The Mermaid Balloon
"Mum！"little Desiree said，"It's my daddy's birthday．How will I send him a birthday card？"Her mother looked at her and sighed．She didn't know what to say．Desiree's father had died nine months earler．Desiree didn't understand．She was only four years old．
"I have an idea，"her mother said．"Let's write your daddy a letter．We can tie the letter to a balloon and send it up to heaven（天堂）．What should we write？"
Desiree told her mother to write，"Happy Birthday，Daddy．I love you and miss you．Please write me on my birthday in January．"
Desiree's mother wrote the message and their address on a small piece of paper．Then they went to a store to buy a balloon．Desiree looked quickly at the balloons and said，"That one!The one with the mermaid（美人鱼）！"
They bought the mermaid balloon and tied the letter to it．Then Desiree let the balloon go．
Desiree released the balloon in California．The wind caught the balloon and carried it east．Four days later，it came down 3，000 miles away，near a lake in eastern Canada．The name of the lake was Mermaid Lake．
Wade MacKinnon，a Canadian man，was hunting ducks at Mermaid Lake when he found Desiree's balloon and letter．He took them home to his wife．She decided to send Desiree a birthday present．She also wrote her a letter．The letter said：
Dear Desiree，
Happy Birthday from your daddy．I guess you wonder who we are．Well，my husband，Wode，went duck hunting，and guess what he found？A mermaid balloon that you sent your daddy．There are no stores in heaven，so your daddy wanted someone to do his shopping for him．I think he picked us because we live in a town called Mermaid．I know your daddy loves you very much and will always watch over you．
Lots of love，
The MacKinnons
Desiree's mother wrote the Mackinnons to thank them．During the next few weeks，she and the MacKinnons telephoned each other often．Then Desiree and her mother flew to Canada to meet the MacKinnons．The MacKinnons took them to Mermaid Lake and showed them where the balloon landed．
Now，whenever Desiree wants to talk about her father，she calls the MacKinnons．After she talks to them，she feels better．
People often say，"What a coincidence（巧合）﹣the mermaid balloon landed at Mermaid Lake!"Desiree's mother is not sure it was just a coincidence．She says，"I think that somehow my husband picked the MacKinnons．It was his way to send his love to Desiree．Desiree understands now that her father is with her always．"
根据短文内容，将26﹣28小题与所给的A、B、C选项进行句子匹配，请将答案编号涂卡．
26．Desiree wrote her father a letter．
27．Desiree chose a balloon at the store．
28．The balloon came down near a lake．
A．It was in eastern Canada，and its name was Mermaid Lake．
B．It said，"Happy Birthday．I love you and miss you．"
C．It had a picture of a mermaid on it．
根据短文内容，选择正确答案，请将答案编号涂卡．
29．Desiree released the balloon in California．Here"released"means" "．
A．opened her eyes and looked at the balloon
B．opened her hand and let the balloon go
C．mailed the balloon in California
30．What was the coincidence（巧合）in the story？
A．Desiree and her father have the same birthday，January 12．
B．The mermaid balloon came down at Mermaid Lake．
C．The MacKinnons also have a four﹣year﹣old daughter．
New York is a very large city with 8 million people. How do so many people move about the city on their way to work and school? So, we should know something about its transportation.
In New York you can travel about the city by subway, bus, taxi and car. The subway runs on the railroad lines under the city. It crosses the city at different points and goes all parts of the city. Traveling by subway is the fastest way to get around the city.
The second way to travel around the city is by public bus. It’s a slower way to travel. This is because the bus moves in road traffic which is often heavy.
You can also travel around the city by taxi. This is the most expensive way, but the taxi will take you to the very place you wish to go to. If traffic is heavy, the taxi will be slow. During the mornings and afternoons, this is the “rush hour”. This is the time when the traffic is very heavy with people going to and from work.
The last way to get around New York is using your own car. However（但是）, it’s not easy for you to drive, especially（尤其是）when you are driving in the “rush hour”. If there is an accident（交通事故）on the road, you will have to wait for a long time.
The best time to travel around the city is from 9am to 4 pm. This is the time after the morning “rush hour” and before the evening “rush hour”. Traffic will be less crowded because most people are already at school or at work. This passage is mainly（主要）about _____.
| A．the weather of New York |
| B．the transportation of New York |
| C．the people in New York |
| D．traffic accidents in New York |
The fastest way to travel in New York is by _____.
| A．subway | B．taxi | C．bus | D．car |
The most expensive way to travel in New York is by _____.
| A．subway | B．taxi | C．bus | D．car |
If you travel in New York in your own car, which of the following is the best time?
| A．From 8am to 10 am | B．From 3am to 10 pm |
| C．From 3 am to 5 pm | D．From 10 am to 3pm |
Mrs. Jones is waiting for an important telephone call, but she has no vegetables at home, so she leaves the baby and says to her five-year-old son, “I’m going to the shops, Jimmy, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
While she is out, the telephone rings, and Jimmy answers.
“Hello,” says a man. “Is your mother here?”
“No.” answers Jimmy.
“Well, when she comes back, tell her Mr. Baker telephones.”
“What?” says Jimmy.
“Mr. Baker, write it down B-A-K-E-R.”
“How do you make a B,” asks Jimmy.
“How do I make B? Listen, little boy, is there anyone else with you? Any brothers or sisters?”
“My brother Billy is here.”
“Good, I want to talk to him, please.”
“All right.” Jimmy takes the telephone to the baby’s bed and gives it to Billy. When their mother comes back, she asks, “Does anyone telephone?”
“Yes,” says Jimmy, “a man. But he only wants to talk to Billy.” Mrs. Jones is waiting for _____.
| A．her friend | B．Mr. Baker | C．Billy | D．a call |
Billy is _____.
| A．Jimmy’s brother | B．Mrs. Jones’s brother |
| C．Mr. Baker’s son | D．Jimmy’s sister |
There is no _____ in Mrs. Jones’s house.
| A．money | B．vegetables | C．milk | D．people |
When the telephone rings, Mrs. Jones is _____.
| A．at home | B．cooking | C．with Jimmy | D．shopping |
Mr. and Mrs. Green lived in a big city, and one summer they went to the country（农村）for their holiday. They enjoyed it very much, because it was a quiet, clean place.
One day they went for a walk early in the morning and met an old man. He lived on a farm, and he was sitting in the warm sun in front of his house. Mr. Green asked him, “Do you like to live in this quiet place?”
The old man said, “Yes, I do,” Mr. Green said, “What are the good things about it?”
The old man answered, “Well, the people here know each other. They often come and visit me, and I often go and visit them. And there are also lots of children here.”
Mr. Green said, “That’s interesting. And what are the bad things?”
The old man thought and thought then said, “Well, the same things, are they?”Mr. and Mrs. Green _______ the country very much, because it was a quiet clean place.
| A．liked | B．like |
| C．lived | D．live |
One day they _____ for a walk early in the morning.
| A．went to | B．went out |
| C．went up | D．went down |
The old man ________ enjoyed the country.
| A．too | B．little |
| C．also | D．quiet |
The people in the country are very ________.
| A．friend | B．friendly |
| C．clever | D．careful |
| Mary’s Plan for Next Week Monday 7:30am computer lessons for beginners Tuesday 11:00am see a doctor Wednesday 9:00am ping-pong game Evening study for the English test Thursday 8:30am concert Friday Afternoon help Uncle Sam in his restaurant Saturday 9:00～10:30am art lesson 2:00pm visit grandmother Sunday 10:30am go shopping with Ann and Lucy |
Peter’s Plan for Next Week Monday 3:00pm study group meeting Tuesday 4:30pm basketball match Wednesday 2:00pm visit some friends Thursday Noon lunch with Mike Friday 2:00～4:00pm basketball practice Saturday 10:00am shopping Sunday 9:00pm basketball team party |
From Peter’s plan we know that Peter likes playing _____.
| A．basketball | B．soccer | C．volleyball | D．ping-pong |
From Mary’s play we know that _____.
| A．she likes play guitar |
| B．she is very good at computer |
| C．she just begins to learn computer |
| D．she will see the doctor on Wednesday |
From Mary’s plan we know that _____.
| A．she will visit her grandmother next Saturday afternoon. |
| B．she may have an English test next Tuesday |
| C．she will go shopping with her friend next Sunday evening |
| D．she will visit some friends on Wednesday afternoon |
“If we don’t often wash our hands, we can pick up viruses（病毒）form many places and make ourselves ill,” a man from CDC says. Doctors always say every time when you touch your eyes, nose or mouth, you may be ill. In fact, one of the common（平常的） ways of catching a cold is by rubbing（擦拭）their noses or their eyes when there are viruses on their hands. If you don’t often wash your hands, especially when you’re sick, you may spread the viruses to others. You should wash your hands in these situations:
1. After using the washroom
2. After rubbing your nose or coughing.
3. Before eating or making food.
4. After touching animals.
5. After visiting a sick man.
6. When your hands are dirty.
There’re right ways to wash your hands. Follow these things to keep your hands clean:
1. Use warm water (not cold or hot).
2. Wash for 15 seconds.
3. Wash well under warm running water and dry them with a clean towel.
阅读短文，填表格。
Information Card
| A way to protect against the spread of illness |
1 |
| Situations in which you must wash your hands |
After using the 2 Before making 3 After visiting the 4 people |
| A correct way to wash your hands |
Use 5 running water |
| Time needed to wash your hands |
6 |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号