I have a love-hate feeling with 8 o’clock classes. I like to get started that early, but most students don’t. They usually came in late and looked sleepy at that hour.
One day I was really angry at it. I was excited about the history lesson, but no one else seemed to be. I wrote things on the blackboard. I moved around the room. I told stories. I tried humor. It was useless. Their looks didn’t seem to change. I was frustrated(挫败). I forgot to keep time. I was going to talk more when I looked down at my watch. It was already two minutes past the end of class. So I just ended suddenly and soon the students began to pick up their book bags and rushed out the door on their way to another class.
While I was watching them leaving, I put away my own books, notes and papers. I took them up and stepped out into the hall. I was tired and a bit sad. I had put everything I knew into that class and it had not seemed to work. Then, as I started across the hall to my office, a student came out the back door of the classroom and caught up with me.
Randy sat at the back of the classroom. I thought he wanted to ask why I didn’t correct their exam papers or maybe he wanted to ask for leave or… It was none of that. With his eyes sparkling (闪烁), Randy said, “Mr Green, this is the first time I’ve not wanted a college class to end.”
The tiredness disappeared. I had done better than I thought. I don’t know if Randy will ever understand how much he did for me that day.Do most students want to get started early?
What did the writer do to make his class more interesting?
Why did the writer stop the class suddenly?
What did the writer feel after the class?
What did Randy’s words mean to the writer?
Harry is a boy with a learning disability. On his fourth birthday, he was given a pug called Millie. Two weeks after the dog’s arrival, he was happier and calmer and said his first words, “dog” and “mummy”. Just two months later, thieves stole the dog, and now the heartbroken little boy is back to where he started. He has refused to talk since losing his best friend. His mother was worried and gave him another dog, but he just “pushed it away”. Mrs Hainsworth, his mother, says, “My son is very sad. He’ll go over to her cage and just beat(敲打) on the bars. There is no word coming out, but you just know he’s screaming ‘Where is Millie’ inside. Millie was really his best friend. They would play together happily for hours. None of his toys has ever held his attention that long. Now he has just completely turned quiet again. ”Harry suffers from a condition which affects his ability to speak and move. But the dog’s being with him achieved more in days than months of speech therapy and physiotherapy had. Mrs Hainsworth says, “My son was so happy when he saw Millie. Being with Millie changed him, and within two weeks he had said his first words and was working on saying ‘dad’. Just last week, his teachers and I were saying how much Millie had helped him. And now this!” Mrs Hainsworth is considering buying another pug in the hope that her son will accept it. Maureen Hennis of the charity, Pets as Therapy, says she has seen many cases of dogs helping people with speech problems. “People may talk to a dog when they wouldn’t like to talk to another human,” she says. “A dog doesn’t care if words come out wrong.” Before getting Millie, Harry .
| A．had never seen a dog |
| B．had never said a word |
| C．had received little treatment |
| D．had never played with toys |
With Millie gone, Harry .
| A．is too sad to continue learning to talk |
| B．often quietly waits for her beside the cage |
| C．keeps asking his mother to get him another pug |
| D．does not want to play with other children any more |
According to Maureen Hennis, Millie was able to help Harry because .
| A．dogs are man’s best friends |
| B．dogs are very clever and helpful |
| C．children don’t have stress when talking to dogs |
| D．children would rather talk to dogs than to humans |
Boys and girls, this summer vacation is the time for you to prepare(准备) yourself for the future. The following is some advice on how to have a wonderful vacation.
Exercise. You have worked hard most of the time. So you need to join in outdoor activities. They can bring your whole body into action. You can benefit(受益) from different kinds of exercise such as swimming, running and mountain climbing.
Learn some life skills. One day, you will live alone. You can’t depend on your family any longer. So, you should learn to cook, wash and other skills.
Go for a journey. Travel to places of interest. In this way, you’ll understand cultures that are different from that of your hometown. Beautiful sights can also make you relaxed.
Enjoy family time. Don’t always sit in front of a computer alone. It’s great fun for you to spend time with your family.
If you follow the advice above, your summer vacation will be filled with joy and success.
Advice How to
Exercise You should take part in.
You can swim, run and go mountain climbing.
Learn some
life skills You will live alone and yourself one day.
You should learn to cook, wash and other skills.
Go for a
journey Travel to places of interest.
You will understand cultures.
Enjoy family
time You shouldn’t always sit in front of a computer alone.
You will have great funwith your family.
Once there was an between the colors. Each color thought it was the best and most important. So each color looked down upon others. Here are their debates（辩论）.
Green said: “Clearly I am the most important. I am the of life and hope. I’m the color of grass, trees and leaves.
me, all animals would die.”
Yellow laughed: “I bring happiness and warmth into the world. Every time people look at a yellow sunflower, they start to smile. Without me there be no fun.”
Orange shouted: “I am the color of and strength. I have the most important vitamins (维生素). Think of carrots,
and oranges. When I appear in the sky, everyone is shocked at my beauty and nobody gives another thought to any of you.”
Red could no stand it, “I am the color of danger and bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into the blood.”
Their voices louder and louder. The thunder(雷) got angry and the rain started to pour. When they became calm, the rain said, “You foolish colors. Don’t you know that each of you is unique (独一无二)? If you don’t agree, just follow me.” They did as the rain told
and together made the most
rainbow (彩虹).
Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived there, I walked to the door and knocked, “Just a minute,” answered a weak, elderly voice.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase.
When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.
“Oh, I’m in no hurry,” she said. “I’m on my way to a hospice(临终医院). I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.”
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter(计价器).
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture(家具) shop that had once been ，a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
Sometimes she’d ask me to slow down in front of a special building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
In the early morning, she suddenly said,” I’m tired. Let’s go now.”
We drove in silence to the address she had given me.
“How much do I pay you?” she asked.
“Nothing.” I said.
“You have to make a living,” she answered. “Oh, there are other passengers,” I answered.
Almost without thinking, I gave her a hug(拥抱). She held on me and said, “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”The old woman chose to ride through the city in order to ______.
| A．show she was familiar with the city |
| B．see some places for the last time |
| C．let the driver earn more money |
| D．reach the destination on time |
The taxi driver did not get the money because he ______.
| A．wanted to give her a hand |
| B．shut off the meter by mistake |
| C．had received her payment already |
| D．was in a hurry to take other passengers |
What can we learn from the story?
| A．No pains, no gains. |
| B．People should respect(尊重) each other. |
| C．An act of kindness can bring people great joy. |
| D．People should learn to enjoy our life. |
A teacher stood in front of his history class of twenty students just before handing out(分发) the final exam. His students sat quietly and waited for him to speak. “It’s been a pleasure teaching you this term,” he said. “You’ve all worked very hard, so I have a pleasant surprise for you. Everyone who chooses not to take the final exam will get a “B” for the course.” Most of the students jumped out of their seats. They thanked the teacher happily, and walked out of the classroom. Only a few students stayed. The teacher looked at them. “This is your last chance,” he said. “Does anyone else want to leave?” All the students there stayed in their seats and took out their pencils. The teacher smiled. “Congratulations (祝贺),” he said. “I’m glad to see you believe in yourselves. You all get ‘A’s.”This story most probably took place.
| A．at the end of the term |
| B．in the middle of the term |
| C．at the beginning of the term |
| D．at the beginning of the school year |
Why did some students stay in their seats?
| A．Because they were afraid to leave. |
| B．Because they wanted to take the exam. |
| C．Because they didn’t have anything to do. |
| D．Because the teacher told them to stay in their class. |
The teacher gave the students who stayed in the classroom “A”s because.
| A．they studied hard |
| B．the teacher liked them |
| C．they believed in themselves |
| D．they were cleverer than the other students |