One afternoon, my son came home from school and asked me, “Are all people the same even if their skin color is different?” I thought for a moment, then I said, “I’ll explain.Let’s go to a fruit store first.I have something interesting to show you.”
At the store, I told him that we needed to buy apples.And we bought some red apples, green apples and yellow apples.
After we got home, I told Adam, “It’s time to answer your question.” I put one of each type of apple on the table:first a red apple, followed by a green apple and then a yellow apple.Then I looked at Adam, who was sitting on the other side of the table.
“Adam, people are just like apples.They come in different colors, shapes and sizes.See, some may not even look as delicious as others.” As I was talking, Adam was examining each one carefully.
Then, I took each of the apples and peeled them, placing them back on the table, but in a different place.
“OK, Adam, tell me which one is the red apple, the green apple and the yellow apple.”
He said, “I can’t tell.They all look the same now.”
“Take a bite(一口)of each one.See if that helps you tell which one is which.”
He took big bites, and then a huge smile came across his face.“People are just like apples! They are all different, but if you take off the outside, they’re pretty much the same on the inside.”
“Right,” I agreed.“Just like everyone has their own features but they are nearly the same.”
He completely got it.I didn’t need to say or do anything else.
Now, when I eat an apple, it tastes a little sweeter than before.What perfect fruit it is!
(1)
I took Adam to buy apples for _________.
[ ]
A.
supper
B.
his question
C.
a party
D.
a present
(2)
As soon as we got home, I put _________ on the table.
[ ]
A.
all the apples
B.
three apples of different colors
C.
three red apples
D.
three peeled apples
(3)
After Adam took big bites, he found they _________.
[ ]
A.
looked the same
B.
tasted good
C.
tasted the same
D.
weren’t delicious
(4)
In the end, Adam understood that _________.
[ ]
A.
people are much the same even if their skin color is different
B.
people are different if their skin color is different
C.
the apples look the same after they are peeled
D.
apples of different colors taste different
(5)
I feel that apples taste a little sweeter than before because _________.
You will have a lot of reading to do in this grade this year.You can do more of it in less time if you learn to read rapidly.
Perhaps you have been told about some habits (习惯) which keep a person from reading fast and have been strongly asked to break those habits which you might have.
Do you still have any of these bad habits?Check yourself by answering“yes”or“no”to these questions.
(1) Do you move your lips (嘴唇) when reading silently?
(2) Do you point to words with your finger as you read?
(3)Do you move your head from side to side as you read?
(4)Do you read one word at a time?
If you answer“yes”to any of these questions,start at once to break the habit.If you move your tips,hold your fingers over them,or hold a piece of paper be-tween your lips while you are reading.Then if your lips move,your will know it and can stop them.
If you point to words,hold the two sides of your book,one side with your left hand,the other side with your right hand.Then you won't have a free finger to use in pointing while reading.If you move your head,place your chin (下巴) in one hand and hold your head still (静止不动的).
If you read no more than one or two or three words at a time,you need to work very hard in learning to take in (吸收) more words at each glance (一瞥) as your eyes travel across the lines of words.
Even if you do rather fast now,you can learn to read even faster.As you probably have been told,the secret of fast reading is to take in whole groups of words as each glance.Read in through groups and force (迫使) your eyes along the lines of words as fast as you can to make them go.Anyone who practices doing these things will he able to read faster.
(1)
You may hold your fingers over your lips while reading so as ______.
A.to tell others to be silent
B.to feel whether your lips move or not
C.to hold a piece of paper between them
D.to keep yourself from talking to others
[ ]
(2)
When you read,______.
A.don't keep your head still
B.don't hold your books with your hands
C.don't stand up near a desk
D.don't use your finger to point to words
[ ]
(3)
If you learn to read fast,______.
A.you can read more in less time
B.you can write faster
C.you can understand better
D.you can read less in more time
[ ]
(4)
You must _______ those habits that we are talking about in this reading.