More than half a century ago, there were 4, 000 drive-in movie theaters in the United States, and watching a movie from your car was a popular way to spend an evening. But with the number of drive-ins reduced to just a few hundred, outdoor movie has been popping up across the nation. Going to an open-air theater has become a modern summer pastime for an increasing number of movie fans.
In recent years, outdoor movie screenings have come up in parks, vacant lots and shopping malls around the nation. On average, about 1,000 people attend each movie night. It attracts a lot of young professionals, young workers and residents nearby. For some, the outdoor movies bring back the memories of the drive-in theaters of their youths. But for the majorities, they think it is comparable to the atmosphere of drive-ins, as they can bring friends, food, good wine, and watch the movie together.
The returning of Americans’ love affair with outdoor movies makes Stephen Bastas ever busier. His seven-member crew sets up screens in various locations mostly in the Washington area every day throughout the summer. They are doing pretty well and they hope to continue the trend. And it looks like they are going to. That’s because many fans say there is nothing like watching a movie on a breezy summer evening under the stars.In the first paragraph, the author tries to tell us _____.
| A．outdoor movies attracts more movie-lovers |
| B．summer brings back more drive-in movie fans |
| C．drive-in movie theaters have already disappeared |
| D．watching a movie from your car is becoming more popular |
Most people choose to go to an outdoor movie mainly because they can _____.
| A．have snacks before the movie |
| B．cheer up with young friends |
| C．bring back good old days |
| D．enjoy the casual atmosphere |
From the text, we can learn that Stephen Bastas is most probably _____.
| A．a movie maker |
| B．an outdoor movie fan |
| C．a movie director |
| D．an open-air theater operator |
How does Stephen Bastas feel about the future of outdoor movie?
| A．Optimistic. | B．Amazed. |
| C．Worried. | D．Disappointed. |
Over thirty thousand years ago，people from northern Asia （亚洲北部） went to America．Today， we call these people Indians（印第安人）．
The Indians went to America because the weather began to change．Northern Asia became very cold. Everything froze. They had to move or die. How did the first Indians go to America? They walked！
Later Columbus found the New World in 1492．At first，only a few Europeans followed（跟随）．They travelled to America in boats． For the next three hundred years， about 500，000 people went there． Then the number grew very quickly. From 1815 to 1915，over thirty－two million Europeans left their countries and went to the United States． The biggest groups were from Germany and Italy（意大利）．These Europeans spoke many different languages．Most of them took almost no money．They went to America so that they could find a better life． __________ went to America first．
| A．People from northern Asia | B．People from Europe |
| C．People from Germany | D．Columbus |
Why did the Indians go to America? Because __________．
| A．northern Asia became very hot |
| B．northern Asia became very cold |
| C．they were interested in America |
| D．they liked travelling |
The New World was ___________．
| A．Italy | B．northern Asia |
| C．Germany | D．America |
The first Europeans went to America _______________．
| A．by ship | B．by bike | C．by boat | D．by train |
Having a teenager at home can be a real headache. Many teenagers smoke, drink and even fight. They often do something dangerous.
Earlier studies have shown that teenagers are more likely (可能) to make irrational decisions than people from any other age group, including children and adults. Is it that teenagers are too young to tell right from wrong? Not really. So what’s the reason?
According to Laurence, a teacher from a US university, the reason is that teenagers care a lot about how their peers (同龄人) view them—that is “peer influence”.
As children enter their teenage years, they spend more time with their friends and classmates, and also they care more about what they think of them. This makes teenagers make decisions without thinking about the costs.
In a test, a group of teenagers were asked to play a video driving game. When they played with their friends watching around them, they took more chances and drove more carelessly because that would increase their possibility of winning. But when they played alone, they drove more safely.
Why do peers have such a big influence on teens’ behavior?
As Laurence sees it, a teenager’s brain is like a car with a good accelerator (油门) but a weak brake (刹车). The “accelerator” is fully developed by teenage years while the “brake” is still not fully developed. When teenagers are watched by their peers, they usually push hard on the accelerator. With their weak brake, it is likely that they are going to end up in an accident.
But the good news is that a violent (暴力的)teenager doesn’t necessarily become a violent adult. About two-thirds to three-quarters of violent youth grow out of it. “They get more self-controlled.”What does the underlined word “irrational” in the 2nd paragraph mean?
| A．Quick. | B．Crazy. | C．Careful. | D．Correct. |
Why are teenagers likely to make wrong decisions according to the text?
| A．They like difficult tasks. |
| B．They don’t care about costs. |
| C．They are too young to tell right from wrong. |
| D．They care a lot about what their peers think of them. |
How does Laurence explain the influence of peer pressure on teens’ behavior?
| A．By comparing it with how a car works. |
| B．By comparing it with an accident. |
| C．By showing research findings. |
| D．By giving examples. |
According to the text, with peers around them, teenagers are more likely to _______ .
| A．use more self-control |
| B．perform better than when they are alone |
| C．become more careful about what they do |
| D．care about winning without thinking about danger |
Little Brother
By Cory Doctorow, 382 pages, $19.95
In the very near future, Marcus Yallow is walking with his friends in San Francisco when a 9/11-sized terrorist attack occurs blocks away. Everyone around is secretly taken away by the Department of Homeland Security to see whether they're terrorists. However, during the investigation, one of his friends dies mysteriously. The friends try to find out the truth. If you read only one science-fiction novel this year, make it this one.
The Flying Troutmans
By Miriam Toews, 274 pages, $32
The heart of the book is a road journey in Canada made by Hattie，Thebes and Logan to find Cherkis, the kids' dad. It's rich in dialogue, sometimes funny, sometimes surprisingly sad, always character-true. Toews is an extraordinarily gifted writer, with tough-minded compassion (同情) for her characters.
Reading By Lightning
By Joan Thomas, 388 pages, $22.95
We're in 1930s Canada, where Lily's father arrived three decades earlier to be promised fertile agricultural land. But they had been cheated and thrown in the middle of Manitoba. Now William Piper and his wife farm their land and place little hope in this life.
What They Wanted
By Donna Morrissey, 325 pages, $32
A father has a heart attack; a brother and a sister leave Newfoundland and go to Alberta, Canada to work； a tragedy brings reconciliation (和解), but also terrible loss. Primarily a novel of character, it's also a novel of Canada, of two very specific and vividly drawn places. Donna Morrissey's characters are troubled, sensitive, quick to be moved to anger or pain, and just as quick to laughter and affection.If Jim only has 20 dollars, which book could he buy?
| A．The Flying Troutmans. | B．What They Wanted. |
| C．Little Brother. | D．Reading By Lightning. |
According to the text, we know that The Flying Troutmans is .
| A．full of dialogue | B．a sad story | C．about tourism | D．a real story |
In Reading By Lightning, why did William Piper arrive in Canada?
| A．To carry out his promise. | B．To work in a big city. |
| C．To get work experience. | D．To seek his fortune. |
Ireland has had a very difficult history. The problems started in the 16th century when English rulers fried to conquer (征服) Ireland. For hundreds of years, the Irish people fought against the English. Finally, in 1921, the British government was forced to give independence to the south of Ireland. The result is that today there are two “Irelands”. Northern Ireland, in the north, is part of the United Kingdom. The republic of Ireland, in the south, is an independent country.
In the 1840s ,the main crop, potatoes was affected by disease and about 750, 000 people died of hunger. This, and a shortage (短缺) of work, forced many people to leave Ireland and live in the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada. As a result of these problems, the population fell from 8.2 million in 1841 to 6.6 million in 1851.
For many years, the majority of Irish people earned their living as farmers. Today, many people still work on the land but more and more people are moving to the cities to work in factories and offices. Life in the cities is very different from life in the countryside, where things move at a quieter and slower pace.
The Irish are famous for being warm-hearted and friendly, Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish writer, once said that the Irish were “the greatest talkers since the Greeks”. Since independence, Ireland has revived (复兴) its own culture of music, language, literature and singing. Different areas have different styles of old Irish songs which are sung without instruments. Other kinds of Irish music use many different instruments such as the violin, whistles, etc.What does the author tell us in Paragraph 1?
| A．How the Irish fought against the English. |
| B．How Ireland gained independence. |
| C．How two “Irelands” came into being. |
| D．How English rulers tried to conquer Ireland. |
The last paragraph is mainly about____.
| A．the Irish character | B．Irish culture |
| C．Irish musical instruments | D．a famous Irish writer |
We learn from the text that in Ireland _____.
| A．different kinds of old Irish songs are all sung with instruments |
| B．people are moving to the cities for lack of work in the countryside |
| C．it is harder to make a living as a farmer than as a factory worker |
| D．food shortages in the 1840s led to a decline in population |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Life in Ireland | B．Ireland, Past and Present |
| C．A Very Difficult History | D．The Independence of Ireland |
If you planning to study in the United States, you need to consider several factors （因素）. Everyone has different opinions about where is the best place to live in. Also, the best places to live in are not always home to the best schools. What’s more, many schools specialize in different areas of study. They Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for example, is a great school for computer science. And if you want to study oceanography, your interests may be better served by attending school in a place which is near the ocean.
Now I will tell you about which states I believe are the best to live in. California is a nice state. Northern California especially has very good weather. As for me, I enjoyed the time I spent in Massachusetts, Virginia and Mary land. These states have a lot of history and culture. The weather is not so perfect as that in California, but is still quite nice. My favourite of America is the Midwest. Middle America, I think, is home to the true American sense of values. Besides, there are many good universities, too.
Also you need to think about your likes and dislikes and then research the different areas. You like sunshine and hate snow? Then you probably won’t like the Midwest or even the Northeast. Open space, nature, peace and quiet? Then you’d better stay away from America’s larger cities. Are you interested in government? Then Washington D.C. is the only place for you. Whatever you decide, put some thought into it.From the first paragraph we can infer that in the USA .
| A．all colleges and universities lie in big cities |
| B．all colleges and universities lie in beautiful places |
| C．famous colleges and universities lie in nice places |
| D．famous colleges and universities may not lie in nice places |
____should be considered first if you want to study in the USA.
A. The climate
B. The scenery
C. The study condition
D. The living condition The writer likes Middle America best because .
| A．he feels the real character of the nation here |
| B．the weather is fine here |
| C．the life is full of excitement |
| D．he likes sunshine and hates snow |
The passage mainly .
| A．tells us something about American universities |
| B．gives us some advice on studying in America |
| C．lets us know about America |
| D．describes the scenery of America |