A year ago August, Dave Fuss lost his job driving a truck for a small company in west Michigan．His wife, Gerrie, was still working in the local school cafeteria, but work for Dave was scarce, and the price of everything was rising．The Fusses were at risk of joining the millions of Americans who have lost their homes in recent years．Then Dave and Gerrie received a timely gift—＄7,000，a legacy （遗产） form their neighbors Ish and Arlene Hatch, who died in an accident ．“It really made a difference when we were going under financially．” says Dave．
But the Fusses weren’t the only folks in Alto and the neighboring town of Lowell to receive unexpected legacy from the Hatches．Dozens of other families were touched by the Hatches’ generosity．In some cases, it was a few thousand dollars ; in other, it was more than ＄100,000．
It surprised nearly everyone that the Hatches had so much money, more than ＄3 million—they were an elderly couple who lived in an old house on what was left of the family farm ．
Children of the Great Depression, Ish and Arlene were known for their habit of saving．They thrived on（喜欢）comparison shopping and would routinely go from store to store, checking prices before making a new purchase ．
Through the years, the Hatches paid for local children to attend summer camp when their parents couldn’t afford it．“Ish and Arlene never asked whether you needed anything,” says their friend Sand Van Weelden, “They could see things they could do to make you happier, and they would do them．
Even more extraordinary was that the Hatches had their farmland distributed．It was the Hatches’ wish that their legacy—a legacy of kindness as much as one of dollars and cents —should enrich the whole community and Ish and Arlene Hatch’s story．
Neighbors helping neighbors ——that was Ish and Arlene Hatch’s story．According go the text, the Fusses_______________．
| A．were employed by a truck company |
| B．were in financial difficulty |
| C．worked in a school cafeteria |
| D．lost their home |
Which of the following is true of the Hatches?
| A．They had their children during the Great Depression． |
| B．They left the family farm to live in an old house． |
| C．They gave away their possessions to their neighbors． |
| D．They helped their neighbors to find jobs． |
Why would the Hatches routinely go from store?
| A．They decided to open a store． |
| B．They wanted to save money． |
| C．They couldn’t afford expensive things． |
| D．They wanted to buy gifts for local kids． |
According to Sand Van Weelden, the Hatches were_________．
| A．understanding | B．optimistic | C．childlike | D．curious |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．The community of Alto was poor． |
| B．The summer camp was attractive to the parents． |
| C．Sandy Van Weelden got a legacy form the Hatches． |
| D．The Hatches would like the neighbors to follow their example． |
A rat looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? He was alarmed to discover that it was a rat trap (捕鼠夹).
Going back to the farmyard the rat gave a warning: “There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!” The chicken raised her head and said: “Excuse me, Mr Rat, I can tell this is a big concern to you, but it is of no business to me. I cannot be bothered with it.”
The rat turned to the pig and told him: “There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!”“I am so very sorry, Mr. Rat,” sympathized the pig, “but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. I will make sure that you are in my prayers.”
The rat turned to the cow. She said, “Like wow, Mr. Rat. A rat trap. I am in grave danger. Duh?”
So the rat returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s rat trap alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a rat trap catching its prey (猎物). The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a poisonous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer’s wife.
The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet (短柄斧) to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient.
His wife’s sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them the farmer killed the pig.
The farmer’s wife did not get well. She died, and so many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow killed to provide meat for all of them to eat.
So the next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when there is a rat trap in the house, the whole farmyard is at risk.The underlined word “dejected” in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to .
| A．disappointed | B．surprised | C．confused | D．doubtful |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?
| A．The chicken showed great concern for the rat. |
| B．The pig helped the rat get rid of the trap. |
| C．The cow didn’t care about what the rat said. |
| D．The snake was killed after being caught in the trap. |
We can conclude from the article that .
| A．the farmer’s wife got good treatment in the hospital |
| B．the farmer regretted setting up the rat trap |
| C．the rat was very wise in avoiding the trap |
| D．none of the other animals felt threatened by the rat trap |
What message does the story intend to convey?
| A．We should mind our own business. | B．Everything is related to something else. |
| C．Helping others is always a virtue. | D．We should treat animals in a friendly way. |
Nowroz: Iranian New Year or Nowroz is celebrated on the first day of spring sometime in March. Nowroz ceremonies are symbolic representations of good and evil. People sing, dance and parade as in a carnival through the streets with drums and trumpets to spread the news of the coming new year.
Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year is called “Rosh Hashanah”, and is celebrated in the month of September. It is a holy time when people think of the things they have done wrong in the past, and promise to do better in the future. Special prayers are held, and an instrument called a Shofar is played. Children are given new clothes, and New Year loaves are baked and fruits are consumed to remind people of harvest time.
Shogatsu: In Japan, the New Year (Shogatsu) celebrations are from January 1 to January 3 and most Japanese don’t work during these days. In Japan, years are traditionally seen as completely separate from each other, and the New Year is a fresh start. This means that in December all duties should be completed. Parties are held to forget the worries and troubles of the old year. Homes and cars are decorated. On New Year’s Eve, most people spend their time with their families.
Bahai New Year: The Bahai people have their own calendar consisting of nineteen months of nineteen days plus a couple of extra days between the eighteenth and nineteenth months. They have, however, adopted the Iranian custom of beginning the New Year in the spring equinox (春分). The day begins at sunset rather than midnight, and the New Year celebrations are held on the evening of March 20th.During the Jewish New Year, .
| A．people don’t mention things they have done wrong |
| B．children often wear new clothes |
| C．loaves and fruits are often forbidden to be served |
| D．Shofar is their favourite food |
Which of the following festivals are celebrated in the same month?
| A．Nowroz and Shogatsu. | B．Rosh Hashanah and Shogatsu. |
| C．Nowroz and Rosh Hashanah. | D．Nowroz and the Bahai New Year. |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Japanese families often stay together to celebrate Shogatsu. |
| B．The Bahai people usually hold a carnival to celebrate the New Year. |
| C．The Jewish harvest fruits to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. |
| D．The Iranians often hold family parties to celebrate Nowroz. |
Lily，Susan, David, Chris和Michael分别计划假期去景点旅游，阅读下面旅游杂志上的6个旅游广告（A、B、C、D、E和F），从中找出符合5位兴趣爱好的最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。选项中有一项是多余选项。Lily：I enjoy shopping, dining and nightlife. I want to surf and learn about Hawaiian culture.
Susan：I like a relaxed lifestyle. I want to take a scenic helicopter and watch the amazing eruptions( 火山喷发) of red-hot lava.
David：I like a relaxed and simple lifestyle.
Chris：I like surfing and mountain-climbing and enjoy shopping, dining and nightlife.
Michael：I love outdoor activities and want to take a scenic helicopter.
| A Oahu Island – the gathering place Home to 80 per cent of Hawaii’s people, Oahu lets you enjoy the bustling and colourful city life of Honolulu, and world-famous Waikiki beach. Glamorous Waikiki is the main place for sun and surf. Otherwise go swimming, snorkeling, or relax and sunbathe on the many other fabulous beaches. Oahu is the place to be for shopping, great dining and great nightlife! But if nightclubs aren’t your scene, you may like to visit the museum at Pearl Harbour, or climb Nuuanu Oali mountain to find the best view of the whole island. |
| B Hawaii – the big island Hawaii is also the name of the biggest island of the group. If you’d like a more relaxed lifestyle with friendly locals, then the Big Island has plenty of room for you. Take a helicopter ride around snow-capped Manna Kea, the highest mountain in the world if you measure from the ocean floor. Or visit Kilauea, the world’s largest active volcano（活火山）. Hawaii’s dramatic black lava landscape even include beaches with black sand. |
| C Kauai – the garden island Small and uncrowded, Kauai is the perfect gateway for families and couples looking for a peaceful holiday. It has world-class golf courses, with great views! This island is ideal for those who love outdoor activities. The beautiful green Na Pali cliffs and coast are a great place to go camping, hiking and horse riding. You can go kayaking on the river, or take scenic helicopter flights. |
| D Maui – the rainbow island Maui combines beautiful scenery with luxury resort-style living. No matter where you stay, you’ll see many wonderful rainbows. Of course there are the lovely beaches for snorkeling, surfing and whale watching, but you can also hike up Haleakala, the world’s largest inactive volcano. The town of Lahaina offers a lu’au - a fun evening of hula dancing and traditional banquet. It isn’t as busy as Waikiki, but there are still plenty of shopping, fine restaurants and nightlife. |
| E Lanai – Hawaii’s best-kept secret Far away from the crowds, this island offers you a totally relaxing experience. It is a haven for all kinds of wildlife. You can go fishing on the deserted beaches, or just laze there. Maybe you can climb Lanaihale mountain. From the top you can see all the other islands. |
| F Molokai – very different The lifestyle here lets you understand the way Hawaii was many years ago. If you’re looking for a total escape from a busy city life, this is definitely the place. Forget shopping, fancy dining and nightlife. Let a guide bring you on a horseback or bicycle tour of the rugged but beautiful scenery. Hike over the stunning cliffs of the Kalaupapa peninsula. The most important thing to do on Molokai, though, is relax and slow down. |
Nowadays, there’s a lot of debate about single sex education since it has begun to regain its popularity recently. According to long term studies of children from around the world, students achieve more and learn better in single sex schools.
An Australian study of 270,000 students found that both boys and girls performed much higher on standardized(标准化) tests when they attended separate schools. During an experiment in Virginia in 1995, 100 eighth graders were separated just for math and science courses. Almost immediately, the girls began to achieve more, become more confident and take part more often in class activities.
In 2001, a British study concluded that nearly every girl regardless of (不论) her ability or socio-economic status performed better in single sex classrooms than co-ed ones. The study of 2,954 high schools and 979 primary schools showed that while boys at the lowest levels in study improved the most in single sex schools, single sex education was particularly beneficial (有益的) to girls. Every one of the top 50 private elementary schools and top 20 private high schools in Britain are single sex schools.
Girls became more confident in themselves as students and earned higher scores on their College Board and Advanced Placement examinations. A quarter of the female members of the US Congress and one-third of all female members of Fortune 100 boards graduated from all-women’s colleges.
While the statistics are not as dramatic for boys, however, boys tend to soften their competitive edge and become more cooperative in a single sex setting. They can just be boys and not worry about what the girls might think.
Single sex education has a pleasant way of encouraging children to be fearless, to be curious, to be enthusiastic --- in short, to just be themselves. Children are subjected (屈从于) to pressures from every quarter to become adults before they are ready to do so. They grow up too quickly. Why not let them be children for a few more years? Single sex education with its gentler, more controlled social atmosphere is just the right answer for many children. With the experiment in Virginia in 1995, the writer wants to show that .
| A．single sex education has become popular in recent years |
| B．the effect of single sex education on girls is immediate |
| C．students at separate schools are better prepared for standardized tests |
| D．both boy and girl students achieve more and learn better in single sex schools |
According to the article, which of the following statements about single sex education is TRUE?
| A．Girls’ performances in single sex classrooms are determined by their ability and socioeconomic status. |
| B．In all-boys schools boys with the worst academic performances improved the most. |
| C．Single sex education was particularly helpful for boys. |
| D．There are more single sex schools than co-ed schools in Britain. |
In the article, the underlined phrase “soften their competitive edge” probably means .
| A．act in a kindly manner | B．become less competitive |
| C．lose interest in something | D．take advantage of something |
What is the main point of the article?
| A．Ways to reduce pressure and help children grow. |
| B．The reason why girls perform better than boys at school. |
| C．The advantage of single sex education. |
| D．The development of single sex education in different countries. |
A person steps on what seems like solid ground but discovers with horror that the ground is giving way underfoot. The person struggles desperately but is trapped. There is no escape. Slowly the person sinks deeper and at last is gone. The solid ground was solid only in appearance. It was actually quicksand, which is a deep mass of fine sand mixed with water.
How is quicksand formed? Water pushes up from below the surface and is held by the sand. The grains of sand are forced apart by the water. They cannot hold any weight. The subsurface water may have come from a spring, a river, or a stream. Sometimes pools of water near beaches become filled with sand. When the soil under these pools does not allow for good drainage(排水), the sand can become stretches of quicksand.
Is it true that a person who steps into quicksand is doomed to die? No, for people have fought their way from quicksand to firm land again. It is panic(恐慌) that creates the condition that can result in death, for the more a person struggles, the worse matters become. Quick movements will make the sand yield for a time, but then it rushes back and settles solidly around the body.
People trapped in quicksand should either lie back with arms outstretched, or not move at all. When the weight of the sand around his body has displaced equals that person’s weight, the victim will stop sinking. With feet held still, and with slow movements of the arms, as in the backstroke(仰泳) in swimming, people have managed to roll to safety and reach firm ground. Quick movements by a person trapped in quicksand will _______.
| A．help the person reach firm ground |
| B．help prevent panic |
| C．make the same sand yield temporarily |
| D．make the sand hold the person’s weight |
Quicksand is _______.
| A．a mass of fine sand mixed with water | B．formed only along rivers |
| C．found below subsurface water | D．solid ground |
Which statement does the article lead you to believe?
| A．Stretches of quicksand are found only under the sea. |
| B．People should never try to escape from quicksand. |
| C．It is hard to keep calm if you fall into quicksand. |
| D．Only heavy people can be trapped in quicksand. |
The passage mainly tells about _______.
| A．what solid ground looks like | B．the nature of quicksand |
| C．stepping into quicksand | D．escaping from quicksand |
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