Sitting at a desk in a classroom all day can be pretty boring.
The teachers at Ward Elementary in Winston –Salem，North Carolina ，picked up on that and traded in their students’ desks for exercise bikes as a part of their Read and Ride program!
The Read and Ride program began five years ago．One classroom has enough bikes for every student in any given class，and throughout the day teachers bring in their students to the room to ride them and read their books．
Even regular classrooms have one bike in the back of each room for students who just can’t sit still to use to help them burn energy in a good way．
Students love being more active! Teachers enjoy seeing students eager to read．Parents appreciate stronger，smarter children．Headmasters value this effective and cost-free program．“Riding exercise bikes makes reading fun for many kids who get frustrated(挫败的)when they read．Thus，they have a way to release that frustration while they ride，”said Scott Ertl，who started the program．“As we can see，everyone wants to promote literacy and lose weight! But many students who are overweight struggle with sports and activities since they don’t want to always be the last or lose with others watching on the playground．On exercise bikes，however，students are able to exert(发挥)themselves at their own level—without anyone noticing when they slow down or take a break．”
As it turns out，not only are the bikes helping the students burn calories，they’re also helping them learn better and stay focused．At the end of the school year the school analyzed testing data and found that students that spent more time reading and riding did more than twice as well on reading tests than their fellow students who spent the least time in the program．Why did the teachers start the Read and Ride program?
| A．To get the students out of the classrooms． |
| B．To make the students more active in sports． |
| C．To read effectively in an active way． |
| D．To help the overweight students keep fit． |
According to Scott Ertl，riding exercise bikes___________．
| A．is the least expensive way for exercise |
| B．call benefit overweight students in both ways |
| C．is the best way to build up students’body |
| D．is a good way to avoid being watched by teachers |
The program helps the students in the following ways except________．
| A．help them learn better |
| B．reduce their reading difficulties |
| C．build up their bodies |
| D．improve their learning concentration |
A metaphor is a poetic device that deals with comparison. It compares similar qualities of two dissimilar objects. With a simple metaphor, one object becomes the other: Love is a rose. Although this does not sound like a particularly rich image, a metaphor can communicate so much about a particular image that poets use them more than any other type of figurative language(修辞). The reason for this is that poets compose their poetry to express what they are experiencing emotionally at that moment. Consequently, what the poet imagines love to be may or may not be love we see it. Therefore, the poet’s job is to enable us to experience it, to feel it the same way as the poet does.
Let’s analyze this remarkably unsophisticated metaphor concerning love and the rose to see what it offers. Because the poet uses a comparison with a rose, first we must examine the characteristics of that flower. A rose is spectacular in its beauty; its petals(花瓣) are nicely soft, and its smell is pleasing. It’s possible to say that a rose is actually a feast to the senses of sight, touch, and smell. The rose’s appearance seems to border on(近似于)perfection, each petal seemingly symmetrical(对称的) in form. Isn’t this the way one’s love should be? A loved one should be a delight to one’s senses and seem perfect. However, there is another dimension added to the comparison by using a rose. Roses have thorns(刺). The poet wants to convey the idea that roses can be tricky(机警的). So can love, the metaphor tells us. When one reaches out with absolute trust to touch the object of his or her affection, ouch, a thorn can cause great harm! “Be careful,” the metaphor warns: Love is a feast to the senses, but it can overwhelm us, and it can also hurt us and cause acute suffering. This is the poet’s perception of love--a warning. What is the point? Just this: It took almost 14 sentences to clarify what a simple metaphor communicates in only four words! That is the artistry and the joy of the simple metaphor.According to the passage, what is a metaphor?
| A．A comparison between two different objects with similar features. |
| B．A contrast between two different things to create a vivid image. |
| C．A description of two similar objects in a poetic way. |
| D．A literary device specially employed in poetry writing. |
The main idea of this passage is that .
| A．rose is a good image in poetry | B．love is sweet and pleasing |
| C．metaphor is ambiguous | D．metaphor is great poetic device |
It can be inferred from the passage that a metaphor is .
| A．difficult to understand | B．rich in meaning | C．not precise enough | D．like a flower |
As is meant by the author, thorns of a rose_________.
| A．protect the rose from harm | B．symbolize reduced love |
| C．add a new element to the image of love | D．represent objects of one’s affection |
The meaning of the love-is–a-rose metaphor is that____________-
| A．love is a true joy | B．true love comes once in a lifetime |
| C．love does not last long | D．love is both good and bad experiences |
The Mystery of the Flashing Fireflies
During summer nights fireflies flash in the darkness. They look like bright spots of light dancing on the breeze. Catching them in a jar for a few minutes can be fun. Fireflies are not really flies, though. They are winged beetles. Scientists are using these special beetles to learn more about our world.
The reason a firefly flashed its light is to find a mate. There are around two thousand species, or kinds, of fireflies. Fireflies mate only with their own species. Each kind of firefly has its own flash pattern. It is important that fireflies recognize this pattern. That way they can find bugs of their own kind. The male firefly flies around in the sky while the female firefly stays close to the ground.
For many years, how a firefly flashes its light was a mystery. Scientists now know that a firefly’s light is a cold light. It gives off all of its power as light. It does not produce heat. A normal light bulb gives off only ten percent of its power as light. The rest of the power is wasted as heat. That is why a light bulb that has been on for a while is very hot. The firefly’s light does not feel hot like a light bulb.
Scientists have also learned that fireflies have a small built-in lantern. This special lantern is located inside a firefly’s body. To create light, a gas flows through tiny tubes. This causes the firefly to light up. A firefly can also turn its light on and off quickly. This puzzled scientists. They learned that short bursts of this gas make the firefly glow. When the gas fades, the light goes out. This process happens very quickly.
Scientists know that what they learn from fireflies will be important. Medical studies using fireflies are helping scientists fight illnesses in human beings. They have made new medicines from the chemicals used by fireflies to make light. Fireflies have also helped with new discoveries. New flashlights and flares have been made based on fireflies. These new flashlights and flares produce a cold light like a firefly. This way all the power makes the light shine. This little bug may be a pleasure to watch, but it is also an important part of our lives.Why did the author most likely include Paragraph 4?
| A．To explain how fireflies make light. | B．To describe different kinds of fireflies. |
| C．To show how much power fireflies use. | D．To describe why fireflies make light. |
Which of these is the best choice for a heading for Paragraph 5?
| A．The Cool Light of Fireflies | B．Watching Fireflies Flash |
| C．Understanding the Patterns | D．Learning from Fireflies |
According to the passage, a firefly’s light is different from a light bulb’s light because the firefly’s light _______.
| A．shines brighter | B．does not fade | C．lasts longer | D．is not hot |
A reader asks this question about the passage: “ How many different kinds of fireflies are there?” Which paragraph from the passage answers the question?
| A．Paragraph 2 | B．Paragraph 3 | C．Paragraph 4 | D．Paragraph 5 |
The author most likely wrote this passage in order to __.
| A．tell why fireflies light up | B．give facts about fireflies |
| C．show how fireflies help doctors | D．compare a firefly to a light bulb |
Most Americans have great respect for their flag and every school day begins with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Stars and Stripes. Written in 1892, this pledge is recited in schools before classes begin and it serves as a sign of unity and identity for the various groups of people who have come from so many different lands and cultures.
Students stand at attention with their right hand over their heart, face the flag which is displayed in the classroom before them and begin, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.” Even the immigrants who come from distant lands must recite this pledge to the flag when they become eligible for citizenship.
The American flag is also known as “Old Glory” and over the years has evolved to its present form of fifty stars and thirteen stripes. The stars represent the fifty states and the stripes stand for the original thirteen colonies.
The first version of the flag with its stars and stripes appeared in 1777, but only had thirteen stars. As each new state joined the union, a new star was added. The last star to be added was in 1960 after Hawaii became the fiftieth state. In the future if another state joins the Union, another star will be added to the field of blue. The number of stripes, however, remains consistent and never changes.
The design of the flag may have altered over the years, but the colors, red, white and blue, have remained constant. In 1782 the Congress of the United States proclaimed that red stood for hardiness and courage, white stood for purity and innocence, and blue for justice and perseverance.
It was the flag which inspired the creation of the national anthem: “The Star Spangled Banner” in 1812. President Wilson in 1916 and later President Coolidge in 1927 suggested in proclamations to fellow countrymen that a special day be set aside to honor the flag. In 1949 the American Congress gave official recognition of June 14 as Flag Day.According to the passage which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892. |
| B．Another name of the American flag is “Old Glory” or “The Stars and Stripes”. |
| C．The design of the flag has stayed the same over the years. |
| D．June 14 was set aside as Flag Day to honor the flag from 1949 on. |
What is the purpose of the Pledge of Allegiance?
| A．It opens the school day. | B．It is recited in all schools. |
| C．It is a sign of unity and nationalism. | D．It makes someone eligible for citizenship. |
What do the fifty stars on the flag represent?
| A．Purity and innocence. | B．Truth and honesty |
| C．Bravery and courage | D．The fifty states. |
The colors of the American flag ________.
| A．have changed from time to time. | B．have always been red, white and blue. |
| C．used to be only red and white. | D．used to be red and blue. |
The best title of the passage would be ________.
| A．“Old Glory”: the American Flag | B．The Pledge of Allegiance |
| C．American National Anthem | D．Flag Day |
PLAYA GRANDE, COSTA RICA----This resort town was long known for Leatherback Sea Turtle（棱皮龟）National Park, nightly turtle beach tours and even a sea turtle museum. However, on a beach where dozens of turtles used to nest on a given night, scientists spied only 32 leatherbacks all of last year.
With leatherbacks threatened with extinction, Playa Grande’s turtle museum was abandoned （抛弃）three years ago and now sits among a sea of weeds. And the beachside ticket office for turtle tours was washed away by a high tide in September. “We do not promote that as a turtle tourism destination any more because we realize there are far too few turtles to please,” said Alvaro Fonseca, a park ranger.（管理员）
Even before scientists found temperatures going up over the past decade, sea turtles were threatened by beach development, drift net fishing and Costa Ricans’ interest in eating turtle eggs. But climate change may cause the most serious harm to an animal that has lived in the Pacific for 150 million years.
Sea turtles are sensitive to numerous effects of warming. They feed on reefs, which are dying in hotter seas. They lay eggs on beaches that are being covered by rising seas and more violent waves.
More uniquely（独特地）, their gender is determined not by genes but by the egg’s temperature during development. Small rises in beach temperatures can result in all-female populations, obviously problematic for survival. If the sand around the eggs hits 30 degrees Celsius, the gender balance shifts to female; at about 32 degrees they are all female. Above 34, you get boiled eggs.
On some nesting beaches, scientists are artificially cooling nests with shade or irrigation and trying to protect broader areas of coastal property from development to ensure that turtles have a place to nest as the seas rise. Why does the resort town stop promoting its turtle tourism?
| A．It decides not to disturb the turtles’ normal life. | |
| B．Tourists have lost interest in watching turtles. | |
| C．There are only very few turtles now. | D．The turtle museum was destroyed by a high tide. |
Which of the following is the major factor in the turtles’ endangerment?
| A．The locals’ eating habit. | B．Drift net fishing. | C．Beach development. | D．Global warming. |
The underlined word “gender” in Paragraph 5 means ____.
| A．the sex of turtles | B．the habit of turtles | C．the weight of turtles | D．the kind of turtles |
We learn from the last paragraph that scientists ____.
| A．are doing research on the sea rise | B．are moving turtles to new homes |
| C．are protecting turtles’ nests | D．are going rid of sea weeds |
The passage intends to ____.
| A．introduce a special kind of sea turtle | B．explain the mystery of turtles’ eggs |
| C．show the dangers a certain kind of sea turtle is facing | |
| D．attract more visitors to a sea turtle museum |
In 1995, Susan Boyle went to Glasgow to audition（试镜）for My Kind of People, a televised talent show popular in the UK. She was immediately rejected. She was nervous during the audition, and felt she didn’t perform well, but her brother said that she was rejected because of her plain looks. Susan was not discouraged and continued to sing at church and at the karaoke nights in a local pub.
Susan suffered a personal loss in 1997, when her father passed away. After his death, Susan put her big dreams on hold to care for her sick mother, Bridget Boyle. The mother and daughter often talked of Susan’s possible fame. Bridget Boyle encouraged her daughter to take part in singing competitions. “She was the one who said I should enter Britain’s Got Talent. We used to watch it together,” Susan later told reporters. “She thought I would win.”
In 1999, Susan used all of her savings to pay for a professional demo（样本唱片）tape, which she sent to record companies. In 2002, Susan began taking singing lessons from voice coach Fred O’Neil.
In 2007, her mother passed away at the age of 91. A neighbor reported that when Bridget Boyle died, her daughter “wouldn’t come out for three or four days or answer the door or phone”. She lived alone with her cat, Pebbles. For over a year, she refused to sing. But in August of 2008, O’Neil urged her to try out for Britain’s Got Talent. Convinced that the performance would be an honor to her mother, Susan auditioned in Glasgow, Scotland. She sang I Dreamed A Dream, a hit song from the musical Les Miserables（《悲惨世界》）, in the first round of the show, which was aired on April 11, 2009.
The 47-year-old Scottish woman's plain looks provided a sharp contrast（对比）to her powerfully beautiful voice. The performance astonished the audience and the judges. Online videos of her performance totaled over 40 million views within a week. Although she failed to win the final of Britain’s Got Talent, Susan Boyle became globally popular. Her first album I Dreamed A Dream has sold over five million copies. Bridget Boyle’s attitude towards her daughter’s musical talent can be described as ___.
| A．critical | B．doubtful | C．indifferent | D．confident |
From Paragraph 4, we can learn that Susan _____.
| A．was slightly discouraged by her voice coac | B．entered Britain’s Got Talent to prove her ability |
| C．decided to give up her singing career | D．was deeply affected by her mother’s death |
Which of the following is TRUE about Susan Boyle?
| A．Her international fame grew rapidly in 2008. | B．Her audition for My Kind of People failed. |
| C．She has never stopped singing since 1995. | D．She was the winner of Britain’s Got Talent. |
We can infer from the passage that ______.
| A．Susan Boyle was convinced by her brother that her plain looks were disadvantageous to her success |
| B．It was at the age of forty that Susan Boyle established a student-teacher relationship with O’Neil. |
| C．Susan Boyle was so struck by her father’s death that she shut herself out from the neighborhood. |
| D．The online views of Les Miserables numbered over 40 million within a week in 2009. |
In writing this passage, the author mainly intends to ______.
| A．tell us how Susan’s dream come true | B．let us know more about Susan’s personal life |
| C．show how Susan was influenced by her family | D．explain how to enter and win a talent show |