Earlier this month, California police cleared what was said to be the largest homeless encampment in the United States. About 200 homeless people were living at the camp in San Jose, California. Officials said police officers and city workers acted because the area was unclean.
The homeless people were living near Silicon Valley, the country's high technology center. Some people there have made millions, even billions of dollars from high-tech devices and services. But others have no money and no place to live.
Federal officials believe there are hundreds of thousands of homeless people nationwide on any given day. Each one lacks a permanent place to live. Reasons for homelessness can include the high cost of housing, poverty and unemployment. Other reasons are mental health problems and just plain bad luck.
In Los Angeles, a group called PATH searches along flood channels and major roads for homeless camps.. Its workers look for people who have no permanent shelter.
Jorge Guzman was one of the people hoping to help the homeless. He says they make their camps where they are not seen -- behind buildings or in forests or parks.
"They just don't want to be noticed. They're doing their thing out here and, you know, they're just trying to survive."
City workers periodically clear away small trees and plants, uncovering homeless campers. Workers in Whittier try to move people out of homeless camps and into a home of their own. But housing is costly. Still, worker Tomasz says he has been able to help some people.
"It's really good to see the steps when people are leaving their encampments and they're transitioning to either transitional housing, and after when they obtain their own housing."
But there are many other homeless people still living on the streets or in camps, moving when their campsites are taken down.Why did California police clear the homeless encampment?
| A．Because the area was unclean. |
| B．Because the homeless people often fight. |
| C．Because the government has built new houses for them. |
| D．Because they badly affected the image of the city. |
Which is NOT the reason causing homelessness?
| A．Mental health problems | B．Plain bad luck |
| C．Being abandoned. | D．The high cost of housing, |
According to the passage ,where may the homeless live?
| A．In buildings behind parks. |
| B．In camps in forests. |
| C．In apartments near Silicon Valley |
| D．In permanent shelters. |
We can describe Tomasz as ____.
| A．generous | B．honest |
| C． grateful | D．helpful |
Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “take down”?
| A．Write down. | B．Break down. |
| C．Pull down. | D．Set down. |
One of the best-known women in the world is a small doll(洋娃娃). This famous doll, called Barbie, was created by Ruth Handler in 1959. Now Barbie is known everywhere. Before Barbie, all dolls were made to look like babies. People thought that this was a way to teach young girls how to become a good mother. Barbie was the first doll made to look like an adult instead of baby.
From the beginning, Barbie was a modern career(职业) girl. There was a different Barbie for each job: nurse, teacher, police officer, race car driver, professional basketball player, pilot, as well as the very first female to fly in space. Barbie made it possible for young girls to dream about a future other than being a mother and a housewife. It showed girls that they had choices and could become anything they wanted to be. At the time, these ideas were very new and positive. The movement for equal opportunity(机会) for women had just begun and women wanted to have the same chance as men to do important work.
However, Barbie’s approval(认同) as a role model has not lasted. Today, many people criticize(批评) Barbie for making young girls too concerned about their appearance(外表). These people complain that the beautiful, well-dressed Barbie seems to tell girls that while they can hope to have different career, it is more important for them to be beautiful and thin. The female figure that Barbie represents has also been criticized for being unrealistic(不现实). Young girls might think that Barbie’s figure is beautiful and desirable(可取的). However, if Barbie were a real person, she would be six feet tall and wear a size three shoe!What does the passage mainly discuss?
| A．The roles of a modern woman. |
| B．The image(形象) of Barbie dolls |
| C．What is role models? |
| D．What is beauty? |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．Barbie was created by Ruth Handler in 1959. |
| B．Barbie was the first doll that was made to look like an adult. |
| C．Barbie served as a role model for girls when she was created. |
| D．Barbie is criticized by many young girls today. |
The author suggests that Barbie’s figure is ________________.
| A．beautiful and desirable |
| B．unrealistic and impossible |
| C．real and delicate(易损的) |
| D．tall and modern |
Daniel Olin was 11 years old when his parents moved to Canada. He liked his new school and made friends there, but then things at home started to change. His mum and dad began to argue and the arguments got worse and worse until one day, Daniel's mum left. With his father working long hours, Daniel felt very lonely and very unhappy. He wanted to escape, to run away. And that’s what he did.
Very early one terribly cold morning when the snow was deep on the ground, he packed a bag with some clothes, some chocolate and a map of Canada and set off to a forest. He ran and ran until he could hardly breathe.
His feet were heavy with the snow but he still walked on through deep snow, not even watching where he was going.
Then, disaster struck. A rock hidden by the deep snow caught his feet and Daniel fell to the ground. He had broken the bone. He was very cold and was starting to feel tired, but he knew that if he fell asleep in the snow, he would certainly die from the cold.
A tree shook ahead. From within the branches(树枝), a pair of yellow eyes watched Daniel. The puma (美洲狮) had been following him. A puma is a large wild cat with claws that could tear Daniel into pieces. But instead of moving in for the kill, the puma walked up to Daniel and lay across his chest, arms and legs. Daniel was too frightened to move, but soon the warmth of the animal reached Daniel and he began to feel better. From time to time, the puma pressed his muzzle (鼻) against Daniel and rocked his head gently. Clearly, the puma knew that Daniel must not fall asleep. This animal should have been a real danger to Daniel and yet the boy began to feel safe. They remained like that for several hours until Daniel and the puma heard voices.Daniel ran away from home because ______.
| A．he had a big argument with his father |
| B．he wanted to learn to be independent |
| C．he didn’t get enough care from his parents |
| D．his parents were always arguing at home |
Why didn’t Daniel notice the rock that caused him to fall?
| A．Because it was getting dark. |
| B．Because the rock was hidden by snow. |
| C．Because he was frightened by a puma. |
| D．Because he was too sad to notice it. |
Why did the puma press its muzzle against Dan and rock his head gently from time to time?
| A．To keep Daniel warm. | B．To play with Daniel. |
| C．To kill Daniel. | D．To keep Daniel awake. |
What is the best title for the story?
| A．Puma in Danger | B．A Caring Puma |
| C．A Boy in Need | D．A Homeless Boy |
We walked in so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn’t even lift her eyes from the book. Mum pointed at a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down. Then, Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold. She walked quietly to the small room by the lift and took out a wet mop（拖把）. She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodded and said, “Very dirty floors.” “Yes, I’m glad they’ve finally decided to clean them,” the nurse answered. She looked at Mum strangely and said, “But aren’t you working late?”
Mum just pushed harder, each swipe (拖一下) of the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall. I watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to writing in the big book. After a long time Mum came back. Her eyes were shining.
She quickly put the mop back and took my hand. As we turned to go out of the door, Mum bowed politely to the nurse and said, “Thank you.”
Outside, Mum told me “Grandma is fine. No fever(发烧）.”
“You saw her, Mum?”
“Of course. I told her about the hospital rules, and she will not expect us until tomorrow. Dad will stop worrying as well. It’s a fine hospital. But such floors! A mop is not good. You need a brush.”When she took a mop from the small room what Mum really wanted to do was ______.
| A．to see a patient | B．to please the nurse |
| C．to clean the floor | D．to surprise the story-teller |
When the nurse talked to Mum she thought Mum was a ______.
| A．nurse | B．visitor |
| C．cleaner | D． patient |
After reading the story what can we infer about the hospital? ______
| A．It is a children’s hospital. |
| B．The nurses and doctors there don’t work hard. |
| C．The conditions there aren’t very good. |
| D．It has strict rules about visiting hours. |
Which of the following words best describes Mum? ______.
| A．Strange | B．Warm-hearted |
| C．Clever | D．Hardworking |
Whatever your level is, choosing to take French lessons in France is the best way to learn French. Place yourself in the local culture and practice your newly found skills in your free time.
You will be taught by native(本地的) French speakers who have a love for teaching and use excellent teaching techniques. Lessons are interesting and you will speak French both inside and outside the classroom.
Learners
·Suitable for all levels from beginners to advanced(高级的)
·Over 18 years old
Class Schedule(课表)
·Classes start on Mondays and run throughout the summer.
·Please arrive at the school by 8:15 am on your first day for a short level test. It will help to place you in the right class.
·Classes run from Monday to Friday each week.
·Classes start at 8:45 am each day depending on your level.
·You will have 3 classes per day lasting 55 minutes each.
·You will have a short break between classes.
Free Time and Tours
·The school offers a lot of cultural activities throughout the week. These activities can include cooking lessons, wine and cheese tasting, visit to Paris, cycling, movies and much more.
·You will have plenty of free time to explore(探索) the local area and practice your newly found language skills or just relax on this learning holiday with a difference.
Other Information
·You should bring a small dictionary, pens and paper with you.
Get more from your holiday, have fun, meet new people and take home a new language skill that will stay with you forever.What is special about the French courses?
| A．They are taught in small groups. |
| B．The teachers are young French speakers. |
| C．They will offer a wine tasting license. |
| D．People learn French in and out of class. |
On the first day, the students should _________.
| A．take a language test |
| B．pay for their study |
| C．do a survey |
| D．introduce themselves to the class |
How many lessons are there in a week?
| A．21 | B．15 | C．30 | D．12 |
We can learn from the text that the course _________.
| A．is not suitable for old people |
| B．has a short game between classes |
| C．provides dictionary for students |
| D．offer cooking classes as well |
You probably know you should say "please" and "thank you" at restaurants. You probably know the rules of a library. You know you should respect and be nice to your classmates. But do you have music manners?
Keep It Down! You have to notice the volume of your music. You should not play your music so loud that everyone around you can hear it. Some people might even get angry. Usually, when you play the music loud on an MP3 player, other people can't hear the words of the song. They just hear a loud sound. No one wants to listen to this. Very loud music can also be bad for your ears. So even if you are alone when listening to your MP3 players, you shouldn't turn it up too high.
Take Them Off! You need to know when to turn your MP3 off and put it away. Libraries and schools don't allow MP3 players. There are other places, like museums, that don't have rules, but it would be rude to have your MP3 player on. Sometimes, it doesn't make sense(无意义）to listen on your MP3 player . Why would you listen to music at a play, a movie or a sporting event? You would miss what is going on and others would wonder why you even came.
Take One Out! Once in a while it's okay just to take out one earphone and not the other. Imagine you are listening on your MP3 player when someone asks you the way. It would not be rude to take out one earphone, tell him the way, and put back the earphone and continue listening. You can also do this when you order food at a fast-food restaurant or when you answer the telephone.
It's Your Choice! There are times when you need to decide what is best. For example, some people can listen to music on their MP3 players when reading books, while others think it is disturbing. In cases like this, you need to do what seems right for you.The underlined word "volume" in Paragraph 2 probably means "_________."
| A．the amount of a sound | B．the length of a song |
| C．the type of music | D．the color of an MP3 player |
We should turn down the music when we are alone because loud music_________.
| A．may annoy others | B．can hurt our ears |
| C．is bad for MP3 players | D．will make us tired |
If we listen to our MP3 player at a play, _________.
| A．the theatre won't allow it |
| B．the actors will get angry |
| C．others won't hear the play well |
| D．we may miss part of the play |
The main idea of this passage is about _________.
| A．music lovers | B．music manners |
| C．music players | D．MP3 earphones |