Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours(绕行路) in life than by the narrow road toward goals. I like this image. But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.
For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents' home in Boise in nine hours. We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest, easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hate confinement(限制) and have strong opinions about everything.
Road trips felt risky，so I would drive fast, stopping only when I had to. We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.
But then Banner, our lamb was born. He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise. I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me. My husband made the decision for me.
That is how I found myself on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through. We took the country roads out of necessity. We had to stop every hour, let Banner shake out his legs and feed him. The kids chased him and one another. They'd get back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.
We explored side roads, catching grasshoppers in waist－high grass. Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway. Here was life. And new horizons(见识)．
We eventually arrived at my parents' doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.
I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique. On an empty section of road, everyone started quarreling. I stopped the car, ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead. I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.
Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight. But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of journey—and the best part of yourself.Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents' home?
| A．It was less tiring. |
| B．It would be faster and safer. |
| C．Her kids would feel less confined. |
| D．She felt better with other drivers nearby. |
The author stopped regularly on the country roads to ________．
| A．relax in the fresh air |
| B．take a deep breath |
| C．take care of the lamb |
| D．let the kids play with Banner |
Why did the author ask the kids to get out of the car on their way back home?
| A．To give herself some time to read. |
| B．To order some food for them. |
| C．To play a game with them. |
| D．To let them cool down. |
What could be the best title for the passage?
| A．Charm of the Detour |
| B．The Road to Bravery |
| C．Creativity out of Necessity |
| D．Road Trip and Country Life |
Many animals recognize their food because they see it. So do humans. When you see an apple or a piece of chocolate you know that these are things you can eat. You can also use other senses when you choose your food. You may like it because it smells good or because it tastes good. You may dislike some types of food because they do not look, smell or taste very nice. Different animals use different senses to find and choose their food. A few animals depend on only one of their senses, while most animals use more than one sense.
Although there are many different types of food, some animals spend their lives eating only one type. The giant panda eats only one particular type of bamboo. Other animals eat only one type of food even when given the choice. A kind of white butterfly will stay on the leaves of a cabbage, even though there are plenty of other vegetables in the garden. However, most animals have a more varied diet. The bear eats fruits and fish. The fox eats small animals, birds and fruits. The diet of these animals will be different depending on the season.
Humans have a very varied diet. We often eat food because we like it and not because it is good for us. In countries such as France and Britain, people eat foods with too much sugar. This makes them overweight, which is bad for their health. Eating too much red meat and animal products, such as butter, can also be bad for the health. Choosing the right food, therefore, has become an area of study in modern life. We can infer from the text that humans and animals _________.
| A．depend on one sense in choosing food |
| B．choose food in similar ways |
| C．are not satisfied with their food |
| D．eat entirely different food |
Which of the following eats only one type of food?
| A．The white butterfly. | B．The bear. | C．The small bird. | D．The fox. |
Certain animals change their choice of food when ___________.
| A．the season changes |
| B．they move to different places |
| C．the food color changes |
| D．they are attracted by different smells |
We can learn from the last paragraph that __________.
| A．food is chosen for a good reason |
| B．some people have few choices of food |
| C．French and British food is good |
| D．some people care little about healthy diet |
Jamaican sprinter (短跑选手) Usain Bolt plans to send a message to rival Tyson Gay by breaking the world 100m record in the London Grand Prix on Friday.
Bolt, who won gold in the 100m, 200m and 4*100m relay in record times at the Beijing Olympics last year, is determined to use the Crystal Palace event to crush the morale (士气) of his main rival for gold at next month’s World Athletics Championships in Berlin.
The 22-year-old is slowly returning to peak form after posting 19.59 sec for the 200m in Lausanne earlier this month and clocking a time of 9.79 sec over 100m in cold, rainy conditions in Paris.
Despite Bolt’s impressive times, Gay still believes he has the beating of the Jamaican. But Bolt insists there is no one in the sport who scares him and he will prove the point in south London this weekend.
Although Bolt believes he is only running at 85 percent at the moment while he recovers from injuries suffered in a recent car crash in Jamaica, he sees no reason why he can’t break his world record 100m time of 9.69 seconds.
However he won’t get the chance to take on Gay in the 100m in London as the American is only running in the 200m, which Bolt is not competing in, so he will have to settle for underlining his own ability.
“You never know what is possible. I will give my best either way. My friends are saying I’m bringing the rain wherever I go but we will see on Friday.”
While Bolt would love to make a big impact in London, he knows the main event is the World Championships.
“The London Grand Prix will show me where I’m at and what I need to do. After, we can analyse what I need to do ahead of the World Championships.” According to the passage, Bolt competed and will compete in the following event. Which of them is arranged in time order?
a. Lausanne athletics gold league matches b. Beijing Olympic Games
c. Paris athletics gold league matches d. World Athletic championships
e. London grand Prix
| A．b-c-a-e-d | ||
| B．b-c-a-d-e | C．b-a-c-e-d | D．b-a-c-d-e |
What does the underlined phrase “take on” mean in paragraph 6?
| A．employ | B．compete against | C．accept | D．develop |
Which of the following is true?
| A．Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt broke the world 100m record in the London Grand Prix on Friday. |
| B．Bolt will not compete in the 200m in London because of Gay’s impressive times. |
| C．Bolt won 3 gold medals at the Beijing Olympic Games at the age of 22. |
| D．Bolt suffered a car crash in Jamaica recently. |
What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
| A．Bolt is expecting the London Grand Prix. |
| B．Bolt thinks the world Championships is more important. |
| C．Bolt made a big difference in the London Grand Prix. |
| D．Bolt is not confident in his success in the London Grand Prix. |
Remembering your dreams will require some efforts on your part. But what your dreams can offer and tell you about yourself will be well worth it . Here are some tips to help recall your dreams:
1. Before going to bed, keep a clear mind. Tell yourself that “I will remember my dreams when I wake up”. This is actually a proven and effective way to recall your dreams.
2. Have a regular bedtime and wake-up time. Make this your routine. Going to bed and waking up at a regular time every day could aid in dream recollection.
3. Avoid alcohol consumption and taking medicine before going to bed. These things may prevent you from remembering your dreams.
4. Keep a pencil and a notebook next to your bed so that they will be within reach as soon as you wake up. Having a small lamp by your bedside is also a good idea, so you wake up in the middle of the night and can record your dreams immediately.
5. Do not get out of bed immediately. Upon waking from a dream, lie still in your bed, keeping your eyes closed and moving as little as possible. Let your mind wander among the images of what you have just dreamed.
6. Write down as many details in your dreams as you can, no matter how seemingly unimportant they may be. Do not judge the content or worry if they make sense.
Sometimes it may help to draw pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes. Even if you are not an artist, a simple drawing can help to recall details of your dreams. This passage tells you ______ .
| A．some useful tips to recall your dreams | B．the way to dream a dream |
| C．the reason to remember dreams | D．many details in your dreams |
Which of the following ways may NOT be useful for recalling dreams?
| A．Avoiding taking alcohol and medicine. | B．Not getting out of bed immediately. |
| C．Drinking a cup of hot milk. | D．Writing down as many details as possible. |
What does the underlined “it” in the first paragraph mean?
| A．Remembering your dreams. | B．Some tips to help recall your dreams. |
| C．Your making efforts to remember your dreams. | |
| D．What your dreams can offer and tell you about yourself. |
The author uses the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” to_______.
| A．show that a picture is better than words | B．say a picture is equal to thousands of words |
| C．prove that it’s more important to draw pictures than to speak | |
| D．indicate drawing pictures really helps to recall dreams |
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳的选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Although many Chinese students say that their knowledge of English grammar is good, most would admit that their spoken English is poor. Whenever I speak to a Chinese student, they always say,“ My spoken English is poor.”I would like to suggest that there may be some reasons for their problems with spoken English.
First, they fail to find suitable words to express themselves due to a limited vocabulary.However, you can speak with a limited vocabulary, if you choose a positive attitude. Others will follow you as long as you use the words that you know.
Sometimes they make mistakes when they are speaking because they are shy and nervous. Yet students should remember that their goal should be FLUENCY NOT ACCURACY. Your aim in writing is to be accurate following the rules for grammar and using the right words and spelling them correctly. However, in speaking your aim is fluency. You want to get your message across, to talk to someone in English, as quickly and as well as you can, even though sometimes you may use a wrong word or tense, but it doesn’t matter.
The third reason is that not enough attention is paid to listening. You have one mouth but two ears! All that hearing is necessary for you to start speaking.
Fourth, most Chinese students are reactive rather than proactive language learners. Instead of actively seeking out opportunities to improve their spoken English they passively wait for speaking opportunities to come to them and wonder why their English always remains poor.
| A．The person you are speaking to will understand you and make allowances for any mistakes he hears. |
| B．They may try to avoid making similar mistakes next time. |
| C．Obviously the better answer is to expand their vocabulary. |
| D．If you have this proactive outlook, then you will see English opportunities wherever you go. |
E. However, their spoken English does not have to remain “poor”!
F. Second, they are afraid of making mistakes.
G. The second reason lies in the reluctance of using what has just been learned.
Human needs seem endless. When a hungry man gets a meal, he begins to think about an overcoat, when a manager gets a new sports car, a big house and pleasure boats dance into view.
The many needs of mankind might be regarded as making up several levels. When there is money enough to satisfy one level of needs, another level appears.
The first and most basic level of needs involves food. Once this level is satisfied, the second level of needs, clothing and some sort of shelter, appears. By the end of World War Ⅱ, these needs were satisfied for a great majority of Americans. Then a third level appeared. It included such items as automobiles and new houses.
By 1957 or 1958 this third level of needs was fairly well satisfied. Then, in the late 1950s, a fourth level of needs appeared; the “life-enriching” level. While the other levels involve physical satisfaction, that is, the need in comfort, safety, and transportation, this level stresses mental needs for recognition, achievement, and happiness. It includes a variety of goods and services, many of which could be called “luxury” items. Among them are vacation trips, the best medical and dental care, and recreation. Also included here are fancy goods and the latest styles in clothing.
On the fourth level, a lot of money is spent on services, while on the first three levels more is spent on goods. Will consumers raise their sights to a fifth level of needs as their income increases, or will they continue to demand luxuries and personal services on the fourth level?
A fifth level would probably involve needs that can be achieved best by community action. Consumers may be spending more on taxes to pay for government action against disease, ignorance, crime, and prejudice. After filling our stomachs, our clothes closets, our garages, our teeth, and our minds, we now may seek to ensure the health, safety, and leisure to enjoy more fully the good things on the first four levels.According to the passage, man will begin to think about such needs as housing and clothing only when.
| A．he has saved up enough money |
| B．he has grown dissatisfied with his simple shelter |
| C．he has satisfied his hunger |
| D．he has learned to build houses |
It can be inferred from the passage that by the end of World War Ⅱ, most Americans.
| A．were very rich | B．lived in poverty |
| C．had the good things on the first three levels | |
| D．did not own automobiles |
Which of the following is NOT related to “physical satisfaction” ?
| A．A successful career. | B．A comfortable home. |
| C．A good meal. | D．A family car. |
What is the main concern of man on the fourth level?
| A．The more goods the better. |
| B．The more mental satisfaction the better. |
| C．The more “luxury” items the better. |
| D．The more earnings the better. |