The new mayor of Hillsdale, Michigan, is a man of the people, ready to listen to their problems, but only until 6 p.m. Then he has to do his homework. Michael Sessions, 18, beat former mayor Douglas Ingles, 51, by just two votes and became the new mayor of Hillsdale. He is America's youngest mayor.

As Sessions was too young to enter the election in the spring of 2005, he registered to vote on Sept, 22, one day after his 18-year-old birthday. The day after that he started his write-in campaign, which means he should persuade voters to remember his name and write it by hand on the voting ballots(选票).

To help get his name known, Sessions earned$700 by selling apples over the summer. He spent the money on posters and put them on the Hillsdale's lawns.

Sessions' month-long campaign included going door to door, explaining his ideas of the town's future in the kitchens of his neighbors. "They'd look at me, and say‘How old are you again? How much experience do you have?' And I say ‘I'm still in high school', " he said. Sessions promised Hillsdale's voters he would renew local economy. “I was hopeful the whole time, ” he explained. One day he spent so long out on the streets knocking on the doors that he ended up in a hospital emergency room.

Sessions said that his schoolwork will not get in the way of his job as a mayor. “From 7:50 a.m. to 2:30p.m., I'11 be a student. From 3 to 6, I'11 be the mayor of Hillsdale," he said.

“He did a very brave thing that couldn't have been easy for him to do, "said Jack Vettel, a councilman in Hillsdale, a city of 8,200 about 75 miles southwest of Detroit. "He does care about this town. He's been here all his life.”

Sessions will receive$3, 600 a year during this four-year term, and will work out of his bedroom since the town does not provide the mayor with an office.

1.What is TRUE of Sessions' election campaign according to the text?

A. Sessions launched his election campaign on Sept, 22.

B. Sessions worked so hard that he once tried to persuade people in a hospital.

C. Sessions won the election campaign by a very close outcome (结果).

D. Sessions felt disappointed when asked about his age and experience.

2.In order to gain more support from the voters Sessions had to do all these things EXCEPT________.

A. put up posters B. renew the economy

C. sell apples D. talk to neighbors in kitchens

3.What can we infer from the passage?

A. American mayors usually work from 3 p. m. to 6 p. m.

B. In America, young people are encouraged to get involved in politics.

C. All teenagers are allowed to enter political elections.

D. American mayors receive a salary of 3, 600 a year during their 4-year term.

4.Which of the following would best summarize the text?

A. Schoolboy becomes American's youngest mayor.

B. How to become a teenage mayor.

C. Hard work is the ticket to success.

D. Never too young to shake the world.

Hoverboards(电动滑板)were among the most popular Christmas gifts of 2015. They may have also been most dangerous gifts of 2015.

A true hoverboard looks like a skateboard without wheels. To “hover” means to float in the air without moving much in any direction. The popularity of hoverboards began in the 1980s, with the “Back to the Future” movies. Characters in the second and third films used hoverboards as transportation.

This year’s popular hoverboards, however, do not actually hover. They have wheels. And? as it turns out, they are not easy to use.

Adults and children around the world suffered hoverboard-related injuries over the weekend. Many posted pictures of the damage on social media. Twitter user David Douglas posted a photo of both him and a young girl with the broken arms they suffered on Christmas Day. And another user Erin Rafferty uploaded a video of her mother falling off a hoverboard, with the caption, “Who let mom on the hoverboard?”

Falling is not the only risk with some hoverboards. They are also a fire risk. At one store in Texas, an employee tried to fix a hoverboard a customer brought in. The hoverboard then caught fire.

Studies suggest that some hoverboard brands have defective batteries or plugs.

Many major airlines worldwide have banned hoverboards because of the fire risk. But some passengers did not hear the news. Australian actor Russell Crowesaid on Monday about his disappointment that Virgin Australia Airlines did not permit his children to take their hoverboards on the plane.

Major retailers (零售商)are also taking steps to improve the safety of the hoverboards they sell. Amazon in the United States now only sells hoverboards from brands that have submitted safety standard documents. The UK’s Amazon no longer sells hoverboards. It has also advised customers who bought unsafe brands of hoverboards to throw them away.

1.What’s the problem with this year’s hoverboards?

A. They don’t have wheels. B. They catch fire in the sun.

C. They are difficult to handle. D. They can’t move in any direction.

2.We can infer from the passage that .

A. the number of hoverboard-related injuries is declining.

B. hoverboards are still enjoying equal popularity as before.

C. hoverboards are still sold on Amazon in the United States.

D. passengers are forbidden to get on planes with hoverboards.

3.The underlined word “defective” in the sixth paragraph probably means .

A. faulty B. spare

C. dead D. dry

4.We can probably read this passage in a .

A. newspaper B. textbook

C. science fiction D. movie review

“Write All About It”

Centerville High School Essay Contest

Rules

.1.Students are asked to hand in essays of 500 to 700 words of their own work. Any essay containing material copied from another source will be disqualified.

.2.Manuscripts should be typed double-spaced, with the student’s name, address, and grade level on a separate sheet of paper.

.3.Essays must be turned in by 4:00 P.M. on November 30. They can be brought to Mrs. Elton in Room 104 or to Mr. Markham in the school library.

Essay-Writing Tips

.1.Catch your reader’s interest—Your opening should immediately pull your reader into your essay. Asking a question or starting with a story, or surprising statement are some good ways to do this.

.2.Create a picture—Use active words that show your reader what is happening. Instead of telling your reader that “the room was disordered,” paint a picture using active verbs and lively adjectives.

.3.Have a purpose—Well-written essays do more than just describe an event or express a viewpoint; they also communicate a message.

.4.Check for mistakes—Read your paper over to check for mistakes. Ask another student to read your paper. Another pair of eyes will often spot a mistake you have missed.

.5.Format your essay—Neatly type your essay on white paper. Choose an attractive cover for handing in. The computer lab will be open after school from 3:15 to 4:45 P.M. each day this month so that students can use the computers.

Prizes

Winning essays will be published in the Centerville Times. Everyone who takes part in it will also receive a free pass to enter one school activity this year.

First Prize: $50 savings bond

Second Prize: Dictionary and reference book

Third Prize: Pen set and journal

1.Which of the following rules is set for the essay contest?

A. Students can write something exactly as it is written in other books.

B. Essays must be brought to Mr. Markham in the computer lab on November 30.

C. Students’ personal information should be listed on another piece of paper.

D. The students winning the first prize will be awarded a dictionary and a book.

2.Which of the following writing tips is given in the passage?

A. Drawing a picture to go with the essay.

B. Making the essay short enough to hold the readers’ interest.

C. Asking a teacher to find the mistakes you haven’t found.

D. Trying to communicate an important idea to readers.

3.The article is written to       .

A. inform the students of the essay contest

B. show how to organize an essay contest

C. explain how to write a good essay

D. convince the students of the prizes available

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