The first visit to a foreign country that I can remember was when I was about seven years old.We lived about 5 miles away from the Canadian border(边界).My family and I went to Parc Safari, Quebec, a wonderful place that has animals and rides.We drove down a nice long road.My sister and I sat in the back of the car, and it was a hatchback(有仓门式后背的汽车) so we opened it up.I remember feeding the animals snacks we had bought for ourselves.
When we arrived, there were not monkeys because they had escaped and had not been found.I remember thinking to myself, how cool it would be to see a monkey in our backyard.
Even though the monkeys were not there it was still so much fun.When we reached the area that had camels, giraffes and other animals, I remember one of the camels reached into the car to get our snacks.However, we were a little gross out because the camels seemed to froth(吐白沫) at the mouth and we had camel slobber(口水) all over the car and us.
It was one of the best family vacations that I can remember.It was not too far from home, it was in a different country and it was with my family.I cannot remember if we went on the rides or not but seeing many animals was a great time.Now I am grown up and have a son, and I am planning to go there again.He is 7 years old and I think he is at a great age to enjoy a trip like this.I am sure it has changed a lot over the years but it will still be a great family trip.Where did the author live when he was 7 years old?
| A．In Canada |
| B．In the central US |
| C．Near the Canadian border |
| D．In Parc Safari |
During the trip, the author ________.
| A．saw a monkey |
| B．fed some monkeys |
| C．was angry with the giraffes |
| D．had been in close contact with the camels |
What does the underlined part “gross out” in paragraph 3 probably mean?
| A．uncomfortable |
| B．excited |
| C．tired |
| D．surprised |
What does the author intend to do?
| A．To have a holiday abroad with his parents. |
| B．To take his 7-year-old son to a zoo. |
| C．To revisit the place he went to at seven. |
| D．To have a family trip in his own country. |
I never got along with Dad. But when he was dying. I set off for Nebraska to be with him and my family. I stopped for the night at a hotel with a pool, hoping it would relax me.
The pool area was empty as I walked into the still water. A man in a bathing suit appeared. He sat on the edge of the pool with his legs moving up and down in the water. He had dark hair and deep brown eyes and smiled. “Where are you going?” he asked. When I told him about my father, he asked how we got along. I tried to change the subject, but then for some reason, I told him everything.
Finally the man said, “Even with all the trouble, remember, your father still loves you.” All at once, warm and clear childhood memories came flooding back: Dad running alongside my wobbling（摇摆的）bicycle, the proud hug he gave me at my high school graduation, his laugh when I caught him off guard with a tickle（挠痒）. “Yes, I know he does, ” I heard myself say. And for the first time in years I believed it. The man left, leaving me alone with my comforting thoughts.
Back in my room, as I went to bed, I decided it was time to forgive my father. Then I wished he’d forgive me too. The phone bell woke me up at 3 am. My sister’s voice sent a shiver（寒战）through me: Dad had just died. I had wanted to see him and make peace. But as sadness was beginning to surround me, I remembered that the man by the pool had already brought Dad and me together. From the passage we learn that the author _________
| A．didn’t know his father was seriously ill |
| B．always thought highly of his father |
| C．lived in Nebraska far away from his family |
| D．was going to see his father |
When the author was in the pool, ___________
| A．many other people were there too |
| B．he talked a lot with the man by the pool |
| C．he greeted the may by the pool first |
| D．the man by the pool told him everything about his family |
What made the author change his original idea about his father?
| A．That he was reminded that his father actually loved him |
| B．That the man by the pool mentioned his interesting childhood |
| C．That he remembered his father had taught him to ride a bike |
| D．That he knew his father would leave him forever |
In the last paragraph, the author was sad that he ________
| A．hadn’t accepted the kind stranger’s advice |
| B．had no chance to make peace with his father |
| C．hadn’t obeyed his father when he was young |
| D．hadn’t stayed with his father before |
Most friendships die a nature death: people move, change jobs, or start different stages of life. Other friendships, however, end unexpectedly. When a friendship is over and you don’t understand why, it can be especially painful. Sometimes a friend ends your relationship without telling you why.
The loss of friendship might be worth reflecting on. Knowing when a friendship is over and why it ends may help you build stronger friendships in the future.
●See if you can find a problem.
When a friendship is over, examine your relationship. Perhaps you remember your friend complaining that you’re always late. Maybe you seldom return your friend’s phone calls. When a friend ends your relationship, try to find out the reasons why the friendship is over.
● Writer a letter to your friend .
Express you feelings about the friendship. Do you miss seeing them? Do you have any regrets? Would you act differently if you were still friends? Make it an honest communication.
● Express you feeling of being hurt or anger.
Write or talk about how you feel in a letter. When a friendship is over, it’s important to communicate exactly how hurt you feel, and why. Write until you have nothing left to say. When a friend ends your relationship, you do have the right to express yourself.
● Communicate that you are open to pick up the friendship .
When a friendship is over and you want to reconnect some day, send Christmas, or birthday cards. Say hi and send greetings through mutual(共有的) friends. When a friendship is over, don’t give up until you’re ready.
● Decide to make your present friendships better.
An adviser once told me that simply talking about your relationship strengthens your relationship. Talk to your present friends. Are they happy with your friendship? If a friend ends your relationship, learn something from it.The underlined phrase “reflecting on” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to .
| A．keeping on | B．giving up | C．thinking about | D．getting angry |
What can we know from “See if you can find a problem.”?
| A．You are always late when you and your friend plan to go out. |
| B．Perhaps your friendship is over because of your problem. |
| C．Your friend is fond of complaining all the time. |
| D．You often refuse to answer your friend’s phone calls. |
When a friendship is over, you may do all the following EXCEPT .
| A．ask your friends whose fault on earth it is |
| B．talk about how you feel about your friendship |
| C．write a letter to your friend to tell your regrets |
| D．send your greetings to your friend before giving up |
Thousands of years ago, birthdays were considered special days. On birthdays, the bad spirits were able to harm you and change your life. It was believed that the only way to solve the problem was to have your friends and family around you, so that good wishes and presents would keep the bad spirits away. Also, noisemakers were thought to be used at parties as a way of scaring away the evil spirits.
The custom of lighting candles was created by people believing that the gods lived in the sky. By lighting candles and torches, they were sending a signal or prayer to the gods, so they could be answered. Blowing out the candles and making a wish were thought to be another way of sending a signal or a message.
This is how the way we celebrate our birthdays came about. But different cultures celebrate in different ways.
The birthday story in the Bible（圣经） that we know best is about the birth of the Christ in Bethlehem（地名：伯利恒）. For nearly 2000 years since that day, the Christian world has been honoring this birth. The day many Englishmen celebrate is, of course, Christmas. There are other references to birthday parties. King Pharaoh celebrated his birthday by making a feast for his court followers. That was over 4000 years ago. The story of King Herod tells that on his birthday he made a supper for his lords, high captains and other special friends in Galilee (地名：加利利).According to the passage, good wishes and presents given by one’s friends and family on his birthday can _____________________.
| A．cheer him up |
| B．push bad spirits away |
| C．bring him a big fortune |
| D．prove that he’s a popular person |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．People send messages to the gods by lighting or blowing out the candles. |
| B．The gods celebrate their birthdays by lighting candles. |
| C．The custom of lighting candles originated with the gods. |
| D．The gods will help people realize their dreams on their birthdays. |
The two ancient kings’ ways of celebrating their birthdays show__________________.
| A．how great the two kings were |
| B．that their court followers were awarded the special honors |
| C．the two kings’ excellent cooking skills |
| D．how different cultures celebrate in different ways |
The passage is mainly about __________________.
| A．the functions of the noises made on birthdays. |
| B．how to scare away the bad spirits on birthdays |
| C．how birthdays came about |
| D．the origin of a famous day Christmas |
One of my wonderful memories is about a Christmas gift. Unlike other gifts ,it came without wrap（包装）. On September 11, 1958, mum gave birth to Richard. After she brought him home from hospital, she put him in my lap（大腿）, saying, “I promised you a gift, and here it is .” What an honor! I turned four a month earlier and none of my friends had such a baby doll of their own. I played with it day and night. I sang to it. I told it over and over how much I loved it!
One morning, however, I found its bed empty. My doll was gone! I cried for it. Mum wept and told me that the poor little thing had been sent to a hospital. It had a fever. For several days, I heard mum and dad whispering such words as “hopeless”, “pitiful”，and “dying”, which sounded ominous.
“Christmas was coming, don’t expect any presents this year ”Dad said, pointing at the socks I hung in the living room. I’d never seen him cry before.
The phone rang early on Christmas morning. Dad jumped out of bed to answer it. From my bedroom I heard him say.” What? he’s all right?” he hung up and shouted upstairs. “The hospital said we could bring Richard home! ”
“Thank god!” I heard Mum cry.
From the upstairs window, I watched my parents rush out to the car. I had never seen them so happy. And I was also full of joy. What a wonderful day! My baby doll would be home. I ran downstairs. My socks still hung there flat. But I knew they were not empty: they were filled with love!What happened to the author on September 11, 1958 ?
| A．He got a baby brother. | B．He got a Christmas gift |
| C．He became four years old. | D．He received a doll |
What does the underlined word “ominous” in Paragraph 3 probably mean？
| A．Impossible. | B．Boring | C．Difficult | D．Fearful |
Which word can best describe the feeling of the father when Christmas was coming?
| A．Excitement. | B．Happiness. | C．Sadness. | D．Disappointment. |
What is the passage mainly about ?
| A．A sad Christmas day | B．Life with a lovely baby |
| C．A special Christmas gift. | D．Memories of a happy family |
With the Tesla Roadster and other plugin (插入式) electric vehicles hitting the road，demand is growing for accessible refueling points to recharge(充电) them. Carbon Day Automotive, a Chicagobased company，has now demonstrated（演示）a solarpowered recharging point, known as the Solar PlugIn Station，which lets motorists easily charge their cars using electricity that has been produced without any environmental damage.
The Solar PlugIn Station has gone on show in Chicago as part of the city’s bid（竞标）to host the 2016 Olympic Games. According to Carbon Day Automotive，the Solar PlugIn Station on show in Chicago is part of the vital infrastructure(基础设施) required for electric vehicles in Chicago and was the focus of a recent visit by the International Olympic Committee.
These solarpowered electricity points will be used daily to fuel the city’s electric vehicles with power from the sun. By producing the electricity from pollutionfree solar cell, the CO2 emissions are reduced to zero.
“Solar energy and electric vehicles are a partnership that is one more step to reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” says Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies.Coulomb Technologies recently developed the components (部件) required for individual recharging stations，marketed as ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations.Carbon Day Automotive is the Midwest distributor for the ChargePoint stations. The Solar PlugIn Station consists of giant solar panels (电池板) that shade the tiny ChargePoint Networked Charging Station.The solar panel is connected to an underground battery pack，ready for everyday refueling.
“Without these stations it would be like driving around in a traditional car without the availability of gas stations，” says Scott Emalfarb，CEO at Carbon Day.“The day of true plugin electric vehicles will be here sooner than most people realize and the world needs to be ready to accommodate（为……提供场地）them.”The Solar PlugIn Station is used as part of the bid to host the Olympics mainly because ________.
| A．it’s environmentally friendly |
| B．it makes up for the lack of electricity |
| C．it’s a new idea and attracts people’s attention |
| D．it brings convenience to electric vehicle users |
We can learn from the passage that ________.
| A．to recharge the electric vehicles takes a long time |
| B．the Solar PlugIn Station will come into use in 2016 |
| C．the Solar PlugIn Station has gone on show internationally |
| D．Chicago is promoting the use of electric vehicles |
According to the passage，how many of the following statements are TRUE?
a. Tesla Roadster is a kind of plugin electric vehicle.
b. The Solar PlugIn Station uses solar power to charge all of the cars.
c. Chicago is a city，which is rich in oil.
d. The Solar PlugIn Station consists of underground battery packs.
e. Scott Emalfarb is optimistic about the future of plugin electric vehicles.
| A．2. | B．3. | C．4. | D．5. |
The passage implies that when the Solar PlugIn Station becomes popular，________.
| A．more visitors will come to Chicago |
| B．the citizens of Chicago will be able to go to work faster |
| C．more space for electric vehicles will be needed |
| D．the cost of electric vehicles will be lower than traditional cars |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Chicago Will Soon Be Full of Electric Vehicles |
| B．Chicago Calls on People to Buy Electric Vehicles |
| C．Chicago Fights for Its Bid to Host the 2016 Olympics |
| D．Chicago Shows Its Solarpowered Recharging Stations |
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