LONDON (Reuters) — Quiet please — Britain’ s Queen Elizabeth is preparing to have her swans counted. Buckingham Palace has announced that the annual Swan Upping, a tradition dating back to the 12th century which involves a census of the swan population on the River Thames, will be conducted by the Queen’ s official Swan Marker from July 20—24.
“With the assistance of the Queen’s Swan Warden, Professor Christopher Perrins of the University of Oxford, the swans and young cygnets (小天鹅) are also assessed for any signs of injury or disease，” Buckingham Palace said in announcing the count.
The process involves the Swan Marker, David Barber, rowing up the Thames for five days with the Swan Warden in traditional skiffs while wearing special scarlet uniforms and counting, weighing and measuring swans and cygnets.
It may seem eccentric, but it is very important to the Queen, According to custom, Britain’ s sovereign owns all unmarked, mute swans in open water, but the Queen now exercises the right only on stretches of the Thames and its nearby tributaries.
In medieval times, the Swan Marker would not only travel up the river counting the swans, but would catch as many as possible as they were soughtafter for banquets and feasts.
This year, the Swan Marker and the Swan Warden are particularly keen to discover how much damage is being caused to swans and cygnets by attacks from dogs and from discarded fishing tackle (渔具)．
It is also an important year because Queen Elizabeth has decided to join her team of Swan Uppers for part of the census. She will follow them up the river and visit a local school project on the whole subject of swans, cygnets and the Thames.
“Education and conservation are essential to the role of Swan Upping and the involvement of school children is always a rewarding experience，” Buckingham Palace said. In medieval times，________.
| A．swans were better protected than now |
| B．a lot of swans were killed by dogs |
| C．swans were a delicious dish on royal banquets |
| D．common people could catch the swans |
We can infer from the passage that the process of counting the swans ________.
| A．remains almost unchanged in the past years |
| B．involves a lot of royal members |
| C．sometimes lasts longer than before |
| D．is always guarded by special soldiers |
This year, the Swan Marker and the Swan Warden mainly want to find out________.
| A．the exact number of swans and cygnets |
| B．how a local school project is going on |
| C．how much damage the swans and cygnets suffer |
| D．how education and conservation are carried out along the Thames |
Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?
A. Britain’ s Queen is concerned about swans.
B. Britain’ s Queen orders a count of swans.
C. An old tradition in Buckingham Palace.
D. Queen Elizabeth will count swans herself.
5．The underlined word “tributaries” can be best replaced by ________. A. districts
B. banks
C. trees
D. branches
Homework is an important part of education. However, what is it about homework? What makes it important?
First, homework helps students learn. Homework produces higher learning ability by asking the student to read the same text many times.
Most of the time, homework will ask students to read other books. So children have to read and understand it by themselves. Sometimes, parents must help children with this type of learning. Children hope to use what they have read to solve questions and problems in the homework.
Good use of homework makes children know that learning can happen with or without the teacher.
As homework is finished, students learn to work out their own problems. Most students need a little help now and then, but doing homework is a way that children can learn to take care of themselves. If the student can do his or her own work, it is likely the ability he gets will be good for their future life.
Most homework gives room for additional(额外的) learning. Short answers, long answers and papers provide a way for students to learn things that interest them. Science can give the student a chance to go deeper into a field and have a better understanding. These things are almost impossible within the classroom education. If the project is done by a group, the students will also learn cooperation(合作).
Good study skills students get from homework and test preparation can be used easily in most work places.
Title: ________
| Benefits |
Ways |
| Make students repeat the same text. |
|
| Develop thinking ability |
Make students read other books. |
| Help students to work out |
|
| Be good for their future life |
|
| Learn more |
Give room for additional learning |
| Provide a way for students to learn |
|
| Help go deeper into a field and understand better |
|
| Help learn cooperation by working with a group |
|
| Get study skills |
Use the skills in their |
Going to the park with your family is a time-honored tradition during the warmer months whether you live in the city or in a rural area. The most common thing for kids to do at the park is to play on the playground equipment. This is great for kids. For parents, however, playground time is something not quite as exciting. It’s nice to socialize with other parents and enjoy watching the little ones at play, but grown-ups can’t easily participate in the playground fun. In order to make the most of spring and summer park trips parents might want to consider trying a few new activities.
Soft Frisbees and balls are great things to bring to the park and enjoy with kids. Parents can participate in playing catch. They can enjoy the fresh air and physical activity together. Other lawn games and toys like badminton can easily be taken to the park for an afternoon of fun.
If it is a breezy day, it might be just perfect for flying a kite. Kite flying is a wonderful family fun activity. Children who are too small to fly a kite themselves can have fun chasing it and helping older siblings hold the string. Slightly older children can enjoy learning to fly kites. Teens and parents can enjoy the challenge of making kites. Best of all, kites are inexpensive and can be used in almost any open space on a breezy day.
After these, the first thought might be to head home for a meal or a snack. However, bringing a snack or having a picnic can add an exciting element to the day out and can allow the family to enjoy more park time together. Everyday foods like sandwiches and apples can be very appetising. If you decide to pack a picnic, just remember to bring bags for any garbage you might produce!Why is the playground time not quite exciting for parents?
| A．There is no equipment for them. |
| B．They can’t interact with each other. |
| C．They can’t easily enjoy the fun. |
| D．They have to watch their kids. |
What does the underlined word “appetising” in the last paragraph probably mean?
| A．Convenient. | B．Delicious. |
| C．Expensive. | D．Terrible. |
What can the smallest kids do with kites?
| A．Make a kite. | B．Fly a kite. |
| C．Watch a kite. | D．Chase a kite. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．The benefits of parents playing with children. |
| B．Suitable weather for playing in the park. |
| C．Activities parents can do with their children in the park. |
| D．Kite flying during spring and summer. |
| (A)For Sale Chinese-made washing machine Good condition Luo Sa 306, Dormitory 1 |
| (B)Need 25-year-old woman 900 yuan a month Speak good English Lan Fleming 422-389606 |
| (C)Roommate Wanted Male—English native speaker wanted to share A two-bedroom apartment Near campus with washer, dryer, kitchen Call: Li, 228-940605. any evening after 5 p.m. |
| (D)Lost Black briefcase with 3 books on physics Call: John Smith, 843-518074 |
| (E) Wanted to Rent One-bedroom apartment from Feb. 1 through June Better near campus Call: Robert Waller, 843-429065 |
| (E)Found Brown briefcase with some money See: Joseph Hofman in Chemistry Dept. |
You can call Luo Sa if you want to ________.
| A．buy a washing machine |
| B．sell a washing machine |
| C．have your washing machine repaired |
| D．borrow a washing machine |
If you want find work and you can speak English, you can________.
| A．telephone 843-429065 |
| B．call 843-518074 |
| C．call Hofman |
| D．call Lan Fleming |
One of the reasons why Li wants someone to share his room is that ________.
| A．he wants to live near the campus |
| B．he wants to improve his English |
| C．he wants his washer, dryer and kitchen to be used |
| D．he wants someone to use his kitchen |
Joseph Hofman ________.
| A．found John Smith’s briefcase |
| B．was a teacher |
| C．found a briefcase with many books |
| D．found a brown briefcase with some money |
Peter was a boy of 14. His parents went to gambling day and night. Nobody cared about him. He always failed in his exams. So his teachers didn’t like him, and nor did his classmates play with him.
Peter often slept in class because his heart was not in school. He almost gave himself up.
One day, Miss Jerry, a new teacher, came to Peter’s class. She was a smiling, beautiful woman. Peter was in love! For the first time in his young life, he couldn’t take his eyes off his teachers; yet, still he failed.
It was Miss Jerry’s class. She was asking a question. “I’d like the smartest boy to answer my question.” Then she said loudly, “Peter, please!”
Peter was surprised. And he stood up without a word.
“Just try it! I believe you can!”
After school, Miss Jerry had a long talk with Peter. She told him that she cared about him and believed in him.
Peter thought a lot that evening. From then on he arrived at school on time every day. Miss Jerry helped him with his homework in the afternoon. She even cooked delicious food for him. She told Peter, “Nothing is impossible if you put your heart in it.”
Later, Miss Jerry gave another exam. Peter did it with all his heart. He was very excited to find that he had passed the exam. Now Peter discovered that not only could he learn well, but he could do it well. A change took place in Peter’s heart.Peter always failed in the exams at first because he________.
| A．went gambling | B．talked in class |
| C．didn’t answer | D．gave himself up\ |
Miss Jerry changed Peter by ________.
| A．doing homework for him |
| B．encouraging and helping him |
| C．giving Peter another exam |
| D．cooking delicious food for him |
From the passage, we can learn ________.
| A．Miss Jerry was a loving and careful teacher |
| B．Peter’s parents cared about him very much |
| C．Miss Jerry loved to answer Peter’s question |
| D．Peter didn’t like to play with his classmates |
Which may be the best title for the passage?
| A．Parents’ Day |
| B．A Lazy Boy |
| C．A Boy’s Change |
| D．A Strict Teacher |
You wake up in the morning, the day is beautiful and the plans for the day are what you have been looking forward to for a long time. Then the telephone rings, you say hello, and the drama starts. The person on the other end has a depressing (令人沮丧的 )tone in his voice as he starts to tell you how terrible his morning is and that there is nothing to look forward to. You are still in a wonderful mood? Impossible!
Communicating with negative (消极的 ) people can wash your happiness. It may not change what you think, but communicating long enough with them will make you feel depressed for a moment or a long time.
Life brings ups and downs, but some people are stuck in the wrong idea that life has no happiness to offer. They only feel glad when they make others feel bad. No wonder they can hardly win other’s pity or respect.
When you communicate with positive people, your spirits stay happy and therefore more positive things are attracted. When the dagger (匕首)of a negative person is put in you, you feel the heavy feeling that all in all, brings you down.
Sometimes we have no choice but to communicate with negative people. This could be a co-worker, or relative. In this case, say what needs to be said as little as possible. Sometimes it feels good to let out your anger back to negative person, but all this is to lower you to that same negative level and they won’t feel ashamed of themselves about that.
Negativity often affects happiness without even being realized. The negative words of another at the start of the day can cling to (附着)you throughout the rest of your day, which makes you feel bad and steals your happiness. Life is too short to feel negative. Stay positive and avoid negativity as much as possible. The purpose of the first paragraph is to _______.
| A．make a comparison | B．introduce a topic |
| C．offer an evidence | D．describe a daily scene |
How can negative people have effect on us?
| A．By telling us the nature of life. | B．By changing our way of thinking. |
| C．By comparing their attitude to life with ours. | D．By influencing our emotion. |
Some negative people base their happiness on _______.
| A．other people’s pity for them | B．making other people unhappy |
| C．building up a positive attitude | D．other people’s respect for them |
According to the passage, to reduce negative people’s influence on us, we are advised________.
| A．to communicate with negative people as little as possible |
| B．to change negative people’s attitude to life |
| C．to show our dissatisfaction to negative people |
| D．to make negative people feel ashamed of themselves |
What can we learn about negativity?
| A．Its effect can last. |
| B．Its effect can be completely avoided. |
| C．It hardly happens among family members. |
| D．Its effect is smaller than the effect created by a positive person. |