If you have ever been discouraged because of failure, please read on. Usually, achieving what you set out to do is not the important thing. Let me explain.
Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch.
“What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors.
“We plan to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” one of the brothers answered excitedly.
The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar（罐） full of spiders(蜘蛛), worms and a lot of insects. He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the visitors who were laughing at them. Then he said quietly and confidently, “Even if we don’t dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!”
Their goal was far too difficult, but it made them dig. And that is what a goal is for—to make us move in the direction we have chosen. In other words, it sets us to digging!
But not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, “Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!” And I believe it is the joy in the journey, rather than in the end, that truly matters.
61. The writer told us the story to ________ .
A. advise us to treat our failures fairly
B. persuade us to make an aim for our lives
C. encourage us to learn from the two brothers
D. prove that failure helps us make achievements
62. What’s the best title of the passage?
A. Failure is the mother of success
B. When there is a will, there is a way
C. No pains, no gains
D. Joy in the journey
63. Which do we know from the passage?
A. Digging a hole all the way through the earth is impossible.
B. The two brothers will surely reach their goal one day.
C. If one has a goal, he will want to dig holes.
D. Everyone can succeed if he sets a practical goal.
If you like bicycling as much as you like playing ball and can’t seem to decide between the two sports, you may want to consider cycle ball—a fun sport that adopts the key attributes from both activities and transforms it into a totally new game..
Also known as red ball, the game was invented in 1893 by German laborers who wished to play polo(马球), but could not afford horses. While the sport has not caught on in North America, it is very fashionable in Europe and even Japan.
Played in an indoor court, cycle ball is similar to soccer in many ways—the aim is to score as many goals as possible, and only the goalkeeper is allowed to touch the ball.
The one big difference? Use of legs is forbidden. Instead, players have to guide the ball across the court, using the front wheels of their bicycles or with their heads. In fact, if a player even touches the floor with his feet during the 14-minute game, it is considered a foul(犯规) and the opposing team gets a free kick.
While the game was initially(最初) played with normal bikes, things are a little different now. The seats of these specialized bikes are positioned over the back tire and they sport a single fixed gear, making it easier for the rider to control the constant back and forth movement required for the game. The handlebars(车把) also point straight up so that the competitors can sit upright while playing and they are about twice the weight of normal bikes, which helps with the stability.
While cycle ball may sound a little strange, it is a fast-paced sport that requires much training, skill, and, is also really fun to watch.What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．The origin and development of soccer |
| B．The differences between cycle ball and soccer. |
| C．The most popular sports game in the world. |
| D．A new and fun sports game—cycle ball |
What does the underlined phrase “caught on” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．turned up | B．hung up | C．come about | D．become popular |
What can we know about cycle ball?
| A．It is a fast-paced game played in an indoor court |
| B．It was invented in 1893 by poor British people. |
| C．It is another name of soccer played by many people. |
| D．It is a strange game played with normal bikes. |
It can be known from the passage that __________.
| A．every player who is playing cycle ball is allowed to touch the ball. |
| B．the aim of playing cycle ball is to score as many goals as possible. |
| C．if a player touches the floor with his feet, the opposing team will win |
| D．heads are not allowed to be used to guide the ball across the court. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
| A．Cycle ball is popular both in Japan and other Asian countries. |
| B．The cycle ball game is popular all over the world. |
| C．A cycle ball game takes 14 minutes. |
| D．Cycle ball has to be played with heads, legs or the front wheels. |
As an English saying goes, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found that laughter really can improve people’s health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their heart, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, makes the heart beat quicker and makes people breathe deeper; it also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group that tolerated (忍耐) the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny program. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which diminishes both stress and pain.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Laughter can make people breathe deeper |
| B．Laughter can make you become old quickly. |
| C．Laughter helps to reduce pain. |
| D．Laughter, just like physical exercise, is good for our body. |
The underlined word “diminishes” in the third paragraph means “_________”.
| A．delays | B．prevents | C．increases | D．reduces |
Why do doctors hold laughter clinics?
| A．Because they want to earn more money. |
| B．Because they think they will help the patients recover from illnesses. |
| C．Because they want to improve their patients’ health. |
| D．Because they want their patients to laugh more. |
According to the author, we should __________ in our life.
| A．laugh as much as possible | B．watch more funny films |
| C．smile all the time | D．spend time in the laughter clinics |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Both laughter and physical exercise are good for health. |
| B．Laughter clinics can help patients improve their condition. |
| C．Laughter can reduce the effect of pain. |
| D．Laughter is the best medicine. |
I came across quite a few language problems while on holiday with my family last summer. The most embarrassing was when my Mom apologized to the people we were staying with because her “pants were dirty”. They looked at her in amazement, not knowing how to react. You see, Mom had fallen over and gotten mud on her jeans. But in Britain, “pants” means underpants, not trousers as it does back home.
Katie — From America
When I asked for the “restroom” in a big department store, people kept directing me to a room with seats where I could sit and “rest”. It took me years to get through to someone that I only wanted the toilet!
Tom — From America
Last summer we went on a two-week family touring holiday, so Dad hired a car over the Internet. This was an old vehicle and there turned out to be lots of things wrong with it. When he phoned the hire company and tried to explain that the lock on the boot(汽车行李箱) was broken, they thought he was talking about footwear! He had no idea their word for “boot” was “trunk”. In the end we went to a garage and just solved the problem.
Mary — From Britain
Last summer, I went to stay with a friend on the west coast. Her flat was on the first floor of a high-rise building so I got the lift up. Then I wandered round for ages looking for her flat but couldn’t find it. Fed up and tired, I finally had to go out to find a phone box. She explained that her flat was on the first floor, which for me meant the ground floor.
David — From BritainHearing Katie’s mother’s words, Katie’s friends were in amazement because ____________.
| A．they mistook “pants” in American for underpants |
| B．Katie’s mother’s underpants were dirty |
| C．Katie’s mother got mud on her jeans |
| D．they didn’t know any English |
David went out to find a phone box to ____________.
| A．phone the police for help | B．apologize for his being late |
| C．tell his friends he couldn’t go to visit her | D．phone his friend for help |
When Tom asked for the “restroom”, the people around him thought _____________.
| A．he wanted a chair | B．he wanted to have a rest |
| C．he wanted the toilet | D．He wanted to go to a department store |
The underlined word “garage” is probably _____________.
| A．a parking place | B．a car | C．a place to repair cars | D．a gas station |
Which of the following words is from British English？
| A．Pants | B． Restroom | C．Ground floor | D．Trunk |
When I was younger it seemed that the super hero was Batman or Spiderman. As I grew up, I looked to real people with some of these qualities to be my super hero including being strong, honest, friendly, brave, skilled, hardworking, and reliable. The person I think of when I hear these words is my dad.
My dad is one of the toughest people I have ever met. He has been through it all. When I was five, 60 percent of his body was burned. In 1999 he fell from a tree, breaking his arm and shattering his ankle. In 2004, he had a liver transplant (移植) after being on the list for six years after a bad blood transfusion that gave him Hepatitis C. Now, my dad is 45 years old and feels better than he has in 15 years.
My dad is one of the most reliable people I know. Anything I ask of him, he does. Whenever he tells me he is going to do something, it is always done before I get home from work. Whenever I need my dad, he is there. When I was ten and he told me my grandmother was going to die, I felt really down. He was the one there trying to cheer me up.
My dad has worked hard for everything he has. At home, he is always busy doing projects and has painted every room in our house. After our shop was built, he constructed an office you would think a professional built. When I do something stupid, he helps me fix it. Of course, he does his complaining, but I know he likes fixing things just as much as I like tearing them up.
My dad has been one of the greatest parts of my life. I have learned a lot from watching him and I don’t believe I will ever meet anyone like him. I hope when I grow up, I can possess the same qualities as my dad, and have someone look up to me as a good role model. This is why my dad is my hero. The author describes his father as reliable mainly _________.
| A．by appearance | B．by example | C．by comparison | D．by behavior |
What does the underlined word “shattering” mean in Paragraph 2?
| A．breaking | B．transplanting | C．burning | D．destroying |
The second paragraph is mainly about ___________?
| A．the reasons why 60% of Father’s body was burned. |
| B．the successful skin transplant in 2010. |
| C．the sufferings Father has gone through in the last 15years. |
| D．the operations that Father had through his 45 years of struggle |
Which of the following can best describe the father?
| A．busy, tough and reliable | B．strong, skilled and optimistic |
| C．tough, reliable and hardworking | D．rough, reliable and friendly |
Which of the following can best serve as the title of this passage?
| A．My Father—My Hero | B．My Father and I |
| C．A Man Who Survived | D．A Good Model to Respect |
How Americans Began to Eat Tomatoes
People have strange ideas about food. For example, the tomato is a kind of very
delicious vegetable. It is one of useful plants that can be prepared in many ways. It has rich nutrition and vitamin in it. But in the 18th century, Americans never ate tomatoes. They grow them in their gardens because tomato plants are so pretty. But they thought the vegetable was poisonous (有毒的). They called tomatoes “poison apples”.
President Thomas Jefferson, however, knew that tomatoes were good to eat. He was a learned man. He had been to Paris, where he learned to love the taste of tomatoes. He grew many kinds of tomatoes in his garden. The President taught his cook a way for a cream of tomato soup. This beautiful pink soup was served at the President’s party. The guests thought the soup tasted really good. They never thought their president would serve his honored guests poison apples. Jefferson never spoke to his honored (尊贵的) guests about the fact.After you read the passage, which of the following do you think is true?
| A．Americans never ate tomatoes after they began to plant them. |
| B．American didn’t eat tomatoes before the 19th century. |
| C．Even now Americans don’t eat tomatoes |
| D．In the 18th century Americans ate a lot of tomatoes. |
The passage tells us that Jefferson was a President who learned to love the taste of tomatoes.
| A．while he was in Paris . |
| B．when he was a little boy. |
| C．the President ’s cook. |
| D．the President’s wife. |
According to the text, ________cooked the beautiful pink soup at the President ’s party?
| A．the President himself. |
| B．A French cook |
| C．the President ’s cook |
| D．the President’s wife |
The underlined word “cook”in paragraph2 means_______
| A．厨房 | B．厨师 | C．厨具 | D．做饭 |
From the passage we know all the honored guests invited by Jefferson were______.
| A．people from other countries | B．from France |
| C．People of his own country | D．men only |
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