It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries（食品杂货），saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a plete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity（人性）as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.Why was the bike so important to the couple?
| A．The man’s job was bike racing. |
| B．It was their only possession. |
| C．It was a nice Kona 18 speed. |
| D．They used it for work and daily life. |
We can infer from the text that ____________.
| A．the couple worked 60 hours a week. |
| B．people were busy before Christmas |
| C．the stranger brought over the bike |
| D．life was hard for the young family. |
How did people get to know the couple’s problem?
| A．From radio broadcasts. |
| B．From a newspaper. |
| C．From TV news. |
| D．From a stranger. |
What do the couple learn from their experience?
| A．Strangers are usually of little help. |
| B．One should take care of their bike. |
| C．News reports make people famous. |
| D．An act of kindness can mean a lot. |
D
Mars was the first planet that humans attempted to get to. Since the 1960’s, scientists have been working to learn more information about the Mars’ past, We now know that Mars was once a warm, wet place with great oceans and deep rivers. We also know that about 3.7 billion years ago, all that water disappeared when the planet lost its air. But why did the atmosphere on Mars change so greatly?
NASA had launched the MAVEN spacecraft in the hope of answering that very question. MAVEN will study the remains of Mars’ air and help scientists figure out what became of the rest of it．
The spacecraft was launched on Monday, November 18, 2013, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The trip to Mars takes about 10 months. and MAVEN is scheduled to go into orbit in September 2014. It is the first spacecraft created with the purpose of studying Mars’ atmosphere. Its wings measures 37.5 feet not quite the length of a school bus, and it weighs 1991 pounds about the same amount as a small car. MAVEN is equipped with eight different tools to measure and study the planet’s atmosphere. To collect information, it will fly in orbit as fast as 3278 miles per hour, and as slow as 93 miles per hour.
Once it arrived at Mars, MAVEN will have plenty of company. The spacecraft Curiosity is still walking around the planet’s rocky surface, studying the geology, chemistry and possible biology there. NASA currently has a number of spacecrafts getting unique views of Mars with powerful cameras and telescopes. These missions are all slow, steady steps forward to discover Mars secret past. While the results may not be revealed for some time, an exciting exploration is on the way.We can learn from the first paragraph that________
| A．all the scientists wanted to live on Mars |
| B．people have had a better knowledge of Mars nowadays |
| C．spaceships have been sent up to Mars since 1960s |
| D．all the water on Mars has been gone for ten billion years |
The MAVEN spacecraft has been launched with the purpose of________
| A．analyzing the change of the atmosphere on Mars |
| B．assisting Curiosity in studying the surface of Mars. |
| C．analyzing what is contained in Mars’ air |
| D．checking whether water still exists on Mars |
It can be inferred from, the text that__________．
| A．many different tasks will be given to MAVEN when it lands on Mars |
| B．many spacecrafts are working around Mars to study its water |
| C．more wonderful things about Mars will be found in the future |
| D．more spacecraft will be sent up to help Curiosity |
What is the best title of this text?
| A．A new finding on Mars |
| B．A new spacecraft sent to Mars |
| C．The rapid development of Mars |
| D．The great change of the Mars’ atmosphere |
C
Join the Family Read-Aloud Celebration, held by the Gonda Family Library and the Family School Alliance at UCLA Lab School, from February 21 to March 14,2014. We ask you to spend time reading aloud to your children at least 20 minutes each day.We hope to help families develop a habit of reading aloud every day throughout and beyond primary school. We'll finish the celebration with a party on March 14 for the whole school.
Ways to join:
● Visit Book Corner for reading aloud suggestions.
Come to the start of the activity on Friday, Feb, 21.
● Add books to our list of favorite read aloud
● Send us a photo of your family reading together (jkan,tor@ucta. edu). We will share it at the party.
● Record your family's reading journey! .
● Join us for th︿ party on March 14,5一7 p. rn.
Go on a reading journey!
Books can introduce your family to interesting people, exciting places, adventures and information. Let your journeys take you through these categories:
●Fiction ● Picture books ● Poetry
●Science ● History ● Sports
●Arts ● other Non-Fiction ● Benefits of Reading Aloud
Reading aloud helps a cloud to read with pleasure, create background knowledge, and build vocabulary. It also provides children with a reading model. Reading aloud doesn't just benefit young children. Parents should continue reading aloud as their children grow because listening comprehension is more important than reading skills in middle school.
Jim Trelease, in his Read-Aloud Handbook, has noted that almost as big a mistake as not reading to children at all is stopping too soon Until about the eighth grade, children listen and comprehend on a higher level than their reading skills allow them to read independently, This means children can hear and understand stories that are more difficult and more interesting than anything they can read on their own
What’s the purpose of the Family Read-Aloud Celebration?
| A．To celebrate the joys of reading. |
| B．To help improve family relationship, |
| C．To change families bad reading habits. |
| D．To get families into the habit of reading aloud. |
If you want to join the activity, you're supposed to __
| A．mail a book to the school |
| B．make an appearance at the starting day |
| C．read out loud from 5～7 p. m every day |
| D．share your reading experience at the party |
We can infer from Jim Tyelease that.
| A．young children show greater skills at listening than reading |
| B．children should be allowed to make mistakes in reading |
| C．interesting stories are easier for children to understand |
| D．the eighth-graders can-t read on their own |
In which part of a website can We find the text?
| A．Culture | B．Lifestyle. |
| C．Education. | D．Science. |
Moving to a new neighborhood，town，state，or even country can be a pretty scary experience. All you know is that things will be different and chances are you won’t know the kids at your new school.
The experiences that go with moving make many kids feel nervous and worried. This is perfectly normal but don’t let these emotions overrun your thoughts! You will soon get used to your surroundings and find new friends at your new school.
Leaving old friends and familiar places behind can be difficult. However，as you begin the moving process，keep in mind that saying goodbye to your old house，school，and friends does not mean that you have to forget them or that your farewell is permanent！If you’re moving to a new state or even a different country and won’t see your friends for a long time，don’t despair.
Make sure to ask everyone for their address so you can write them letters. Also，thanks to the Internet，it is very easy to stay in touch through email or instant messaging technologies. With your parent’s permission，you can even create a blog or web page to chronicle（记载） all of your new experiences. Include your thoughts，tales of your new adventures，even pictures of new friends，your new house，and new town. Your old friends will love seeing what you are busy with.
Many schools have an orientation（培训） program where a student already established at the school shows a new student around for their first week. This can help you to find your way around the school and to make new friends faster.
While moving is tough on kids of any age，high school counselor Karen Turner says moves can be particularly difficult for teens .“I think moving during adolescents is an extremely stressful experience，especially if you are into your junior high or senior year. Students tend to have established a very strong peer network during that period in their lives. Often this has more influence on them even than their families in some cases，and when they are torn from that there’s often resentment(怨气)．”However，Turner adds that while moving isn’t easy，there are things that your parents and the school can do to help you deal with the change.Who are the intended readers of the passage?
| A．Education experts. | B．School teachers. |
| C．Parents. | D．Students. |
Which of the following is mainly suggested in Paragraph 3?
| A．Staying in contact with old friends. |
| B．Expressing yourself when it is possible. |
| C．Forming good habits at school. |
| D．Keeping positive about your new school. |
According to the passage，Karen Turner may agree that________．
| A．many parents seem to care little about their children |
| B．teens can easily be attached to their friends |
| C．parents should communicate with the school teachers |
| D．teens tend to behave rudely in a new school |
If this passage continues，what would the author further discuss?
| A．What a new school is like. |
| B．Why parents move with their children. |
| C．How parents and the school can help the children. |
| D．How children can express their anxiety. |
If a business wants to sell its products internationally, it had better do some market research first. This is a lesson that some large American corporations have learned the hard way.
What’s in the name?
Sometimes the problem is the name. When General Motors introduced its Chevy Nova into Latin America, it overlooked the fact that Nova in Spanish means “It doesn’t go”. Sure enough , the Chevy Nova never went anywhere in Latin America.
Translation problems
Sometimes it is the slogan that doesn’t work. No company knows this better than Pepsi-Cola, with its “Come alive with Pepsi!” campaign. The campaign was so successful in the United States , Pepsi translated its slogan literally for its international campaign. As it turned out , the translations weren’t quite right. Pepsi was begging Germans to “Come out of the grave(坟墓)” and telling the Chinese that “Pepsi brings your ancestors(老祖宗) back from the grave.”
A picture’s worth a thousand words
Other times, the problem involves packaging. A picture of a smiling baby has helped sell countless jars of Gerber baby food. When Gerber started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the US, with the smiling baby on the label. Later they learned that in African countries , the picture on the jar shows what the jar has in it, for many people there can’t read.
Twist of fate
Even the culture and religious factors and pure coincidence can be involved . Thorn McAn shoes have a Thorn McAn “signature” inside. To people in Bangladesh, which is a Muslim country , this signature looked like Arabic script for the word Allah. In that country , feet are considered unclean, and Muslims felt the company was offending God’s name by having people walk on it.From the text we learned that _________.
| A．Chevy Nova was brought in Latin America |
| B．General Motors did the best market research of all companies |
| C．Pepsi still sold well in China owing to the translation problems |
| D．the “Come alive with Pepsi” campaign worked well in the US |
What was “Gerber’s problem”?
| A．A translation problem |
| B．Cultural factor |
| C．Religious factor |
| D．The picture on the jar |
For what reason were Thorn McAn shoes turned down in Bangladesh?
| A．They are not designed attractively |
| B．Their advertisements are not persuasive |
| C．A signature looking like the word Allah was in the shoes |
| D．Problem for Thorn McAn was the company’s name |
What does the text mainly tell us?
| A．Lessons from some large corporations. |
| B．How to make use of advertisements |
| C．The importance of market research |
| D．The importance of packaging |
Every kid wishes to be an adult. But now as grown-ups, some adults find they cannot leave childhood behind. They become "kidults" (kid+adult). Being a kidult has become a lifestyle-choice among young people across Asia.
Some kidults collect toys they once played with. Hello Kitty, Garfield, and Snoopy have many adult fans around the world. It is not unusual to see a 20-something woman with a big, Garfield-shaped cushion on her sofa or a Hello Kitty mobile phone accessory.(配件)
Other kidults still enjoy children's stories and fairy tales. For example, Bloomsbury even published the Harry Potter novels with an adult cover. That way, no one else on the subway will know that an adult is actually reading a children's book!
"Kidults can be like vitamins to society. Adults who value their childhood and hold on to pure, child-like emotion may be needed in such a rough and dry society," said Lee Sojung, professor of Foreign Studies at Hankuk University(韩国外国语大学). He added that kidult culture may fill the generation gap between adults and kids. It could give children and their parents books, movies, and cartoon shows to enjoy together. He may be right.
Tim Greenhalgh, a professor , explained that some kidults just refuse to grow up. They value childhood because life in a busy and stressful city frightens them. Kidults would like to forget their age and openly show their fear of society and adulthood.We can infer from the article that _________.
| A．Kidults miss their childhood so much that they can't give up their toys |
| B．Bloomsbury knows some kidults don't want people to know that they are kidults |
| C．Kidults like to have vitamins very much |
| D．Some toys are so interesting that even adults like them very much |
According to the author, being a kidult is good in some way EXCEPT that _______.
| A．it can improve the relationship between parents and their kids |
| B．it can help kidults feel relaxed |
| C．it is helpful to solve some social problems |
| D．it can make people loyal to one's parents |
According to the writer, _______.
| A．being a kidult is nothing wrong |
| B．kidults have mental problems |
| C．our society is very dull |
| D．some people can never grow up |
Wikipedia (维基百科) is a non-profit website funded by donations, started on 15thJanuary, 2001. “Wiki” means “quick” in the Hawaiian language. These days, most people go straight to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia (百科), to look something up. But how reliable is it?
The site attracts 78 million visitors every month, and it is available in more than 270 different languages. It’s one of the most comprehensive (综合的) resources available, and it’s got much more information than an ordinary encyclopedia. The site is updated on a daily basis by thousands of people around the world. Anyone with an Internet connection can look through and edit the contents or add a new page at any time. And you don’t need any formal training.
Of course, there are some controls. Wikipedia has a team of more than 1,500 administrators who check for false information. And main targets for horrible comments (such as politicians) are forbidden to public editing. But with more than 16 million articles to keep an eye on, it isn’t easy. So, while Wikipedia benefits from being constantly updated with information from all over the world, it’s also open to “vandals”(故意捣乱者).
Some of the damage is easy to notice. Someone drew horns and a moustache on Microsoft chairman Bill Gates’ photo. But other things are harder to spot. The most common form of vandalism involves adding tiny items of false information into the biography of a famous person. Unbelievably, some of this misinformation has appeared in newspapers, withThe Daily Mail, The GuardianandThe Independentall having fallen victim to the tricks. For example, in an obituary (讣告) for British comedian Sir Norman Wisdom, one newspaper claimed that he co-wrote Dame Vera Lynn’s wartime song “There’ll be Bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover”. In fact, he did no such thing.
So if you’re going to use any information from Wikipedia, make sure you double-check it first.What do we know about Wikipedia?
| A．It makes profits from its users. |
| B．It is run by the Hawaiian government. |
| C．It provides a huge amount of information. |
| D．It is the most popular website worldwide. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A． 78 million people visit Wiki each day |
| B．To forbid wrong public editings is quite easy |
| C． Formal education is needed to do editing for Wifi |
| D．Some people change the information on Wiki just for fun |
The example of Norman Wisdom’s obituary is used to show _________.
| A．Wikipedia sometimes contains false information |
| B．some newspapers likeThe Guardianare irresponsible |
| C．Norman Wisdom is unpopular with some people |
| D．Wikipedia affects people’s lives greatly |
What does the author advise readers to do?
| A．To look through Wikipedia frequently. |
| B．To update Wikipedia on a daily basis. |
| C．To turn to other websites for valid information. |
| D．To be careful when using the information from Wikipedia. |
Four years ago my sweet mom went to be with her Lord. She did it her way.
I got the call at work, and I headed home quickly. Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven. I hated going there every weekend. There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception.
My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land. The place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat. We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me.
In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen. I sang the melody and Mom harmonized. Her favorite song was "Moon River" and we sang it over and over. Mom told me stories about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk.
As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit them every week or two. The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad. Me, well, I still hated the silence of the farm. While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle（喧闹）of my life at home. But I sat there listening quietly as she reminisced.
Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio. Music always comforted me.
My heart skipped a beat. "Moon River" was playing on the radio. I sat there stunned, with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note.
Then the radio announcer came on. “Here’s one we haven’t heard in a while,” and an unfamiliar song began. I began to cry harder as I heard the words sung over the airwaves. “Come down, come down from your Ivory Tower…” The writer didn’t like staying in the farm for the following reasons Except that ________.
| A．it was too cold and quiet |
| B．she could only sing one song in the small farm |
| C．there was nothing more that could make her excited |
| D．the place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat |
From the first paragraph, we know that the writer’s mother ________.
| A．left the small farm with Lord |
| B．passed away four years ago |
| C．left for Lord to live her own way |
| D．preferred to be with Lord |
What does the underlined phrase refer to?
| A．shouted | B．comforted |
| C．recalled | D．sighed |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? _______
| A．Mom’s music | B．Cherish(珍惜) life |
| C．My happy childhood | D．Our small farmhouse |
An environment group called the Food Commission is unhappy and disappointed because of the sales of bottled water from Japan. The water, it angrily argues in public, has traveled 10,000 “food miles” before it reaches Western customers. “Transporting water half-way across the world is surely the extremely stupid use of fuel when there is plenty of water in the UK.” It is also worried that we are wasting our fuel by buying prawns from Indonesia (7,000 food miles) and carrots from South Africa (5,900 food miles).
Counting the number of miles traveled by a product is a strange way of trying to tell the true situation of the environmental damage done by an industry. Most food is transported around the world on container ships that are extremely energy-efficient. It should be noted that a ton of butter transported 25 miles in a truck to a farmers’ market does not necessarily use less fuel on its journey than a similar product transported hundreds of miles by sea, Besides, the idea of “food miles” ignores the amount of fuel used in the production. It is possible to cut down your food miles by buying tomatoes grown in Britain rather than those grown in Ghana; the difference is that the British ones will have been raised in heated greenhouses and the Ghanaian ones in the open sun.
What is the idea of “food miles” does provide, however, is the chance to cut out Third World countries from First World food markets. The number of miles traveled by our food should, as I see it, be regarded as a sign of the success of the global trade system, not a sign of damage to the environment.
The Food Commission is angry because it thinks that .
| A．UK wastes a lot of money importing food products |
| B．some imported goods cause environmental damage |
| C．growing certain vegetables damages the environment |
| D．people waste energy buying food from other countries |
The phrase “food miles” in the passage refers to the distance .
| A．that a food product travels to a market |
| B．that a food product travels from one market to another |
| C．between UK and other food producing countries |
| D．between a Third World country and a First World food market |
By comparing tomatoes raised in Britain and in Ghana, the author tries to explain that .
| A．British tomatoes are healthier than Ghanaian ones |
| B．Ghanaian tomatoes taste better than British ones |
| C．cutting down food miles may not necessarily save fuel |
| D．protecting the environment may cost a lot of money |
From the passage we know that the author is most probably .
| A．a supporter of free global trade |
| B．a member of the Food Commission |
| C．a supporter of First World food markets |
| D．a member of an energy development group |
As you grow older, you’ll be faced with some challenging decisions—like whether to cut class or try cigarettes. Making decisions on your own is hard enough, but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder. People who are your age, like your classmates, are called peers. When they try to influence how you act, to get you to do something, it’s called peer pressure.
Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now everyone’s reading it. These are examples of how peers positively influence each other.
Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them; your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball.
It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do.
You’ve probably had a parent or teacher advising you to “choose your friends wisely.” Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this. If you choose friends who don’t cut class, smoke cigarettes, or lie to their parents, then you probably won’t do these things either, even if other kids do.
If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle, talk to someone you trust. Don’t feel guilty if you’ve made a mistake or two.For whom is the passage most probably written?
| A．Parents. | B．Teachers. |
| C．Students. | D．Doctors. |
In the last three paragraphs, the author mainly_____.
| A．explains why friendship is so important |
| B．shows how to make more good friends |
| C．discusses how peers influence us |
| D．gives advice on how to deal with peer pressure |
Which of following may help handle peer pressure?
| A．Spending more time with classmates. |
| B．Taking up more relaxing hobbies. |
| C．Choosing friends with no bad habits. |
| D．Helping others who are in trouble. |
What is the topic of the passage?
| A．Friendship. | B．Making decisions |
| C．Self-confidence | D．Peer pressure |
On Sunday, August 24th, comic book lovers across the world held their breath to watch how much crazy collectors would pay for a rare Superman comic book. Though bids (出价) above the initial asking price of 1 million dollars had been coming in gradually since the copy was placed on the auction site (拍卖网站) eBay on July 14th, things really started to heat up during the final minutes when the price jumped from $2.5 to $2.6 and then $2.7 million, before shooting up to unbelievable 3,207,852 dollars!
This of course was no ordinary Superman comic book, but an edition of the extremely sought-after (很吃香地) No. 1 of Action Comics series — the first publication of the superhero that was born from the creative minds of teenagers Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel. Though Action Comics No. 1, which depicted a diaper-clad baby Superman lifting furniture, had a print run of 200,000 copies, only about 100 are known to exist today.
While the rarity is certainly a reason for the high price, Stephen Fisher, CEO of ComicConnect.com, thinks it also has a lot to do with the fact that Superman was the world’s first superhero! Even so, none of the copies have been able to fetch (售得) as much as the most recent one, simply because they have not been as well-preserved. Graded a rare 9 out of 10 by CGC, a third party grading service for comic books, the book is the highest rated copy of Action Comics No. 1 so far. According to CGC officials, the 76-year-old comic book looks and feels as though it has just come off the newsstand (报摊).
That is not surprising given that the original owner, a Virginian man who bought the book for only 10 cents in 1938, had carefully tucked it away (藏起来) in a wooden box for four decades. Fortunately, when he passed away, the book was bought by a string of collectors who all realized it was a rare treasure that needed to be looked after.
Before this, the highest price paid for an Action Comics No. 1 had been $2 million for a copy sold by Hollywood actor Nicholas Cage in 2011. Ironically, the two teenagers responsible for creating Superman received just 130 dollars when they sold the rights to the superhero to comic book publisher Detective Comics in 1938.
the Superman comic book was placed on eBay on July 14th, .
| A．it attracted no attention at all |
| B．things started to heat up immediately |
| C．the bid price didn’t go up very quickly at first |
| D．people thought it was worth millions of dollars |
What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?
| A．Why the comic book is well-preserved. |
| B．Why the comic book is well worth reading. |
| C．Why the comic book is worth so much money. |
| D．Why the comic book has drawn so much attention. |
When the other collectors got the comic book after the Virginian man, they .
| A．all took very good care of it |
| B．all liked reading it very much |
| C．didn’t believe it was worth a fortune |
| D．all kept it in the same way as that man |
What do we know about the creators of Superman?
| A．They didn’t want to sell the rights to a comic book publisher. |
| B．They knew all along Superman would be the most successful comic book. |
| C．They were professional comic book writers when they created Superman. |
| D．They didn’t make much money from creating Superman. |
Delta College starts Street Fair
San Joaquin Delta College will introduce its new Summer Street Fair, which runs from noon to 8 p. m every Friday stating this week through Aug. 9 in Delta’s L-l parking lot near Pacific Avenue and March Lane. The fair goes with Delta’s weekend flea market.
This week’s featured performers are guitarist Travis Matsumoto from noon to 3 p.m., and Julio and his Jazz Trio from 3 to 6 p.m.
Lode Farmers Market opens
The Angels Camp Certified Farmers Market begins its yearly run from 5 p.m. to dusk this Friday in Utica Park in downtown Angels Camp. Opening night will feature wine tasting from award-winning Four Winds Cellars, and live music by guitarist Nicholas Leffler. Visitors will find fresh, locally grown produce and specialty foods. There will also be barbecue and California-
Mexican fusion cuisine.
Join River Rafting for a good cause
Whitewater enthusiasts can participate in Mokelumne Rive, Rafting Adventures on June 16 in Mokelumne Hill. Local outfitter O.A.R.S. is donating its services to help with the event. Departures are at 8 a.m., noon, or 4 p.m. The trip should last about three hours.
The trip is appropriate for those 7 and older, and the ability to swim is not required. The cost is $ 70 per person.
Films center on paddling water
The festival is an annual contest that awards winning films that focus on paddling in rivers, lakes and oceans in a variety of locales. Tickets to the film festival are $12 in advance and $15 at the door, and are also available online at ticketriver.com/event/7002-reel-paddling-film-festival.
The evening also includes a drawing. Prizes include whitewater trips on the South Fork of the American River.
If you want to go to the Summer Street Fair, .
| A．you must be a student from Delta College |
| B．you can go there on the afternoon of Friday |
| C．you should live near the Pacific Avenue |
| D．you must give a performance in the market |
If you want to enjoy the tasty foods, you can go to____.
| A．the new Summer Street Fair of Delta College |
| B．Lode Farmers Market |
| C．Mokelumne River Rafting Adventures |
| D．the film festival centering on paddling water |
If you are interested in paddling in rivers.
| A．you can know all the American rivers |
| B．you must try hard to get many prizes |
| C．you can get tickets from a website |
| D．you must keep silent in the evening |
You may have experienced the annoyance of being fined because of parking illegally or finding your car towed away(拖走)after leaving it parked somewhere for a couple of minutes．But now a high-tech car sticker that’s designed to be stuck to a car’s windscreen could help motorists avoid such a situation．
The TowStop sticker sends a text message to a driver when touched by a traffic policeman，to allow motorists to send a reply and give them time to move their cars immediately．Frankfurt-based IT consultant，Daniel Kalliontzis，came up with the idea and is raising money to put his €54(￡43) sticker into production．
Car owners can put the sticker inside their car’s windscreen，having set it up with key information，such as their phone number．The slim design will include a sensor(传感器)that，when touched by a traffic policeman，will send a text message warning a driver of a possible fine．The driver could then type a reply for the policeman using a smartphone，which will appear on the sticker’s screen．
The smart sticker system will rely on the good will of traffic policemen and in a way，a German law．The law states：an officer has to choose the most efficient and inexpensive way for the car owner to remove the vehicle．It could be cheaper for the government to call the driver than to tow his car．
Mail Online asked the Department of Transport whether the sticker could be used in the UK in a similar way．A spokesman said，“In England there is no legal duty to warn the motorist before issuing the ticket．However，a policeman does have the discretion not to issue a ticket if he doesn’t think the situation is that bad or he just wants to issue a warning．”
So far，Mr．Kalliontzis has raised just over €3，000(￡2，362)of his €50，000(￡39，381) goal．If he manages to raise the money，the stickers will be shipped in June 2015．But it appears that car owners using the smart system could get some unnecessary warning messages，because anyone could touch the smart sticker．The author wrote the third paragraph to _______________．
| A．explain how a smart car sticker works |
| B．advise drivers to buy a car sticker |
| C．show the importance of a sensor |
| D．tell drivers how to park a car |
We may infer from the text that in Britain _______________．
| A．car owners don’t have to worry about a parking ticket |
| B．smart car stickers wouldn’t work as well as in Germany |
| C．traffic policemen prefer to call a driver rather than tow his car |
| D．the Department of Transport thinks highly of smart car stickers |
The underlined word“discretion” in Paragraph 5 can best be replaced by“____________”．
| A．trouble | B．pressure |
| C．freedom | D．opportunity |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Daniel Kalliontzis — a great inventor |
| B．Environment-friendly car stickers |
| C．Parking systems in Europe |
| D．End of the parking ticket? |
SALT LAKE CITY—The Utah Jazz basketball team signed a 5-year-old．Free-agent player to a one-day contract for a special performance in October．The Utah Jazz has just made his dream come true．The boy has suffered from blood cancer since 2012．
JP Gibson，who was diagnosed with severe blood cancer，signed his contract with Jazz President Randy Rigby before joining the team for the pre-season training play at Utah Jazz’s sport center．JP was joined by his parents，Josh and Megan，and his 2-year-old sister，Elsie．
The activity was hosted by the Jazz and photographer Jon Diaz’s“Anything Can Be”project，which provides support and hope to families like the Gibsons．Jon Diaz asks children with cancer what their dreams and wishes are，and he writes their stories in a book．
JP，wearing a No．1 shirt，even got to play in the play．He passed the ball，and Rudy obert，a player of Utah Jazz，lifted him up so he could dunk(扣篮)and shake hands with some players as fans were cheerful．
“JP loves most sports，but basketball is absolutely his favorite，” Megan Gibson said in a statement released by the Jazz．“When he was just over one year old，he would sit with my husband，Josh，watching games．He started insisting on shooting hoops(投篮)for an hour each night before bedtime when he was just 15 months old．He knows he has to be 6 before he can play Junior Jazz，and he reminds us all the time that he can’t wait until he’s 6．”Utah Jazz signs a 5-year-old JP Gibson just to _____________．
| A．make the team more famous |
| B．realize the dream of JP Gibson |
| C．satisfy the taste of the fans |
| D．promote the“Anything Can Be” project |
“Anything Can Be”project ____________．
| A．raises money to help the development of NBA |
| B．provides support and hope to kids loving basketball |
| C．has kids with cancer write their stories in a book |
| D．offers assistance to those who are in misfortune |
According to the passage，JP Gibson _____________．
| A．will play on Utah Jazz team when he grows up |
| B．can earn much money by signing Utah Jazz |
| C．has been a basketball lover since very young age |
| D．won’t live long due to his severe blood cancer |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
I am a vegetarian（素食主义者）．Many people are quick to think of vegetarianism as strange behavior．I treasure our Earth, and since we only have one, we should protect it and the wildlife that lives on it．But that’s only one of the reasons to be a vegetarian．
Vegetarians may live longer, healthier lives．There is a connection between red meat consumption and various diseases．From an economic standpoint, it requires less land, money and energy to produce foods for a vegetarian diet．While there are many benefits to being a vegetarian, only a handful of those who attempt to adopt this lifestyle succeed．
The most important quality required to be a vegetarian is firmness since surrounded by the temptation of meat, we tend to give up vegetarianism easily．Creativity is almost as important as commitment．It’s easy to tire of eating nothing but salad．But with a little creativity and some soy products, almost any meal can become vegetarian-friendly．
Not everyone wants to be vegetarian．Accepting this is part of being a vegetarian with style．Forcing your beliefs on others is disrespectful．Stylish vegetarians should also be able to turn down a meaty dish politely without annoying their hosts．
Being a successful vegetarian has been easy for me, but it may not be so for others．A common mistake is quitting before your body has adjusted to the change．It can be difficult to keep the lifestyle in the beginning because of temptation．However, it fades over time．Another common mistake is quitting because you’ve been misinformed about the nutritional wisdom of being a vegetarian．That’s why it is vital to be educated．Countless people will tell you that it’s impossible to obtain the nutrients and protein（蛋白质）your body requires without meat, but they are incorrect．People actually need only 44-55 grams of protein a day, and that is easily found in a vegetarian diet．Many meat eaters are consuming three times that amount, which is not beneficial．It leads to diseases．Vegetables can also supply all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs．However, if you’re still not convinced, you can take a multi-vitamin．According to the passage, being a vegetarian helps ______．
| A．protect the wildlife |
| B．free people from diseases |
| C．rid people from strange behaviors |
| D．develop a better economy |
What’s the underlined word temptation in Paragraph 3 closest in meaning to?
| A．Unpleasant taste |
| B．Extreme attraction |
| C．Great consumption |
| D．Significant importance |
Stylish vegetarians do not ______．
| A．force others to be vegetarians |
| B．respect other people’s beliefs |
| C．turn down hosts gracefully |
| D．refuse an offer of meat |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Many people give up before their bodies can adjust to the transition． |
| B．Many people quit because they’re poorly educated about nutrition． |
| C．Consuming 150 grams protein a day can be harmful． |
| D．Vegetarians need multi-vitamins to keep healthy． |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Reasons why the author became a vegetarian． |
| B．Important qualities required to be a vegetarian． |
| C．Advantages and disadvantages of being a vegetarian． |
| D．Common mistakes on the way to being a vegetarian． |
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