Dear Grandma,
It was nice seeing you at Christmas.You looked so happy!
After losing two grandparents within the past year, I have taken some time to reflect on what is most important.I want to let you know what a positive influence you have been on me.I am the person I am because of you.
I remember being on your farm a lot when I was younger.I remember the projects you planned for us.We painted rocks to represent our family members.We made doll clothes out of colorful socks.We made many "playhouses" in the woods.
We learned that if you left a bucket of soybeans in the rain, you would soon have a bucket of growing beans.We learned that if we helped pick the strawberries in the morning, we'd have them on our ice cream in the afternoon.We learned that some plants have funny names, like the elephant ear plant.We learned that you could make do with what you had.We learned that making things out of paper and cardboard was more fun than what came inside the packaging.We learned it was OK to get dirty, but Grandma would wash us up before Mom came.
You once made models of everyone's houses, which made me want to be an architect.Another time, you made quilts for all of the grandkids.I still use mine every night.The edge has worn out.
But you taught me how to fix it.
I love and respect you.You are always patient, with a quiet determination.
Grandma, thank you for everything you have taught me.I hope that I am able to pass on all these memories and skills to my children and grandchildren.
Love always,
KellyAfter losing two grandparents, the author began to _____.
A.realize her grandma's influence on her |
B.become a person like her grandma |
C.write to her grandma regularly |
D.like her grandma very much |
On her grandma's farm, Kelly learned to ______.
A.make strawberry ice cream |
B.name different funny plants |
C.mend the worn-out edge of her quilt |
D.use cupboards to make models of houses |
Kelly's grandma ______.
A.was willing to help others |
B.was skilled in making things |
C.wanted Kelly to be an architect |
D.disliked the kids' bad behaviors |
Kelly wrote this letter mainly to ______.
A.send her grandma best wishes for Christmas |
B.show love and respect for her grandma |
C.recall her happy life on the farm |
D.ask her grandma for help |
Madame Curie ,the youngest of five children ,was born in Warsaw ,Poland in 1867. Marie Curie's maiden name was Manya. Her parents were teachers,and she learned the importance of education at an early age. No higher education was offered to women in Poland at that time,so Manya took a job as a governess(女家庭教师). She sent part of her income to Paris to help pay for her older sister's medical studies. Her sister qualified as a doctor and married a fellow doctor in 1891. Manya went to join them in Paris ,changing her name to Marie. She entered the Sorbonne(now the Universities of Paris)and studied physics and mathematics, graduating at the top of her class. For the research she wanted to do , she was introduced to another young scientist, Pierre Curie. Later they fell in love with each other . After their marriage, they worked together on radioactivity.
Fame troubled Marie Curie and also her husband, because science was their world and in this world of science fame and honor to persons had no value. One day when a writer for a newspaper tried to ask Marie about herself and her thoughts and her beliefs, she answered him, “In science we must be interested in things,not in persons.” Much of the real character and spirit of this unusual woman was found in these few words,which she was later often to repeat. One evening, at a big party,a friend asked if she would like to meet the King of Greece,who was also a guest.She answered in her simple manner, “I don't see the value of it.” Then,seeing that she had hurt the feelings of her friend, she quickly added, “But …but…of course,I shall do whatever you please. Just as you please.”
1、What did Marie Curie once do to help pay for her older sister's medical studies?
A.She was a teacher. B.She was a doctor.
C.She was a governess. D.She was a waitress.
2、What was valuable to Marie Curie?
A.science and research. B.fame and honor.
C.character and spirit. D.persons and things.
3、The writer for a newspaper was interested in____.
A.things B.Marie Curie C.Marie's husband D.persons
4、What do you think might have happened between Marie Curie and the King of Greece?
A.The King was angry with Marie Curie.
B.For the sake of her friend Marie Curie met the King of Greece.
C.The King of Greece wrote a letter to invite Marie Curie to meet him.
D.Marie Curie held another party for the King.
Ⅳ、阅读(每小题2分,满分30分)
Here is a humorous story. Frank Smithson woke up and leaned over to turn off the alarm clock.“Oh,no!”he thought to himself.“Another day at that office;a boss who shouts at me all the time.”
As Frank went downstairs his eyes fell on a large brown envelope by the door.He was overjoyed when he opened it and read the letter inside. “Bigwoods Football Pools(足球赌博公司)would like to congratulate you.You have won half a million pounds.”
Frank suddenly came to life.The cigarette(香烟) fell from his lips as he let out a shout that could be heard halfway down the street.
At 11:30 Frank arrived at work.“Please explain why you're so late,”his boss said.“Go and jump in the lake,” replied Frank. “I've just come into a little money so this is goodbye.Find yourself someone else to shout at.”
That evening Frank was smoking a very expensive Havana cigar(雪茄)when a knock was heard on the door.He rushed to the door.Outside were two men,neatly dressed in grey suits.“Mr Smithson,” one of them said,“We're from Bigwoods Football Pools.I'm afraid there’s been a terrible mistake……”
1.What do we know about Frank?
A.He was a lazy man. B.He was a lucky person.
C.He made a lot of money. D.He didn't get on well with his boss.
2.Why did Frank dare to shout to his boss?
A. Because he found a better job.
B. Because his boss did not like him.
C. Because he thought he did not need the job.
D. Because he was not late in fact.
3. When he heard the knock at the door,Frank probably thought __.
A.someone had come to make an apology.
B.someone had come to give him the money.
C.his friends had come to ask about the football pools.
D.his friends had come to congratulate him on his luck.
4.On hearing“…there's been a terrible mistake…”Frank was most likely to be________.
A.disappointed. B.worried. C.nervous. D.curious.
Equipped only with a pair of binoculars (双筒望远镜) and ready to spend long hours waiting in all weathers for a precious glance of a rare bullfinch(红腹灰雀). Britain’s birdwatchers had long been supposed to be lovers of a minority sport. But new figures show birdwatching is fast becoming a popular pastime, with almost three million of us absorbed in our fluttering feathered friends.
Devoted birdwatchers, those prepared to travel thousands of miles for a sighting of a rare Siberian bird, are fast being joined by a new breed of follower whose interest is satiated by watching a few finches (雀科鸣鸟) on a Sunday walk or putting up a bird-box in the back garden.
“Almost three million UK birdwatchers is certainly possible if you include everyone with only a casual interest,” Stephen Moss said in his newly published book—A Bird in the Bush: a Social History of Birdwatching—which records the pursuit from the rich Victorian Englishman’s love of shooting rare birds to the less offensive observational tendencies of birdwatchers today.
Television wildlife programs have helped to fuel the new trend. Last summer, BBC 2’s Britain Goes Wild was a surprise success. It pulled in three million viewers and led to bird-houses selling out across the UK as 45,000 people promised to put up a box.
Birdwatchers’ networking system first came to the attention of the nation in 1989, when a birdwatcher caught sight of the first Vermivora chrysoptera — a golden-winged songbird from North America—to be seen in Britain. He put a message out on the network service Birdline, and next day 3,000 birdwatchers proved the full pull of a truly rare bird as they visited the Tesco car park in Kent, where it had settled. Today, birdwatchers can log on to www.birdline.co.uk or have news of the latest sightings texted to their phones.
“Multimillion-pound spending on binoculars, bird food and boxes point to the increasing numbers of birdwatchers,” said David Cromack, the editor of Bird Watching magazine, “The number of people involved is so big that they have great potential to influence government decisions affecting the environment.”
1. The word “satiated” in Paragraph 2 can be best replaced by “_______”.
A. affected B. shared C. satisfied D. narrowed
2. What happened after the message of seeing a Vermivora chrysoptera was put on the network?
A. Birdwatchers helped the rare bird settle in Kent.
B. Large numbers of birdwatchers went to view the bird.
C. Many birdwatchers logged on to the website for details.
D. Birdwatchers showed their determination to protect the rare bird.
3. Which of the following CANNOT be true according to the passage?
A. Television wildlife programs started the popular pastime of birdwatching.
B. The network service has contributed to the rapid development of birdwatching.
C. Birdwatching in Britain was long considered a sport with a small group of followers.
D. The current situation of birdwatching may promote the protection of the environment.
4. The passage mainly tells us about ______ in UK.
A. the history of birdwatchingB. a growing passion for birdwatching
C. the impact of media on birdwatching D. birdwatching as a popular expensive sport
Across the world, 1.1 billion people have no access to clean drinking water. More than 2.5 billion people lack basic sanitation (卫生设备).
The combination proves deadly. Each year, diseases related to inadequate water and sanitation kill between 2 and 5 million people and cause an estimated 80 percent of all sicknesses in the developing world. Safe drinking water is a precondition for health and the fight against child death rate, inequality between men and women, and poverty.
Consider these facts:
The average distance that women in Africa and Asia walk to collect water is 6 kilometers.
Only 58 percent of children in sub-Saharan Africa are drinking safe water, and only 37 percent of children in South Asia have access to even a basic toilet.
Each year in India alone, 73 million working days are lost to water-borne diseases.
Here are three ways you can help:
1)Write Congress
Current U.S. foreign aid for drinking water and sanitation budgets only one dollar per year per American citizen. Few members of Congress have ever received a letter from voters about clean drinking water abroad.
2)Sponsor a project with a faith-based organization
Many U.S. religious groups already sponsor water and sanitation projects, working with partner organizations abroad. Simply put a single project by a U.S. organization can make safe water a reality for thousands of people.
3)Support nonprofit water organizations
Numerous U.S.-based nonprofits work skillfully abroad in community-led projects related to drinking water and sanitation. Like the sample of non-profits noted as follows: some organizations are large, other small-scale, some operate worldwide, others are devoted to certain areas in Africa, Asia, or Latin America. Support them generously.
1. The three facts presented in the passage are used to illustrate that ________.
A. poverty can result in water-borne diseases
B. people have no access to clean drinking water
C. women’s rights are denied in some developing countries
D. safe drinking water should be a primary concern
2. The intended readers of the passage are ________.
A. Americans B. overseas sponsors C. CongressmenD. US-based water organizations
3. The main purpose of the passage is to call on people to _________.
A. get rid of water-related diseases in developing countries
B. donate money to people short of water through religious groups
C. fight against the worldwide water shortage and sanitation problem
D. take joint action in support of some nonprofit water organizations
4. What information will probably be provided following the last paragraph?
A. A variety of companies and their worldwide operation.
B. A list of nonprofit water organizations to make contact with.
C. Some ways to get financial aids from U.S. Congress.
D. A few water resources exploited by some world-famous organizations.
Princeton University
Location
The University is in Princeton, New Jersey. It is an hour's train ride south of New York City and an hour's train ride north of Philadelphia.
Students
There are 4,600 undergraduates(本科生). There are also 1,900 graduate students, but Princeton is unusual among universities in having a student body made up largely of undergraduates.
Faculty
Princeton has about 700 full-time faculty members(教员). There are another 300 or so part -time and visiting faculty. All faculty members at Princeton are expected to teach and research.
Degrees
Princeton offers two undergraduate degrees: the bachelor(学士) of arts (B.A.) degree and the bachelor of science in engineering (B.S.E.) degree.
Academic Year
An academic year runs from September to late May and lasts two terms (fall and spring). A normal course load is four or five courses per term, although many students take extra courses.
Residences
Princeton provides housing for all undergraduate students. Freshmen and second-year students are required to spend their first two years in one of five colleges. Each college has its own dining hall, common rooms and computer centers.
Fees and Expenses (Academic Year 2010-2011)
Tuition(学费): $29,910
Room and board: $ 8,387
Other expenses (books, telephone, etc.): $ 3,083
Total: $ 41,380
1. How many kinds of faculty members are there in Princeton University?
A. One. B. Two. C. Three. D. Four.
2. In Princeton University, an undergraduate will pay at least ________ for the Academic Year 2010-2011 besides tuition.
A. $ 41,380 B. $ 52,850 C. $11,470 D. $ 8, 387
3. In what way is Princeton University different from other American universities according to the text?
A. It has five colleges.
B. Its students are mainly undergraduates.
C. It provides housing for all undergraduate students.
D. All the faculty members at Princeton are expected to teach and research.
4. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. Princeton offers two undergraduate degrees.
B. An academic year lasts about nine months in Princeton University.
C. Undergraduates should spend their first two years in one of five colleges.
D. It's about an hour's train ride from Princeton University to the north of New York.