Deserts(沙漠)do not stay the same size (形状).Sometimes they grow bigger. Sometimes they get smaller. The world’s biggest desert, Sahara, is in Africa. Right now, the Sahara desert is growing fast.

Why is the Sahara growing ? In some places , People farm too much.  In other places ,animals eat all the grass. or people cut down the trees. This makes the soil(土壤) weak. Weak soil lets the desert grow.

Why is it a problem? people can not grow food in the desert. people can not build houses, hospitals , or schools in the desert . so people must leave their homes .They must live somewhere else.

What can people do ? They can plant trees. They can also farm less. These things make soil stronger. maybe the Sahara will stop growing . It’s a big problem. Many people must work together to solve (解决) it?

1.What is the main idea ?(中心思想)

2.The Sahara is growing .Which of these things is not a reason(理由)？

3.What do we know about deserts ?

4.Planting trees can   

5.Stopping growing the desert

Paul and Jason were brothers who lived and worked on neighbouring farms．For 35 years they farmed side by side，sharing machinery and goods as needed，without a single problem．
However，one autumn，things changed．It began with a tiny disagreement about a horse，which grew into a major difference．The difference led to angry words，followed by weeks of silence between the two brothers．
One morning there was a knock on Paul’s door．He opened it and saw a builder holding his toolbox．“I’m looking for a few days’work，”the builder said．“Are there any jobs here I could help with?”
“Yes，”answered Paul，extremely pleased to see the builder．“I do have a job for you．Look at that farm across the creek(小溪)．That’s my brother’s farm.That creek used to be a grass field，but last week my brother dug a path from the fiver and made the creek．But I’ll go him one better．See that pile of wood?1 want you to build me a fence，two metres tall，so 1 won’t need to see him anymore．”
The builder said thoughtfully．“I think I understand the situation and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you．”
Paul had business in town that day and left the builder to his work．When he returned，the builder had just finished his job．Paul was shocked．Instead of a fence there was a bridge，stretching from one side of the creek to the other．
As Paul stood on the bridge，staring in amazement，his younger brother Jason，came across，and took Paul’s hand．“You are a good man to have built this bridge after a11 I've done，”said Jason．
Then，Paul，with tears in his eyes，said to the builder who was packing his bag to go，“Thank you so much。Please stay．I have much more for you to do．”
“I’d love to．”the builder said quietly，“but，I have many more bridges to build.”
【小题1】What was the cause of the disagreement between the two brothers?

A primary school bus driver stopped the bus in a gas station in Ohio because he had to use the bathroom. Instead of turning off the engine (引擎) and taking the key with him, the driver left the bus running. And he forgot to set the brake (制动器) because he was in a hurry. “It was cold outside, and I didn’t want the kids to get cold while I was using the bathroom,” he told a police officer.

The bus slowly started moving away from the gas station. As the bus picked up speed, the kids began shouting and crying. Ten-year-old Jake ran forward to the driver’s seat and held the steering wheel (方向盘). He pressed hard on the brake pedal (踏板) and managed to stop the bus as it came nearer to a river bed. Jake turned off the engine at last. After the police arrived at the scene, they praised Jake for his great effort.

“That is one cool kid,” said the police officer. “I told him he would make a great police officer when he grew up.”

Jake wasn’t impressed with what he had done. “Stopping the bus,” he said, “was easy compared to playing Grand Theft Auto III,” his favorite action video game. The bus driver was taken to the police station. He was at first charged (指控) with “leaving a child alone while motor is running.” The lawyer said he hoped to upgrade the charge because of the number of children (twenty) on the bus.

“Whatever he is charged with,” the police officer said, “I will see that he never drives a bus again.”

1.Why didn’t the driver turn off the engine when he went to the bathroom? Because _________.

A. he was in a hurry

B. he forgot to do it

C. he didn’t want the kids to get cold

D. he thought he would be back in a minute

2.What is the correct order?  _________

a. The bus started moving.

b. Jake turned off the engine.

c. Jake held the steering wheel.

d. The kids began shouting and crying.

e. Jake ran forward to the driver’s seat.

f. Jake pressed hard on the brake pedal.

A. a-b-c-d-e-f            B. a-d-e-c-f-b                      C. d-a-c-e-f-b             D. d-e-a-b-c-f

3.What do we know about Jake?   ________

A. He could drive.                                                   B. He was eleven years old.

C. He wanted to be a police officer.           D. He liked playing Grand Theft Auto III.

4.What does the underlined word “upgrade” mean in the fourth paragraph?  __________

A. 改变                      B. 取消                                 C. 加重                      D. 减轻

5.What will most probably happen to the bus driver? He will_______.

A. not be charged

B. face the most serious charge

C. not be allowed to drive a bus again

D. only be charged with “leaving a child alone while motor is running”

Hello Sandy,

We have just returned from our holiday. We went with our friends Edward Smith and his wife Tina to the Yorkshire Moors. This is a beautiful place. It is a natural park. There are lots of places to walk on the tops of the hills, miles of grassland with no people, just sheep and birds.

Edward, who had just come out of hospital, could not walk as far as he used to. However this meant that we walked in the mornings, and then stopped at a cafe for lunch each day, before returning to the place we live. Edward and I slept in front of the fire all afternoon, while the ladies went for another walk. Very pleasant!

I have taken lots of photos from the place we live, across the valley（峡谷）below us, of the morning sunrise, and the mist in the valley. Also, in England, the old steam powered trains（蒸汽火车）are very popular. I have taken many photos of the train and from it.

Yesterday we had the first snow of this winter. It is very early （we usually expect snow in January）. It rained all day, and then snowed in the evening. Today we have bright sunshine!

Both Jenny and I are well. I don’t know if I told you, in the last E-mail, that Jenny is now working in a hotel. Although she has to work hard, people there are nice and she is enjoying the work.

Please write to us to tell us your news.

Yours,

Victor

1. What kind of place is the Yorkshire Moors?

2. When did the ladies take a walk?

3. They had ______ snow this winter.

4. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 3 mean?

5. What do we know from this passage?

Alderbury International Festival Society

FESTIVAL  22ND  MAY-9TH JUNE 2012

Art

Displays of paintings, drawings and photographs from Europe and Asia are all part of the Festival programme, with a total of more than 400 pieces of work to be seen.

Early century advertisements will be on display at this year’s festival. Copies of these advertisements are to be sold at the box office.

Music

There will be a huge rang of music in this year’s festival from 14^th dance music to modern jazz. Many famous musicians will be visiting the Festival as well as at least two internationally famous bands.

Lunchtime concerts-Every day of the Festival!

All lunchtime concerts begin at 1:00p.m. and last about 55 minutes, except on Monday, 26 of May, which is to be held in the Guildhall. All tickets are priced at £2.00.

How to get the tickets

Telephone reservations: 63362/6641 from 1^st April

Payment for tickets reserved by telephone must be received at the Festival Box Office within 3 days. The tickets will then be sent by post.

One can buy tickets in person from 1^st May. The Festival Box Office will be open as follows:

Monday to Saturday 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Sunday(during the Festival only )9:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

1.In the Festival, you can _______.

A．buy copies of ancient advertisements        B．see more than 400 drawings

C．get some paintings at the box offices         D．display your works for free

2.What do we know about the music show?

The lunchtime concerts last for more than an hour.

The Festival includes many kinds of music.

C. Tickets for the concerts cost more than £3.00.

D. All concerts are to be held in the Guildhall.

3.It is not possible for you to buy a ticket in person at _______.

A．5:30 p.m. on Sunday                     B．10:30 a.m. on Monday

C．3:00 p.m. on Saturday                    D．1:p.m. on Friday

4.On 1^st April, you can _______.

A．enjoy modern jazz                       B．receive tickets by post

C．listen to lunchtime concerts               D．phone for ticket reservations