Why play games? Because they are fun, and a 1ot more besides. Following the rules…planning your next move...acting as a team member…these are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some off the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating (合作) .
Many children's games have a practical side Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones. Which sharpens the hand-eye coordination（协调）needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country , not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it—some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.Through playing hide-and-seek, children are expected to learn to ________.
| A．be a team leader |
| B．obey the basic rules |
| C．act as a grown-up |
| D．predict possible danger |
The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can________
| A．describe life in an exciting way |
| B．turn real-life experiences into a play |
| C．make learning life skills more interesting |
| D．change people's views of sporting event s |
Iribarne's goal of forming the foundation is to _______.
| A．bring fun to poor kids |
| B．provide soccer balls for children |
| C．give poor kids a chance for a better life |
| D．appeal to soccer players to help poor kids |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Ga med benefit people all their lives. |
| B．Sports can get all athletes together. |
| C．People are advised to play games for fun. |
| D．Sports increase a country's competitiveness. |
Nodira, 18, lives in the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan. She was born with a rare disease and is now paralyzed(瘫痪) from the waist down. Her life is confined to a wheelchair but her dreams know no such boundaries. Her hopes for the future include attending university, riding in her father’s car and being able to walk like other children.
Nodira, which means ‘unique’ in Uzbek, is one of five children in a poor family. Every morning, after reciting her prayers, Nodira feeds the hens and goats from her wheelchair. The rest of her day is spent knitting for other people and helping her mother with the household chores.
Nodira has never been to school because it is too far from her home and inaccessible for her wheelchair. A local teacher used to come and tutor her at home and, as a result, she was able to finish third grade. After that, her parents moved to another town and the tutor could not visit as much.
Despite the many difficulties in Nodira’s life she is lucky to be living with her family. The stigma(羞辱) attached to the children living with disabilities, combined with the lack of wheelchair access in schools and the economic difficulties faced by many Uzbek families, have led many parents to place children with disabilities in special institutions.
These days, Nodira does homework exercises at home and reads as much as she can. Still, it is unlikely that she will be able to finish her primary education, much less attend university. While missing out on an education is a great disappointment to Nodira, her greatest wish, for a true friend, can still come true. “What I want more than anything is a friend who also has a disability,” she says. “Somebody will not feel sorry for me or make fun of me, and will understand what my life is like.”The underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably means “_____”.
| A．her dreams will help her desert her wheel chair |
| B．her dreams are never limited by her disability |
| C．she often dreams of moving freely without a wheel chair |
| D．she never dreams of recovering from her disability |
Nodira does all the following every day EXCEPT _____.
| A．give food to some animals |
| B．to make clothes from woolen or cotton thread |
| C．drive cars designed for the disabled |
| D．help with the housework |
The underlined word “tutor” in the 3rd paragraph can be replaced by “_____”.
| A．educate | B．visit | C．treat | D．comfort |
What Nodira wants most is ______.
| A．to go to university | B．to walk on her own feet |
| C．to finish her primary education | D．to find a true friend |
In the office of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, there is a picture of Catherine the Great, the legendary Russian Empress. When asked why she has the picture, Merkel says, “She was a strong woman”. Many say the same of Merkel.
The most powerful woman in the world, according to US Forbes magazine, was in China last week. She came to discuss trade and environmental issues with China’s top leaders. Germany’s first woman leader is known as a brave and practical statesman(政治家). Even since her time at school, she had the habit of getting everything in order. Every day before doing her homework she would clean the desk and think about what to do next. “I prefer a long time for full preparations to make my decision. But once I decide, I will stand up for what I believe,” Merkel said.
Perhaps it was good habits that helped her do well in her studies. At 32, she got a doctorate (博士学位) in physics and then she worked as a researcher.
However, the life of a scholar couldn’t put off her love of politics. While working in labs, Merkel took time off to read political books and at last joined a political party. “Her calmness helped her stand out in the party. She could always find a way out while others felt hopeless,” said one of her old friends.
In her first big political job as Minister for the Environment in 1994, her scientific background proved very useful. In 2005 she became Germany’s youngest chancellor since the second World War.
Now half way through her four-year term, the 53-year-old woman has made a name for herself both in Germany and abroad. At the EU summit in 2005 when France quarreled with Britain over the EU budget(预算), some people believed the EU was close to breaking down. But Merkel didn’t give up. She shuttled(穿梭) between the heads of the two powers and had them reached an agreement.
“Strength comes from composure(镇定) and courage. Many people say I am a strong woman. But I would rather say I have perseverance,” said Merkel. Why does Merkel put a picture of Catherine the Great on the wall of her office?
| A．Because Catherine the Great is beautiful. |
| B．Because Merkel wants to be a strong woman too. |
| C．Because Merkel likes the drawing skill of it. |
| D．Because it is very expensive. |
What is the correct order of the following events?
a. became the German Chancellor
b. got a doctorate in physics and then she worked as a researcher
c. join a political party
d. visit China
e. take part in the EU summit
f. as Minister for the Environment
| A．bcafde | B．cbfdae | C．bcfaed | D．cbfaed |
Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Merkel usually is hurry to make a decision when facing difficulties. |
| B．At the EU summit in 2005, the relationship between French and Britain was in tension. |
| C．Merkel is a well-known leader all over the world. |
| D．She is outstanding because of her calmness. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．An excellent lecturer | B．Germany’s iron lady |
| C．The change of a scholar | D．The youngest chancellor |
While it is impossible to live completely free of stress, it is possible to prevent stress as well as reduce its effect when it can’t be avoided. The US Department of Health and Human Services offers the following suggestions for ways to deal with stress.
Try physical activity
When you are nervous, angry or upset, try releasing the pressure through exercise or physical activity. Running, walking, playing tennis, or working in your garden are just some of the activities you might try. Physical exercise will relieve your anxiety and worry and help you to relax. Your body and your mind will work together to ease the stress in your life.
Share your stress
It helps to talk to someone about your anxieties and worries. Perhaps a friend, family member, teacher or even your leader can help you a better view of what’s troubling you. If you feel your problem is serious, you might seek professional help from a psychologist or a doctor. Knowing when to ask for help is an important step in avoiding serious problems later.
Take care of yourself
You should make every effort to eat well and get enough rest. If you easily get angry and cannot sleep well enough, or if you’re not eating properly, it will be more likely that you will fall into stressful situations. If stress repeatedly keeps you from sleeping, you should consult a doctor. Make time for yourself.
Make a list of the things you need to do
Stress can result from disorganization and a feeling that "there’s so much to do, and not enough time". Trying to take care of everything at once can be too much for you and as a result, you may not achieve anything. Instead, make a list of everything you have to do, then do one thing at a time, checking off each task as it is completed. Set out to do the most important tasks first.
Go ahead and cry
A good cry can be a healthy way to bring relief to your anxiety. It might even help you avoid a headache or other physical effect of anxiety and stress. What is most probably the writer’s purpose in writing the article?
| A．To release his or her working tiredness. |
| B．To help solve the universal problem of stress. |
| C．To strengthen his or her anxiety. |
| D．To have more people cry out. |
Physical activity can help people release stress because________.
| A．only your body movement can help you relax |
| B．your mind can work better to free you of anxiety |
| C．your body and mind can cooperate in releasing stress |
| D．physical activity doesn’t play an important part in reducing nervousness |
What is similarity between "Share your stress" and "Go ahead and cry"?
| A．They both help you let out your feelings. |
| B．They both need physical movement. |
| C．They both require mental relaxation. |
| D．They can cause a headache. |
The underlined sentence is close to the meaning of "________".
| A．Strike while the iron is hot |
| B．More haste, less speed |
| C．Practice makes perfect |
| D．Quietness wins time |
“Old wives tales” are beliefs lasting for many generations. For example, most of us remember our parents’ telling us to eat more of certain foods or not to do certain things. Is there any truth in these teachings? Some of them agree with present medical thinking, but others have not passed the test of time.
Did your mother ever tell you to eat your carrots because they are good for your eyes? Scientists now report that eating carrots can help prevent a serious eye disease called macular degeneration. Eating just one carrot a day can reduce the possibility of getting this disease by 40%. Garlic is good for you, too. It can kill the type of virus that causes colds.
Unfortunately, not all of Mom’ s advice passed the test of medical studies. For example, generations of children have been told not to go swimming within an hour after eating. But research suggests that there is no danger in doing so. Do sweets cause tooth problems? Well, yes. However, sticky sweets made with grains tend to cause more problems than sweets made with simple sugars.
Even though science can tell us that some of our traditional beliefs don’t hold water, there is still a lot of truth in the old wives’ tales. After all, much of this knowledge has been accumulated from thousands of years of experience in family health care. We should respect this body of knowledge even as we search for clear scientific support to prove it true or false.Which of the following is TRUE according to the test?
| A．Eating garlic is good for our eyes. |
| B．Sticky sweets are damaging our teeth. |
| C．Swimming after a meal is dangerous. |
| D．Carrots prevent people from catching colds. |
The phrase “hold water” in the last paragraph most probably means”_____”.
| A．to be believable | B．to be valuable |
| C．to be admirable | D．to be suitable |
What is the author’s attitude toward “old wives tales” in the text?
| A．Subjective | B．Objective | C．Dissatisfied | D．Curious |
A young woman was diagnosed with a terminal illness（不治之症）and given three months to live. So as she was getting her things “in order”, she asked her pastor（牧师）to come to her house to discuss her final wishes. With everything in order, the pastor was ready to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
“What’s that?” asked the pastor.
“I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.”
The pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing what to say.
“That surprises you, doesn’t it?” the young woman asked.
“Well, to be honest, I’m puzzled by the request,” said the pastor.
The young woman explained, “In all my years of going to church meetings and dinners, I remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would always lean over and say, ‘Keep your fork.’ It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming, like chocolate cake or apple pie，some dessert like that. Something wonderful! I just want people to see me there in that casket（棺材）with a fork so that when they ask you why I have a fork, you can tell them: ‘Keep your fork—the best is yet to come.’”
The pastor hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman’s casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question “Why does she have a fork?” And over and over again he smiled.
So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it reminded you of this young woman gently. Send the message to everyone you consider a friend even if it means sending it back to the person who sent it to you.
And, keep your fork!!In the author’s opinion, the woman in this passage is _______.
| A．bored | B．optimistic |
| C．pessimistic | D．crazy |
When enjoying a Western dinner, in the later part you have to “Keep your fork.” This usually mean “____________”
| A．Watch out for your fork. |
| B．I wish you good luck with the fork |
| C．Prepare your fork so that you can enjoy the dessert |
| D．You can not take away your fork |
Which of the following is WRONG about the young woman?
| A．She is optimistic about life and diseases. |
| B．She loves sweet food. |
| C．She wants her friends to remember her forever. |
| D．She is a regular church-goer. |
According to the passage, “Keep your fork”, the message may mean “__________”
| A．Don’t be discouraged. Everything will be better. |
| B．What is the matter? I am worried. |
| C．Have you heard the story of a young woman? |
| D．Enjoy your dinner. |