Have you ever had an embarrassing experience? Last week we asked readers to tell us about embarrassing experiences. We received thousands of letters! Here is a selection.
Tony:
My most embarrassing experience happened when I had just left university. I had just started teaching in a Liverpool middle school. One morning my alarm clock didn’t ring. I woke up at half past eight and school began at nine. I quickly washed, dressed, jumped into my car and rushed to school. When I arrived, the students had already gone into class. I didn’t go to the office, but went straight into class. After two or three minutes the students began laughing, and I couldn’t understand why! Suddenly I looked down and understood. I had put on one black shoe and one brown shoe!
Henry:
The most embarrassing experience I’ve ever had happened two years ago. After seeing a film, my wife and I had lunch in our favorite restaurant in town. Then we decided to take a walk along the street. The street was very busy and we started holding hands. Suddenly my wife saw a dress that she liked in a shop window, and stopped. I started looking at some watches in the next window. After a minute or two I reached for my wife’s hand. There was a loud scream, and a woman slapped my face. I hadn’t taken my wife’s hand. I’d taken the hand of a complete stranger（陌生人）!
Tony arrived at school late that morning because .
| A．he couldn’t find hid shoes |
| B．his alarm clock didn’t ring |
| C．he washed and dressed slowly |
| D．his car went wrong on the way |
The students began laughing when they saw Tony .
| A．wearing a wrong shoe |
| B．his alarm clock didn’t ring |
| C．looking down suddenly |
| D．rushing into the classroom |
Henry and his wife held hands .
| A．at the cinema | B．in the shop |
| C．at the restaurant | D．along the street |
What does the underlined word “scream” mean in Chinese?
| A．尖叫声 | B．笑声 | C．哭声 | D．呼救声 |
Henry was embarrassed because he .
| A．slapped the woman in the face |
| B．took the hand of a complete stranger |
| C．heard hid wife screaming in the street |
| D．knocked over some watches in the shops |
Who do you think are the most important people in your life, your parents, your sisters or your brothers, or your friends? I think your answer must be “my friends”. Some teenagers often say their parents don’t understand them. In large families, brothers and sisters often argue with each other. So most of us think friends are the most important people in our lives.
It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or a group of friends. As for the reason, it may be because we can discuss some private things with friends. Of course we won’t tell these thi ngs to our family members.
However, parents often try to choose friends for us. They may even stop us from meeting some of our best friends. In fact, they do it just because they care for us too much. But they often neglect our real feeling. How can you solve this problem? I think the best way is to find a right time to talk with parents about our real feelings.Many teenagers think___________ are the most important people in their lives.
| A．parents | B．friends |
| C．family members | D．brothers and sisters |
It’s important for teenagers to have good friends because .
| A．friends are better than family members |
| B．friends can help them with their lessons |
| C．they have the same interests |
| D．they can discuss some private things with friends |
The writer thinks the best way to solve the problem is .
| A．to make more friends |
| B．to avoid meeting friends |
| C．to tell parents our real feelings |
| D．to let parents choose friends for us |
People can use the phone to talk with others almost anywhere on the earth. But when you use the phone, you don’t see the person you are talking with.
Today some people are using a kind of telephone called the picture phone or vision phone. With it, two people who are talking can see each other.
Picture phones can be useful when you have something to show the person you’re calling. They may have other uses in the future. One day you may be able to ring up a library and ask to see a book. Then you’ll be able to read the book right over your picture phone. Or you may be able to go shopping through your picture phone. If you see something in the newspaper that you think you want to buy, you’ll go to the phone and call the shop. People at the shop will show you the thing you’re interested in right over the phone .You’ll be able to shop all over the town and never even leave your room. Today people can use the phone to talk with others .
| A．in some places in the world |
| B．in all the town |
| C．only in big cities |
| D．almost anywhere on the earth |
We can _______through the picture phone according to the passage.
| A．write a book | B．do some shopping |
| C．have classes | D．play games |
The underlined word “it” in the text means “ ”.
| A．the picture phone | B．the change |
| C．the use | D．any phone |
Picture phone are very .
| A．bad | B．important | C．useful | D．boring |
Which is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Today people can use the phone to talk with others almost anywhere on the earth. |
| B．With the picture phones, two people can’t see each other. |
| C．Today some people are using a kind of telephone called the picture phone or vision phone. |
| D．With the picture phones, you can show something to the person you’re calling. |
任务型阅读
Do you want to know how you can succeed(成功) in school? Here are five tips from some teachers in the US to help you have a successful(成功的) school term. Teachers offer tips for you.
1. Use a calendar(日历). Write down your plans and activities on it. This helps you remember things you need to do. You can also make a form. Then, use colorful pens to mark off (划出) the completion of homework or other activities. By using a form, you learn how to plan for your studies.
2. Books are great friends. Visit the bookshop or library every few weeks to find a new book to read on your own.
3. Join clubs or sports. Joining sports clubs or other group activities is a good way to help you learn how to work together and respect(尊敬) others.
4. Ask for help. You’re never too old to ask for help. You can turn to your teachers when there is a question about homework and other problems. They are there to help solve problems and listen to every student.
| Tips for you to do |
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| Use a calendar or form. |
You will not |
| Visit the |
You can find new books to read. |
| Join clubs or sports. |
You will learn how to work with |
| Ask for help. |
Your |
Many people think the dinosaurs(恐龙) were the biggest animals that ever lived. They are wrong. The world’s biggest animal is still living and it lives in the ocean(海洋). It is the blue whale(鲸鱼). Blue whales can be as long as 30 meters and weigh as much as 1,000 kilos. The largest dinosaurs weighed only 500 kilos.
The whale is not only the world’s biggest animal; it is also one of the cleverest. We know that whales can talk with each other, but we do not know what they are saying. Maybe one day we will learn how to talk with whales, and then they will be able to tell us about themselves.
Whales live in the ocean, but they don’t lay eggs like fish do. They are mammals(哺乳动物). They give birth to babies and have milk inside their own bodies to feed them. Humans are also mammals.
Sadly, there are not many kinds of whales left. People have killed them for food and other things for a long time. Now there are laws to stop people killing most kinds of whales. So maybe there will be more of them in years to come.Which picture show the correct size of the largest whale?
The underlined word “lay” in the Paragraph 3 means .
| A．放置 | B．躺下 | C．打赌 | D．产卵 |
There are not many kinds of whales left because .
| A．they don’t lay eggs |
| B．people have killed them |
| C．they live in the ocean |
| D．there are laws against them |
The article mainly talks about .
| A．the world’s biggest animal |
| B．lots of stories about whales |
| C．laws to stop people killing whales |
| D．the differences between dinosaurs and whales |
A little stream (小溪) ran down from a high mountain through many villages and forests. Then it reached a desert (沙漠). “I went through so many difficulties. I should have no problem crossing the desert,” she thought. As she started, she found herself slowly disappearing (消失) into the sand. After many tries, she still failed. “Maybe I can’t reach the ocean(海洋),” she said sadly to herself.
At this time, a deep voice said: “If a breeze (微风) can cross the desert, so can a river.” It was the voice of the desert. But the little stream answered: “That’s because a breeze can fly, but I cannot.”
“That’s because you can’t give up(放弃) what you are. Let yourself evaporate (蒸发) into the breeze, it can take you across,” said the desert. “Give up what I am now? No! No!” The little stream could not accept this idea. “The breeze can carry the vapor (蒸汽) across the desert and let it leave as rain. The rain will form (形成) a river again,” said the desert. “And whether you’re a river or vapor, your nature (本性) never changes.”
Hearing this, the little stream went into the open arms of the breeze. It carried her to the next period of her life.
The course of our lives is like the experience(经历) of the little stream. If you want to go through difficulties in your life to head for success(成功), you should also change the way you are.Before getting to the desert, the stream .
| A．met no difficulties |
| B．believed her ability to cross the desert |
| C．knew well about the desert |
| D．started to worry about herself |
What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 3 refer to(指的是)?
| A．The stream. | B．The breeze. |
| C．The vapor. | D．The desert. |
What is the main idea of the story?
| A．Our lives can be as difficult as the little stream’s. |
| B．The road to success is not always that easy. |
| C．We should do the right thing whatever others say. |
| D．To succeed (成功), we should change the way we used to be. |