The Worst Part
Mom is usually home on Sunday but this week she was going to a big golf game and I was all alone in the house. I was mad at Mom for divorcing Dad.
I kept looking at the telephone until I couldn’t stand it any longer. I picked up the receiver and dialed Dad’s number over in Bakersfield. I even remembered to dial 1 first because it was long distance. “You promised to phone me this week but you didn’t,” I said, feeling I had to talk to him.
“Take it easy, kid,” he said. “I just didn’t get around to it. I was goi
ng to call this evening. The week isn’t over yet.”
I thought about that.
“Something on your mind?” he asked.
“I hoped you would call, so I waited and waited.” Then I was sorry I said it.
“There was heavy snow in the morning,” he said, “I had to chain up on highway 80 and lost time.”
I know putting chains on eight big wheels in the snow is no fun. I felt a little better, as long as we were talking. “How is Bandit?” I asked.
There was a funny silence. For a minute I thought the line was dead. Then I knew something must have happened to my dog.
“Well, kid—”, he began. “My name is Leigh!” I almost yelled. “I’m not just some kid you met on the street!”
“Keep your shirt on, Leigh,” he said. “When I had to stop along with some other truck drivers to put on chains, I left Bandit out of the cab, I thought he would get back … I have sent out a call to CB radio, but I didn’t get an answer yet.” I was about to say I understood when there came the bad part, the really bad part. I heard a boy’s voice say, “Hey, Bill, Mom wants to know when we’re going out to get the pizza?”We can conclude from the passage that .
| A．Leigh’s mother often went to golf games | B．Leigh was a deserted boy |
| C．Leigh’s dad never had a rest on Sundays | D．Leigh’s father lived in another city |
Which is true about Bandit?
| A．It was killed by a truck | B．It was let out of the cab and got lost |
| C．It was frozen to death. | D．It ran off Highway 80 and into the mountain. |
The underlined sentence “Keep your shirt on”（last para） probably means “ ”.
| A．Cool down | B．Stop talking | C．Be quiet | D．Keep warm |
The worst part in Leigh’s eyes may be that .
| A．he forgot to go to get the pizza | B．his parents got divorced |
| C．his dad got remarried | D．his dad didn’t love him |
Charlie Vansant, a college student of Athens, Ohio who reported that his car was stolen, got a surprise when he learned a woman had mistaken it for her daughter's car and taken it－using her key.
Kate Anderson became an accidental car thief when picking up her daughter's car near an Ohio University building last week. Anderson spotted the Toyota Camry（丰田凯美瑞）and used her daughter's key to unlock the car, start the engine and drive home-without realizing that the car wasn't her daughter's.
When Charlie Vansant left class a short time later, he found only an empty parking spot. He first assumed the car had been towed, but when the police couldn't find a record of it, they took a theft report.
The morning after Anderson took the car, her daughter discovered the Camry in the driveway wasn't hers. Anderson said she was able to find Vansant's name on paperwork in the glove compartment and look up his phone number on the website for the university.
When Anderson told Charlie the car was in her driveway, "It sounded real suspicious at first, as she wanted to hold the thing for ransom（赎金）,” said Vansant. He eventually went to the house with a police officer, where he was reunited with his car. According to the police report, the case was closed "because of mistaken car identity", Anderson wasn't charged.
Vansant seemed to blame the car company more than the "thief". "Her key fit not only my lock, but my ignition（点火装置） as well - so high-five for Toyota. I guess." he said. What does the underlined word "towed" mean in paragraph 3?
| A．removed. | B．damaged. |
| C．stolen. | D．sold. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Mrs. Anderson's daughter discovered the car her mother drove was not hers. |
| B．Mrs. Anderson stole Charlie's car at the request of her daughter. |
| C．Charlie had thought he had to give Anderson money to get his car back. |
| D．Mrs. Anderson used her daughter's key to unlock Charlie's car and drive home. |
What does Charlie mean by "high-five for Toyota"?
| A． He is blaming Toyota for the poor quality of car keys. |
| B． He should thank Toyota for returning his car. |
| C． He wants to celebrate with Toyota for getting his car back. |
| D． He thinks highly of Toyota for producing large quantities of cars. |
What is likely to happen next according to the passage?
| A．Mrs. Anderson was charged with stealing a car. |
| B．Charlie blamed Mrs. Anderson for mistakenly taking his car. |
| C．Charlie would ask the Toyota Company to give him an explanation. |
| D．The Toyota Company would give Charlie a new car as compensation. |
Most young people enjoy some forms of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling, swimming, or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some forms—football, basketball, hockey, golf or tennis. It may be mountaineering.
Those who have a passion for climbing high and difficult mountains are often looked upon with astonishment. Why are men and women willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks in high mountains? This astonishment is caused, probably, by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.
Mountaineering is a sport and not a game. There are no man-made rules, as others, as there are for such games as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of different kinds which would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man-made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.
If we compare mountaineering with other more familiar sports, we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a “team game”. We should be mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no “matches” between “teams” of climbers, but when climbers are on a rock face linked by a rope on which their lives may depend, there is obviously teamwork.
The mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature. His sport requires high mental and physical qualities.
A mountain climber continues to improve in skills year by year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty. But it is not unusual for men of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they perhaps climb with more skills and less waste of effort, and they certainly experience equal enjoyment.What sports are popular among people in winter in the passage?
| A．Soccer and golf. | B．Skiing and skating. |
| C．Cycling and hockey. | D．Mountaineering. |
The underlined word “passion” in Paragraph 2 could best be replaced by ______.
| A．strong emotion | B．good way |
| C．better feeling | D．enough affection |
Mountaineering is a sport, not a game because_______.
| A．it has man-made rules |
| B．it is too dangerous for climbers |
| C．it can’t bring people joy or leisure |
| D．it is free for climbers to use their own methods |
We know from the passage that _______.
| A．mountaineering has no appeal for people |
| B．physical quality is more important than mental one for climbers |
| C．a mountain climber passes his best by the age of thirty |
| D．it is possible for an old man of fifty or sixty to climb the Alps |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Sports in winter | B．Team work in climbing |
| C．Mountaineering | D．The quality for mountaineering |
The computer keyboard helped kill shorthand—a system of rapid handwriting, and now it’s threatening to finish off handwriting as a whole. When handwritten essays were introduced on the SAT exams for the class of 2012, just 15% of the most1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive(草写字母). The rest? Block letters.
And those college hopefuls are just the first edge of a wave of US students who no longer get much handwriting instructions in the primary grades, frequently 10 minutes a day or less. As a result, more and more students struggle to read and write cursive.
At Keene Mill Elementary School in Springfield, all their poems and stories are typed. Children in Fairfax County schools are taught keyboarding beginning in kindergarten. Older students who never mastered handwriting say it doesn’t affect their grades.
There are those who say the culture is at a crossing, turning from the written word to the typed one. If handwriting becomes a lost form of communication, does it matter?
It was at University Virginia that researchers recently discovered a previously unknown poem by Robert, written in his unique script. Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers, historians say, because their authenticity(真实性) can be confirmed. Students also find them more fascinating.
The loss of handwriting also may be a cognitive(认知的) opportunity missed. Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better—a lifelong benefit.
It doesn’t take much to teach better handwriting skills. At some schools in Prince George’s County, elementary school students use a program called Handwriting Without Tears for 15 minutes a day. They learn the correct formation of manuscript letters through second grade, and cursive letters in third grade.
There are always going to be some kids who struggle with handwriting because of their particular neurological(神经系统的) writing, learning issues or poor motor skills. Educators often point to this factor in support of keyboarding. What is the author concerned about after 2012 Sat exams?
| A．Keyboarding. | B．Shorthand. |
| C．Handwriting. | D．Block letters. |
A poem by Robert mentioned in the passage is used to ____________.
| A．prove how valuable handwriting is |
| B．explain what a famous poet he is |
| C．show how unique his poem is |
| D．stress how fascinating the documents are |
The example of Handwriting Without Tears helps to argue that _____________.
| A．the schools are responsible for the loss of handwriting |
| B．the loss of handwriting is a cognitive opportunity missed |
| C．it doesn’t take much to teach better handwriting skills |
| D．the culture is turning from the written word to the typed one |
According to the author, when is a perfect time to learn handwriting?
| A．Kindergarten. | B．Primary school. |
| C．High school. | D．College. |
What is the author’s attitude towards this debate?
| A．Devotion. | B．Encouragement. |
| C．Critical. | D．Objective. |
A black hole is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out. The gravity is so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when a star is dying.
Because no light can get out, people can’t see black holes. Space telescopes with special tools can help find black holes. The special tools can see how stars that are very close to black holes act differently from other ones.
Black holes can be big or small. Scientists think the smallest black holes are as small as just one atom. These black holes are very tiny but have the mass of a large mountain. Mass is the amount of matter, or “staff”, in an object.
Another kind of black hole is called “stellar”(星球黑洞). Its mass can be up to 20 times more than the mass of the sun. There may be many stellar mass black holes in Earth’s galaxy. Earth’s galaxy is called the Milky Way.
The largest black holes are called “supermassive”(超大质量黑洞). These black holes have masses that are more than one million suns together. Scientists have found proof that every large galaxy contains a supermassive black hole at its center. The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy has a mass equal to about four million suns and would fit inside a very large ball that could hold a few million Earths.
Scientists think the smallest black holes formed when the universe began. Stellar black holes are made when the center of a very big star falls in upon itself, or falls apart. When this happens, it exploded part of the star into space. Scientists think supermassive black holes were made at the same time as the galaxy they are in.
A black hole can not be seen because strong gravity pulls all of the light into the middle of the black hole. But scientists can see how the strong gravity affects the stars and gas around the black hole. Scientists can study stars to find out if they are flying around, or orbiting a black hole.
When a black hole and a star are close together, high-energy light is made. This kind of light cannot be seen with human eyes. Scientists use satellites and telescopes in space to see the high-energy light. The gravity of a black hole may become so strong that light cannot get out when ____________.
| A．the star is going to die |
| B．special tools are used on it |
| C．other stars come close to it |
| D．it is seen from the space telescopes |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．A black hole can be very tiny but extremely heavy. |
| B．The gravity of a black hole holds all light in its center. |
| C．Scientists observe high-energy light through their own eyes. |
| D．Some small black holes came into being as early as the universe. |
Which can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Every galaxy must have a black hole. |
| B．A galaxy is the center of the universe. |
| C．A galaxy consists of a large group of stars and planets. |
| D．Earth’s galaxy is called the Milky Way. |
What does the last sentence in Paragraph 5 suggest?
| A．Neither the sun nor the earth is as heavy as a black hole. |
| B．There is only one supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. |
| C．The supermassive black hole had existed before the Milky Way was formed. |
| D．There is a reason why the large black holes are called “supermassive”. |
The last two paragraph mainly focus on the question of _________.
| A．what a black hole is |
| B．how black holes form |
| C．how big black holes are |
| D．how scientists know about black holes |
A primary school in UK has banned Valentine’s Day cards because of concerns that young pupils spend too much time talking about boyfriends and girlfriends.
Ashcombe Primary School in WestonSuperMare，Somerset，has told parents that cards declaring love can be“confusing” for children under the age of 11，who are still emotionally and socially developing. In this month’s newsletter(通讯)，Peter Turner，the head teacher，warned that any cards found in school would be confiscated(没收)．He wrote：“We do not wish to see any Valentine’s Day cards in school this year. Some children and parents encourage a lot of talk about boyfriends and girlfriends. We believe that such ideas should wait until children are mature enough emotionally and socially to understand the commitment involved in having or being a boyfriend or girlfriend.”Mr.Turner said any families wanting to support the Valentine’s Day idea should send cards in the post or deliver them to home addresses by hand.
His views were endorsed by Ruth Rice,46，who has twins Harriet and Olivia at the school. She said，“Children at that age shouldn’t really be thinking about Valentine’s Day，they should be concentrating on their schoolwork.”They are at an age when they are impressionable(易受影响的)and most parents including myself are with Mr.Turner. “She added that the cards cause” too much competition. If someone gets a card and another doesn’t，then someone will be disappointed.
However，Rajeev Takyar,40，who has two children Jai,11，and Aryan，five，at the school，said he was “outraged”．He said，“There are schools that have banned conkers(栗子游戏)and snowballs，and now Valentine’s Cards.”I think banning the cards stops children from having social skills. How are they going to learn about relationships otherwise？It’s ridiculous. Alec Suttenwood，father of three children，said of the ban：“It’s totally ridiculous. Young children just send the cards to each other as friends and to their parents. It’s just a bit of harmless fun. There is no difference between this and Mother’s or Father’s Day.”Which of the following is the best title?
| A．Ban on Valentine’s Day cards at school is well received. |
| B．Ban on Valentine’s Day cards at school causes argument. |
| C．British children spend too much time talking about love. |
| D．A British high school bans Valentine’s Day cards. |
The underlined word “endorsed” means________.
| A．criticized | B．quoted |
| C．disapproved | D．approved |
What do you know about Harriet and Olivia?
| A．They will send Valentine’s Day cards this year. |
| B．They are strongly against the school’s decision. |
| C．They are of the same age. |
| D．They are the children of Rajeev Takyar. |
According to Rajeev Takyar，________.
| A．sending Valentine’s Day cards helps develop children’s social skills |
| B．banning Valentine’s Day cards will benefit children |
| C．the cards cause too much competition among children |
| D．children are too young to talk about love |
The newsletter by Peter Turner probably appeared on________.
| A．February 22 | B．February 6 |
| C．March 18 | D．August 1 |
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