At the age of seven I started taking violin lessons. I practiced half an hour every day, went to lessons once a week, and occasionally played in a group concert. Like most kids, I always thought practicing was boring. If my parents hadn’t been there to make me practice, I probably would have put down my violin and never have picked it up again.
I met Moira when I was 11 at an Irish music party. Moira hosted the party that night, playing the violin, singing and dancing. She made sure that everyone in the room got involved and had a great time. I immediately fell in love with the music she played and the energy that she brought to it. Just a few days after that party, I took my first lesson with Moira, and I continued taking lessons with Moira throughout middle school.
When I started playing the violin with Moira, playing music became something that I loved. She introduced me to so many types of music, from Irish to Old Time, to Cajun. Moira also taught me to play the guitar. Soon we started performing together and were shocked to discover that people actually wanted to hear us! When I began to play the violin, practicing was something that I did at home in my living room, but with Moira’s influence it quickly became something that I did everywhere. I played on street corners, at festivals, at the beach, at parties, at weddings, and late at night in my friends’ kitchens.
Moira took the music out to the classroom and brought it to life. Her passion(激情)was not only for playing music, but also for sharing it. My time with Moira allowed me to grow both musically and personally. I have met so many special people and had so many invaluable(无价的) experiences. Moira has proven to be the most important influence in my musical development, and also my invaluable friend. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The writer had her violin lessons every day. |
| B．The writer disliked the kids who hated the violin. |
| C．The writer usually played music in school concerts. |
| D．At first the writer was not active in learning the violin. |
The passage didn’t say directly but we can learn that .
| A．Moira was a good neighbor |
| B．the writer was a good singer |
| C．Moira was a good organizer |
| D．the writer was a music teacher |
What can we know from the last paragraph?
| A．Moira didn’t like to play music in the classroom. |
| B．Moira helped the writer a lot with her personal life. |
| C．Moira had great influence on the writer’s life |
| D．Moira was very thankful for the writer’s support. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．My Way to Success. | B．My Invaluable Friend. |
| C．My Middle School Life. | D．How I learned the Violin. |
Researchers are finding new ways to save snakebite victims.Experts discussed the latest findings during a recent conference.
Scientists in Australia have shown that a chemical called nitric oxide could increase the chances of surviving a poisonous snakebite.The scientists injected rats with a deadly amount of snake venom.Then they rubbed an ointment(软膏)containing nitric oxide on the skin around the injection site.The study found that the rats lived about one-third longer than if nitric oxide had not been used.But the treatment had to be started very quickly.
Dirk van Helden led the research.He says the nitric oxide ointment also showed promise in humans.The study appeared earlier this year in the journal Nature Medicine.Scientists say the findings could help save many lives.A recent study found that poisonous snakes cause as many as ninety-four thousand deaths worldwide each year.But Ulrich Kuch of the Biodiversity and Climate Research Center in Frankfurt,Germany,says that number appears to be low.
Mr Kuch says many deaths could be prohibited if snakebite victims are treated correctly,but they often go to traditional healers or do not seek any help at all.He said,“Sometimes it’s because there is no treatment available—no antivenom(抗蛇毒血清),which is the specific(特殊的)drug to treat snakebites—or health care staff do not know how to treat snakebites,and sometimes its because transportation to get to a health facility is not available or too expensive.
Here is no single antivenom that can be used to treat all snakebites.The antivenom must be specific to the kind of snake that bit the person.In some countries the treatment is costly,while in others there is no such treatment.What is this passage mainly about?()
| A．Snakebite deaths around the world. |
| B．Progress in fighting snakebite deaths. |
| C．Snakebite treatment around the world. |
| D．The chances of surviving a poisonous snakebite. |
After being rubbed an ointment containing nitric oxide,the rats .
| A．suffered no pain |
| B．died immediately |
| C．lived a little longer |
| D．started feeling uncomfortable |
What does Paragraph 3 suggest?()
| A．The number of deaths caused by snakebites is becoming lower each year. |
| B．The nitric oxide ointment has saved thousands of people’s lives. |
| C．It is very important to find an effective way to treat snakebites. |
| D．The number of deaths caused by snakebites worldwide is low. |
What does the underlined word “prohibited” in Paragraph 4 mean?()
| A．caused. | B．considered. |
| C．examined. | D．prevented. |
What is implied in the last paragraph?()
| A．Antivenom can be made very easily. |
| B．It’s very important to use the correct antivenom to treat snakebite victims. |
| C．Antivenom is extremely expensive all over the world. |
| D．A person bitten by a snake will survive as long as there is antivenom. |
Two Chinese living in South Africa were killed in a robbery (抢劫) on February 5, bringing the total number of Chinese killed in the country to four in less than a month.
Chen Jianqing, 35, from Southeast China's Fujian Province, who ran a shop with her husband in a small town 45 kilometers away from South African capital Johannesburg, was shot dead.
"One of her business partners died later in the hospital," the Chinese consulate (领事馆) officials in Johannesburg said yesterday. "Local police are trying to find more information about the case. And we have told the victims' (遇难者的) relatives and are helping them come to Johannesburg," Consul Wu Gang told China Daily. Chen's husband was injured during the robbery but did not suffer seriously, said Wu.
The robbery happened at about 5:45 pm local time and the armed robbers ran away after taking more than 50,000 South African rand (US $8,200) and some jewelry, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The killing happened just three days after Chen Jingmin, a 23-year-old man from Qingdao, Shandong Province, was shot dead north outside Johannesburg by armed robbers. On January 10, a Hong Kong businessman was attacked and robbed at his home in Johannesburg and died the next day in the hospital. All these happened just in less than a month.
According to records, there were more than 40 robberies attacking Chinese in South Africa last year, in which eight were killed. More than 100,000 Chinese are doing various kinds of businesses in South Africa, according to a Chinese official in the country. An increasing number of them are becoming targets (目标) of robbers after buying big houses or luxury cars, the official said.The passage is probably ______.
| A．a business story | B．a scientific article |
| C．a newspaper report | D．an official document |
Who were killed on February 5 in a small town near Johannesburg?
| A．Chen Jianqing and her husband. |
| B．Chen Jianqing and one of her partners. |
| C．Chen Jingmin and a Hong Kong businessman. |
| D．Chen Jingmin and one of his relatives. |
How many Chinese were killed in South Africa since January?
| A．2 | B．4. | C．5. | D．8. |
_______are more likely to be robbed in South Africa.
| A．Those Chinese who depend too much on local police. |
| B．Those Chinese who live near the capital of South Africa. |
| C．Those Chinese who open shops selling Chinese goods. |
| D．Those Chinese who leave others the impression of being rich. |
America is growing older. Fifty years ago, only 4 out of every 100 people in the United States were 65 or older. Today, 10 out of every 100 Americans are over 65. The aging of the population will affect American society in many ways: education, medicine, and business. Quietly, the aging of America has made us a very different society—one in which people have quite a different idea of what kind of behavior is suitable at various ages.
A person’s age no longer tells you anything about his/her social position, marriage or health. There’s no longer a particular year in which one goes to school or goes to work or gets married or starts a family. The social clock that kept us on time and told us when to go to school, get a job, or stop working isn’t as strong as it used to be. It doesn’t surprise us to hear of a 29-year-old university president or a 35-year-old grandmother, or a 70-year-old man who has become a father for the first time. Public ideas are changing.
Many people say, “I am much younger than my mother or my father was at my age.” No one says “Act your age.” any more. We’ve stopped looking with surprise at older people who act in youthful ways.It can be learned from the text that the aging of the population in America _______.
| A．has made people feel younger. |
| B．has changed people’s social position. |
| C．has changed people’s understanding of age. |
| D．has slowed down the country’s social development. |
The underlined word “one” refers to _______.
| A．a society | B．America |
| C．a place | D．population |
“Act your age.” Means people should _______.
| A．be active when they are old. |
| B．do the right thing at the right age. |
| C．show respect to their parents young or old. |
| D．take more physical exercises suitable to their age. |
Su Hua is studying at Cambridge, UK. She has bought a bicycle and is worried about security. Her friend, Kate, found this article and sent it to her.
Introduction
A lot of crime is against bicycles. About 150,000 bicycles are stolen every year and most are never found. You can prevent this happening by following a few careful steps.
Basic Security
Do not leave your bicycle in out-of-the-way places. Always lock your bicycle when you leave. Secure it to lampposts or trees. Take off smaller parts and take them with you, for example lights and saddles(车座).
Locks
Get a good lock. There are many different types in the shop. Buy one that has been tested against attack. Ask for a recommendation from a bike shop.
Marking
Security marking your bike can act as a deterrent(威慑) to a thief. It can also help the police find your bicycle. It should be clearly written and include your postcode and your house or flat number. This will provide a simple way to identify your bicycle.
Registration
There are a number of companies who will mark your bicycle for you. They will then put your registration number and personal details on their computer database. Then if your bicycle is found it will be easy to contact you.
Finally
Keep a record of the bicycle yourself: its make, model and registration number. You can even take a photograph of it, this will prove the bicycle belongs to you.Which part of the article gives you information on how to lock up your bicycle when you leave it?
| A．Locks | B．Marking |
| C．Registration | D．Basic Security |
The article advisess you to keep a record of your bicycle ____________.
| A．in the bike shop and your computer. |
| B．in a police station and security company. |
| C．in a security company and your university. |
| D．by yourself and in a security company. |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．More than 150,000 bicycles are stolen every year. |
| B．Leave your bicycle in out-of-the-way places. |
| C．Taking a photograph of your bike will help prove the bicycle belongs to you. |
| D．Always lock your bicycle even if you don’t leave. |
The main purpose of this article is _____________.
| A．to tell you what to do if your bicycle is stolen. |
| B．to suggest ways of keeping your bicycle safe. |
| C．to give you advice on where to buy a good lock. |
| D．to say why you shouldn’t keep your bicycle in a quiet place. |
A couple had a son eleven years after they married. They were a loving couple and the boy was the apple of their eye. When the boy was around four years old, one day the father was very tired after work so he asked his wife to pick up their son. The mother, who was very busy in the kitchen, totally forgot about it.
Later the boy lost his way on the street. When the son was found missing, the mother hurried to look for him, but she didn’t find him. The mother felt very sad and didn’t know how to face her husband.
When the father went to the police station after hearing that the son was missing, he looked at his wife and said just four words. What do you think the four words were? The husband just said "I love you, darling."
The son was missing. If she had picked him up earlier, this would not have happened. There is no point in blaming (责备) anyone. His wife had also lost her only child. What his wife needed at that moment was comfort and understanding from her husband. That is what the husband gave his wife. Several weeks later, with the help of the police, the couple finally found their lost son. The family’s relationship became stronger over that time.
Sometimes we spend lots of time asking who is to blame. We miss many chances to give each other support and let each other feel the warmth of human relationships. Get rid of all your unwillingness to forgive, selfishness, and fears and you will find the world is much more wonderful.What is the meaning of the underlined phrase “the apple of their eye”?
| A．A person who always has a sweet smile in their opinion. |
| B．A person who is as pretty as an apple in their opinion. |
| C．A person who is loved more than anyone else in their opinion. |
| D．A person who looks like an apple in their opinion. |
Why didn’t the father pick the boy up himself?
| A．He was very lazy. |
| B．He thought the mother had picked him up. |
| C．He forgot to pick him up. |
| D．He was too tired to do it. |
What can we learn from this passage?
| A．Be careful in everything you do. |
| B．Love is the most important thing. |
| C．Learn to forgive others. |
| D．Everyone can make mistakes. |
What do you think of the husband?
| A．Warm-hearted. | B．Careful. |
| C．Hard-working. | D．Broad-minded. |