On Saturday nights, A.J.Coston doesn’t get a lot of sleep. Usually three or four times a night, a loud bell rings, a red light flashes, and he has to jump out of his bed. That’s because he’s a weekend volunteer firefighter(消防员)with Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Station 13 in Northern Virginia. During the week, he lives at home with his mom, dad and sister and does his main job which is going to high school.

“I have always wanted to get into firefighting since I was a little kid watching fire trucks go by,” he says. “One day on the Internet I noticed that Loudoun County offered a junior firefighter program.” He was only 16, but he got it.

Fighting fires is dangerous work. Firefighters never stop practicing the skills they need to stay safe. Once Coston learned those skills, he was allowed to work inside burning buildings.

“Teamwork is most important,” he says. “It’s the whole team that puts the fire out.”

Firefighters feel great about helping people. “My most unbelievable call was probably the time four kids were struck by lightning,” says Coston. He will be off to college next fall, building on his dream job. “I’ll get my degree in emergency(紧急情况) medical care. and then work in a fire and rescue company for a while. I want to be a flight doctor on a helicopter in the end, but I will never forget the days as a firefighter. These are my unforgettable experiences,” he says.

Coston can’t sleep well on Saturday nights because _____.

   A. he has to work part-time at weekends

   B. he has some sleeping problems

   C. he has to do his job as a volunteer firefighter

   D. he always worries that there may be a fire

What do we learn about Coston from the passage?

   A. He doesn’t like studying at school.          B. He will go to college next year.

   C. He dreams to be a great hero one day.        D. He is only sixteen years old.

In Coston’s opinion, what is the key thing in putting out a fire?

   A. Skills.         B. Teamwork.              C. Courage.           D. Equipment.

All of the following are true EXPECT that _____.

A. Coston wanted to be a firefighter when he was a kid

   B. Coston tried several times before he became a volunteer firefighter

   C. firefighters feel proud that they can help people

   D. firefighters have to practice skills all the time to stay safe

Everybody knows Charles Chaplin, a world-famous funny actor. People ___1_____ have laughed at Charles Chaplin’s films until tears run ____2____ their faces. From his very first ____3____ they know what will happen. The little man is always with black moustache, wide-open eyes, round black hat and ___4_____ too large for his feet. He’ll ____5____ through snow, and fall from windows. He’ll fight men who are twice his ____6____, fall in love with women, who ___7______ notice him, and try to ___8_____ them.

The poor man that Charles Chaplin ____9_____ in hundreds of films makes all kinds of stupid mistakes, He is always in ____10_____, but he never ____11_____. He dreams of becoming a great man.

Even people who ____12____ understand English can ____13______ his films, because they are mostly ____14_____. It isn’t what he says that makes people laugh, His comedy(喜剧)

doesn’t ____15_____ words. It depends on little actions which mean the ____16_____ thing to people all over the world.

Chaplin raises his thick eyebrows or rolls his eyes. He hides behind a fat lady or under a table to escape from his ___17_____. He dresses well and pretends to be a ____18_____ and important man. It is all so hopeless and ____19_____ that he makes us laugh. This is the secret of Chaplin’s huge ____20______.

1. A. here                   B. everywhere    C. abroad            D. who

2. A. down                  B. along             C. over              D. with

3. A. disappearance      B. appearance      C. words             D. emotions

4. A. trousers              B. stocks             C. shoes             D. hands

5. A. sleep                    B. sit                   C. play              D. struggle

6. A. length                 B. size                 C. greatness                D. width

7. A. hardly                B. deeply             C. widely            D. luckily

8. A. love                   B. hate               C. hug                D. praise

9. A. played                B. recognized       C. loved               D. fooled

10. A. joy                   B. excitement       C. sorrow            D. trouble

11.A. comes down      B. gets ways       C. goes back       D. gives up

12. A. don’t               B. can               C. do                 D. may

13. A. understand        B. watch            C. enjoy             D. see

14. A. frightening         B. silent              C. pleasant          D. moving

15. A. depend on         B. translate         C. explain            D. know

16. A. some              B. different         C. same             D. bitter

17. A. enemies                  B. own              C. characters       D. films

18. A. poor               B. dad                C. rich              D. beautiful

19. A. possible                  B. impossible       C. instructive       D. tired

20. A. success           B. failure            C. films               D. play

Human wants seem endless. When a starving man gets a meal, he begins to think about an overcoat; when a manager gets a new sports car, he dreams of country clubs and pleasure boats dance into view.
The many wants of mankind might be regarded as making up several levels. When there is money enough to satisfy one level of wants, another level appears.
The first and most basic level of wants is food. Once this want is satisfied, a second level of wants appears: clothing and some sort of shelter. By the end of World War II these wants were satisfied for a great majority of Americans. Then a third level appeared. It included such items as cars and new houses.
By 1957 or 1958 this third level of wants was fairly well satisfied. Then in the late 1950s a fourth level of wants appeared: the “life-enriching” level. While the other levels mean physical satisfaction—the feeding, comfort, safety and transportation of the human body—this level means mental needs for recognition, achievement and happiness. It includes a variety of goods and services many of which could be called “luxury” items. Among them are vacation trips, the best medical care and entertainment. Also included here are fancy foods and the latest styles in clothing.
On the fourth level, a greater percentage of consumers spending goes to services, while on the first three levels more is spent on goods. Will consumers raise their sights to a fifth level of wants as their income increases, or will they continue to demand luxuries and personal services on the fourth level?
A fifth level probably would be wants that can be achieved by community action. Consumers may be spending more on taxes and crime. After filling our stomachs, our garages, and our minds, we now may seek to ensure the health and safety to enjoy more fully the good things on the first three levels.
【小题1】According to the passage, man will begin to think about such needs as housing and clothing only when _______

A.he has saved up enough money
B.he has grown dissatisfied with his simple shelter
C.he has satisfied his hunger
D.he has learned to build houses
【小题2】It can be inferred from the passage that by the end of World War II most Americans ______
A.were very rich
B.were very poor
C.Had the good things on the first three levels
D.didn’t own cars
【小题3】Which of the following is NOT related to “physical satisfaction”?
A.A successful careerB.A comfortable house
C.A good serviceD.A family car
【小题4】The author thinks that a fifth level______
A.would be a little better than the fourth level
B.may be a lot more desirable than the first four
C.can be the last and most satisfying level
D.will come true if the government takes actions

Tom, Mary, Jason, Ann 和Juliet想根据各自的兴趣爱好挑选自己喜欢阅读的文章。阅读下面某杂志的文章摘要(A----F),选出适合他们阅读的文章。选项中有一项是多余选项。

A. The Forbidden City, situated in the heart of Beijing, is the largest and the most complete imperial palace and ancient building complex in China. It was home to 24 emperors of the Ming (1368—1644) and Qing (1616—1911) dynasties. The construction of the palaces in the Forbidden City began in 1406. The project spread over 15 years and was not completed until 1470. Most of the buildings in the Forbidden City were rebuilt many times, although they maintained the original style.

B. Mount Tai, the leader of the “Five Sacred Mountains”, is located in the center of Shandong Province, spanning the ranges of Tai’an and Jinan. It covers an area of 550 square kilometers, and its main peak is about 1,532.7 meters high. Mount Tai is a natural museum with many cultural relics and artwork like Heavenly Queen Pool, Red Gate Palace and Mid-Heaven Gate. Besides historic relics, Mount Tai has unique natural scenery.

C. Each year, forecasts of when the blossoms will open are headline news. The information is used by cities to plan cherry blossom festival, travel agencies to schedule tours, and ordinary people to choose dates for parties involving lots of eating and drinking under the trees.

D. Hong Kong is perhaps the best shopping place in the world with reasonable prices, various products and best service. In Hong Kong, shopping is not only a “social activity” but also an important part of recreation and a way of life. Visitors can enjoy the shopping environment and experience the fashion trend.

E. The Leaning Tower of Pisa leans because of the unstable soil on which it was built. The construction started in 1173. The building began to lean as soon as the first three floors were completed. Nevertheless, building continued, and the seven-story structure was finished between 1360 and 1370. It leans a bit more each year, and it was closed for repairs in 1990. Engineers worked to stabilize the foundation and straighten it slightly to prevent damage.

F. Centuries ago, the African elephant inhabited most of the African continent. Today, elephants are found only in the south of the Sahara. As a result of the habitat loss, along with poaching(偷猎), the number of elephants has greatly declined. The decline has caused serious concern about the long-term survival of the species.

以下是Tom, Mary, Jackson, Ann 和Juliet各自的兴趣爱好的描述。请匹配最适合他们喜欢阅读的文章。

1.Tom is a history teacher at Wuhan University. He has a strong desire of studying the ancient Chinese architecture.

2.Mary is a volunteer, who supports and encourages people to protect wild animals and plants.

3.Jason is a student of Houston University. He dreams of seeing Japanese cherry blossoms with his friends. After graduation, he will go on a trip to Japan.

4.Ann is an energetic girl who loves climbing mountains. She said, “Climbing a mountain is hard work, but the higher I climb, the more wonderful my view is.”

5.Juliet often buys new clothes and shoes alone or accompanied by a friend. When she feels annoyed about a matter, going shopping always makes her relaxed.

 

Old Bear

Kevin Henkes(2008), under 40 pages

Target Audience: Preschoolers

Price: $3.8

Content: It is snowing really hard and Old Bear is getting ready for his long nap. As he sleeps, he dreams of being a cub again and enjoying the wonders of nature. He dreams about summer, fall, winter and spring and how each season brings him so much joy! The illustrations(插图) show the beauty of the seasons that Old Bear dreams about. Great book!

Half-Minute Horrors

Susan Rich(2009), 120~160 pages

Target Audience: Intermediates (4th~6th grade)

Price: $9.6

Content: Looking for a scary book that is also quick to read? How about a one-paragraph tale of terror or a simple drawing that will make your skin crawl? This book is a collection of very short stories, pictures and cartoons from an impressive group of authors and illustrators.

Leaves

David Ezra Stein(2007), under 40 pages

Illustrated by David Ezra Stein

Target Audience: Toddlers, Preschoolers

Price: $3.4

Content: It’s Little Bear’s first year. Fall has come to his island. When the leaves begin to fall, he wonders what to do. However, after following his instinct and sleeping through the winter, he awakens in spring to find everything blooming once again.

Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’

Eileen Spinelli (2003) , under 40 pages

Illustrated by Megan Lloyd

Target Audience: Preschoolers

Price: $3.5

Content: The Tappletons (bears) are gathered together for their big Thanksgiving feast. However, all is not going well during the preparations. The turkey slides out of the house, down a hill and into a pond. There are no pies at the bakery and the lettuce for the salad has been given to the rabbits. As they sit down for the feast, Grandmother Tappleton reminds them that although they have nothing to eat, they can still be thankful that they have each other.

1.Which book has the most pages?

A. Old Bear         B. Half-Minute Horrors

C. Leaves           D. Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’.

2.What can we learn from the book Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’?

A. We should always keep things in order.

B. We should try to make more delicious food on Thanksgiving.

C. If we don’t work hard, there will be no food.

D. Family love is the most important thing.

3.If you like reading horror stories, which book would you like?

A. Old Bear         B. Half-Minute Horrors

C. Leaves           D. Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’.

4.Who are the main readers of these books?

A. Adults.                B. Old people

C. Little children          D. Middle school students.

5.Where can you probably find this passage?

A. In a travel guide.         B. In an advertisement.

C. In a science textbook.     D. In an official report

 

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