Andy rode slowly on his way to school, day-dreaming about the fishing trip that his father had promised him. He was so busy dreaming about all the fish he would catch that he was unaware of everything else around him.
He rode along until a strange sound drew him to the present. He came to a stop and looked curiously up to the sky. What he saw shocked and terrified him. A huge swarm of bees filled the sky like a black cloud and the buzzing mass seemed to be heading angrily towards him.
With no time to waste, Andy sped off in the opposite direction, riding furiously—but without knowing how to escape the swarm. As the bees came closer, his panic increased. Andy knew that he was sensitive to bee stings(蜇). The last sting had landed him in hospital—and that was only one bee sting! Suddenly, his father’s words came to him. “When you are in a tight situation, don’t panic. Use your brain and think your way out of it.”
On a nearby hill, he could see smoke waving slowly skywards from the chimney of the Nelson family home. “Bees don’t like smoke,” he thought. “They couldn’t get into the house.” But Andy knew he could not reach the house in time. He estimated that the bees would catch up with him soon.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted a small dam used by Mr. Nelson. Off his bike and into the cool water he dived, disappearing below the surface and away from the savage insects. After holding his breath for as long as he could, Andy came up for air and noticed the bees had gone. Dragging himself out of the dam, he struggled up the hilly slope and rang the doorbell. Mrs. Nelson took him inside and rang his mother.Why did Andy fail to notice the swarm of bees earlier?
| A．He was riding to school. |
| B．He was listening to a strange sound. |
| C．He was going fishing with his father. |
| D．He was lost in the thought of the fishing trip. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the swarm of bees in the passage?
| A．They crowded like a black cloud. |
| B．They shocked and terrified Andy. |
| C．They tried to attack Andy in a mass. |
| D．They made Andy stay in hospital for two days. |
How did Andy avoid the bees in the end?
| A．He asked Mr. Nelson for help. |
| B．He hid himself under the water. |
| C．He rushed into the Nelson house. |
| D．He rode off in the opposite direction. |
Which of the following can best describe Andy’s escape from the bees?
| A．No pains, no gains. |
| B．Once bitten, twice shy. |
| C．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| D．In time of danger, one’s mind works fast. |
There are many places to go on safari（观赏野生动物）in Africa, but riding a horse through the flooded waters of Botswana's Okavango Delta must rank as one of the world's most exciting wildlife journeys.
Several safari camps operate as the base for this adventure, providing unique rides twice a day to explore deep into the delta. The camps have excellent horses, professional guides and lots of support workers. They have a reputation for providing a great riding experience.
The morning ride, when the guides take you to beautiful, shallow lakes full of water lilies, tends to be more active. It is unlike any other riding experience. With rainbows forming in the splashing water around you and the sound of huge drops of water bouncing off your body and face. It is truly exciting. You are very likely to come across large wild animals, too. On horseback it is possible to get quite close to elephants, giraffes and many other animals. The sense of excitement and tension levels rise suddenly though, as does your heart rate, as you move closer to them.
In the evening, rides are usually at a more relaxed and unhurried pace. With golden light streaming across the grassy delta and the animals coming out to eat and drink. Sedate though they are, rides at this time of day are still very impressive. As the sun's rays pass through the dust kicked up by the horses, the romance of Africa comes to life.
Back at the camp you can kick off your boots and enjoy excellent food and wine. Looking back on your day, you will find it hard to deny that a horseback Safari is as close as you will ever come to answering the call of the wild.What does the underlined word "They" refer to?
| A．Flooded waters | B．Wildlife journey |
| C．Safari camps | D．Unique rides |
What does the author find most exciting about a horse safari?
| A．Seeing and feeling the real African life. |
| B．Enjoying good food and wine at the camp. |
| C．Hunting large animals just as our ancestors did. |
| D．Being part of the scene and getting close to animals. |
What does the underlined word "sedate" probably mean?
| A．Wild and romantic | B．Slow and peaceful |
| C．Hurry and thirsty | D．Active and excited |
The author introduced the riding experience in the OKavango Delta mainly by________.
| A．Following space order | B．Following time order |
| C．Making classifications | D．Giving examples |
LakeLander ·2 hours ago
Today, a man talked very loud on his phone on a train between Malvern and Reading, making many passengers upset. I wonder how he would react if I were to read my newspaperoutloudonthetrain, Ihave never had the courage to do it, though.
Pak50 ··· ·57 minutes ago
Why not give it a try? Perhaps you should take lessons on a
musical instrument. The late musician Dennis Brian is said to have
asked a fellow train passenger to turn off his radio. When his
request was refused, he took out his French horn(号) and started to practice.
Angie O'Edema·42 minutes ago
I don't see how musical instruments can help improve manners in public. Don't do to others what you wouldn't like to be done to yourself. Once, a passenger next to me talked out loud on his mobile phone. I left my seat quietly, giving him some privacy to finish his conversation. He realized this and apologised to me. When his phone rang again later, he left his seat to answer it. You see, a bit of respect and cooperation can do the job better.
Taodas ·29 minutes ago
I did read my newspaper out loud on a train, and it turned out well. The guy took it in good part, and we chatted happily all the way to Edinburgh.
Sophie 76 ·13minutes ago
I have not tried reading my newspaper out loud on a train, but ,several years ago, I read some chapters from Harry Porter to my bored and noisy children. Several passengers seemed to appreciate what I did.
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The passenger made an apology to Angie O'Edema because.
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| 2． |
Who once read a newspaper out loud on a train?
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| 3． |
What is the discussion mainly about?
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| 4． |
Where is the passage most probably taken from?
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In ancient Egypt, a shopkeeper discovered that he could attract customers to his shop simply by making changes to its environment. Modern businesses have been following his lead,with more tactics（策略）.
One tactic involves where to display the goods. Foe example, stores place fruits and vegetables in the first section. They know that customers who buy the healthy food first will feel happy so that they will buy more junk food（垃圾食品）later in their trip. In department stores, section is generally next to the women's cosmetics(化妆品) section：while the shop assistant is going back to find the right size shoe, bored customers are likely to wander over cosmetics they might want to try later.
Besides, businesses seek to appeal to customers' senses. Stores notice that the smell of baked goods encourages shopping, they make their own bread each morning and then fan the bread smell into the store throughout the day. Music sells goods, too. Researchers in Britain found that when French music was played, sales of French wine went up.
When it comes to the selling of houses, businesses also use highly rewarding tactics. They find that customers make decision in the first few second upon walking in the door, and turn it into a business opportunity. A California builder designed the structure of its houses smartly. When entering the house, the customer would see the Pacific Ocean through the windows, and then the poll through an open stairway leading to the lower level. The instant view of water on both levels helped sell these $10 million houses.
| 1． |
Why do stores usually display fruits and vegetables in the first section?
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| 2． |
According to Paragraph 3, which of the following encourages customers to buy?
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| 3． |
What is the California builder's story intended to prove?
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| 4． |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
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At thirteen, I was diagnosed（诊所） with kind of attention disorder. It made school difficult for me. When everyone else in the class was focusing on tasks, I could not.
In my first literature class, Mrs.Smith asked us to read a story and then write on it, all within 45 minutes. I raised my hand right away and said,"Mrs.Smith, you see, the doctor said I have attention problems. I might not be able to do it."
She glanced down at me through her glasses, "you are no different from your classmates, young man."
I tried, but I didn't finish the reading when the bell rang. I had to take it home.
In the quietness of my bedroom, the story suddenly all became clear to me. It was about a blind person, Louis Braille. He lived in a time when the blind couldn't get much education. But Louis didn't give up. Instead, he invented a reading system of raised dots（点）, which opened up a whole new world of knowledge to the blind.
Wasn't I the "blind" in my class, being made to learn like the "sighted" students? My thoughts spilled out and my pen started to dance. I completed the task within 40 minutes. Indeed, I was no different from others; Ijust needed a quieter place. If Louis could find his way out of his problems, why should I ever give up?
I didn't expect anything when I handled in my paper to Mrs.Smith, so it was quite a surprise when it came back to me the next day- with an"A" on it. At the bottom of the paper were these words:" See what you can do when you keep trying?"
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The author didn't finish the reading in class because.
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| 2． |
What do we know about Louis Braille from the passage?
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| 3． |
What was Mrs.Smith 's attitude to the author at the end of the story?
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| 4． |
What is the main idea of the passage?
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D
In 2004 ,when my daughter Becky was ten , she and my husband ,Joe, were united in their desire for a dog . As for me , I shared none of their canine lust.
But why , they pleaded. “Because I don’t have time to take care of a dog.” But we’ll do it. ” Really? You’re going to walk the dog? Feed the dog? Bathe the dog?” Yes, yes , and yes .”I don’t believe you .” We will . We promise.
They didn’t . From day two (everyone wanted to walk the cute puppy that first day ) , neither thought to walk the dog . While I was slow to accept that I would be the one to keep track of her shots , to schedule her vet appointments , to feed and clean her , Misty knew this on day one . As she looked up at the three new humans in her life (small, medium, and large) , she calculated ,”The medium one is the sucker in the pack .”
Quickly, she and I developed something very similar to a Vulcan mind meld (心灵融合) . She’d look at me with those sad brown eyes of hers , beam her need , and then wait , trusting I would understand — which , strangely , I almost always did . In no time , she became my feet as I read , and splaying across my stomach as I watched television .
Even so , part of me continued to resent walking duty . Joe and Becky had promised. Not fair , I’d balk (不心甘情愿地做) silently as she and I walked . “Not fair , ” I’ d loudly remind anyone within earshot upon our return home .
Then one day — January 1, 2007 , to be exact — my husband ‘ s doctor uttered an unthinkable word : leukemia ( 白血病) .With that , I spent eight to ten hours a day with Joe in the hospital , doing anything and everything I could to ease his discomfort. During those six months of hospitalizations, Becky, 12 at the time, adjusted to other adults being in the house when she returned from school. My work colleagues adjusted to my taking off at a moment's notice for medical emergencies. Every part of my life changed; no part of my old routine remained.
Save one: Misty still needed walking. At the beginning, when friends offered to take her
through her paces, I declined because I knew they had their own households to deal with.
As the months went by，I began to realize that I actually wanted to walk Misty. The walk in the morning before I headed to the hospital was a quiet, peaceful time to gather my thoughts or to just be before the day's medical drama unfolded. The evening walk was a time to shake off the day's upsets and let the worry tracks in my head go to white noise.
When serious illness visits your household, it's , not just your daily routine and your assumptions about the future that are no longer familiar. Pretty much everyone you acts differently.
Not Misty. Take her for a walk, and she had no interest in Joe's blood counts or ’one marrow test results. On the street or in the park, she had only one thing on her mind: squirrels! She Was so joyous that even on the worst days, she could make me smile. On a daily basis she reminded me that life goes on.
After Joe died in 2009，Misty slept on his pillow.
I'm grateful一to a point. The truth is, after years of balking, I've come to enjoy m’ walks with Misty. As I watch her chase after a squirrel, throwing her whole being into the here-and-now of an exercise that has never once ended in victory, she reminds me, too, that no matter how harsh the present or unpredictable the future , there's almost always some measure of joy to be extracted from the moment.why didn't the writer agree to raise a dog at the beginning of the story?
| A．She was afraid the dog would get the family, into trouble. |
| B．It would be her business to take care of the dog |
| C．Her husband and daughter were united as one. |
| D．She didn't want to spoil he’ daughter. |
Which of the following is the closest in meaning to "The medium one is “he sucker in the pack.” (Paragraph 3)?
| A．"The middle-aged person loves me most.” |
| B．”The medium-sized woman is the hostess.” |
| C．"The man in the middle is the one who has the final say.” |
| D．"The woman is the kind and trustworthy one in the family.” |
It can be inferred from Paragraph 3 that_______.
| A．Misty was quite clever |
| B．Misty could solve math problems |
| C．the writer was a slow learner |
| D．no one walked Misty the first day |
The story came to its turning point when________.
| A．Joe died in 2009 |
| B．Joe fell ill in 2007 |
| C．the writer began to walk the dog |
| D．the dog tired to please the writer |
Why did the writer continue to walk Misty while Joe was in hospital?
| A．Misty couldn’t live without her |
| B．Her friends didn’t offer any help |
| C．The walk provided her with spiritual comfort. |
| D．She didn't want Misty to ’others companion. |
What is the message the writer wants to convey in the passage?
| A．One should learn to enjoy hard times. |
| B．A disaster can change everything in life. |
| C．Moments of joy suggest that there is still hope ahead. |
| D．People will change their attitude toward you when you are in difficulty. |