There once lived a rich businessman who had a lazy son. The businessman wanted his son to realize the value of labour and said: “Today, I want you to go out and earn something, failing which you won’t have your meals tonight.”
He went crying straight to his mother. Her heart melted at her son’s eyes. She gave him a gold coin. When the father asked his son what he had earned, the son presented him the gold coin. The father asked him to throw it into a well.
The next day, he asked his son to earn something. This time he went crying to his sister who gave him a coin. When he showed it to his father he again asked him to throw it in a well. Then the father asked him to earn more money.
This time since there was no one to help him, the son was forced to go to the market. One shopkeeper told him he would pay him two coins if he carried his trunk to his house. He did so and sweated plenty. As he returned home he was asked to do the same. The son almost cried out. He could not imagine throwing his hard-earned money like this. He cried, “My entire body is aching. You are asking me to throw the money into the well.”
At this moment, the businessman told him one feels the pain only when the fruits of hard labour are wasted. On the earlier two occasions he was helped and therefore had no pain in throwing the coins into the well. The son had now realized the value of hard work. He promised never to be lazy and to safely keep the father’s wealth. The father handed over the keys of his shop to the son and promised to guide him through the rest of the life.

  1. 1.

    Which of the following is TRUE?

    1. A.
      At first the son was hard-working and responsible.
    2. B.
      The father taught his son a lesson in a good way.
    3. C.
      The father didn’t like his son at all.
    4. D.
      The businessman was a little lazy.
  2. 2.

    According to the passage, the father wanted his son to realize ______.

    1. A.
      the importance of helping others
    2. B.
      the importance of money
    3. C.
      the value of hard labour
    4. D.
      the value of money
  3. 3.

    It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

    1. A.
      the mother was very generous
    2. B.
      the sister was very warm-hearted
    3. C.
      the father was very strict
    4. D.
      the shopkeeper was very cruel
  4. 4.

    According to the last paragraph, we can guess the boy was likely to ______.

    1. A.
      look for a good job
    2. B.
      use up his father’s wealth
    3. C.
      become a successful guide
    4. D.
      follow his father’s career

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sister. And day after day, night after night, Michael sang to his sister in Mommy’s tummy(肚子).
Everything was normal for Karen. But she had difficulty giving birth to the baby. Finally, Michael’s little sister was born. But she was in serious condition and was sent to hospital at once. The days went by. The little girl got worse. The doctor told the parents, “There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.”
Karen and her husband had fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby—now they planned a funeral. Michael, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister, “I want to sing to her,” he said.
Karen knew if he didn’t see his sister now, he would never see her alive. She led Michael to his sister’s bedside. In the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang: “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine; you make me happy when skies are gray…”
Immediately the baby girl responded. Her breath became calm. “Keep on singing, Michael!” ‘You never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away…” Tears ran down Karen’s face.
Funeral plans were cancelled(取消). The next day, the little girl was well enough to go home! The doctors just called it a miracle(奇迹). Karen called it a miracle of God’s love!

  1. 1.

    Before his sister’s birth, Michael _____ .

    1. A.
      often whisper to her
    2. B.
      often sang songs to her
    3. C.
      helped with the housework
    4. D.
      decorated her room beautifully
  2. 2.

    The new baby was in serious condition because ______ .

    1. A.
      the doctors were not skillful
    2. B.
      she was not taken good care of
    3. C.
      her mother Karen was in poor health
    4. D.
      Karen had trouble in giving birth to the baby
  3. 3.

    We can know from the text that ____ .

    1. A.
      singing often has magical power
    2. B.
      Michael saved his sister by singing
    3. C.
      doctors often use songs to help treat patients
    4. D.
      the song Michael sang was made by himself
  4. 4.

    The passage is mainly written to _____ .

    1. A.
      show sometimes songs can cure disease
    2. B.
      introduce a funny way of saving life
    3. C.
      show readers that God’s love is powerful
    4. D.
      tell people a moving and interesting story

Mr. Brown had a nice shop in the main street of a small town. He sold jewelry, watches and the like. All went well some years, and then his shop was broken into twice in one month at night, and a lot of jewelry was stolen each time. Three weeks had passed, yet the police had not done much to catch the thief. So Mr. Brown decided to try to do something about it himself. He bought a good camera and fixed it up in his shop and put some cheap jewelry in front of it for the thief so that it could take a photo of anyone who stole the jewelry. A few nights later the thief did come again. But he did not touch any of the cheap jewelry that Mr. Brown had put out for him. He took the camera, which was worth 15,000 pounds.

  1. 1.

    The jewelry the thief had stolen was ________

    1. A.
      very valuable.   
    2. B.
      worth little money.
    3. C.
      quite cheap.     
    4. D.
      of no use to the thief.
  2. 2.

    How did the thief know about jewelry?

    1. A.
      He knew a little about jewelry.
    2. B.
      He knew a lot about it.
    3. C.
      The poor one knew nothing about jewelry.
    4. D.
      He knew little about it.
  3. 3.

    Why did Mr. Brown buy a camera and put it in the shop?

    1. A.
      Because the camera was not so expensive as the jewelry or the watches in the shop.
    2. B.
      Because he knew that the thief was interested in a cheap camera.
    3. C.
      Because he thought that a good camera could help him find out who the thief was.
    4. D.
      Because the policemen told him to do so.
  4. 4.

    What did Mr. Brown lose during the two months?

    1. A.
      15,000 pound notes.
    2. B.
      A camera and 15,000 pounds.
    3. C.
      Lots of jewelry and a good camera.
    4. D.
      A lot of jewelry, a camera and 15,000 pound notes.

Wearing a big hat and playing a guitar, a country music singer is using his rising and falling voice to tell the audience about his love, hope and loss. Few people could avoid getting caught up in his feelings.
This is the appeal（魅力）of country music, which speaks to the basic emotions of human life. Throughout the 20th century, it has grown into one of the most original and lasting American musical forms.
Country music's roots are in the songs of the American South, brought over by early immigrants(移民) from England. Those songs expressed the hardships of rural life and deep religious beliefs. In the 1920s, country music came into being as its first recordings were made. Early stars like Jimmy Rodger, known as "The Father of Country Music", and the Carter Family established its strong traditions - good song-writing, singing and playing.
Much of this music was written for and brought to the American public through the cowboy films of the 1930s and 1940s. It was widely popular then and many singers turned up on stage wearing Western fringe and cowboy hats.  
In the 1950s, the country music recording industry was set up in Nashville and moved away from its rough roots. But singers like John Denver, with his hit track "Take Me Home, Country Roads", insisted on the originality and emotions of "real" country music.
Younger artists in the 1990s turned to older country styles and mixed t3vhem with elements of rock 'n' roll. Steve Earle, with his song "The Devil's Right Hand", is typical of this so-called "another country music".
Country music continues to speak to Americans of all ages and backgrounds. And it gives the nation an identity（独特性）.
Unlike pop music, country music was American, and only American. During its development, it continued to emphasize that "American" element and sounded completely different from its English ancestors. It may even be said that its sound and story tell the history of the United States.

  1. 1.

    Which of the following is the typical image(形象) when a country music singer performs?

    1. A.
      Wearing a big hat and playing a guitar.
    2. B.
      Using the rising and falling voice.
    3. C.
      Telling about his love, hope and loss.
    4. D.
      Singing for those working in the fields.
  2. 2.

    Which of the following statements about country music is TRUE according to the passage?

    1. A.
      Country music was created by immigrants from England.
    2. B.
      Country music comes from South American songs.
    3. C.
      John Denver was known as "The Father of Country Music"
    4. D.
      Country music that belongs to pop music was American, and only American.
  3. 3.

    The underlined expression “getting caught up in” probably means_________.

    1. A.
      become interested or involved in
    2. B.
      becoming fashionable or popularin
    3. C.
      become caught in
    4. D.
      breaking away from
  4. 4.

    The author mentioned Jimmy Rodger, John Denver and Steve Earle to    __.

    1. A.
      tell us the stage singing style of country music
    2. B.
      show the process of the development of country music
    3. C.
      attract the audience's attention to country music
    4. D.
      introduce some famous stars to readers
  5. 5.

    When did Country music begin to turn into a stage art？

    1. A.
      In the 1920s
    2. B.
      In the 1940s
    3. C.
      in the 1950s
    4. D.
      in the 1990s

No one can change the weather. Nobody can control the weather. But if we read correctly the signs around us, we can tell what the more important changes in the weather will be. This way of telling what the weather will be like on the following day or two is called weather forecasting(天气预报).
For many centuries and in all countries, people have studied the weather and tried to make weather forecasting. Rings around the sun are a sign of coming rain. That many people feel their joints(关节) hurt is a sign of wet weather. Some birds fly high if fine weather is coming, but they fly near the ground if rainy or stormy weather is on the way. If you see a rainbow during rainy weather, this is a sign that the weather will become clear and fine. Such rainbows come in the evening. If the stars twinkle clearly at night, then fine weather will continue. If a fog appears in the morning just above a river, then the day will be warm. If the sunset is mostly red in colour, then the following day will be fine. If a rainbow appears in the morning, rainy weather will probably come.
Most of the above sayings have been made by the people who have used their eyes and brains to make weather forecasting.

  1. 1.

    Which of the following can be used here to replace(取代) the underlined phrase “on the way”?

    1. A.
      away.
    2. B.
      gone.
    3. C.
      disappearing.
    4. D.
      coming.
  2. 2.

    When you see the stars twinkle clearly at night, the weather will be _______.

    1. A.
      warm
    2. B.
      rainy
    3. C.
      clear and fine
    4. D.
      cold
  3. 3.

    Which of the following signs can tell the weather will probably be rainy?

    1. A.
      A rainbow appears in the morning.
    2. B.
      Some birds fly high.
    3. C.
      The stars twinkle clearly at night.
    4. D.
      Fogs appear in the morning just above a river.

Scientists studying the impact of climate change on the Arctic need to consider ways to reduce their own carbon footprints(碳排放量), says Ryan Brook, a researcher who regularly flies north to study the health of caribous(驯鹿).He calls on scientists to show leadership by examining and sharing ways to reduce the impact of working in polar regions.
“The importance of the research is not at question here. It is important to our understanding of and adapting to climate change. But we need to think about better approaches,” says Brook.
“This is an issue for all scientists, though polar researchers often travel particularly long distances using commercial air travel. We also rely extensively on small aircraft, icebreakers, and snowmobiles, all of which produce large amounts of carbon.”
Brook studies the health of caribou herds in Nunavut and Northwest Territories. He works with northern wildlife managers. This work typically takes him north five or six times per year and when he calculated his own carbon footprint, he was not happy with the result.
“My research footprints are about the same as the annual footprints of an average Toronto resident. Basically, I have two footprints — my own personal life, which is moderate, and my research footprint.”
Climate scientists can rightly argue that Arctic research is a specialized field and the community of scientists who travel north is relatively small. Even if all scientists working in the north reduced their carbon emissions, it would not make a big impact on the global scale. For Brook, it’s the option that matters.
There are ways researchers can reduce the amount of carbon they use. Some helicopters use less fuel than others. Solar and wind power are alternatives to gas-fired generators. And while carbon offsets(抵消) don’t reduce the amount of carbon emitted, they are an easy first step.
“There aren’t necessarily any easy answers, but we need to start talking about it,” says Brook. “This is particularly important for the next generation of scientists being trained and I hope to see them become leaders in this issue.”

  1. 1.

    What did Brook find when he calculated his own carbon footprints?

    1. A.
      His carbon footprints are more than the annual footprints of a Toronto resident.
    2. B.
      His personal life footprints are more than the annual footprints of a Toronto resident.
    3. C.
      His research footprints are about the same as his personal life footprints.
    4. D.
      His personal life footprints are more than his research footprints.
  2. 2.

    Brook’s opinion is challenged by the statement that       .

    1. A.
      arctic research is very important
    2. B.
      the Arctic is a special environment
    3. C.
      the footprints of Arctic scientists are small
    4. D.
      Brook’s situation is a common phenomenon
  3. 3.

    We can infer from the last paragraph that         .

    1. A.
      we should take actions immediately instead of just talking
    2. B.
      it’s easy to start talking about the problem of carbon emissions
    3. C.
      it’s necessary now to pay attention to the problem of research footprints
    4. D.
      the next generation of scientists are more interested in research footprints
  4. 4.

    What’s the main idea of the text?

    1. A.
      The importance of arctic research is not at question.
    2. B.
      Climate change becomes worse because of arctic research.
    3. C.
      Brook suggests ways of reducing the use of carbon.
    4. D.
      Scientists must look at their own carbon footprints.

From the beginning rivers have played an important in the life of man.Man of the earliest times used the rivers as a means of travel.Today rivers still serve as a great waterway for the transport and people.
In ancient times, man settled near rivers or on river banks and built up large empires.
Water is nature’s most valuable gift to man.Man needs water to irrigate his crops, to cook and to wash.In nations all over the world, rivers mean life and wealth.They feed and clothe the nations around them.
Water is also a source of energy and power.Man build huge dams across the rivers to control the water for irrigation and get the energy needed to drive generators.The electrical power is then directed to homes, cities, factories and television stations.
Man uses water each day.In a small way rivers help to keep man in good health and provide for his amusements.Various forms of water sports keep man strong and healthy.

  1. 1.

    Rivers have been important to man _______.

    1. A.
      since they came into being
    2. B.
      since the last century
    3. C.
      since a few hundred years ago.
    4. D.
      since the beginning of BC
  2. 2.

    Man in old times traveled from one continent to another ______.

    1. A.
      by air
    2. B.
      by sea
    3. C.
      by train
    4. D.
      by bus
  3. 3.

    Generators are machines that are used ______.

    1. A.
      to direct electrical power
    2. B.
      to control the water
    3. C.
      to produce electricit
    4. D.
      to build dams y
  4. 4.

    Which of the following statements is true?

    1. A.
      People get energy by building bridges across rivers.
    2. B.
      In ancient times large empires grew up near dams.
    3. C.
      People can be provided with amusements in small rivers.
    4. D.
      Large rivers are still useful for transportation in modern times.

A “blogger” is a person who writes on an Internet computer web site called a “blog”.The word “blog” is a short way of saying web log, or personal web site.Anyone can start a blog, and they can write about anything they like.
There are millions of blogs on the Internet today.They provide news, information and ideas to many people who read them.They contain links to other web sites.And they provide a place for people to write their ideas and react to the ideas of others.
A research company called Perseus has studied more than 3,000 web logs.It says that blogs are most popular with teenage girls.They use them to let their friends know what is happening in their life.The study also says that more than 100,000 bloggers stopped taking part in the activity after a year.
However, some people develop serious blogs to present political and other ideas.For example, the Republican and Democratic parties in the southern state of Kentucky recently started their own blogs.And American companies are beginning to use blogs to advertise their products.
At the same time, some long-standing blogs have ended.Last week, blogging leader Dave Winer closed his free blog service, weblogs.com.He says the site became too costly to continue.He started the blog four years ago, and thousands of people had written on it.
One blog that is still going strong is called Rebecca’s Pocket.It involves much useful information for readers.Rebecca Blood created the web site in 1999.She wrote about the history of blogs on the site.That article led to a book called “The Weblog Handbook”.It has been translated into four languages so far.
Ms Blood says Rebecca’s Pocket gets about 30,000 visitors a month.She writes about anything and everything----politics, culture and movies.She recently provided medical advice.And she wrote about how to prevent people from stealing money from online bank accounts.

  1. 1.

    The text is written mainly to _____

    1. A.
      introduce an Internet computer web site called “blog”
    2. B.
      introduce a way of reading on blogs.
    3. C.
      tell readers how to write blogs
    4. D.
      tell readers about blogs
  2. 2.

    From the text we can learn that blogs cover almost everything except ____.

    1. A.
      different ideas  
    2. B.
      medical advice   
    3. C.
      account codes D advertisements.
  3. 3.

    According to this passage, which of the following is NOT true?

    1. A.
      A lot of bloggers no longer write or read blogs
    2. B.
      Politicians don’t use blogs at all
    3. C.
      Those who like to use blogs are mostly teenage girls
    4. D.
      Dave Winer closed his “weblogs.com” because of money shortage
  4. 4.

    The reason why Rebecca’s Pocket is still going strong is that_____

    1. A.
      it provides plenty of useful information and advice
    2. B.
      it was created by a woman
    3. C.
      it is about the history of books
    4. D.
      it has editions in at least four different languages

Maybe ten-year-old Elizabeth put it best when she said to her father, “But, Dad, you can’t be healthy if you’re dead.”
Dad, in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run, had forgotten to wear his safety belt-a mistake 75% of US population makes every day. The big question is why.
There have been many myths about safety belt ever since their first appearance in cars some forty years ago. The following are three of the most common.
Myth the Number One: It’s best to be “thrown clear” of a serious accident.
Truth: Sorry, but any accident serious enough to “throw you clear” is able to be serious enough to give you a very bad landing. And chances are you’ll have traveled through a windshield(挡风玻璃) or door to do it. Studies show that chances of dying after a car accident are twenty-five times in cases where people are “thrown clear”.
Myth Number Two: Safety-belts “trap” people in cars that are burning or sinking in water.
Truth: Sorry again, but studies show that people knocked unconscious(昏迷) due to not wearing safety belts have a greater chance of dying in these accidents. People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having in these accidents. People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having a clear head to free themselves from such dangerous situation, not to be trapped in them.
Myth Number Three: Safety belts aren’t needed at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour(mph).
Truth: When two cars traveling at 30 mph hit each other, an unbelted driver would meet the windshield with a force equal to diving headfirst into the ground from a height of 10 metres

  1. 1.

    Why did Elizabeth say to her father, “But, Dad, you can’t be healthy if you’re dead”?

    1. A.
      He was driving at a great speed
    2. B.
      He was running across the street
    3. C.
      He didn’t have his safety belt on
    4. D.
      He didn’t take his medicine on time
  2. 2.

    The reason why father was in a hurry to get home was that he          

    1. A.
      wasn’t feeling very well
    2. B.
      hated to drive in the dark
    3. C.
      wanted to take some exercise
    4. D.
      didn’t want to be caught by the people
  3. 3.

    According to the text, to be “thrown clear” of a serious accident is very dangerous because you      

    1. A.
      may be knocked down by other cars
    2. B.
      may get serious hurt thrown out of the car
    3. C.
      may find it impossible to get away from the seat
    4. D.
      may get caught in the car door
  4. 4.

    Some people prefer to drive without wearing a safety belt because they believe          

    1. A.
      the belt prevents them from escaping in an accident
    2. B.
      they will be unable to think clearly in an accident
    3. C.
      they will be caught when help comes
    4. D.
      cars catch fire easily
  5. 5.

    What is the advice given in the text?

    1. A.
      Never drive faster than 30 miles an hour
    2. B.
      Try your best to save yourself in a car accident
    3. C.
      Never forget to wear the safety belt while driving
    4. D.
      Drive slowly while you’re not wearing a safety belt

Every year more people recognize that it is wrong to kill wildlife for “sport.” Progress in this direction is slow because shooting is not a sport for watching, and only those few who take part realize the cruelty and destruction.
The number of gunners, however, grows rapidly. Children too young to develop proper judgments through independent thought are led along way away by their gunning parents. They are subjected to advertisements of gun producers who describe shooting as good for their health and guncarrying as a way of putting redder blood in the veins (血管). They are persuaded by gunner magazines with stories honoring the chase and the kill. In school they view motion pictures which are supposedly meant to teach them how to deal with arms safely but which are actually designed to stimulate (刺激) a desire to own a gun. Wildlife is disappearing because of shooting and because of the loss of wildland habitat (栖息地). Habitat loss will continue with our increasing population, but can we slow the loss of wildlife caused by shooting? There doesn't seem to be any chance if the serious condition of our birds is not improved.
Wildlife belongs to everyone and not to the gunners alone. Although most people do not shoot, they seem to forgive shooting for sport because they know little or nothing about it. The only answer, then, is to bring the truth about sport shooting to the great majority of people.
Now, it is time to realize that animals have the same right to life as we do and that there is nothing fair or right about a person with a gun shooting the harmless and beautiful creatures. The gunners like to describe what they do as character-building, but we know that to wound an animal and watch it go through the agony of dying can make nobody happy. If, as they would have you believe, gun-carrying and killing improve human-character, then perhaps we should encourage war.

  1. 1.

    According to the text, most people do not seem to be against hunting because___________.

    1. A.
      they have little knowledge of it
    2. B.
      it helps to build human character
    3. C.
      it is too costly to stop killing wildlife
    4. D.
      they want to keep wildlife under control
  2. 2.

    The underlined word "agony" in the last paragraph probably means______________.

    1. A.
      form
    2. B.
      Condition
    3. C.
      pain
    4. D.
      sadness
  3. 3.

    According to the text, the films children watch at school actually__________.

    1. A.
      teach them how to deal with guns safely
    2. B.
      praise hunting as character-building
    3. C.
      describe hunting as an exercise
    4. D.
      encourage them to have guns of their own
  4. 4.

    It can be inferred from the text that the author seems to_____________.

    1. A.
      blame the majority of people
    2. B.
      worry about the existence of wildlife
    3. C.
      be in favour of war
    4. D.
      be in support of character-building
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