The Donkey Mobile Library
It is a bright morning in the Ethiopian countryside. Yohannes walks beside a pair of donkeys that are pulling a two-wheeled cart. They arrive at the agricultural town of Awassa where Yohannes opens the sides of the cart to display, not the usual vegetables or tools, but children’s books. This is the Donkey Mobile Library, the first of its kind in Ethiopia and one of only a few in the world.
Yohannes was born in Ethiopia, North Africa, but trained to be a librarian in the USA and returned to Ethiopia years ago. The cart is full of picture books donated by American libraries, teachers and school children.
Yohannes arranges small painted benches in the shade of the trees, and suddenly Ethiopian children come shouting and racing down every road and path. It’s mobile library day! They circle the bookshelves with great excitement. Until the Donkey Mobile Library began its regular two-monthly visits, many of these children had never seen a book.
“Without books, education is very dull, like food without salt. You can survive but you can’t really come alive,” says Yohannes. “The ability to read is the basis for greater productivity, better health and longer life. Even though the children lack material goods, with books they can imagine a world of possibilities.”
Yohannes first worked in the children’s section of the main library in America. Surrounded by books he had never seen before, he realized how joyful and imaginative children’s literature is. He says, “I always thought of Ethiopia. But how could I bring children’s books to my home country when it had almost no libraries to keep the books in?”
He contacted Jane Kurtz, a writer born in America but brought up in Ethiopia, and together they created the Donkey Mobile Library. The children say that the Library has given them ideas about what they might do in the future. A child called Dareje wants to be a scientist and find a cure for life-threatening diseases. An eleven year-old girl, Fikerte, wants to do research about the moon and discover new facts about outer space. Tamrat, aged 10, comes every time.
“What brings you back here time and time again?” the librarian asks him.
“The stories,” Tamrat replies instantly. How do the children feel when they see the Donkey Mobile Library?
| A．Curious. | B．Surprised. | C．Interested. | D．Excited. |
We can conclude from the passage that .
| A．Ethiopian children have no idea about their future |
| B．Yohannes and Kurtz share similar life experiences |
| C．donkey carts in Awassa usually carry vegetables and tools |
| D．most books in the Donkey Mobile Library were bought in America |
According to the passage, the Donkey Mobile Library .
| A．visits the countryside every day | B．benefits Ethiopian children a lot |
| C．was created by Yohannes himself | D．was the first of its kind in the world |
Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?
| A．A news report. | B．A book review. | C．A historical story. | D．An advertisement. |
Windsurfing is a sport that combines sailing and surfing．In 1948，twenty-year-old Newman Darby first 
thought of using a handheld sail to contro1 a small boat．Darby did not apply for a patent(专利)for his design at first．However，he is recognized as the inventor of the first sailboard．
Californians Jim Drake，a sailor and engineer，and Hoyle Schweitzer，a surfer and skier received the patent for a sailboard．They called their design a windsurfer．The early windsurfer boards measured 3．5 meters long and weighed 60 pounds．Later in the l980s，Newman Darby did apply for and receive a design patent for a one—person sailboat．
In the late l940s，Newman Darby found he could control a 3-meter-long sailboat and make turns even without a rudder(舵)．In l964 he designed the first universal joint(万向接头)to go along with a flat bottom sailing boat．This sailboard was equipped with a universal joint，a board and a kite—shaped free sail and thus windsurfing was born．
Naomi Darby，Newman’s wife，was the first woman windsurfer and helped her husband build and design the first sailboard．She sailed while standing up，controlling the boat without the use of a rudder．She tilted(倾斜)the sail to change directions．This was something that had never been done before．
Hoyle Schweitzer began producing sailboards in the early 1970s．The sport became very popular in Europe．By the late 1970s，windsurfing fever had Europe firmly in its grasp with one in every three families having a sailboard．
The first windsurfing world championship was held in 1973．Windsurfing first became an Olympic sport for men in l984 and for women in l992．Jim Drake and Hoyle Schweitzer received the patent for the design of ．
| A．a sailboard called windsurfer | B．a kite—shaped free sail |
C．the first universal jo int |
D．a one—person sailboat |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Hoyle Schweitzer was a sailor and Jim Drake was a surfer． |
| B．Newman Darby’s wife supported him in his invention． |
| C．Newman Darby was the first to tilt the sail to change directions． |
| D．The first world windsurfing competition was held in the late l970s． |
Which is the correct order of the following events?
a．Newman Darby thought of controlling a boat with a handheld sail．
b．Newman Darby received his design patent．
c．Windsurfing became popular in Europe．
d．Windsurfing became an Olympic sport for women．
| A．acbd | B．abcd | C．acdb | D．bacd |
What is the main idea of the text?
| A．The invention of windsurfing． | B．How windsurfing was popular in the world． |
| C．The history of windsurfing． | D．How windsurfing became an Olympic sport． |
Ten years ago，Morgan Zuch，a two—year—old girl from Long Island，New York，was diagnosed with leukemia(白血病)．The day that Morgan’s father Rod knew it，he made a promise，“If my daughter gets better，I will devote the rest of my life to helping others who are in the Same condition．”
Fortunately．Morgan recovered gra
dually，and since then，Rod and his wife Nancy，have been helping other families with cancer．stricken children through the Morgan Center．It is the country’s first preschool for children with cancer．
Because of the risk of germs, children with cancer are usually forbidden from playing with other kids．They must spend their days in hospital rooms or lying in bed at home．The Zuchs believed that children with cancer should have the opportunity to play，too．
The center offers the kids and their families a safe place to connect with others who have the same problem．To reduce the risk of infections，the center's staff wash their own and the children's hands frequently，and provide each child with his or her own toys and supplies．
“You feel like you’re not the sick kid’s mom，”said one child’s mother，Maura Lewinger．“It is nice because none of the parents at the center are alienated(孤立的)．”
The Zuchs run the center as a non-profit organization and any family can bring their children to the center for free．Nancy Zuch works as the head teacher-with a little help from her daughter Morgan, now l2 years old．Today，Morgan is strong and healthy，and loves to provide support for the children who are going through the difficult time that she once went through．She says she wants to be a teacher at the Morgan Center when she grows up.The Zuchs created the Morgan Center ．
| A．to help their daughter to realize her dream |
| B．to invite other children to play with their daughter |
| C．to build a school for their daughter and her friends |
| D．to provide a healthy place for children with cancer |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．The kids can share all their toys there． |
| B．The kids can receive free medical care． |
| C．The kids have to keep their hands clean． |
| D．The kids’ parents must pay for the supplies． |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Morgan has regained her health． |
| B．The Center is run by the government． |
| C．Morgan helps in the Center sometimes． |
| D．Both kids and parents like the Center． |
This text is mainly about ．
| A．Long Island’s first preschool for kids with cancer |
| B．the pain that the kids in the Morgan Center suffer |
| C．the contributions Morgan has made to the Center |
| D．the Zuchs，the creators of the Morgan Center |
When you are curious about something, and want to know more about it, you can use the way of asking questions. Asking questio
ns i
s the first step to make discoveries and find interesting answers. The steps below can guide you during the research.
Step 1 On a note card or piece of paper, write down the subject that you are interested in. Just get the main idea down. For example, you might write:
Discover more about dinosaurs.Step 2 Next, stop and think for a moment about what you already know about your subject. List what you already know like the sentences below:
1. Dinosaurs lived long before human beings appeared.2. Dinosaurs lived on the earth for more than 150 million years.
3. Some dinosaurs fed on plants, some on meat.
Step 3 What can you do with what 
you want to learn? By asking questions. On your paper, start writing down questions about the dinosaurs as you think of them:
1. What’s the best weather for dinosaurs to live in?
2. How many kinds of dinosaurs are there?
3. Have dinosaurs really disappeared?
Step 4 Armed with your list of questions, you can now go to the nearest library or computer to begin your research. As you learn more about your subject, you’ll probably discover some new questions.
For example, you might discover that dinosaurs disappeared about 65 million years ago. Why? What happened? Asking new question
s can help you research your subject more widely.
The next time you find something interesting to research, take time to organize your thinking by asking good questions. And remember—learning more always bring more questions.
①list what you want to know ②choose a research subject
③list what you already know ④discover new problems
| A．①④③② | B．②③①④ | C．③②④① | D．④③①② |
What does the underli
ned sentence “Armed with your list of questions” mean?
| A．Putting your list of questions under your arm. |
| B．Discussing your questions with your classmates. |
| C．Writing down your list of questions. |
| D．Taking your list of questions with you. |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．You can find all the answers online. |
| B．Learn more, and you’ll have no questions. |
| C．During the research, you may keep finding new questions. |
| D．Asking questions is the only way for research. |
. The best title for this passage is .
| A．Discovering Dinosaurs | B．Asking Good Questions |
| C．Finding Subjects | D．Having Interesting Answers |
Buster Brown was a thief-and a good one，too，he thought . He’d never been caught by the police because he never took chances． He was always prepared for any unforeseen event or emergency.
Confidently，he stood outside the house of his intended victim(受害者)and read the sign on the front gate of the house．“Don't worry about the dog—be aware of the owner!”it said．Buster smiled and found his way in．
The house looked quite normal outside，but inside it was very exotic with fascinating objects on display．As he began putting them into his bag，a dog came into the room．It stopped when it saw Buster，then wagged its tail madly and went over to him，licking his outstretched hand．
"Good boy，”Buster whispered． “What a great guard dog you are—trying to lick me to death.”
Satisfied he'd made friends with the dog，Bluster began to wander round the house，choosing items to put in his bag．His
skilled eye picked out only the best antiques(古董)：a pair of silver candleholders，a silver tea-and-coffee service，etc．．His new friend，the dog，sat and watched，as if wondering what was happening．
“Well，boy，”Buster whispered，finally．“That might do．Any more and I won't be able to carry it!”He swung the heavy bag onto his shoulders, just as the lights came on, nearly blinding him. He shielded his eyes with his hand.
"You're a very silly person," the figure(身影) in the doorway said. As the man came closer, Buster could see he was well dressed. His face seemed familiar, but Buster couldn't quite be sure of the place where he had seen him before.
"You should have taken more notice of the sign outside," the man rasped. "I knew about this attempted robbery last week and I also know you will end up behind bars for 20 years. Fancy trying to rob the house of the world's greatest fortune-teller(算命先生)!" Why was Buster so confident?
| A．He was not afraid of dogs. | B．He knew the own er of the house lived alone |
| C．He had never been caught by the police. | D．The house had no security alarm. |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "exotic" in the third paragraph?
| A．Messy and untidy. | B．Rich and expensive. |
C．Comfortable and calming. |
D．Foreign and unusual. |
How did Buster decide which objects to take?
| A．He took those that were easy to carry in his bag. |
| B．He took only the best antiques. |
| C．He took those that he knew he could sell easily. |
| D．He looked for silver objects. |
What punishment waits for Buster Brown?
| A．A prison sentence with hard labour. | B．A long prison sentence. |
| C．A heavy fine. | D．Community service for 20 years. |
First the ground shook in Haiti, then Chile and Turkey. The earthquakes keep coming har
d and fast this year, causing people to wonder if something evil (邪恶的) is happening underfoot. It’s not.
While it may seem as if there 
are more earthquakes occurring, there really aren’t. The problem is what’s happening above ground, not underground, experts say. More people are moving into big cities that happen to be built in quake zones, and they’re rapidly putt
ing up buildings that can’t withstand (经受) earthquakes, scientists believe. And around-the-clock news coverage (报道) and better earthquake monitoring(监测) make it seem as if earthquakes are ever-present.
“I can definitely tell you that the world is not coming to an end,” said Bob Holdsworth, an expert in tectonics (筑造学) at Durharn University in the UK.
A 7.0 magnitude quake in January killed more than 230,000 people in Haiti. Last month, an 8.8 magnitude quake--- the fifth-strongest since 1900—killed more than 900 people in Chile. And two weeks ago, a 6.0 magnitude quake struck rural eastern Turkey, killing at least 57 people.
On average, there are 134 earthquakes a year that have a magnitude between 6.0 and 6.9, according to the US Geological Survey. This year is off to a fast start with 40 so far—more than in most years for that time period.
But that’s because the 8.8 quake in Chile generated a large number of strong aftershocks, and so many quakes early this year skews (扭曲) the picture, said Paul Earle, a US seismologist (地震学家).
Also, it’s not the number of quakes, but their devastating impacts(破坏性的影响) that gain attention, with the death tolls (死亡人数) largely due to construction standards (building standard) and crowding, Earle added. “The standard mantra (咒语) is earthquakes don’t kill people, buildings do, ” he said.
There have been more deaths over the past decades from earthquakes, said University of Colorado geologist Roger Bilham. In an opinion colum
n last month in the journal Nature, Bilham called for better construction standards in the world’s big cities.
Of the 130 cities worldwide with populations of more than 1 million, more than half are prone (倾向于) to earthquakes, Bilham said.
Developing nations, where populations are growing, don’t pay attention to earthquake preparedness, Bilham said.” If you have a problem feeding yourself, you’re not really going to worry about earthquakes.”
Another reason quakes seem worse is that we’re paying attention more. The Haiti earthquake quickly followed by the 8.8 in Chile made everyone start to think.
But it won’t last, said US disaster researcher Deniis Mileti. “People are paying attention to the violent planet we’ve always lived on,” Mileti said.” Come back in another six months if there has been no earthquakes, m
ost people will have forgotten it again. ”What is the main idea of the article?
| A．The number of earthquakes is increasing this year. |
| B．The reasons why earthquakes are so devastating. |
| C．The reasons why recent earthquakes have struck large cities. |
| D．Why earthquakes seem to be more serious this year. |
Which of the following is NOT a reason for the seeming increase in earthquakes this year，
according to the article?
| A．Greater underground activity. |
| B．A larger number of buildings prone to damage during earthquakes. |
| C．Around-the-clock news coverage. |
| D．Better earthquake monitoring. |
According to the article, it is safe to say that ______.
| A．there is an evil force beneath the world’s surface |
| B．large cities are always built in quake zones |
| C．enough attention has been paid to reducing the impact of earthquakes |
| D．the earthquake in Chili caused many aftershocks. |
According to the article, the greater damage of earthquakes this year can be mainly caused by ______.
| A．the occurrence of larger earthquakes |
| B．not enough warnings about earthquakes |
| C．poor construction standards and overcrowding |
| D．an increase in large cities |
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