For Canaan Elementary's second grade in Patchogue， N．Y．，today is speech day ，and right now it's Chris Palaez's turn． The 8﹣year﹣old is the joker of the class． With shining dark eyes， he seems like the kind of kid who would enjoy public speaking．
But he's nervous．"I'm here to tell you today why you should …should…"Chris trips on the"﹣ld，"a pronunciation difficulty for many non﹣native English speakers． His teacher ，Thomas Whaley ，is next to him， whispering support．"…Vote for …me …"Except for some stumbles， Chris is doing amazingly well． When he brings his speech to a nice conclusion ，Whaley invites the rest of the class to praise him．
A son of immigrants， Chris started learning English a little over three years ago． Whaley recalls（回想起）how at the beginning of the year，when called upon to read，Chris would excuse himself to go to the bathroom．
Learning English as a second language can be a painful experience． What you need is a great teacher who lets you make mistakes． "It takes a lot for any student，" Whaley explains，"especially for a student who is learning English as their new language，to feel confident enough to say，'I don't know，but I want to know．'"
Whaley got the idea of this second﹣grade presidential campaign project when he asked the children one day to raise their hands if they thought they could never be a president． The answer broke his heart． Whaley says the project is about more than just learning to read and speak in public． He wants these kids to learn to boast（夸耀）about themselves．
"Boasting about yourself，and your best qualities，" Whaley says，"is very difficult for a child who came into the classroom not feeling confident．"
（1）What made Chris nervous？
A． Telling a story．
B． Making a speech．
C． Taking a test．
D． Answering a question．
（2）What does the underlined word "stumbles" in paragraph 2 refer to？
A． Improper pauses．
B． Bad manners．
C． Spelling mistakes．
D． Silly jokes．
（3）We can infer that the purpose of Whaley's project is to ．
A． help students see their own strengths
B． assess students' public speaking skills
C． prepare students for their future jobs
D． inspire students' love for politics
（4）Which of the following best describes Whaley as a teacher？ C
A． Humorous．
B． Ambitious．
C． Caring．
D． Demanding．
Who are these people rushing by you on the street? More than 250 million people now call America" home" , but most of them can trace their families back to other parts of the world. If you, look at the names on shop windows, you will see that Americans come from many different lands. The idea that these people, who once were strangers to the United States，have lost the customs and cultures of their original countries and have become "Americans"is really not true. In fact, what exists in America is - more often a kind of “ side - by - side" living in which groups of people from other countries often have kept many of their own customs and habits. They join the general American society only in certain areas of their lives such as in schools，business，and sports一but they keep many of their own native customs and manners socially and at home. This “ side - by - side" living has both advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes it may cause disagreements to develop between groups whose ways of life are very different from one another. However, there are also great advantages that come from the variety of cultures brought by settlers from other lands. There is great freedom of choice among ideas ’ dress, food, and social customs in America. Everyone can find some part of his or her own familiar world in the United States, in churches, music, food, national groups, or newspaper.More than 250 million people call America ”home" because .
| A．they have their houses there |
| B．they settle there now |
| C．they want to make their home there |
| D．they like that land very much |
Side - by - side living style means
| A．to make friends with native people |
| B．to keep their own customs while sharing American ones in certain areas |
| C．that the groups of people live nearby |
| D．that they get closer to American society |
According to the passage, people in the USA
| A．share American customs and cultures |
| B．live in a kind of side - by - side society |
| C．keep their own customs and habits firmly |
| D．make no choice to accept American customs |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．They always stick to their own customs and habits. |
| B．Side - by - side living style is not suitable. |
| C．They face the society they are not familiar with. |
| D．The advantages coming from the variety of cultures make life in America colorful. |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．Advantages and Disadvantages |
| B．Different Customs and Habits |
| C．Home for the People |
| D．Side - by - Side Living Style in America |
The bar-tailed godwit （斑尾鷸）has just broken its own record for the world’s longest non-stop flight, including humans in planes, according to a report made by Lund University Press. The bird can fly non-stop for eight days, while the most impressive man-made airplane can only remain in the sky for 82 hours without a stop.
The bar-tailed godwit’s journey, from Alaska to New Zealand, covers over 6,835 miles. It completes this trip twice a year, in autumn going to New Zealand, and in spring back to Alaska. The tireless bird ends the trip without stopping once for food or rest. All other birds can only finish trips that are twice as short as what the bar-tailed godwit travels.
One reason for the bar-tailed godwit’s success is that it has made the best use of its fuel, which is only 0.41 percent of its body weight over each hour of any given long flight. Hedenstrom, a professor from Lund University, says, “This figure is extremely low compared with other birds.” The bird also has a special body shape that helps it fly easily. It stores body fat and protein to manage its trips. It also travels fast, compared to other birds and animals.
Many questions remain about this bird record holder that never gets lost in the air. Researchers wonder whether it has an inside compass (指南针) that helps it to know the direction. Please watch how beautiful bar-tailed godwits look as they come in for a landing, along with other birds.For the flight from Alaska to New Zealand, the bar-tailed godwit__________
| A．doesn’t need to stop to eat |
| B．is afraid of hot weather |
| C．seems very tired at last |
| D．should fly less than 7,000 meters |
The main reason why the bar-tailed godwit can break the record is that it ______.
| A．eats little food every hour |
| B．has a special body shape |
| C．stores much water in its body |
| D．has very light body weight |
The last paragraph tells us that _________.
| A．researchers have understood the bird very well |
| B．the bird has a very good sense of direction |
| C．there are still many who doubt the bird’s ability |
| D．the bird has an inner compass |
Are you afraid of moving up to senior high school? It is a completely new experience, but you shouldn’t worry. We’ve put together a guide to help you.
You are not alone
Remember that everybody else in your grade is in the same boat. You may not notice it, but they are just as nervous as you are.
Moving up to senior high school is a chance, not a problem. Things are different, and all you need to do is be polite and learn the new rules.
The teachers will help
If you don’t know what to do or are worried about something, then ask for help. Teachers are probably the best people to turn to because they have experience in helping new students.
Everything changes
There are lots of differences between junior high school and senior high school. You will have your lessons with different teachers in different rooms. You will have homework for different subjects on different days, so make sure you get organized.
Other points
If you’ve got an elder brother or sister at senior high school, then ask them for advice.
Be yourself! It sounds simple, but people will respond much better to you if you act naturally.
Going to bed early makes a difference. You’ll also find it easier to get up in the morning!The author says that you’re not alone because other students______
| A．are polite and nervous |
| B．will help you |
| C．feel the same as you do |
| D．will learn the new rules with you |
When you don’t know what to do, you can______
| A．write your problem down |
| B．watch your brothers |
| C．go to bed early |
| D．turn to your teachers |
The main purpose of the passage is to ___________?
| A．Tell students about a new experience |
| B．help students that are going to senior high school |
| C．tell students that teachers are the best helpers |
| D．teach students how to organize themselves |
Are you fond of tomatoes? Bunol, a town in Spain, held its yearly tomato festival on the last Wednesday of August. Thousands and thousands of people made their way from all corners of the world to fight in it, the world’s biggest food fight. Tons of fully-grown tomatoes were thrown in the streets.
No one knows exactly how this event started. Maybe it came from a local food fight between friends, or a joke that was played on a bad musician.
On Wednesday, at 11am, the fight began. A cannon(大炮) shot was fired to start the fight. At first, people fought one another, but slowly they began to fight in groups. After exactly one hour, the fight ended when the cannon shot was fired once more. At this point, no more tomatoes could be thrown.
Those who attend this event are encouraged to wear protective glasses. And they must press the tomatoes before throwing so that they won’t hurt others. Another rule is that no one is allowed to take anything — such as a glass bottle — into the fight. Although it is forbidden to tear(扯破) another person’s clothing, the crowd seems to tear the shirt of any clothed person, whether they are men or women.
Fire trucks are used to clean the streets after the fight with water provided from a Roman channel (海峡). The government seems more concerned with cleaning up the town than the visitors, and people go to the Bunol River for a wash.What do we know about the tomato fight?
| A．Nobody knows how it really started. |
| B．Only people from Spain can take part in it. |
| C．It is held on the first Wednesday of August. |
| D．Green tomatoes can be used in the fight. |
When the cannon shot is fired the second time, ____.
| A．people start to throw tomatoes |
| B．people start to fight in groups |
| C．the whole tomato fight is over |
| D．the fight has lasted for two hours |
Which is NOT one of the rules of the tomato fight?
| A．People can’t use glass bottles. |
| B．People must wear protective glasses. |
| C．It isn’t allowed to tear other people’s clothes. |
| D．Tomatoes should be pressed before they are thrown. |
After the tomato fight, the town government ____.
| A．provides water to the people |
| B．cleans up the streets with fire trucks |
| C．takes people to the Bunol River |
| D．holds other activities about tomatoes |
One day while walking along the bank of a river, a rabbit couple(夫妇) saw a wounded(受伤的) ant lying unconsciously(没有直觉地) on the grass. The rabbit couple gently put the ant on the leaf(叶子) of a nearby plant. She soon recovered and saw the rabbit couple sitting beside her.
The ant remembered that she had found herself under the foot of a cat by chance and fainted(晕倒). She asked how she reached the leaf top. The rabbit couple told her what had happened. The ant thanked them and said she would help them when they needed help.
The rabbit couple went further up the river to enjoy the bright sun. They had been there many times and would spend many hours playing and relaxing in the sun.
One fine day, the couple were again on their way to the river while the ant was playing on the leaf of a tree. She saw the rabbit couple walking towards the river. A few hours later she saw the rabbit couple sleeping peacefully on the soft grass by the river. Suddenly she saw a lion moving towards the grass where the rabbit couple were sleeping. The loin saw the rabbit sleeping, and started walking quietly to attack them.
Realizing the hazard getting close to the rabbits, the ant jumped from the leaf to the lion’s shoulder and bit(咬) the lion’s back. The lion cried out in pain, waking the rabbit couple. The rabbits ran away quickly and the ant jumped off the lion’s back into the grass.
A white pigeon(鸽子) who watched this event cheered at the courage(勇气) of the ant and told the whole story to the rabbits. The rabbit couple were moved and thanked the ant. They became best friends.From the first three paragraphs, we can learn that _____.
| A．the rabbit couple put the ant on the leaf of a plant to hide her |
| B．the ant was wounded after fighting with a cat |
| C．the rabbit couple and the ant knew each other very well before |
| D．the rabbit couple often went to the river |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The ant was hurt by the lion. |
| B．The ant was small but clever. |
| C．The white pigeon was as brave as the ant. |
| D．The lion wanted to play a joke on the rabbit couple. |
According to the passage, which is the correct order of the following events?
a．The ant jumped into the grass to hide.
b．The ant bit the lion’s back.
c．The lion moved towards the rabbit couple.
d.The rabbit couple saved the ant.
e.The ant saw the rabbit couple sleeping on the grass.
| A．d,c,e,a,b | B．d,e,c,b,a | C．e,c,b,a,d | D．c,d,e,b,a |
The underlined word “hazard” in the fifth paragraph probably means “_____”.
| A．reality | B．warning | C．experience | D．danger |
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