Thousands of years ago, people only ate food that was grown near their homes. Some kinds of food were only grown in one place, so people from other places didn’t know about them. When Europeans first traveled to Central and South America in the 1500s, they discovered strange kinds of food that they had never seen before. Today, these are grown in a lot of different countries and they’re sold in supermarkets all over the world. They don’t seem strange any more!
Potatoes were first grown in the Andes in South America. In 1586, they were taken to Europe by explorers (探险家). In 1719, they were taken to North America. Before 1719, nobody in North America had ever seen or eaten a potato. Today each American eats more than 60 kilos of potatoes a year.
Tomatoes were also first grown by native (本地的) Americans. When European explorers visited the south of America in 1500, they took tomato seeds (种子) back to Europe. Soon, tomatoes were grown in Europe, but people in England didn’t eat them. At that time, a lot of English people thought that tomatoes were poisonous!
Chilies (辣椒) have been eaten in Central and South America for more than 8,000 years! In the 1500s, chilies were taken to Europe by explorers. Today, they are grown in hot countries all over the world.How many kinds of food are mentioned in the passage?
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five |
People in Central and South America have eaten chilies for more than_______ years.
| A．1,500 | B．1,586 | C．8,000 | D．1719 |
According to the passage, we know that _______.
| A．people only ate food grown near their homes after 1719. |
| B．people in Europe were the first to plant potatoes. |
| C．Chilies have been eaten in Europe for more than 1000 years. |
| D．the European explorers took chilies to Europe in the 1500s. |
Almost all theme park accidents can be prevented. Here, based on coverage of theme park safety, are some tips to help you and your family stay safe on your next visit.
If you are visiting with a child, take a moment to explain the ride to them, and tell them what they should do. They are depending upon you to keep them safe. Set a good example for them by following the rules of the park, and make sure that they know you expect them to follow those rules, too.
Tell them to stay seated, to hold the grab bar or put their hands in the laps, and not to stick their knees and feet outside a ride vehicle. Make them look to you for the okay to get on or off a ride, too. And never put a crying child on a ride. If your child starts to cry, let others pass you in line until your child is calmed. Or, gently exit the queue and find something more relaxing to do.
Young kids can’t keep an adult’s pace in a theme park. Let them take plenty of breaks.
“Kids get tired,” said TPI reader Matt Johnson, a father of four. “Tired kids make parents even more tired. And tired kids and parents may get hurt — physically and emotionally.” He advises that parents plan a mid-day break, perhaps a swim back at the hotel, to avoid mid-day heat and crowds. “You will see cranky families having a miserable time while you are refreshed and having a great evening.”The second paragraph tells readers that ______.
| A．children should be trained to be more independent |
| B．adults should tell children some safety rules firstly |
| C．adults should set a good example to conduct well in a theme park |
| D．there is a danger to take young children to visit a theme park |
Which of the following is NOT right for children who are taking the rides?
| A．They cannot put their hands away from the grab bar. |
| B．They are forbidden to put their knees or feet out. |
| C．They should ask adults’ permission first to get on a ride. |
| D．Without adults’ okay sign, children shouldn’t get off a ride. |
If your child begins to cry just when he is going to take a ride, you should ______.
| A．tell him to be relaxed | B．make him share your interest |
| C．give up the present activity | D．encourage him to be brave |
We may infer from Matt Johnson’s words that ______.
| A．he doesn’t like to visit a theme park with his children |
| B．parents with many children may be tired of visiting a theme park |
| C．not all the families are relaxed or happy when they visit a theme park |
| D．visitors should arrange everything carefully before starting |
What is the meaning of the underlined word “exit” in the third paragraph?
| A．等待 | B．发现 | C．进入 | D．离开 |
If there is something that appears most frequently on Chinese dining tables, it is doufu—beancurd. Beancurd looks like soft cakes and it’s made from dried soybeans. Beancurd used to be considered a favou
rite of the poor because of its low cost. Beans have high yields (产量) every year with their short growing period and suitability for various soil both dry and wet.
Historical records show beancurd was invented by Liu An, Prince of Huainan and uncle of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty（206BC—220AD）. He had a dream of finding the pill for longevity (长寿). He traveled all over the country and found soybeans, which looked much the same as gold in terms of colour. He collected soybeans, put them in the water and crushed them into pulp (浆). It got solidified (凝固) and became known as doufu. Although it’s not able to keep longevity, it’s really good for one’s health with high protein and low fat.
With a long history, beancurd is rooted deep in Chinese culture. People eat more meat and fish than beancurd. But they are encouraged
to have beancurd every once in a while for it’s really good for health. Most Chinese people still keep beancurd as one of their favourite dishes. Why was beancurd considered to be liked by the poor?
| A．It’s cheap. | B．It’s easy to cook. |
| C．It’s easy to make. | D．It’s good for health. |
Where can beans grow well?
| A．Only in wet soil. | B．In dry soil. |
| C．In soft soil. | D．In any soil. |
Why did Liu An travel all over the country?
| A．He had a dream. |
| B．He wanted to find something that could make people live longer. |
| C．He wanted to invent beancurd. |
| D．He wanted to find gold. |
Last year I had a wonderful experience. I went on a student exchange to Japan. It was an exciting time of my life and I learned many things about the school system in Japan. I was in Grade 11, which is second year of high school in Japan, but I was younger than most of my classmates. That’s because Japanese children enter first year of elementary school (小学) in April following their sixth b
irthday. I started school when I was still five years old.
In Japan, Children attend elementary school for six years, where they study Japanese, arithmetic, science, social studies, music, crafts, physical education, and home economics (simple cooking and sewing skills). During their three years in middle school, English is
added to this list. Most schools have access to computers and the Internet.
After the terrible car accident, the whole world had been completely dark and quiet for Robert Edwards for almost ten years, for he became both blind and deaf after the doctor had saved him. The loss of sight and hearing threw him into such a sorrow that he tried
a few times to put an end to his life. His family especially his wife did their best to tend and comfort him. By and by he finally regained the courage to live on.
On a hot summer afternoon he was taking a walk with a stick near his house when a thunderstorm started all at once. He stood under a large tree in order not to get himself wet. Unfortunately he was st
ruck down to the ground by a lightning. The witnesses thought him dead but he woke up some 20 minutes later lying face down in muddy water below the tree. He felt that he was trembling badly, but when he opened his eyes ,he didn’t dare to believe that he saw a plough (梨子) lying near the wall. When Mrs Edwards came running up to him, she shouted their neighbours for help. And he saw her and heard her voice for the first time in nearly ten years.
The news of Robert’s regaining his sight and hearing quickly spread in his area. And many doctors came to prove the truth of the news. Most of them said that he gained sight and hearing again obviously from the knock of lightning; none of them could give convincing reasons, 
How did Edwards get his sight and hearing once more according to the doctor?
| A．He regained them from head injury when he fell from a tree. |
B．His wife’s first visit after almost ten years made him so ha ppy that he regained them. |
| C．The lightning took the feeling from his legs and gave the senses of sight and hearing to his head. |
| D．The blow that caused him blind and deaf was very severe, so it took another severe blow to regain them. |
Thanks to the huge success of Harry Potter, many teen
agers dream about living in an ancient castle. These dreams may include beautiful silk dresses, delicious food, servants and of course, magic. However, real life in an English castle was not easy. With thick stonewalls and high towers, castles were built for defence(防御). So they were not good places to live in. In medieval times, castles must have been noisy and smelly places. Horses, cattle, chickens and sheep walked free, blacksmiths did ironwork, soldiers practised sword (剑) fights, and children of all ages played around them. Castles did not have central heating; the only heat came from the fireplace. Even in summer the castle was cool. People living 
in the castles had to use blankets to keep warm while at work.
Life during the Middle Ages began at sunrise. Servants lit the fire, swept the floor and cooked the morning meal. The mid-morning meal was the main meal of the day and often included three or four courses (一道菜). After dinner, everyone continued his or her work. The owner of the castle, the lord, sometimes took his guests hunting or shooting. His wife, the lady, spent much of the day watching the maids (女仆) work, as well as people working in the kitchen. She also kept an eye on the weavers and embroiderers who made clothes for the family. Supper was simple and eaten late, just before bedtime.
You may find some old magic books in a castle as Harry Potter once did. Read them before you go to bed, because when you fall asleep the magic of castle life may appear before your eyes. For what purpose were the castles built in England?
| A．To defend the city or country against enemies. |
| B．To provide a working place for blacksmiths. |
| C．To raise poultry (家禽) and livestock (家畜). |
| D．To provide a place for teenagers to learn magic. |
Why were the ancient castles noisy?
| A．Because soldiers practiced sword fights there. |
| B．Because blacksmiths did ironwork there. |
| C．Because children of all ages played around them. |
| D．All of the above. |
Which of the following about family life in castles is true according to the passage?
| A．The servants in castles lived an easy life. |
| B．The wife spent much of the day at home. |
| C．Supper was eaten before sunset. |
| D．Dinner was eaten in the middle of the day. |
The main idea of this passage is ______.
| A．castles were not good places to live in |
| B．castles in novels are different from those in history |
| C．Harry Potter's story in a castle affected people |
| D．what real life was like in an ancient castle |