高中英语日常生活类阅读试题

Do you know how to use a mobile phone without being rude to the people around you?
　　Talking during a performance irritates (激怒) people. If you are expecting an emergency call, sit near the exit doors and set your phone to vibrate (振动). When your mobile phone vibrates, you can leave quietly and let the others enjoy the performance.
　　Think twice before using mobile phones in elevators, museums, churches or other indoor public places—especially enclosed spaces. Would you want to listen to someone’s conversation in these places? Worse yet, how would you feel if a mobile phone rang suddenly during a funeral! It happens more often than you think. Avoid these embarrassing situations by making sure your mobile phone is switched off.
　　When eating at a restaurant with friends, don’t place your mobile phone on the table. This conveys the message that your phone calls are more important than those around you.
　　Mobile phones have sensitive microphones that allow you to speak at the volume you would on a regular phone. This enables you to speak quietly so that others won’t hear the details of your conversations. If you are calling from a noisy area, use your hand to direct your voice into the microphone.
　　Many people believe that they can’t live without their mobile phone. Owning a mobile phone definitely makes life more convenient, but limit your conversations to urgent ones and save the personal calls until you are at home.
What should you do when you need to answer a phone call during a performance?

A．Call back after the performance.	B．Answer it near the exit door.
C．Talk outside the exit door.	D．Speak in a low voice.

Putting your mobile phone on a restaurant table may make your friends think_____.

A．you prefer to talk to your friends at the table

B．you value your calls more than your friends

C．you are enjoying the company of your friends

D．you are polite and considerate of your friends

When you are calling in a noisy area, you are advised to _____.

A．use a more sensitive microphone

B．shout loudly into your microphone

C．go away quietly to continue the phone call

D．use your hand to help speak into the phone

The author implies that the use of mobile phones in such places as museums should be_____.

A．limited

B．expected

C．encouraged

D．recommended

Recently I paid a visit to Harvard University, where there are top class scientists and professors and the best academic system in the world.
I was pretty shocked when I first stepped onto the campus. Well, it’s not ever really a campus. It’s a more like district in a small town.
Harvard's main buildings are from the 18th century. They look very old and simple. You might even say they're a little shabby (破旧的). They don’t fit the modern idea of university at all. The buildings are surrounded by grass and trees, so I felt as if I had walked into a medieval castle. But when I looked across the street, busy shops and in-fashion students made me feel like I was in the 21st century again. It creates a strong contrast (对比) and brings a special atmosphere (氛围) to the school.
Our tour guide Gary took us around and told us: “You see this grass field in the center of the school? Here is where they host their graduation ceremony. They just set up tents and benches and have a very simple ceremony. Unbelievable! Who would think the most talented students just graduate on the lawn?”
I saw some students put a blanket on the grass and lie down to read a book. When I listened to the soft sound of pages turning, along with chirping of the birds, I felt very calm. There was no competitive feeling at all.
Harvard has the world’s first computer in its science center and there are hundreds of high-end computers too. Its religion and the literature departments are also among the best. It is the perfect mix of tradition and new technology. It makes Harvard a very attractive place to study in.
I hope one day I’ll attend my dream school—Harvard.
According to the article the author was most impressed by ____.

A．Harvard’s mix of tradition and new technology

B．the classes held on beautiful lawns at Harvard

C．Harvard students not taking their graduation ceremony seriously

D．the feeling of not living in modern society on the campus

What can we conclude from the article? 

A．Harvard campus is actually a district of a big city.

B．There are no competitions at Harvard University.

C．Graduation ceremonies are not complex at Harvard.

D．All Harvard buildings date back to the 18th century.

Which word can be used to describe the Harvard campus? 

A．Modern

B．Competitive

C．Peaceful

D．Splendid

During my elementary school years, I used to compare my mom with my best friend Tiffany's mom.
Tiffany's mom always gave her lots of money to buy the most fashionable clothes and favorite food. Her mom allowed her to do anything she liked. I really admired Tiffany. My mom didn't give me much pocket money and she always told me that I should behave myself. I was annoyed with her.
Whenever I didn't get what I wanted, I would complain to my mom, Tiffany's mom would give her that! I wish she were my mom. Every time, my mom would calmly say "Poor Tiffany". I couldn't understand her. "She shouldn't be feeling sorry for Tiffany!" I thought. "She should be feeling sorry for me."
One day, I couldn't help saying to Mom, "Poor Tiffany? Lucky Tiffany! She gets everything she wants! Why do you feel sorry for her?" I burst into tears. My mom sat down next to me and said softly. "Yes, I do feel sorry for her. I have been teaching you a lesson that she will never be taught."
I looked up at her. "What are you talking about?"
Mom said with care, "One day she will really want something. Maybe she'll find out that she can't have it. Her mother won't always be around to give her money, and what's more, money can't buy everything."
She continued, "I have taught you valuable lessons by not giving you everything you want. You'll know how to look for bargains and save money, but she won't. You'll understand that you need to work hard to get the things that you want but she won't. When Tiffany is a grown woman, she'll wake up one day and she will be wishing that she had a mom like the one you've got. Life lessons are more important than modern clothes and delicious food."
It took some time, but I eventually understood my mom's words. Now I am a happy and successful woman.
During the author's elementary school years, she __________.

A．wished that her mom were as good as Tiffany's

B．went to school with Tiffany every day

C．usually compared her lesson with Tiffany's

D．sometimes gave lots of money to Tiffany

Why did the author's mom always say "Poor Tiffany"?

A．She felt sorry for Tiffany because Tiffany was poor.

B．She wanted to tell a lie to comfort the author.

C．She thought that Tiffany was spoiled by her mother.

D．She told the author this and wanted her to help Tiffany.

What do we learn about the author's mother?

A．She was strict and taught the author to be independent.

B．She cared for other people's children more than her own.

C．She thought that life lessons were as important as money.

D．She was so poor that she couldn't give the author much money.

What can we infer from the passage?

A．The author was quite annoyed with her mother in the past.

B．The author's mother felt sorry for Tiffany.

C．Tiffany's mother took the author's mother's advice.

D．The author is thankful to her mother now.

There are many things people do with their spare time.Have you ever thought about tuning(调音)your own piano for fun and profit？Are you a piano teacher or player who really does not want the expense of hiring a piano tuner and feels that you could do it yourself with a little training？Well，this is your lucky day.All you need are the right tools，a piano and patience.
So，why would I want to tune my piano？There are many reasons for tuning your own piano.
·It is a very pleasant thing to do.
·You can make up to  $80 each time tuning other people's pianos.
·There are millions of pianos in the world and thousands of new ones are being sold every day.There are not enough piano tuners available to tune them all.
·You can provide a valuable service for friends，family and others.
·You can teach yourself very cheaply and then develop it into a parttime or fulltime business.
You may have thought that only a trained expert could do this，someone who had devoted years of study and developed a sense of perfect pitch(音高)．In the past，tuning a piano was as much an art form as it was a technology exercise，but now the balance is swaying(摇动) more towards the technology and the final result is as good or even better than tuning by ear.
A few simple tools and a laptop computer with tuning software are all that are required.The real secret is the tuning software，which makes the whole process extremely easy.It means you do not have to train your ears but just look at the laptop screen to know when the piano string is in tune.
I have put together an ebook in my website with all the information you need to get started tuning your own piano, where to get the free software and where to buy the tools.
I hope I have inspired you to think about piano tuning and actually give it a go.You will find it a very rewarding and pleasant activity even if it remains just a hobby.
The writer asks two questions in the first paragraph to ________.

A．show his doubt on the topic

B．ask readers to answer the questions clearly

C．encourage readers to make comments on the topic

D．attract readers to more information on this topic

According to the passage，why should you learn to tune pianos?

A．To offer help to piano tuners.

B．To save money and earn money as well.

C．Because it can help you make a piano yourself.

D．Because it can help you learn how to play the piano.

What makes piano tuning easier now?

A．Advanced technology.

B．More effective training.

C．More chances of practicing.

D．Traditional tuning methods.

If you want to get the tuning software and tools，you can ________.

A．get them for free from the piano sellers

B．buy them from the writer's online shops

C．make them yourself according to the passage

D．surf the writer's website for the information

In the last paragraph，the writer mainly wants to show that ________.

A．one must be active to play the piano

B．piano tuning will be popular in the future

C．it's valuable to take piano tuning as a hobby

D．it's difficult to tune pianos without professional training

No one knows for sure when advertising first started. It is possible that it grew out of the discovery that some people did certain kinds of work better than others did them. That led to the concept of specialization, which means that people would specialize, or focus on doing one specific job.
Let’s take a man we’ll call Mr. Fielder for example. He did everything connected with farming. He planted seeds, tended the fields, and harvested and sold his crops. At the same time, he did many other jobs on the farm. However, he didn’t make the bricks for his house, cut his trees into boards, make the plows, or any of other hundreds of things a farm needs. Instead, he got them from people who specialized in doing each of those things.
Suppose there was another man we shall call Mr. Plowright. Using what he knew about farming and working with iron, Mr. Plowright invented a plow that made farming easier. Mr. Plowright did not really like farming himself and wanted to specialize in making really good plows. Perhaps, he thought, other farmers will trade what they grow for one of my plows.
How did Mr. Plowright let people know what he was doing? Why, he advertised, of course. First he opened a shop and then he put up a sign outside the shop to attract customers. That sign may have been no more than a plow carved into a piece of wood and a simple arrow pointing to the shop door. It was probably all the information people needed to find Mr. Plowright and his really good plows.
Many historians believe that the first outdoor signs were used about five thousand years ago. Even before most people could read, they understood such signs. Shopkeepers would carve into stone, clay, or wood symbols for the products they had for sale.
A medium, in advertising talk, is the way you communicate your message. You might say that the first medium used in advertising was signs with symbols. The second medium was audio, or sound, although that term is not used exactly in the way we use it today. Originally, just the human voice and maybe some kind of simple instrument, such as a bell, were used to get people’s attention.
A crier, in the historical sense, is not someone who weeps easily. It is someone, probably a man, with a voice loud enough to be heard over the other noises of a city. In ancient Egypt, shopkeepers might hire such a person to spread the news about their products. Often this earliest form of advertising involved a newly arrived ship loaded with goods. Perhaps the crier described the goods, explained where they came from, and praised their quality. His job was, in other words, not too different from a TV or radio commercial in today’s world.
What probably led to the start of advertisement?

A．The discovery of iron.

B．The development of farming techniques.

C．The appearance of new jobs.

D．The specialization of labor.

The writer makes up the two stories of Mr. Fielder and Mr. Plowright in order to __________.

A．explain the origin of advertising

B．predict the future of advertising

C．provide suggestions for advertising

D．expose problems in advertising

In ancient Egypt, a crier was probably someone who __________.

A．had the loudest voice

B．took possession of a ship

C．functioned like today’s TV or radio commercial

D．ran a shop selling goods to farmers

The last two paragraphs are mainly about __________.

A．the basic design of advertising

B．the early forms of advertising

C．the benefits of advertising

D．the history of advertising

Most people buy a lot of gifts just before Christmas. But some people think we buy too much. They have started a special day called Buy Nothing Day. They don’t want anyone to go shopping that day.
Buy Nothing Day is November 29. It’s 25 days before Christmas. It’s after Thanksgiving and often the first day of Christmas shopping. At this time, we see ads in newspapers and on TV telling us to “buy, buy, buy!”
The idea for Buy Nothing Day started in Vancouver, British Columbia. Now people all over the world celebrate Buy Nothing Day. In California, parents and children get together to read stories, sing songs, and paint pictures. The children talk about why they don’t need a lot of toys. This year, in Manchester, England, people dressed up to tell people that we buy too much.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, high school students wanted to tell other students about Buy Nothing Day. They organized a spaghetti dinner to give people information about Buy Nothing Day. They asked restaurants in the neighborhood to donate the food. They made posters and talked to other students about it. The dinner was a big success, and many students agreed not to buy anything on November 29. The students at high school liked the idea of this new tradition. Next year, they want to have another dinner to tell more people about Buy Nothing Day!
Which of the following is NOT the day for people to celebrate Buy Nothing Day?

A．The first day after Christmas.

B．25 days before Christmas.

C．After Thanksgiving.

D．November 29

When do people usually do shopping?

A．Before Thanksgiving.	B．On Christmas.
C．Anytime.	D．Before Christmas.

How do people celebrate Buy Nothing Day?

A．In California, parents and children get together to play games.

B．In England, people celebrated by performing plays.

C．They bought nothing and made the others decide not to.

D．In Mexico, high school students dressed up.

C
For high school leavers starting out in the working world, it is very important to learn particular skills and practice how to behave in an interview or how to find an internship (实习). In some countries, schools have programs to help students onto the path to work. In the United States, however, such programs are still few and far behind.
Research shows that if high schools provide career-related courses, students are likely to get higherearnings in later years. The students are more likely to stay in school, graduate and go on to higher education.
In Germany, students as young as 13 and 14 are expected to do internships. German companies work with schools to make sure that young people get the education they need for future employment. But in America, education reform programs focus on how well students do in exams instead of bringing them into contact with the working world. Harvard Education school professor Robert Schwartz has criticized education reformers for trying to place all graduates directly on the four-year college track. Schwartz argued that this approach leaves the country’s most vulnerable(易受影响的)kids with no jobs and no skills.
Schwartz believed that the best career programs encourage kids to go for higher education while also teach them valuable practical skills at high school. James Madison High School in New York, for example ,encourages students to choose classes on career-based courses. The school then helps them gain on-the-job   experience in those fields while they’re still at high school.
However, even for teens whose schools encourage them to connect with work, the job market is daunting. In the US, unemployment rates for 16-to-19-year-olds are above 20 percent for the third summer in a row.
“The risk is that if teenagers miss out on the summer job experience, they will become part of this generation of teens who had trouble in landing a job,” said Michael, a researcher in the US.
In the author’s opinion, German high school leavers ______.

A．enjoy more career-related courses than that of US

B．need more career advice from their schools

C．perform better in exams than American students

D．are less brought into contact with the working world

According to Robert Schwartz, high school students should _________.

A．directly carry on higher education

B．get contact with the working world

C．focus on their performance in exams

D．not miss out on the summer job experience

The underlined word “daunting” in Paragraph 6 most probably mean “______”.

A．incredible	B．motivating
C．impressive	D．discouraging

What’s the main idea of the text?

A．Remarks on recent US high school education reform

B．Tips on finding jobs for high school leavers in US.

C．The lack of career-based education in US high schools.

D．The severe situation of unemployment in US.

An incredible dog has mastered more than just the doggy paddle (狗刨式游泳) — the golden brown pet helps disabled children learn how to surf. Ricochet’s owner Judy Fridono said, “I was working with her at balance and coordination (协作). Her balance is so good that she can help to stabilize the board for the kids. And it makes them feel good to know that Ricochet is there with them, keeping them company.”
After becoming an expert, two-year-old Ricochet helps the disabled children build up the confidence to get on the board themselves. Dressed in a yellow jacket, Ricochet helps to counter-balance the board and acts as a reassuring presence.
Ms. Fridono knows what an impact her beloved dog can have. She herself was severely disabled since her teens. Having Ricochet around lifts her spirits, and inspires her to conquer her pain to get on the board. “Ricochet has taught me to focus on what I can do, rather than what I can’t,” she said.
One of those who have benefited from Ricochet’s skills is six-year-old Ian McFarland. In 2008 a car crash left him with brain damage. Although he had loved surfing before the accident, he was too nervous to go back into the water. His fear turned to excitement, when he was told he could try a tandem (双人) surf session with Ricochet. Their session was a success and by the end of it, Ian was smiling from ear to ear. As well as helping with treatments, Ricochet also raised £5,000 to help continue Ian’s recovery.
Over the last 10 months, Ricochet’s excellent performances on the sea have raised more than £30,000 for a number of charity causes.
According to the passage, Ricochet is          .

A．a dog	B．a doctor
C．a dog owner	D．a disabled boy

What role does Ricochet play according to the passage?

A．She acts as a pet to please its owner.

B．She accompanies the disabled children at home.

C．She works as a guide dog for the blind

D．She helps the disabled children learn to surf.

Which statement can best describe Ricochet?

A．The two-year-old dog is severely disabled.

B．Ricochet helps youngsters build up their confidence.

C．Ricochet helps youngsters in their daily life.

D．Ricochet is a lifesaver on the sea.

How did your friendships begin? Most start with a short conversation on a random day. Asking about a homework assignment in class or complaining about your painful legs after playing in a soccer game, you found your best pal by accident.
“Small talk is where all your relationships begin,” Forbes magazine summed up.
The following is a five-step guide to making small talk from Bernardo J. Carducci, the director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast, US. Let’s have a look.
Getting started
Begin by talking about the setting, such as the weather outside or the room you are in (“It’s cold in here, isn’t it?”). The purpose of talking about the setting is to show the other person that you are willing to make a conversation.
②The personal introduction
You should mention something about yourself, such as your name. A good personal introduction helps move the conversation forward.
③Looking for topics
At this point, you and your conversation partner need to find common ground. This is a good time to ask questions or to refer back to things you’ve said or heard earlier. Don’t worry if it gets quiet. The other person is probably just thinking of something to say.
④Expanding the topic
The goal is to keep the conversation going. At every stage, you should be careful not to talk too much. But don’t let the other person dominate the conversation either. If that starts to happen, mention something about yourself when he or she takes a breath.
⑤A polite ending
When ending a conversation, let the person know you’ll be leaving soon, express gratitude for the conversation and set the stage for a future conversation. For example, you could say, “I really must be going soon, but I had a great time chatting with you. I really liked hearing your opinion about that new movie. Here’s my phone number. Call or text me if you know of any other movies you think I might enjoy.”
According to the article, starting by talking about the setting is meant to ________.

A．find common ground	B．impress the other person
C．make a conversation	D．make the room warmer

What does the underlined word “dominate” mean in Tip④?

A．interrupt

B．control

C．adapt

D．simplify

When ending a conversation, you’d better ________.

A．talk about how much you want to keep talking

B．show that you’ve not enjoyed the talk

C．mention a specific movie that you love

D．give your opinion about the other person’s earlier comments

The main purpose of the article is to ________.

A．encourage students to make more friends

B．give students tips on making small talk

C．introduce popular topics for students

D．teach students how to create friendships

I  learned a  long  time ago  that hair has meanings—plenty of meanings. Growing up  in  the 1960s, my friends and I struggled without parents’ control over the length and style of our hair.
At  the  time,  hair  represented  our  need  to  break  free  from  adults  in  our  lives.  Long  hair represented our freed inner selves.
My clients are often surprised when I asked them questions about their hairstyle—why they choose it, how else they’ve worn their hair, how they feel about it, and so on. However, while it may  seem  to  be  a  simple  topic,  even  today  our  hairstyles  still  have many  psychological  and emotional meanings. Understanding some of those meanings can lead to understanding of many different aspects of a person’s mind. How we view our hair,  for example, can show something about how we view ourselves.
Our  hair  can  show  physical  and  emotional wellbeing,  desirability,  and  even  social  and financial  status. When  it  becomes  dull  or  fragile,  it  can  communicate  emotional  and  physical diseases. But hair can also show unrecognized and often unspoken daydreams about oneself and one’s world. One woman—a successful professional—wore her long hair in a thick bun(发髻).
But  one  day  she  showed me  that  tangled(缠结的) hair was kept  in  the bun. She  said  that  she never brushed out the tangles because the hair showed her secret image of herself as a helpless, disturbed woman, like Ophelia in the play Hamlet.
Another woman came to therapy in a huge shirt and huge pants that she believed they could hide the weight she had put on since the birth of her child. She talked about how much she hated her  body  and  how  helpless  she  felt  about  doing  anything  about  it.  But  her  hair  was  always beautifully  coloured  and  decorated. When  I  pointed  out  that  she  seemed  to  have  a  different relationship with her hair  from she did with her body, she said  that her hair had been  thinning and  that she was  trying  to make  it  look as good as she  could.  I pointed out  that what she was doing  with  her  hair  and  her  body  was  kind  of  contradictory,  and  wondered  if  she  had  any thoughts about that.
She was surprised. But as we talked about her contradictory attitudes towards different parts of her physical self, we began to open up all sorts of other thoughts and ideas about her inner self.
And interestingly, as we continued opening those internal doors, changes started to happen. She started eating differently and exercising  regularly. One day some months  later, she appeared  in my  office  in  skinny  jeans  and  a  tight  sweater,  and  her  hair was  pulled  back  in  a  ponytail.  “I decided to see what would happen if I stopped trying to hide myself, ” she said with a big smile.
“And…?  ”  I  asked.  “People  keep  smiling  at  me  in  the  street. My  husband  hugged  me  this morning for the first time in ages. And I feel good! ”
Besides, selfrespect in both men and women can be damaged by thinning hair；they may feel  alone  even  though  they  are  really  not. Given  our  cultural  focus  on  physical  appearance, youth, and health, hair loss can be unpleasant for both men and women. The market is filled with hairenhancing  treatments, but  there  are  those who  have decided  to be  against  the  system  and change to the “bald is beautiful” position. But it is much harder for women to take the “bald is beautiful” approach to hair loss. We tend to try to hide it in one way or another.
But no matter what approach you use, it is important to remember that the thickness of your hair  has  nothing  to  do with  your  value  in  the world. Remember  that  you  have  nothing  to  be ashamed of if you have thinning hair. Thinning hair may not be something you can change, but it doesn’t have to control how you represent the person who lives underneath it.
In the 1960s, long hair represented___________.

A．fashion

B．honesty

C．peace

D．freedom

Why does the author ask clients questions about their hairstyle?

A．Because this topic can reduce clients’ pain.

B．Because the hairstyle can reflect one’s inner self.

C．Because it’s a simple topic to start a conversation.

D．Because this is a topic most people are interested in.

The author mentioned stories of two women in order to___________.

A．prove her idea

B．introduce the topic

C．make comparisons

D．stress the importance of good hair

What can we know about the woman wearing her long hair in a thick bun?

A．She had long but thinning hair.

B．She was helpless and disturbed.

C．She was too busy to brush her hair.

D．She loved the play Hamlet very much.

What does the author advise us to do in the last two paragraphs?

A．Not to be affected by thinning hair.

B．To take the “bald is beautiful” position.

C．To find suitable treatments for thinning hair.

D．Not to pay too much attention to our physical appearance.

There’s a small town in the central part of England called Gotham. Some say it’s a town of fools. Others say all the villagers are wise. Let me tell you about the people of Gotham so you can decide for yourself.
Long ago, England was ruled by a cruel king named John. One day, the people of Gotham heard that King John and his men would soon be riding through their town.This worried the villagers, for they knew the greedy king would demand food and accommodation for his men. What’s more, if he saw anything to his liking, he would surely take it.
A town meeting was called. After much discussion, the townspeople decided to cut down a number of huge trees to block the roads leading into Gotham. When King John and his men reached the outskirts of the village, they could not pass. Angry, King John ordered his men to go into the town and punish the villagers.
When the king’s officers finally made their way over the trees, they found a village of fools. Some say that was because the people of Gotham had a plan—they had decided to act like fools since they had never heard of anyone being punished for being a noodlehead. Others say that’s just the way they were.
In the village, the king’s men encountered a man riding a donkey. The man was bent over because he carried a huge bag of grain on his own shoulders. He looked exhausted. One of the king’s men approached him and asked, “Why, in heaven’s name, are you carrying that bag? Why don’t you just put it behind you on your donkey’s back?”
“You see,” replied the man from Gotham, “my donkey is feeling poor today. It’s bad enough that she has to carry me, so I decided to lighten her burden by carrying the bag myself.”
The king’s men said, “But sir, don’t you see that if you’re riding on top of the donkey, she’s
still carrying the weight of the bag?” The man didn’t reply. He just looked at the king’s men as if  they were crazy and went on his way. The king’s officers giggled at the foolishness of the man. Before long, they passed a pond where they found a number of villagers in the midst of a great  argument. Two of them were holding a big eel. “Quiet down,” commanded one of the king’s men. “What’s the problem here?”
One of the villagers stepped forward and said, “Last year we took all the extra fish we [caught and put them in this pond so they would multiply. But this year when we came back, all we  caught was this one huge eel. Obviously it has eaten all of our fish! Since then, we have argued long and hard over how to punish this bad eel. But we have finally agreed on the perfect punishment. We are just about to drown the eel in this very pond!” The king’s officers couldn’t believe their ears. Drown an eel whose home is in the water? These men were sillier than the first man they met!
Before long, they reached the center of the village, where they were in for another surprise. There they found the rest of the townspeople building a towering stone wall. When the soldiers inquired what was going on, one of the villagers replied, “Every spring a cuckoo comes to live in our village. It always brings warm weather. When it leaves, the cold weather returns. Last year we decided that if we could get the cuckoo to stay here all year, we would always have warm weather. We built this stone wall, but it obviously wasn’t high enough because the bird flew away. This year we’re determined to build it so high that the cuckoo can’t escape.”
The king’s officers had heard enough. They couldn’t bring themselves to punish such stupid people. They returned to King John and told him all about the fools of Gotham. Whether it’s fair or not, the people of Gotham have been known as fools ever since.
What do you think? Were the villagers of Gotham wise or foolish?
This story is most like___________.

A．a news article	B．a folktale
C．realistic fiction	D．historical fiction

The story is set in___________.

A．A city	B．A forest
C．A royal palace	D．A small village

Why do the townspeople cut down the trees?

A．To make room for their crops.

B．To block the roads to the village.

C．To create a gift for the king’s men.

D．To build accommodation for the king’s men.

The townspeople are worried about the king’s visit because he will___________.

A．laugh at them

B．cut down their trees

C．take anything he wants

D．want to move to their town

Based on the story, why might the townspeople be considered wise?

A．They trick the king’s men into thinking they are fools.

B．They think ahead by putting their extra fish into a pond.

C．They make sure their donkeys are healthy enough to work.

D．They realize the importance of warm weather to their crops.

If you were to walk up to Arthur Bonner and say, “Hey, Butterfly Man,” his face would break into a smile. The title suits him.，and he loves it.
Arthur Bonner works with the Palos Verdes blue butterfly, once thought to have died out. Today the butterfly is coming back — thanks to him. But years ago if you’d told him this was what he’d be doing someday, he would have laughed, “You’re crazy.” As a boy, he used to be “a little tough guy on the streets”. At age thirteen, he was caught by police stealing. At eighteen, he landed in prison for shooting a man.
“I knew it had worried my mom,” Bonner said after he got out of prison. “So I told myself I would not put my mom through that pain again.”
One day he met Professor Mattoni, who was working to rebuild the habitat(栖息地) for an endangered butterfly called El Segundo blue.
“I saw the sign ‘Butterfly Habitat’ and asked, ‘How can you have a habitat when the butterflies can just fly away?’” Bonner recalls. “Dr. Mattoni laughed and handed me a magnifying glass (放大镜), ‘Look at the leaves.’ I could see all these caterpillars(蝴蝶的幼虫) on the plant. Dr Mattoni explained, ‘Without the plant, there are no butterflies.’”
Weeks later, Bonner received a call from Dr. Mattoni, who told him there was a butterfly that needed help. That was how he met the Palos Verdes blue. Since then he’s been working for four years to help bring the butterfly back. He grows astragalus, the only plant the butterfly eats. He collects butterflies and brings them into a lab to lay eggs. Then he puts new butterflies into the habitat.
The butterfly’s population, once almost zero, is now up to 900. For their work, Bonner and Dr. Mattoni received lots of awards. But for Bonner, he earned something more: he turned his life around.
For six years now Bonner has kept his promise to stay out of prison. While he’s bringing back the Palos Verdes blue, the butterfly has helped bring him back, too.
When he was young, Arthur Bonner _______.

A．broke the law and ended up in prison

B．was fond of shooting and hurt his mom

C．often laughed at people on the streets

D．often caught butterflies and took them home

Bonner came to know the Palos Verdes blue after he _______.

A．found the butterfly had died out

B．won many prizes from his professor

C．met Dr. Mattoni, a professor of biology

D．collected butterflies and put them into a lab

From the last sentence of the text, we learn that raising butterflies has _______.

A．made Bonner famous	B．changed Bonner’s life
C．brought Bonner wealth	D．enriched Bonner’s knowledge

You still don't know what to do this summer? Well, here's your chance to win a one-week language course in Kent, England! Free4Fun and ETC (English Travel Connections)are giving away two trips to Rochester. This historic city is less than an hour's drive from London and close to the sea resort of Heine Bay. It is also the home of one of England's most famous writers, Charles Dickens. The town of Rochester is in Southeast England. Charles Dickens often wrote about it in his books. His home, Gad's Hill, is there, too. A popular attraction is Rochester Castle, a large Norman fortress (堡垒). It was built in the 11th century and rebuilt during the 14th century. Other attractions are Rochester Cathedral, which was built during the 13th century, and Dickens Centre. It has got its name in honour of Dickens himself.
The trip to England includes:
* travel by train( via the Eurotunnel)to and from any railway station in Germany
* room and full board with a guest family for one week
* language course in small groups
* two trips to London
* large choice of sports and entertainment
* German-speaking advisors available 24 hours a day
Interested? All you have to do is to answer the following question: When was Charles Dickens born?
So, take the chance and send your answer by May 1 to:
Free4Fun "Rochester"
Free4Fun,24 Elphinstone Road, Hastings ,2FQ6VJ
fax :[phone]
e-mail :free4fun@ netlight, com
The two winners will be contacted directly before May 5. They will also be announced in the June issue of Free4Fun.
Good luck!
For further information contact.
phone: [phone]
fax: [phone]
e-mail :info@ etc. com
Rochester Cathedral was built in the .

A．1400s

B．1300s

C．1200s

D．1100s

What activities can you participate in during the trip?

A．Enjoying sports and entertainment.

B．Learning the German language.

C．Traveling by train with a guest' family.

D．Working as a language advisor.

If you want to win a prize you have to send your answer to .

A．the June issue of Free4fun	B．ETC
C．info@ etc. com	D．free4fun@ netlight, com

This advertisement was designed to target      .

A．Italians	B．Germans
C．Europeans	D．Americans

Thousands of years ago, birthdays were considered special days. On birthdays, the bad spirits were able to harm you and change your life. It was believed that the only way to solve the problem was to have your friends and family around you, so that good wishes and presents would keep the bad spirits away. Also, noisemakers were thought to be used at parties as a way of scaring away the evil spirits.
The custom of lighting candles was created by people believing that the gods lived in the sky. By lighting candles and torches, they were sending a signal or prayer to the gods, so they could be answered. Blowing out the candles and making a wish were thought to be another way of sending a signal or a message.
This is how the way we celebrate our birthdays came about. But different cultures celebrate in different ways.
The birthday story in the Bible（圣经） that we know best is about the birth of the Christ in Bethlehem（地名：伯利恒）. For nearly 2000 years since that day, the Christian world has been honoring this birth. The day many Englishmen celebrate is, of course, Christmas. There are other references to birthday parties. King Pharaoh celebrated his birthday by making a feast for his court followers. That was over 4000 years ago. The story of King Herod tells that on his birthday he made a supper for his lords, high captains and other special friends in Galilee (地名：加利利).
According to the passage, good wishes and presents given by one’s friends and family on his birthday can _____________________.

A．cheer him up

B．push bad spirits away

C．bring him a big fortune

D．prove that he’s a popular person

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．People send messages to the gods by lighting or blowing out the candles.

B．The gods celebrate their birthdays by lighting candles.

C．The custom of lighting candles originated with the gods.

D．The gods will help people realize their dreams on their birthdays.

The two ancient kings’ ways of celebrating their birthdays show__________________.

A．how great the two kings were

B．that their court followers were awarded the special honors

C．the two kings’ excellent cooking skills

D．how different cultures celebrate in different ways

The passage is mainly about __________________.

A．the functions of the noises made on birthdays.

B．how to scare away the bad spirits on birthdays

C．how birthdays came about

D．the origin of a famous day Christmas

Imagine a world in which there were suddenly no emotion — a world in which human beings could feel no love or happiness, no terror or hate. Try to imagine the consequences of such a transformation. People might not be able to stay alive: knowing neither joy nor pleasure, anxiety nor fear, they would be as likely to repeat acts that hurt them as acts that were beneficial. They could not learn: they could not benefit from experience because this emotionless world would lack rewards and punishments. Society would soon disappear: people would be as likely to harm one another as to provide help and support. Human relationships would not exist: in a world without friends or enemies, there could be no marriage, affection among companions, or bonds among members of groups. Society's economic underpinnings (支柱) would be destroyed: since earning $10 million would be no more pleasant than earning $10, there would be no incentive (动力) to work. In fact, there would be no incentives of any kind, for as we will see, incentives mean a capacity to enjoy them.
In such a world, the chances that the human species would survive are next to zero, because emotions are the basic instruments of our survival and adaptation. Emotions structure the world for us in important ways. As individuals, we categorize objects on the basis of our emotions. True, we consider the length, shape, size or texture, but an object's physical aspects are less important than what it has done or can do to us — hurt us, surprise us, anger us or make us joyful. We also use categorizations colored by emotions in our families, communities, and overall society. Out of our emotional experience with objects and events comes a social feeling of agreement that certain things and actions are "good" and others are "bad", and we apply these categories to every aspect of our social life — from what foods we eat and what clothes we wear to how we keep promises and which people our group will accept. In fact, society uses our emotional reactions and attitudes, such as loyalty, morality, pride, shame, guilt, fear and greed, in order to maintain itself. It gives high rewards to individuals who perform important tasks such as surgery, makes heroes out of individuals for unusual or dangerous achievements such as flying fighter planes in a war, and uses the legal penal (刑法的) system to make people afraid to engage in antisocial acts.
Which of the following is TRUE according to the first paragraph?

A．people would not be able to tell the physical aspects of objects.

B．People would not know what was beneficial and what was harmful to them.

C．$ 10 million is equal to $ 10 in a world without emotions.

D．There would be full of lies, arguments and violence.

In can be inferred from the passage that the economic foundation of society is dependent on ________.

A．the ability to make money

B．the capacity to work

C．the motivation to work

D．our emotional experiences

Why are the emotional aspects of an object more important than its physical aspects?

A．They help society use its members for more profit.

B．They encourage us to perform important tasks in the war.

C．They help to perfect the legal and penal system to make people afraid.

D．They help us adapt our behaviors to the world surrounding us.

What is the text mainly about?

A．People could only live in a world with emotions.

B．People would always do bad things in the emotionless world.

C．Emotions are very important in the world.

D．Emotions structure the world for us in important ways.