B
I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch(养马场). He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events. The last time I was there he introduced me by saying: “I want to tell you a story. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy’s high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.
“That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.
“He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, ‘See me after class.’
“The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, ‘Why did I receive an F?’ The teacher said, ‘This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you’ll have to pay large stud fees. There’s no way you could ever do it.’ Then the teacher added, ‘If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’
“The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, ‘Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’ Finally, after a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, ‘You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.’ ”
Monty then turned to the group present and said, “I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.” He added, “The best part of the story is that two years ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week. When the teacher was leaving, he said, ‘Look, Monty, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids’ dreams. Fortunately you had enough courage not to give up yours.’ ”
“Don’t let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what,” Monty at last concluded.The teacher asked the boy to rewrite the paper because __________.
A.the boy was too poor to achieve his dream |
B.the teacher doubted his chance of success |
C.the boy was not good enough to achieve his goal |
D.the teacher looked down on the boy absolutely |
Which of the following could best express the teacher’s feelings when she said the words before leaving the ranch two years ago?
A.Regretful and proud. |
B.Regretful and guilty. |
C.Honest and sorry. |
D.Embarrassed and proud. |
Monty told the story to say that __________.
A.If you don’t agree with the teacher, you should talk with him\her. |
B.If your dream is beyond reach, give it up and be realistic. |
C.Your dream will come true as long as you stick to it however hard it is. |
D.The teacher made little difference to his students. |
What would be the best title of the passage?
A.Set a practical goal |
B.Try to be realistic |
C.Prove yourself through success |
D.Keep your dream |
ARIEL, West Bank: A suicide bomber blew up near Israeli soldiers outside a Jewish settlement in the West Bank yesterday, killing at least three people and wounding about 30
Ron Nachman, mayor of the settlement of Ariel. “Soldiers were among the casualties(伤亡者). ”People on the spot said the bomber blew up after soldiers eating at a food stand in a petrol station at the entrance of the settlement found him. According to some people on the spot accounts reported by Israeli media, a soldier shot and wounded the bomber, who then exploded.
The Magen David Adorn ambulance service said at least three people were killed and at least 30 wounded in the blast(爆炸), which set the bomber burning at Ariel, about 25 kilometers east of Tel Aviv.
A fire brigade(旅) official said: “The bomber was still burning when we got there and we put out the fire immediately.”
Meanwhile, a blast shook homes in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp early yesterday, damaging buildings but causing no injuries, Palestinian sources said. They said the bomb was planted outside the home of a member of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s Fatah faction in Ain el-Hilwch camp, and exploded while the family was sleeping.Some of people including ________were killed or wounded in the blast accident.
A.mayor | B.soldiers |
C.rescue workers | D.a fire brigade official |
The suicide bomber blew himself up because________.
A.there was something wrong with his brains |
B.he couldn’t see the settlement’s mayor |
C.a soldier shot and wounded him |
D.he wanted to make himself known |
It can be concluded that the passage is most probably part of a(n)________.
A.announcement | B.advertisement |
C.science research | D.news report |
They crossed in front of me as I was driving out of the store parking lot.My first reaction was filled with anger at being delayed for a whole ten seconds.But I quickly became patient when I realized that this was an elderly couple.
The man leaned on his wife who walked in front of him.He not only used her for support but it was obvious that he was blind.The two of them worked as one—each needing the other to function in this fast-changing world.
That little example of true strength changed my whole personal perception(理解)of life that day.Suddenly I wasn’t so mad about having to work a few extra hours on Saturdays.I had my strength,and I was still relatively young.
That picture of those two elderly people walking with dignity and strength stayed with me the entire week.My life wasn’t so bad after all.I had my health and a good job.I had a wonderful,supportive wife.I started to think—not only was I lucky to have these all, but also was that wonderful old couple,who,despite the trials and sufferings of a long life,still had the love and support of each other to carry them through this world.
There are so many people out there just like that couple.My wife and I sometimes picture ourselves in our old age, walking arm in arm into the sunset.That image always gives us a warm feeling of comfort.Just remember,none of us would be here if it wasn’t for our elders.We all should spend a little extra time and patience when it comes to helping our elder friends.When the author was about to drive away,the couple.
A.entered the store | B.hit his car |
C.got in his way | D.asked him for help |
What did the author think of the couple?
A.They lived a happier life than he |
B.They were admirable for their lasting love |
C.They didn’t live a life without hardships |
D.They wouldn’t be respected for walking together. |
From the passage,we learn
A.the author hated working on Sundays |
B.the author is satisfied with his life |
C.old couples were advised to walk in the sunset |
D.many people like that couple because they are blind |
What would be the best title for this passage?
A.Spend an Extra Minute | B.Stay with Your Wife |
C.Be Careful When Driving | D.Respect the Blind,Please |
Make a five-minute film and win!
Do you love the summer holidays but hate being bored? Then why don’t you enter the Film Street Summer Shorts Competition by making a short film this summer with your family and friends?
What you have to do
To enter the competition, you have to make a short film that is around 5 minutes long (It can be shorter but not longer!) on a digital camera, or mobile phone.
Awards
The best short film entered into our competition will be shown in Film Street’s Cinema and you’ll win a Cineworld Cinema pass for yourself and three more for other members of your filmmaking crew. If you have a Cineworld Cinema pass, you can watch as many films as you like for a year, for free, at any Cineworld Cinema.
Rules
We can’t show films that tell others about either your, or any other kids’, name or address.
We can’t show films that hurt, harm or insult other people.
We can’t show films that have bad language.
Copyright Checklist
Getting permission to use someone else’s work in your film can be expensive, so check your film to make sure that:
Your film is original and you haven’t copied someone else’s.
There are no scenes of branding on shop signs, books, magazines or CDs.
There are no scenes of someone else’s artwork.
Address and Date
Post your finished film on tape, CD or DVD by Monday, October 1st, 2008 to:
Film Street Summer Shorts Competition
First Light Movies
Unit 6, Third Floor, The Bond
180-182 Fazeley Street
Birmingham
So what’s stopping you? Start making your Film Street Summer Short now!Who is the passage mainly written for?
A.Students. | B.Parents. | C.Teachers. | D.Actors. |
How many Cineworld Cinema passes will the winner of the competition be awarded in all?
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |
From the third paragraph we can learn that ________.
A.the winner’s short film can be shown in any cinema |
B.the competition is held by Cineworld Cinema |
C.the winner can watch films for free for one year at any Cineworld Cinema |
D.the winner will be paid for his short film |
The underlined word “original” is the closest in meaning to “”.
A.interesting enough | B.exciting enough |
C.good for children | D.made by yourself |
He was the baby with no name. Found and taken from the north Atlantic 6 days after the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, his tiny body so moved the salvage(救援)workers that they called him “our baby. ” In their home port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, people collected money for a headstone in front of the baby's grave, carved with the words: “To the memory of an unknown child. ” He has rested there ever since.
But history has a way of uncovering its secrets. On Nov. 5, this year, three members of a family from Finland arrived at Halifax and laid fresh flowers at the grave. “This is our baby,” says Magda Schleifer, 68, a banker. She grew up hearing stories about a great-aunt named Maria Panula, 42, who had sailed on the Titanic for America to be reunited with her husband. According to the information Mrs. Schleifer had gathered, Panula gave up her seat on a lifeboat to search for her five children -- including a 13-month-old boy named Eino from whom she had become separated during the final minutes of the crossing. "We thought they were all lost in the sea," says Schleifer.
Now, using teeth and bone pieces taken from the baby's grave, scientists have compared the DNA from the Unknown Child with those collected from members of five families who lost relatives on the Titanic and never recovered the bodies. The result of the test points only to one possible person: young Eino. Now, the family sees: no need for a new grave. "He belongs to the people of Halifax," says Schleifer. "They've taken care of him for 90 years. "
Adapted from People, November 25, 2002The baby travelled on the Titanic with his___________.
A.mother | B.parents | C.aunt | D.relatives |
What is probably the boy's last name?
A.Schleiferi | B.Eino. | C.Magda. | D.Panula. |
Some members of the family went to Halifax and put flowers at the child's grave on
Nov. 5__.
A.1912 | B.1954 | C.2002 | D.2004 |
This text is mainly about how______________.
A.the unknown baby's body was taken from the north Atlantic |
B.the unknown baby was buried in Halifax, Nova Scotia |
C.people found out who the unknown baby was |
D.people took care of the unknown baby for 90 years |
Last year more than 13 Korean (韩国) TV series were introduced in China. Turn on the TV, and Korean beauties are appearing during peak viewing times(黄金时段). Some of the dramas are being repeated, but audiences continue to watch them. Why are the South Korean TV series loved by so many Chinese people? Cheng Yiting, a student from East China Normal University, gives us her reasons. She thinks that the good-looking actors with cool clothes and the beautiful sight in the dramas are the selling points for South Korean TV dramas. But what attracted the young audiences most is the pure and moving love stories.
And it seems that South Korean TV series has also won the hearts of middle-aged people. They are touched by the morals(道德)in the shows. These include the importance of respecting elders and social order. Though some people think South Korean TV series are too slow and too long, most of the Chinese audiences like them. Maybe we are really tired of Western TV series. Compared with that, South Korean TV series are not bad. Which of the following is NOT mentioned(提及)about South Korean TV series in the passage?
A.Love | B.Morals |
C.Social order | D.The youth self-respect |
What is the main reason why South Korean TV series are popular?
A.The series are slow and long. |
B.The actors wear cool clothes. |
C.The stories with morals in them are pure and moving. |
D.The actors are cool. |
What does the writer want to tell us?
A.We are fed up with South Korean TV series. |
B.South Korean TV series is a great success and popular in China. |
C.South Korean TV series are better than Chinese TV series. |
D.We can learn a lot from Korean TV series so we need to watch them again and again. |