HOW does it feel to win a singing contest? Josie Nelson knows. She is a 12-year-old girl in Minnesota,
  US. She got first place in the State Fair Talent Competition (州际才艺比赛) this month.
     "It was exciting," Nelson said. "It's really hard to forget the feeling of just being there and playing for
 everybody."
     Nelson studied singing and guitar for about four years. She took part in the state fair and county fair
  competitions this year. She won both.
     But the two wins are not the only big events in her music life. She put four of her original (原创的)
 songs on iTunes on September 15.
     "I just hope my songs and videos can inspire (激励) people to do something they like," Nelson said.

1. How did Nelson feel when she won the State Fair Talent Competition?

    A. She felt sad.    
    B. She felt excited.  
    C. She felt angry.

2. When did Nelson begin to study singing and guitar?

    A. At the age of 4.  
    B. At the age of 8.  
    C. At the age of 12.

3. Which of the following about Nelson is TRUE?

    A. She got first place in only one competition this year.
    B. She put two of her original songs on iTunes this month.
    C. She hopes her music can inspire people to go for their dreams.

      Several years ago, a television reporter was talking to three of the most important people in America. One was a very rich banker, another owned one of the largest companies in the world, and the third
owned many buildings in the center of New York.
     The reporter was talking to them about being important.
     "How do we know if someone is really important?"the reporter asked the banker.
     The banker thought for a few moments and then said,"I think anybody who is invited to the White
House to meet the President of the United States is really important. "
     The reporter then turned to the owner of the very large company. "Do you agree with that?"she asked.
     The man shook his head,"No. I think the President invites a lot of people to the White House. You'd
only be important if while you were visiting the President, there was a telephone call from the president
of another country, and the President of the US said he was too busy to answer it. "
     The reporter turned to the third man. "Do you think so?"
     "No, I don't,"he said. "I don't think that makes the visitor important. That makes the
President important. "
     "Then what would make the visitor important?"the reporter and the other two men asked.
     "Oh, I think if the visitor to the White House was talking to the President and the phone rang, and the
President picked up the receiver, listened and then said,'It's for you. '" 

1. This story happened in_______.
A. England
B. America
C. Japan
D. Australia
2. There are_______ in this passage.
A. two men and two women
B. three men and one woman
C. three women and one man
D. four women
3. The banker thought_______.
A. he was really important because he was a rich banker
B. the visitor to the White House to meet the President of the U. S was really important
C. the visitor who met the President of the US
D. the reporter was really important
4. The owner of the very large company thought_______.
A. she was really important because she owned one of the largest companies
B. the banker was really important
C. the owner of many buildings in the center of New York was really important
D. the visitor would be really important if while he was visiting the President. the President would not
answer any telephone call
5. The owner of many buildings thought_______.
A. he was really important because he owned many buildings in the center of New York
B. the owner of the very large company was really important
C. the visitor was really important if he was talking to the President and the President received a telephone call for the visitor
D. the person who worked in the White House was really important

     A LONG time ago, there was a big apple tree. A little boy liked playing around it every day.
     As the little boy grew up, he no longer played around the tree.? One day the boy came back to the
  tree. He looked sad.
     "What's troubling you?" asked the tree.
     The boy replied (回答): "I want my own house. I need money to buy it."
     "You can pick my apples and sell them. Then you will have money."
     The boy was so excited. He picked all the apples on the tree and left happily.
     A few years later, the boy returned. He told the tree that he wanted to go sailing around the world."Use
  my branches (树干) to build your boat. You can sail far and be happy." So the boy cut the tree branch to
  make a boat. He went sailing and didn't return for a long, long time.
     Many years later, the boy returned. "Sorry, but I don't have anything for you anymore," the tree said,
 crying.
     "All I need is a place to rest. I am tired after my travels."
     The tree replied: "Good! Old tree roots are the best place to rest." The boy sat down and the tree was
  glad.
     The tree in this story is like your parents. Your parents are stable (可靠的) and giving, like a tree, and
  will always love you, no matter where you are.?
     Key words:   trouble v. 麻烦   return v. 回来,归还    sail v. 航海

1. Did the boy play around the big tree when he grew up?

    ___________________________________.

2. How did the boy get the money?

    ___________________________________.

3. What did the boy use the branches for?

    ___________________________________.

4. How did the boy feel the last time he returned to the tree?

    ___________________________________.

5. What does the writer compare (比作) the tree to?

    ___________________________________.

     One day, Mr Smith is going to take a train to his hometown. When the train starts, one of his shoes
falls to the ground. The train is running faster and faster and he can't pick it up. Then he quickly takes
off the other one and throws it on the ground'near the fallen shoe.A little boy on the train asks him,"
Why do you do that?" "I've already lost one shoe," Mr Smith answers. "If a man picks them up, he may
get a pair of shoes."

1. Mr Smith is going to his hometown _______.

A. by bus    
B. by train    
C. by bike    
D. on foot

2. What happens to the man when the train starts?  He loses _______.

A. his shoes    
B. his watch
C. one of his shoes    
D. nothing

3. Mr Smith can't pick up the fallen shoe because _______.

A. he doesn't want to take it    
B. the little boy has picked it up
C. he thinks it is too old      
D. the train has already started

4. _______ throws the other shoe on the ground.

A. Mr Smith    
B. The little boy
C. Nobody    
D. The man and the boy

5. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. The boy wants the shoes.
B. Mr Smith doesn't want the shoes.
C. Mr Smith throws his fallen shoe on the ground.
D. Mr Smith thinks a man may get a pair of shoes to wear if he throws the other near the fallen shoe.