Many people say pennies are not worth saving. After all, a penny is only worth a cent. But one unusual penny turned out to be worth a lot more when a coin collector paid $1.7 million for it earlier this month.
The coin is one of a kind. It is the only penny that the Denver mint(铸币厂) made out of copper, instead of steel, in 1943. Because it is unique, it is also very valuable. No penny has ever sold for so much money.
The Changing Penny
The Lincoln penny first appeared in 1909. For 34 years, the one-cent coin was made out of copper. Then, in 1943, the penny changed. World War II was going on, and copper was needed for equipment. So for one year, pennies were made out of steel instead. At least most of them were.
Only a few coins were made out of unused copper. There are three main mints, or places where coins are made, in the United States. Of the known copper pennies from 1943, twelve were made in the Philadephia mint, and five were made in the San Francisco mint. Only one was made in the Denver mint.
Nobody knows for sure why a copper penny was made at the Denver mint in 1943, coin dealers Andy Skrabalak told Time for Kids. “There is a rumor that a mint employee made the coin in the middle of the night.”
A Special Set
The coin collector who bought the $1.7 million penny wants to remain unknown. But the reason for the trade is known. He already had two copper pennies from 1943 – one from the San Francisco mint and one from the Philadephia mint. To complete the set, he needed the Denver penny. The three coins will go on display at a coin exhibition in Tampa, Florida.
The collector who sold the penny is also keeping his name a secret. It took four years to convince him to give up the rare coin. Now that he has finally donating all of the money to charity.Why is the Lincoln penny worth over one million dollars?
A. Because it has a history of thirty-four years.
B. Because it was made out of a rare material.
C. Because it was made on one night of 1943 by the Denver mint.
D, Because it was the only coin Denver mint made out of copper in 1943.Before the Lincoln penny was sold, people thought one-cent coins __________.
| A．were worth collecting for selling later |
| B．were surely valuable if not made out of steel |
| C．wouldn’t be sold for large amounts of money |
| D．were only useful for some coin museums |
At least how many copper coins were made in 1943?
| A．Five | B．Twelve | C．Seventeen | D．Eighteen |
What can we learn about the collector who sold the penny?
| A．He already had two copper pennies from 1943. |
| B．He wanted to complete the set of copper pennies. |
| C．He didn’t want to sell his penny in the beginning. |
| D．He was a well-known coin dealer in Tampa, Horida. |
Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on the presidential candidates and how they’ll change America. Rightly so, but selfishly, I’m more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might be able to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-American woman. As the potential First Lady, she would have the world’s attention. And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.
Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The prevailing theory seems to be that we’re all hot-tempered single mothers who can’t keep a man. Even in the world of make-believe, black women still can’t escape the stereotype of being eye-rolling, oversexed females raised by our never-married, alcoholic (酗酒的) mothers.
These images have helped define the way all women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit to a cause, charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most complicated duty may be simple to be herself.
It won’t be easy. Because few mainstream publications have done in-depth features on regular African-American women, little is known about who we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis. For better or worse, Michelle will represent us all.
Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. Many African-American blogs have written about what they’d like to see Michelle bring to the White House—mainly showing the world that a black woman can support her man and raise a strong black family. Michelle will have to work to please everyone—an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise (沉着), confidence and intelligence will go a long way in changing an image that’s been around for far too long.Why does Michelle Obama hold a strong fascination for the author?
| A．She serves as a role model for African women. |
| B．She possesses many admirable qualities becoming a First Lady. |
| C．She will present to the world a new image of African-American women. |
| D．She will pay closer attention to the interests of African-American women. |
What is the common stereotype of African-American women according to the author?
| A．They are victims of violence. |
| B．They are of an inferior violence. |
| C．They use quite a lot of body language. |
| D．They live on charity and social welfare. |
What do many African-Americans write about in their blogs?
| A．Whether Michelle can live up to the high expectations of her fans. |
| B．How Michelle should behave as a public figure. |
| C．How proud they are to have a black woman in the White House. |
| D．What Michelle should do as wife and mother in the White House. |
What does the author say about Michelle Obama as a First Lady?
| A．However many fans she has, she should remain modest. |
| B．She shouldn’t disappoint the African-American community. |
| C．However hard she tries, she can’t expect to please everybody. |
| D．She will give priority to African-American women’s concerns. |
What do many African-American women hope Michelle Obama will do?
| A．Help change the prevailing view about black women. |
| B．Help her husband in the task of changing America. |
| C．Outshine previous First Lady. |
| D．Fully display her fine qualities. |
Finding summer jobs for teenagers has not always been easy, but now you no longer have to worry about what your kid can do to earn their own money. Recently I found some different sites online that offer information about what kids can do. Below is some of that information, along with questions to think about to help you come up with your own ideas.
Ideas for summer work:
●Parks and Recreation Programs.
●Babysitting (当临时保姆) during the day of school.
●Working part-time at a day care for the summer.
●Car washing.
●Working at local vegetable stands.
The easiest way for you to find ways for your child to make money is to think about others’ inconveniences (不方便). Think of things you need done, or would like to have done, and what you would consider paying for these things to get done. Once you have some ideas, you can sit down with your child and talk to them about what they would be interested in doing. Then once you have an idea of what they want to do you can help them come up with fair prices.
Preferably you would want to only have your child working with people you know and trust, or in the least bit you could have your child pick a partner. That way with each of them carrying cell phones, even those without service can call 911, they will be much safer.
You can find out more information and many more ideas for kids to use to make money during their summer holidays by visiting http://www.kidswantmoney.com.The author wrote the passage to _____.
| A．share his discoveries online |
| B．introduce jobs for teenagers |
| C．advertise a website for teenagers |
| D．talk about his summer work experience |
The passage is mainly written for _____.
| A．teenagers | B．teachers |
| C．parents | D．website designers |
Which of the following is NOT considered when teenagers look for summer jobs?
| A．Who they’d better work for. |
| B．How much should be charged. |
| C．Whether the jobs are safe. |
| D．Where the workplace is. |
What can we learn about http://www.kidswant-money.com?
| A．The author set up the website. |
| B．It gives information about educating children. |
| C．People need to pay to visit the website. |
| D．It offers ideas for children to make money. |
One day, Jack’s parents told him that his grandpa would retire (退休) after working for forty years. Jack said in surprise, “I’m only seven, so it means Grandpa has been … er… A really long time!”
His parents said, “Yes. That’s why we are going to have a surprise party for him.”
Jack loved his Grandpa and wanted to do something special for him. He remembered the business card his grandpa had given him two years before. He knew that his grandpa would no longer have the position (职位) on that card, so he decided to build a new one for his grandpa.
When the big day came, Jack was ready. But he didn’t want to put his gift together with others’. He carried it around with him the whole evening.
When all the other people left, he took his grandpa’s hand and brought him over to a chair and gave him the gift.
His grandpa smiled, “Well, it must be a beautiful gift. May I open it now?” “Sure!” Jack said excitedly.
As Grandpa opened the gift, tears (眼泪) came into his eyes. Jack gave him the greatest gift he had ever got! They were business cards with his new position: FULL-TIME GRANDPA! Jack said, “Now your full-time job is my grandpa!”
“Well, how much do I get paid?” his grandpa asked, smiling. “As many hugs (拥抱) as you want!” With these words, Jack gave Grandpa a hug. “Well, I guess that means I’m the richest man in the world!” said Grandpa.What did Jack decide to do for his grandpa?
| A．To build a new position for him. |
| B．To draw a picture for him. |
| C．To sing a song for him. |
| D．To buy a gift for him. |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Jack was the first one to give his gift to his grandpa. |
| B．Jack was the last one to give his gift to his grandpa. |
| C．Jack gave his gift to his grandpa together with other people. |
| D．Jack gave his gift to his grandpa together with his parents. |
Why were there tears in Grandpa’s eyes?
| A．Because he would lose his position. |
| B．Because he was not cared for. |
| C．Because he was moved by Jack’s gift. |
| D．Because he was unhappy. |
Farmer John and Farmer Bob were neighbours. For more than 30 years, they had been getting along very well.
Then their good relationship broke. It began with a small thing, then bitter words, and then weeks of silence. One morning Farmer John woke up to find a stream between the two farms. “It must be Bob,” John thought.
Then one day there was a knock on John’s door. He opened it to find a carpenter(木匠) standing at the doorway.
“I’m looking for a few days’ work,” the carpenter said.
“I do have a job for you,” John said. “Look across the stream at that farm. That’s my neighbour Bob. He dug a stream between the two farms. I want you to build a fence—an 8-foot fence. I don’t want to see his place or his face any more. I don’t have such a neighbour!”
The carpenter said, “I think I know what to do, sir, and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.”
Farmer John helped the carpenter get the materials(材料) ready and then he was off for the day.
About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide. There was no fence there at all!
It was a bridge! And the neighbour, Bob, was coming across, with his hand outstretched(伸出). “Hi, John! You’re quite a fellow to build this bridge!”
Then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hands. “I’m terribly sorry for what I have said and done. We should be good to each other.” said Farmer Bob.
Then they turned to see the carpenter, who was ready to go. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I have a lot of other jobs for you,” said Farmer John. “I’d love to stay,” the carpenter said, “but I have more bridges to build.”What does the sentence “You’re quite a fellow to build this bridge!” mean?
| A．John was great to build this bridge. |
| B．John was not good at building bridges. |
| C．John was foolish to build such a bridge. |
| D．John should build the bridge earlier. |
What do you think of the carpenter?
| A．Shy. | B．Wise. | C．Proud. | D．Careless. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．What a Big Fence! | B．A Strong Bridge |
| C．Three Kind Men | D．A Fence or a Bridge? |
This is a page from a college information handbook. It tells you where you can find several different college services and facilities(设施).
Where To Find Help In The College
Here are the places of some important college services and facilities.
Rooms numbered 100-130 are on the first floor and those numbered 200-230 are on the second floor of the main college buildings.
Students Services Center
Careers职业 113
The officers can offer you some advice on career choice and applications for higher education.
Accommodation Office 114
Mrs. J Mardle is here each afternoon from 1:30 to 4:30 to help students with housing problems.
Medical Room 115
Mrs. J Wright, the college nurse, helps you each morning from 9:30 to12:00 am.
The college doctor is on duty at the room on Wednesday mornings.
Sports office 207
Mrs. B Murie can provide information about sporting and keep-fit activities.
Student Union Office 222
A range of services and advice (travel etc.) is provided.
Food service 127
Mr G Nunn is the manager and will do his best to help if you ask for a special diet.
Library 215
Besides books this also has photocopying, video, audio-visual and computing facilities.
Self Access Language Learning Center 203
Students can attend on a drop-in（无须预约的） basis from 9:00 am to 4:15 pm. Where should you go for help if you fail to find a place to live in?
| A．Room 114 | B．Room 207 |
| C．Room 222 | D．Room 113 |
As a foreign student, you may go to Room 127 to _________.
| A．apply for a scholarship |
| B．ask for supply of some special food |
| C．inquire about educational fees |
| D．obtain a copy of a certificate |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．You need a reservation(预约) in the Language Learning Center. |
| B．You are able to watch video programmes in the library. |
| C．The college nurse is available for some time before noon. |
| D．Student Services Center can help students apply for higher education. |
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