhibits about the author. But the highlight (亮点) of the festival is definitely (一定地) the Hemingway look alike contest.
Imagine walking into a bar and being greeted by 20 middle-aged men who all look alike: stocky with thick white beards. The festival takes place in mid-July every year.Which festival takes place in mid-July every year?
| A．Cheese Rolling Festival. | B．Roswell UFO festival. |
| C．Hemingway Days. | D．All of the above. |
Which festival may cause injuries according to the passage?
| A．Cheese Rolling Festival. | B．Roswell UFO festival. |
| C．Hemingway Days. | D．None of the above. |
Which of the following is right according to the passage?
| A．All the three festivals are celebrated in America. |
| B．It’s common that someone catches the cheese in Cheese Rolling Festival. |
| C．It’s said that a UFO once crashed in New Mexico, US. |
| D．In Hemingway Days, you’ll see 20 old or young Hemingways |
B
When I was about 10 one day, I was walking down the street with my mother. She stopped to speak to Mr. Lee. I knew I could see Mr. Lee anytime around the neighborhood, so I just stood there. After we passed him, my mother stopped and said something unforgettable, “You let that be the last time you ever walk by somebody you know without opening your mouth to speak, because even a dog can wag its tail when it passes you on the street.” That sentence sounds simple but it made me become who I am.
At work, I used to say hello to the president of the company and ask him how our business was doing. But I also spoke to the people in the café and people who cleaned the buildings, and asked them how their children were doing, for every single person deserves to be accepted, no matter how humble(低微的) they are. I remember that after a few years of passing by the president, I had the courage to ask him for a chat. We had a great talk. At some point, when I asked him how far he thought I could go in his company, he said that if I wanted to, I could get all the way to his seat.
I’ve become vice-president, but that hasn’t changed how I treat people. I speak to people wherever I am. Speaking to people creates a pathway into their world, and it lets them come into mine, too.
The day you speak to someone who has his head down and then see him lift it up and smile, you will realize how powerful it is just to open your mouth and say hello.What is the best title for this passage?
| A．The Power of Being Talkative |
| B．My Mother’s Influence on Me |
| C．The Power of Saying hello |
| D．My Way to Become Vice-President |
It is implied in the first paragraph that____.
| A．the writer didn’t know Mr. Lee |
| B．the writer didn’t say hello to Mr. Lee on that occasion |
| C．the writer didn’t get along well with his mother |
| D．the writer’s mother stopped to say hello to everyone she met |
What can we learn from the second paragraph?
| A．The writer didn’t say hello to everyone in the company. |
| B．The writer made a very good impression on the president of the company. |
| C．The president of the company thought the writer was much better than him. |
| D．The president of the company actually didn’t like the writer at all. |
For the writer, saying hello to others_______.
| A．is a way to get what he wants |
| B．has become a habit and a way of life. |
| C．is a way to show respect for his mother |
| D．is important in making him remembered. |
According to paragraph 3, in the writer’s opinion, speaking to others can______.
| A．make our world much better |
| B．make people much happier every day. |
| C．help people understand each other better |
| D．help people work much better |
A
Car needs gas to run as your body needs food to work for you. Eating the right kinds of food is very important. A good eating habit can help your body grow strong if you take care of what you eat.
There are four main food groups altogether. The dairy group has food like milk, cheese and sour milk. The other three groups are the meat and fish group, the fruit and vegetable group, and the bread and rice group. Each meal should have at least one food from all four main groups. With all of these foods together, you will be given enough energy during the day.
It is easy to get into bad eating habits. You may eat your breakfast in a hurry to get to school on time or you may not have time for a good lunch. It may be easier to eat fish and chips for your supper all the time. But you will find yourself tired and you will not be able to think quickly.
Watching what you eat will help keep your body healthy and strong. It is also good to take some exercise. It will help you eat more if you take a walk or play games in the open air. Having good eating habits with some exercise is the key to your health.According to the passage, which of the following diets do you think is the best one?
| A．Eggs, tomatoes and chicken. |
| B．Milk, bread, cabbages and beef. |
| C．Corn, fish, ice cream and pork. |
| D．Rice, beancurd(豆腐)，fish and chicken. |
Which of the following is a good eating habit?
| A．Going to school without any breakfast. |
| B．Eating fish and chips for supper all the time. |
| C．Having at least food from one of the four groups each meal. |
| D．Having different food from all four food groups. |
In this passage the writer mainly tells us that____.
| A．every person needs food to grow well. |
| B．taking exercise can keep your body strong. |
| C．the right kind of food with exercise will keep you healthy. |
| D．enough energy helps people think more quickly. |
The underlined word “dairy” in the second paragraph means_____.
| A．the food made out of cows such as milk and butter |
| B．the shop that sells milk and butter |
| C．a farm where cows are kept |
| D．a place where milk products are made |
D
To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains．But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against rain．Its first use was as a shade against the sun．
Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times．Probably the Chinese were the earliest to use it in the eleventh century BC．We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade．And there was a strange thing connected with its use: it became a symbol of honor and authority．In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by royalty or by those in high offices．
In Europe, the Greeks were the earliest to use the umbrella as a sunshade．And the umbrella was allowed in common use in ancient Greece．But it is believed that the earliest persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against rain were the ancient Romans．
During the Middle Ages, the use of the umbrella practically disappeared．Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century．And again, it was considered a symbol of power and authority．In around 1680, the umbrella appeared in France and later on in England．
By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout most of Europe．Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight．It wasn’t until the twentieth century that women’s umbrellas began to be made in a whole variety of colors．The first use of umbrella was as ______________．
| A．protection against rain | B．shade against the sun |
| C．a symbol of power and authority | D．a symbol of honor and authority |
In Europe, the umbrella was first used against rain ___________．
| A．in Greece | B．in Rome | C．in England | D．in France |
From the text, we can infer that _________．
| A．the umbrella changed much in style in the eighteenth century． |
| B．no one knows why the umbrella was used in very ancient times． |
| C．once ordinary people had no right to use umbrellas． |
| D．during the Middle Ages the umbrella was common in Europe． |
This passage talks mainly about ____________．
| A．when and how the umbrella was invented． |
| B．why the umbrella was so popular in Europe． |
| C．the development of the umbrella． |
| D．the history and use of the umbrella． |