A “Gap Year” is a period of time when a student takes a break before going to university. It is often spent travelling or working. It can give young people useful learning experiences and new skills.
Gap years are popular with European and Australian students, but remain less popular in America. However, in recent years, more and more American students are preparing for college by taking a gap year. The advantages of taking a gap year are as follows：
Learn about the World and Yourself
Although you don’t have to go abroad to experience gap years, most gap year students catch the chance to travel abroad. You are able to work out who you are and what you are for. The experiences of different cultures offer you interesting lessons. You can learn more about the world and get to know yourself better.
Face Challenges and Have Fun
A gap year is not only a time to take a vacation_, but also a time to face challenges. Gap year students usually work, volunteer or take service projects. You have to learn how to get along in the real world. This process isn^’t always easy, but it is an important part of growing up. Only in this way can you enjoy life and have fun.
Save Money and Improve Your College Admission Chances
There^’s a common thought that gap years are only for rich students_, but it’ s not true. Actually, taking a gap year can save your money. Gap year students often take a part-time job. Besides, at the end of a gap year, students are much more likely to know what to study in college. Clear learning goals ran keep the students working hard instead of wasting time and money playing.
Imagine an admission officer trying to admit (录取) only one between two students. Both of them are excellent and have high grades. However, one student has much practical experience or has volunteered in his vacation. Who do you think the admission officer will choose?
【小题1】A “Gap Year” means       in the passage.

The Internet is becoming important in our life．How much do you know about it?

What is the Internet?

The Internet is a large, worldwide collection （聚集） of computer networks （网）．A network is a small group of computers put together．The Internet is many different networks from all over the world．These networks are called the Internet．Once you have learned to use the  Internet, you can do a lot of interesting things on the World Wide Web．

What is the World Wide Web?

The World Wide Web has been the most popular development of the Internet．The Web is like a big electronic （电子的） book with millions of pages．These pages are called homepages（主页）．You can find information （信息） about almost anything in the world on these pages．For example, you can use the Internet instead of a library to find information for your homework．You can also find information about your favorite sport or film star, talk to your friends or even do some shopping on the pages．Most pages have words, pictures and even sound or music．

What is e-mail?

Electronic mail is a way of sending messages to other people．It's much quicker and cheaper than sending a letter．If you want to use e-mail, you must have an e-mail address．This address must have letters and dots （点）  and an '@' （meaning 'at'）．This is what an address心looks like: Emily@star.net．Write a message, type （打字）in the person's e-mail address, then send the message across the Internet．People don't need to use stamps, envelopes or go to the post office since the invention of the Internet．Quick, easy and interesting—— that's the Internet!

1．The Internet is

A．a big computer                               B．a small group of computers

C．lots of computer networks                            D．the World Wide Web

2．The World Wide Web is like

A．an electronic book                            B．homepages

C．an electronic page                                   D．an interesting picture

3．What does "talk to your friends on the pages" mean? It means            ．

A．you can talk to your friends face to face

B．you can type your words in the computer and then send them to your friends across the Internet

C．you talk to your friends through the same computer

D．you go to your friends' houses to talk to them

4．People like to use e-mail to send messages to their friends and family because          

A．they don't have to pay any money

B．it's faster and cheaper

C．they don't need to have stamps, envelops or addresses

D．sending e-mail is interesting

5．The "e" in e-mail means                

A．easy                  B．electrical             C．electronic            D．enjoyable

WIRES is short for Wildlife Information and Rescue Service. It is an Australian  organization, established(成立) in 1985 to care for injured and orphaned(失去母兽的) native wildlife. WIRES has a network of hundreds of volunteers who rescue and care for native animals until they are well enough to be released (释放)into the wild. Volunteers look after rescued animals in their own homes and are trained in the special needs of native wild animals.

  When Australians find a native animal in trouble, they often call WIRES for help. WIRES may be asked to look after a possum that has been attacked by a cat, rescue a large lizard that has got its head caught in a drink can, or care for a baby animal who has lost its mother. People call WIRES when they want to move a dangerous snake away from their garden or when they find a seabird that has swallowed(吞下) a fishing line or an owl with a broken wing. Sometimes kangaroos jumped onto the road in front of cars and are run over. Australians are encouraged to check the pouch(育儿袋)of dead kangaroos in case there is a baby in it. WIRES volunteers find themselves caring for many babies orphaned in this way.

 Each year, in the summer, parts of Australia suffer from(受苦) huge bush fires. These fires not only destroy human homes and put people in danger, but they also destroy animal habitats(栖息地)and endanger the animals living in the bush. After a big fire, WIRES and other organizations go into the district to pick up surviving animals. They are treated for burns, shock, smoke and other problems and then cared for until new location can be found for them.

 WIRES is also involved in educating people in the importance of caring for wildlife and wildlife habitats. Volunteers visit schools and other public places to talk about native animals. Sometimes they bring a bat or some other interesting animals with them to show to people who may never have seen one up close before.

1.What is WIRES?

      A. It helps the pets in the street to look for their homes.

      B. It rescues and cares for animals in order to set them free.

      C. It consists of hundreds of volunteers from all over the world.

      D. It provides services for wild animals and keeps them in a zoo.

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

   A. Australians often call the police for help if they find animals in trouble.

   B. Volunteers in WIRES are afraid to take snakes away from communities.

   C. Australian government asks WIRES workers to save animals after a fire.

   D. WIRES often go to the public places to give lessons of wild animals.

3.What’s the passage mainly about?

   A. It mainly talks about what WIRES members usually do.

   B. It tells us why WIRES develops so quickly in Australia.

   C. It teaches us how WIRES can train wild animals at home.

   D. It mainly tells us how we can join in WIRES successfully.