When I was young, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn’t look like any doctor I’d ever known. He never shouted at us for playing in his yard. I remembered him as a neighbor who was nicer than anyone else in the neighborhood.
When Dr. Gibbs was happy, he was planting trees. And his life’s goal was to make it a forest.
Dr. Gibbs had some interesting theories about planting. He talked about trees that weren’t watered would grow deep roots in search of water. So he never watered his trees. He planted an oak (橡树) and, instead of watering it every morning, he beat it with the rolled-up newspaper. I asked him why he did that, and he said it was to get the tree’s attention.
Dr. Gibbs died a couple of years. Every now and again, I walk by his house and look at the trees that he planted twenty-five years ago. They’re very strong now.
I planted a couple of trees a few years later. I watered them regularly and took good care of them. Whenever a cold wind blows, they shake their leaves and branches.
The funny thing about those trees of Dr. Gibbs was that difficulty seemed to help them in ways comfort and ease never could.What was Dr. Gibbs’ life goal?
A.To build a forest. | B.To save more lives. |
C.To make a lot of money. | D.To study plants. |
One of Dr. Gibbs’ theories about planting was that ______.
A.he often talked to the trees |
B.he kicked the trees heavily |
C.he never watered the trees |
D.he buried the leaves around the roots |
What does the writer mainly want to tell us?
A.Trees are not as weak as we think. |
B.We should listen to others’ advice. |
C.Planting trees is good for the environment. |
D.Difficulty is necessary for growth. |
HONG KONG — Hong Kong Disneyland is too crowded, a senior Chinese tourism official said today, hinting that another Disney Park is necessary to accommodate demand from China’s huge population.
The comments by Shao Qiwei, director of China’s State Administration of Tourism, came a day after Shanghai’s mayor Han Zheng said the city was preparing to build China’s second Disney theme park.
“China has a very large population. We now have 1.3 billion people. The market is very large. As far as I know, Hong Kong Disneyland is now very crowded,” said Shao, whose comments were broadcast on Hong Kong’s Cable TV.
The Hong Kong theme park, which opened in September, was widely criticized in January when it turned away hundreds of Lunar New Year holiday makers from mainland China because the park was full. Chaos(混乱) erupted when angry crowds tried to force their way into the park.
The embarrassing incident prompted a public apology from Hong Kong Disneyland Managing Director Bill Ernest and a dressing down from Hong Kong’s leader Donald Tsang. Authorities are carefully studying the issue of overcrowding in preparation for the possible building of the Disney park in Shanghai, Shao said.
The official Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday that no agreement has been reached on the park in Shanghai, quoting senior vice president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Leslie Goodman. Hong Kong Disneyland is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the local government, which shouldered the bulk of the park’s construction fees.Why is it necessary to build a Disney park in Shanghai?
A.Hong Kong Disneyland can’t meet the need of the large population. |
B.Hong Kong Disneyland is too small and very crowded. |
C.Hong Kong Disney Park was criticized by tourists. |
D.Hong Kong Disneyland is far from the mainland. |
Hundreds of visitors from Mainland China got angry because ________.
A.the services in the park were not as good as expected | B.they were not allowed to go into the park |
C.the park was too crowded | D.chaos happened at the entrance to the park |
The building of a Disney park in Shanghai ________.
A.has been agreed to by The Walt Disney Co. |
B.is financed The Walt Disney Co. |
C.will be in the charge of the Shanghai government |
D.remains to be discussed with The Walt Disney Co. |
In 1978, I was 18 and was working as a nurse in a small town about 270 km away from Sydney, Australia. I was looking forward to having five days off from duty. Unfortunately, the only one train a day back to my home in Sydney had already left. So I thought I’d hitch a ride(搭便车).
I waited by the side of the highway for three hours but no one stopped for me. Finally, a man walked over and introduced himself as Gordon. He said that although he couldn’t give me a lift, I should come back to his house for lunch. He noticed me standing for hours in the November heat and thought I must be hungry. I was doubtful as a young girl but he assured(使…放心) me I was safe, and he also offered to help me find a lift home afterwards. When we arrived at his house, he made us sandwiches. After lunch, he helped me find a lift home.
Twenty-five years later, in 2003, while I was driving to a nearby town one day, I saw an elderly man standing in the glaring heat, trying to hitch a ride. I thought it was another chance to repay someone for the favor I’d been given decades earlier. I pulled over and picked him up. I made him comfortable on the back seat and offered him some water.
After a few moments of small talk, the man said to me, “You haven’t changed a bit, even your red hair is still the same.”
I couldn’t remember where I’d met him. He then told me he was the man who had given me lunch and helped me find a lift all those years ago. It was Gordon.The author had to hitch a ride one day in 1978 because __________.
A.her work delayed her trip to Sydney | B.she missed the only train back home |
C.the town was far away from Sydney | D.she was going home for her holidays |
Which of the following did Gordon do according to Paragraph 2?
A.He watched the girl for three hours. | B.He gave the girl a ride back home. |
C.He bought sandwiches for the girl. | D.He helped the girl find a ride. |
The reason why the author offered a lift to the elderly man was that______.
A.she was going to the nearby town | B.she had known him for decades |
C.she wanted to repay the favor she once got | D.she realized he was Gordon |
What does the author want to tell the readers through the story?
A.Those who give rides will be repaid. | B.Giving sometimes produces nice results. |
C.Good manners bring about happiness. | D.People should offer free rides to others. |
Lucy: Hi, Kate. What are you doing tonight?
Kate: ___________ Any suggestions?
Lucy: ___________ I’m planning it for days.
Kate: A 3D film? Who stars?
Lucy: Suraj Sharma, a handsome young actor.
Kate: Oh! ____________
Lucy: An Indian boy’s unusual experience with a tiger at sea.
Kate: __________ What time is it on?
Lucy: Half past six. __________
Kate: Sure. When and where shall we meet?
Lucy: Let’s meet around six at the gate of Oscar Cinema.
Kate: Great. See you then.
A.How about seeing the 3D film Life of Pi? |
B.What about going to a concert? |
C.Not decided yet. |
D.What is it about? |
E. Wow, sounds cool.
F. Could you pick me up?
G. Do you want to join me?
When I was a boy, I belonged to the Boy Scouts(童子军),so I used to go camping every summer, and once something happened which I have never been able to explain.
We were camping in a place above a river. After arriving, we all rushed down to the river and had a swim. Standing by the river, we noticed that it was surrounded by cliffs (悬崖).If someone wanted to reach the river at this point, he had to walk past our camp.
Several days later, the scoutmaster had to be away for a day. That afternoon, we had supper early. We were sitting round the fire, eating and talking, when a man walked past and went down towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange, but, because each of us was afraid of looking very stupid, no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly, taking as long as possible. After finishing, we collected our plates together so that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one moved towards the river, we stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we began talking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and we wondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passing through our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep(悄悄移动)down by the river so that we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, we crept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly. He called to us that there was no one there, so we ran down to the bank, looking everywhere carefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark, we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster what had happened in the evening. Smiling, he doubted that we had seen the man, but finally suggested we go and look again. We did, but there was no one there.
Many years have passed, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see? I do not know.The writer in the text mainly tells us _________.
A.the story of his childhood | B.a strange camping experience |
C.about a stranger by the river | D.about a good place for camping |
Why did the boys eat their supper slowly?
A.They wanted to delay going to the river bank. |
B.They were waiting for their scoutmaster. |
C.They had a supper earlier than usual. |
D.They were talking while eating. |
The underlined word “bewildered” in the text probably means _________.
A.ashamed | B.nervous |
C.unable to understand | D.eager to know something |
When he heard what had happened, the scoutmaster __________.
A.realized who the man was |
B.started to worry about the man |
C.went back to look for the can |
D.felt it hard to believe the boys |
The writer still remembers the event because________.
A.the boys acted foolishly |
B.the camping place is beautiful |
C.there has been no explanation for the event |
D.he particularly enjoyed his camping that summer. |
Being safe in your everyday life needs knowledge(知识).If you remember the following information,your life will be much safer.
·Always notice the environment around you.You shouldn’t walk alone outside.Make sure where the public phones are.If anything dangerous happens,you can find them easily.
·Your bag should be carried towards the front of your body instead of putting it on your back.When a bus is full of people, it is easy enough for a thief to take away the things in the bag on your back.
·If you are followed by someone whom you don’t know, cross the street and go to the other way,let the person understand that you know he or she is after you.Next,don’t go home at once.You are safer in the street than you are alone in your home or in a lift(电梯).
· If you have to take a bus to a place far away, try to get to the stop a few minutes earlier before the bus leaves.This stops other people from studying you.On the bus,don’t sit alone.Sit behind the driver or with other people.Don’t sleep.Which of the following is NOT safe when you are out?
A.Go home alone late at night. | B.Make sure where the public phones are. |
C.Don’t get to the bus stop too early. | D.Always notice the environment around you. |
You’d better put your bag when there are too many people on a bus.
A.on your back | B.beside you |
C.in front of you | D.behind the driver |
What can you learn from the text?
A.How to notice the environment around you. |
B.How to be safe in your everyday life |
C.How to cross the street |
D.How to use the public phones |