We live on the Earth. It’s our home. But how much do you know about it?
The Earth is like a huge ball. Like the other seven planets, the Earth is running around the Sun. It’s the third nearest planet to the Sun. It takes the Earth about 365 days to run around the Sun. At the same time, the Earth is going around itself. If you are in space, you can see lots of white clouds over the surface of the Earth. Through the clouds, you can see the blue color of the oceans and the brown color of the land. About 70% of the Earth is covered with water.
Why do we have day and night? When the half of the Earth is facing the Sun, it’s daytime. As the Earth turns and this half is away from the Sun, night is coming. And it’s daytime for the other half.How many planets are running around the Sun?
| A．Seven. | B．Eight. | C．Nine. | D．Ten. |
What’s the main color of the Earth when you see it in space?
| A．Green. | B．Brown. | C．Blue. | D．Red. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The Earth only runs around the Sun. |
| B．The Earth is the nearest planet to the Sun. |
| C．All the planets and stars run around the Sun. |
| D．It takes the Earth about 365 days to run around the Sun. |
When it is night, the half of the Earth _____.
| A．goes around the Sun |
| B．goes around itself |
| C．faces the Sun |
| D．is away from the Sun |
In which part of a newspaper can we read this passage?
| A．History. | B．Science. | C．Stories. | D．People. |
The material above has something to do with ____.
| A．phone books | B．a website |
| C．Oxford University | D．newspapers |
How many requirements (条件) are needed for getting the job?
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
This advertisement is probably given by ____.
| A．a bicycle company | B．newspaper owners |
| C．Oxford Distribution | D．the local government |
If we do the job, ____.
| A．we can win free bicycles |
| B．we can design paper rounds |
| C．we will pay extra money |
| D．we will wear free uniforms |
How can we get more information?
| A．By sending an email. |
| B．By going around all areas. |
| C．By calling 01852 476666. |
| D．By asking a 13-year-old child. |
In Western society, especially in the English-speaking world, the chance for young people to see the other countries and experience life is considered important. Many young people, when they finish school at the age of 18, take a gap year before they go to university.
Parents often want their children to grow up a little and see what the real world is like when they finish school. Although they are worried about their safety, many think that the advantages of independence and experience are worth the worries. Children are encouraged to be brave, independent and to explore the world on their own or with friends.
Young people also want to experience freedom and see what life is like on the other side. This other side could be the other side of the world or just the other side of life. For example, if they have a rich life, they may want to see how people in poor areas live.
A gap year after school is also an important chance for young people to spend time thinking about what they want to do with their lives. A little bit of growing up and experience will help them make their important career decisions, especially when they are unsure about what they want to study.
Another reason for going straight after school is to get a break from studying before they start the next few years of university. So anywhere you travel in the world, you will meet young European people exploring the world.
So much of the world has been travelled and explored. The young people are now looking for more worthy experiences. Some of them work as volunteers to do something for the country they are visiting. Many gap year volunteers are now spending a few months teaching English in Thailand, helping feed giant pandas in China or building a well(井) in a village in Africa.
These young people’s wish to explore the world is an expression of the values of the societies that they are part of. Both discovering the world and making a positive difference in it are important parts of the Western mind.Which is NOT a reason for young people to take a gap year?
| A．Young people want to take a break from studying. |
| B．Young people want to be sure about what to study. |
| C．Parents encourage them to be brave and independent. |
| D．Parents encourage them to live a free and wealthy life. |
Now a gap year volunteer might do something more valuable like .
| A．experiencing different cultures |
| B．helping protect rainforests in Brazil |
| C．making friends with more people |
| D．enjoying traditional local food |
By taking a gap year, young people may .
| A．stay with their parents all the time |
| B．make money for their further study |
| C．help change the world for the better |
| D．change the Western mind completely |
The purpose of writing this article is to .
| A．show different opinions about gap year |
| B．offer readers information about gap year |
| C．discover new ways to take a gap year |
| D．tell young people when to take a gap year |
It was Christmas Eve. When everyone went to bed, Bunny couldn’t fall asleep. He still couldn’t think of what he wanted as a special Christmas present. He wondered how Santa — Father Christmas would know what to bring him if he didn’t know himself.从第一自然段可知，他还在想着他可以得到什么圣诞礼物。他想知道如果圣诞老人不认识他又怎样知道他要什么礼物。
As he was sitting up in bed, Bunny heard a big noise on the roof(屋顶) and a sound downstairs. It was Santa Claus, he realized. Bunny jumped out of bed and ran down the hall to the stairs. He hoped to take a look at the old man before Santa left for his next stop.
By the time Bunny was at the bottom of the stairs, everything was silent again. Lots of presents were put under the Christmas tree, but Santa was gone. A little disappointed(失望的), Bunny turned to climb back upstairs when he heard a cry.
“Hello,” said Bunny. “Is somebody there?”
He was answered by another cry. Bunny looked around the big pile of presents to see what was making the noise. Right under the tree was a funny looking brown animal with big feet and sad eyes. It also had antlers(鹿角) on its head. Bunny almost mistook it for a dog.
“Are you a reindeer?” asked Bunny.
“Yes,” replied the brown animal with antlers. “My name is Ralph.”
“And you were pulling Santa’s sled(雪橇)?”
“I was until I got air-sick,” replied Ralph. “Santa had to leave me here and go on with the other seven reindeer.”
“Isn’t it a bit unusual for a reindeer to get air-sick? I mean, isn’t flying what reindeer are famous for?”
“Not me, I’m afraid. It makes me scared. I always feel sick when it comes to flying,” replied Ralph. “But everyone wanted me to pull Santa’s sled, so when it was my turn I gave it a try. I’m afraid I just wasn’t cut out for the job. Now I’m stuck here and I don’t know how to get back to the North Pole.”
“Well, if you like, you can stay with us as a friend,” said Bunny. As he made the offer, Bunny suddenly realized the special present he wanted from Santa was a new friend!Why couldn’t Bunny fall asleep on Christmas Eve?
| A．He wanted to take a close look at Santa Claus. |
| B．He was waiting for his special present from his father. |
| C．He was thinking about what present to get from Santa. |
| D．He was woken up by a noise on the roof of his house. |
The underlined phrase “cut out” probably means .
| A．suitable | B．famous | C．ready | D．bad |
What can we learn from the article?
| A．Ralph is a brown dog with antlers. |
| B．Ralph is afraid of flying in the air. |
| C．Bunny got a sled as a Christmas present. |
| D．Bunny sent Ralph back to the North Pole. |
This article seems to tell us that .
| A．Santa lives in the South Pole with his reindeer |
| B．Santa usually puts Christmas presents on the roofs |
| C．Santa uses dogs to bring children presents on Christmas Eve |
| D．Santa knows what presents children want without being told |
| From: Wendy and Jack Brown Date: September 22, 2014 To: 8th and 9th graders at R.L.S. Junior School Subject: Bonjour! Bonjour! (That means hello in French.) We hope you all had a great summer. Ours was a lot of fun. We have seen so many new things and met so many wonderful people. The French gave us a warm welcome and helped us get used to living here soon. We have so many things to share with all of you. We are going to send you more emails, but here are the best parts of our holiday in France so far. We had a fantastic time seeing the Tour de France this summer. It is the most famous bicycle race in the world. The riders travel more than two thousand miles in about a month! We got a quick look at the riders as they sped past! After the race, our family rented bikes, and rode along part of the route that the cyclists used. A few of you asked whether the French really eat snails(蜗牛). The answer is yes. We went out to dinner the other day, and our parents ordered some. We each tried one and it didn’t taste too bad. The snails, called escargots, are served with lots of butter. They feel a little rubbery when you bite into them, but they don’t really have much taste. Mum’s favourite food here is the French pastries. Dad loves the red wine. Our favourite is the fresh bread from the shop down the street. We went to visit the Eiffel Tower a few weeks ago. We went all the way to the top. It was a sunny day, so we could see for miles and miles into the distance. Dad doesn’t like heights, so he stayed at the bottom of the tower and took pictures from the ground. We miss all of you a lot. Write back to us and let us know what is new at home. Au revoir! (Can you guess what that means in French?) Wendy and Jack Brown |
What do the Browns think of French people?
| A．Friendly. | B．Funny. | C．Welcome. | D．Popular. |
Jack’s favourite food in France is .
| A．tasty snails | B．French pastries |
| C．fresh bread | D．red wine |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the email?
| A．Wendy and Jack got used to the life in France soon. |
| B．Tour de France is the best-known bicycle race in the world. |
| C．The Browns have seen many wonderful things in France. |
| D．The Browns went to the top of the Eiffel Tower together. |
Wendy and Jack wrote this email to .
| A．tell a story about riding bicycles in France |
| B．tell a story about their experiences in France |
| C．advise the readers to try escargots in France |
| D．advise the readers to visit France in summer |
Julia is at Roosevelt. She wants to go to Baseball Field. She should change lines at .
| A．Grand | B．Cliton | C．Reno | D．Randolph |
Louis is going to Medical Centre from Damen. He should get off at the stop.
| A．third | B．fourth | C．fifth | D．sixth |
To go to Airport from Youth Centre, you should take underground lines in this order: .
| A．Blue Line → Green Line → Red Line |
| B．Red Line → Green Line → Blue Line |
| C．Blue Line → Red Line → Green Line |
| D．Red Line → Blue Line → Green Line |