Like any good mother，when Karen found out that another baby was on the way，she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son，Michael，prepare for a new baby．They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl，and day after day，night after night，Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's stomach．
Finally，Michael's little sister is born．But she is in serious condition．With alarm in the night，the ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal(初生的)intensive care unit at St． Mary's Hospital，Knoxville，Tennessee．The days go by．The little girl gets worse．The pediatric(儿科的)specialist tells the parents，“There is very little hope．Be prepared for the worst.”
Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot．They have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby，but now they plan a funeral．Michael，keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister，“I want to sing to her，”he says．
Karen makes up her mind．She will take Michael whether they like it or not．If he doesn't see his sister now，he may never see her alive．
She dresses him in an oversized suit and marches him into ICU．He looks like a walking laundry basket，but the head nurse recognizes him as a child and shouts，“Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed．Never disturb patients here．”The mother rises up strongly and said，“He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!”
Karen leads Michael to his sister's bedside．He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live．And he begins to sing．In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old，Michael sings：“You are my sunshine，my only sunshine，you make me happy when skies are gray．．．”Instantly the baby girl responds．The pulse rate becomes calm and steady．
The next day，the very next day，the little girl is well enough to go home! Woman's Day magazine called it“the miracle of a brother's song．”The medical staff just called it a miracle．Karen called it a miracle of God's love!
Never give up on the people you love．What may the underlined words“the infant”refer to?
| A．The baby． | B．Karen． | C．Mary． | D．Michael． |
What do we know about the little sister after she was born?
| A．She was driven to St．Mary's shop． |
| B．A doctor came to see her in her house． |
| C．She was very thin and couldn't speak． |
| D．She was in great danger． |
Why did Karen firmly let little Michael see his sister in ICU?
| A．Because he could make his sister alive． |
| B．Because his sister would be sent to a far hospital． |
| C．Because his sister was going to die soon. |
| D．Because his father wanted to take him away． |
What do we know about the head nurse?
| A．The head nurse was careful． | B．The bead nurse was rude． |
| C．The head nurse was responsible． | D．The head nurse had no sympathy． |
What is the general idea of the text?
| A．A boy's singing saved his sister's life． |
| B．The little girl is well enough to go home． |
| C．Michael's little sister is born with a serious disease． |
| D．No children are allowed to enter the intensive care unit． |
Why should I teach my children history? That sounds like a stupid question to even ask. But, as I hear different home schooling teachers discuss history, I get the idea that there may be different reasons for teaching history. Let me briefly explain the three good reasons for studying history and two bad reasons for studying history.
The major reason I see for studying history is that we can learn from the past. I am convinced that the world would be a much better place if more people understood the successes and failures of the past and the things that made these successes and failures. However, as the unfortunately true statement goes "the one thing we seem to learn from history is that we don't seem to learn from history." Perhaps at least in teaching history to my children I can do a small part in changing this.
A second major reason for studying history is that it is hard to understand the current political climate in the absence of an understanding of its historical context. We cannot even understand why we are and where we are without history, much less (更不必说) try to figure out where we are going or how we should get where we want to be.
I teach my children history, for one more reason. I purchased a set of historical audio (录音机) tapes for our children. My seven-year-old son listened to them over and over. It was my hope that he would become inspired by the accomplishments of people like the Wright brothers to accomplish things by himself. I think that it is good that we celebrate the accomplishments of people like Martin Luther King Jr. if, in doing so, young people are called on to stand for the principles that he stood for and accomplish what he accomplished. I also think that by studying people like Adolph Hitler, people can learn to stand against the things that he stood for.
What message can we get from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2?
| A．Many people aren't clever enough to learn well from the past. |
| B．Many people fail to make good use of history and make the same mistakes. |
| C．Many people feel it hard to understand history. |
| D．Many people have no interest in studying history. |
In Paragraph 3, the author shows that history is useful because ___________.
| A．it makes the current political situation go smoothly |
| B．it helps us realize the importance of historical events |
| C．it helps us understand why things are the way they are |
| D．it helps people accept the present situation where they live |
What would be talked about in the following paragraph?
| A．How to teach history effectively. |
| B．Some negative reasons for studying history. |
| C．How to get more people to study history. |
| D．Some bad historical figures. |
The main purpose of this passage is to ____________.
| A．inspire the parents to teach their children history |
| B．show the importance of history in politics |
| C．explain the reasons why children study history |
| D．introduce the writer’s own way of teaching history |
Once upon a time there was a wise man that used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought that someone would dance on the beach. So he began to walk faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?”
The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean.” “I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?” “The sun is up and the tide is going out, and if I don’t throw them in they’ll die.”
“But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!”
The young man listened politely, then he bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”
There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can know that gift, we will gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future.
We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our starfish wisely and well, the world will be better.
One day, the wise man saw the young man .
| A．dancing along the beach | B．walking with a dancer |
| C．picking up starfish for sale | D．trying to save as many starfish as possible |
Near the end of the passage, “something very special” refers to .
| A．the gifts from friends | B．the strength of making decision |
| C．our own starfish | D．the ability of shaping one’s own future |
From the last two paragraphs, we can learn that .
| A．the wise man realized something new and important |
| B．the wise man thought it was foolish of the young man to throw starfish into the ocean |
| C．the young man had the ability to make a difference |
| D．it is necessary for us to save starfish on the beach |
The writer told this story in order to show us .
| A．how and where we can write a good article |
| B．everyone can do something for the future |
| C．wise men are sometimes stupid |
| D．young people are actually wiser than old people |
Hello, Shanghai!
| Shanghai is hosting the 2010 World Expo with the theme: “Better City, Better Life.” The Expo is a window to the world. Haibao, the mascot, will guide you around the Expo Park. |
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| The World Has Come to You. Join the Trip to the Pavilions! (场馆) |
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| Pavilions |
What’s inside? |
| China Pavilion |
Coloring the Future Red The first stop is the China Pavilion. As the largest national pavilion, it has three floors. There are three parts. Footprint in the East on the top floor shows the changes in Chinese cities. Journey of Wisdom on the second floor shows the China’s four great inventions. Blossoming（绽放的）City on the ground floor shows what future cities will look like. The China Pavilion is painted in seven different red colors. It makes the pavilion look red at different times of day. |
| UK Pavilion |
Life Begins Here You will see a “World Bank” of seeds: There are 60,000 seeds in the UK Pavilion. They are from seed banks in the UK and Kunming in China. If you can’t go to Shanghai, you can find out all about the UK Pavilion at its website online at: http://ukshanghaiexpo. com/ home. php. |
| Norway Pavilion |
A Green Pavilion Norway is the best country for living in the world. At the Shanghai World Expo, you’ll find out what it means to be “powered by nature”. When the sun shines, the roof collects solar energy. The Norway Pavilion uses this energy for electricity. You can also learn about how green energy like the sun, wind and wave power is used to make air cleaner in cities. |
| Visit Expo from Your Home Don’t have enough time or money to visit the World Expo in Shanghai? Check the official website Expo Online, at www. Expo 2010. cn. It has two main parts. One is a site tour. The other is Expo Carnival（嘉年华）. You will feel like you’re enjoying the real Expo Park. Why not check it out? |
Which part of the China Pavilion should people go to if they are interested in the four great inventions?
| A．The ground floor. | B．The second floor. | C．The third floor. | D．The top floor. |
What is the typical feature of the UK Pavilion?
| A．People can see it on line. | B．It is the largest national pavilion. |
| C．People can see 60,000 seeds here. | D．All the seeds are from the UK. |
Which of the following can best explain the meaning of “a green pavilion”?
| A．A pavilion using green energy. | B．A pavilion painted in green. |
| C．A pavilion with more sunshine. | D．A pavilion with cleaner air. |
Construction workers in Southern California have made a wild discovery. They were digging at a building site in San Timoteo Canyon (峡谷) when they unearthed hundreds of ancient animal fossils. Researchers say the bones hold important clues about the history of the region.
Nearly 1, 500 fossils were recovered from the dusty canyon. The remains are about 1.4 million years old. They include the bones of a new species of deer, several small rodents (啮齿目动物) and more. A giant cat fossil was also found. Scientists believe the animal was an ancestor of the saber- toothed tiger. Signs of plant life were uncovered as well.
“This is a huge find,” says Rick Greenwood, a scientist studying the site. “I don’t think most people had any idea that those types of animals were wandering around here more than a million years ago.”
San Timoteo Canyon is located about 85 miles from Los Angeles. The area of the canyon where the fossils were found was once part of a green river valley. Today, the region is dry and plant life is rare.
Most of the fossils are well preserved. Experts say a muddy lake bed may have trapped thirty animals that wandered over for a drink. The mud helped to protect the animal fossils.
The remains are a million years older than those discovered at the famous La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Scientists studying the bones will be able to learn more about how the animals adapted to changes in the environment.
“We have a confused view of what this time period was like, ” says another scientist. “A discovery like this could really be an important contribution.”
About 35 different animal species are represented in the fossil collection. Scientists began removing bones from the site last fall. The project was completed this summer. Starting next year, the fossils will be on display at the Western Science Center in the nearby city of Hemet, California.
What does the passage mainly focus on?
| A．The secret of ancient animals’ deaths. |
| B．The preparation for a future fossil exhibition. |
| C．A great discovery of fossils. |
| D．The history of San Timoteo Canyon. |
From what Rick says, we know ________. (原创)
| A．fossils were discovered in the canyon for the first time. |
| B．the canyon in ancient times was quite different. |
| C．more research work will be carried on in the canyon. |
| D．the river water helped to protect the animal fossils. |
Compared to the discovery at the La Brea Tar Pits, the canyon-involved fossils _______.
| A．are far older | B．include more species |
| C．are better preserved | D．make experts more confused |
What do we know about the fossils from the passage?
| A．All of them are of new species. |
| B．Some of them have been destroyed |
| C．They were looked for under experts’ guidance. |
| D．They will be on show in the near future. |
It is true that shyness can be a disadvantage socially for those who suffer from it seriously. I mean real shyness, not somebody who is simply quiet. Quiet people could be shy, but on the other hand, they may just be observing because they are unsure of you or others in your company. They may be capable of being extrovert (性格外向的) and sociable, but on some particular occasions, they are quiet.
I have learnt from my experience that those who observe and listen more and talk less can gain a position of strength. This means that even a very shy person, the type who is reluctant to talk in company (在交际场合) , especially new company, can become a strong person in just about anything they choose. Remember, knowledge is power, and a shy introvert (性格内向的人) is in a better position to gain knowledge than an extrovert. Introverted people can give great attention to learning, and as good listeners they can take in an enormous amount from others. Over time, people can come to respect them far more than the extrovert who speaks a lot. Usually about themselves.
What does it take , then for a very shy person to be that successful person they have always wanted to be ? They may only need one more thing to push themselves on their way. They need to dare themselves to take the leap; and when they do , they will probably find all the knowledge they have gained over the years will help them on their way to the top in their chosen field.
What does the first paragraph mainly want to tell us?
| A．A person who is quiet may not be shy. |
| B．A shy person may not be a calm one. |
| C．Quiet people are usually doubtful. |
| D．Shyness is sometimes a bad feature. |
The underlined word “reluctant” in paragraph 2 probably means ______.
| A．lazy | B．careful | C．eager | D．unwilling |
According to the author, introverted people can be successful because they usually ___________.
| A．have a strong will | B．talk less and show off less |
| C．learn more than extroverts | D．have a good attitude to learning |
It can be learned from the last paragraph that “one more thing” probably refers to __________.
| A．energy | B．courage | C．quietness | D．knowledge |
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