No poem should ever be discussed or “analyzed”, until it has been read aloud by someone, teacher or student. Better still, perhaps, is the practice of reading it twice, once at the beginning of the discussion and once at the end, so the sound of the poem is the last thing one hears of it.

All discussions of poetry are, in fact, preparations for reading it aloud, and the reading of the poem is, finally, the most telling “interpretation”(解读) of it, suggesting tone, rhythm, and meaning all at once. Hearing a poet read the work in his or her own voice, on records or on film, is obviously a special reward. But even those aids to teaching can not replace the student and teacher reading it or, best of all, reciting it.

I have come to think, in fact, that time spent reading a poem aloud is much more important than “analyzing” it, if there isn’t time for both. I think one of our goals as teachers of English is to have students love poetry. Poetry is “ a criticism of life”, and “ a heightening(提升) of life”. It is “an approach to the truth of feeling”, and it “can save your life”. It also deserves a place in the teaching of language and literature more central than it presently occupies.

I am not saying that every English teacher must teach poetry. But those who do teach poetry must keep in mind a few things about its essential nature, about its sound as well as its sense, and they must make room in the classroom for hearing poetry as well as thinking about it.

1.To have a better understanding of a poem, one should________.

A. discuss it with others B. analyze it by oneself

C. copy it down in a notebook D. practise reading it aloud

2.According to the writer, one of the purposes of teaching English is to get students________.

A. to understand life. B. to enjoy poetry.

C. to become teachers. D. to become poets

3.What does the last sentence in the third paragraph imply?

A. More importance should be attached to the teaching of poetry.

B. Poetry is more important than any other subject.

C. One cannot enjoy life fully without an understanding of poetry

D. Poetry is the foundation of all language and literature courses

Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours(绕行路)in life than by the narrow road toward goals. I like this image. But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.

For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents’ home in Boise in nine hours. We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest, easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hate confinement(限制)and have strong opinions about everything.

Road trips felt risky, so I would drive fast, stopping only when I had to. We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.

But then Banner, our lamb was born. He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise. I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me. My husband made the decision for me.

That is how I found myself on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through. We took the country roads out of necessity. We had to stop every hour, let Banner shake out his legs and feed him. The kids chased him and one another. They’d get back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.

We explored side roads, catching grasshoppers in waist-high grass. Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway. Here was life. And new horizons.

We eventually arrived at my parents’ doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.

I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique. On an empty section of road, everyone started quarreling. I stopped the car, ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead. I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.

Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight. But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey----and the best part of yourself.

1.Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents’ home?

A. She needn’t stop on the way.

B. It would be faster and easier.

C. Her kids would feel less confined.

D. She felt better with other drivers nearby.

2.What does the author discover from the trip according to Paragraph 6 ?

A. Freeways are where beauty hides.

B. Getting close to nature adds to the joy of life

C. Enjoying the beauty of nature benefits one’s health

D. One should follow side roads to watch wild animals

3.Why did the author ask the kids to get out of the car on their way back home

A. To give herself some time to read

B. To order some food for them

C. To play a game with them.

D. To let them cool down

4.What could be the best title for the passage

A. Charm of the Detour

B. The Road to Bravery

C. Creativity out of Necessity

D. Road trip and Country Life

The United States is a country of immigrants. It is a place where people from all over the world come to build a better life. Some immigrants bring their families. Some bring a few of their favorite things. Others come alone with nothing but determination. One thing that every immigrant brings with them is their culture.

American immigration began in 1607 with the colony (殖民地) of Jamestown. In 1620, another group of people left England to build a settlement in America. They wanted to go to a place where they could practice their religion freely. Then many more people left their homes in Europe to build a better life in America. Many also came to America from Africa. By 1770, more than two million people had moved to America. Later on, more people came to the United States than ever before.

In cities all over America, you can see different cultures that formed this country. Many things that you may think of as being “American” are actually from a foreign culture. Some of the best examples of this are the foods people eat. Pizza and spaghetti are foods that all Americans know and love. But both of them are from Italy. Baseball is an all-American sport. But the hot dogs that people eat during the game are a type of food that was brought to America by German immigrants.

Over time, pizza and hot dogs have become a part of what is considered to be American food. In the same way, different groups of people have come together to define what an American is. An American can be a person of any background. An American can be of any faith. An American can be of any skin color. They can speak English clearly. They can speak English with an accent. Each new immigrant adds something new to American culture. It will keep changing as more people come to this country.

1.Paragraph 2 is mainly about _____.

A. the history of American immigration

B. why people chose to move to America

C. the rapid growth of the population of America

D. what immigrants have brought to America

2.Several foods are mentioned in the text to show _____.

A. they have a long history in America

B. they are very popular with Americans

C. America is a country full of tasty foods

D. America is made up of different cultures

3.The author probably agrees that American culture is _____.

A. simple B. strange

C. diverse D. advanced

4.What would be the best title for the text?

A. Immigrants and their American dreams

B. America: a melting pot of cultures

C. America: a land of opportunity

D. Life in the US: culture shock

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