Once a clever man was crossing a turbulent river. He wished to amuse himself by talking to the boatman.
"Do you know mathematics?" he asked.
"No sir." answered the boatman.
"Then you have lost one quarter of your life," said the wise man. "Do you know history?"
"No sir." answered the boatman.
"Then you have lost three quarters of your life." Just then a sudden gust of wind overturned the boat. "Do you know how to swim?" asked the boatman.
"No," answered the wise(="clever)" man.
"Well then," replied the boatman, "you have lost your whole life."
【小题1】The clever man knew a lot of knowledge except(除了)_______.

One thing that British and Chinese cultures share is a love for tea. Today, when we think of western tea culture, we often think of the English and beautiful china tea cups.
Afternoon tea:
People believe that an English lady, Anna, first introduced the idea of afternoon tea. In the 18^th and 19^th centuries, the English ate only two main meals each day, breakfast and a heavy supper that would last for several hours in the evening. As a result, people often got very hungry during the long wait between these two meals. To solve this problem, Anna came up with the clever idea of inviting some friends to join her for an afternoon meal between four and five o’clock. This meal included cakes, sandwiches, and tea was served to wash down the food. In order to make this afternoon meal important, fine china cups, plates, and silver teapots, knives, forks and spoons were used. Soon, afternoon tea parties became popular social occasions. Today, afternoon tea parties continue to play an important part in the social life in modern Britain.
Will you come for coffee:
Coffee also has an important role in British culture. People often use words “Will you come for coffee?” to mean “Would you like to come to my home for a chat?” Normally, several different drinks such as tea, hot chocolate or a soft drink like orange juice will be served as well as coffee, and you will be asked what you would like. However, you will not normally be offered wine at a “coffee” party.
Coffeehouses and the London Stock Exchange:
In the 17^th century London coffeehouses were busy and noisy places. Businessmen and bankers went to coffeehouses to do their business, as well as to drink coffee. In fact, the London Stock Exchange（股票交易所）is believed to be started from these coffeehouses.
【小题1】Anna introduced the idea of drinking afternoon tea because she ____________.

（B）

It’s never easy to admit（承认）you are in the wrong. We all 1 to know the art of apology（道歉）. Think how often you’ve done wrong. Then count how many 2 you’ve expressed clearly you were 3 . You can’t go to bed with an easy mind if you do 4 about it.

A doctor friend, Mr Lieb, told me about a man who came to him with different kinds of signs: headaches, heart trouble and insomnia（失眠症）. 5 some careful exams, Mr Lieb found nothing wrong with him and said, “If you don’t tell me what’s 6 you, I can’t help you”.

The man admitted he was cheating（骗取） his brother of his inheritance（遗产）. Then and there the clever doctor 7 the man write to his brother and 8 his money. As soon as the letter was put into the post box, the man suddenly cried.“Thank you ,” he said to the doctor, “I think I’ve got well.”

An apology can not only save a broken relationship（关系）, but also make it 9 . If you can think of someone who should be 10 an apology from you, do something about in right now.

Sunshine Zoo is a nice place to visit. Walk from the South Gate, go  21  on, and you will find the Panda House. Pandas are  22  . They like eating   23  . To the north of the Panda House, you’ll find the   24   . They are the kings of the animal world. Remember not to go near them because they are   25  . To the west of   26  Area, you will see lots of birds. They can make beautiful sounds. Go on and you will see the clever and  27  monkeys. To the east of the Monkeys’ Forest, you will see the giraffes. The giraffe has a long   28 . It is the tallest animal on the earth(地球). North-east of the giraffes there is a   29  . Cross it, and you will see the elephants. Their ears are 30 open fans.

Welcome to the Amazing kids Website! Here you can read about clever children all over the world.

Gina, who is thirteen years old, got first prize in the “Young Look of the Year” competition and is now writing her own recipe (烹饪) book for kids. "I want it to be fun to read and easy enough for children to use," she says. Gina learned by observing （观察） her father, who's also good at cooking, in the kitchen. She wants to encourage other children to cook because "everyone needs to eat, so it's a skill that will always be useful!

Fourteen-year-old Bren used to love running until he had a serious car accident three years ago. He lost part of one leg and didn't even expect to walk again. Now he's an athlete who has recently completed a marathon. "After my accident I wanted to give up," he says. "But now I'm happy to be alive and able to continue running."

Helga has always been good at science, but she thought it was too difficult to become an inventor. Then she heard about an accident that had happened when a car hit a train in her town. "That gave me an idea," says the clever sixteen-year-old girl. It took her over a year to invent a special machine that tells car drivers when a train is coming. One company is already interested in selling it, so it may be in the shops soon!

1.How is Gina trying to encourage other children to cook?

A. By observing her father.

B. By writing a recipe book for kids.

C. By giving them delicious food to eat.

D. By getting first prize in the competition.

2.Why is it surprising that Bren is an athlete?

A. Because he can' t walk. B. Because he lost part of one leg.

C. Because he gave up running. D. Because he used to love running.

3. Which of the following is true about Helga?

A. She saw a car hit a train in her town.

B. She sold special machines to car drivers.

C. She invented a special machine for car drivers.

D. It is impossible for her to become an inventor.

4.Which would be the best title for the passage?

A. Amazing Kids, Special Abilities      B. How to Be a Good Student

C Different People, Different Ideas      D. How to Get Living Skills