Can you remember the day when you spoke your first words? If you can, you are unusual. Try to think what the first months of your life were like, I’m sure you just spent most of your time eating, sleeping and crying. As you grew older, you were awake more of the time. It took your parents more to play with you and talk to you. You watched and listened. You began to know that people make some sounds to go with some things.
Then you began to cry to make sounds you heard. And step by step you were able to make the right sound for one thing.
On that day you came to understand the secret of the language. The secret is that a certain sound means a certain thing. One sound might be as good as another. But it is not as good as a word unless everyone agrees on its meaning. Only when a group of people use the same set of sounds of things, they can understand each other, so these people have a language.
After you found the secret of language, you learned words. Some of the words meant things, such as books, chairs and shops. Some of the words meant actions such as go and swim. And other words describe things such as good or dirty. Soon you learn to put words together to express one’s idea, such as “I want to go out and play with my friends.” This is language. By the way of language people can communicate. So we say languages mean communication. __________ can remember the day when we spoke our first words.
A.Few of us | B.No one | C.Most people | D.Someone |
When you were a little baby, you ___________.
A.made sounds to let people know that you wanted to eat |
B.could not hear any sounds around you |
C.spent most of your time eating, playing and sleeping |
D.spent most of your time playing with your parents |
The secret of language is that ___________.
A.one sound might be as good as another |
B.a certain sound is for a certain thing |
C.people can understand each other |
D.there is a special sound for each other |
The use of language is ___________.
A.to get everything one wants from another |
B.to say what one wants to know |
C.to make oneself understood by others |
D.to share ideas, opinions, news, etc. with one another |
Dear Donna, Help! I’m a 15-year-old high school student in New York. In eight months, I’m going to take an entrance exam(升学考试). To prepare, I’m studying six hours a day. I want to do well, but I’m really upset. I cant’ sleep. What can I do? Yours, Mary |
Dear Mary, Many students have the same problems as you. Here is some advice to help you deal with the stress(压力). 1. Make a study plan, but don’t study too much in one day. You remember more by studying one hour each day for six days, than six hours in one day. Also, don’t study late at night. 2. Have a rest for 15 to 20 minutes every two hours. Go outdoors and walk. Doing exercise is a good way to reduce stress. 3. Don’t eat a lot or sugar of drink a lot of coffee. Eat food high in Vitamin(维生素) B (such as eggs, milk, vegetables and rice). These give you energy and help you think clearly. 4. A study partner(伙伴) can help you practice for the test. You can talk to your partner. This can reduce stress, too. I hope these suggestions can be helpful. Your, Donna |
What’s Mary’s problem?
A.She can’t pass the exam. |
B.She can’t study English. |
C.She can’t agree with her mother. |
D.She is worried and can’t sleep. |
Donna thinks Mary’s problem is _______.
A.great | B.normal | C.wonderful | D.serious |
The word “reduce” in the article means ______.
A.导致 | B.减轻 | C.加强 | D.增加 |
Donna thinks that _______ can help Mary think clearly.
A.eating a lot of sugar |
B.studying six hours every day |
C.drinking a lot of coffee |
D.eating food high in Vitamin B |
Which is mentioned(提及) in the passage?
A.The best time to study in from 10 pm to 1 am. |
B.Walking outdoors can make you remember more. |
C.It’s good to tell a study partner about your feeling. |
D.Listening to music can help you relax. |
March 28 is China’s National School Safety Day. Earthquakes happen all the time all around the world. It is necessary to know safety tips for earthquakes. Here is the Drop, Cover and Hold ways for personal safety during an earthquake.
DROP: Drop down to the floor.
COVER: Take cover under or beside a piece of furniture(家具). Protect your head and neck with your arms. Stay away from windows, mirrors and tall furniture.
HOLD: If you take cover under or beside a piece of furniture, hold on to it until the ground stops shaking.
School tips
Stand beside a wall. This will protect you from falling things. Don’t stand near windows or under lights.
Public area tips
When you are in a bookstore or shopping mall, get down beside the counters(柜台) or in the corner. Protect your head with your arms or bag.
Stay away from big billboards(广告牌).
Home tips
If you’re in the kitchen, move away from the fridge and lights. When you leave, don’t use the lift; take the stairs.Which of the following can you choose to cover yourself during an earthquake?
A.A table | B.A fridge |
C.A window | D.A billboard |
How many ways to keep safe are mentioned in this passage?
A.Three | B.Four | C.Five | D.Six |
Which behaviors are safe during an earthquake?
A.① and ② | B.① and ③ | C.②and ③ | D.③ and ④ |
The writer mainly tells us that .
A.the earthquake happens all the time in the world |
B.it’s necessary to know safety tips for earthquakes |
C.the earthquake is so terrible that we can’t avoid it |
D.it’s important to protect our heads with our arms or bags. |
I stood there listening to my father shout at top of his voice. The look on his face said that one of us had done something wrong.
“Which one of you did this?”
We all looked down at the step. There was child’s handwriting in chalk there. I was very frightened. I hope no one could see it. Would he guess it was me? I was so scared. When he asked me, I lied, “Not me, dad.” The other denied(否认) it as well. Of course, we all knew that one of us must have done it. But as the youngest and smallest of the three, I just couldn’t find courage to tell the truth.
To find out who had written on the step, Father gave us each a piece of paper and a pencil. “I want each of you to write exactly what you see on the step.” I tried my best to write the words differently. I didn’t want dad to be able to tell it was me.
He gathered up our paper and looked at them. “Since none of you will say yes, then I will punish you all.” I stood there and said nothing. The last thing I wanted was for Dad to punish me!
“I did it.” My sister walked forward and said she had done something she hadn’t. she was punished for a month.
We didn’t talk about that day for many years. Not until we were all older and I knew it was safe to finally tell my dad it was really me. I always felt sorry because of it. That was the last time I let anyone take the blame for me. I told myself, “One must see to what he or she has done.”The writer’s father was _____________ when he saw the handwriting in chalk on the step.
A.very happy | B.very sad |
C.very angry | D.very excited |
The underlined word “take the blame” most probably means ________________ in Chinese.
A.撒谎 | B.承担责任 | C.接受惩罚 | D.解决困难 |
The writer’s sister told a lie because _________________.
A.she liked telling lies |
B.she was afraid of being punished |
C.she didn’t like her father |
D.she didn’t want her father to punish them all |
Which of the following statements is true?
A.The writer kept telling lies. |
B.Her sister told the truth. |
C.The writer’s father punished the children. |
D.None of the children told the truth. |
Tears filled my eyes when I stood in our room. I was washing new jeans and a shirt of my 16-year- old stepson(继子), Brett. He drank a lot last night. The clothing was already dirty.
I was very tired. The clothes were just one thing. He had already kicked a large hole in his bedroom wall. Many windows were broken because of his breaking in to steal money. Brett came to live with us when he was 12 years old. During those four years I had dealt with Brett
as patiently as possible, but inside I was feeling sad. Later, I cheered up again and continued parenting Brett. Still, Brett did not change his behavior.
When Brett was nearly 18, my husband and I decided to send Brett to a boarding school that had very good result with troubled teenagers.
At the graduation ceremony the graduates stood one by one to thank those who had helped them. Each graduate held a rose to give to the person who had meant the most to him or her.
Brett spoke lovingly to me, “You did so much. You were always there, no matter what
happened.You always showed me such love. And I want you to know that I love you for “it”.
Surprised, I stood as Brett placed the white rose in my hand and hugged me hard. At that moment I realized the truth-although I had been angry in my heart toward my stepson, Brett had seen only my actions.How did the writer treat her stepson?
A.Strictly. | B.Hopelessly. |
C.Patiently. | D.Carelessly . |
What does the underlined word “it” refer to?
A.What his stepmother did for him. |
B.The rose he sent to his stepmother. |
C.The training he received at school. |
D.The graduation ceremony the school held. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.The writer didn’t treat her stepson patiently during those four years. |
B.The writer stopped parenting Brett when he caused so much trouble. |
C.Brett changed a lot after he went to a boarding school. |
D.Brett came to live with the writer when he was 18. |
What’s the main idea of this passage?
A.Love is everywhere. | B.Love is action. |
C.Love is coming. | D.Love is surprise. |
Shanghai’s Maglev Train(磁悬浮列车) runs from Longyang to Pudong International Airport(国际机场). The whole trip takes about 8 minutes.
Tickets |
Economy Class9(普通座) |
VIP |
|
Single Trip (单程) |
50yuan |
100yuan |
|
Round Trip(往返) |
80yuan |
160yuan |
|
Time |
First Train |
Longyang Road Station |
6:45 |
Airport Station |
7:02 |
||
Last Train |
Longyang Road Station |
21:40 |
|
Airport Station |
21:42 |
Children at or under 120 cm tall don’t need to buy tickets to take the train, but they cannot take the train by themselves. Children above 124 cm must buy a full-price ticket.
If you buy a round ticket, you can get on the train at Longyang Road Station or Pudong Airport Station, and get off at the other station. The return part of the ticket must be used on the same day.It takes about to travel from Longyang to Pudong International Airport by the Maglev Train.
A.five minutes | B.six minutes |
C.eight minutes | D.nine minutes |
Mr. Lin wants to go to Pudong International Airport with his daughter who is 125cm tall. He should pay for the economy class ticket.
A.50 yuan | B.100 yuan | C.150 yuan | D.200 yuan |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.Children at 120 cm tall need a ticket to take the train. |
B.A boy who is 130 cm tall can take Shanghai Maglev Train by himself. |
C.A passenger who buys a round trip ticket can take the train back at any time. |
D.The first train from Airport Station to Longyang Road Station leaves at6:45. |