Mark Twain is someone Americans are taught to love. Older relatives, English teachers and the media always praise him. But when you actually take the time to read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, you find that his work is more wonderful than you could ever imagine.
The novel describes a young boy named Tom Sawyer growing up in a small town along the Mississippi River. He explores the countryside on a riverboat with his friends, falls in love with girls, starts secret clubs and searches for treasure. Twain’s idea of childhood is magical – a time of imagination, wonder and, of course, adventure.
More importantly, through the eyes of Tom Sawyer, Twain cleverly makes fun of US culture. For example, Tom hates going to church, and Twain uses scenes of Tom there to mock religion(宗教) and its old traditions.
Twain’s writing is full of these kinds of critical (批判的) points about culture and politics(政治). That’s why he is so loved in the US – he wasn’t afraid to state his opinions, and he did so clearly.
He also believed strongly in women’s right to vote in elections and gave a famous speech on the subject, called “Votes for Women”, in 1901.
“Tom was a great hero once more——the pet of the old, the envy of the young,” Twain writes in Tom Sawyer. But he could just as well be describing himself.According to the writer, after reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, you are likely to think ___.
| A．it’s not worth all the praise |
| B．it’s as wonderful as you imagined |
| C．it’s better to read it with teachers |
| D．it’s even better than you imagined |
What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
| A．A brief(简要的) description of the novel. |
| B．Where Twain’s idea of childhood comes from. |
| C．How naughty and adventurous Tom Sawyer is. |
| D．What makes Tom Sawyer’s adventures so wonderful. |
What does the underlined word “mock” mean?
| A．make changes to | B．make fun of |
| C．give reasons for | D．give examples of |
Why is Twain so loved in the US according to the article?
| A．He supported women’s right to vote. |
| B．He wrote bad things about US wars abroad. |
| C．He criticized American culture and society(社会) clearly and cleverly. |
| D．He showed readers a magical childhood that everyone would love. |
Which is the best title of this passage?
| A．Mark Twain never stops laughing at US society |
| B．Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer |
| C．Mark Twain’s life |
| D．The Adventures of Tom Sawyer |
A
Do you like sports? Do you only watch sports on TV? Please join(加入)our school
sports clubs(俱乐部). Let’s play sports and have fun!
| Tennis Club A great tennis collection. Many tennis bats and tennis balls. For boys and girls. Call Mrs. Black at 822-8787. |
Ping-pong Club A great ping-pong collection. Many ping- pong bats and ping-pong balls. For boys and girls, Phone number:821-4466. |
||
| Volleyball Club The sport is fun. For girls only. Phone number:826-9432. |
Soccer Club A relaxing sport. Only for boys. Call Mr. Brown at 828-3848. |
||
| Baseball Club An interesting ball game. For boys and girls. Call Miss. Hand at 881-5610. |
|||
Call Mrs. Black and join the_________ club.
| A．soccer | B．volleyball |
| C．baseball | D．tennis |
_________ clubs are for boys and girls.
| A．Two | B．Three |
| C．Four | D．Five |
Boys can't go to the_________ club.
| A．volleyball | B．basketball |
| C．ping-pong | D．soccer |
If(如果) you want to join the baseball club, you can call_________.
| A．826-9432 | B．828-3848 |
| C．881-5 610 | D．821-4466 |
Soccer is a_______ sport.
| A．difficult | B．last |
| C．relaxing | D．boring |
D
Feeding a crowd of hundreds doesn’t make Kenny Seals-Nutt nervous.In fact, he thrives in the kitchen. He’s in his perfect place when dicing tomatoes, making salads and baking cakes.
By the time Kenny, 16, reached his third year of high school at Hickory Grove, North Carolina, US, he had become vice president of his school’s cooking club. He also opened his own food company, called Modern Fusion.
Kenny said he developed his love of cooking by watching his mother, and his grandmother, who owned a catering (饮食业) business herself. Kenny helped them both in order to remember their tips: how long to cook chicken so it stays wet, and the right amount of tomatoes to add to a spaghetti dish.
At the age of 5, he cooked his first dish of shrimp and broccoli. Taking it for his school lunch, he warmed it up in the school’s microwave, while the other kids ate their sandwiches.
“I love to eat, and it started to become more fun to cook than to use a microwave,” he said.
Cooking came easy to Kenny, and he enjoyed adding new ingredients into common dishes. “It started with a passion (热情) and I wanted to know more,” he said. He began to watch the Food Network and read chef blogs.
Last summer, Kenny put his skills to the test by working with his grandmother to cater his uncle’s wedding. While she cooked traditional dishes, Kenny wanted to add new to the expected flavors (风味).
Now Kenny spends his weekends catering his own events: weddings, birthday parties, baby showers. Kenny’s dishes are always a hit.
Chef Frederick Mookie Hicks, owner of a catering business, said Kenny’s success comes from his ability to multitask in the kitchen. Hicks said he has asked Kenny to cook with him on jobs three times now, and he presents Kenny as a positive example of a passionate chef to the students in his cooking classes.
“He’s so vigorous (精神饱满的) about cooking that he doesn’t let anything stop him,” Hicks said. “I knew in the first five minutes of working with the kid that he is something special.”How is Kenny different from other students?
| A．He opened a cooking club in his high school. |
| B．He is famous on the Food Network. |
| C．He owned a food company at 16. |
| D．He loves to multi-task. |
What does the underlined word “thrives” probably mean?
| A．works energetic | B．grows fast |
| C．learns quickly | D．makes progress |
Which of the following best describes Kenny’s cooking?
| A．Traditional. | B．Creative. |
| C．Simple. | D．Strange. |
We can conclude from the article that ______.
| A．Kenny proved himself by catering his uncle’s wedding alone |
| B．Kenny likes to follow his mother’s recipe when cooking |
| C．Kenny was able to cook his first dish in primary school |
| D．Kenny’s success in cooking has a lot to do with his family |
C
Some people think only school children do not agree with their parents, however, it is not true.
Communication is a problem for parents and children of all ages. If it’s hard for you to communicate with your parents, don’t worry about it. Here are some advice for you to bridge the generation gap (消除代沟).
Don’t argue (争辩) with your parents. Don’t get to your parents when you are angry. Your parents probably won’t consider your ideas if you are shouting at them. And you can’t express yourself well if you are angry. Go someplace to cool off. Make sure you understand why you are unhappy. Then think about what you want to say to your parents. If you don’t think you can speak to them at the moment, try writing a letter.
Try to reach a compromise (和解). Perhaps you and your parents disagree on something. You can keep your disagreement and try your best to accept each other. Michael’s mother didn’t agree with him about buying a motorcycle. They argued over it. But they finally came to a compromise. Michael bought the motorcycle, but only drove it on certain days.
Of course, your parents might refuse to compromise on something. In these situations, it is especially important to show love and respect (尊敬) to them. Showing respect will keep your relationship strong.
Talk about your values. The values of your parents are probably different from those of your own. Tell your parents what you care about, and why. Understanding your values might help them see your purposes in life.
A good relationship with your parents can make you a better and happier person. It is worth having a try!The passage tells us _______ have a communication problem.
| A．parents and other people |
| B．school kids and their parents |
| C．teachers and their students |
| D．parents and children of all ages |
Your parents probably won’t consider your ideas if you _______.
| A．don’t get to them often |
| B．write a letter to them |
| C．don’t speak to them politely |
| D．express yourself well |
From the passage we learn that _______.
| A．parents and children should not have a generation gap |
| B．parents should show love and respect to their children |
| C．there are some good ways to bridge the generation gap |
| D．there are so many serious problems in families today |
B
It is well-known that the “prom”, a formal dance held at the end of high school or college, is an important date in every student’s life. What is less well-known is that the word “prom” comes from the verb “to promenade”, which means to walk around, beautifully dressed, in order to attract attention. The idea is that you should see and be seen by others.
The prom is not just an American tradition, though most people believe that it started in America. In Canada the event is called a “formal”. In Britain and Australia the old fashioned word “dance” is more and more frequently being referred to as a “prom”. Most countries have some form of celebration when students finish high school: after all, it means the end of life as a child, and the beginning of life as an adult.
The prom is expensive to organize and the tickets can cost students a lot of money. The tradition is that students themselves have to raise the money to pay for it. Selling the students newspapers is one way to raise money; so is taking a part-time job at the weekend.
Although the prom should be the experience of a lifetime, it also worries many students. There is the problem of what to wear, who to take as your partner, who will be voted “prom queen”, etc. And it is not only students who feel worried. What many parents find difficult is the realization that their children’s school days are almost over. However, for most people at the prom, once the music starts playing, everyone relaxes and stops worrying.In which country is the prom called a “formal”?
| A．America. | B．Canada. | C．Britain. | D．Australia. |
Why is the prom important in the students’ lives?
| A．It’s the sign of becoming an adult. |
| B．It’s an old tradition in many countries. |
| C．There are many problems to work out. |
| D．The students can raise money by themselves. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The history of the prom. |
| B．The traditions of the prom. |
| C．The development of the prom. |
| D．The general information of the prom. |
A
Advertisements
| Guitar Lessons A very good musician. Doing well in teaching kids for ten years. Your home or mine. Call Miss Wang at 6695325. |
| For Sale Coat for man, size 42, $85, after 6 pm, call 8830553. Color TV, size 21, $150; MP3 player, $45; Recorder, $25. Call 6963749. |
Help Wanted If you can find a few hours during the day to look after 2 school children, please call 3133696. We are looking for a computer trained secretary. He or she should have experience working on computers. Call 5201318. |
| Lost A yellow bag with a mobile phone and some books was left behind the library. Will the finder come to Class 7, Grade 3? |
If you want a musician to teach your kid guitar, which number will you call?
| A．5201318. | B．6963749. |
| C．6695325. | D．3133696. |
What can’t you buy in the second advertisement?
| A．TV. | B．Walkman. |
| C．Recorder. | D．MP3 player. |
What’s in the lost yellow bag?
| A．A mobile phone and a wallet. |
| B．A mobile phone and some books. |
| C．Some books and an ID card. |
| D．Some books and a wallet. |