Mark Twain was a famous American writer. He wrote many stories and many of them were very funny. These stories are still read by many people all over the world. Besides writing, he also liked hunting and fishing very much, so one year he went to Maine（缅因州）for a holiday and spent three very pleasant weeks in the woods there.
When he had to go back home, he went to the station with his baggage. There he asked a porter（搬运工）to put it into the train. Then he got into the smoking car and sat down in one of the comfortable seats there. The car was empty when he got in, but a few minutes later, another man got in and sat down on the seat opposite his. Mark Twain looked at the man and thought that this man looked quite unpleasant. However, it would be impolite to say nothing in that situation, so he said good morning to the man, and they began to talk.
First they talked about the heavy snow and then they talked about Maine. The stranger said，"We have some beautiful woods in Maine. It would be a pity to come to Maine without spending some time there. I suppose you have been in our woods, haven't you?" "Yes, I have，"answered Mark Twain. "I've just spent three weeks there and I had a very good time, too. And let me tell you something. Although fishing isn't allowed in Maine during this season, I've got two hundred pounds of beautiful fish with my baggage in this train. I like to eat fish, so I packed it in ice to take it home with me. May I ask who you are, sir?"
The stranger looked at Mark Twain for several seconds and then answered，"I'm a police officer. My job is to catch people who hunt and fish during the wrong seasons. And who are you?"
Mark Twain was surprised and frightened when he heard this. He thought quickly and then answered，"Well, I'll tell you, sir. I'm the man who tells the biggest lies in America. " What does the underlined word "they" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．Mark Twain and a porter. |
| B．The stranger and a police. |
| C．The porter and a police. |
| D．Mark Twain and the police. |
We can infer that Mark Twain had been to the woods in Maine in __________.
| A．summer |
| B．autumn |
| C．winter |
| D．spring |
Which of the following statements about Mark Twain is NOT TRUE?
| A．Writing, hunting and fishing were his favourites. |
| B．His fish was delivered home by train. |
| C．He felt pity for not spending some time in Maine. |
| D．in fact, he told lies to the police officer at last. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Mark Twain was one of the biggest liars in America. |
| B．The stranger was impolite to Mark Twain in the smoking car. |
| C．Mark Twain went to the woods in Maine for writing stories. |
| D．The stranger was the one who caught people fishing in winter. |
When Christopher Columbus landed on the then unnamed Costa Rica in 1502, he saw many Indians wearing gold earrings. So he thought the land must be rich in gold. He named the place Costa Rica, which means “rich coast” in Spanish.
Though little gold was found, Costa Rica today is indeed rich with coffee and bananas. Coffee is the most important product in Costa Rica and most of it is exported (出口) to other countries like America and West Germany. Bananas are the country’s second most important export.
Costa Ricans also grow many other crops such as fruits, corn and beans for their own use. Costa Ricans love colors and their houses are painted in bright colors.
Education is very important to the Costa Ricans. Almost every village has a school and education is a must for children between seven and fourteen years of age. Boys and girls go to separate (单独的) schools. Classes begin in March and end in November. The other three months of the year are harvest time and the children have to help their parents to pick coffee beans. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?
| A．How Columbus found Costa Rica. |
| B．What the Costa Ricans wore |
| C．How Costa Rica got its name. |
| D．What language the Costa Ricans spoke. |
The Costa Ricans may NOT paint their houses ______.
| A．pink and red | B．blue and green |
| C．grey and black | D．yellow and orange |
In Costa Rica, boys and girls between seven and fourteen ______.
| A．can choose to stop schooling at any time |
| B．study in the same school |
| C．do not have to go to school at all |
| D．must go to school |
From December to February, school children in Costa Rica ______.
| A．have lessons every day |
| B．help their parents pick coffee beans |
| C．have their examinations |
| D．help their parents decorate their houses |
This passage is mainly about ______.
| A．Christopher Columbus | B．some products from Costa Rica |
| C．Costa Rica | D．the education of Costa Rica |
You can’t always predict a heavy rain or remember your umbrella. But designer Mikhail Belvacv doesn’t think that forgetting to check the weather forecast before heading out should result in you getting wet. That’s why he created lampbrella, a lamp post with its own rain sensing umbrella.
The designer says he come up with the idea after watching people get wet on streets in Russia. “once, I was driving on a central Saint Petersburg street and saw the street lamps lighting up people trying to hide from the rain. I thought it would be appropriate to have a canopy(伞蓬)built into a street lamp.” he said.
The lampbrella is a standard-looking street lamp fitted with an umbrella canopy. It has a built-in electric motor which can open or close the umbrella on demand. Sensors(传感器)then ensure that the umbrella offers pedestrians shelter whenever it starts raining.
In addition to the rain sensor, there’s also a 360°motion sensor on the biberglass street lamp which detects whether anyone’s using the lampbrella. After three minutes of not being used the canopy is closed.
According to the designer, the lampbrella would move at a relatively low speed, so as not to cause harm to the pedestrians. Besides, it would be grounded to protect from possible lighting strike. Each lampbrella would offer enough shelter for several people. Being installed at 2 meters off the ground, it would only be a danger for the tallest of pedestrians.
While there are no plans to take lampbrella into production, Belyacv says he recently introduced his creation one Moscow Department, and insists this creation could be installed on many streets where a lot of people walk but there are no canopies to provide shelter. For what purpose did Belyacv create the lampbrella?
| A．To predict a heavy rain |
| B．To check the weather forecast |
| C．To protect people from the rain |
| D．To remind people to take an umbrella |
Which of the following show how the lampbrella works?
| A．motor→canopy→sensors |
| B．sensors→motor→canopy |
| C．motor→sensors→canopy |
| D．canopy→motor→sensors |
What does paragraph 5 mainly tell us about the lampbrella?
| A．Its moving speed | B．Its appearance |
| C．Its installation | D．Its safety |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
| A．The designer will open a company to promote his product. |
| B．The lampbrella could be put into immediate production. |
| C．The designer is confident that his creation is practical. |
| D．The lampbrella would be put on show in Moscow. |
Aquatic Adventures!
Help Us Get Ready for Showtime!
Trainer Program
What does it take to work with seals or sea lions? Find out with Atlantis Marine World’s Trainer Program and go behind the scenes with our Marine Mammal staff and:
﹒Learn how we train our animals and help train our sea lions to learn how to paint
﹒Go into the seal exhibit with trainers
﹒Join in a seal training period - and get to pet and feed one of our harbor seals
﹒Help prepare food for seals
﹒Attend our Sea Lion Show
﹒Get a kiss from sea lion, Java – and take home a photo
Summer Adventure Days – Camp! Atlantis Style!
Our camp program adds interactive excitement to your child’s summer vacation. Children ages 3 to 14 discover the wonders of the sea environment through age – appropriate activities.
Pirate Snorkel Adventure
Yo-ho-ho, this is a whole lot of fun! Join us this summer for our interactive Pirate Snorkel Adventure and help Captain Poseidon locate missing treasure. While searching our lake, don’t miss tropical fish from all around the world. When you’re done, you’ll walk away with some booty （战利品） of your own – a ＄2.00 game card and a pirate eye patch (海盗眼罩) featuring our very own Jolly Poseidon!
Smooth Sailing: Taste Long Island Wine Cruise Now Accepting Reservations!
Experience the magic of Taste Long Island, a Saturday evening wine and cheese cruise aboard the Atlantis Explorer Tour Boat. Featuring local wines, this adventure along the Peconic River is a relaxing way to enjoy both beautiful scenery and fine wines. Guests 21 and older only. Members and Green Key Cardholders enjoy 25％off.The activities in Summer Adventure Days are divided according to _______.
| A．children’s hobby |
| B．children’s age |
| C．the price |
| D．the type of sea animals |
In which activity will you get something as a reward?
| A．Atlantis Marine World’s Trainer Program. |
| B．Summer Adventure Days. |
| C．Pirate Snorkel Adventure. |
| D．Smooth Sailing. |
What is special about Smooth Sailing?
| A．Guests under 21 cannot be accepted. |
| B．It provides famous wines from all over the world. |
| C．Guests usually get a discount. |
| D．It doesn’t accept bookings. |
Anthony was sad. He was, as he put it, “not very bright” and couldn’t win the attention of his very wealthy parents, who preferred his “clever” older brother. At age 8, Anthony was sent away to a boarding school in his native England, even though he screamed and pleaded with（恳求）his parents year after year not to send him. “The thought was it would be good for me,” he recalled.
It was not. Anthony did badly in his studies, had few friends and was bullied for five years. “My teachers couldn’t have had a lower opinion of me,” he said. “I wasn’t even smart enough to rebel. The one thing I remember from the very earliest age was the desire to write. When I was 10 years old, I remember asking my parents to get me a typewriter for my birthday because I wanted to be a writer.”
Now, at 55, Anthony is one of the world’s most successful children’s book authors. His Alex Rider series has sold more than 5 million copies, and the eighth book featuring the young spy, Crocodile Tears, has come out.
The Alex Rider books tell the adventures of 14-year-old Alex Rider, an agent for the British intelligence agency M16.
Anthony says he doesn’t try to write for kids; it just comes out that way. “I have a feeling that it has something to do with purity and simplicity. I give as little information as is necessary to describe the room, the character in the room, and get on with the action,” he said.
The style has also made Anthony a successful writer of television shows for adults in Britain because, he says, writing books for kids is a lot like writing television for grown-ups: In both cases, it’s all about entertaining people with a good story.
Now, Anthony couldn’t be happier with his life. He sums up his success: “…you can be anything you want to be if you just believe in yourself. I do believe it completely.”Which of the following is true of Anthony?
| A．He was the beloved child of his family. |
| B．Although he is successful, he isn’t very happy. |
| C．He places more emphasis on the characters’ behavior in his stories. |
| D．Studying in a boarding school proved a good choice for him. |
At boarding school, Anthony’s teachers_____________.
| A．often criticized him |
| B．showed great concern for him |
| C．encouraged him to be a writer |
| D．thought little of his ability |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Anthony’s popular books—Alex Rider series |
| B．Alex Rider, a popular character |
| C．Anthony, a successful children’s book author |
| D．Special writing style |
What advice does Anthony give to readers?
| A．Confidence is the key to success. |
| B．Hardship teaches valuable lessons. |
| C．Internet is the best teacher. |
| D．Failure is the mother of success. |
Along with more than 300 other seniors, I marched into the stadium on the afternoon of May 10. The audience burst into deafening cheers, whistling and clapping.
It was as if a Hollywood superstar had walked on stage. And indeed, every single senior that day was a star of the once-in-a-lifetime moment—the commencement.
Seated, I waited anxiously for the opening address. As a foreign exchange student, I was not able to receive a diploma. However, I still had the wonderful feeling of being part of things. Like the other graduates, I was dressed in marron cap and gown(方帽长袍).
Our principal, Mr. Glover, delivered a short, warm greeting. The US national anthem followed and then, hands on chests, a solemn Pledge of Allegiance(对美国的忠孝宣誓).
Students who had excelled academically gave farewell speeches. Then came the core (核心) of the commencement. Hundreds of names were announced. Each graduate walked across the stage to receive his or her diploma from the principal. From the different cheers each graduate got, we had the funny sense that it was a kind of competition of who could cheer the loudest.
To be honest, the presentation of diplomas got boring. But it wasn’t boring for those receiving the diploma: they would treasure the moment the principal placed the sacred brown document in their hands for the rest of their lives.
A new page in the book of that person’s life had turned. They were glimpsing their futures: futures of challenge, hardship, perhaps loneliness too, which would take all of their courage.What’s the article mainly about?
| A．An American high school’s graduation ceremony. |
| B．The opening ceremony of a sports meeting. |
| C．A presentation of college diplomas. |
| D．A US college’s farewell party. |
Which of the following statements about the author is FALSE?
| A．She was one of the graduates. |
| B．She was a foreign exchange student. |
| C．She was excited to receive her diploma. |
| D．She felt it great to be at the ceremony. |
The right order of the following events is________.
a. Diplomas were presented to graduates.
b. Students gave farewell speeches.
c. The US national anthem was played.
d. The principal gave a short, warm speech.
e. Seniors went into the stadium.
| A．b-c-a-d-e | B．c-d-b-e-a | C．d-b-e-a-c | D．e-d-c-b-a |
From the text, we can conclude that_______.
| A．a diploma ensures a good job |
| B．a diploma guarantees a bright future |
| C．the commencement symbolizes the beginning of a new stage in life |
| D．everyone felt excited at the presentation of the diploma |