It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The streams were long gone back into the earth. If we didn't see some rain soon we would lose everything.
I was in the kitchen making lunch for my husband and his brothers when I saw my six-year old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. He was obviously walking with a great effort... trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again, toward the house.
Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that slow purposeful long step toward the woods. This activity went on for over an hour: walking cautiously to the woods, then running back to the house. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me. I crept out of the house and followed him on his journey.
He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked; being very careful not to spill the water he held in them. Branches and thorns slapped his little face but he did not try to avoid them. He had a much greater purpose. As I leaned in to spy on him, I saw the most amazing site.
Several large deer appeared threatening in front of him. But Billy walked right up to them. I almost screamed for him to get away. And I saw a baby deer lying on the ground, obviously suffering from heavy loss of water and heat exhaustion, lift its head with great effort to lap up the water cupped in my beautiful boy's hand.
I stood on the edge of the woods watching the most beautiful heart I have ever known working so hard to save a life. As the tears that rolled down my face began to hit the ground, they were suddenly joined by other drops... and more drops... and more. I looked up at the sky. It was as if God, Himself, was weeping with pride.Why did the author follow her son?
| A．Because there might be danger. |
| B．Because her son was doing a good deed. |
| C．Because she intended to help. |
| D．Because she was curious. |
Which of the following statements is Not True according to the passage?
| A．Rain was in great need. |
| B．Billy carried water with his small hands. |
| C．There were few trees in the woods. |
| D．Billy walked into the woods and then returned over and over again. |
Which is the correct order of the development of the story?
①The author was moved to tears.
②Billy fed the water to the baby deer.
③Billy walked towards the large deer.
④It began to rain.
⑤The author followed Billy into the woods.
| A．③②⑤①④ | B．⑤③②①④ |
| C．④①③②⑤ | D．⑤②①③④ |
At the end of the story, the author might experience different feelings Except that _____
| A．Billy was a pride. |
| B．God was touched by Billy's activity. |
| C．the rain should have dropped earlier. |
| D．it was worthwhile to have given birth to Billy. |
China’s Ministry of Culture has recommended 10 cyber games(网络游戏) that are suitable for minors to play as part of its drive to purify the on-line environment for the young.
The 10 cyber games were selected by the ministry’s on-line games censorship committee from scores of games recommended by the Chinese public.l
The games are all domestic products. They include five role playing games (RPG), four recreation and chess games, and one educational game, such as “Warring States Ⅱ Online,” “Rainbow Island Online,” and “Wonderlands of learning and games.”
These games have made their way into the final recommendation list because they are considered “healthy” and can “enhance intelligence,” according to the ministry.
The ministry hoped the list could serve a a guidance for parents to better direct their children in the winter vacation, which usually lasts nearly two months from January to February each year.
This was the third time for the ministry to publish recommended cyber games list. The previous two were made public respectively in January 2006 and August 2005 with a total of 25 games inlisted.
In the past few years, on- line games have become the favorite pastime of young people. However, it is argued that such social problems as game addiction, juvenile delinquency (青少年犯罪) and perversion among minors by on-line violence and pornography (色情) have come from an inadequately regulated Internet.
About 9.72 percent of Chinese netizens between the ages of 13 and 30 suffer Internet addiction, said a report issued last month by the China Youth Association for Network Development (CYAND).
According to the China Internet Network Information Center (CINIC), the main Internet watchdog, China had 210million Internet users at the end of 2007 and its online population is on course to become the world’s largest at the beginning of this year.
Net users between 18 and 30 accounted for 49.9percent of the total users. Although the CINIC did not give the figure of those below 18, teenagers and youths have obviously taken up more than half of the total number of net users. And the number of users under age 18 increased rapidly last year, the CINIC noted.What do you know about the 10cyber games ?
| A．They are expected to help parents to better direct their children in the summer vacation. |
| B．They include five RPG, forty chess games and one educational game. |
| C．They are suitable for teenagers. |
| D．They are all foreign products. |
According to the passage, how many teenagers and youths become net users at the end of 2007?
| A．Mor than 105 million. |
| B．Less than 105 million. |
| C．About 210 million. |
| D．104.79 million. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．A lot of Chinese netizens suffer Internet addition. |
| B．On-line games can cause a lot of social problems such as game addition, juvenile delinquency. |
| C．Parents sometimes have trouble in directing their children about on-line games. |
| D．The ministry has recommended 25 games till now. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．How to purify the on-line environment for the young. |
| B．10 “suitable” cyber games for teenagers. |
| C．The disadvantages of cyber games. |
| D．Chinese authority lists 10 “suitable” E-games for teenagers. |
I will never forget what my old headmaster told me. Normally when you are only 15years of age you do not remember most of the things that are preached by your teachers. But, this particular story is one such lesson that I will never forget. Every time I drift off course, I get reminded of this story.
It was a normal Monday morning at an assembly, and he was addressing the students on important things in life and about committing ourselves to what is important to us. This is how the story went:
An old man lived in a certain part of London, and he would wake up every morning and go to the subway. He would get the train right to Central London, and then sit at the street corner and beg. He would do this every single day of his life. He sat at the same street corner and begged for almost 20 years.
His house was filthy, and a stench (恶臭) came out of the house and it smelled horribly. The neighbours could not stand the smell anymore, so they summoned the police officers to clear the place. The officers knocked down the door and cleaned the house. There were small bags of money all over the house that he had collected over the years.
The police counted the money, and they soon realized that the old man was a millionaire. They waited outside his house in anticipation to share the good news with him. When he arrived home that evening, he was met by one of the officers who told him that there was no need for him to beg any more as he was a rich man now, a millionaire.
He said nothing at all: he went into his house and locked the door. The next morning he woke up as usual, went to the subway, got into the train, and sat at the street corner and continued to beg.
Obviously, this old man had no great plans, dreams or anything significant for his life. We learn nothing from this story other than staying focused on the things we enjoy doing, commitment(专心，敬业). We should remain true to our course, although it may mean committing ourselves to things that people around us would normally disapprove. Just keep it in mind that commitment attracts wealth.Why did the headmaster tell us the story?
| A．To enjoy ourselves. |
| B．To teach us how to make money. |
| C．To tell us the importance of commitment. |
| D．To tell us not to look down upon beggars. |
According to the passage which of the following is true?
| A．The old man made a living by begging. |
| B．The old man was excited to be a millionaire. |
| C．The old man became a millionaire by begging every weekday. |
| D．The old man planned to became a millionaire. |
Why did the police officer clean the old man’s house?
| A．Because the old man hired them to do so. |
| B．Because they wanted to know how much money the old man had begged. |
| C．Because the old man wanted to live comfortably. |
| D．Because the neighbours could not bear the smell coming out of the oldman’s house. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| B．Keep the general goal in sight while tackling daily tasks. |
| C．Commitment attracts wealth. |
| D．Living without an aim is like sailing without a compass. |
Empty Deserts
In the 19th century Americans from the eastern states moved out west to settle in the rich new lands along the Pacific coast. The most difficult part of their trip was crossing the “Great American Desert in the western part of the United States by horse and wagon.
The western desert can be very dangerous. There is little water and there are few trees. But the desert also has scenery of great beauty. Tall towers of red and yellow stone rise sharply from the flat sandy valley floor. The scene has been photographed many times and appears in movies and in TV.
In Arizona, man made dams across the Colorado River have made two large lakes in the middle of the dry desert country. At Lake Powell, the red stone arch of Rainbow Bridge rises high above the blue lake.
There are few roads. Many areas of Lake Powell’s shore can only be reached by boat or on foot. But hikers in this empty desert land sometimes find very old native American pictures, painted on the rocks.
In Death Valley, California, the summer temperature rises to 130 degrees. There is less than two inches of rain each year. Death Valley is the lowest place in America---- 925 meters below sea level. In the 1800s, many travelers died when they tried to cross this waterless valley in the terrible heat.
Although the desert is dry and seems empty, there is plenty of life if you look closely. Small insects, snakes and rats have learned how to live in the desert heat. They live under ground and come out at night, when it is cool. Plants such as cacti need very little water. When it does rain in the desert (sometimes only once or twice a year), plants grow quickly, and flowers open in a single day. For a short time, the desert is covered with brilliant colors.In the 19th century, Americans moved from the east to the west because they ______.
| A．enjoy the trip | B．wanted to make their home there |
| C．wanted to find new grassland there | D．had no water to drink |
From the passage, we can conclude that ______.
| A．the western desert is a good place for people to live in |
| B．there is little water but there are many trees in the desert |
| C．the desert is dangerous but it is full of life |
| D．till now, people know little about the desert |
If you want to find some old native American pictures painted on the rock you must go ______.
| A．on foot | B．by boat | C．by car | D．by plane |
In the 1800s many travelers died in Death Valley because of ______.
| A．illness | B．high temperature |
| C．cold weather | D．poisonous water |
In the desert, animals will die ______.
| A．if they move about | B．if they cannot make holes underground |
| C．if they come out at night | D．if they drink much water |
People seem to have a natural need for friends and with good reason. Friends increase your enjoyment of life and relieve feelings of loneliness. They even can help reduce stress and improve your health. Having good friends is especially helpful when you are going through any kind of hard time such as when you are experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, or depression.
When you are with good friends you feel good about yourself, and you are glad to be with them. A friend is someone who —
●you like, respect, and trust, and who likes, respects and trusts you
●doesn’t always understand you, but accepts and likes you as you are, even as you grow and change
●allows you the space to change, grow, make decisions, and even make mistakes
●listens to you and shares with you both the good times and the bad times
●respects your need for secrets, so you can tell them anything
●lets you freely express your feelings and emotions without judging, teasing, or criticizing you
●accepts the limitations you have put on yourself and helps you to remove them
A person once said, “Friendship is a continuing source of bonding（连接）, releasing, and creating in yourself and with the other person. There is an emotional bond between the two people.”
A good friend or supporter may or may not be the same age or the same sex as you, and may not have the same educational, cultural, or religious background, or share interests that are similar to yours. Friendships also have different depths. Some are closer to the heart and some more superficial, but they’re all useful and good.Which of the following is NOT a function of a friend?
| A．He brings you some happiness. | B．He helps you feel less lonely. |
| C．He helps you get over the difficulties. | D．He helps you cheat on the exam. |
The underlined word “superficial” means _______.
| A．deep | B．hard | C．shallow | D．close |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Friend in Need Is A Friend Indeed | B．What Kind of Person A Friend Should Be |
| C．To Be A Good Friend | D．How to Get on with Your Friend |
If you go into the woods with your friends, stay with them. If you don’t, you may get lost. If you do get lost, this is what you should do.
Sit down and stay where you are. Don’t try to find your friends — let them find you. You can help them to find you by staying in one place.
There is another way to help your friends or other people nearby to find you. Give them a signal by shouting or whistling three times. Stop. Then shout or whistle three times again. Any signal given three times is a call for help. You will be helped by others.
Keep up the shouting or whistling, always three times together. When people hear you, they will know that you are not just making noise for fun. They will let you know they have heard your signal. They will give two shouts, two whistles or two gunshots. When a signal is given twice, it is an answer to a call for help.
If you don’t think that you will get help before night comes, try to make a little house and cover up the holes with branches with lots of leaves and grass. What should you do if you get hungry or need to drink some water? You should have to leave your little branch house to look for a brook. Don’t just walk away. Pick off small branches and drop them as you walk so that you can find your way back.
The most important thing to do when you are lost is — stay in one place.How do you let people believe that you are not just making noise for fun?
| A．Stop now and then. | B．Go on shouting or whistling. |
| C．Shout over and over at the top of voice | D．Shout or whistle three times once a while. |
If nobody answers you after your signal, what should you do then?
| A．Give two gunshots. | B．Shout louder. |
| C．Stop shouting. | D．Make a house. |
If you feel thirsty when you are lost in the forest, what should you do?
| A．Go and find a brook. |
| B．Light a fire and make yourself some tea． |
| C．Go to find a brook and leave marks behind you. |
| D．Find something to hold the water. |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．What Do Three Shots And Two Shots Mean In A Forest |
| B．How To Find Your Friends When You Are Lost In The Woods |
| C．What To Do If You Get Lost In A Forest |
| D．The Most Important Thing To Do Is To Stay In One Place |