One sheep, two sheep... 632 sheep... still awake...

People always believe that counting sheep【1】(be) helpful to their sleep. But does it【2】(real) work?

Scientists at Oxford University tested it. Two sleep researchers looked at the people who had【3】(difficult) in sleeping. They divided them【4】different groups. Then they asked them to try all kinds of ways to help【5】(they) fall asleep quickly.

Surprisingly, it【6】(take) those who were asked to count sheep more time to fall asleep than those who weren’t. But when they were asked to imagine a relaxing picture-- a beach, for e【7】, they fell asleep about twenty minutes【8】(soon) than before, according to a report in The New York Times.

“Sometimes, counting tasks are OK, b【9】they are thought as stressful by many people,” Dr. Richards told ABC News.

“As【10】result, it may be a good way to try imagining colored fish slowly swimming in a river to help you sleep at night,” suggested Richards.

假如你叫李磊，进入九年级后，周末活动发生了很大的变化。请根据表格内所提供的信息，以“How I’ve changed!”为题写一篇80词左右的短文。首句已给出，不计入总词数。

How I’ve Changed!

My life on weekends has changed a lot in the past two months._________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A: Hi, Helen. Your coat looks very nice.

B: Thank you. I like it very much, too.

A: 【1】

B: It was made in Zhejiang.

A: Really? 【2】

B: It’s made of cotton.

A: 【3】

B: I bought it online.

A: Online? That’s cool! 【4】

B: Sure. You can come to my house to learn this Sunday afternoon.

A: Great! 【5】

B: You’re welcome.

A. Where did you buy it?

B. Thank you very much.

C. It costs me 20 dollars.

D. Can you teach me to shop online?

E. What is it made of?

F. I also want to buy one.

G.Where was it made?

A. Where did you buy it?

B. Thank you very much.

C. It costs me 20 dollars.

D. Can you teach me to shop online?

E. What is it made of?

F. I also want to buy one.

G.Where was it made?

Now there is a family problem. 【1】 In fact, we are probably 16 or 17 years old. In their eyes, we are always little ones and often do wrong things. For example, when I need to stay at home alone, they always worry about me and my life without them.

Most people always always think that they have offered the best things to make their children live in a comfortable world. They buy their children pretty clothes, cool shoes. expensive school things, and often a thousand-yuan-cost bike. They think that they have done everything that they can for their dear children. 【2】 【3】 Does it mean that we still want more material things? No. As a matter of fact, what we want is a true family. 【4】 I think it means a place where we can hide ourselves from the cold world outside. From here, we can get warmth, we can get consolation(安慰), and we can get happiness. And one important thing is that we will be stronger and more confident in the outside world because we know that we have a true family.

I think that parents should sit down to talk with their children to let them know that they have a happy family, so the children and their parents can understand each other better and better. 【5】

A. In return, they only want their children to get good results in the exams.

B. What does a true family mean?

C. Then, parents will not treat their children as little ones.

D. But why still can’t their children understand them?

E. Nearly every parent says that we never grow up.

F. The children are always against their parents' will.

G. In fact, we need parents’ love.

A. In return, they only want their children to get good results in the exams.

B. What does a true family mean?

C. Then, parents will not treat their children as little ones.

D. But why still can’t their children understand them?

E. Nearly every parent says that we never grow up.

F. The children are always against their parents' will.

G. In fact, we need parents’ love.

For improving your communication skills, you should first of all be comfortable with grammar. Many people think learning grammar is very boring, but grammar is useful for getting a good hold of what you speak. So if you are weak in grammar, I suggest that you go and get a grammar book. Don’t worry if you cant remember everything. No one can remember everything in grammar. Just get a good hold of it. That should be enough for the basic preparation.

Talk with people around you in English. Try to talk as much as possible with your classmates or teachers in English. This will help you get self-confidence(自信). Break down all barriers that stop you from doing so. Make good friends, and talk with them in English.

If possible, join an English class. This is often helpful as the teachers drive you for good communication skills. What's more, you get on well with your classmates. You can talk freely and have no feeling of shame, and the learning process is very fast.

Reading English also helps, as you get used to different English words and your grammar gets improved. Get a proper English book to start reading. A novel in English is also helpful, but novels may have many slang words(俚语词),which might have a bad influence on your grammar. But anyway, I suggest going for it. In this world there is nothing free, and if you are learning something, then you have to accept the disadvantages of it.

【1】According to Paragraph 2, what should we do if we want to improve our communication skills?

A. Learn English grammar well.

B. Speak English as often as possible.

C. Get a lot of practice and right guidance.

D. Remember everything important in English.

【2】The underlined word “barriers” means “_______” in Chinese.

A. 信息 B. 方法 C. 经历 D. 障碍

【3】Why should we try to read an English novel?

A. Because it is written in good grammar.

B. Because we can learn something useful from it.

C. Because it can help us have good friends to talk with.

D. Because we can learn many slang words from it.

【4】The passage mainly tells us_______.

A. why we should learn English

B. how to learn English grammar

C. how to improve spoken English

D. why we should buy an English book

Edwin Perkins was a child in Nebraska. He liked to mix things together in the kitchen to see how they would taste. He loved to study chemistry and tried to invent things. His father owned a little store in his hometown. This was during the time that Jell-O was first introduced to the public. Edwin really liked the new product.

When he was about eleven years old, he got a book that would show him how to mix things together. He was very interested in how things worked or tasted once two or more products were mixed. When he was a little older, he asked for a kit(装备)that would give him ideas and instruction on becoming a manufacturer(制造商), which is someone who makes things with their hands or machines. Perkins developed many different products. When he was 25 years old, he had invented enough products that he set up his own mail order business, called Perkins Products, to sell his household goods to the public.

【1】Kool-Aid may be_______.

A. a kind of food B. a kind of drink

C. a kind of plant D. a kind of ice-cream

【2】Edwin Perkins liked to______ when he was young.

A. mix things together B. drink soft drinks

C. play with drinks D. help his father on business

【3】Perkins learned how to mix things together from_______.

A. his father B. a cook C. a book D. an inventor

【4】We can know_______from the passage.

A. when Edwin Perkins invented Kool-Aid

B. who invented Jell-O

C. how Kool-Aid was invented

D. when Perkins set up his own company

About a year ago, however, Tony's father was killed in an accident .As a result, his family had to move to a small house, Tony changed into a different person. He became silent and he even lost his interest in studies.

Several times, I invited him to go out and play basketball with me, but he refused. I wanted to help him, but didn't know what to do.

Then something strange happened in my class. Two classmates lost the money in their schoolbags.

Last Friday, just before the PE lesson, I went back to the classroom to get my running shoes I would use. The door was half open, I went in.

To my astonishment, I saw Tony was searching one of my classmate’s schoolbags. I was shocked.

【1】What kind of boy was Tony at the beginning of the story?

A. He was a clever boy. B. He was a poor boy

C. He was a popular boy D. He was a shy boy

【2】Why did the writer become friends with Tony?

A. Because Tony helped him do his homework.

B. Because Tony was kind to him.

C. Because Tony liked playing basketball.

D. Because Tony told jokes.

【3】What caused the change of Tony?

A. His father’s accident. B. His strange character.

C. The move of his family. D. The lose of his interest in playing with his friends.

【4】How did the writer feel when he saw Tony’s change?

A. He felt angry. B. He felt surprised.

C. He felt unhappy. D. He felt worried

【1】A student can borrow ______ books at most at a time.

A. three B. four C. five D. six

【2】What will you receive if you forget to return books?

A. A picture. B. a call C. An e-mail. D. A letter.

【3】You can use the computer in the library to _______.

A. play computer games B. do your homework

C. listen to music D. chat with your friends

【1】Mr Smith has saved some money to buy a house in the countryside. （改为一般疑问句）

___Mr Smith saved ______money to buy a house in the countryside?

【2】It is half an hour’s ride from our school to Chenshan Botanical Garden. （划线部分提问）

____is it from your school to Chenshan Botanical Garden?

【3】The boys like having sports better than chatting with their friends on QQ. （保持句意不变）

The boys _______having sports _______chatting with their friends on QQ.

【4】The houses in the city are too expensive. Most people can’t afford one. （保持句意不变）

The houses in the city are ______expensive ______most people can’t afford one.

【5】A little boy invented a housework robot for his mother last month. （改为被动语态）

A housework robot __________by a little boy last month.

【6】“Will you take part in the sports meeting this year, Jimmy?” Susan asked. （改为宾语从句）

Susan asked Jimmy ______he_______take part in the sports meeting this year.

【7】can, you, the difference, seeing and hearing, between, tell （连词成句）

_______________________________________？

which, lie, conversation, serious, sorry, month, so, comfortable, ill, call

which, lie, conversation, serious, sorry, month, so, comfortable, ill, call

Once upon a time, there was a king, who was very lazy. He waited for his attendants(仆人) to serve him every moment. He used to 【1】 on his bed. He became so fat that he could not move around by himself. He felt sick, and doctors【2】 in to treat him. Nothing could help him to become fit. The king was a kind-hearted person. All the people in his country were 【3】to learn about the fact that their king was not well.

One day a minister met a sadhu(苦行僧) on the street. After having a【4】with the minister. the sadhu told the minister that he could cure (治愈)the king. 【5】 the minister took him to the king.

The sadhu examined the king for a while. Then he said nothing was 【6】and that the king would be alright. From the next day the treatment would start. He asked the king to come to his house on foot 【7】 was far from the palace. The king agreed. On the first day, when the king reached the sadhu's house, he was tired and 【8】.

The sadhu noticed everything. He offered cool water to the king. The king felt better. Then the sadhu brought out a ball and told the king to play the ball with his attendants every day.

The king said OK to the sadhu and left. Several【9】later the sadhu came to the palace to meet the king. He found the king had lost some weight The king was feeling much better and was active. All his 【10】 had disappeared.