Since the end of World War I (WWI) in 1918，Canadians, and millions of others around the world have paused at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to honour the sacrifices our soldiers have made in different wars, fighting for the freedoms that we all enjoy today.
Known as Remembrance Day, the day originated as a tribute to the soldiers of WWI， a dark period for our young country, which claimed the lives of over 60,000 military personnel and civilians and over 16 million dead worldwide.
As there are no more surviving soldiers of WWI，today we rely on the wisdom and words of those soldiers who fought in the wars that followed，and this day now also recognizes their heroic contribution.
They tell us to always remember what those brave souls fought for, and all they ask in return is that we never forget.
That’s why we wear the red poppy (罂粟花);that’s why when we see a soldier in uniform we should stop him or her and say “Thank you” ; that’s why we stop from our busy lives for two short minutes today to honor that request.
Yet this message is fading away, year after year.
Take for example the terrible decision to allow parents to excuse students from Remembrance Day ceremonies（典礼）at school.
Not only is this disrespectful, it distances the student from his or her classmates.
It is difficult to understand why any Canadian parent would want to remove their child from the time-honored tradition of reading the poem In Flanders Fields, while a wreath（花环）of poppies is laid.
It is more important than ever to teach school-aged children about our history，no matter how violent（狂暴的）it was. Sheltering them from the realities of war is great harm.
Understanding why wars happened, or happen today, can help shape choices and decisions they make as adults.
Of course, because we live in a free society, we cannot force a man to do something. It is unlucky, some parents now have their child “opt-out” （退出）of the services. These people should be reminded they are free to make such choices only because of the men and women the rest of us are remembering.Which of the following is true about Remembrance Day?
| A．It’s only held in Canada. |
| B．Its ceremony lasts 11 hours. |
| C．It falls on November 11th each year. |
| D．It’s to celebrate the country’s independence. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．War history is too violent for school children. |
| B．The writer was once a soldier in the Canadian army. |
| C．Few students are willing to take part in Remembrance Day ceremonies. |
| D．More parents are keeping their children away from frightening war stories. |
The underlined word “It” in the last paragraph probably refers to _____
| A．the death of so many soldiers in wars |
| B．the fact that there were so many wars after WWI |
| C．people’s ungratefulness for the freedom they have |
| D．removing children from Remembrance Day events |
The writer believes that .
| A．the sacrifice of the soldiers should always be remembered |
| B．Remembrance Day is becoming less important for soldiers |
| C．schools - no longer think Remembrance Day is necessary |
| D．people should be forced to learn about the realities of war |
Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez passes away at 87.
Nobel Prize winning Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez passed away on April 17 in his home in Mexico City at the age of 87, local media reported.
Colombian Ambassador(大使)to Mexico Jose Gabriel Ortiz confirmed(确认) the news.
The author of the famous novel “One Hundred Years of Solitude(孤独),” an outstanding work of literature(文学) that introduced the world to magic realism(魔幻现实主义), had been checked into a hospital on April 3 to be treated for the serious disease.
Garcia Marquez, who worked as a reporter for many years before dedicating himself to writing fictions, had been living in Mexico City since the 1960s.
A master(大师) of magic realism, along with Latin American writers Julio Cortazar, Juan Rulfo, Carlos Fuentes and Mario Vargas Llosa, Garcia Marquez, wrote many well-known novels, such as “No One Writes to the Colonel” and “Autumn of the Patriarch.”
“One Hundred Years of Solitude,” his masterpiece(杰作) published in 1967, has been translated into 35 languages and sold more than 30 million copies. (Xinhua, April 18, 2014)Where can we possibly read the passage?
| A．In a movie poster. | B．In a sports magazine. |
| C．In a newspaper. | D．In a comic book. |
What happened to Gabriel Garcia Marquez on April 17?
| A．He won the Nobel Prize. |
| B．He died in Mexico City. |
| C．He celebrated his 87th birthday. |
| D．He met the Colombian Ambassador. |
What was Garcia Marquez before he started writing fictions?
| A．A Nobel Prize winner. |
| B．A master of magic realism. |
| C．A reporter. |
| D．An ambassador. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined words “dedicating himself to”?
| A．奉献给 | B．全神贯注于 |
| C．坚持 | D．竭尽全力于 |
Which of the following is the most famous novel written by Garcia Marquez?
| A．Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out. |
| B．No One Writes to the Colonel. |
| C．Autumn of the Patriarch. |
| D．One Hundred Years of Solitude. |
“I believe you’re the right person to write an advice column (专栏) for the students called Dear Amy!” Jenny, editor of the school newspaper, said to Andy, who finally agreed to accept the job if Jenny promised not to tell it to anyone else.
At first it wasn’t too bad. Most of the letters he received were interesting and quite easy to answer. Then came a letter from a person named Joe.
“Dear Amy,” it began, “I’m in real trouble. I’ve wanted to be a songwriter all my life, but my parents won’t even let me take music lessons. I have a guitar, but they both get angry if I play. I’ve tried explaining, but they won’t listen. I feel sad. Should I run away from home? Maybe that will make my parents agree.” The letter signed “Joe”.
Andy thought about this letter for a long time. Should he advise someone to run away from home? Probably not. But didn’t Joe have a right to be a songwriter if he wanted to? Andy thought hard, but couldn’t think out a good answer. Andy couldn’t sleep. He just worried about poor Joe.
At a bar a few days later, Eleanor, a girl in Andy’s math class, sat down next to him and asked, “ What’s wrong with you? You look a little worried.”
“I guess I do,” said Andy.
“If you got an problem, why don’t you try writing to Dear Amy about it?” asked Eleanor.
Andy sighed; but she continued, “in fact, I guess Dear Amy is rather busy with other problems. She still hasn’t answered the phony letter I wrote her last week. You’d better read it – it may even make the most hard-hearted person cry! It was supposed to be from a songwriter named Joe.”Andy might be ______.
| A．an editor of the school newspaper |
| B．a songwriter |
| C．a math teacher |
| D．a doctor in the school |
It’s clear “Dear Amy” ______.
| A．helps students who want to run away from home |
| B．answers letters from the students |
| C．writes songs for the students |
| D．meets readers at a bar |
It seemed to be easy for Andy to do the job until _____.
| A．he changed his name |
| B．received a letter signed “Joe’ |
| C．he met Eleanor at a bar |
| D．his name was well-known |
In the letter Joe says that ______.
| A．his parents don’t know about music |
| B．his classmates don’t understand him |
| C．he would stay away from his parents |
| D．he would obey his parents |
The underlined word “ phony ” perhaps means ______.
| A．unreal | B．boyish |
| C．popular | D．favorite |
I am a teenager. I want to use the Internet. I know that there are rules about what I should do online. I agree to follow these rules, and my parents agree to help me follow these rules:
1. I will not call or meet anyone alone that I meet online unless my parents say it’s okay.
2. I will not buy or order anything online without my parents’ permission.
3. I will not fill in any form online that asks me for any information about myself or my family without asking my parents first.
4. If someone sends me any pictures or any e-mails using bad language, I will tell my parents.
5. If someone asks me to do something that I am not supposed to do, I will tell my parents.
6. I know that my parents want to make sure I’m safe online, and I will listen to them when they ask me not to do something.
| Rules for going online for teenagers |
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| Things teenagers Shouldn’ t do |
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| Things teenagers Should do |
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| Things parents do |
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The human brain weighs about 1.4 kilograms, but it can, hold much more information than most computers. However, there is another difference between humans and computers. Computers don't forget information they are given, but humans often do. No one remembers everything, and luckily we don't usually have to. But everyone can improve their memory if they want to. Here are some suggestions.
◆Try to use new information immediately. For example, if you meet someone who says "Hi! I'm Carlos," don't just say "Hello." Repeat the person's name. Say"____"
◆Break a big number into smaller parts. For example, it's hard to memorize (记忆) 109244153. But if you break it into three parts--109/244/153—it becomes easier.
◆Write out what you need to remember over and over again. This will help you keep it in mind longer, especially for memorizing formulas (公式) or facts.
◆Always review information. If you bring what you've learned back to your mind, they become easier to remember. For example, before you go to sleep, it’s a good idea to review the new things you learned that clay.
◆Discuss with a friend. It is always easier to remember things through discussions. You can have a discussion about what's right and what's wrong, and it will lead to the right answer.
◆Never tell yourself that you have a bad memory. You can always do something to help improve your memory. And everyone's memory gets better if they use it often enough.
All of the suggestions are helpful. If you follow them, you are certain to improve your memory.How many suggestions are mentioned in the passage?
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
Which should be put in the blank (空格) in Paragraph 2？
| A．Hello, Carlos. | B．How do you do? |
| C．Hello, I am Sophia. | D．Glad to meet you! |
What can help memorize a big number more easily according to the passage?
| A．To store it in a computer. |
| B．To break it into smaller parts. |
| C．To discuss it with a friend. |
| D．To review it before you sleep. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Discussing with friends can help you remember things. |
| B．Always reviewing information can help you fall asleep. |
| C．Formulas and facts can help you learn about your brain. |
| D．Human beings can improve their memory by computer. |
What does the sentence "Never tell yourself that you have a bad memory” mean?
| A．You should tell others about your bad memory. |
| B．You should believe in other people all the time. |
| C．You should ask others to improve their memory. |
| D．You should be confident in your memory ability. |
Today I will tell you a piece of good news. It’s about the online(在线) zoo.
Most(大部分) children like to go to the zoo. But their parents are always busy, so they don’t have free time to take their children to the zoo. BBC is a broadcasting company(广播公司) in the UK. It opens an online zoo. People can watch hundreds of animals at any time. But we cannot watch or touch the real animals. We can only watch them on the Internet. BBC uses cameras to record(用摄像机记录) the animals’ life and sends(发送) the pictures and videos to the Internet. If people want to watch the animals online, they only need to turn on the computer and visit the website(网站).
Now a few countries also open online zoos. Let’s go to visit it!
Parents don’t take their children to the zoo because______.
| A．the tickets are very expensive |
| B．they don’t have free time |
| C．they don’t like animals |
| D．the zoos are always very far |
What does BBC use to record the animals’ life?
| A．Computer. | B．Internet. |
| C．Cameras. | D．Mobile phones. |
Where’s BBC?
| A．In China. | B．In Canada. |
| C．In the website. | D．In England. |
If you want to watch the animals online, you need to______.
A. visit the common(普通的) zoo first.
B. call the BBC.
C. turn on the computer and visit the website.
D. download(下载) the pictures from the Internet.What’s the best title(标题) of the passage?
| A．Common Zoos | B．Online Zoos |
| C．Computers and Internet | D．The History of BBC |