C
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, is an impressive deed for anyone, but especially for one man who reached the 19,340-foot peak without the use of his legs.
Chris Waddell, 43, broke his back in a skiing accident while at college in Vermont in 1988. The athlete was left paralysed from the waist down, but never gave up sports. During one sports meeting for the disabled, Waddell was the top male skier, winning 12 medals in four events. Not content with this achievement, Waddell decided to climb the highest mountain in Africa with his arms.
The adventurer began the climb with seven teammates and 60 porters, who provided support and placed boards across gaps. Despite the difficulties, the group completed the 30-mile hike from rainforest to glacier in an impressive six and a half days ---- just a couple of days longer than most able-bodied hikers.
He certainly inspired a student, Brandon Gell, after speaking at Horace Greeley High School in New York. Gell said,“I began thinking of the difficulties in my life, and they seemed unimportant. Waddell’s determination and struggles inspire me to push my own limits.”
Waddell says,“A revolution begins with something small and leads to something big ---- one turn of the crank(曲轴) can lead to peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and one word to a child can change the nature of that child’s perceptions(洞察力).”The underlined words, “was left paralysed”, in the second paragraph means ________.
| A．was given scars |
| B．became hurt deeply |
| C．was not able to bend |
| D．became unable to move |
Which of the following about Chris Waddell in NOT true?
| A．He never gave up as an athlete. |
| B．He was not satisfied with the achievement of winning 12 medals. |
| C．He can climb faster than most able-bodied climbers. |
| D．He reached the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro without using his legs. |
According to the passage, 60 porters went with Chris Waddell in order to _____.
| A．guarantee his safety |
| B．carry him across gaps |
| C．carry him up the mountain |
| D．put down boards to let him cross gaps |
For Brandon Gell, the story of Chris Waddell is _______.
| A．tragic | B．dramatic |
| C．inspiring | D．romantic |
President Abraham Lincoln often visited hospitals to talk with wounded soldiers during the Civil War.Once，Lincoln went over to the bedside of a young dying soldier.
“Is there anything I can do for you？”asked the President. The soldier obviously didn't recognize Lincoln, and with some effort he was able to whisper, “Would you please write a letter to my mother？”
So the President carefully began writing down the soldier's words，“My dearest mother, I was badly hurt while doing my duty. I'm afraid I'm not going to recover. Don't grieve too much for me, please. Kiss my sister Mary for me.May God bless you and Father.”
The soldier was too weak to continue, so Lincoln signed the letter for him and added, “Written for your son by Abraham Lincoln.”The young man asked to see the note and was astonished when he discovered who had written it.“Are you really the President？”he asked. “Yes, I am，”replied Lincoln quietly.Then he asked if there was anything else he could do.“Would you please hold my hand？”asked the soldier.“It will help to see me through to the end.”
In the quiet room, the tall gaunt (憔悴的)President took the soldier's hand and spoke warm words of encouragement until death came.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The dying soldier was filled with love. |
| B．Lincoln only signed his name in the letter instead of the soldier's. |
| C．The soldier was the only child in his family. |
| D．Lincoln often wrote letters for the wounded. |
When the soldier's mother read the letter, she would probably be________.
| A．sad but feel greatly relieved |
| B．apologetic but grateful |
| C．calm and thankful |
| D．sorry and feel it unexpected |
The underlined word “grieve” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by“________”．
| A．feel worried | B．feel sad | C．cry | D．miss |
In writing the passage，the author intends to________.
| A．tell us war is cruel | B．make us laugh |
| C．draw our attention | D．tell us Lincoln was great |
On Boy's Day，children don't have to go to school.Every family with a boy hangs up huge carpshaped flags.The flags are usually three colors：black(representing the father)，red (representing the mother)and blue(representing the son). Japanese parents believe that the flags will bring their boys good luck and give them courage and power.
May 5th is Japanese Children's Day. But since the festival is mainly celebrated by boys，it is usually called Boy's Day. The celebration of Boy's Day has a long history.It is said that the festival is derived from the Dragon Boat Festival in China.
On this day，Japanese boys eat a special kind of rice cake. It is covered with a leaf and filled with bean paste (豆酱)．Children love to eat it. And eggs on leaves are another traditional food.
Japanese children are so happy that they have three festivals each year. In addition to Boy's Day，they also have Girl's Day and the 753 Festival.
Girl's Day is the girl's festival on March 3. It is also called the Doll's Festival because on that day，families get a set of dolls at home for their daughters. It is celebrated because the parents want their daughters to be strong and healthy.
The 753 Festival is for children aged three, five and seven years old. Japanese people think that these three ages are the luckiest ones in one's life. On that day, these children get special candies wrapped in beautiful bags.The candy is a symbol of a long and healthy life for these children. The 753 Festival falls in November.What is the BEST title for the passage?
| A．Japanese 753 Festival |
| B．Japanese Boy's Day |
| C．Japanese Girl's Day |
| D．Japanese Children's Day |
On Boy's Day，you may not see________.
| A．eggs on leaves |
| B．leaves filled with bean paste |
| C．carpshaped flags |
| D．dolls |
Which of the Days is said to come from a Chinese festival?
| A．International Children's Day |
| B．Boy's Day |
| C．Girl's Day |
| D．The 753 Festival |
According to the passage，why do the girls in Japan always receive dolls on Girl's Day?
| A．Because girls themselves want dolls. |
| B．Because doll factories want to send dolls to girls to celebrate Girl's Day. |
| C．Because parents want their daughters to be healthy. |
| D．Because parents believe dolls can bring them good luck. |
The arrival of autumn starts the traditional fall festivals which aim to welcome the new season. Here's a guide to several fall festivals that are held in the Roanoke region each year.
Boones Mill Apple Festival
It is held the third Saturday in September every year.The festival is hosted by the Boones Mill Lions Club and attracts(吸引) people from all over Virginia. The most important things of the festival include art shows, fried apple pies，and a high school band. There are lots of food，crafts，music，and games for every age group. Admission (入场费) is free. For more information, call 540－334－5975.
Blue Ridge Folklife Festival
Ferrum College hosts the festival as an October celebration of the harvest every year.The festival shows some farm fresh produce and the farming practices of the last year.Children can enjoy playing many of the games.The festival begins at 10：00 a．m.Admission is $ 10 for adults and $ 5 for children and senior citizens.You can call 540－365－4412 or visit the website：http：//www，blueridgeinstitute.org.
Mountain Magic Fall Festival
The town of Buchanan on the outskirts of Roanoke is the place where the Mountain Magic Fall Festival is held.The festival is held in October and has two to four groups of crafters，antique dealers，and food vendors.Live Bluegrass music plays all day and children enjoy visiting the pet zoo. The auto show and farmers' market are also big attractions. Call 540－357－2509 for more information.
Vinton Fall Festival
A 5K walk, a truck ride, and a civil war group are just some of the exciting parts of the Vinton Fall Festival.The festival is held in October under the golden shade trees in downtown Vinton.Other attractions include hayrides，agriculture judging, health education，and children's activities.Phone: 540－343－1364.If a boy and his parents go to Blue Ridge Folklife Festival，they should pay________.
| A．$5 | B．$10 | C．$15 | D．$25 |
By visiting the website you can learn more information about________.
| A．Boones Mill Apple Festival |
| B．Blue Ridge Folklike Festival |
| C．Mountain Magic Fall Festival |
| D．Vinton Fall Festival |
If your children want to see some animals，you probably should go to ________.
| A．Boones Mill Apple Festival |
| B．Blue Ridge Folklife Festival |
| C．Mountain Magic Fall Festival |
| D．Vinton Fall Festival |
Which would be the BEST title for this passage?
| A．Autumn—the Season of Harvest in America |
| B．Traditional Fall Festivals in the Roanoke Region |
| C．Interesting History of Some Traditional Festivals |
| D．The Differences Between the Traditional Festivals |
Do you enjoy reading? Do you read newspapers or magazines? Chances are, if you do any of these activities, your preschool child is on his way to becoming a reader.
The process of learning to read is complex, and one of the most important things to know is that parents can help their children learn to read.As children have conversations with adults, they hear both new and familiar words and their vocabulary grows.
There are many opportunities for adults and children to talk together, such as when riding in the car or in a bus, doing housework like fixing dinner，or bathing and getting ready for bed. A major part of conversation is listening. When children talk, adults listen and respond.Then children listen and respond，and so the flow of conversation happens.
Have you watched your preschool child pretend to read to his younger sisters or brothers? Have you read his favorite story over and over？These experiences tell children that reading is fun.And when things are fun and they are repeated, your child will see letters. He begins to connect them to familiar words, especially the letters that make up his name.A natural next step for him to take is to write the letters.
When children see parents make a grocery list，they want to use a pencil and paper to make their own list. To encourage these beginning writing activities, have pencils, markers, crayons and scrap paper within your children's reach.
The more children get connected with talking，listening, reading and writing, the easier it is for them to become active readers. While you as a parent have a big influence on these early behaviors, it is important to remember that opportunities for literacy experiences happen when you and your child share in the basic routines(日常生活) of everyday life.The third paragraph tell us that parents can talk with their children________.
| A．during daily routines |
| B．only in quiet places |
| C．in their spare time |
| D．when they are eager to talk |
During the process of learning to read，children may ________.
| A．copy the action of the adults |
| B．prefer to talk with those of their own age |
| C．show no interest in reading at all |
| D．waste a lot of paper and other materials |
When do children want to learn to write?
| A．When their parents ask them to do so. |
| B．When they believe they can write well. |
| C．When they know what they want to know. |
| D．When they can connect letters with familiar words. |
The passage is written to________.
| A．talk about parents' influence on their children's behavior |
| B．encourage parents to set a good example to their children |
| C．advise parents to make reading a part of their children's daily life |
| D．make parents believe in the importance of early reading |
When people want to know about the weather，they usually go to their radios, TVs, newspapers, or to the Internet. However，you can also find many weather signs among wildlife, because of their highly developed senses. Drops in air pressure (压力) produce an effect on small animals in many ways. Mice and deer are good weather indicators.People who spend a lot of time outdoors have observed that, before a storm, field mice come out of their holes and run around.Deer leave high ground and come down from the mountains.
Birds are especially good weather indicators because they also show the effect of a pressure drop in many ways.For example, some birds become irritable(急躁的) and quarrelsome and will fight over a piece of bread.Other birds chirp (叽叽喳喳) and sing just before a storm.It seems that they know they won't get another chance for an hour or two.Birds also seek safe places before a storm. You will sometimes see birds settling in trees or gathering together on a wire close to a building. Prestorm low pressure makes the air so thin that birds have difficulty flying.
It is unusual to see many birds flying overhead in the summertime，rather than during the periods in the spring or autumn. Watch for other weather signs if you see this.If they fly in the wrong direction, they may be flying ahead of a storm.
By paying closer attention to some important signs in nature，we can become better prepared for any kind of weather.There will be a storm if birds________.
| A．make more noise than usual |
| B．fly in different directions |
| C．come down from tall trees |
| D．share a piece of bread |
How can birds sense the coming of a storm?
| A．By feeling a drop in air temperature. |
| B．By noticing the change of wind directions. |
| C．By feeling a drop in air pressure. |
| D．By noticing the movements of other animals. |
The BEST title for the text would be________.
| A．Signs of a Storm | B．Drops in Air Pressure |
| C．Animals' Sharp Senses | D．Nature's Weather Signs |