Her frozen fingers touched the flame trying to feel alive. She could feel the warmth but it was a cold heat, as if the candle was rejecting her.
Her arms turned red because of the cold, her short sleeved shirt not giving her enough warmth. The winter air grabbed(抓住) at her arms, causing her pain, but she didn’t mind. She knew she should put her jacket on, it was winter in Connecticut, but that would be giving up. Up here, in this tree she felt safe.
She looked at the candle, surrounded by hardening wax(蜡). She placed her fingers gently on the warm green wax. This candle was a reminder of her life inside that house, a life she would have to return to eventually.
As a child, she had gotten this candle. She spent all she had on it. The beautiful crystal box （水晶盒）had caught her eye. Five whole nickels（五分币） had brought her that candle.
She gave it to her mother for Mother’s Day. Her mother had managed a smile and put it on a shelf. “It’s very pretty, honey! I will put it right here.” Since then that candle had never been moved, never been lighted, sitting dusty on a cluttered shelf that no one could see. Later on, her parents got divorced.
By now the candle was colder than the air and the darkness was complete. The snow on the ground made the night lighter and less satisfying than it had been before the first snowfall. She liked the darkness because she felt safe in it. From the glances of her friends who liked the girl she used to be. From the boys who could never figure out who she was. From her guidance counselor(顾问) whose endless worried looks never made her feel any better.
No one was outside at this time of night. She was alone in the world, just how she liked it. Just as she was about to lean back against the branch, she heard a sound.
She heard footsteps breaking the ice in the snow, heading toward her. He was making his way toward the white fence at the edge of the building, right against the road. Normally she would have ignored this person and stayed on her branch faraway from human contact, but this figure had something with him. He trudged(吃力地走) toward the white fence carrying a case. The figure reached the fence, opened the case and took out a shiny object.
She took her eyes off this figure only long enough to climb down the tree to get a better view of him. She reached the bottom and saw that the person had turned to face the street, sitting on the white fence that she and her friends once sat on. She stepped carefully on the ice, making her way toward him.
And then a beautiful sound of music came from the shiny object. She stopped and listened to it. She started walking towards the guy again. Just as she was about to step onto the snow banks, she slipped on the ice crashing to the ground. The figure turned around in surprise and a sudden recognition fell upon them both

  1. 1.

    The girl was hiding in the tree at deep night to ______

    1. A.
      keep herself from the cold
    2. B.
      wait for the boy to come
    3. C.
      want to be left alone
    4. D.
      seek safety from any hurt
  2. 2.

    From the story, we can learn that ______

    1. A.
      the girl suffered a lot in her life
    2. B.
      the girl’s parents divorced because of her
    3. C.
      teachers and friends treated the girl badly
    4. D.
      the girl used to stay in the tree when feeling sad
  3. 3.

    The underlined word “it” in the story refers to ______

    1. A.
      leaning back against the branch
    2. B.
      being alone in the world
    3. C.
      not being disturbed at night
    4. D.
      it being dark with snow around
  4. 4.

    From the end of the story, it can be known that the girl _______

    1. A.
      knew the person
    2. B.
      knew what the object was
    3. C.
      realized her wishes
    4. D.
      would never feel alone any more

I remember the first time that I was extremely happy, I was about 8 years old when for the first time, there was a computer in the classroom. I remember that my teacher allowed each student to take turns to play various educational games on the computer. One day, I found the source code for one of these games. Without knowing or being taught any programming language, I was able to figure out some of the BASIC code. I just gave myself a limitless number of lives in the game, so I could continue playing it forever. This was also my first introduction to algebra, and I didn’t even know it at the time. This was a decisive moment in my life. I was quite excited because of what I was learning and what I was able to do. As a result, I was enthusiastic for the rest of my life about self-learning and computers, and I was quite happy doing them too.
I’ve noticed that people who are truly content with life are enthusiastic about what they do. This enthusiasm, along with good health, is the key to being happy. It also leads to self-confidence and content in life too. It may also lead to success, wealth and achievements.
Success, wealth or achievements can also bring some people happiness, yet I know plenty of rich people who are unhappy. I know many people with successful businesses that are not happy with what they are doing. I know people who continuously buy themselves new toys, such as cars, computers, and televisions, yet never seem content for too long. Please remember, happiness is the journey of life, not the destination

  1. 1.

    What can we know from Paragraph 1?

    1. A.
      The author has a great talent for algebra
    2. B.
      Creative thinking is necessary for every child
    3. C.
      The BASIC code of the computer is not difficult
    4. D.
      The author’s experience in his childhood changed his life
  2. 2.

    The author wants to tell us through the first paragraph that______.

    1. A.
      interest is the best teacher
    2. B.
      children are the hope of the future
    3. C.
      young people are fearless
    4. D.
      where there’s a will , there’s a way
  3. 3.

    What is the secret of happiness in the author’s opinion?

    1. A.
      Success and wealth
    2. B.
      Gifts and self-confidence
    3. C.
      Enthusiasm and good health
    4. D.
      Knowledge and achievements
  4. 4.

    We can infer from the last paragraph that______.

    1. A.
      rich people generally feel unhappy
    2. B.
      wealth can’t bring people any happiness
    3. C.
      one will feel unhappy once he has gained all the things he wants
    4. D.
      being enthusiastic about what you are doing is more important than wealth

Daniel Boone was born in the United States in 1734. He didn't go to school and couldn't read, although he learned all about the forests, streams and hunting. He could move silently like an Indian leaving no marks. He loved to live alone in the woods where nothing frightened him.
When he grew up, he married and tried to settle down on a farm. A year later, however, he wasn't satisfied and decided to go into the unknown western lands, crossing the Appalachian Mountains. When he returned after two years, he became famous for his long journey. He brought valuable animal skins and told stories about the Indians.
After this, he chose to keep travelling to unknown places. Once he lost to the Indians in battle and was taken away. The Indians liked him and became his friends.
Daniel Boone died at the age of 86. He is remembered as an explorer(探险者)and a pioneer who lived an exciting life in the early years of American nation

  1. 1.

    Daniel Boone's early life was mainly spent in ______

    1. A.
      learning about nature
    2. B.
      hunting with his friends
    3. C.
      learning useful skills from the Indians
    4. D.
      studying at home because he couldn't go to school
  2. 2.

    When he got married, Daniel Boone first planned to ______

    1. A.
      set up a large farm
    2. B.
      go on a journey with his wife
    3. C.
      find food, new land for his farm
    4. D.
      live a peaceful life with his family
  3. 3.

    Daniel Boone became famous because ______

    1. A.
      he travelled a lot in the western lands
    2. B.
      he was very good at telling stories
    3. C.
      he found better animal skins than others
    4. D.
      he was the first to climb the Appalachian Mountains
  4. 4.

    Why did the Indians want to make friends with him?

    1. A.
      Because they wanted to learn from him
    2. B.
      Because he wanted to make peace with them
    3. C.
      Because they wanted to make friends with white people
    4. D.
      No reason is told in this article
  5. 5.

    In this article, Daniel Boone is best described as ______

    1. A.
      warm-hearted
    2. B.
      strong
    3. C.
      careful
    4. D.
      brave

WHAT’S ON
STAGE
Russian dances: The famous “Little White Birth” Dance Troupe will travel from Russia to present performances in Beijing.
The troupe, founded in 1948, is famous for their combination of Russian folk dances and classical dancing art.
It has been invited by the Beijing Foreign Culture Exchange Co. in order to give four performances in Beijing.
Tickets are available through ticket hotlines and website such as www. paio. com. cn, www. Chinaticket. com and www. ticket. elong. com.
* Time: 7: 30 pm, January 18 - 21
* Place: Beizhan Theatre, 135, Xiwai Dajie,
Xicheng District
* Tel: 6606-4258
EXHIBITIONS
Kite show: All together 81 kites collected by the China National Art Museum is on show in the Yanhuang Art Museum.
Kong Xiangze, an expert on Chinese kites, published a book on kites, explaining the origins of the kite-making process. The exhibited kites are made in a traditional Chinese style.
* Time: 9 am-5 pm until February 11
* Place: 9 Huizhong Lu
* Tel: 6491-2902		CONCERTS
Folk music: A concert of classics of Chinese folk music will greet audiences on the first day of the Year of Snake at the Beijing Concert Hall.
The China Song and Dance Ensemble will perform dozens of traditional instrumental pieces, such as “Full of Joy”, “Colourful Cloud Chasing the Moon” and “Spring Festival Suite”.
* Time: 7: 30 pm, January 24   
* Place: 1, Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District
* Tel: 6559-8285
EVENTS
Flower festival: The Beijing Botanical Garden is bringing people a blooming festival with the beautiful flowers in its tropical plants greenhouse.
The garden has introduced nearly 80 kinds of flowers abroad for the exhibition.
There is also an exhibition of potted narcissus (水仙) landscapes (盆景). More than 300 mini landscapes involving imported narcissus will be displayed, people can get a preview of the show by visiting www.beijingbd.com, the garden’s website.
* Time: 8:30 am-5 pm until January 28
* Place: Wofosi Lu near the Fragant Hills
* Tel: 8259-5547

  1. 1.

    Suppose you are too far away from Beijing or you can’t spare time to go there in person, which of the following shows can you enjoy all the same?

    1. A.
      Russian dances
    2. B.
      Kite show
    3. C.
      Folk music
    4. D.
      Flower festival
  2. 2.

    The phrase “get a preview of” used in the passage means ______

    1. A.
      watch in advance
    2. B.
      see more clearly
    3. C.
      get good position of
    4. D.
      get a general idea of
  3. 3.

    f you and your classmates have a free evening to spend on the 19th of January, which is a useful number to call?

    1. A.
      6606-4258
    2. B.
      6491-2902
    3. C.
      6559-8285
    4. D.
      8259-5547

In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what “keeping up with the Joneses” is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbors.
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighborhood. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants. Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbors.
It was like a race, but one could never finish this race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They had to move back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbors. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead

  1. 1.

    Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they _____.

    1. A.
      want others to know or to think that they are rich
    2. B.
      want to be as rich as their neighbours
    3. C.
      don’t want others to know they are rich
    4. D.
      want to be happy
  2. 2.

    It can be inferred from the story that rich people like to _____.

    1. A.
      live in New York City
    2. B.
      live outside New York City
    3. C.
      live in apartments
    4. D.
      live with many neighbours
  3. 3.

    What’s the author’s attitude to keeping up with the Joneses?

    1. A.
      Supportive
    2. B.
      Objective
    3. C.
      Negative
    4. D.
      Positive

To help make the most of your experience at Auckland Zoo we suggest:
Plan Your Day:
Plan your day to learn more about your favorite zoo animals.
Don’t forget your camera – the best way to capture your visit forever.
Keep Safe at the Zoo:
Children aged 12 years and under need to be accompanied (陪同) by a caregiver.
To keep the safety of our animals, any throwing games are not permitted in the zoo grounds.
The zoo animals are not trained. Do not enter any enclosure (围场), or put any part of your body into an enclosure.
There are a number of natural waterways at the zoo, so please take care of your children at all times.
General Information:
Check out the weather before you come. In winter we suggest you bring a jacket and an umbrella, and in summer, be sure to bring sunscreen and a hat.
Every zoo animal enjoys its own specific: well-balanced food. We hope that you enjoy some great food treats on your zoo visit, but please do not feed any of our animals. Our keepers work strictly on this.
Feel free to take personal photos and make videos. However, any commercial photography or filming needs written permissions from zoo management.
Not all animals are permitted in the zoo grounds. We welcome people with guide dogs, but they must contact us ahead of time about their visit. Please phone the Zoo Information Center on +64(0)9-360-3805.
Smoking is not permitted in covered areas.
Auckland Zoo does not allow entry to any unaccompanied children 12 years and under. If the children are found by themselves, the staff do have the right to call the police

  1. 1.

    When visiting Auckland Zoo, parents should tell their children that______.

    1. A.
      they could play throwing games
    2. B.
      they couldstay close to the animals
    3. C.
      the zoo animals have been well-trained
    4. D.
      it’s dangerous to play near the waterways
  2. 2.

    The underlined word “this” in the part of “General Information” refers to the fact that______.

    1. A.
      zoo animals enjoy their well-balanced food
    2. B.
      visitors are not allowed to feed animals
    3. C.
      visitors enjoy their own food treats
    4. D.
      children offer food to the zoo animals
  3. 3.

    The main purpose of the passage is to______.

    1. A.
      give people some tips on visiting Auckland Zoo
    2. B.
      introduce Auckland Zoo animals
    3. C.
      ask people to stop polluting Auckland Zoo
    4. D.
      attract people to the zoo

In 1933 an unknown American called Clarence Nash went to see the film-maker Walt Disney. He had unusual voice and he wanted to do work in Disney’s cartoon films for children. When Walt Disney heard Nash’s voice, he said, “Stop! That’s our duck!”
The duck was the now-famous Donald Duck, who first appeared in1934 in the film The Wise Little Hen. Donald lived in an old houseboat and wore his sailor jacket and hat. Later that year he became a star after an eight-minute Mickey Mouse film. The cinema audiences liked him because he was lazy and greedy, and because he lost his temper very quickly. And they loved his voice, when he became angry with Mickey’s eight nephews. Soon Donald was more popular than Mickey Mouse himself, probably because he wasn’t goody-goody like Mickey.
In the 1930s, 40s and 50s, Donald and his friends Mickey, Goofy and Pluto make hundreds of Disney cartoons. He also made educational films about the place of the USA in the world, and safety in the home. Then in 1966 Donald Duck and his voice disappeared—there were no more new cartoons.
Clarence Nash died in February, 1985. But today’s children can still see the old cartoons on television and hear that famous voice

  1. 1.

    Walt Disney ______

    1. A.
      played the part of Donald Duck
    2. B.
      made Donald Duck films
    3. C.
      had Donald Duck’s voice
    4. D.
      drew cartoons
  2. 2.

    Walt Disney chose Clarence Nash ______

    1. A.
      because his voice was right for Mickey Mouse
    2. B.
      because his voice was right for the duck in a new cartoon film
    3. C.
      because he was fond of playing jokes
    4. D.
      because he was quite humorous
  3. 3.

    The first Donald Duck film ______

    1. A.
      appeared in 1934
    2. B.
      was shown in 1933
    3. C.
      was greatly appreciated in 1966
    4. D.
      was popular in 1930
  4. 4.

    Which of the following in NOT true?

    1. A.
      Clarence Nash had Donald Duck’s voice
    2. B.
      People liked Donald Duck better because he was lazy and greedy and became angry quickly
    3. C.
      Donald Duck’s voice disappeared in 1966
    4. D.
      Mickey Mouse wasn’t a goody-goody

On a summer day, John was sitting on a beach in Hawaii with his parents. The six-year-old child suddenly said he was so lucky because he had so many toys to play with at home.
His surprised parents replied that he was lucky, since a lot of kids didn’t have any toys at all. “How can that be?” John said, confused, but then he said that he would like to get toys for those children. His parents naturally thought their son was just kidding. But as soon as they returned home, John began using his pocket money to buy toys for other kids and asking his friends to do the same. His parents responded by organizing pizza suppers for other families interested in helping other children that can’t afford to buy toys. John thought that he just wanted to cheer those kids up.
John’s parents started to find a place that would allow children as young as six and seven to volunteer. They finally find a day care center for disabled children to let John and his friends visit. They went and played with these kids, playing around the room as if they belonged there.
John and his friends named their work Kids Cheering Kids. John and his friends visited kids at some childcare centers, helping out with a party they organized. They also prepared a performance for children with disabilities. Their activities have drawn public concern.
The spirit of helping is as fresh as it was that day in Hawaii. “The whole purpose,”
John says, “is to make the kids feel better.”

  1. 1.

    Why did John get toys for the children who didn’t have any toy at all?

    1. A.
      Because he wanted to make them happy
    2. B.
      Because he wanted to show off his toys
    3. C.
      Because he wanted to share his toys with them
    4. D.
      Because he wanted to make friends with them
  2. 2.

    What was John’s parents’ attitude towards his plan?

    1. A.
      Positive
    2. B.
      Critical
    3. C.
      Doubtful
    4. D.
      Puzzled
  3. 3.

    What do we learn about Kids Cheering Kids?

    1. A.
      It’s a children’s game enjoyed by John and his friends
    2. B.
      It’s a project started by John to help other kids
    3. C.
      It’s a program performed by John and his friends
    4. D.
      It’s an after-school activity planned by John’s friends
  4. 4.

    What would be the best title for the passage?

    1. A.
      An unforgettable vacation
    2. B.
      A valuable experience
    3. C.
      Let kids cheer kids
    4. D.
      Let kids learn to share

I still remember --- my hands and my fingers still remember --- what used to lie in store for us on our return to school from the holidays. The trees in the school yard would be in full leaf again and the old leaves would be lying around like a muddy sea of leaves.
“Get that all swept up!” the headmaster would tell us. “I want the whole place cleaned up, at once!” There was enough work there, to last over a week. Especially since the only tools with which we were provided were our hands, our fingers, our nails. “Now see that it’s done properly, and be quick about it,” the headmaster would say to the older pupils, “or you’ll have to answer for it!”
So at an order from the older boys we would all line up like peanuts about to cut and gather in crops. If the work was not going as quickly as the headmaster expected, the big boys, instead of giving us a helping hand, used to find it simpler to beat us with branches pulled from the trees. In order to avoid these blows, we used to bribe(贿赂) the older boys with the juicy cakes we used to bring for our midday meal. And if we happened to have any money on us, the coins changed hands at once. If we did not do this, if we were afraid of going home with an empty stomach or an empty purse, the blows were redoubled. They hit us so violently and with such evil enjoyment that even a deaf and dumb person would have realized that we were being whipped so much not to make us work harder, but rather to beat us into a state of obedience(服从) in which we would be only too glad to give up our food and money.
Occasionally one of us, worn out by such calculated cruelty, would have the courage to complain to the headmaster. He would of course be very angry, but the punishment he gave the older boys was always very small --- nothing compared to what they had done to us. And the fact is that however much we complained, our situation did not improve in the slightest. Perhaps we should have let our parents know what was going on, but somehow we never dreamed of doing so; I don’t know whether it was loyalty or pride that kept us silent, but I can see now that we were foolish to keep quiet about it, for such beating were completely foreign to our nature

  1. 1.

    The statement “my hands and my fingers still remember” (Para.1) means that______.

    1. A.
      the author’s hands were severely injured in the cleaning up
    2. B.
      the author seldom did such hard work as the cleaning up
    3. C.
      the author was bullied by the big boys in the cleaning up
    4. D.
      the author’s hands were his only tool for the cleaning
  2. 2.

    The headmaster asked the older boys to______.

    1. A.
      beat those who worked slowly
    2. B.
      treat the small boys as peanuts
    3. C.
      take charge of the process of the cleaning
    4. D.
      do the cleaning all by themselves
  3. 3.

    According to Para. 3, if the author had any money on him, he most probably______.

    1. A.
      gave it to the big boys so as to please them
    2. B.
      gave it as a bride to the headmaster
    3. C.
      spent it all on his midday meal
    4. D.
      spent it buying midday meals for the big boys
  4. 4.

    When receiving complaints, the headmaster would deal with the big boys by means of______.

    1. A.
      slight punishment
    2. B.
      strict criticism
    3. C.
      complete indifference
    4. D.
      good beating

A hobby can be almost anything a person likes to do in his spare time. Hobbyists raise pets, build model ships, weave baskets, watch birds, hunt animals, climb mountains, raise flowers, fish, ski, skate, and swim. Hobbyists also paint pictures, attend concerts and plays, and perform on musical instruments. They collect everything from books to butterflies, and from shells to stamps.
People take up hobbies because these activities offer enjoyment, friendship, knowledge, and relaxation. Sometimes they even produce financial profit(利润). Hobbies help people balance between work and play. Hobbies also offer interesting activities for persons who have retired. Anyone, rich or poor, old or young, sick or well, can follow a satisfying hobby, regardless of (不论)his age, position, or income.
Hobbies can help a person’s mental and physical health. Doctors have found that hobbies are valuable in helping patients recover from physical or mental illness. Hobbies give bedridden or wheel-chair patients something to do, and provide interests that keep them from thinking about themselves. Many hospitals treat patients by having them take up interesting hobbies or pastimes.
In early times, most people were too engaged in making a living to have many hobbies. But some persons who had leisure(休闲)did enjoy hobbies. The ancient Egyptians played games with balls made of wood or pottery.
People today have more time than ever before for hobbies. Machines have reduced the amount of time they must spent on their jobs. Hobbies provide variety for workers who do the same monotonous(单调的) tasks all day long. More people are retiring than ever before, and at an earlier age. Those who have developed hobbies never need to worry about what to do with their newly found leisure hours.
Sir William Osier, a famous Canadian doctor, expressed the value of hobbies by saying, “No man is really happy or safe without a hobby.”

  1. 1.

    It seems that people who______ may spend more time enjoying their hobbies

    1. A.
      have little money
    2. B.
      have much money
    3. C.
      have retired from their work
    4. D.
      have left school
  2. 2.

    The underlined phrase “recover from” in the third paragraph means______.

    1. A.
      get back
    2. B.
      become healthy again
    3. C.
      become calm
    4. D.
      supply with a new cover
  3. 3.

    In early times, most people spent less time on their hobbies, because______.

    1. A.
      they were busy in making a living
    2. B.
      they suffered from illnesses
    3. C.
      they were brave and hard-working
    4. D.
      they were not interested in them
  4. 4.

    What’s the writer’s opinion about hobbies?

    1. A.
      People all over the world have the same hobby
    2. B.
      Machines also have their hobbies
    3. C.
      Hobbies are popular among people in Egypt
    4. D.
      People should have hobbies in their spare time
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