Last year, I was on a plane with my friend, waiting for it to take off. The pilot’s voice was heard throughout the plane: “Sorry for the delay, ladies and gentlemen. Our engines don’t work. We are going to jump-start them. Once we get them going, we’ll get up in the air and see what happens.”
That was all he said. “See what happens?” Shouldn’t we have had a better plan than that? At that point. I could only laugh nervously. One woman started crying, “Oh no! We are going to crash!’’ There were sighs of hopelessness and anxiety, and we hadn’t even taken off yet.
The pilot even seemed unhappy. He told us our one engine was working double time, and his plan was to get up in the air and see what happens! Then we did. We got up in the air, and what happened? Nothing. We arrived in Norfolk, and no sooner had the wheels touched down than applause burst out as everyone on the airplane breathed a sigh of relief.
All too often, people stop trying to achieve their goals just because they don’t have a guaranteed (有保证的) result. But success will never be guaranteed. The best thing that you can do is just get up in the air, and see what happens. While I do prefer planning better than “see what happens” when it comes to flying, it really isn’t such a bad idea for life.
If your effort is to build a business then get up in the air and see what happens! Don’t give yourself all the reasons why you can’t. Do not wait until you have everything you need. You never will!
If your goal is to start a friendship, say “Hello”, get up in the air and see what happens! The results could be very rewarding. If your goal is to learn a new skill, get up in the air and see what happens! It might not be as difficult as your think. It could be fun!How did the author feel when the pilot said the engines didn’t work?
| A．Disappointed. | B．Anxious. |
| C．Curious. | D．Relieved. |
The underlined sentence in the first paragraph means .
| A．to think carefully before you make friends |
| B．to start to fly first to see what will happen in the sky |
| C．to make an effort even if the result is uncertain |
| D．to get up from the chair and greet somebody |
What can be the best title for the passage?
| A．We Will See What Happens |
| B．I Survived an Adventurous Flight |
| C．The Pilot Risked Our Lives |
| D．Making Plans Is Better Than Taking Chances |
Iceland is a popular European tourist destination. Before you go there, it is good to learn some of the basic Iceland customs first.
Just like other countries in Europe, it is one of the customs in Iceland to shake hands and say “Hello”. Kissing each other’s cheeks is acceptable along with wishing each other a happy day.
Another custom is to take off your shoes in the hallway(走廊) when you enter someone’s home. Also, don’t be surprised if someone invites you to their house, since Icelanders love to have guests. Just make sure you take flowers or a similar token of thanks to give them.
If you have been invited to eat, keep in mind that you don’t need to express thanks before meals like the French or the Japanese. Rather, eat heartily and then thank your host afterwards by shaking his hand.
Keep in mind that believing in mysterious beings is part of the tradition in Iceland. Indeed, most of the unique and sometimes strange rock formations in Iceland are due to elves(小精灵), according to the people of Iceland.
Are you planning to spend Christmas in Iceland? If so, make sure you practice saying “Gleileg jol got tog fars!” first, which is the local Christmas greeting. It is part of the tradition in Iceland to have long Christmas holidays—26 days—longer than in any other European country. There are 13 Santa Clauses in Iceland, too!
There may not be a law requiring you to follow the customs, but there is no harm in doing so. Following them, you might be rewarded with a rich cultural experience and a more meaningful trip. When you are invited to someone’s home in Iceland, you'd better do all of the following EXCEPT ______.
| A．eating heartily and enjoying your time there |
| B．expressing your thanks to the host before you eat |
| C．taking some flowers or something else to the host |
| D．taking off shoes in the hallway before you enter the home |
Which of the following is one of the differences in customs between Iceland and France?
| A．Shaking hands when greeting. |
| B．A 26-day-long Christmas holiday. |
| C．Saying hello when meeting each other. |
| D．Kissing each other’s cheeks when greeting. |
The text is mainly about ______.
| A．what some of the customs in Iceland are like |
| B．why some of the customs in Iceland are special |
| C．how some of the customs in Iceland were formed |
| D．what some of the customs are like in Europe |
In the text, the author aims to tell us that ______.
| A．happiness is a form of courage |
| B．when in Rome, do as the Romans do |
| C．practice is the only path to knowledge |
| D．everyone has good and bad times in life |
In the Night Garden
In a magical forest, colourful characters have adventures. A mysterious tide of water appears suddenly next to Igglepiggle. He discovers that he can control it by moving his feet. Excited, he takes it to Makka Pakka who finds it very useful indeed.
Children Under 5
Today on BBC2 from 11:05am to 11:35am
Last of the Summer Wine
To relax, Howard tries a simple trick to change his appearance enough to fool even Pearl. But he soon discovers that taking over someone else's identity can be equally dangerous.
Comedy Sitcoms
Today on G.O.L.D. from 12:40pm to 1: 20pm
The Secret Circle
Cassie is an orphaned teenager who discovers that not only is she a witch but that she is also the key that will unlock a centuries-old battle between good and evil. When Cassie accepts a cute boy's invitation to the school dance, Adam struggles to control his anger.
Today on Sky Living from 10:00pm to 11:00pm
The Kid's Speech
Eleven-year-olds, Reggie and William, and 14-year-old Bethan, are determined to improve their speech. Along with their parents, they start a unique course at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering children. Over two weeks, they open up about their fears and frustrations.
Documentary
Today on BBC1 London from 10:35pm to 11:25pm If Mary's little brother is free before noon, which play can he watch?
| A．In the Night Garden. |
| B．Last of the Summer Wine. |
| C．The Secret Circle. |
| D．The Kid's Speech. |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Igglepiggle finds something frightening. |
| B．Howard finds it funny to take over someone else's identity. |
| C．Adam is very angry when Cassie accepts a boy's invitation. |
| D．Reggie and William are afraid to improve their speech. |
Which play can be used to inspire children who are afraid to speak in public?
| A．In the Night Garden. |
| B．Last of the Summer Wine. |
| C．The Secret Circle. |
| D．The Kid's Speech. |
If you want to watch The Secret Circle you should choose channel ______.
A. BBC2 from 11:05am to 11:35am
B. G.O.L.D. From 12:40pm to 1: 20pm
C. Sky Living from 10:00pm to 11:00pm
D. BBC1 London from 10:35pm to 11:25pm
I was in my third year of teaching creative writing at a high school in New York, when one of my students, 15-year-old Mikey, gave me a note from his mother. It explained his absence from class the day before.
I had seen Mikey himself writing the note at his desk. Most parental-excuse notes I received were penned by my students. If I were to deal with them, I’d be busy 24 hours a day.
The forged excuse notes made a large pile(堆), with writing that ranged from imaginative to crazy. The writers of those notes didn’t realize that honest excuse notes were usually dull: “Peter was late because the alarm clock didn’t go off.”
Isn’t it remarkable, I thought, how the students complained and said it was hard to put 200 words together on any subject? But when they produced excuse notes, they were brilliant.
So one day I typed out a dozen excuse notes and gave them to my classes. I said, “They’re supposed to be written by parents, but actually they are not. True, Mikey?” The students looked at me nervously.
“Now, this will be the first class to study the art of the excuse note—the first class, ever, to practice writing them. You’re so lucky to have a teacher like me who has taken your best writing and turned it into a subject worth studying.”
Everyone smiled as I went on, “You used your imaginations. So try more now. Today I’d like you to write ‘An Excuse Note from Adam to God’ or ‘An Excuse Note from Eve to God’. ” Heads went down. Pens raced across paper. For the first time ever I saw students so careful in their writing that they had to be asked to go to lunch by their friends.
The next day everyone had excuse notes. Heated discussions followed. The headmaster entered the classroom and walked up and down, looking at papers, and then said, “I’d like you to see me in my office.”
When I stepped into his office, he came to shake my hand and said, “I just want to tell you that that lesson, that task, whatever the hell you were doing, was great. Those kids were writing on the college level. Thank you.”What did the author do with the students found dishonest?
| A．He reported them to the headmaster. |
| B．He lectured them hard on honesty. |
| C．He had them take notes before lunch. |
| D．He helped improve their writing skills. |
The author had the students practice writing excuse notes so that the students could learn ______.
| A．the importance of being honest |
| B．how to write excuse notes skillfully |
| C．the pleasure of creative writing |
| D．how to be creative in writing |
The underlined word “forged” in the second paragraph means“______”.
| A．dull | B．copied | C．dishonest | D．parental |
What did the headmaster think of the author’s way of teaching?
| A．Excellent. | B．Difficult. | C．Incorrect. | D．Reasonable. |
Earlier this year I traveled to Turkana in Kenya. I was there to take pictures of the “broken food system”.
As a special visitor, I was greeted with songs and dances. The locals used to sing and dance all the time but now Turkana is silent and has been for some years. No one is singing or dancing any more because they have no food, nothing to celebrate. Many of them are surviving on a little corn a day and water, which they can get just every two days.
I met Tede Lokapelo, a local farmer who described the experience of a six-year drought(干旱). Tede used to have 200 goats, but now he has only seven left. He told me that this drought has taught him a hard lesson: It is too difficult to keep animals. He lives on animals. His traditional way of life has been completely destroyed now. Without the food aid(援助) they got, Tede is certain that they would starve because there are no other ways to feed themselves left.
Sadly, the same can be heard in almost any developing country around the world. Almost one billion people go to bed hungry each night. The food system is broken. In Turkana, not enough rain has fallen since 2005. They measure(测量) rainfall not in days or weeks but in minutes. More and more people are being forced to rely on food aid, but people like Tede don’t want food aid. They want to work and develop their country. It’s our responsibility(责任) to change the situation so that they can support themselves.
Drought is impossible to avoid but famine(饥荒) is manmade, and unless enough money is provided to develop a basic infrastructure(基础设施) for people in the area, thousands more lives are sure to be lost. Why do people in Turkana no longer sing or dance any more?
| A．Because they have no time. |
| B．Because they are tired of them. |
| C．Because they are always hungry. |
| D．Because they have other interesting things to do. |
During the drought Tede had experienced, ______of his goats were killed.
| A．200 | B．193 | C．7 | D．6 |
Which of the following is NOT true about Tede Lokapelo?
| A．He was a farmer in Kenya. |
| B．He has never received any food aid. |
| C．His traditional way of life ha s been changed. |
| D．He found it hard to raise animals after the drought. |
What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?
| A．To show drought is serious in the world. |
| B．To tell readers the serious situation of food shortage(短缺). |
| C．To ask more people to give food aid to people in Kenya. |
| D．To make it clear what is the right way to help people suffering from drought. |
When the lazy days of summer arrive and the schedule is filled with swimming，camp，and family vacations，it can be a challenge to find time for learning. But kids’ reading skills don’t have to grow cold once school’s out. Here are some ways to make reading a natural part of their summer fun：
Explore your library. Visit your local library to borrow books and magazines that your kids haven’t seen before. Many libraries have summer reading programs, book clubs, and reading contests(比赛) for even the youngest borrowers. With a new library card，a child will feel extra grownup by borrowing books.
Read on the road. Going on a long car trip？Make sure there are some books at the back seat. When you stop driving，read the books aloud. Get some audio books in libraries and listen to them together during driving time.
Make your own books. Pick one of your family’s favorite parts of summer—whether it’s baseball，ice cream, or the pool—and have your child draw pictures of it or cut out pictures from magazines. Stick(粘贴) the pictures onto paper to make a booklet(小册子)and write text for it. When you’re done，read the book together. Reread it whenever you like!
Keep in touch. Kids don’t have to go away to write about summer vacation. Even if your family stays home，they can send postcards to tell friends and relatives about their adventures(冒险经历). Ask a relative to be your child’s pen pal and encourage them to write each week.
Keep up the reading habits. Even if everything else changes during the summer，keep up the reading habits around your house. Read with your kids every day—whether it’s just before bedtime or under a shady tree on a lazy afternoon. And don’t forget to take a book to the beach！Just brush the sand off the pages — it’s no sweat! The purpose of the passage is to________.
| A．encourage parents to read |
| B．give advice on raising kids |
| C．raise a good summer reader |
| D．suggest places for vacations |
If you drive on a long trip in summer，you can________.
| A．visit the local library and join book clubs |
| B．borrow some audio books to listen to |
| C．keep in touch with friends by sending postcards |
| D．read your own picture books with your son |
By saying “Just brush the sand off the pages—it’s no sweat”，the author means________.
| A．taking away the sand on the book is very difficult |
| B．a special book is needed when you’re reading on the beach |
| C．one can remove the sand on the book with a brush easily |
| D．there’s no trouble reading even on the beach |
Who are the possible readers of the passage?
| A．Parents. | B．Students. | C．Teachers. | D．Editors. |
Which statement(阐述) is true according to the text?
| A．During summer vocation, kids’ reading skills must grow cold. |
| B．Kids have to go away to write about summer vacation. |
| C．With a library card，a child will feel extra grownup by borrowing books. |
| D．Because everything else changes during the summer，it is hard to keep up the reading habits. |