Zheng He was an amazing man. He was born in 1371. Eleven years later, he was caught by the army of a rich young man called Zhu Di and made to work for him. Over time the rich man saw that Zheng He was very clever and strong and they became close friends. In 1403 Zhu Di was made the King of China and he asked Zheng He to join his government.
The King wanted to learn more about the world and show other countries his power. He ordered many new ships to be built and made Zheng He their leader. between 1405 and 1433, Zheng He led seven sea trips to different parts of the world. He certainly travelled to India, Africa and the Middle East. A few people think his ships have even reached South America and Australia.
Each trip lasted between two and four years and it is believed he sailed more than 50,000 kms during the years of his travels.Zheng He led a fleet with 28,000 men and over 300 ships, such as boats for food, water and even soldiers' horses.
On these trips he brought with him many Chinese goods like silk and medicine to give to foreign kings or to sell for local goods. He returned from each trip with boats filled with expensive things such as gold and treasures, foreign guests and strange animals like a giraffe.
It is a pity that we may never learn everything about Zheng He' s travels. The Columbus of the east, Zheng He, died in 1433. After that, the new king, had these trips stopped and he burned almost all the books about Zheng He's travels, because he believed the trips were unlucky and too expensive. It is only in the last 50 years that historians have begun to carefully study the adventures of great Zheng He.Why did Zhu Di want Zheng He to sail to many different countries?
A. To learn more about the world.
B. To bring new countries under the control of China.
C. To show other countries his power.
D. Both A and C.What do we know about Zheng He from the passage?
| A．He travelled to India and Africa. |
| B．Each trip lasted six years. |
| C．When he died, he was 72 years old. |
| D．He was a great king. |
Which of the following did Zheng He take to foreign countries from China?
| A．Gold | B．Treasures | C．Giraffes | D．Silk. |
After Zheng He died, ___________
| A．nobody remembered him |
| B．almost all the books about his travels were burned |
| C．the new king thought these trips were lucky |
| D．sea trips to other countries lasted 50 years. |
What's the best title of this passage?
| A．The King's Seven Sea Trips |
| B．Zheng He's Travels to Western Countries |
| C．Zheng He, the Columbus of the East |
| D．Zhu Di, the Great King |
A man lived in a village. He had an old cat at home. The cat couldn’t run fast, and she couldn’t bite, because she was so old. One day, when she saw a mouse, she jumped and caught it. But she could not bite it. The mouse got out of her mouth and ran away.
Then the man became very angry and began to beat the cat. The cat said, “Don’t beat your old servant. I know I’m old and can’t kill a mouse. But I have worked for you for many years, and I still want to work for you. Be kind to the old, and remember what good work they did when they were young.”
When the man heard that, he realized that he was wrong.Where did the man live?
| A．In a village. | B．In a city. | C．In a factory. | D．In a hotel. |
What could the old cat do?
| A．Run fast. | B．Bite. | C．Catch a mouse. | D．Kill a mouse. |
How did the man feel when the mouse ran away?
| A．Angry. | B．Happy. | C．Afraid. | D．Sad. |
How long did the cat work for the man?
| A．Several days. | B．A few months. | C．About a year. | D．Many years. |
What happened at the end of the story?
| A．The cat left home. | B．The man realized his mistake. |
| C．The man killed the cat. | D．The man didn’t believe the cat. |
Moms take care of their children life and dads bring home food and make the family rules. These are the roles moms and dads fall into when they become parents and it’s common among all cultures. But times change and parents’ roles seem to be changing, too. More women are bringing home food by having full-time jobs and men are taking care of their children at home.
Chinese TV show Where Are We Going, Dad ? provides a closer look at the changing roles of dads in modern family life. The show follows the adventures（冒险经历）of five celebrity（明星）dads who take trips with their young children (aged 4 to 6) and try to complete a set of tasks. It shows how young dads are trying hard to find the best way to raise their children and keep a closer relationship with them. Young dads no longer want to be cold.
Psychologists（心理学家）say that a strong fatherly influence is important in a child’s development. Fathers teach their children skills and encourage them to try new things. They also give them a sense of safety. A child learns that if something goes wrong, he or she can depend on dad to help fix it. The psychologists also say that without a dad, a child is more possible to drop out of school and get into trouble.
A mother’s love is important, and so is a father’s love. Chen Mo, a psychology professor says,“It takes both parents to raise a child. Children have different needs at different ages and this needs to be considered by both parents.”
What are the common roles of moms and dads in all cultures? ______
| A．Moms take care of their children and dads bring home food and make the family rules. |
| B．Moms bring home food by having full-time jobs and dads take care of their children at home. |
| C．Both parents take care of their children at home. |
| D．Both parents go out to work, while grandparents take care of their children at home. |
What are the young dads trying to do in the show? ______
| A．They are trying hard to find the best way to raise their children and keep a closer relationship with them. |
| B．They are trying to complete a set of tasks with their kids. They are also trying hard to find the best way to raise their children and keep a closer relationship with them. |
| C．They are trying to make more money. |
| D．They are trying to be cold to their kids. |
Why is a strong fatherly influence important in a child’s development?______
| A．Fathers teach their children skills and encourage them to try new things. They also give them a sense of safety. |
| B．If something goes wrong, a child can depend on dad to help fix it. |
| C．With a dad, a child can do better in school work. |
| D．Without a dad, a child is more possible to drop out of school and get into trouble. |
What is a child more possible to do without a dad？______
| A．Stay out late |
| B．Get into trouble and do badly in school work. |
| C．Drop out of school. |
| D．Drop out of school and get into trouble. |
Why does it take both parents to raise a child? ______
| A．A child feels safer with both parents. |
| B．A child feels happier with both parents. |
| C．Both parents need to consider that children have different needs at different ages. |
| D．It is both the father’s and the mother’s duty to raise a child. |
When you hear Westerners（西方人）say “ Drop in anytime”（随时来玩）or “Come and see me soon” , you should realize that it doesn’t mean you are welcome to come over to their house anytime. It’s wise to telephone before visiting someone.
Never accept an invitation unless you really plan to go. You may refuse by saying, “Thank you for inviting me, but I may not be able to come.” If you are unable to come after accepting the invitation, be sure to tell those who invite you in advance（提前）that you will not be there.
When you have accepted the invitation to a party or a dinner, it is polite to bring small gifts with you, such as bottles of drink, flowers and chocolate. Sometimes Westerners may take you out to dinner in a restaurant and it does not necessarily mean that he is going to pay the bill at the end of the meal. He might want you to “go Dutch”, which means each person pays his own bill.The best title of this passage is ________
| A．Drop in anytime. | B．Come and see me soon. |
| C．Invitation in western countries. | D．Westerners. |
When Westerners say “ Drop in anytime” or “Come and see me soon” , it means ________
| A．you are welcome to visit them anytime |
| B．you are welcome to visit them, but you still need to call them before going to their house. |
| C．they don’t want you to visit them. |
| D．they will hold a party for you. |
If a westerner invites you to go to his house, ________
| A．you may refuse if you don’t plan to go. |
| B．you have to accept the invitation even you don’t want to go. |
| C．you can’t accept the invitation. |
| D．and you accept the invitation, you must go. |
If you have accepted the invitation to a party or a dinner, what kind of gifts will you bring? ________
| A．Money. | B．Televisions | C．Computers. | D．Books |
The underlined part “go Dutch” means “________” in Chinese.
| A．去荷兰 | B．去Dutch这家餐厅 | C．实行 AA制 | D．请客 |
A Play: Four Butterflies(蝴蝶)
Characters: Red Butterfly (RB), Green Butterfly (GB), Green Tree (GT), Rose (R),
Grandpa Sun (GS)
Look! There are four butterflies in the garden. One is red, one is yellow, one is green, and the other one is white. They play games and dance together every day, and they are very happy. One day, it’s fine. Four butterflies are playing a game in the garden. Suddenly it is full of dark clouds and it begins to rain hard.
1. GB: Oh, it’s raining hard. Green Tree is over there. She can help us.
GB: Green Tree, our wings are wet. Please let us stay under your leaves.
GT: Green Butterfly, I like you. We have the same color. You can come in, but the other three butterflies must go away.
GB: No, thank you. We are good friends. We love each other and must stay together.
RB: Rose is over there. She can help us.
2. RB: Rose, our wings are wet. Please let us stay under your leaves.
R: Red Butterfly, I like you. We have the same color. You can come in, but the other three butterflies must go away.
RB: No, thank you. We are good friends. We love each other and must stay together.
3. GS: What good friends they are! This is a real friendship. I must help them.
The sun drives the clouds away and asks the rain to stop. Soon the sun gives off bright light and
dries up their wings.
4. Four butterflies: Oh, the sun comes out. Our wings are dry. Let’s play and dance again. How many butterflies are there in the garden? ______
| A．One butterfly. | B．Two butterflies. |
| C．Three butterflies | D．Four butterflies |
What are the butterflies doing when it starts to rain? ______
| A．They are flying. | B．They are dancing. |
| C．They are playing a game. | D．They are staying under the leaves. |
Whom do the butterflies ask for help? ______
| A．Green Tree. | B．Rose. |
| C．Green Tree and Rose. | D．Green Tree, Rose and Grandpa Sun. |
Who helps the butterflies at last? ______
| A．Rose. | B．Grandpa Sun. |
| C．Rain. | D．Dark clouds. |
What is the main idea of the play? ______
| A．Butterflies cannot fly if their wings are wet. |
| B．The four butterflies are sisters and brothers. |
| C．Grandpa often helps others. |
| D．A real friendship means that friends stay together when they are in trouble. |
Wonderful Activities for Teenagers in Summer Vacation
 A New Animal Star Is Coming!An elephant from Thailand is waiting for you at Cuiping Zoo from July 10 to August 25. The elephant can ride bikes, play basketball, dance and play the harmonica (口琴)He gives two shows a day at 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Address: Mount Cuiping Ticket: ￥20 |
Welcome to Our Free Exhibition!  There is going to be an exhibition at Daguanlou fromJuly 5 to July 19. Wang Gang is one of the best-known photographers in Sichuan Province. There will be many great photos of people in Yibin and Yibin city. Open Time: 9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday |
| Join Us for a Day at Tianchi Amusement Park! Children aged 12 to 15 are invited to take part in the Event of the Summer at Tianchi Amusement Park. It’s in Yibin County(县), next to Tianchi Park. You won’t want to miss this day of fun. Join us at Tianchi Amusement Park on July 14. Register（登记）early. TEL: 555-7267 |
Who can take part in the Event of the Summer? ______
| A．Children under 5. | B．Children aged 5-9. |
| C．Children under 10. | D．Children aged 12-15. |
How long is the elephant staying at Cuiping Zoo? ______
| A．45 days. | B．46 days. | C．47 days. | D．48 days. |
What can the elephant do? ______
| A．Ride bikes, play basketball and play the harmonica. |
| B．Ride bikes, dance and play the harmonica. |
| C．Ride bikes, play basketball, dance and play the harmonica. |
| D．Ride bikes, dance and play the harmonica. |
What are the photos about? ______
| A．People and city. | B．People in Yibin. |
| C．Yibin city. | D．People in Yibin and Yibin city. |
Which of the following is RIGHT？______
| A．You can only register the Event of the Summer on July 14. |
| B．The elephant gives 2 shows a day from July 10 to August 25. |
| C．Wang Gang is one of the best-known photographers in Yibin. |
| D．You can see the exhibition at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday from July 5 to July 19. |