I was thirteen when my father got hurt. Looking back over the years, I sometimes wonder what I could have done differently that day. Spit twice over my shoulder when I saw the single magpie (喜鹊), maybe. But that's the thing about superstitions (迷信). You don't know how much power they have until you break them.
We lived in a dark shabby house in Bucks. Wood blocks laid over dirt on the floor. That part of England was full of cherry trees. Chalky soil．
The rice had caught in the bottom of the pot that morning at breakfast and all I could smell was burned rice. Even now when I think of that day I have the taste of burned rice in my mouth.
"I'm going to cut down the old cherry tree," my father announced.
"You've been saying that for years," said my mother lightly touching the end of her nose. Her nose ran all year long. Her arms rested on the table, a cup of tea placed between her hands, steam rising into the air. "You'll never get round to it. "
My stomach, balled into a tight little knot (结) relaxed itself．
"Millie's going to cry if you cut it down," said my younger brother, Simon, his eyes bright as a fox. "Silly Millie, silly Millie."
"Hold your noise," said my father patting Simon on the head. "And put back that butter. That's a week's ration (限额) you've got on your plate. "
"The war's over," said Simon in a low voice." We haven't had rationing for ages." Simon was right. Even sugar had come off points. However, we still occasionally received food parcels from distant cousins in Canada.
My father glared at him and then went on.
"Pigs. Burt says he'll come and help me take the tree down if he can have some of the wood."
"No," I said springing to my feet." You can't do it. That's my tree. Always has been. Always will be. I won't let you."
Tom, took a piece of toast, watching my reaction. My older brother, he knew what the tree meant to me．
"Now then, Millie," said my father softening his face. "That tree's wild. It's in the way."The magpie is mentioned to show that _____.
| A．Millie got much power on seeing the bird |
| B．things seemed to go wrong from the beginning |
| C．the bird caused Father's getting hurt that day |
| D．but for the bird Millie would have done differently |
According to the passage, how many kids does the family have at least?
| A．6. | B．5. | C．4. | D．3. |
By saying "balled into a tight little knot", the author means that Millie _____.
| A．had a terrible stomachache that morning |
| B．felt like crying on hearing her brother's words |
| C．was afraid of her cherry tree being cut down |
| D．hated to hear her mother saying that way |
From the passage, we can infer that _____.
| A．there were already plenty of food supplies |
| B．Mother showed little interest in the cherry tree |
| C．the tree was a great danger to people walking by |
| D．the tree was finally cut down by father that day |
When the author calls up the day, she feels _____.
| A．regretful | B．joyful |
| C．thankful | D．Painful |
Museums in Texas
Depot Museum And Children’s Discovery Center
The museum is in the depot’s waiting room and office. The warehouse is a hands-on learning center. See the 1908 “Arnold Outhouse”, log cabin, doctor’s office, dogtrot cabin, oil derrick, cotton gin, print shop, and syrup mill.
Open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Fri. and 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Sat.
Admission charge.
Address: 514 N. High St. in the restored 1901 Missouri Pacific Railroad depot, Henderson
Phone: 903/657-4303
Tex-Ark Antique Auto Museum
It is designed to preserve, collect, operate and interpret a collection of autos and auto transportation equipment. Library and archive collection available.
Open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sat. and 1–5 p.m. Sun.
Admission charge.
Address: 217 Laurel St., Texarkana
Phone: 903/938-9201
Jefferson Historical Society Museum
Find four floors of documents and antiques, including mementos of pioneer days, early steamboat commerce and antebellum society. See paintings and sculpture from the D.D. Feldman collection. It also has an outstanding doll collection.
Open 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. daily.
Admission charge.
Address: Old Federal Building, Austin and Market streets, Jefferson
Phone: 903/665-2775
The Woodlands Children’s Museum
The museum provides hands-on, interactive exhibits designed to immerse children and adults in play that stimulates curiosity and provides opportunities for learning in a nurturing environment.
Open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tue.–Sat. and noon–5 p.m. Sun.
Admission charge.
Address: 4775 W. Panther Creek Drive, the Woodlands
Phone: 281/465-0955What do the four museums have in common?
| A．They all have a long history. | B．They all charge for admission. |
| C．They all provide hands-on programmes. | D．They are all in the same city. |
If you are free on Sunday afternoons, you may visit the following museums except _______.
| A．Tex-Ark Antique Auto Museum |
| B．The Woodlands Children’s Museum |
| C．Jefferson Historical Society Museum |
| D．Depot Museum And Children’s Discovery Center |
Which of the following is not true according to the advertisement?
| A．Interactive exhibits are offered in the Woodlands Children’s Museum. |
| B．Dolls are on display in Depot Museum And Children’s Discovery Center. |
| C．Paintings and sculpture can be seen in Jefferson Historical Society Museum. |
| D．You can read and borrow books in Tex-Ark Antique Auto Museum. |
On Jan 23, 2012, I was aboard a ship on the Yangtze River, listening to the sound of fireworks and eating plate after plate of dumplings.
On Sunday Feb 10, 2013, I was preparing to celebrate Chinese New Year again – in London’s Chinatown.
It was raining. It was cold. But ever since I left Beijing in August, I had promised myself I would celebrate Chinese New Year – if only to help with my Beijing “homesickness”.
Central London was dressed up for the occasion. There was a stage for a big fireworks display for the evening. Even so, it wasn’t like my real Beijing chunjie.
Even buying a baozi didn’t cheer me up. It cost about 10 times as much as the real thing does in Beijing and got stuck to its rain-ruined paper bag.
Cold, wet and depressed, I ran into a shop for shelter. Suddenly, there it was. Between the packets of dried meat and fish, the bags of rice and the smell of dried noodles in this little Chinese supermarket, I had found home.
An hour later, I hurried into my house with bags of frozen jiaozi, packets of sauce and a large bottle of vinegar. I boiled water, tore open the packets, grabbed my chopsticks and settled down to a feast. This, I thought, is a Happy Chinese New Year.
I even watched the fireworks on TV. After all, why face the British weather when I can bring China home in one bite? We can conclude from the first three paragraphs that the author ______.
| A．likes watching fireworks on the boat |
| B．misses Chinese food more than anything else |
| C．finds it great fun to celebrate Chinese New Year |
| D．misses her life in Beijing very much |
How did the author feel when she found some Chinese foods in a supermarket?
| A．a little curious | B．rather tired |
| C．a bit comfortable | D．very depressed |
Why did the author watch the fireworks on TV?
| A．She didn’t want to get wet and cold again. |
| B．The square is far away from where she lives. |
| C．She doesn’t like fireworks very much. |
| D．She was too hungry to go out. |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Unforgettable Chunjie in Beijing | B．Wonderful Experience in Britain |
| C．Finding Home in London | D．Festival in London |
Sixty-five million years ago, an asteroid (小行星) that crashed on Earth led to the disappearance of the largest animals that have ever walked our planet – the dinosaurs. At least, this is what some scientists believe. But that accident happened so long ago. People have come to believe that we are free of threats from asteroids and everything else from space.
However, what happened on Feb 15 , 2013 was a reminder that we’re just as vulnerable as the dinosaurs once were. Two objects from space – a meteor (陨石) and an asteroid called 2012 DA14 – visited Earth’s atmosphere on the same day. The former fell in Russia, injuring 1,200 people, while the latter passed by Earth at a record-setting close distance.
Scientists had been expecting the asteroid since last year, but the meteor was a surprise. NASA’s telescope system only detects asteroids at least 50 meters in diameter (直径), which is just about the size of 2012 DA14. But the meteor was much smaller, which made it harder to spot.
But what if we do spot an asteroid that is headed right for Earth? There are several possible ways in which dangerous asteroids could be made to change its orbit. Which method is best depends on several factors and most importantly – how much time we have to stop it.
If there is enough time before the hit, we can send off a heavy spacecraft to travel alongside the asteroid. The gravity from the spacecraft would gradually change the rock’s orbit. Besides that, scientists could one day use sun-powered lasers to either make asteroids disappear or change their course. If there’s not enough time, we’ll have to go after the asteroid with a spacecraft and change its orbit with a crash. Finally, if things are truly desperate, there will be only one choice left – to use a nuclear bomb. That could turn the asteroid into a meteor shower, which would be even more dangerous.The author mentioned the asteroid that led to the dinosaurs’ dying out to ______.
| A．show that asteroids fall from space frequently |
| B．alert people about the possible danger of objects falling from space |
| C．inform readers about the constant threats the Earth faces |
| D．suggest that there are still many mysteries about the universe |
The underlined word “vulnerable” in the second paragraph probably means ______.
| A．unprotected | B．lonely | C．stupid | D．self-important |
Which of the following statements is TRUE about the meteor that fell to the Earth in Russia?
| A．It passed by the Earth at a close distance. |
| B．It was spotted by NASA’s telescope system a year ago. |
| C．It is about the same size as the asteroid that passed by the Earth. |
| D．It fell to the Earth and caused great damage to the local community. |
What is the main idea of the article?
| A．Learning about asteroids and meteors. |
| B．The threats of objects from space and possible solutions. |
| C．NASA’s latest technology to discover visitors to the Earth from space. |
| D．How to measure the damage of collisions from asteroids and meteors. |
When someone says “SHARK” most people think of a big, toothy, underwater animal; basically we are imagining a Great White. In fact sharks come in all shapes, sizes and even colors! Follow me please; I’d like to show you a very special small shark commonly known as horn sharks, only found in the coastal waters of north-west North America.
Look at this shark, and you can easily see the horns on it and you will know the reason why it is called the horn shark is that it has the broad, flattened head and two large horn-like spines(脊椎) found behind its eyes and makes it one of the hardiest of all shark species. What makes it unique is that as its enemy attempts to swallow it, the spines on its back will stick into the enemy’s mouth and give a good chance for it to get away.
The horn shark is brown in color with black spots all over its body. The adults can reach up to a length of 4 feet and weigh up to 10 kg. An interesting fact about the horn shark is that it has five gills(鳃). The horn shark is a clumsy swimmer using its flexible pectoral fins(胸鳍)to push itself along the bottom of the ocean. The maximum distance that has ever been recorded for a horn shark to have traveled out from its habitat is 10 miles.
Today, as so little is known about its population off the Californian coast, they have been listed as being “Data Deficient” in the World Conservation Union. The horn shark is being threatened both by water pollution and commercial fishing in the area. Though they are not among those sea creatures hunted primarily for food, but they often get caught as a by-catch in fishing expeditions. The horn shark gets its name for______.
| A．its small size | B．its large eyes |
| C．its two large spines | D．its brown color with spots |
How is paragraph 3 mainly developed?
| A．By giving descriptions | B．By following time order |
| C．By analyzing causes | D．By making comparisons |
Which factors contribute to the horn shark’s being on the “Data Deficient” list?
①That people like hunting them for pets ②That people fish them for fun
③Water pollution off the coast ④Knowing little about them
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．①④ | D．③④ |
According to the passage, all of the following are unique to the horn shark EXCEPT that_____.
| A．it doesn’t travel far |
| B．it is good at swimming |
| C．its spines can be used to attack the enemy and escape |
| D．it is only found in the coastal waters of north-west North America |
DEAR AMY: Last year I got a full-time job as a baby-sitter for a wonderful family with two amazing kids. They have come to treat me as one of their own. But my boyfriend and I are attempting to save much more money for the life we want to build, including marriage, a house and kids. Much as I love my “babies,” I’m looking forward to beginning a challenging career in a big company. Should I tell the family that I am looking for a new job? I don’t want to find one that requires me to begin work immediately, leaving them without child care, but I also don’t want them to assume that I’m leaving right away.
Up-in-the-Air Au Pair
DEAR AU PAIR: Whatever your arrangement, it is reasonable for them to expect you to be honest and to keep them in the loop. They see that you are making changes in your life, and surely they will also understand your desire to advance in a career. Tell them frankly and they should be happy to employ you as long as you are available.
Amy
DEAR AMY: I am a freshman in a high school. Last summer my best friend was diagnosed with skin cancer. It isn’t very serious, but she seems to be becoming more and more depressed. How can I help her be happy again?
Best Friend
DEAR FRIEND: Your best role is to prop up and encourage your friend when she seems down, and to be supportive and kind to her. You're doing a great job with that, and your friend is lucky to have you in her life.
AmyWhat is Au Pair’s problem according to the first paragraph?
| A．She has no idea whether to tell the family her plan or not. |
| B．She has no idea whether the family will hate her or not. |
| C．She has no idea where to find a new good job. |
| D．She has no idea how to save more money. |
From the underlined phrase“ to keep them in the loop”, we can infer that Amy advises Au Pair_____.
| A．to keep it secret to the family |
| B．to cheat the family for the time being |
| C．to tell her true impression of the family |
| D．to let the family know what’s going on |
In which column of a newspaper can we probably find the passage?
| A．Jobs | B．culture | C．Life | D．Entertainment |
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