After I mastered my first (协奏曲) at age 14, my parents decided to get me a nice violin. I tried out dozens of instruments before I found my match: a German violin. It was beautiful, but what I liked best about it was its voice. Confident and strong, it was everything I longed to be.

I'm not sure how much that violin cost, but my parents made me promise never to let it out of my sight. They didn't understand that dragging a large violin case ran counter to my daily middle school task of being invisible (看不见的). I was a strange, absent-minded kid. When I spoke up in class, my comments brought confused silence from teachers and wild laughter from students. Like a deer in a wolf pack, I tried to be quiet and still.

In contrast, my new violin was almost shockingly loud. Together, we could drown out the rest of my middle school orchestra(管弦乐队) — which was encouraged, since the other kids made sounds like cats’ crying. For one glorious hour every day, I was showered with attention. Everyone wanted to hear what I had to say.

Between classes, I bent under the combined weight of my violin case and a backpack filled with books. My posture suffered, but my confidence grew. With my violin by my side, I found my voice. More and more, I contributed to class discussions and even made a couple of friends.

Today, I'm just an amateur violinist with a regular day job. As I sit in my community orchestra, sometimes I feel jealous(嫉妒的) my fellow musicians’ instruments with their elegant voices. I may not be the best violinist around, but at least I'm still the loudest.

1.The underlined part “ran counter to” in Paragraph 2 probably means__________.

A. was similar to

B. went along with

C. was the opposite of

D. had something in common with

2.We know from Paragraph 2 that the author___________.

A. did not fit in at school

B. was an excellent student

C. was strong and confident

D. did not attend classes regularly

3.What kind of feeling is expressed in Paragraph 3?

A. Disappointment. B. Anger.

C. Pride. D. Regret.

4.What can we infer from the text?

A. The violin changed the author in some way.

B. The author hated the loud voice of his violin.

C. The violin always made the author embarrassed.

D. The author was the best violinist in his community orchestra.

Four Wild Animal Species Were Endangered

Maybe you can still see them at the zoo. But that doesn’t mean they’re doing alright in the wild.

Tigers

All six tiger species are endangered, with Sumatran tigers and South Chin tigers at a seriously endangered status. The main reasons for their population decline are illegal hunting and destroyed habitats(栖息地), as humans clear forests to gather timber(木材)and build roadways. Only about 3890 tigers presently live in the wild.

Ground squirrels

That’s right, even squirrels are endangered, specifically the San Joaquin ground squirrel. Native to California, USA, these guys have been disappearing since 1979 on account of the construction and human developments going through their habitat. Their total population is unknown , but it could be anywhere between 124000 and 413000.

Giraffes

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature recently put giraffes at a vulnerable status, the level just before endangered. The giraffe population has declined 40 percent in the last 30 years, primarily due to loss of habitat and illegal hunting. Some giraffes are killed just for their tails, which are considered status symbols in Africa.

Asian elephants

The main threat to Asian elephants, one of the most intelligent animals, is their shrinking habitat. As the human population grows, people invade their land to build roads and railway tracks. Elephants in Myanmar are at an especially high risk for being captured and traded or used illegally in the tourist industry. Fewer than 50000 are left on the entire continent.

1.What is the total population of tigers living in the wild?

A. Around 3890.

B. 50000.

C. 124000.

D. 413000.

2.Which of the following is considered one of the most intelligent animals?

A. Tigers.

B. Giraffes.

C. Ground squirrels.

D. Asian elephants.

3.What is the common threat to the four wild animals?

A. Illegal hunting.

B. Disturbed habitat.

C. Developing tourism.

D. Unnecessary construction.

4.Which word can best describe the present situation for protecting wild animals?

A. Satisfactory.

B. Optimistic.

C. Urgent.

D. Stable.

A long time ago, I knew a girl whose name is Gloria. She is a student. Most people in school liked Gloria.So when she got sick,some boys_____to visit her. But none of them wanted to  _____any money for a gift to bring.

    Then Willie said,“We can _____some flowers from a _____. ”

    Gloria will not know ______they come from,and the dead man will not _____them.

    Everybody was afraid,_____Willie.So he went alone and ____some beautiful flowers.Then they went to Gloria’s_____,and the boys acted as if the flowers were from all of them,but______did not mind.

    After their visit,Willie_____the other boys,“It is a good thing that I was not afraid. Gloria ____ the flowers. ”

    The other boys laughed. Gloria would not have liked the _____if she had known they had come from a grave.

    That night, Willie was reading a book _____his mother came into his room.“Willie,did you and other boys buy some flowers today ______Gloria?”she asked.“There’s a man  _____asking for you,”she added. “He says that you didn’t ______the flowers. ”

    “What does he look  ____?”Willie asked.

    “That’s hard to say,”Willie’s mother answered. “He is all _____with mud(泥土). ”

    Willie,all of a sudden,was ____.

1.A. thought B. planned C. asked D. took

2.A. keep B. cost C. take D. spend

3.A. steal B. pick up C. buy D. plant

4.A. shop B. store C. street D. grave

5.A. how B. when C. where D. why

6.A. miss B. lose C. hate D. love

7.A. except B. besides C. including D. beside

8.A. saw B. thought C. looked for D. found

9.A. room B. hospital C. school D. library

10.A. Gloria B. some C. Willie D. nobody

11.A. told B. asked C. said to D. explained

12.A. refused B. liked C. hated D. missed

13.A. boys B. flowers C. secret D. news

14.A. when B. as C. while D. suddenly

15.A. to B. for C. on D. with

16.A. inside B. outside C. still D. also

17.A. ask for B. water C. like D. pay for

18.A. as B. about C. like D. for

19.A. painted B. dressed C. wrapped D. covered

20.A. afraid B. red C. sad D. glad

When emergency workers arrive at an old firehouse in New York City, the way they greet each other is not what you might expect. These first responders say," Ni Hao ! " "Ni Hao" means "hello" in Mandarin Chinese.

First responders are the first emergency workers to arrive at a fire, traffic accident or other emergency. Some first responders are fire fighters, while others can be Emergency Medical

Technicians.

In Brooklyn, New York, over 20 first responders are studying Mandarin Chinese for about two hours a week. The class is the first of its kind. It is offered by the New York City Fire Department Foundation.

The U. S. Census Bureau recently reported that some New York neighborhoods are made up mostly of immigrants. Some people have predicted that the Chinese community is likely to become New York's largest immigrant group. They think the city will have' the largest Chinese community outside of Asia.

The Census Bureau also found that almost 200 languages are spoken in the city. So, knowing different languages is important, especially if you are a first responder.

Lieutenant(中尉,少尉) Steve Lee is president of the Fire Department's Phoenix Society. He says that first responders must be able to communicate quickly and effectively when an emergency happens. He explains that first responders enter neighborhoods and communites to assist regardless of where they are from. Many times first responders do not speak the same language as the people they are called to help. He adds that it is vital, or very important, that first responders are able to communicate with the people calling for help.

Without help from homeowners and others, Lee adds, discovering exactly where a fire is burning can be a real problem. First responders need to ask questions such as "What building?

What address? What apartment?" And the most important question," Is there anybody left in the building and where?"

1.Who are first responders according to Paragraph 2?

A. Persons leading the emergency rescue.

B. Rescuers first reaching the disaster

C. People first learning the disaster.

D. People first find the disaster.

2.Why are the first responders in New York studying the Chinese language?

A. To find a better job in Chinese community.

B. To learn about Chinese cultures much better.

C. To show respect to the Chinese immigrants.

D. To meet the rapid growth of Chinese population.

3.What do first responders concern most?

A. The language to communicate.

B. The place where the fire occurs.

C. The distance covered to the fire.

D. The people trapped in the fire.

4.What can be a suitable title for the text?

A. Importance of Languages Used in Emergency Rescue.

B. Mandarin Being a Must for Emergency Workers.

C. New York's Emergency Crews Learning Mandarin.

D. Language Problem Disturbing First Responders' Work.

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