12-year-old John Thomas Robertson is a born train fan. “I’ve liked trains probably from the day I was born,” he told Good Morning America. “When I was very little,” he said, “my grandpa got me a train model. I would just watch it go round for hours and hours.”
When Robertson finally had the opportunity to ride on a train, he felt great. His journey was so mind-blowing that he couldn’t keep it to himself: he decided to take all his classmates to go on a ride with him. When he found that some of his classmates couldn’t pay the fares, he spent money he had saved by collecting cans（罐子）and bottles and raised more than ＄1,000 for them.
That train was such a happy one that he made it yearly action. “It never gets boring for some reason; it’s just very fun,” he said. “It really lets people get away from their busy life and have fun.”
Every October, Robertson takes a new group of disabled children to ride the train — but now, he has a problem. Several disabled children were refused because the train was not accessible（可用的）to disabled people. “He was angry to think that children of his own age couldn’t ride a train,” his mother said.
But he wouldn’t say no: he recently sent a letter to the train office for help. To his surprise, the leader, Ty Pennington, took the letter seriously. He said that he and his workers would work on making a train accessible to disabled people.The first time John Thomas Robertson took a train, he_______
| A．felt extremely happy. | B．was frightened by it. |
| C．watched it for hours. | D．acted as a driver. |
John Thomas Robertson is a born train fan, because he _______.
| A．was taken on a train the day he was born. |
| B．his grandpa once worked on the train. |
| C．took a group of disabled children on board a train. |
| D．was greatly attracted to trains since early childhood. |
The underlined word “mind-blowing” can be replaced by “_______”.
| A．exciting | B．frightening |
| C．surprising | D．disappointing |
The disabled children were refused to get on the train because _______.
| A．they couldn’t afford the train tickets |
| B．Robertson had not saved enough money for tickets |
| C．the train didn’t have special services for them |
| D．the workers there would not allow them to do so |
According to the passage, we can see that Robertson is a（n）_______ child.
| A．honest and crazy | B．kind and helpful |
| C．clever but boring | D．lazy but kind |
One morning, Charley, a little green frog, was sitting in a pond(池塘) by the side of the road.
Wanda, the neighborhood witch(女巫), was walking along the road. She was a good witch and dreamt to become a fairy godmother who can save people from trouble with magic powers. Wanda had been learning fairy godmother magic for 103 years. That morning, she decided to try the magic she had learned and bring happiness to others.
Seeing Wanda, Charley cried, “Hi, Wanda.”
“Hi, Charley,” replied Wanda, “I have a surprise for you.”
Then, Wanda waved her wand(魔杖), said a magic word, and Charley turned into a prince!
When Charley-turned-prince looked at himself in the water, he cried, “Hey! You turned me into a prince! It’s a surprise all right, but I don’t want to be a prince! Change me back right now!”
“Oh, dear,” Wanda said. “you shouted so loud that I forgot the way to change you back. But who wouldn’t rather be a prince?”
“I wouldn’t!” cried Charley. “I want to be a frog!” He stuck out his tongue, missing a bug (虫子) flying by the end of his nose. “Look at that, Wanda! I was a good fly catcher. But now, this tongue is too short! Please change me back!”
“I can’t, Charley. But you’ll learn to be happy as a prince.” She waved her wand, and suddenly a castle appeared. Out of the castle dozens of musicians were playing various instruments. “Charley! You’ll have servants, eat delicious foods, and you can sing and dance and snap fingers(弹响指).”
“No!” Charley interrupted.(打断) “I don’t want all these! I want bugs!” Charley cried. “I don’t want to sing and dance! And why would I do something as silly as snapping my fingers?”
“Snapping fingers!” cried out Wanda. “That’s what I forgot!” She snapped her fingers, cried “Upsi-doodle!” and the castle and musicians disappeared and the prince became a little green frog.”
Charley looked at himself in the water. “ You did it, Wanda. Oh, happy day! I’m a frog.”
“I must apologize, Charley,” Wanda said, “you are a happy frog. I should know this a moment ago.”Wanda turned Charley from a frog into a prince
| A．of her own will |
| B．to play a joke on him |
| C．at the request of charley |
| D．to teach Charley a lesson |
After the little green frog became a prince, he .
| A．was grateful to Wanda | B．Wanted a great palace |
| C．couldn’t recognize Wanda | D．became angry with Wanda |
The underlined part “You did it” in the passage means “ “.
| A．You gave me a surprise |
| B．You turned me back into a frog |
| C．You turned me into a prince |
| D．You understood what I meant |
At the end of the story, Wanda probably felt .
| A．satisfied | B．ashamed | C．worried | D．excited |
According to the passage, which of the following conclusions can we get?
| A．Just be yourself |
| B．Do nothing by halves |
| C．Helping others is a virtue |
| D．Where there is a will, there is a way |
Every time you go shopping, the vegetables and fruit look so tempting that you wish you could buy all of them. Some people are lucky and can grow the fruit and vegetables in the gardens that they have. While getting fresh vegetables, they can also achieve great cost cutting.
Mushrooms are expensive and can also go bad very quickly. Mushrooms can also be grown easily in a dark environment. In fact it’s better than growing other vegetables since you really don’t need an outdoor space. A special type of soil that is good for growing mushrooms is easily available.
Actually mushrooms aren’t even vegetables; they are fungi(菌类) and for this reason, you don’t even require sunlight to grow them. Well how does one go about growing mushrooms? You could always Google “growing mushrooms” and you will find a number of mushroom growing kits(工具) available online that area effective and not very expensive either.
Mushrooms can be added to any dish that you cook. Simply use them in pizzas, salads and anything that you pretty much fancy. Grow mushrooms in your own house and use them whenever you want. Fresh mushrooms are tastier than the ones that are stored in your refrigerator.
If you have had a really good crop of mushrooms, then you can even store them. Ideally you should use the white variety of the mushrooms. Simply pick them, slice them and put them on a cookie sheet in a freezer. When they area frozen, just put them in a zip lock and you can use them when you want to. They give a really great taste to the dish that you are making. Thaw them before you use them.
You should try growing mushrooms, since it’s cost-effective. Furthermore, you can eat the fresh mushrooms any time that you want. What is an advantage of growing vegetables according to the passage?
| A．You can eat all kinds of vegetables |
| B．You are lucky to eat what you like |
| C．You can save lots of money |
| D．You can satisfy your desire |
Mushrooms are different from other vegetables in that .
| A．they can be grown where there is no light |
| B．they can grow well in an outdoor space |
| C．it is easy for them to go bad in a few days |
| D．they can grow without soil |
The third paragraph is mainly to tell us that .
| A．mushrooms are not vegetables |
| B．Internet helps us a lot |
| C．mushrooms are available online |
| D．it is easy to grow mushrooms |
Which of the following is the right order of storing mushrooms?
a. put them on a cookie sheet in the refrigerator
b. place frozen mushrooms in a zip lock
c. cut them into slices
d. choose the white mushrooms
| A．a-b-c-d | B．d-c-a-b | C．a-d-c-b | D．d-a-c-b |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．It is easy and fun to grow mushrooms |
| B．We should eat more fruit and vegetables |
| C．Mushrooms online are very expensive |
| D．Mushrooms—tasty and healthy vegetables |
There are many international organizations which work to save and protect endangered species(物种) and natural environment. If you would like more information about any of the organizations listed below, you can write to the addresses given.
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth (FOE) campaigns on a range of problems including rainforests, the countryside, water and air pollution and energy.
Friends of the Earth International Secretariat P.O. Box 19199
1000 G. D.
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Greenpeace
Greenpeace uses peaceful but direct action to defend the environment. It campaigns to protect rainforests and sea animals, stop global warming and end pollution of air, land and seas. It also opposes nuclear(核) power.
Greenpeace International
Keizergracht 176
1016 DW Amsterdam
The Netherlands
BirdLife
INTERNATIONAL
BirdLife International is an organization which works to save endangered birds all over the world.
BirdLife International
Wellbrook Court
Girton Road
Cambridge CB3 ONA
England
WWF
WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature is the world’s largest private international organization for the protection of nature and endangered species.
Information Officer
WWF International
Avenue du Mont-Blanc
1196 Gland
SwitzerlandIf you want to learn more about the organizations, you can .
| A．call them | B．write them a letter | C．visit them | D．send them an e-mail |
Which problem will be paid close attention to by FOE?
| A．Overhunting ocean animals | B．Killing endangered birds |
| C．Heavy air pollution | D．Global warming |
If you are against nuclear power, you can join .
| A．Friends of the Earth | B．World Wide Fund For Nature |
| C．Greenpeace | D．BirdLife International |
What can we learn about WWF?
| A．It helps to protect nature and save endangered animals |
| B．It is the world’s largest international organization |
| C．It works for private companies and rich people |
| D．It is a private organization in the United States |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．Environmental protection organizations | B．Global traffic problems |
| C．Endangered animals | D．Natural beauty |
Peter Rabbit is a character in various children’s stories written by Beatrix Potter(1866-1943). Peter Rabbit made his first appearance in 1902 in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Peter doesn’t obey his mother’s orders and goes away. Mr.McGregor spots him and runs after him. Peter manages to escape, but not before losing his jacket and shoes, which Mr.McGregor uses to dress a scarecrow(稻草人). Peter returns home tired and ill.
In the Tale of Benjamin Bunny, first published in 1904, Peter’s cousin Benjamin Bunny brings him back to Mr.McGregor’s garden and they get back the clothes Peter lost in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. But after they gather onions to give to Peter’s mother, they are caught by Mr.McGregor’s cat. Benjamin’s father arrives and rescues them, but also blames Peter and Benjamin for going into the garden. In this tale, Peter displays fear about returning to the garden.
In the The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, first published in 1909, Peter has a small role and appears only briefly. He is grown up and his sister Flopsy is now married to Benjamin Bunny. The two are the parents of six little Flopsy-Bunnies. Peter and his mother keep a nursery garden and the bunnies come by asking him for spare cabbage.
In the Tale of Mr. Tod, first published in 1912, Benjamin and Flopsy’s children are taken away by Tommy Brock. Peter helps Benjamin run after Brock, who hides out in the house of the fox Mr. Tod. Mr. Tod finds Brock sleeping in his bed and as the two get into a fight, Peter rescues the children.
Peter makes cameo appearances(客串出场) in two other tales. In The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, first published in 1905, Peter and Benjamin are customers of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, a hedgehog(刺猬) washerwoman. In The Tale of Ginger and Pickles, first published in 1909, Peter and other characters from Potter’s previous stories make cameo appearances. In The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Peter .
| A．is caught by Mr. McGregor’s cat | B．gathers onions to give to his mother |
| C．runs into a scarecrow when escaping | D．loses his clothes in Mr. McGregor’s garden |
In paragraph 4, the underlined part “the two” refers to .
| A．Benjamin and Brock | B．Peter and Benjamin | C．Mr. Tod and Brock | D．Peter and Mr. Tod |
What do we know about Benjamin Bunny?
| A．He’s a father of six children |
| B．He keeps a nursery garden with Peter |
| C．His mother passes away when he’s little |
| D．He saves Peter in The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies |
According to the passage, Peter Rabbit .
| A．hates Benjamin Bunny’s father a lot |
| B．appears briefly in The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle |
| C．was worked into a story in the early 19th century |
| D．plays a leading role in The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies |
The author wrote the passage to .
| A．introduce the character Peter Rabbit in Potter’s stories |
| B．describe the various characters in Potter’s books |
| C．show the influence of the Peter Rabbit series on children |
| D．discuss Potter’s changes in her writing styles |
Moving to a new town or even a new neighborhood is stressful at any age, but a new study shows that frequent moves in childhood are related to poorer well-being(幸福) in adulthood, especially among people who are more introverted(内向的) or neurotic(神经症的).
The researchers tested the relationship between the number of childhood moves and well-being in a sample of 7108 American adults who were followed for 10 years.
“We know that children who move frequently are more likely to perform poorly in school and have more behavioral problems,” said the study’s lead author Shigehiro Oishi. “However, the long-term effects of moving on well-being in adulthood have been overlooked by researchers.”
The study’s participants, who were between the ages of 20 and 75, were contacted in 1994 and 1995 and were surveyed again 10 years later. They were asked how many times they had moved as children, as well as about their psychological well-being, personality type and social relationships.
The researchers found that the more times people moved as children, the more likely they were to report lower life satisfaction and psychological well-being at the time they were surveyed. The research also showed that those who moved frequently as children had fewer quality social relationships as adults.
The researchers also looked to see if different personality types affected frequent movers’ well-being. Among introverts, the more moves participants reported as children, the worse off they were as adults. “Moving a lot makes it difficult for people to keep long-term close relationships.” Said Oishi. “This might not be a serious problem for outgoing people who can make friends quickly and easily.”
The findings showed neurotic people who moved frequently reported less life satisfaction and poorer psychological well-being than people who did not move as much and people who were not neurotic. However, the number and quality of neurotic people’s relationships had no effect on their well-being, no matter how often they had moved as children. In the article, Oishi thinks this may be because neurotic people have more negative reactions to stressful life events in general.
“We can guess that moving often creates more stress,” Oishi said. “But we need more research on this link before we can conclude that moving often in childhood can, in fact, be dangerous to your health in the long-term.”What can be learnt about the new study from the passage?
| A．The participants were from all over the world. |
| B．It was carried out in two periods of time. |
| C．The participants were mostly old people. |
| D．The participants had poor health. |
What is the purpose of the study?
| A．To show the relationship between moving and performance in school |
| B．To show the relationship between moving and well-being |
| C．To investigate Americans’ well-being in general |
| D．To research the personality types of Americans |
According to Oishi, .
| A．moving a lot is a serious problem for outgoing people |
| B．moving probably makes some people feel worried and tense |
| C．moving frequently is likely to help people make more friends |
| D．moving often is dangerous to people’s health in the long-term |
The fifth and sixth paragraphs mainly talk about .
| A．the process of the study |
| B．the results of the study |
| C．the importance of the study |
| D．the theory of the study |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A．adults should take more care over their kids |
| B．neurotic people are likely to move frequently |
| C．children who move frequently behave well in school |
| D．personality types are related to frequent movers’ happiness |
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