Adults understand what it feels like to be flooded with objects． Why do we often assume that more is morewhen it comes to kids and their belongings？ The good news is that I can help my own kids learn earlier than I did how to live more with less．
I found the pre﹣holidays a good time to encourage young children to donate less﹣used things， and it worked． Because of our efforts， our daughter Georgia did decide to donate a large bag of toys to a little girl whose mother was unable to pay for her holiday due to illness． She chose to sell a few larger objects that were less often used when we promised to put the money into her school fund （基金）（our kindergarten is serious about becoming a doctor）
For weeks， I've been thinking of bigger， deeper questions． How do we make it a habit for them？ And how do we train ourselves to help them live with， need， and use less？ Yesterday， I sat with my son， Shepherd， determined to test my own theory on this． I decided to play with him with only one toy for as long as it would keep his interest． I expected that one toy would keep his attention for about five minutes， ten minutes， max． I chose a red rubber ball﹣simple， universally available． We passed it， he tried to put it in his mouth， he tried bouncing it， rolling it， sitting on it， throwing it． It was totally， completely enough for him． Before I knew it an hour had passed and it was time to move on to lunch．
We both became absorbed in the simplicity of playing together． He had my full attention and I had his． My little experiment to find joy in a single object worked for both of us．
（1）What do the words "more is more" in paragraph l probably mean？
| A． |
The more， the better． |
| B． |
Enough is enough． |
| C． |
More money， more worries． |
| D． |
Earn more and spend more． |
（2）What made Georgia agree to sell some of her objects？
| A． |
Saving up for her holiday |
| B． |
Raising money for a poor girl |
| C． |
Adding the money to her fund |
| D． |
Giving the money to a sick mother |
（3）Why did the author play the ball with Shepherd？
| A． |
To try out an idea |
| B． |
To show a parent's love |
| C． |
To train his attention |
| D． |
To help him start a hobby |
（4）What can be a suitable title for the text？
| A． |
Take it or leave it |
| B． |
A Lesson from Kids |
| C． |
Live More with Less |
| D． |
The Pleasure of Giving |
第三部分阅读理解(共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Jeanne Calment, a French woman, became a record breaker on 17 October, 1995 when at the age of 120 years and 238 days, she became the longest-lived human being on record. A Japanese man died in 1986 at the age of 120 years and 237 days.
Jeanne Calment lives in a small old people's home in the south of France; her husband, her only child and her grandson have all died. She is nearly blind and deaf and is always in a wheelchair, but her doctor describes her as being more like a 90yearold woman in good health than someone of 120. She still has a lively sense of humor. When asked on her 120th birthday what she expected of the future, she replied: A very short one. She also remarked that she thought the good Lord had forgotten all about her.
So what is the key to a long life? According to some doctors, diet, exercise and no smoking are the three important factors. Jeanne Calment has followed two of the tips. She has always eaten a healthy diet, and she used to do exercises every day until she broke her leg at the age of 115. However, until recently she drank two glasses of strong red wine a day, and she does smoke (now only a little). Besides, Jeanne Calment might have got very good genes(基因) from her parents. Her father lived to the age of 94 and her mother to 86.
A local lawyer bought her house when she was 80 under an agreement that he would pay her some money every year until her death. It must have seemed a good move at the time, but so far the lawyer has paid her at least three times the value of the house. Every year on her birthday Jeanne Calment sends him a card saying: Sorry, I’m still alive!
56. How does Jeanne Calment feel about her old age?
A. She is miserable and unhappy.
B. She is cheerful and humorous.
C. She would like to live much longer.
D. She feels she is going to die very soon.
57. We can owe Jeanne Calment's good health and long life to_______.
A. smoking only a little every day
B. her giving up smoking and drinking
C. drinking two glasses of strong red wine every day
D. the good genes from her parents, a healthy diet and some exercise
58. Which of the following word could best replace the word "move" in the fourth paragraph?
A. deal B. trick C. march D. sport
59. Why does Jeanne Calment say "Sorry, I'm still alive" to the local lawyer every year on her birthday?
A. Because she had an agreement at 80 with the lawyer which was to her advantage.
B. Because she has asked the lawyer to pay her more rent than they first agreed.
C. Because the lawyer has paid her much more money than the value of the house.
D. Because the house she sold to the lawyer isn’t worth the money he has already paid.
D
Here are three notices on the school bulletin board.
Chinese Prints
This exhibition starts on January 3 and ends on January 21.
At 6:00 p.m. on Friday, 4 January, there will be a talk on Chinese painting by Professor Li Yan in the Yingdong Gym.
Opening times: Mon — Fri, from 8: 00 am to 5: 00 pm Place: the School Library Ticket: Free
The Day after Tomorrow
American movie Director: Roland Emmerich
Cast (in credits order): Jack Hall, Laura Chapman, Jason Evans Place: the Hua Xing Cinema
Time:10: 00 am, 6: 30 pm; Saturday, December 21 Ticket:¥ 20
Piano Concert
Chinese pianist: Li Yundi — the winner of the Fourteenth International Chopin Competition in Warsaw
Place: the Centre Theatre Time: 7: 00 pm, January 25, 2008 Ticket:¥150, ¥250, ¥350
For more information, please come to Students Union.
48. Students can visit the Exhibition of Chinese Prints on _________.
A. January 3 B. December 21 C. Saturday D. Sunday
49. If you want to see the American movie The Day after Tomorrow, you will pay ________.
A. ¥ 20 B. ¥150 C. ¥250 D. nothing
50. If you want to attend Li Yundi’s piano concert, you will go to _______.
A. the School Library B. the Hua Xing Cinema
C. the Centre Theatre D. the Yingdong Gym
C
Any introduction to Peking Opera would not be complete without telling of Mei Lanfang. Traditionally only men performed in Peking Opera, including the female roles. And Mei Lanfang was the very best master of the miss. During his stage life, he combined the traditions of the past with his own creations, shaping a style of his own and giving birth to “The Mei Lanfang School”. He was also the first artist to introduce Peking Opera to an overseas audience, making it popular to the world. For half a century, Mei Lanfang was a household name in China.
Mei Lanfang began his stage life at the age of 8. His teacher said he showed little hope because of his boring eyes. To improve this, he exercised them day after day. He would fly kites and look at them moving slowly in a blue sky. He also kept pigeons in order to look at them soaring higher and higher until they disappeared into the clouds. Thanks to his efforts, he managed to transform his dull eyes into a pair of bright and expressive eyes and win national fame before the age of 20.
In over 50 years on the stage, Mei Lanfang played no less than 100 different characters in the traditional Peking Opera performance. He completely changed both stage make-up and costumes, and enriched characters' gestures, expressions and poses. He also wrote many new plays, designing the dances himself. The many dances he created form part of the great legacy that he left to Peking Opera.
In 1930, Mei Lanfang started on a successful US tour. There his brilliant performances fascinated the audience, making them realize that Peking Opera was a theatrical form of great literary and artistic value.
44. Mei Lanfang was the first artist to introduce Peking Opera to ______.
A. China B. Beijing C. the world D. schools
45. When did Mei Lanfang begin his stage life?
A. At the age of 8. B. At the age of 20. C. In 1930. D. In 1950.
46. What is the meaning of the underlined word “legacy” in paragraph 3?
A. Someone well known all over the world.
B. Someone considered to be an art treasure.
C. Something traditional combined with modern dances.
D. Something valuable passed down from generation to generation.
47. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. The history of Peking Opera.
B. Mei Lanfang’s early stage life.
C. The creations of Peking Opera by Mei Lanfang.
D. Mei Lanfang’s great contributions to Peking Opera.
B
Snow can be very beautiful. When snow covers everything around you , the world looks like a “Winter Wonderland”. That is the name of a very popular song about winter. Richard Smith and Felix Bernard wrote the song in 1934.
But winter is not always such a beautiful and happy time. It is cold outside.The wind blows and makes it even colder. The days are shorter and darker. The sun rarely shines. The leaves on the trees are brown or have fallen to the ground. The flowers are mostly gone. It is not surprising that some people are sad in winter. And some people dream about being somewhere else where it is warm and pretty——like the state of California. The Mamas and the Papas recorded their famous song, “California Dreaming” in 1965.
During the 1960s, many other famous rock groups sang songs about winter. Here is a song by Simon and Garfunkel called “A Hazy Shade of Winter”. They sing about life and hope.
In 1968, the group Blood, Sweat and Tears recorded this gentle, sad song about winter. They sing about a lost love and forgotten memories in “Sometimes in Winter”.
Gordon Lightfoot wrote and recorded another sad and lovely song about winter in 1975.Sarah McLachlan recorded “Song for a Winter’s Night” for an album in 2006.She sings about reading a love letter and wishing the writer were with her.
Finally, on a lovely note, we leave you this sad song by Wayne.
40. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. “Winter Wonderland” is a song written by two brothers.
B. Most people feel very sad in winter.
C. “California Dreaming” is the most famous song about winter.
D. Winter is not always a happy time.
41. What do we learn about the song “Sometimes in Winter” from the passage?
A. It was written for Sarah McLachlan .
B. Gordon Lightfoot made some changes to it.
C. It is a gentle and sad song about winter.
D. It first came out in the 1970s.
42. What can we infer from the passage?
A. It is usually warm in California in winter.
B. “Song for a Winter’s Night” is a very happy song.
C. Blood, Sweat and Tears are the names of three singers.
D. Simon and Garfunkel often felt sad.
43. Where is this passage most probably taken from?
A. Newspaper B. TV news C. Radio program D. Magazine
三、阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分；满分30分）
A
On a cold winter morning in the late 1930s, Bobby awoke early. It was a day that Bobby would never forget. Bobby, his brother and his mother were once again abandoned(抛弃) by his father. When times got hard, the man left home. Bobby wasn’t surprised. He must take the responsibility for caring for his family.
He put on the warmest clothes he had and pulled on his old socks and torn shoes. After thinking of a way to keep his feet dry, he went outside looking for work.
Coming across some men working on the road, he joined in and worked hard for hours. Suddenly, rain poured down. “Go home and get out of this weather,” the men shouted, giving him a few coins.
Bobby used the money to buy as much food as he could afford in the nearest store. While holding a small bag of food ,Bobby stopped to adjust(调整) the thick paper in his shoes.
A man, who was a member of the Salvation Army, saw Bobby’s problem. He bought Bobby a new pair of shoes.
I wasn’t there on that cold day. But I’ve heard the story many times and can always imagine my father, as a child, dancing and wearing a pair of new shoes home.
Several years later, Bobby joined the navy. He continued to support his family and meanwhile worked for the Salvation Army so that another little boy somewhere might receive a new pair of shoes for Christmas.
The tradition lasted until my father became too ill. Daddy died six years ago. While the new shoes kept his feet warm in the 1930s, Daddy’s act of giving back for tens of years warmed his heart in a greater way.
36. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to Paragraph 1?
A. It wasn’t the first time that Bobby’s father had abandoned the family.
B. Bobby’s father was irresponsible toward his family.
C. Bobby was glad that his father left home.
D. Bobby was an independent and strong-minded boy.
37. How did the men working on the road treat Bobby?
A. They didn’t care for him B. They gave him some money
C. They refused to let him work with them D. They laughed at him
38. By putting thick paper in his shoes, Bobby wanted to ___________.
A. keep his feet dry B. protect his socks
C. make himself walk faster D. hide his poverty
39. According to the passage, people from the Salvation Army__________.
A. are the members of the army B. are willing to help the poor
C. serve at the local church D. are local shop assistants