For years, I thought that my mother would become a centenarian（百岁老人）, but after 98 years and eight months, she recently died of old age. As it was with my father, her funeral took place in the most peaceful setting of the countryside of rural Washington County. Even after my father died, we continued to think of our parents as one. They were a team in the traditional sense. Church and family were their lifeline. They worked hard, never complaining. They expected to earn their daily bread by the sweat of their forehead.
Once during a conversation with Tom Brokaw, who wrote the bestselling book The Greatest Generation, I told him, “You left out my parents.” They didn’t go off to war, but they belonged to the Greatest Generation. They, too, were part of the foundation that made American truly great. They kept the home fires burning.
Our mother gloried in being a housewife and mother. Having been a teacher in her early adult years, when education was more than important than anything else, she gave up her job to raise a family. She was an excellent cook, but she had to cook on a wood stove（火炉）. There was no refrigerator, nothing electric. But nobody was ever better at making do（凑合着用）. In addition to all the housework, she went to the fields every day to help produce a crop to pay the rent to provide for the family. She and my dad worked hard to save every penny possible.
They saved every penny to buy a farm late in life. They also saved enough money to live out their respective lives with home care without taking up residency in a nursing home. They were very independent. If you had suggested they accept a government transfer payment, they would have spit in your eye.
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．Mother played a great part in the family. |
| B．Mother died at the age of 98 years old. |
| C．Mother was buried by the side of father. |
| D．Mother survived father by many years. |
The underlined word “one” in the passage means ________.
| A．parent | B．Centenarian | C．hero | D．entirety |
What do we know about Tom Brokaw?
| A．He is one of the author’s parents’ friends. |
| B．He likes talking with the author’s parents. |
| C．He takes up a position as a writer. |
| D．He is good at managing a home. |
How does the author find his parents?
| A．Brave and hardworking |
| B．Modest and warmhearted |
| C．Economical and independent |
| D．Respective and satisfied |
Are you looking for some new and exciting places to take your kids (孩子) to? Try some of these places:
. Visit art muvewns. They offer a variety of activities to excite your kids' interest. Many offer workshops for making land-made pieces, traveling exhibits, book signings by children's favorite writer, and even musical performances and other arts
Head to a natural history museum. This is where kids can discover the past from dinosaur(恐龙) models to rock collections and pictures of stars in the sky. Also, ask what kind of workshops and educational programs are prepared for kids and any special events that are coming up.
Go to a Youtheater. Look for one in your area offering plays for child and family visitors. Pre-show play shops are conducted by area artists and educators where kids can discover the secret about performing arts- Puppet(木偶)making and stage make-up are just a couple of the special offerings you might find.
Try hands-on science. Visit one of the many hands-on science museums around the country. These science play-lands are great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. They'll keep your child mentally and physically active the whole day through while pushing buttons, experimenting, and building. When everyone is tired, enjoy a fun family science show, commonly found in these museums.If a child is interested in the universe, he probably will visit
| A．a Youtheater |
| B．an art museum |
| C．a natural history museum |
| D．a hands-on science museum |
What can kids do at a Youtheater?
| A．Look at rock collections. |
| B．Watch puppet making. |
| C．See dinosaur models. |
| D．Give performances. |
Where does this text probably come from?
| A．A science textbook. |
| B．A tourist map. |
| C．A museum guide. |
| D．A news report. |
Certain animals know without analysis the difference between a number of objects and a smaller number. In his book The Natural History of Selbourne (1786), the naturalist Gilbert White tells how he surreptitiously removed one egg a day from a kind of bird Plover’s nest, and how the mother laid another egg each day to make up for the missing one. He notes that other kinds of birds ignore the loss of a single egg, but if more than one egg has been removed, they will give up their nests. It has also been noted that a certain type of bees always provides five—never four, never six—caterpillars (毛虫) for each of their eggs so that their young have something to eat when the eggs have hatched out. Research has also shown that both mice and pigeons can be taught to distinguish between odd (奇数) and even (偶数) numbers of food pieces.
These have led some people to think that creatures can actually count. They also point to dogs that have been taught to respond to questions about numbers with the correct number of barks.
Animals respond to quantities only when they are connected to survive as in the case of the eggs, or survive as in the case of food. They can “count” only when the objects are present and only when the numbers involved are small—no more than seven or eight. In lab experiments, animals which are trained to count one kind of objects were unable to count any other type. What interests them are the objects, not the numbers. Animals’ achievements simply are not equal to evidence of counting. They only show the results of clever, careful training.The author refers to Gilbert’s book in paragraph 1 in order to_______.
| A．support the idea that animals can count |
| B．show attitudes have changed since 1786 |
| C．prove that some animals are aware of quantities |
| D．indicate that more research is needed in this field |
The author mentions all of the following are aware of quantities in some way EXCEPT _______.
| A．caterpillars | B．bees |
| C．mice | D．plovers |
The underlined word “surreptitiously” probably means _______.
| A．quickly | B．carefully |
| C．occasionally | D．secretly |
Where does this text probably come from?
| A．A news report. | B．A science fiction. |
| C．A park guide. | D．A biology magazine. |
Visit New York City with your kids where there are numerous things to do which will entertain their spirits and feed their minds.
●The Whispering Gallery
Make your way to the Whispering Gallery. Kids can get a lot of fun there. Once inside the gallery, place one person facing the corner at one end of the room and then place another person facing the corner at the opposite end. Ask one of them to whisper a phrase or a quick sentence and the person at the opposite end will be able to hear every word that was said.
E.42nd St. New York, NY 10017
212-771-5322
grandcentralterminal.com
●American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History was founded in 1869. In addition to its impressive exhibits, permanent attractions bring the cool feeling to kids. They can enter the Fossil Halls and take in the impressive dinosaur skeletons. And the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life educates kids on the fragility (脆弱) of the ocean.
Central Park West at 79th St. New York, NY 10024
212-769-5606
amnh.org
●The Scholastic Store
Most parents want their children to read, and moreover, to enjoy reading. The Scholastic Store helps to make that wish a reality by publishing well-written stories that appeal to children, such as Clifford the Big Red Dog, the Magic School Bus and Harry Potter, the Scholastic Store will delight your children.
557 Broadway. New York, NY 10012
212-343-6100
scholastic.com
●Ellen’s Stardust Diner
The restaurant is a place where each person in your family can find something to eat. A diverse menu will satisfy every one’s appetite. Arugula salads, grilled cheese burgers and meatloaf are all on this varied menu. The hall of beauty queens, a drive-in theatre can add to the unique dining experience.
1650 Broadway, corner of 51st St. New York, NY 10019
212-956-5151
ellensstardustdiner.comIn addition to your favorite food in Ellen’s Stardust Diner, you can also ________.
| A．make some good friends | B．meet many beautiful queens |
| C．receive the first-class service | D．enjoy some entertaining programs |
Which of the following websites helps kids learn about ancient animals?
| A．ellensstardustdiner.com | B．grandcentralterminal.com |
| C．amnh.org | D．scholastic.com |
The author has written this text probably for ________.
| A．children | B．parents | C．educators | D．teachers |
A jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft．The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test．"You are employed," he said．"Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the application to fill in, as well as the date when you may start." The man replied, "But I don't have a computer, neither an e-mail." "I'm sorry," said the HR manager．"If you don't have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn’t exist cannot have the job．"
The man left with no hope at all．He didn't know what to do, with only ten dollars in his pocket．He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10 kg tomatoes．He then sold the tomatoes from door to door．In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital (资金). He repeated the operation three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars．
The man realized that he could survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier, and return later．Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day．Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet (车队) of delivery vehicles．Five years later, the man was one of the biggest food retailers (零售商) in the US.
He started to plan his family's future and decided to have a life insurance．He called an insurance broker and chose a protection plan．When the conversation was concluded, the broker asked him his e-mail．The man replied, "I don't have an e-mail．"The broker said curiously, "You don't have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire．Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft !"According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The man was one of the biggest food retailers in the world |
| B．The man didn't give up though he failed the interview |
| C．He started his career by selling tomatoes in the supermarket |
| D．Those who have e-mails can work at Microsoft． |
The underlined word "tripled" in paragraph 3 can be replaced by ____
| A．became large | B．became 3 times |
| C．decreased slightly | D．decreased quickly |
The man can be described as ____．
| A．helpful and considerate | B．positive and generous |
| C．smart and hardworking | D．nervous and unselfish |
Which proverb can best describe the story?
| A．Misfortune may be an actual blessing． |
| B．Where there is a will, there is a way． |
| C．Accidents will happen |
| D．No pains, no gains |
Eco City Farms are becoming more popular in cities and towns around the Unites States.
Eco City Farms in Edmonton, Maryland, is located near shopping centers, car repair shops and homes. The neighborhood is a working-class community. People do not have very much money. And they have limited access to fresh food in markets.
Over the past two years, the farm has attracted volunteers form the community like Marcy Clark. She schools her four children at home. On a recent day she brought them to Eco City Farms for a lesson, her son Alston Clark thinks his experience is very valuable. “I like coming out here,” he says, “You know, you connect with the earth, where your food comes from. You appreciate the food a little bit more.”
Margaret Morgan started Eco City Farms. She thinks of it as a place where people can learn to live healthier lives. “Growing food in a community brings people together, ”she continues, “Every piece of what we do here is a demonstration (范例) to show people everything about how to have an eco-friendly community.” she says. From the Eco City Farms people come to know that they are not only growing food and raising chickens and bees, but improving the soil with compost (肥料) made from food waste.
Eco City Farms is an experimental operation. The farm gets its power not from the local electricity networks, but from the sun with solar panels (板). In winter, the green house use a geothermal (地热) system.
Vegetables can be grown all year. So once a week, all winter long, neighbors like Chris Moss and her three children bike to the farm to pick up a share of the harvest.
“I like eating the vegetables” say five-year-old Owen Moss.What is mainly talked about in the passage?
| A．Eco City Farms save a lot of energy. |
| B．Eco City Farms are influencing community life. |
| C．Eco City Farms helps the working-class live better. |
| D．Eco City Farms are gaining popularity. |
What is the author’s attitude toward Eco City Farms?
| A．Enthusiastic. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Surprised. | D．Doubtful. |
According to the passage, Eco City Farms are close to the following places EXCEPT______.
| A．shopping centers |
| B．car repair shops |
| C．fast-food restaurants |
| D．working-class community |
In which of a newspaper can you most probably read this article?
| A．People. | B．Travel. |
| C．Environment. | D．Education. |
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