We have always been interested in the moon. 2, 000 years ago, people already knew it moves around the earth and where it would be in the sky at different times of the year. At that time, everything about the moon was learned by watching it carefully in the sky.
When scientists could use telescopes to study the moon more closely, their ideas began to change. They could see the moon was made of rocks. Most scientists thought moon rocks would be different from those on the earth. This was because they believed the moon had once been a planet that had been caught in the earth’s gravity millions of years earlier.
In 1969, moon rocks were finally brought to the earth and studied. Much to their surprise, scientists found that, except for water, the moon and the earth were made of the same things. Once again new ideas were needed for this new information.
After years of study, most scientists now think that the moon was once part of the earth. They believe very early in its history, maybe 4 billion years ago, something about the size of Mars hit the earth. This sent billions of rocks into space around our planet. These rocks slowly joined together and after many years became the moon.
In the future, even though our ideas about the moon may change again, we will still be interested in it.Before 1969 most scientists thought the moon was _____.
| A．part of the earth billions of years earlier |
| B．older than the earth |
| C．a planet caught by the earth’s gravity |
| D．made of the same things as the earth |
After years of study, most scientists now think _____.
| A．the earth was once part of the moon |
| B．the moon was once part of the earth |
| C．something about the size of Mars will hit earth in the near future |
| D．a lot of rocks will slowly join together to become the other moon |
From this passage we can learn that _____.
| A．scientists in the past were not clever |
| B．scientists are so clever that they know everything |
| C．new information brings new ideas |
| D．we now know everything about the moon |
In common with many countries, Britain has serious environmental problems. In 1952, more than 4,000 people died in London because of the smog (烟雾). The government introduced new laws to stop smog from coal fires and factories and the situation improved a lot. Today, London is much cleaner but there is a new problem: smog from cars. In December 1991, there was very little wind in London and pollution increased a lot. As a result, about 160 people died from pollution in just four days.
Part of the problem is the new “out of town” shopping centers. In the past, people often walked to shops near their home or went by bus. Many people drive to the new shopping centers now. As a result, the small shops have disappeared and more people have to travel to do their shopping.
Critics (批评家) say that Britain needs better and cheaper public transport (交通). Transport in Britain is very expensive. An early morning train trip from Glasgow to London (about 600km) can cost about ￡100, for example. A short 15-minute bus trip can cost over ￡1.00.
Many people are trying to reduce（减少）the use of cars in Britain. Some cities now have special bicycle paths (小道) and many people go to work by bike. Some people also travel to work together in one car to reduce the pollution and cost.
| Title： |
|||
| Time |
Causes |
Effects（结果） |
Solutions |
In the past |
Smog from factories. |
Over 4,000 people died in 1952. |
Introduced |
Smog from cars. |
About 160 people died in just four days in 1991. |
◆Provide ◆Build special paths for bicycles. ◆Work together in one car. |
阅读下面的图表，做三个小题。
Michelle Obama is the first lady of ______.
A. England B. America C. FranceAccording to Complex Magazine, Michelle Obama was always ________ in politics.
A. quietB. calm C. activeMichelle Obama is _______first lady in American history according to the picture.
A. the tallest
B. the best
C. the most powerful
阅读下面的图表，做两个小题。
The box in the ad is a _______.
A. Computer
B. washing machine
C. televisionWhat do we learn from the ad?
A. Staying near the TV set is dangerous.
B. We shouldn’t watch TV during 20-26 April.
C. We shouldn’t put our head into a box.
A young boy was hungry for success. For him, winning was everything.
One day, the boy was preparing himself for a running competition in his small village. He was to compete with two other young boys. A large crowd gathered（聚集）there to watch, including a wise old man.
The race began. With strength and power (力量）, the boy easily took the lead. The crowd cheered and waved（挥手）.The little boy felt proud and important. However, the wise man remained still and calm.
“Another race, another race!” yelled（大喊）the little boy. The wise old man stepped forward and presented the little boy with two new challengers: an old lady and a blind man.
The second race started and the boy was the only one to cross the line. The little boy raised his arms happily. The crowd, however, was silent.
“Race again,” said the wise man. “This time, all three of you finish together.”
The little boy thought a little, stood in between the blind man and the old lady, and then took them by the hand. The race began and the little boy walked slowly to the finishing line and crossed it. The crowd cheered and waved. The wise man smiled, too.
“Which one of us three are the crowd cheering for?” asked the little boy.
“For this race, you have won much more than in any other race you’ve ever run before.” said the wise man. “For this race, the crowd cheered not for any winner!”How did the boy feel after the first race?
A. Still and calm.
B. Sad and silent.
C. Proud and important.What does the underlined word “challengers” mean in this passage?
A. 残疾人 B. 挑战者 C. 裁判In the second race, who won the match?
A. the wise old man
B. the blind man
C. the boyThe crowd cheered for _______ in the third race.
A. the little boy
B. their spirit
C. the blind man and the old ladyWhat is the best title of this passage?
A. Win the race of kindness
B. Winning is everything
C. Never compete with old people
As a boy, Tim Green had two dreams: becoming a football player and becoming a writer. Both of the dreams have come true.
After studying at Syracuse University, Tim began to play football in the NFL (国家橄榄球联盟). He was a great player in the NFL for eight years.
While Tim played in the NFL, he began writing. His first book came out before he stopped playing football.
After writing many books for adults, Tim began writing books for young readers. Many stories in his books happened in a world of sports. Tim got the inspiration (灵感) for writing from his own experiences as a football player. At the same time, Tim visited over 700 schools and talked to more than 400,000 students across the United States about the importance of education and the joys of reading!
Tim is also a TV broadcaster (节目主持人). His TV shows include FOX NFL Sunday, Battlebots, Good Morning America, Court TV, and most recently, Find My Family.
Do you like sports? Do you love reading? If your answer is “Yes”, you can try Tim Green’s books.