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Before he sailed round the world alone, Francis Chichester had already surprised his friends several times. He had tried to fly round the world but failed. That was in 1931.
The years passed. He gave up flying and began sailing. He enjoyed it greatly. Chichester was already 58 years old when he won the first solo transatlantic sailing race. His old dream of going round the world came back, but this time he would sail.His friends and doctors did not think he could do it, as he had lung cancer. But Chichester was determined to carry out his plan. In August 1966, at the age of nearly 65, an age when many men retire, he began the greatest voyage of his life.
Chichester covered 14100 miles before stopping in Sydney, Australia. This was more than twice the distance anyone had previously sailed alone. He arrived in Australia on 12 December, just 107 days out from England. He received a warm welcome from the Australians and from his family who had flown there to meet him. On shore, Chichester could not walk without help. Everybody said the same thing: he had done enough; he must not go any further. But he did not listen.
After resting in Sydney for a few weeks, Chichester set off once more in spite of his friends' attempts to dissuade him. The second half of his voyage was by far the more dangerous part, during which he sailed round the treacherous Cape Horn.After succeeding in sailing round Cape Horn, Chichester sent the following radio message to London: "I feel as if I had wakened from a nightmare. Wild horses could not drag me down to Cape Horn and that sinister Southern Ocean again."
Just before 9 o'clock on Sunday evening 28 May 1967, he arrived back in England, where a quarter of a million people were waiting to welcome him.Queen Elizabeth II knighted(授以爵位) him with the very sword that Queen Elizabeth I had used almost 400 years earlier to knight Sir Francis Drake after he had sailed round the world for the first time.The whole voyage from England and back had covered 28,500 miles. It had taken him nine months, of which the sailing time was 226 days. He had done what he wanted to accomplish.What can we learn about Chichester?
| A．He failed the solo transatlantic sailing race in 1959. |
| B．He was a brave and determined man. |
| C．The second half of his voyage was not as dangerous as the first half. |
| D．The radio message expressed his concern about the sailing. |
What did Queen Elizabeth II do after Chichester arrived back in England?
| A．She called on the English to learn form him. |
| B．She was waiting to congratulate on his success in sailing. |
| C．She thought poorly of his achievements. |
| D．She knighted him for praising him. |
We can infer from the text that ____
| A．Anyone who had sailed alone traveled less than 7050miles before 1966 |
| B．Chichester sailed round the Atlantic in 1931 |
| C．Most of the English retire at the age of 65 |
| D．Chichester died of lung cancer in 1967 after he went back to England |
One thing we love about is that it’s easy to make and it only needs a few simple ingredients(原料). Here are four of our favourite and simple homemade soups. Enjoy!
1. Chicken Soup
Chicken soup can help to fight a cold. You can prepare your soup with a whole chicken or just thin pieces of chicken. Do either of themalthough a whole chicken is likely to make your soup much tastier. The main ingredients are: chicken, water, onions, carrots, celery(芹菜), salt, pepper and noodles.
2. White Bean Soup
There are many types of beans to choose from. It’s simply a matter of personal taste. Dried beans are more traditional and cost less. However, canned beans also work. The other main ingredients are: onions, tomatoes and carrots. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. French Onion soup
When you get French onion soup in a restaurant, it might look a bit difficult to make. The hardest part is cutting up all those onions—get ready for a good cry! The main ingredients are: six sweet onions, butter, water and salt.
4. Garden Vegetable Soup
In summer, you may find yourself with a lot of vegetables that need using up. Throw in potatoes, rice or even some meat with the vegetables. The best thing about this soup is that you can put in whatever you want. The main ingredients are: onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes and potatoes.How can you make the chicken soup more delicious?
| A．By adding carrots． |
| B．By using chicken pieces． |
| C．By adding onions． |
| D．By using a whole chicken． |
What is the most difficult part when making French onion soup?
| A．Getting good onions． |
| B．Cutting up the onions． |
| C．Making the soup look good |
| D．Buying the ingredients． |
What might be the best soup in summer ?
| A．Chicken soup． | B．White bean soup． |
| C．French onion soup． | D．Garden vegetable soup． |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Chicken soup is good if you catch a cold． |
| B．Canned beans are cheaper than dried beans． |
| C．It's difficult to make French onion soup. |
| D．You cannot put meat in garden vegetable soup． |
Which ingredient is needed in all the soups?
| A．Tomatoes. | B．Onions. |
| C．Butter. | D．Celery. |
Five times in the earth’s history, some three-quarters of all living species disappeared forever-and within a short period of time. Those species losses stand for a major change in the planet’s ecology(生态学). Clues to these changes can be seen in the fossils(化石)and rock layers.
Today, human activities are driving species to die out at a rate never seen before. And this loss of species really does matter, said Anita Narwani. She works at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. That’s because the diversity(多样性)of species in an ecosystem provides people with all types of services we can’t do without.
Trees provide oxygen for us to breathe. At the same time, they remove carbon from the air which is a cause of global warming. Plants help clean air and water. Animals move seeds from one area to another. A broad range of living resources also provides people with food, shelter and medicine.
Narwani wanted to find out how important the diversity of species is for people. So she teamed up with other ecologists to review more than 1,700 studies. They found that more diverse parts of the earth tend to do well in things like removing carbon and providing us with wood and other natural resources. They were also better at keeping fisheries large and healthy so that they could feed many people.
Unfortunately, the diversity of species is in steep drop. It is too soon to say that the earth is undergoing a sixth mass extinction, Narwani said. She said a mass extinction means the loss of 75 percent of species over 2 million years or less. We haven’t lost that many – at least not yet. But according to her, if species losses continue so fast, such a mass extinction could occur in just 300 years.
The new findings highlight the potential for humans to use up many of the resources on which we now depend. As people learn more, however, they can take steps to lessen those risks. People should protect ecosystems so that they can continue to provide us with their services.What’s the writer’s purpose in giving the examples in Paragraph 3?
| A．To tell us how we get our food and resources. |
| B．To show the importance of the diversity of species. |
| C．To tell us the use of each species. |
| D．To show the writer is very learned. |
The underlined word “They ” in Paragraph 4 refers to .
| A．humans |
| B．Narwani and her team |
| C．natural resources |
| D．various species |
Narwani and her team found that .
| A．many people know the importance of protecting wildlife |
| B．many species die out because of human activities |
| C．making good use of natural resources benefits people |
| D．rich diversity of species greatly benefits people |
We can learn from Paragraph 5 that .
| A．the world’s species are dying out in a very fast rate |
| B．we’ll lose 75 percent of species on the earth |
| C．the earth is undergoing a sixth mass extinction |
| D．a mass extinction of species will occur in 300 years |
Recently, we were given the opportunity to review a book written by a young author. When we received it, I noted how beautifully done it was. While often the case---we see beautifully written and illustrated books all the time---but how often do they come from a 10-year-old? Sewing a Friendship, written by a creative and talented young girl named Natalie Tinti, is such a book.
Developing friendships is an area that Natalie Tinti has researched in her own life. In her book, Sewing a Friendship, she tells what great things can happen if kids take a step toward friendship.
Tinti’s characters in Sewing a Friendship have colorful and creative personalities. Jonsy Jipsy loves singing and belly dance. Sokron Blossom lives in a neat and tidy world and loves to read fashion magazines. Meeka likes brain games and Nina is happy with her life and the music it brings her.
All but one of the characters seems happy with their lives. One of the girls, Kiki Shaver, was sad to live in a small home with her aunt and uncle. She had no friend and didn’t know how to make them. When four girls invites her into the circle of their friendship, it’s no wonder that Kiki is hesitant and uneasy.
The story continues as the four girls invite and accept a “ not so likeable” girl into their circle to win a fashion show. The girls feel a strong bond of friendship after the show. Kiki then understands that taking a step towards friendship is better than being alone. All the girls learn that by having the courage to include others, you can “ sew a friendship”.
Today, it seems that almost every news headline begins with a child’s suicide---or murder---because of being bullied(欺侮)，not having friends or family to discuss issues with and feelings of low self –respect. What’s causing these senseless terrible events? If more kids would invite the outcasts（被驱逐者） into their circle of friends, lives would be saved as well as pointed in another direction.
Natalie Tinti finds her voice in Sewing a Friendship ---and shows a talent that’s rare for such a young girl. Recommended reading for all young adult fans. The first paragraph serves as a(n) ______.
| A．background | B．explanation |
| C．summary | D．introduction |
The author seems to agree that ______.
| A．bullying is the main cause of children’s suicides |
| B．we should not expect too much from friendship |
| C．friendship has the power to prevent sad events |
| D．one should not forget his old circle of friends |
Which of the following words can best describe the ending of the story?
| A．Disappointing. | B．Unexpected |
| C．Uncertain. | D．Satisfying |
The general tone(基调) of the passage is one of ______.
| A．praise | B．delight |
| C．complaint | D．concern |
Sure, it’s good to get along with your teacher because it makes the time you spend in the classroom more pleasant.
And yes, it’s good to get along with your teacher because, in general, it’s smart to learn how to understand the different types of people you’ll meet throughout your life.
“But really, there’s one super-important reason why you should get along with your teacher. When you do, learning bursts right open,” says Evelyn Vuko, a longtime teacher who writes an education column(专栏) called “Teacher Says” for the Washington Post newspaper.
In fact, kids who get along with their teachers not only learn more, but they’re more comfortable asking questions and getting extra help. This makes it easier to understand new material and do your best on tests. When you have this kind of relationship with a teacher, he or she can be someone to turn to with problems, such as problems with learning or school life, such as bullying.
As a kid in a primary or middle school, you’re at a wonderful stage in your life. You’re like a sponge (海绵), able to absorb lots of new and exciting information. On top of that, you’re able to think about all this information in new ways. Your teacher knows that it, in most cases, is very excited to be the person who’s giving you all that material and helping you make it. Remember, teachers are people, too, and they feel great if you’re open to what they’re teaching you. That’s why they wanted to be teachers in the first place—to teach!
Some kids may be able to learn in any situation, whether they like the teacher or not. But most kids are sensitive to the way they get along with the teacher, and if things aren’t going well, they won’t learn as well and won’t enjoy being in class.In the passage, the author mainly talks about _______.
| A．how to get along well with others |
| B．the importance of a good relation with teachers |
| C．how to make the time in the classroom more pleasant |
| D．how much the students are expected of to get along with teachers |
“Learning bursts right open” in the third paragraph really means _______.
| A．you find an opening to learning |
| B．learning becomes easier for you at once |
| C．there’ll be more problems with learning |
| D．there’ll be no problems at all with learning |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The more questions you ask, the higher marks you will get. |
| B．Many kids can do well without a good relationship with teachers. |
| C．If you get on well with your teachers, you must have a good result in exams. |
| D．if you have a good relationship with your teacher, you can turn to him when in trouble. |
Which of the comments is FALSE on teachers and their work according to the passage?
| A．Teachers sometimes have the same feelings as students do. |
| B．Teachers are excited even if you wouldn’t like to accept their teaching. |
| C．Though few, there are still some students who can learn even if they don’t like the teacher. |
| D．Having a bad relationship with your teachers does more or less harm to your studies. |
A 17-year-old boy, caught sending text messages in class, was recently sent to the vice principal's office at Millwood High School in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The vice principal, Steve Gallagher, told the boy he needed to focus on the teacher, not his cellphone. The boy listened politely and nodded, and that's when Mr. Gallagher noticed the student's fingers moving on his lap. He was texting while being scolded for texting!
"It was a subconscious(下意识的) act," said Mr. Gallagher, who took the phone away. "Young people today are connected socially from the moment they open their eyes in the morning until they close their eyes at night. It's addictive(上瘾的). They can’t simply stop doing that."
Because so many people in their teens and early 20s are in this constant whir of socializing – accessible(易接近的) to each other every minute of the day via cellphone, instant messaging and social-networking Web sites -- there are a host of new questions that need to be addressed in schools, in the workplace and at home. Chief among them: How much work can "hyper-socializing" students or employees really accomplish if they are holding multiple conversations with friends via text-messaging, or are obsessively checking Facebook? Almost a quarter of today's teens check Facebook more than 10 times a day, according to a 2009 survey by Common Sense Media, a non-profit group that monitors media's impact on families.
Will these young people get rid of this habit once they enter the work force, or will employers come to see texting and "social-network checking" as accepted parts of the workday?
"In past generations, students got in trouble for passing notes in class. Now students are adept at texting with their phones still in their pockets," said 40-year-old Mr. Gallagher, "and they're able to communicate with someone one floor down and three rows over. Students are just fundamentally different today. They will take suspensions(休学) rather than give up their phones."When the boy was scolded for texting, _________________.
| A．he was polite and regretful |
| B．he was trying sending another message |
| C．his fingers shouldn’t be put on his lap |
| D．he listened carefully and nodded |
From what the boy did we know___________.
| A．Using the cellphone is addictive for the boy |
| B．The boy will stop using the cellphone |
| C．The boy will leave school |
| D．The boy wasn’t willing to accept being scolded |
What can we learn about the students in their teens and early 20s?
| A．All of them are addicted to using cellphones. |
| B．They will get rid of the habit once they go to work. |
| C．They are greatly different from the past generations. |
| D．Most of them check Facebook more than 10 times a day. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Facebook is a kind of book students need to read at school. |
| B．The employers will accept texting at workday. |
| C．The students will give up their phones one day. |
| D．It’s convenient for students to communicate with others with cellphones. |
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