Joyce was born in a poor family. Next Friday would be her mother’s birthday. Joyce wanted to buy something for her mother, but she had no money. As an 8-year-old girl, she couldn’t do part-time jobs. What could she do to make enough money for her mother’s birthday present?

Suddenly she had an idea. Usually, she would go straight to school, but this morning, she didn’t. She walked along the streets, picking up cardboard（纸板）, plastic（塑料）bottles and cans（易拉罐）. When it was time for school, she hid them in the backyard and ran to school as quickly as possible.

Eight days later, she decided to sell all the things she had collected because the next day was her mother’s birthday. She had to sell them and buy a birthday present for her mother. In the shop, she bought a beautiful hair pin for her mother.

When her mother got the present, she said with tears in her eyes,“This is the best present I’ve ever received.”

1.How old was Joyce?

A. Seven.           B. Eight.         C. Nine.         

2.Why couldn’t Joyce buy a present for her mother at first?

A. Because she had no money.

B. Because she didn’t know what her mother liked.

C. Because she didn’t love her mother at all.

3.What was Joyce’s idea?

A. Doing part-time jobs.   

B. Collecting waste things and selling them.

C. Asking her best friend for help.

4.How long did Joyce collect the waste things?

A. A week.      B. A month.    C. More than a week.

5. How did Joyce’s mother feel when she got the present?

A. Very sad.       B. Very happy and moved.     C. Very surprised.

Do you have any foreign friends? Do you know their characteristics(特征)?
The Germans are very quiet and they always keep calm. They don’t like to speak more words. They look very serious. They like different kinds of amusements. The Germans are very hard—working. They like tidiness, especially the women, who always keep their home clean.
In some ways, the Englishmen look the same as the Germans. They are very quiet and never talk too much with the strangers. They are really polite, so we often hear they say “Thank you.” Or “Sorry.” The gentlemen are also the Englishmen.
The French’s holidays are very long. They like traveling and usually spend their long time staying in other countries. The Frenchmen are more outgoing than the Germans. It is very easy to make friends with them.
Compared to the Frenchmen, the Americans are more outgoing. And they are even opener than all of the Europeans. They don’t like to depend on others. So it is very common that the students do part-time jobs in their free time. And in Americans’ eyes, success is an important part in their life.
【小题1】According to the passage, ______are very quiet.

How does Fred spend one week?

1.Where does Fred meet Ann?

A. At Brown’s house     B. In the hospital     C. At the station     D. At Kay’s house

2.For how many hours a week does Fred do his part—time job?

A. Five hours    B. Six hours． C. Ten hours   D. Eleven hours

3.        is ill in hospital.

A. Brown        B. Joy          C. Tom         D. Kay

4.Kay’s birthday is on         ．

A. Tuesday      B. Friday       C. Sunday      D. Thursday

5.What does Fred do on Saturday afternoon?

A. Play football   B. Study with Tom   C. Have a dancing class   D. Do part—time job

Audrey is a Chinese-American student. She has found many value differences between Chinese and Americans.
About money
Americans would like to spend more than they have, so many of them are always in debt(欠债). Chinese usually spend less than they have, so many of them have money left in the bank.
American kids love to make money by themselves. Chinese kids always ask their parents for money.
American parents think it is not useful to send their children to an expensive university. Chinese parents would do anything to send their children to a good university and that might make them very poor sometimes.
About school
Many American girls take part in sports, dancing and singing groups while Chinese girls take part in academic groups.
Some American students think that “B” is a gift while Chinese students think that “B” is terrible.
American parents and Chinese parents
American parents allow their daughters or sons to go out to have some part-time jobs in their free time or at the weekends. Chinese parents usually don’t allow their children to do so in middle or high schools.
【小题1】What would a Chinese middle school student probably NOT do at the weekends according to the passage?