Henry Ford grew up on an un-electrified farm, and as a young man he followed Edison's career as the inventor became a national role model．Ford took a job at the Edison Illuminating Company working his way up to chief engineer．
In 1896 Ford was thirty-three and, though still working for Edison Co．,he had created his first experimental automobile the Ford Quadricycle2 during his off-time． At an Edison company party in New York, Ford had his first chance to meet his hero Edison and was able to explain his new automobile to the great inventor． Edison was impressed． Edison is said to have slammed his fist downand shouted ¨Young man, that's the thing! You have it! Your car is self-contained and carries its own power plant．" Edison himself had been working on the idea, but had only been considering electricity as the power source, so the idea of a gas engine was a somewhat new one．
The words comforted Ford greatly, who immediately set out building a second car which was to become the Model-T．6．The two men became f'ast friends and would go on camping trips together．When Edison later became limited to a wheelchair, Ford brought an extra one to his house so they could race．At the 50th anniversary of the invention of light-bulb, Ford honored Edison．When Edison spoke, he ended his speech directed at Ford:“ As to Henry Ford, words fail to express my feelings．I can only say that he is my friend．" Therefore it is no surprise that Ford wanted something to remember Edison by after he passed away in 1931．
Once, Ford asked Thomas Edison's son Charles to sit by the dying inventor's bedside and hold a test tube next to his father's mouth to catch his final breath． Ford was a man with many strange behaviors（ as was Edison）including some interest in reanimation and spiritualism（夏活通灵术）and some say that he was attempting to catch Edison's soul as it escaped his body in hopes of later bringing the inventor back to life．
The test tube itself didn't turn up until 1950 when it was listed in the Ford possessions after Clara Ford's passing away, and then lost again until 1978 when it was discovered in an exhibit Entitled “Henry Ford-A Personal History" in the Henry Ford Museum．It would then be discovered that the tube was labeled “Edison's Last Breath"．
There is a further mystery of this “last breath" test tube． It would seem as if Edison had quite a last breath indeed, as the Edison Estate holds a collection of 42 test tubes all supposedly containing Edison's last breath．
Regardless of the excitement over the last breath, the test tube is quite touching in its meaning．Although both men were known for all sorts of poor behavior towards ．their loved ones and mistreatment of employees, between them at least, there was clearly a deep respect and admiration．The passage can be sorted as a ．
| A．science research | B．short story | C．news report | D．self-introduction |
From the underlined sentence in Paragraph2 we can learn that ．
| A．Edison envied what Ford had achieved |
| B．Edison was annoyed that Ford did better him |
| C．Edison was angry because Ford stole his idea |
| D．Edison was extremely amazed at Ford's new idea |
In Paragraph 3,the writer mentions Ford bought an extra wheelchair ．
| A．to remind Edison was Ford's role model |
| B．to suggest Ford was a man of strange behavior |
| C．to tell us the importance of a creative idea then |
| D．to show the close friendship between Henry Ford and Edison |
¨The 61ast breath' test tube" can probably be regarded as ．
| A．a symbol of a friendship and memory |
| B．a witness to a scientific breakthrough |
| C．a failure to bring Edison back to life |
| D．a sign of the two inventors' poor behavior |
It can be learned from the last paragraph that“ ” ．
| A．Great minds think alike |
| B．Nobody is perfect |
| C．Two heads are better than one |
| D．A friend in need is a friend indeed |
A qualified doctor who rarely practiced but instead devoted his life to writing. He once said: “Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my lover.” Russian writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, was a great playwright and one of the masters of the modern short story.
When Chekhov entered the Moscow University Medical School in 1879, he started to publish hundreds of comic short stories to support his family. After he graduated, he wrote regularly for a local daily newspaper.
As a writer he was extremely fast, often producing a short story in an hour or less. Chekhov’s medical and science experience can be seen through the indifference(冷漠) many of his characters show to tragic events. In 1892, he became a full time writer and published some of his most memorable stories.
Chekhov often wrote about the sufferings of life in small town Russia. Tragic events control his characters who are filled with feelings of hopelessness and despair.
It is often said that nothing happens in Chekhov’s stories and plays. He made up for this with his exciting technique for developing drama within his characters. Chekhov’s works combined the calm attitude of a scientist and doctor with the sensitivity(敏感) of an artist.
Some of Chekhov's works were translated into Chinese as early as the 1940s. One of his famous stories, The Man in a Shell, about a school teacher’s extraordinarily orderly life, was selected as a text for Chinese senior students.Anton Pavlovich Chekhov ________.
| A．had a lawful lover | B．was an illegal writer |
| C．used to be a lawyer | D．was a competent doctor |
In 1880, Chekhov ________.
| A．became a full-time writer |
| B．studied medicine in Moscow University |
| C．practiced medicine in his hometown |
| D．published his most memorable stories |
Which of the following adjectives can’t be used to describe Chekhov?
| A．Sensitive. | B．Cool. | C．Quick-minded. | D．Warm-hearted. |
Which of the following is the right order of the events?
a. became a doctor
b. became a full time writer
c. started to publish comic short stories
d. wrote regularly for a local daily newspaper.
e. entered the Moscow University Medical School
| A．e→c→a→d→b | B．d→a→b→c→e |
| C．e→c→b→a→d | D．a→e→c→b→d |
If you want to learn anything at school, you need to listen to your teachers. Unfortunately, millions of kids can’t hear what their teachers are saying. And it’s not because these students are goofing off. Often, it’s the room’s fault. Building architecture and building design can create echo(回声)-filled classrooms that make hearing difficult.
Children with hearing impairments（损伤）suffer most from noisy classrooms. They sometimes can’t hear questions that other students ask in class. Compared with kids with healthy hearing, they have a harder time picking up new vocabulary words by hearing them in talking.
Even kids with normal hearing have a harder time in the classroom when there’s too much noise. Younger children in particular have trouble separating important sounds – like a teacher’s voice – from background noise. Kids with learning disabilities and speech impediments（障碍）and kids for whom English is a second language also have a harder time learning in noisy situations.
In recent years, scientists who study sound have been asking schools to reduce background noise, which may include loud air-conditioners and pipes. They’re also targeting outdoor noises, such as highway traffic. Noise reduction is a big deal. Why? Because quieter classrooms might make you smarter by letting you hear your lessons better.
“It’s so obvious that we should have quiet rooms that allow for access to the lesson,” says Dan Ostergren, a hearing scientist. “Sometimes it surprises me that we spend so much time discussing this topic. I just want to go. Why is this hard for anyone to grasp?”The underlined part “goofing off” in the first paragraph can be replaced by “”.
| A．lazy | B．intelligent | C．sleepy | D．foolish |
Who is most affected by noisy classrooms?
| A．Children with learning disabilities. |
| B．Children with speech impairments. |
| C．Children with hearing impediments. |
| D．Children with normal hearing. |
Why should noise be reduced in classrooms?
| A．Quiet classrooms are suitable for kids to have discussions. |
| B．Quiet classrooms help kids recover from hearig impairments. |
| C．Kids can’t separate sounds of air-conditioners and pipes. |
| D．Kids can become smarter after hearing lessons better. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Classroom design | B．Noisy classrooms |
| C．The sense of hearing | D．Disabled kids |
Neighbours play an important role in our lives. Their lifestyles, friends, and social habits can have a strong influence on our lives. It is a good idea to get to know the people next door or across the street to develop a community (社区) of support and safety. You never know when a neighbour will find a stranger walking around your house, or you may want to leave an extra key at their house in case someone in your family gets locked out.
How do you get along with your neighbours? Here are some tips for building a better relationship with your neighbours.
Point ①…Proper greetings can make your neighbours remember your name and pave (铺) the way for more meaningful future meetings. Don’t stay too long, though, or you’ll wear out your welcome!
Point②…If your neighbour is building a pool, offer a few hours of help. Besides, you never know when the favor might be returned.
Point③…If you hear that someone who live close to you has had an accident, take over a hot meal or some fruit. Your action will add a special touch during a difficult time.
Point④…Invite your neighbours over for a cup of coffee in December or an Easter egg hunt in spring. A backyard barbecue (烧烤) can be a great way to share food and fun.
Your neighbours may annoy you at times, but they are like family in many ways. Appreciate their strengths and overlook their weaknesses, and everyone will get along just fine.What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?
| A．The possibility of a good community. |
| B．How to get to know your neighbours. |
| C．How to influence your neighbours. |
| D．The importance of neighbours. |
According to the passage, which of the following may NOT be something nice to do?
| A．Offering to help your neighbours if they need help. |
| B．Having a very long conversation with a new neighbour. |
| C．Inviting your neighbours over for a backyard barbecue. |
| D．Preparing a hot meal for a neighbour who is going through a difficult time. |
Match the following titles with each point.
a. Invite your neighbours over. b. Lend a helping hand.
c. Go over and introduce yourself. d. Offer support.
| A．①-c②-b③-d④-a | B．①-c②-b③-a④-d |
| C．①-b②-c③-d④-a | D．①-b②-c③-a④-d |
We infer(推断出) that the writer wrote this passage to.
| A．explain why it is good to get along well with others |
| B．give us some tips on how to support our neighbours |
| C．tell us how to get along with our neighours |
| D．advise us to be nice to our neighbours |
Paris is the capital of the European nation of France. It is also one of the most beautiful and most famous cities in the world.
Paris is called the City of Light. It is also an international fashion center. What women are wearing in Paris will be worn by women all over the world. Paris is also a famous world center of education. For example, it is where the headquarters of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
The Seine River divides the city into two parts. Thirty-two bridges cross this beautiful river. The oldest and perhaps most well-known is the Pont Neuf, which was built in the sixteenth century. The Sorbonne, a famous university, stands on the left bank of the river. There are many other famous places in Paris, such as the famous museum, the Louvre, as well as the Notre Dame. However, the most famous building in this city is Eiffel Tower.
Paris is named after a group of people called the Parisii. They built a small village on an island in the middle of the Seine River about two thousand years ago. This island, called the lie de la Cite, is where Notre Dame lies. Today around eight million people live in the Paris area.This article mainly tells us about.
| A．the buildings in Paris |
| B．the general situations of Paris |
| C．the center of the world |
| D．the famous buildings along the Seine River |
From the passage we may conclude that.
| A．the clothes worn by women in Paris are liked by women all over the world |
| B．women in Paris sell their clothes all over the world |
| C．women from all over the world go to Paris and wear their own clothes |
| D．women from all over the world like to go to Paris to buy clothes |
The building ofis the most famous building in Paris.
| A．UNESCO | B．the Pont Neuf |
| C．Eiffel Tower | D．Notre Dame |
Which of the following descriptions of Paris is not true according to the text?
| A．Paris is the capital of the European nation of France. |
| B．Paris is called the City of Light. |
| C．The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is located in Paris. |
| D．The most famous building in this city is the famous museum, the Louvre. |
It doesn't matter when or how much a person sleeps, but everyone needs some rest to stay alive. That's what all doctors thought, until they heard about Al Herpin. Al Herpin, it was said, never slept. Could this be true ? The doctors decided to see this strange man themselves.
Al Herpin was 90 years old when the doctors came to his home in New Jersey. They thought for sure that he got some sleep of some kind. So they stayed with him and watched every movement he made. But they were surprised. Though they watched him hour after hour and day after day. They never saw Herpin sleeping. In fact, he did not even own a bed. He never needed one.
The only rest that Herpin sometimes got was sitting in a comfortable chair and reading newspapers. The doctors were puzzled by this strange continuous sleeplessness. They found only one answer that might explain his condition. Herpin remembered some talk about his mother having been injured several days before he was born. But that was all. Was this the real reason ? No one could be sure. Herpin died at the age of 94.The main idea of this passage is that _______.
| A．a person was found who actually didn't need any sleep |
| B．large numbers of people do not need sleep |
| C．everyone needs some sleep to stay alive |
| D．people can live longer by trying not to sleep |
The doctors came to visit Herpin, expecting to _______.
| A．cure him of his sleeplessness |
| B．find a way to free people from the need of sleeping |
| C．find that his sleeplessness was not really true |
| D．find out why some old people didn't need any asleep |
After watching him closely, the doctors came to believe that Al Herpin _______.
| A．was too old to need any sleep |
| B．needed no sleep at all |
| C．often slept in a chair |
| D．needed some kind of sleep |
One reason that might explain Herpin's sleeplessness was _______.
| A．that he hadn't got a bed |
| B．that he had gradually got tired of the sleeping habit |
| C．his mother's injury before he was born |
| D．his magnificent physical condition |