When 19-year-old Sophia Giorgi said she was thinking of volunteering to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation(基金会)，nobody understood what she was talking about .But Sophia knew just how important Make – A –Wish could be because this special organization had helped to make a dream come true for one of her best friends .We were interested in finding out more, so we went to meet Sophia and listened to what she had to say .
Sophia told us that Make – A –Wish is a worldwide organization that started in the United States in 1980.It’s a charity(慈善机构)that helps children who have got very serious illnesses. Make – A –Wish help children feel happy even though they are sick, by making their wishes and dreams come true,” Sophia explained .
We asked Sophia how Make – A –Wish had first started. She said it had all begun with a very sick young boy called Chris ,who had been dreaming for a long time of becoming a policeman .Sophia said lots of people had wanted to find a way to make Chris’s dream come true ----so, with everybody’s help , Chris, only seven years old at the time ,had been a “policeman” for a day .“ when people saw how delighted Chris was when his dream came true, they decided to try and help other sick children too ,and that was the beginning of Make–A –Wish,” explained Sophia.
Sophia also told us the Foundation tries to give children and their families a special, happy time. A Make-A-Wish volunteer visits the families and asks the children what they would wish for if they could have anything
in the world. Sophia said the volunteers were important because they were the ones who helped to make the
wishes come true. They do this either by providing things that are necessary, or by raising money or helping out in whatever way they can.
Sophia found out about Make-A-Wish because her best friend had .
| A．benefited from it | B．volunteered to help it |
| C．dreamed about it | D．told the author about it |
According to Sophia, Make-A-Wish .
| A．is an international charity |
| B．was understood by nobody at first |
| C．raises money for very poor families |
| D．started by drawing the interest of the public |
What is said about Chris in Paragraph3?
| A．He has been a policeman since he was seven. |
| B．He gave people the idea of starting Make-A-Wish |
| C．He wanted people to help make his dream come true. |
| D．He was the first child Make-A-Wish helped after it had been set up. |
Which of the following is true about Make-A-Wish volunteers?
| A．They are important for making wishes come true. |
| B．They try to help children get over their illnesses. |
| C．They visit sick children to make them feel special. |
| D．They provide what is necessary to make Make-A-Wish popular. |
The UK's education system is ranked（排列） sixth best in the developed world, according to a global league table published by education firm Pearson in October,2012.
The first and second places are taken by Finland and South Korea.The rankings combine international test results and data such as graduation rates between 2006 and 2010.
Sir Michael Barber, Pearson's chief education adviser, says successful countries give teachers a high status and have a "culture" of education.
International comparisons in education have become increasingly significant - and this latest league table is based upon a series of global test results combined with measures of education systems, such as how many people go on to university.
The two education superpowers - Finland and South Korea - are followed by three other high-performing Asian education systems - Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
The UK is then only ranked at the head of an above-average group including the Netherlands, New Zealand, Canada and Ireland.
These are ahead of a middle-ranking group including the United States, Germany and France. At the lowest end are Mexico, Brazil and Indonesia.
These comparisons draw upon tests that are taken every three or four years, in areas such as maths, science and literacy - and so present a picture lagging by several years.
Looking at education systems that succeed, the study concludes that spending is important, but not as much as having a culture that is supportive of learning.
It says that spending is easier to measure, but the more complex impact of a society's attitude to education can make a big difference.
The success of Asian countries in these rankings reflects the high value attached to education and the expectations of parents. This can continue to be a factor when families migrate to other countries, says the report.
Looking at the two top countries - Finland and South Korea - the report says that there are many big differences, but the common factor is a shared social belief in the importance of education and its "underlying moral purpose".What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．The two different education superpowers |
| B．The result of one report about education system . |
| C．The UK's education system is worst. |
| D．Finland and South Korea’S education system |
According to Sir Michael Barber, Hong Kong’s education system is ranked in the world.
| A．2nd | B．3rd | C．4th | D．5th |
All of the following statements is NOT true EXCEPT ________.
| A．At the lowest end are Mexico, Brazil and Indonesia. |
| B．Education firm Pearson is disappointed at The UK's education system. |
| C．The United States’ education system is one of the best. |
| D．There are many big differences in Finland and South Korea. |
What does the underlined phrase “comparisons” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
| A．比较 | B．结果 | C．研究 | D．考试 |
What’s the common factor about the education system at the two top countries?
A. The shared social belief in the importance of education and its "underlying moral purpose".
B. The developed economy.
C The high value attached to education and the expectations of parents.
D. Having a culture that is supportive of learning.
It is under the CPC’s leadership that China has overcome many challenges in its economic, political and social systems and achieved remarkable progress the world has ever seen. Under the CPC’s leadership, China has become the world’s largest second largest economy. People’s lives have greatly improved, and hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty, an objective fact no one can deny. At the same time, China is quickly becoming a major player on the world stage.
As a responsible nation, China has been playing a growing role and shouldered greater responsibilities in world affairs. Such achievements, especially for a nation with a size equaling to a continent and a population of nearly 1.4 billion, are not easy to make. What roles do you think CPC has played in China? Do you think it’s the CPC leadership that has made China’s economic miracle possible? Is there any room for improvements for the future role of CPC? What challenges will lie ahead for the future leadership of CPC? Please share your opinion with us.The purpose of writing the article is to ______.
A. describe the greatest changes in China.
B. describe the importance of China.
C. tell us some challenges facing the CPC.
D. gain more information about the roles the CPC plays in China. According to the passage, CPC refers to .
| A．Communist（共产主义） Party of China |
| B．Cost Per Click（每次点击付费广告） |
| C．card-programming control （卡片程序控制） |
| D．Computer Process Control（计算机过程控制） |
How does the author feel about the roles the CPC has played in China?
| A．Dissatisfied | B．Amazed | C．Annoyed | D．Proud |
The underlined word " miracle " in Paragraph 2 probably means _____.
| A．problem | B．disaster | C．wonder | D．event |
What’s the best title for this passage?
| A．What roles do you think CPC plays in China? |
| B．Why has CPC played an important role in China? |
| C．China has become the world’s second largest economy. |
| D．China has overcome many challenges and achieved remarkable progress. |
Have you ever had a day when everything seemed to go wrong, and nothing seemed to go right? Not too long ago I was having one of those days. I was discouraged, weary, and plain sad. My focus was on me. After all, no one else was experiencing the same trials I was.
I expressed my upset state to my mother, hoping for some pity. Instead, she said, “I heard Jamie was having a difficult day too. Why don’t you make her some cookies and take them to her this afternoon?”
I didn’t really want to, but decided that I didn’t want to go back to my other problems just yet. I made the cookies and arranged them on a little plate. Then I made a card with a sunflower on it and wrote a small note of empathy.
That afternoon I dropped by my friend’s house. I went to the door and rang the bell. Soon, Jamie came to the door and looked at me in surprise for the unexpected visit. Before she could say anything I rushed, “ I heard you were having a hard day and decided to bring you something. I hope your day goes better.” The look that came over Jamie’s face was one that I could never put into words. It was as if a darkened sky was suddenly lit with the golden rays of the sun; it was as if in that small act, her day was brightened.
I got back into the car and for some amazing reason; I felt a lot better myself. That day I experienced the truth that James Barri attempted to describe, “ Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.”Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．Sunshine on a Rainy Day | B．Discouraged by Nothing |
| C．Giving Help to a Friend | D．Experience a Cheerless Day |
The author made cookies and arranged them on a plate _________.
| A．so as to show off his skills | B．to stop thinking about his own worries |
| C．not to let his mother feel down | D．not to show his sadness to others |
How did Jamie feel when seeing the author’s coming?
| A．She lit up very soon. | B．She was surprised and scared. |
| C．She couldn’t express herself. | D．She poured out all her worries. |
What do you think of the author’s mother?
| A．Sympathetic. | B．Willing. | C．Instructional. | D．Selfish. |
The passage is mainly about _________.
| A．dealing with others when they are angry | B．adjusting well the mental condition |
| C．taking mother’s advice every hour | D．enjoying oneself at any time |
When you visit America, you will see the word Motel on signs and notice boards. It is made up of “motor” and “hotel” and it is really a hotel for people who arrive by car (how-ever, you don’t need a car to stay at one). You have to pay when you arrive for your room, which usually has a bath. Meals are not provided, but there will certainly be a cafeteria (自助餐馆). Americans eat a lot of salads and sandwiches. Along the main roads there are a lot of motels. Each tries to offer more than next. Some provide television in every bedroom; others have swimming pools; and so on. Motels are especially useful when you are in the country, far from a town or city. You will also find them in the big National Parks.
In these great National Parks, you may meet guests you don’t expect to see. An American friend told me a little story. In the middle of a moonless night she heard strange noises outside her motel window in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Thinking it might be a thief, she jumped out of bed, opened the door and crept towards a dark shadow(阴影）. As she got close, she saw the thief. She was dreadfully frightened: it wasn’t a human thief — it was a big black bear. The bear was turning over some empty tins with its paw, looking for tasty bits of food. My friend decided to leave that particular thief alone!
There are also, of course, places called “rooming houses”, where they receive lodgers (房客). You will see such signs as Tourists or Rooms Rent, and you could try one of these. A word of warning — looking for a room in New York during the tourist season is like looking for gold on the moon! Which of the following is TRUE about motels?
| A．You can only find motels in the big National Parks. |
| B．They are free for people who arrive by car. |
| C．If you want to stay at a motel, you must have a car. |
| D．The word “motel” is formed by two words. |
Which of the following is NOT provided by motels?
| A．Baths. | B．Swimming pools. | C．TV. | D．Meals. |
The underlined word “crept” in the second paragraph probably means “______”.
| A．moved slowly | B．rushed out | C．threw away | D．ran fast |
The second paragraph mainly tells us ______.
| A．an interesting story |
| B．the experience of the author’s friend |
| C．we may meet animals in the National Parks |
| D．bears usually look for food at night |
From the last paragraph, we can learn that in New York during the tourist season ______.
| A．tourists can find gold there |
| B．tourists can have a sweet dream there |
| C．it is difficult to find a room there |
| D．there is warning for tourists to New York |
Joanne was stuck in a traffic jam in central Birmingham at 5：30 and at 6：30 she was expected to be chairing a meeting of the tennis club. At last, the traffic was moving. She swung quickly racing to her house. As she opened the door , she nearly tripped over (被绊倒)Sheba.
“Hey, Sheba,” she said, “I've got no time for you now, but I'll take you out as soon as I get back from tennis club.” Then she noticed Sheba seemed to be coughing or choking. Obviously, she could hardly breathe. Immediately, Joanne realized she would have to take her to the vet (兽医).
When she got there, the vet was just about to close for the day. Seeing the state of Sheba, Dr. Sterne brought her quickly into his office.
“Listen, doctor, I'm really in a rush to get to a meeting, can I leave her with you, and go and get changed? I'll be back in ten minutes to pick her up, and then I'll take her on to the meeting with me. Is that OK?”
“Sure.” said the doctor.
Joanne made the quick trip back to her house in a couple of minutes. As she was once more entering the hallway, the phone by the door began to ring.
“This is Dr. Sterne,” said an anxious voice. “I want you to get out of that house immediately, ”said the doctor's voice. “I'm coming round right away, and the police will be there any time now. Wait outside!”
At that moment, a police car screeched (发出尖锐的声音)to a stop outside the house. Two policemen got out and ran into the house. Joanne was by now completely confused and very frightened. Then the doctor arrived.
“Where’s Sheba? Is she OK?” shouted Joanne.
“She’s fine, Joanne. I took out the thing which was choking her, and she’s OK now. ”
Just then, the two policemen reappeared from the house, half-carrying a white—faced man, who could hardly walk. There was blood all over him.
“My God, ” said Joanne, “how did he get in there? And how did you know he was there?”
“I think he must be a burglar.” said the doctor. “I knew he was there because when I finally removed what was stuck in Sheba’s throat：it turned out to be three human fingers.”What was Joanne supposed to do at 6：30？
| A．To walk her dog. | B．To see her doctor. |
| C．To attend a club meeting. | D．To play tennis with her friends. |
Joanne wanted to get back to her home again __________ . .
| A．to dress up for the meeting | B．to phone the police station |
| C．to catch the badly hurt burglar | D．to wait for her dog to be cured |
From the passage, we can infer that________ . .
| A．Sheba fought against the burglar |
| B．the police found the burglar had broken in |
| C．Joanne had planned to take her dog to the meeting |
| D．the doctor performed a difficult operation on the dog |
In this passage, the writer intends to tell us that the dog is _________ .
| A．clever | B．friendly | C．frightening | D．devoted |
The underlined word “a burglar” in the last paragraph probably means ________.
| A．a cleaner | B．a physician | C．a thief | D．a murderer |
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