Julio loves to visit his grandmother.He doesn’t get to visit her very often because his family lives in a city that is six hours away.His grandmother lives in a big wooden house on a farm .It is old and looks as if it has secret hiding places .
On the third Sunday of June ,Julio’s parents took him to his grandmother’s .Since it was summer vacation ,he was going to stay at grandmother’s for a whole mother ! His cousins Mario and Linda would soon be arriving .They would also be staying at their grandmother’s this summer.
A big porch(走廊)wraps around two sides of the house .Julio sat in the porch swing .He could see the trees that circle the house.They had been planted as a windbreak .They protect the house from the wind and blowing dirt .The house is in the middle of a large ,flat field.
Julio watched the dirt road that leads to the house .He couldn’t wait for his cousins to get there !Mario was his age ,and Linda was a year younger .They had fun together .Last summer they spent one whole morning making a fort out of sacks of seed .Then Uncle Henry had taken them on a tractor ride.
Julio remembered another time with his cousins .They had gone out to explode the fields.Julio touched an electric fence and got a shock .Then they found an old snakeskin .Nothing like that ever happened at his own home!
Julio could smell the dinner that his grandmother was cooking .It made him hungry.
Finally he saw a cloud of dust coming up the road.“They ‘re here! There’re here!” He shouted.
The story tells about Julio and his cousins doing all of the following except_______.
A.watching old movies |
B.taking a tractor ride |
C.finding a snakeskin |
D.making a fort from seed sacks |
How do you think Julio felt when he saw his cousins arriving?
A.He was worried |
B.He was excited |
C.He was angry |
D.He was sad. |
After Julio’s cousins arrived ,what would probably happen next?______.
A.They would build a fort on the hill. |
B.They would look for snake skins. |
C.They would climb the trees in their grandmother’s yard |
D.They would eat dinner at their grandmother’s house. |
These boxes show events that happened in the story .What is in box 2?
Julio went to Grandmother’s house |
|
Julio thought about Another visit to grandmother’s |
A.Julio’s cousins arrived at Grandmother’s house. |
B.Julio could smell dinner cooking. |
C.Julio sat in the porch swing. |
D.Julio saw a cloud of dust coming up the road. |
Talking to Teachers—Teachers are just people.Behind that desk, is a living, breathing human being.And just like any human being, they will probably be friendly to people who talk nicely to them.Teachers also seem to get along better with children who take schoolwork seriously and are prepared for class.And, just like any other human being, teachers like to be appreciated.The next time your teacher helps you solve a math problem or figure out a science project, say thank you with a smile.
Talking to Parents—Parents can be very supportive if their children ask for help.If you think there’s something your parents can do to help you socialize more or feel more comfortable around people, then ask them.Very often, parents want very much to help, but really don’t know what to do.Pick a quiet time of the day and ask to talk.Tell them how you feel.Maybe they had the same trouble when they were kids.
This Stranger Thing—This is always a tough one.How do you deal with a neighbor, the mail carrier, or someone walking down your street—situations that often seem to cause arguments between kids and parents.The answer to these questions will vary from kid to kid, from parent to parent because all cultures are different.Some folks live in small towns where a hello to everyone is “what’s done”.Then there are kids who live in the city who may have been taught not to speak to anyone they don’t know.If you’re having trouble with this and always feel awkward in these kinds of situations, you might want to talk to your parents or a teacher about it.Where do they think you should draw the line? When is silence rude and when is it wise?
From the first paragraph we may learn that teachers dislike____ .
A.being talked to nicely |
B.their students to be serious with the schoolwork |
C.the students’ appreciation |
D.the students who are not ready for classes |
If your parents are not supportive and you are not getting along quite well with your parents, who or what is to blame?
A.Your parents. | B.Yourself. |
C.Lack of communication. | D.Your teachers. |
The underlined word in the third paragraph is close in meaning to____.
A.afraid | B.puzzled | C.strange | D.familiar |
The passage doesn’t say but it implies that in daily communication____.
A.arguments often happen between kids and parents |
B.we should talk to the neighbors and other people according to different cultures |
C.city people and country people greet in the same way |
D.we should fit our words with proper situations |
Some disabled people use a special card when they park their cars. These are called disabled placards, which are removable signs that can be hung from the rear-view(后视) mirror of a car. These placards are only supposed to be for disabled people.
These placards are meant to help disabled people in a number of ways. They allow the person to park in special parking spaces. They can also be used when disabled people are being dropped off or picked up. Disabled people can even use them to park without having to pay.
Parking officials think that some people are cheating. Not all people who have these placards are disabled. Today, one in sixteen drivers in California carries the sign. There are a lot more people who have disabled placards today than ten years ago. An official from the DMV(加州车辆管理局) says that there are many reasons for the increase. As people get older, they may develop health problems and need to have one. There are also other reasons why more drivers have them today. Finally, there are a number of people who have them that should not.
Last year the DMV cancelled more than 25,000 permits. They found that lots of people who had the disabled placards had died. These permits are no longer valid.
Some people are worried that the system is being abused. They are worried that access to the program could be limited because of the misuse. More rules could make it harder for people with real disabilities to get these placards.
What do we know about placards?
A.They are all used by disabled people. |
B.They are cards designed by disabled people. |
C.They can help disabled people park their cars. |
D.They allow disabled people to drive anywhere. |
The DMV canceled many permits because_________.
A.the number of old people is growing |
B.the number of disabled people is on the rise |
C.they want to make it harder for people to get them |
D.some people who have the placards have died |
What can people do with the placards?
A.Drivers can use them when picking up disabled people |
B.Disabled people can pay for parking with them. |
C.Drivers can use them to drive their cars. |
D.People can have access to DMV with them. |
What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?
A.The reasons why disabled placards are also popular among drivers. |
B.Some healthy people also use the disabled placards. |
C.The number of disabled placard users had increased. |
D.More reasons for drivers to use disabled placards. |
We learn from the passage that_________.
A.disabled placards will be stopped by the government |
B.some people will be punished for breaking the law |
C.some disabled people will be forbidden to use disabled placards |
D.some rules will be made related to disabled placards |
Scientists in the United States say plant life has increased on Earth in the past twenty years and that in every area of plant growth the increase is the result of weather conditions.
Eight scientists from across the United States did the study. The space agency NASA and the Department of Energy paid for it. The findings were published in the magazine Science.
The researchers spent one and a half years examining weather satellite information. The information was recorded from 1982 to 1999. That period was one of the warmest on record. Researchers found that rainfall generally increased during that time.
The satellites measured the number of leaves on plants and the amount of sunlight taken in. The scientists used that information to estimate what is called net primary production. This is total amount of carbon stored in land plants.
The scientists report a 6% increase in stored carbon since 1982. They say gains were high in equatorial areas, especially around the Amazon River in South America. The area alone had a 1% increase in the net primary production.
Ramakrishna Nemani of the University of Montana in Missoula headed the study. He says reduced cloud cover led to growth in Amazon area. He also says the lack of clouds allowed more sunlight to get through. More sunlight meant increases in photosynthesis(光合作用). That is the process by which plants use energy from sunlight to produce the chemicals they need to grow.
Northern Canada, the north-central United States and northern Europe were second in increased plant growth. Ramakrishna Nemani says a rise in temperature helped plants there.
All together, the report says 25% of areas of plant life on Earth experienced increases. But the scientists also note increase in the number of people on Earth and carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Ranga Myneni of Boston University in Massachusetts, another study scientist says humans use about half the net primary production on Earth. And he notes that the world population grew by 36% during the period of time studied.
Which of the following is in charge of the study?
A.The space agency NASA of the US. |
B.The Department of Energy of the US. |
C.Ramakrishna Nemani in Missoula. |
D.Ranga Myneni in Massachusetts. |
What’s the main cause of the plant growth put forward by the study?
A.Growth in population. |
B.Regional features. |
C.Seasonal variation. |
D.Weather conditions |
Why do scientists believe that reduced cloud cover has led to the plant growth in the Amazon area?
A.Because plants could take in more sunlight. |
B.Because plants could get more rainfall. |
C.Because plants could enjoy cooler air. |
D.Because plants suffer less from natural disasters. |
Which of the following descriptions about the years from 1982 to 1999 is TRUE?
A.It was the warmest on record. |
B.Rainfall decreased little by little. |
C.World population grew by 25%. |
D.Stored carbon increased by 6%. |
It’s not entirely true that kids learn a second language easily, but it’s still the best time to learn. Babies are basically equipped to hear and distinguish every possible language and dialect, but once they reach 6 months old, they begin to focus on the particular sounds that exist in the languages that they’re exposed to. In this way, kids will naturally and automatically be bilingual(双语的) if they hear multiple languages on a daily basis when they are still babies..
One lady told me of her son who grew up in a very multi-cultural community working at a resort. He would naturally and easily switch from Dutch, to French, to Italian, German and English depending on who he was talking to. Of course that’s an extreme case, but it’s completely possible and easy.
It’ s not true that they will get mixed up by learning multiple languages. They may mix them up purposely simply because certain words or expressions are easier, but they won’t develop any permanent language disabilities. Quite the contrary, bilingual children have been shown to be as much as a year more advanced in learning ability development for 2 and 3 years olds.
Some kids who simply aren’t gifted at learning languages, just as some aren’t gifted at sports or music, will find it difficult to continue schooling in a foreign language. In that case, it may be better not to continue with the foreign language school. Still, it will have been an excellent opportunity for Grade One. Perhaps for Grade Two you could try a bilingual school.
In any case, learning even a small amount of a foreign language, maintaining the ability to hear and pronounce it by listening to music and movies will keep a foundation for later learning. Knowing a second language can be a great benefit for gaining employment.
What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?
A.It’s difficult for kids to learn a second language. |
B.Kids are able to learn multiple languages. |
C.Kids should be exposed to the native language. |
D.Kids enjoy all kinds of different dialects. |
What did the lady tell us about her son?
A.He could speak five kinds of languages. |
B.He was learning some different languages. |
C.He could talk with many people at the same time. |
D.He was working in a multi-community. |
In which way can learning multiple languages benefit kids according to the text?
A.Mixing up different languages. |
B.Distinguish different dialects. |
C.Developing learning ability. |
D.Developing language disabilities. |
What should you do if your kids are not good at learning language?
A.Ask them to turn to sports or music. |
B.Encourage them to remain in Grade One. |
C.Let them remain in the foreign language school. |
D.Send them to a bilingual school later. |
An ancient Egyptian mummy thought to be that of Pharaoh Ramses I(法老一世)has returned home after more than 140 years in North American museums. The body was carried off the plane in Cairo in a box covered in Egypt’s flag.
The Michael Carlos Museum gave it back after tests showed it was probably that of the man who ruled 3,000 years ago. The US museum acquired it three years ago from a Canadian museum, which in turn is thought to have bought it from Egyptian garve robbers in 1860. The mummy was welcomed back home with songs and military band music during a ceremony at the national museum in Cairo.
Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities(文物最高委员会), traveled from the US with the body and said it would be moved next year to the Luxor Museum in southern Egypt. “We are not 100% sure that mummy is that of Ramses I,” said Mr. Hawass. “But we are 100% sure that it is of a king.”
Atlanta’s Michael Carlos Museum acquired the mummy in 1999, but offered to return it after hi-tech scanning equipment indicated it was likely to be that of Ramses I. The museum website said it had been acquired from the Niagara Falls Museum. It is thought a Canadian collector bought the mummy for the Niagara Falls Museum around 1860 from an Egyptian family which had came across a tomb filled with royal mummies at a site near Luxor.
Mr. Hawass praised the handover as “a great, civilized gesture”. And he appealed to other world museums to return Egypt’s antiquities, particularly the Rosetta Stone in the Britain Museum and the Bust of Nefertiti in the Berlin Museum.
Where was Ramses mummy kept in just before the handover?
A.the Luxor Museum |
B.the Michael Carlos Museum |
C.the Niagara Falls Museum |
D.a Canadian Museum |
Which is the correct order of the following events according to the passage?
a. The mummy returned home.
b. The mummy was kept in the Niagara Falls Museum.
c. Egyptian grave robber sold he mummy.
d. A Canadian collector bought the mummy.
e. The mummy was kept in the Michael Carlos Museum.
A.c-d-e-b-a |
B.c-b-e-d-a |
C.a-d-c-b-e |
D.c-d-b-e-a |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.All the Egypt’s antiquities have returned home after the handover. |
B.Niagara Falls Museum is an American museum. |
C.Buying the mummy from the Egyptian family was a civilized gesture. |
D.Ramses Mummy had been kept in Canada for more than a century. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.The history of Ramses mummy. |
B.The handover ceremony of Ramses mummy from Canada. |
C.The returning of Ramses mummy to its homeland Egypt. |
D.The history of the royal family of Ramses. |
On a hot summer day, a soft drink can really take away your thirst. At home, at school, in the park or at the movies—you can find one almost anywhere.
Carbonated(碳酸的)
You can see bubbles in these! Of all soft drinks sold, about 75 percent are carbonated. But be careful, carbonated soft drinks have lots of sugar and caffeine. Caffeine is not very good for you in the summer, because it takes water out of your body. And the sugar can make you overweight if you drink too much.
Fruit juice
There are different kinds of juice. One kind is made only from fresh fruit. This kind of fruit juice may not taste sweet enough for some people, but it is nutritious. Another kind of fruit juice tastes good but has lots of sugar in it. Many young people buy this kind because the advertisements are good. It is bad for your teeth and bones to drink lots of this.
Energy drinks
These kinds of drinks have caffeine and things that make people get excited in them. They are sometimes called “party drinks”. Doctors say that if you drink too much of this kind, you may have a heart attack.
Bottled water
We have lots of different kinds of bottled water, such as mineral water, purified water and distilled(蒸馏的) water. They are clean and easy to drink. But it is best not to drink very cold water. It may make your stomach feel bad.
Sports drinks
Most of these have funny names like “Scream” and “G-Vital”. They have lots of vitamins and minerals in them. After you play sports, you may want to drink one of these.
But if you just spend your summer holiday sitting around watching TV, you won’t need them at all!
Which of the following is NOT suitable for you to take if you go climbing?
A.Carbonated soft drinks. |
B.Fruit juice. |
C.Bottled water. |
D.Sports drink. |
If you have to stay up late, what kind of water may help you?
A.Fruit juice. |
B.Energy drinks. |
C.Bottled water. |
D.Sports drink. |
What’s the probable reason for you to drink sports drinks after sport?
A.They have funny names that sound very exciting. |
B.They can recover the minerals lost in your sweat. |
C.They can effectively get rid of your thirst. |
D.They can take away your vitamins and minerals. |
What’s the main purpose of the author writing this article?
A.To advise us to keep away from unhealthy soft drinks. |
B.To teach us some useful ways of keeping healthy. |
C.To make advertisements for the soft drink companies. |
D.To tell us how to choose a suitable one from different drinks. |
“Mom, can I bake some bread?” We were 15, my best friend, Hanna, and I, determined to try our hands at creating some beautiful bread.
“It’s not worth the trouble,” my mother said. “It takes lots of time and makes a big mess. Our bakery bread is delicious without all that effort.”
Begging was useless. Mom’s “no” meant “No!”
But several weeks later, opportunity knocked: My parents were going out for the evening. I immediately invited Hanna to be my partner in bread-baking crime.
We studied the recipe. That was easy. “Mix oil into flour then beat in four of the eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt.”
We were not good at breaking eggs. I tried to learn from my mother.
“Gradually add eight cups of flour. When dough (面团) holds together, squeeze it.”
We took turns working like that. “Is the dough ‘holding together’?” we asked each other.
I remembered my neighbor’s instructions: “If it’s too sticky, add some flour; if too dry, add water.”
We added water. Then more flour. Then more water. By then, the mass of our dough had grown very much.
“Place dough on floured surface and squeeze till smooth,” the recipe instructed.
We took turns burying our hands in the damp dough, pinching, squeezing, and feeling it leak between fingers.
“Clean and oil bowl, then return dough to bowl. Cover and let dough rise in warm place for 1 hour.”
This was good news --- we’d have a break. On dirtied kitchen chairs, we dreamed about our beautiful bread. “See?” we would tell my mom. “Isn’t it worth the work?”
Hanna and I couldn’t help glancing at the rising process every few minutes. But nothing was happening.
“Maybe something will happen in the hot oven,” I said.
Unfortunately, when we removed the loaves from the oven, they were like hard stones.
Mom was right; it takes time and effort. It sometimes makes a mess. But still it feels good, somehow, to be part of that long, ongoing chain of bread bakers. Since that night, both Hanna and I have learned to do it right.
To the writer, what her mother said was __________.
A.law | B.rubbish | C.advice | D.warning |
Which of the following can best describe the children’s feelings while making their first bread?
A.Confident; hopeful; disappointed. | B.Curious; hopeful; disappointed. |
C.Interested; excited; satisfied. | D.Worried; satisfied; proud. |
Which of the following did the writer do without instructions?
A.Placed dough on floured surface. | B.Added eight cups of flour to eggs. |
C.Returned dough to a cleaned bowl. | D.Placed the dough into the hot oven. |
The passage mainly tells us ______________.
A.the process of making bread | B.the conflict between mother and daughter |
C.the first experience of making bread | D.the way of doing housework |
Testing has taken the place of teaching in most public schools. Pretests, drills, tests, and retests. They know that the best way to read a textbook is to look at the questions at the end of the chapter and then read the text quickly for the answers. I believe that my daughter Erica, who gets excellent marks, has never read a chapter of any of her school textbooks all the way through. And teachers are often heard to say proudly and openly that they teach to the test.
Teaching to the test is a curious phenomenon(现象). Instead of deciding what skills students ought to learn, helping students learn them, and then using some methods of assessment(评价) to discover whether students have mastered the skills, teachers are encouraged to teach the students in the opposite way. First one looks at a test. Then one chooses the skills needed not to master reading, but to do well in the test. Finally, the test skills are taught.
The ability to read or write might suggest the ability to do reasonably well on standardized tests. However, neither reading nor writing develops simply through being taught to take tests. We must be careful to avoid mistaking preparations for a test of a skill with the acquisition(习得)of that skill. Too many discussions of basic skills make this misunderstanding because people are tested rather than concerned with the nature and quality of what is taught.
Recently, many schools have faced what could be called the crisis of comprehension or, in simple words, the phenomenon of students with grammar skills still being unable to understand what they read. These students are quite good at test taking and filling in workbooks. However, they have little or no experience reading or thinking, and talking about what they read. They know the details but can’t see or understand the whole. They are taught to be so concerned with grades that they have no time to think about meaning, and reread things if necessary.
The author mentions Erica’s performance in her study in order to show_________.
A.her cleverness in test taking | B.the good way to take tests |
C.the improper way of teaching | D.the best way to read textbooks |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The teachers are curious about teaching to the test. |
B.Skills in general are not only useless but often mislead students. |
C.Ability to read and write has nothing to do with ability to do well in tests. |
D.Preparations for a test of a skill do not mean the acquisition of that skill. |
In the author’s opinion, __________.
A.some good methods of assessment should take the place of tests |
B.more attention should be paid to the nature and quality of what is taught |
C.students should not be concerned with grades but do more reading and thinking |
D.students needn’t learn grammar skills because they are useless for understanding |
By “crisis of comprehension” (in Paragraph 4) the author means many students ______.
A.are too much concerned with grades |
B.fail to understand the real goal of education |
C.lack proper practice in grammar drills |
D.do well on tests but can’t understand what they read |
Most, if not all, Chinese have become richer thanks to 28 years of reform and opening up. But are we any happier?
Various surveys attempt to answer this question. Though experts have presented varying percentages based on different standards, their answers tend to find we are generally happier, and the number of optimists rises each year. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ 2006 Blue Book on social progress says 70 per cent of rural and urban citizens surveyed in 2005 reported a feeling of happiness and were optimistic about their futures.
But each survey shows a worrisome fact that 10 per cent, at the lowest, of citizens were not content with their lives or not hopeful about the future. We cannot be content with the fact that at least 130 million of our countrymen are not happy.
Although a sense of happiness remains a luxury(奢望)for many of our countrymen because of poverty, we agree wealth is not the only factor of happiness. For most of us, except the extremely rich and naturally born optimists, there simply are too many variables (可变物) that may kill the feeling of happiness. These include, but are not limited to, rising housing prices, tight and instable job market, back-breaking schooling expenses and medical bills.
The most common one, however, is a low sense of security (安全). Some experts pointed that in the low-and-middle income group there was too much uncertainty regarding employment, income, housing, medical situations, and education. How can you feel happy when you always have to prepare yourself for the unexpected?
It may be beyond the government’s reach, not to mention duty, to guarantee (保证) higher income for every citizen. But it does have a burden to create an environment where all citizens can feel a reasonable level of security.
From the second paragraph we learn _____________________.
A.70 % of Chinese people feel happy and optimistic about their future |
B.the data and the conclusions of the surveys are the same |
C.the surveys about the sense of happiness were carried out in 2006 |
D.the purpose of the surveys is to find out the percentage of rich people |
The following factors of happiness are mentioned in the passage EXCEPT _________.
A.security | B.environment | C.wealth | D.employment |
The underlined word “countrymen” in Paragraph 3 refers to ___________.
A.people from the countryside | B.people from cities |
C.people from all countries | D.Chinese citizens |
According to the passage, the author tends to hold the view that _________.
A.the wealthier we get, the happier we become |
B.though we get wealthier, we do not feel happier |
C.it is the government’s duty to raise every citizen’s income |
D.the government should make sure all citizens feel a good level of security |
Testing has taken the place of teaching in most public schools. Pretests, drills, tests, and retests. They know that the best way to read a textbook is to look at the questions at the end of the chapter and then read the text quickly for the answers. I believe that my daughter Erica, who gets excellent marks, has never read a chapter of any of her school textbooks all the way through. And teachers are often heard to say proudly and openly that they teach to the test.
Teaching to the test is a curious phenomenon(现象). Instead of deciding what skills students ought to learn, helping students learn them, and then using some methods of assessment(评价) to discover whether students have mastered the skills, teachers are encouraged to teach the students in the opposite way. First one looks at a test. Then one chooses the skills needed not to master reading, but to do well in the test. Finally, the test skills are taught.
The ability to read or write might suggest the ability to do reasonably well on standardized tests. However, neither reading nor writing develops simply through being taught to take tests. We must be careful to avoid mistaking preparations for a test of a skill with the acquisition(习得)of that skill. Too many discussions of basic skills make this misunderstanding because people are tested rather than concerned with the nature and quality of what is taught.
Recently, many schools have faced what could be called the crisis of comprehension or, in simple words, the phenomenon of students with grammar skills still being unable to understand what they read. These students are quite good at test taking and filling in workbooks. However, they have little or no experience reading or thinking, and talking about what they read. They know the details but can’t see or understand the whole. They are taught to be so concerned with grades that they have no time to think about meaning, and reread things if necessary.
The author mentions Erica’s performance in her study in order to show_________.
A.her cleverness in test taking | B.the good way to take tests |
C.the improper way of teaching | D.the best way to read textbooks |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The teachers are curious about teaching to the test. |
B.Skills in general are not only useless but often mislead students. |
C.Ability to read and write has nothing to do with ability to do well in tests. |
D.Preparations for a test of a skill do not mean the acquisition of that skill. |
In the author’s opinion, __________.
A.some good methods of assessment should take the place of tests |
B.more attention should be paid to the nature and quality of what is taught |
C.students should not be concerned with grades but do more reading and thinking |
D.students needn’t learn grammar skills because they are useless for understanding |
By “crisis of comprehension” (in Paragraph 4) the author means many students ______.
A.are too much concerned with grades |
B.fail to understand the real goal of education |
C.lack proper practice in grammar drills |
D.do well on tests but can’t understand what they read |
Most, if not all, Chinese have become richer thanks to 28 years of reform and opening up. But are we any happier?
Various surveys attempt to answer this question. Though experts have presented varying percentages based on different standards, their answers tend to find we are generally happier, and the number of optimists rises each year. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ 2006 Blue Book on social progress says 70 per cent of rural and urban citizens surveyed in 2005 reported a feeling of happiness and were optimistic about their futures.
But each survey shows a worrisome fact that 10 per cent, at the lowest, of citizens were not content with their lives or not hopeful about the future. We cannot be content with the fact that at least 130 million of our countrymen are not happy.
Although a sense of happiness remains a luxury(奢望)for many of our countrymen because of poverty, we agree wealth is not the only factor of happiness. For most of us, except the extremely rich and naturally born optimists, there simply are too many variables (可变物) that may kill the feeling of happiness. These include, but are not limited to, rising housing prices, tight and instable job market, back-breaking schooling expenses and medical bills.
The most common one, however, is a low sense of security (安全). Some experts pointed that in the low-and-middle income group there was too much uncertainty regarding employment, income, housing, medical situations, and education. How can you feel happy when you always have to prepare yourself for the unexpected?
It may be beyond the government’s reach, not to mention duty, to guarantee (保证) higher income for every citizen. But it does have a burden to create an environment where all citizens can feel a reasonable level of security.
From the second paragraph we learn _____________________.
A.70 % of Chinese people feel happy and optimistic about their future |
B.the data and the conclusions of the surveys are the same |
C.the surveys about the sense of happiness were carried out in 2006 |
D.the purpose of the surveys is to find out the percentage of rich people |
The following factors of happiness are mentioned in the passage EXCEPT _________.
A.security | B.environment | C.wealth | D.employment |
The underlined word “countrymen” in Paragraph 3 refers to ___________.
A.people from the countryside | B.people from cities |
C.people from all countries | D.Chinese citizens |
According to the passage, the author tends to hold the view that _________.
A.the wealthier we get, the happier we become |
B.though we get wealthier, we do not feel happier |
C.it is the government’s duty to raise every citizen’s income |
D.the government should make sure all citizens feel a good level of security |
“Mom, can I bake some bread?” We were 15, my best friend, Hanna, and I, determined to try our hands at creating some beautiful bread.
“It’s not worth the trouble,” my mother said. “It takes lots of time and makes a big mess. Our bakery bread is delicious without all that effort.”
Begging was useless. Mom’s “no” meant “No!”
But several weeks later, opportunity knocked: My parents were going out for the evening. I immediately invited Hanna to be my partner in bread-baking crime.
We studied the recipe. That was easy. “Mix oil into flour then beat in four of the eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt.”
We were not good at breaking eggs. I tried to learn from my mother.
“Gradually add eight cups of flour. When dough (面团) holds together, squeeze it.”
We took turns working like that. “Is the dough ‘holding together’?” we asked each other.
I remembered my neighbor’s instructions: “If it’s too sticky, add some flour; if too dry, add water.”
We added water. Then more flour. Then more water. By then, the mass of our dough had grown very much.
“Place dough on floured surface and squeeze till smooth,” the recipe instructed.
We took turns burying our hands in the damp dough, pinching, squeezing, and feeling it leak between fingers.
“Clean and oil bowl, then return dough to bowl. Cover and let dough rise in warm place for 1 hour.”
This was good news --- we’d have a break. On dirtied kitchen chairs, we dreamed about our beautiful bread. “See?” we would tell my mom. “Isn’t it worth the work?”
Hanna and I couldn’t help glancing at the rising process every few minutes. But nothing was happening.
“Maybe something will happen in the hot oven,” I said.
Unfortunately, when we removed the loaves from the oven, they were like hard stones.
Mom was right; it takes time and effort. It sometimes makes a mess. But still it feels good, somehow, to be part of that long, ongoing chain of bread bakers. Since that night, both Hanna and I have learned to do it right.
To the writer, what her mother said was __________.
A.law | B.rubbish | C.advice | D.warning |
Which of the following can best describe the children’s feelings while making their first bread?
A.Confident; hopeful; disappointed. | B.Curious; hopeful; disappointed. |
C.Interested; excited; satisfied. | D.Worried; satisfied; proud. |
Which of the following did the writer do without instructions?
A.Placed dough on floured surface. | B.Added eight cups of flour to eggs. |
C.Returned dough to a cleaned bowl. | D.Placed the dough into the hot oven. |
The passage mainly tells us ______________.
A.the process of making bread | B.the conflict between mother and daughter |
C.the first experience of making bread | D.the way of doing housework |
How do you get a man to do his share of the housework? If you are like most women, you’ve faced this question the hard way.
A man will enjoy a clean, orderly house, but he usually won’t make the effort to clean or organise it. This doesn't mean that a woman has to do all the housework:; she may have to manage many of the household duties, and request her partner’s participation(参与). A woman can often say that men and women should take equal responsibility(责任) for housework.
Very few men are raised to be fully responsible for housework, and many men look on housework as women’s work. On the other hand, most men will readily work around the yard, make repairs and complete projects on weekends or evenings, and it’s important that you give your man appreciation for those things, too. Most men will take on a little additional housework around the house if asked politely. They are even more likely to do housework if they can choose what they want to do, and do it without being monitored.
Here’s the key: men want to feel that they are doing housework either because they want to do a task, or because they simply want to please their women. Men are much less likely to take on household tasks they consider uninteresting and unimportant. In other words, men are likely to do a household task just for the good of the house.
The passage is mainly about how to _____.
A.get men to take on some housework |
B.get men to serve their families |
C.praise men’ housework |
D.make men do all the housework |
According to the passage, a man_____.
A.is willing to do housework |
B.likes to be told to do housework |
C.is taught to be responsible for housework from childhood |
D.likes a clean house but doesn’t make efforts to clean it |
In order to get men to do some housework, women should often_____.
A.order them to do their share |
B.ask them to do some housework politely |
C.blame men’s laziness |
D.monitor men’s work |
According to the passage, the underlined sentence in the last paragraph means that men won’t _____.
A.work without any payment |
B.do unimportant household tasks |
C.do housework without women’s praise |
D.please their wives |
According to the passage, which of the following would a husband most probably like to do?
A.Cleaning the table. | B.Doing some sewing. |
C.Painting the fence. | D.Asking his wife to work on the yard. |
Ever since humans have lived on the earth, they have made use of various forms of communication.Generally, this expression of thoughts and feelings has been in the form of oral speech.When there is a language barrier(障碍), communication is completed through sign language in which motions stand for letters, words, and ideas.Tourists and the people unable to hear or speak have had to turn to this form of expression.Many of these symbols of whole words are very lively and exact and can be used internationally; spelling, however, cannot.
Body language sends ideas or thoughts by certain actions, either meaningfully or not.A wink(眨眼) can be a way of showing that the party is only joking.A nod means agreement, while shaking the head indicates disagreement.
Other forms of nonlinguistic(非语言的) language can be found in Braille (a system of raised dots read with the fingertips), signal flags, Morse code, and smoke signals.Road maps and picture signs also guide and warn people.While language is the most common form of communication, other systems and techniques also express human thoughts and feelings.
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.There are many forms of communication in use today. |
B.Language is the most common form of communication. |
C.Tourists are unable to use an oral form of communication. |
D.Ideas and thoughts can be expressed by body language. |
Which form other than oral speech could be most commonly used among deaf people?
A.Picture signs. | B.Body language | C.Braille | D.Signal flags. |
Sign language is said to be very lively and exact and can be used meaningfully except for ____.
A.spelling | B.idea | C.whole words | D.expressions |
How many different forms of communication are mentioned here?
A.Five | B.Eight | C.Nine | D.Three |
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