初中英语阅读理解

Canberra is the capital of Austrlia. It is a modern and lively city with a pupulation of over 345,000.

History Canberra is the eighth largest city in Australia It is 238 km from Sydney and 507 km from Melboume. Melbourne was once the capital of Australia. Sydney people also wanted to make their city the capital. It was difficult for the govement to make the decision. Then n 1911, the government chose a pl.ace to build the new apital. It w.as between Sydney and Melbourne, the two Argest cities in Australia. Jt took more than 14 years to build the city, In 1927, the city was set up.It became the apital and was named Canberra. “Canberra” means “a place for friends to get together”.

 

Cutture Canberra is a beautiful city with trees and  flowers everywhere. There’s a Flower Festival in Septem ber each year. People can enjoy aii kinds of beautiful flowers and welcome the spring to amve. A man-made lake –Lake Burley Griffin is in the centerof the city, It’s about 25 km fong. People like to ride bikes, walk or run around the lake. In Canberra, there’re many famous universities like the Australian Nationa/ University and the University of Canberra. The National Library and the National Museum of Australia are also famous places that people like to visit.

How far is Canberra from Sydneyt?

A．25 knL

B．238 km.

C．345 km. .

D．507 km.

Tboword “Canbena  means ______.

A．the largest city	B．beautiful man-made lake
C．the old capital city	D．a place for friends to get together

  Canberra Flower Festival is a festival to        .

A．ride bikes	B．visit universities
C．welcome the spring	D． walk around the lake .

MENU
Meat dishes mutton              ¥60 Beijing duck          ¥35 beef with potatoes          ¥20 rabbit                  ¥18 fried chicken              ¥30 fried fish                 ¥25	Other foods tofu                     ¥4 cabbage                  ¥10 eggs and tomatoes      ¥ 12 vegetable salad         ¥7 egg and tomato soup        ¥5 rice                 ¥ 1/bowl dumplings           ¥5/plate noodles             ¥5/bowl pie                 ¥8/plate
Drinks cola              ¥9/bottle green tea           ¥ 10/cup coffee              ¥30/cup milk              ¥3/bottle yogurt           ¥3/bag orange juice      ¥ 12/glass

What food is the cheapest?
A. Noodles. B. Potatoes. C. Rice.
What drink is the most expensive?
A. Milk. B. Coffee. C. Orange juice.
How many kinds of drinks are there?
A. Six. B. Seven. C. Eight.
How much will you spend if you want a plate of dumplings and Beijing duck?
A. ¥35.     B. ¥40.     C. ¥57.
Which of the following will cost you ¥42?
A. Beef with potatoes,a bowl of rice,eggs and tomatoes.
B. Mutton,milk, cabbage and a bottle of milk.
C. Fried chicken, vegetable salad and a bowl of noodles.

“You know, these cups brings to my mind a story I heard,” Mary said to her students.
She poured some tea. There were four of them and there were four completely different cups on the tables.
“I heard there was a teacher who took all his students for tea. His students were surprised that all the cups on the table were different. They all took a cup and started drinking their tea, each looking at the cups of others. The teacher said, “Did you notice your behavior? You are all looking at each other’s tea cup and some of you even envy(羡慕)the finer cups of others.”
“I put the different cups here on purpose. I want to say life is like this tea. You all have the same thing in your cups——tea. And yet you cannot truly enjoy it in your envy of another’s cup. You forget to enjoy your own life when you envy someone else’s life. We all have the same thing——life. We should care more about the tastes of your own life. So now, taste your own tea. Does it matter from which cup it came from?” Mary finished telling her story and her students all sat in silence for a while, enjoying their tea. And it really did not matter a bit from which teacup they drank.
Which of the following statement is TRUE?

A．All of the students had the same kind of cups.

B．One of the cups is different from others.

C．All of the cups were filled with the same tea.

D．There was different tea in different cups.

What should we learn from the story?

A．Envy others and make progress.	B．All the lives are the same.
C．Work hard and catch up with others.	D．Try to enjoy your own life.

Which is the best title for the story?

A．More than tea in a cup	B．The same cups, the same tea
C．The taste of the tea	D．Different cups, different tea

Do you play a musical instrument? If so, you may be getting smarter. A recent study shows that taking music lessons can raise a person’s IQ.
Scientists studied 132 children in Canadian schools. At the beginning of the school year, these children took an IQ test. Then they were divided into four groups. One group took singing lessons. Another group took weekly piano lessons. The third group took classes in drams(戏剧). And the last group did no special activities at all.
At the end of the school year, the 132 children took an IQ test again. In all four groups, the average score went up. However, the piano players’IQs went up 7.0 points on average. The average increase for the other three groups was only 4.3 points.
The researchers say that the difference is small and it may not result in better grades for the piano players. However, they still consider the results important. Learning an instrument helps kids becomes better at concentrating and at memorizing things. Therefore, the researchers say, it may be good for brain development in young people.
If you have a chance to learn to play a musical instrument, never miss it. Remember it can make you smarter.
Which of the following is NOT true of the study?

A．It was done in Canada.

B．It was done by some musicians.

C．It included four groups of children.

D．It took one school year to complete.

Which of the following is true?

A．Average IQ scores increased in all the groups.

B．Only the piano players’ IQs increased.

C．The average increase for all four groups was 4.3 points.

D．Most of the children’s IQs did not go up.

The underlined word “they” in the passage refers to ______.

A． better grades

B．piano players

C．researchers

D．instruments

What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．It’s good for us to listen to music.

B．Everyone should learn to play the piano.

C．Take an IQ test before you learn instruments.

D．Learning instruments may make kids smarter.

Having a part-time job is an important part of growing up for American teenagers. It can teach them important skills that will be useful for the rest of their lives. And many teenagers find that making their own money gives them a sense of pride and freedom.
American teenagers are allowed to do part-time jobs at the age of 14. During the school year, teenagers may go to work a few times a week after school, and work for longer at weekends.
In summer, top part-time jobs for teenagers include at camps, swimming pools and amusement parks. These jobs are great for those who want to be active and have fun while making money.
Some of the most stressful jobs include teaching, nursing, and police work. These skills help to prepare teenagers for their later lives. When they grow up, the students with work experience are more likely to succeed than those without work experience.
A favorite job for many teenagers is babysitting, and they can start before the age of 14 if their parents agree. As long as they stay in the house and make sure the kids are okay, babysitters can do their homework, watch TV, or talk on the phone with friends. After the kids go to bed and before the parents come home, babysitters have lots of freedom.
It can be stressful to balance school, homework, and a part-time job. However, many American teenagers value their work experience and the skills they get from the job.
Why do American teenagers like to have a part-time job？

A．Because they don’t want to be stressed out.

B．Because they can learn skills and get money.

C．Because they can get a good job in the future.

D．Because they can do anything they like.

Which kind of part-time job is less stressful for American teenagers?

A．Working at police.	B．Nursing
C．Working at camps.	D．Teaching.

Which kind of part-time job can a 13-year-old girl do in America?

A．Working at parks.	B．Working at a swimming pool.
C．Looking after babies.	D．Doing the dishes in a restaurant.

What’s the meaning of the underlined word “value”?

A．喜欢

B．追求

C．向往

D．珍视

Middle school students have far too much homework. They usually have to sit up three or four hours every night doing their homework. Now one school in my hometown has made a rule of limiting(限制)homework. The homework is limited to an hour a day and the students have no homework on the weekend. I think this is an excellent idea that will allow students to live better and healthier lives.
Less homework will give students more time to enjoy other pastimes(休闲活动).I have many books which I received as gifts from my parents and friends. They have been kept there on my shelf for several years! Because of homework, I will have not read a single one of them. With less homework, students will be freer to develop their interests in art, music and other hobbies.
More time free from homework will get our physical health better. Many students
like sports, but they have little time to play football, basketball, volleyball and so on. They hardly have time to have a trip or take part in any social activities. They must spend so much time solving math problems and doing grammar exercises. Besides, staying up late to finish their homework leaves many students exhausted in the morning. Not getting enough sleep is not only unpleasant; it also makes students more likely(有可能得)to get colds and other illnesses.
Which is the best title for the passage?

A．Students dislike homework	B．No use doing homework
C．Homework is good for study	D．Homework should be limited

According to the passage, what is an effect of having a lot of homework?

A．Students have little time for their hobbies.

B．Students have to finish their homework.

C．Students are more active in class.

D．Students are good at their lessons.

The author of the passage may be ________.

A．a teacher

B．a student

C．a parent

D．a doctor

According to the passage, what makes students more likely to get colds?

A．No having time to exercise.	B．Not getting enough sleep.
C．Getting up early for school.	D．Reading too many books.

LONDON (Reuters) — British milkman Steve Leech, who saved several shops and flats by putting out a fire with 320 pints of milk, was celebrating Thursday after winning a national bravery award.
Leech, 35, named “Hero Milkman” by the National Dairymen’s Association, said that he had noticed smoke coming out of a shop in Cornwall, southern England, while delivering (递送) milk as usual a year ago.
“I saw the flats up above and thought I’d better do something. So I kicked the door in and started pouring milk everywhere,” Lee told Reuters Thursday.
“When firemen arrived, the fire was almost out,” he said. Firemen said he had helped save the lives of eight people living in the flats above the shops.
“It was hard work opening all those bottles, especially since they have tamper-proof lids. But it was even harder trying to explain to my boss where all the milk had gone.”
This is a(n) _______ from London.

A．poster

B．review

C．advertisement

D．news report

Leech was awarded the prize for his _______.

A．hard work	B．brave behaviour
C．invention	D．patriotic behaviour

Which is the correct order of what Leech did about a year ago?
①The fire was almost put out.              ②He kicked the door in.
③He noticed smoke coming out of a shop. ④He delivered mile as usual.
⑤He poured milk everywhere.

A．①②③④⑤

B．④②③⑤①

C．③④①②⑤

D．④③②⑤①

The underlined sentence in the last paragraph suggests (暗示) that tamper-proof lids add to the difficulty of _______ those bottles.

A．stealing

B．breaking

C．opening

D．wasting

Which is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A．Leech put out a fire with milk at the age of 34.

B．Cornwall is in the north of England.

C．Leech saved eight people in the shops.

D．The fire was already out before firemen arrived.

Sharks frighten most of us, but Daniel Weaver, a shark scientist, swims with them for a living! We asked him some questions about this unusual job.
So Daniel, what’s it like to be a shark scientist?
Well, it’s a great job. I often travel to faraway places like South Africa and Fiji to study sharks. On the other hand, a shark scientist sometimes does boring desk work, such as writing reports. Also, shark scientists don’t usually get paid a lot.
What qualities (品质) do you need to become a shark scientist?
Shark scientists need to be wise and strong. They enjoy working outdoors and they have to be cool and patient (耐心). They also have to be quite brave!
So do you think it’s a dangerous job?
Well, sharks have up to 15 rows of sharp teeth. However, sharks hardly attack (攻击) humans. There are over 350 kinds of sharks in the world and only about 10 are dangerous to us. In fact, dogs kill more people every year than sharks! Humans kill over 12 million sharks a year for food and sport!
How do you become a shark scientist?
A shark scientist usually studies Marine Science or Zoology at university. It’s also good to get some work experience in an aquarium (水族馆). In my opinion, I have the best job in the world!
_______ questions were asked about Daniel’s unusual job.

A．One

B．Two

C．Three

D．Four

As a shark scientist, Daniel _______.

A．studies sharks in his neighbourhood	B．makes lots of money
C．swims with sharks for a living	D．only writes reports on sharks

In Daniel’s opinion, one needs to be _______ to become a shark scientist.
①excited   ②patient      ③brave    ④strong   ⑤wise

A．①②③④

B．①③④⑤

C．②③④⑤

D．①②④⑤

The underlined “Marine Science” and “Zoology” must be two _______ at university.

A．subjects

B．books

C．scientists

D．prizes

From the passage we can know that _______.

A．sharks are likely to attack humans

B．dogs are as dangerous as sharks to humans

C．sharks are not dangerous to humans at all

D．humans do more harm to sharks than sharks do to humans

As Sam slowly woke, he got a funny feeling in his stomach. He knew he would have to do something that he had been afraid to do for a long time.
The school bus came on time, and he sat with his friend, Billy. They chatted about baseball. It was a great way to get his mind off what he had to do later. As they got close to the school, he could feel his heart beating. His hands were starting to sweat. He hated this!
He entered Mrs. Owen’s class. She was smiling, and saying hello to all her students as she did every morning.
“Hi, Sam!” she said as he walked in.
“Hi,” he said and quickly sat in his seat. Then the class began to take their spelling test. He looked at the clock. The time was near. He hoped he was not first! Mrs. Owens said it was time to begin their special day.
“Sam, you’ll be first.” Mrs. Owens said to the class, “Sam has worked very hard on his report on Hawaii, and I know it is very interesting.”
Sam nervously greeted his class. Then, he thought about the fun things he had read about surfing, volcanoes, and pineapples in Hawaii, and he started to talk. He talked in front of the whole class, and it was fun. The class clapped as he finished and Mrs. Owens was smiling. It wasn’t terrible at all and he knew he would do better the next time.
How did Sam feel after he woke?

A．Excited.

B．Nervous.

C．Happy.

D．Hungry.

What did Sam have to do that day?

A．To have a baseball match.	B．To take a reading test.
C．To go to a new class.	D．To do something special.

What does the underlined word “sweat” probably mean?

A．触摸

B．鼓掌

C．出汗

D．指点

Which could be inferred (推断) from this passage?

A．Sam hated chatting about baseball.

B．Sam learned about Hawaii by travelling.

C．Mrs. Owens is unfriendly to her students.

D．The class enjoyed Sam’s talk very much.

Which is the best title for this passage?

A．A special day	B．An interesting lesson
C．A nice teacher	D．A professional report

We all know the dangers of fires. It’s good and necessary for a family to learn how to prepare for a fire. Here are some suggestions.

Put a smoke alarm(火警) in the house. Smoke from a fire causes the alarm to go off. The alarm makes a loud sound. The sound tells everyone to leave the house at once.
Make escape(逃脱) plans. We should know all the ways out of the house. If there is a fire, everyone follows the plan to get out. Part of the plan is to check all the windows to make sure they can be opened easily.
Buy fire extinguishers(灭火器) in the house. Everyone in the family should know how to use them.
Practise for a fire. We do fire practice because we teach children about fire safety. Everyone in the family should know the following fire rules:
★    Don’t open a hot door! The fire can grow more quickly if you open the door.
★    Stay close to the floor! Smoke can be more dangerous than fire. The best air is near the floor because smoke rises.
★    What will you do if your hair or clothes start to burn? First, stop! Don’t run! The fire burns faster because of more air. Drop! Fall to the floor. Then roll! Turning over and over will make the fire go out. Put a blanket(毯子) around you to keep air away from the fire that may still be on you.
There are many possible causes for fires. A wise family is ready all the time. If there is a fire, don’t forget to call 119 for help.
When a smoke alarm rings at home, it means _________.

A．you have to get up	B．water is running to the floor
C．something is burning	D．someone breaks your window

The writer advises us to do the following to prepare for a fire except that _________.

A．we practise for a fire	B．we make escape plans
C．we buy fire extinguishers	D．we use electrical cookers

When a fire happens,____ if you open the hot door.

A．the door will soon be on fire	B．the electricity will be cut off
C．the fire will grow more quickly	D．the house will fall down

What are the right steps you should take when your hair or clothes catch fire?

A．Stop, run, roll.	B．Stop, drop, roll.
C．Run, drop, roll.	D．Roll, drop, stop.

What is the best title for this passage?

A．Be Ready for a Fire.	B．The Causes of a Fire.
C．Learn to Use a Fire Extinguisher.	D．The Dangers of a Fire.

Earthquake safety tips
On April 14,2010, a big earthquake hit Yushu,Qinghai.Over,2,000 people died. Many people were hurt. Why are there earthquakes?
The surface of the Earth has many pieces. These pieces are always moving. When two pieces move past each other, there is an earthquake.
Scientist are working hard to find out more about earthquakes. They try to predict(预测) them, but it’s very hard.
Do you    know how to get ready for an earthquake? Do you know what to do during an earthquake? Here are some things you should know.
What to do before an earthquake
Make sure you have two bottles of water, a packet of biscuits(饼干),a clean towel(毛巾),a few band-aids(创口贴),a radio and a flashlight(电筒) at home.
What to do during an earthquake
If you are inside:
★    Stay where you are. Quickly move under a strong desk, or along a wall. This will protect you from falling things.
★    Don’t stand near windows.
★    Turn off the lights.
★    Don’t get into a lift during an earthquake. If your are in a lift, get out as quickly as possible.
If you are outside:
★    Don’t stand near buildings. Things may fall on you.
★    Lie on the ground until the shaking stops.
An earthquake hit Yushu _______.

A．on April 12,2010

B．on April 14,2010

C．on May 14,2010

D．on May 12,2010

You need ________ at home before an earthquake.

A．some water and biscuits	B．a clean towel and a few band-aids
C．a radio and a flashlight	D．all of the things above

You must protect yourself in an earthquake by ________.

A．keeping you from falling things	B．turning on the lights
C．standing near the window	D．getting into a lift

The reason why an earthquake happens is that __________.

A．the surface of the earth is thin

B．the pieces of the surface are moving slowly

C．two pieces of the surface move past each other

D．there are too many people on the earth

Which is TRUE according to the passage when you are outside in an earthquake?
A. You can play under a big tree.
B. You can’t stand near the buildings.
C. You can lie on the ground until the shaking stops.
D. Both B and C.

News 1
Yuan Longping, the father of hybrid rice, won the World Food Prize on Monday. Yuan developed the world’s first popular and widely known hybrid rice. Hybrid rice plants can make more rice than regular ones.
News 2
Have you ever got angry at books that are full of mistakes? Don’t worry, things will get better soon. Last week, China started checking textbooks, dictionaries and children’s books all over the country. The government said the results of the check would come out at the end of June.
News 3
People will see a new “star” in the sky soon. China plants to send a satellite into space by December 2006.It will stay in space for one year. It will go around the moon and take pictures. It must be very expensive, right? That’s for sure; 1.4 billion yuan!
News 4
Have you ever thought of being able to fly around the world in a few hours? One day, maybe you can. Last Saturday, the American X-43A airplane made its first flight. It reached a speed of 8,000 kilometers per hour. This makes it the fastest plane in the world.X-43A is only three to four meters long, but it’s very heavy. It weighs 1,270 kilograms.
The satellite sent by China will move around ________.

A．the moon

B．the earth

C．the sun

D．the mars

The speed of the fastest plane in the world is ______.

A．1.4 kilometers per second	B．43 kilometers per minute
C．1,270 kilometers per hour	D．8,000 kilometers per hour

The checking of textbooks, dictionaries and children’s books will __________.

A．make a lot of money

B．make the children sad

C．make sure there are no mistakes in them

D．make sure the books are not too expensive

Which of the following statements about the new star is NOT true?

A．It will go around the moon.	B．It will stay in space for two years.
C．It costs a lot.	D．It will go into space by December 2006.

Yuan Longping won the World Food Prize because ___________.

A．he likes to eat hybrid rice

B．he is a successful father

C．he grows more rice than others

D．he developed the world’s first popular and widely grown hybrid rice

Alan worked in an office in the city. He worked very hard and really looked forward to his holiday. He usually went to the seaside, but one year he saw an ad. in a newspaper “Enjoy country life. Spend a few weeks at William Farm. Good food, fresh air, horse riding, walking, fishing…”
“This sounds like a good idea.”he thought, I’ll spend a month at William Farm. I’ll go horse riding, walking and fishing. It’ll be different from the seaside.” Four days later, he returned home.
“What’s wrong with William Farm?”His friend Jack asked him.“Didn’t you enjoy country life?”
“Country life was fine,”Alan said.“But there was another problem.”
“Oh, what problem?”
“Well, the first day I was there, a sheep died, and we had roast(烤肉) mutton for dinner.”
“Fresh meat is the best.”
“I know, but on the second day a cow died, and we had roast beef for dinner.”
“Lucky you!”
“You don’t understand,”Alan said,“On the third day a pig died and we had roast pork for dinner.”
“A different roast every day.”Jack said.
“Let me finish.”Alan said,“On the fourth day a farmer died and I didn’t want to stay there for dinner.”
Alan saw ________ in a news paper.

A．an ad.

B．a letter

C．a story

D．a report

Alan usually went to ________ on the vacation.

A．the mountains	B．the countryside
C．the seaside	D．William Farm

Alan spent _________ at William Farm.

A．four days

B．three months

C．a month

D．a few weeks

Alan had roast _______ for dinner on the third day.

A．mutton

B．pork

C．beef

D．fish

From the passage we know that ________.

A．Alan left the farm because he missed his family

B．Alan left the farm because he had four dinners at the farm

C．Alan left the farm because he couldn’t go fishing at the farm

D．Alan came back home because he was afraid of the fourth dinner

How many parts does the book have?

A．1

B．4

C．18

D．233

If you’re interested in shopping you can read _____.

A．Chapter 3

B．Chapter 8

C．Chapter 16

D．Chapter 18

The book does NOT include _____.

A．help with European languages

B．information about visas

C．ideas about what to take on a trip

D．a section about traveling with pets

If you want to become a better reader, what should you know about speed of reading?
Some people read very rapidly(很快地), while others read very slowly. But which one is
better?
The rapid reader may be a good reader when he reads a storybook for fun. But he may not be
able to slow down enough to read directions(说明) carefully. He may read so rapidly that he does
not take time to understand fully the ideas and information which are important to remember.
The slow reader may be a good reader when he reads directions for making something. But he
may spend too much time in reading a simple story which is meant to be enjoyed but is not
important enough to be remembered.
So, you see, either a rapid reader or a slow reader is not really a good one. If you wish to
become a better reader, here are four important things to remember about speed of reading.
1. Knowing why you are reading will often help you to know whether to read rapidly or
slowly.
2. Some things should be read slowly throughout. Examples are directions for making or doing
something, science and history books, and Maths problems. You must read such things slowly or
remember each important step and understand each important idea.
3. Some things should be read rapidly throughout. Examples are simple stories for enjoyment,
letters from friends and bits of news from hometown papers.
4. In some of your reading, you must change your speed from fast to slow and slow to fast, as
you go along. You will need to read certain(某些) pages rapidly and then slow down and do more
careful reading when you come to important ideas.
What should be read rapidly?

A．Directions for making something.

B．Maths problems.

C．Science and history books.

D．Storybooks, newspapers, personal letters, etc.

What is the important thing you should keep in mind about speed of reading?

A．To read as fast as you can.	B．To fit your reading speed to your needs.
C．To read as slowly as possible.	D．To keep your reading at a certain speed.

Which title best gives the main idea of the passage?

A．Something about Careful Reading	B．Be a Rapid Reader.
C．How to Read?	D．How to Be a Slow Reader?