Childhood was an illusion (错觉）and the illusion was this: everything was bigger. No, I mean everything, not just houses and shops and grown-ups, but colors and flowers and journeys, especially journeys which seemed endless. “Are we there yet, Daddy?”
Funfairs (游乐场） were huge things that spread for miles around you with noise and lights and exciting danger. Rainy days at home when you were ill seemed to last for ever. Being a grown-up yourself was an unthinkable distant possibility. Every sound was louder, every game was grander, every pain unbearable.
As I’ve grown old, life has become smaller. Tastes have dulled. Surprises have turned into shocks. Days go by unnoticed. How can I regain childhood when it was an illusion?
I have only one repeatable and wonderful way and even in this way I can regain only part of that larger world. I can play upon the stage like a child and make the crowd laugh and laugh with them, sometimes helplessly like a child, and then, even though I’m a sixty-one-year-old man, I can almost catch the colors and sounds and stillness of those bigger years when I was little.How does the author feel about his childhood?
| A．It was endless. | B．It was unpleasant. |
| C．He is glad that it is over. | D．He misses it as a grown-up |
The author thinks that everything was bigger in childhood because ________
| A．children could not make proper judgments. |
| B．children were curious and eager about life |
| C．things appeared really big in children’s eyes |
| D．to grow up seemed so long for children |
The world seems to have become smaller to the author because _______.
| A．life is disappointing | B．time goes by too fast |
| C．he has had too many surprises | D．foods no longer taste delicious |
The author enjoys playing on the stage so as to _______.
| A．act like a child | B．live an unusual life |
| C．make the crowd laugh | D．regain his childhood |
Reading is the key to school success and, like any skill, it takes practice. A child learns to walk by practising until he no longer has to think about how to put one foot in front of the other. A great athlete practises until he can play quickly, accurately, without thinking. Tennis players call that ”being in the zone.” Educators call it “automaticity”.
A child learns to read by sounding out the letters and decoding the words. With practice, he stumbles less and less, reading by the phrase. With automaticity, he doesn’t have to think about decoding the words, so he can concentrate on the meaning of the text.
It can begin as early as first grade. In a recent study of children in Illinois Schools, Alan Rossman of Northwestern University found automatic readers in the first grade who were reading almost three times as fast as the other children and scoring twice as high on comprehension tests. At fifth grade, the automatic readers were reading twice as fast as the others, and still outscoring them on accuracy, comprehension and vocabulary.
“It’s not I.Q. but the amount of time a child spends reading that is the key to automaticity,” according to Rossman. Any child who spends at least 3.5 to 4 hours a week reading books, magazines or newspapers will in all likelihood reach automaticity. At home, where the average child spends 25 hours a week watching television, it can happen by turning off the set just one night in favor of reading.
You can test your child by giving him a paragraph or two to read aloud—something unfamiliar but appropriate to his age. If he reads aloud with expressions, with a sense of the meaning of the sentences, he probably is an automatic reader. If he reads haltingly, one word at a time, without expression or meaning, he needs more practice.
13．The first paragraph tells us .
A．what automaticity is B．how accuracy is acquired
C．how a child learns to walk D．how an athlete is trained
14．The Illinois study shows that the automatic reader’s high speed .
A．costs him a lot of work B．affects his comprehension
C．leads to his future success D．doesn’t affect his comprehension
15．A bright child.
A．also needs practice to be an automatic reader
B．always achieves great success in comprehension tests
C．becomes an automatic reader after learning how to read
D．is a born automatic reader
16．The main idea of the passage is .
A．how to score high on comprehension tests
B．reading is the key to school success
C．how to test your child’s reading ability
D．automaticity is important for efficient reading
John Steinbeck once said, “All American believe they are born fishermen. For a man to admit to a distaste in fishing would be like speaking publicly against mother-love or hating moonlight”.
I can’t say I’m the biggest John Steinbeck fan. Actually, the only thing I can ever remember read by him was “The Pearl” when I was in middle school, but I couldn’t agree more with the man when it comes to fishing. When I am on a boat in the middle of the lay Lake, fishing off the shores of the Florida Keys for tarpon or catching rainbow trout in the Shoshone River of Wyoming. Fishing is my life.
According to the American Sports Fishing Association, the fishing industry brings in more than $ 116 billion per year from fishermen across the country.
However, fishing is much more than that. Fishing is a way of life for many people and a way to escape everyday stress. Being a fisherman makes me a member of a wonderful group of people extending to all walks of life. Even President Bush can be found fishing on his farm in Texas with his good friend Roland Martin when the jobs gets too stressful.
I can remember fishing with my grandfather when I was 5 years old on his boat at Lake Michel. Although I didn’t understand what I was doing, I did know that my grandfather was happy and that made me happy. Since then I’ve spent the past 16 years on the rivers and lakes of Alabama.
After days of practice, before and after work, I slowly developed an understanding of fishing. My boss, Ric Horst, took me back to the Shoshone, and I managed to bring in a 19-inch cutthroat trout. Fishing with Ric was a life-changing experience for me. He not only showed me how to fish correctly, but also told me how fishing could be a way to escape your problems.
Since then, prime-time season seems to take forever to arrive.
Now, with the ending of February and beginning of March in sight, the excitement of heading out to Lake Tus caloosa or Lake Lurleen before classes and catching something has finally returned.
9．What John Steinbeck said in the first paragraph implies that ______
A. American are believed to be the offspring of fishermen.
B. it is unthinkable for an American to admit his dislike of fishing.
C. all American are expert at fishing.
D. those who dislike fishing would not love their mother.
10．The writer came to understand the real meaning of fishing ______.
A. when he was reading “The Pearl” by John Steinbeck
B. when he went fishing with his grandfather at Lake Mitchell
C. after he had spent 16 years on the rivers and lakes of Alabama
D. after he went fishing with his boss, Ric Horst on the Shoshone
11．According to the author, ______.
A. people can get to know VIPs when fishing
B. people can smooth away all the troubles by fishing
C. fishing is a way of communication
D. fishing is a way of life for most American people
12．What is the purpose of the writing?
A. To describe the writer’s experience and understanding of fishing.
B. To explain the reason why so many Americans like fishing.
C. To make others understand the industry of fishing.
D. To express his opinions about fishing in different time of the year.
Father Christmas is at risk of serious illness because of his bulging waistline and needs to cut down on the mince pies, doctors warned.
A survey of shopping centre Santas in Scotland revealed an average waist size of 47 inches - seven inches more than is considered safe.
Dr Miles Fisher, consultant physician at Glasgow Royal Infirmary said: "The image of Santa is of a round, jolly person but if you have obesity around your tummy, then it is very bad for you.
"Before, we thought it was just not good to be overweight but now we know that having fat around your middle is particularly bad.
"That fat produces hormones, which have been associated with heart disease and other conditions."
According to health guidelines, having a waist circumference of more than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women is a key indicator of abdominal obesity.
It is associated with a greater risk of heart disease or type 2 diabetes. And people who have rounder stomachs, known as "central obesity", are more at risk than people who are merely overweight.
Perhaps Santa should consider cutting back on the sherry as well.
1.What is the best title for the passage?
A. Doctors order Santa to go on a diet
B. Overweight Causes Many Diseases
C. A Survey on Father Christmas
D. Father Christmas should be Jolly
2.Generally speaking, if a man’s waist size is about _____ inches, he is likely to be healthy.
A. 54B.25 C. 47 D. 37
3. What does the underlined word probably mean in the first paragraph?
A. 强壮的 B. 鼓起的 C.扁细的 D. 修长的
4. According to the passage, Father Christmas should be _______.
A. funny and strong. B. amusing and a little fat
C. quick and handsome D. healthy and serious
Learning another language isn't easy, but most people can learn a second language well if they’re willing to put in the necessary time. Here are some practical suggestions for studying effectively, overcoming anxiety, and learning the grammar and skills necessary for success in foreign language classes.
Study every day
Language learning is cumulative: you cannot put it off until the weekend. Study one or two hours for every class hour if you want a good mark.
Distribute your study time in 15 to 30 minutes period throughout the day
Study a different task each time: vocabulary now, grammar next, etc. Get an overview during the first half hour: spend 10 minutes reviewing dialog, 10 minutes learning new vocabulary, 10 minutes learning new grammar... So you'll at least have looked at it all. About 80~of your study time should be spent on recitation or practice.
Attend and participate in every class—even if you aren't well prepared
Class time is your best opportunity to practice, learn the grammar and vocabulary outside of class in order to make full use of the class time. Spend a few minutes "warming up" before each class by speaking or reading the language.
Make yourself comfortable in the classroom
Get to know your classmates, so you'll feel you’re among friends. Visit your teacher during office hours to get aquainted(熟悉的)：explain your goals and fears about the course to your teacher.
Learn grammar if you don't already know it
Grammar is the skeleton(骨架) and the basic structure of a language, and you must learn it.
Practice for tests by doing what you'll have to do on the test
If the test will require you to write, then study by writing--including spelling and accents. If you're asked to listen, practice listening. Ask for practice questions and make up your own test questions. Try to invent changes on patterns and forms. Over learning is also required in tests preparation：study beyond the paints of recognition to mastery.
Develop a good attitude
Have a clear personal reason for taking the class. Set personal goals for what you want to learn. Leave perfectionism at the door; give yourself permission to make mistakes and learn from them.
16. What does the underlined word "cumulative" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. process of gaining knowledge or skill by doing and seeing things
B. having to do with comparison
C. having ability to do what is needed
D. increasing in amount by one addition after another
17. A good learner is one who ________ according to the passage.
A. never permits himself to make mistakes
B. can learn something from the mistakes he makes
C. follows the goals that other persons set for themselves
D. can get to know his classmates and doesn't take his teachers' advice
18. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Tips on studying a foreign language.
B. Advice on how to learn grammar.
C. Suggestions for studying vocabulary effectively.
D. How to make yourself comfortable in the classroom.
Our fly-away vacation have been created with American visitors in mind.
For one, we have made getting to Europe easy. Systemwide, we serve nine European cities. From New York, we fly nonstop to Paris, Frankfurt and Zurich, with continuing service to Geneva.
Second, we have designed these vacation package tours the way Americans like to travel. We have picked hotels that give you the flavor of Europe while providing real value for your money.
We Americans have always like making up our own minds. We have tours by escorted （护卫）motor coach or your own rental car. And land packages in Paris that start as low as $ 299—$1289.
Another advantage of our fly-away vacations is that they are at a set US price. You needn’t worry about the changes in European currency. Then there is our fly-away vacation warranty. It’s your assurance that Americans stand behind your fly-away vacations.
You will find all the details of our warranty and of our European fly-away vacations in two free color brochures. Just call your travel agent or America toll-free at (800) 433-7300 to get yours.
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11．In which section of the newspaper can you find this passage?
A. Entertainment. B. News. C. Advertisement. D. Sports.
12．Which is not the advantage according to the passage?
A. Make it easy to Europe. B. Easy to get travelling information.
C. No changeable US price. D. Different ways to tour.
13．What does the underlined word “warranty” in Paragraph five mean?
A. Introduction. B. Notice. C. Suggestion. D. Promise.
14．Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The price of the fly-away vacation is fixed.
B. Price is always valid, so you do not need to worry.
C. During the tour, there is no other type of tours.
D. There are only a few stops during the tour.
15．What is the best title of this passage?
A. Go shopping in Europe. B. The beautiful scenes of Europe.
C. How to take a plane. D. Travelling around Europe.