Global warming happens when greenhouse gases trap heat and light from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot. This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows，but it can’t get back out. This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth .The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can’t get out As a result，the temperature rises.
Sometimes the temperature can change in a way that helps us. The greenhouse effect makes the earth appropriate for people to live on Without it，the earth would be freezing，or it would be burning hot. It would be freezing at night because we would not get the sun’s heat and light .During the day, especially during the summer, it would be burning because the sun would be up with no atmosphere to filter(过滤)it，so people，plants，and animals would be exposed to all the light and heat.
Although the greenhouse effect makes the earth able to have people living on it，if there gets to be too many gases，the each can get unusually warmer, and many plants，animals．and people will die. Plants would die because they would not be able to take the heat .This would cause us to have less food to eat, and it would also limit the food that animals have. With less food for the animals that we need to survive we would even have less food. Gradually, people，plants，and animals would all die of hunger．
People are doing many things to try to stop global warming .One thing is carpooling—driving with someone to a place that you are both going to. Another thing is being more careful about leaving electrical devices turned on. Now, more people are even riding buses or bikes to lower the amount of greenhouse gases in the air .Although adults do many things to help stop global warming, kids call do just as much.By the example given in Paragraph l, the author wants to__________.
| A．explain how global warming happens |
| B．show his feeling in a car in hot summer |
| C．tell us cars are causes of greenhouse gases |
| D．say that I there are greenhouse gases in every car |
The underlined word ‘it” in Paragraph 2 refers to__________.
| A．light | B．greenhouse effect | C．temperature | D．heat |
What is the effect of atmosphere?
| A．IT only traps the heat of the sun. |
| B．It does great harm to humans. |
| C．It makes the earth neither to hot nor too cold. |
| D．It prevents all the light from the sun shining on the earth. |
What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
| A．lf there is greenhouse effect．all the plants will die |
| B．Human beings are likely to disappear from the earth |
| C．Crops can’t take in the heat lf there is greenhouse effect |
| D．Although greenhouse effect is necessary．Too much of it will cause us to die. |
What will the author most probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
| A．What kids can do to help stop global warming. |
| B．Who should be responsible for the environmental problems. |
| C．What global warming is doing to the environment. |
| D．Why cars and buses pollute the air a lot |
At middle school level, there are many academic clubs in which the students can participate. Students can choose clubs that focus on an area of interest.
Mathcounts Club
Mathcounts tries to increase excitement about mathematic achievement. It hopes to provide students with the foundation for success in science, technology, engineering and mathematic careers. Schools select individuals and teams to participate in competitions. Mathcounts works to challenge student math skills, develop self-confidence and give rewards for their achievements.
Envirothon
The Envirothon program focuses on natural resources knowledge and exposes students to diverse environmental issues, ecosystems, and topography (地形学). The ecology field competition for five-member middle school teams offers competitions in wildlife, soils, forestry, current environmental issues and aquatics (水上运动). Students work and learn in middle school clubs ·and can compete at local and state level.
Future Problem Solvers
Future Problem Solvers is an academic club that uses a six-step process to solve problems that may happen in the future. Students who like to “think outside the box” may like this club. Teams made up of four students read future scenes and write up solutions in a booklet using the six-step process. Teams that score high enough can go to the state competition and then to the international competition.
Builders Club
Builders Club is open to any middle school student who wishes to perform community service. The members learn by doing, and they learn organization, teamwork, and leadership. Builders Clubs can sponsor a “Teacher of the Year” program, provide a recycling collection point, organize canned food and clothing to support local shelters, adopt a resident at a local senior citizens home, adopt highway, tutor, etc. The students who are not interested in competition would probably choose _____.
| A．Mathcounts Club | B．Builders Club |
| C．Future Problem Solvers | D．Envirothon |
Why do some of the students choose Mathcounts club?
| A．To be successful in science careers. | B．To enjoy solving future problems. |
| C．To perform community service. | D．To study wildlife and soils. |
What is the common feature of the four clubs?
| A．Competition. | B．Sponsorship. | C．Scientific research. | D．Teamwork. |
The passage mainly talks about _____.
| A．the state academic competitions | B．middle school clubs |
| C．extra-curricular activities | D．the gifted students |
Valentine’s Day is named for Saint Valentine, an early Christmas churchman who helped young lovers. Valentine was killed for his Christian beliefs on February 14 more than 1700 years ago, but the day which 
is named after him is even earlier than that.
More than 2,000 years ago, the ancient Romans celebrated a holiday for lovers. As part of the celebration, girls wrote their names on pieces of paper and put them in a large container. Boys reached into the container and pulled one out. The girl whose name was written on the paper became his lover or sweet heart for a year.
Now, lovers still put their names on pieces of paper and they sent each other Valentine’s Day cards that tell of their love. Sometimes they also send gifts, like flowers or chocolate candies. Americans usually send these gifts and cards through the mail system. But some use another way to send this message. They have it printed in a newspaper. The cost is usually a few dollars. Some of the messages are simple and short, “Jane, I love you very much”. Others say more. This one, for example, “Dan, Roses are red. Violets are blue. I hope you love me as much as I love you. Forever, May.”
Most of the newspapers that print such messages are local, but USA Today is sold throughout the United S
tates and 90 other countries. This means someone can send a Valentine message to the lover in a far-away place almost anywhere in the world. These messages cost 80 dollars and more. An employee of USA Today says readers can have a small heart or rose printed along with their messages this year. Will this kind of Valentine’s Day message reach the one you love? Well, just make sure he or she reads the newspaper. When was the day named after Valentine?
| A．More than 1700 years ago before Valentine’s death. | B．More than 2, 000 years ago. |
| C．On February 14. | D．It is not mentioned in the passage. |
Which of the following is Wrong about the ancient Romans holiday in the text?
| A．Girls put paper with their names into a container. |
| B．Boys and girls became sweet hearts by chance. |
| C．Girls and boys chose life lovers in the holiday. |
| D．It was celebrated as a holiday for lovers. |
Now lovers celebrate Valentine’s Day _________.
| A．like what the ancient Romans did | B．by sending gifts to each other |
| C．by printing newspapers | D．by spending lots of money |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．The ancient Roman girls were more easy-going. |
| B．Valentine was killed for not helping the government. |
| C．USA Today helps readers to send roses with printed messages. |
| D．Valentine was honored for his Christian belief and warm heart. |
The text is written to _________.
| A．tell us something about Valentine’s Day | B．advertise for USA Today |
| C．tell us that Americans are open to express love | D．sell roses on Valentine’s Day |
Tsai Chin Chung is one of Taiwan’s most famous cartoonists, and his cartoons are enjoyed by people in many different countries in Asia. His books of cartoons have now become best sellers in Singapore, Malaysia, and even Japan.
As soon as he could hold a pencil, Tsai Chin Chung lived only for drawing. Every day he practised drawing people and things around him and from his favorite stories.
When he was only 15 years old, he left home to work for a publisher in Taipei. He worked hard to draw pictures for books. Two years later, he left his job and started to work on drawing cartoon series, which he liked better. He made up his mind to succeed as a cartoonist.
Now Tsai Chin Chung has achieved something unusual for a modern cartoonist. He has become extremely successful at changing Chinese literature (文学) and philosophy (哲学) into humorous comic stories. In this way, he has made the Chinese classics (古典文学) known to thousands of people.
Because of his great achievement, several years ago Tsai Chin Chung was given a prize as one of the 10 Outstanding Young People of Taiwan. Since then, he has won many prizes, and his cartoons have become popular throughout Asia, America and Europe. So far, he has published more than 20 comic books. Ten of these are about ancient Chinese philosophers based on Chinese historical and literary classics.
Many of Tsai Chin Chung’s books of cartoons and comics have now been published in English in countries like Singapore. His books have also been translated into several other languages, including Japanese, Korean and Thai. Even publishers in France and Indonesia have recently signed agreements for permission to publish his cartoon series. Tsai Chin Chung first worked as ________.
| A．a book seller | B．a cartoonist |
| C．a writer of Chinese stories | D．an artist drawing pictures for books |
Tsai Chin Chung left his first job because he ________.
| A．preferred drawing cartoons | B．wanted to go back to school |
| C．enjoyed drawing pictures for books | D．wanted to be famous |
Tsai Chin Chung first became interested in drawing when he _______.
| A．left school | B．was a very small child | C．was 15 | D．started to be a cartoonist |
Half of the books he has published are related to _______.
| A．Chinese and foreign comics | B．countries in Asia, America and Europe |
| C．foreign languages learning | D．Chinese history and literature |
Because of his great achievements, Tsai Chin Chung _______.
| A．travelled a lot in Asia and Europe | B．went to live in Singapore | C．won an important prize in Taiwan | D．has become famous in Africa. |
Laptop computers are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptops connect people to their workplace. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.
Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do schoolwork anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1,500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are part of a ＄10 million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year-old college. The students with laptops will also be able to use the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use e-mails to “speak” with their teachers, classmates, and families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fast-food restaurant or under the trees—anywhere at all!
Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptops used in higher education, such as colleges and universities, are workable. As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the laptops can connect students to not only the Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher-education officials are studyinghow laptops can help students. State officials are also testing laptop programs at other universities, too.
At Westlake College, more than 80 percent of the staff use computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, “Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we’re giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything.”The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to ________.
| A．connect them to the Internet | B．use for their schoolwork |
| C．work at home | D．connect them to libraries |
The underlined word “speak” in the 2nd paragraph is in quotation marks(引号) because ________.
| A．they don’t really talk | B．they use the computer language |
| C．laptops have speakers | D．laptops can be used to speak with others |
Which of the following is True about Westlake College?
| A．All teachers use computers. | B．1, 500 students have laptops. |
| C．Students there can do everything. | D．It is an old college in America. |
The underlined “a window on the world” in the last paragraph means that students can ________.
| A．attend lectures on information technology | B．travel around the world |
| C．get information from around the world | D．have free laptops |
What can we infer from the text?
| A．The program is successful. | B．The program is not workable. |
| C．The program is too expensive. | D．The program isn’t accepted by teachers. |
Jack was so excited about getting a new b
ackpack because his old one had a broken zipper(拉链) and a hole in the bottom.
Jack’s elder brother took him to buy a new backpack. There were so many cool ones. How would he ever decide? He saw blue ones—his favorite color. He saw ones with his favorite action hero on the front. And then Jack saw a backpack with a black square design. When he opened it, he saw it had a hidden, secret small bag. He liked it, which made it different from others.
“This is the one,” he said, then carried it to the check-out counter.
That evening, Jack carefully filled his new backpack with his school thing
s. He put his special pen in the secret small bag. The next day in English class, Mr. Mack said, “Let’s write an essay about earthquakes!” Jack looked for his pen in his backpack, but he couldn’t found it! He rummaged through his desk and his pockets, but no pen.
Jack asked if anyone had seen his pen, but no one had. Mr. Mack lent him a pencil, but Jack was feeling anxious because he lost his pen. When he got home, Jack told his brother he couldn’t find his favorite pen. His brother said, “You must have put it in that secret small bag.”
Jack laughed and said, “That small bag was so secret that I forgot all about it.” Which backpack did Jack buy?
| A．A blue one. | B．One with a black square design. | C．One with an action hero. | D．A small one. |
Jack decided to buy that backpack because __________.
| A．it had his favorite color |
| B．he liked the black square design |
| C．the secret small bag made it special |
| D．his brother suggested he get that one |
The underlined word “rummaged” in Paragraph 4 probably means “________”.
| A．forgot to look at | B．searched really well | C．turned sideways | D．threw away |
When Jack realized what he had done, he thought it was ________.
| A．funny | B．annoying | C．surprising | D．cool |
This text mainly tells us ________.
| A．a story of Jack’s old backpack |
| B．that Jack was studying earthquakes |
| C．that Jack was old enough to do shopping |
| D．a story of Jack’s pen and new backpack |