Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived there, I walked to the door and knocked, “Just a minute,” answered a weak, elderly voice.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase.
When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.
“Oh, I’m in no hurry,” she said. “I’m on my way to a hospice(临终医院). I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.”
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter(计价器).
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
Sometimes she’d ask me to slow down in front of a special building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
In the early morning, she suddenly said,” I’m tired. Let’s go now.”
We drove in silence to the address she had given me.
“How much do I pay you?” she asked.
“Nothing.” I said.
“You have to make a living,” she answered. “Oh, there are other passengers,” I answered.
Almost without thinking, I gave her a hug(拥抱). She held on me and said, “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”
| A．show she was familiar with the city |
| B．see some places for the last time |
| C．let the driver earn more money |
| D．reach the destination on time |
| A．wanted to give her a hand |
| B．shut off the meter by mistake |
| C．had received her payment already |
| D．was in a hurry to take other passengers |
| A．No pains, no gains. |
| B．People should respect(尊重) each other. |
| C．An act of kindness can bring people great joy. |
| D．People should learn to enjoy our life. |
Everybody is afraid of something. That’s what more than 1,700 kids told us when we asked them about fears and scary stuff. We gave kids a list of 14 scary things and asked which one frightened them most. Here are the top 5 answers from our survey: ①Scary movies and TV shows; ②Scary dreams; ③Thunderstorms, hurricanes, and other terrible weather; ④War and terrorism*; ⑤Sounds heard at night.
It seems that not everyone is afraid of the same thing. What makes one person scared can be of no big deal for someone else. Plenty of kids said their biggest fear wasn’t on our list.
What is fear?
Fear is a feeling that everyone has — it’s programmed into all of us — and that’s a good thing because fear is there to protect us. We’re born with a sense of fear so we can react to something that could be dangerous. The baby cries, and their mom comes over to comfort him or her, helping the baby feel safe and OK again.
Real vs. Pretend
The best way to get over a fear is to get more information about it. As kids get older, they understand more and start seeing the difference between what is real and unreal. So when William’s imagination leads him to think of witches, he can tell himself, “Wait a minute. They’re only pretend things. I don’t need to worry about them.”
The same goes for the dark. A kid’s imagination can start playing tricks when the lights go out. What’s under my bed? Is that a thief I hear? With the help of a parent, kids can get more comfortable in the dark. Using a nightlight or shining a flashlight under the bed to see that there’s nothing there can help kids fight that fear.
Which of the following can’t help a kid fight the fear of dark?
| A．Using imaginations to think of witches. |
| B．Their parents coming over to comfort them. |
| C．Using a nightlight to see there’s nothing under the bed. |
| D．Shining a flashlight to see there’s nothing under the bed. |
What does the underlined word “pretend” in paragraph 4 mean?
| A．Ugly. | B．Usual. |
| C．Unreal. | D．Lovely |
What is the second paragraph of the passage mainly about?
| A．Fourteen scary things kids list. |
| B．People are afraid of different things. |
| C．The biggest fear for kids are always the same. |
| D．The things frighten people are the same as the survey. |
Which is TRUE about the writer’s opinion?
| A．Having a sense of fear is not a bad thing. |
| B．Nothing can help kids to get over a fear. |
| C．Fear is something we get when we are older. |
| D．Not all people can react to dangerous things. |
Why are black cats bad?
November 17 is an important day for black cats in Italy. An animal rights group has named that day “Black Cat Day” to stop the killing of thousands of the cats. Why do people the animal so much? It is because people believe black cats bring bad luck if they walk across your path.
The black cat is just one of the of superstition(迷信）.You may already know that Western people don’t like the number 13. They also believe that walking under a ladder, opening an umbrella indoors and a mirror can also bring bad luck.
According to Andrew Macaskill, who works for Times , British people believe it is to see one magpie(喜鹊). But two bring good luck. “In Britain, people like to have a horseshoes over the door. They believe it can bring good luck,” Macaskill said. “But the horseshoe needs to be the right way up. The luck if it is upside down.”
In the US, people usually spit on a new baseball bat before using it for the first time. They think this can bring good luck. Also, it is believed that good spirits live in trees. So by knocking on anything made from wood, people can call upon those spirits for protection against misfortune. People in the US also believe there are evil（邪恶的） spirits in blooms（扫帚）. So lean a broom against a bed. The evil spirits will cast a spell on the bed.
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June 11,2013 was another big day for Chinese space exploration. Shenzhou X, China’s fifth manned spacecraft, was sent into space. Three astronauts, Nie Haisheng, 49, Zhang Xiaoguang, 47, and Wang Yaping, 33, stayed in space for 15 days.
Tiangong-1 is China’s first space module(舱). It was sent into space in 2011. It will be developed into a large space station around 2020. A space station is a lab for scientific studies.Shenzhou X performed its first docking（对接）with Tangong-1 on June 13. It docked twice during the 15 days.
The US, Russia, Japan, Canada and Europe are working together on the International Space Station (ISS).China wanted to join the ISS but was refused by the US. China decided to build its own space station.
Shenzhou X flew around the Tianggong-1 lab for the first time. This was to make sure that spacecraft could dock from more than just one direction. The astronauts carried out repair work and did experiments on the Tiangong-1.
Teaching from space
Wang Yaping, China’s second woman astronaut, taught high school and primary school students about space science. Wang talked about how things move in a micro-gravity(微重量)environment. This helped the students better understand some physics ideas, like Newton’s Law. The lessons aimed to encourage more students to learn about the universe and science.
Life up in space
The three astronauts followed a work and rest schedule（作息时间）that is similar on the Earth. They had Chinese dishes, such as Kung Pao Chicken and fried rice. The food was kept in special bags. At the time of the Dragon Boat Festival, they had Zongzi. Shenzhou X, China’s fifth manned spacecraft was sent into space _______.
| A．on June 11, 2013 | B．on June 13, 2013 |
| C．on June 11, 2011 | D．on June 13, 2011 |
Among the three astronauts Nie Haisheng is _______.
| A．the youngest | B．the oldest |
| C．the tallest | D．the strongest |
Tiangong-1 is _______ which was sent into space in 2011.
| A．a space station | B．a manned spacecraft |
| C．a space module | D．a space lab |
China decided to build its own space station because________.
| A．China was very rich |
| B．the US refused China to join the ISS |
| C．Chinese scientists wanted to do experiment in space |
| D．the astronauts wanted to stay there |
Wang Yaping taught the lesson to encourage students to________.
| A．become the next Newton |
| B．experience micro-gravity |
| C．learn more about the universe and science |
| D．know more about the life of astronauts |
From the last paragraph, we can learn that the three astronauts _______.
| A．had a different time schedule in space |
| B．cooked Chinese food for dinner |
| C．celebrated Dragon Boat Festival by having Zongzi |
| D．slept in special sleeping bags |
There was a lovely vegetable patch (菜园). A large tree grew there. Both the patch and the tree gave the place a wonderful look, and they were the pride of the gardener. But no one knew that the vegetables and the tree couldn’t stand each other. The vegetables hated the tree’s shadow (阴影), because it left them only just enough light to live. The tree, on the other hand, hated the vegetables because they drank nearly all the water, leaving him just enough to live.
The situation became so serious that the vegetables decided to use up all the water in the ground so that the tree would die. The tree answered back by not protecting the vegetables from the hot sun, so they began to dry up. Soon the vegetables were really weak, and the tree was drying up.
The gardener wondered why and stopped watering them. When he did that, both the tree and the vegetables realized that it was better to help each other. They learned how to live in harmony with those around them. So they decided to work together, using both the shade and the water to grow well. After seeing how well they were doing, the gardener gave the best care to his vegetable patch, watering and fertilizing (施肥) it better than any other patch for miles around.
根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并在答题卡上按要求作答。Why didn’t the vegetables and the tree get on well with each other?
| A．Because the vegetables wanted more light. |
| B．Because the tree drank almost all the water. |
| C．Because the vegetables weren’t the pride of the gardener. |
| D．Because the vegetables didn’t look as wonderful as the tree. |
From the passage we know .
| A．The vegetables were sorry to see the tree drying up |
| B．The gardener was very angry with the vegetables and the tree |
| C．The gardener didn’t know what was happening in the patch at first |
| D．The tree didn’t know how important the sun was to the vegetables |
The underlined phrase “in harmony” means “ ” in Chinese..
| A．长久地 | B．小心地 |
| C．有效地 | D．和谐地 |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．The tree and the vegetables. | B．The tree and the patch. |
| C．The gardener and his patch. | D．Sunlight and water. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．We should take good care of trees and vegetables. |
| B．One can live alone without any help. |
| C．We should get on well with others around us. |
| D．Both trees and vegetables harmed each other. |
A French-language daily in Belgium has issued(出版) what is thought to be Europe’s first 3D newspaper. But you must read it with a pair of special glasses.
All the photos and ads in La Derniere Heure’s (DH) special edition(版) were given a three-dimensional effect(3D效果), but the text remained the same.
DH’s editor said there were no further 3D plans because of the costs.
Reviewers in France spoke highly of the paper, but they said the overall result was “far from perfect”.
Editor Hubert Leclercq said it took two months to get ready for the special edition, which had a higher than normal print run of 115,000 copies for the stores selling newspapers.
“We hear about 3D cinema, television and video games, so we took up the challenge,” Mr. Leclercq told the AFP news agency.
According to PC World’s French edition, readers could get the best results by holding the paper 50cm from the eyes in a well-lit area.
“It takes a few minutes to get used to pictures in 3D,” it said, noting the limited quality of the viewing lenses(镜片).
It’s said some of the images - especially the ads - had a good 3D effect, but that other pictures were not clear or difficult to look at.
The Europe’s first 3D newspaper was from .
A. Belgium B. France C. Germany in La Derniere Heure’s (DH) special edition had a three-dimensional effect.
A. All the pictures and the text
B. All the ads and the text
C. All the pictures and adsFrom the forth paragraph, we know that .
A. the 3D newspaper is very good
B. they should improve the 3D newspaper
C. they should stop issuing the 3D newspaperThe underlined word “well-lit” in Paragraph 7 means in Chinese.
A. 照明条件好的
B. 火燃烧得好的
C.光线良好的Which of the following is right?
| A．It took two months to get ready for the 3D newspaper. | |
| B．It will take you a few minutes to read the pictures in 3 | C． |
| D．All the images had a good 3D effect. |
One day, a person who was famous growing the wonderful apple trees gave a farmer a young
tree and told him how to plant it. The farmer was pleased with the gift,
he was afraid that if he
the tree near the road, strangers would take the fruit. If he planted the tree in the field, his neighbors would
some of the apples. If he planted the tree near his house, his children would take the fruit.
he planted the tree in his wood. Without sunlight and good soil, the tree soon
.
Later the friend asked the farmer he had planted the tree in such a poor place. “What’s the difference?” the farmer said loudly and then told what he had thought.
“Yes,” said the friend, “but at someone could have enjoyed the fruit. Now you destroyed a good apple
!”
Dear Liz，
My stay in Thailand has certainly been the experience of my life．
Life is busy and exciting．Bangkok is just like any other big city with a population of 10 million and heavy traffic．I'm very lucky because my host family is in a nice quiet area outside the city．There are Mr. and Mrs. Phairat, their son Sanan, who is 18, the daughter Chinda, who is 16, and Grandpa and Grandma．
I go to an international school with Sanan and Chinda．The school teaches about 70 percent in English，and 30 percent in Thai. I've learned some spoken language，but Thai writing is very difficult．The cooking lesson is my favourite．I'm learning all about Thai food and culture People don’t use chopsticks here，but spoons and forks． When I come back，I'm going to cook you a real Thai meal．
Last weekend we visited some temples．We also drove to Pattaya beach near Bangkok．I thought it was great，but Sanan and Chinda say that next month they’re taking me to Phuket Island，where the beaches are even more beautiful．The month after next，we’re going to travel to Mr．Phairat，s hometown in the north of Thailand．The Phairats own land there，and they have two elephants．I’m going to ride those elephants — and even wash them．Sanan and Chinda say it’s really fun．
I'm amazed by everything in this country，especially by the elephants．Elephants are an important pan of Thai culture and way of life．They have been a traditional symbol(象征)of Thailand for many years in times of war and peace．In the seventh century，a Thai king trained 20，000 elephants for battle．
I’ll tell you all about my Thai boxing(拳击)lessons next time I write．
Love,
MandyHow many family members are there in Mandy’s host family?
| A．4 | B．5 |
| C．6 | D． |
Mandy writes in her e-mail that the__________ lesson is her favourite．
| A．Thai speaking | B．boxing |
| C．Thai writing | D．cooking |
Next month，Mandy is going to visit__________．
| A．Pattaya beach | B．PhuketIsland |
| C．Phairat’s hometown | D．Bangkok |
According to the e-mail，__________has been a symbol of Thailand for many years.
What is the possible subject of the e-mail?
| A．Study trip in Thai land |
| B．Food culture inThailand |
| C．Elephant riding inThailand |
| D．International schools inThailand |
阅读与回答问题（5小题， 每题2分，共10分）
Do you feel lonely when your best friend isn’t around? Of course, yes. Here’s our advice to you—and to all kids who feel lonely sometimes.
You may feel lonely at break or lunchtime when a best friend isn’t around—maybe because he or she moved to a different school or a different class. You want to have new friends, but how do you make them? Maybe it seems everybody else already has his or her friends. But remember, there’s always room for more friends.
Start by looking around your classroom—think about which kids you’d like to play with at break. Look for chances to say hi to them, smile, and be friendly. Offer to share something or express your appreciation (欣赏) to them. Invite someone to play with you or say, “Do you want to sit here?” in the lunchroom. When you’re at break, walk over to kids you want to play with, act friendly, and say “Hi, can I play, too?” or just join in.
If you have trouble doing this or if you’re feeling shy, ask your teacher to help you make new friends. Teachers are usually pretty good at matching up friends. The best way to make friends is to be a friend. Be kind, be friendly, share, say nice things, offer to help ---and pretty soon, you’ll have one, or two, or even more new friends.
You might still miss that special best friend. But when you see each other, you can share something you didn’t have before he or she left. You can introduce him or her to your new friends! How do you feel when your best friend isn’t around you according to the passage?
Why do some kids feel lonely at break according to the writer?
What is the best way to make friends according to the writer?
Why do some kids need help from teachers to make friends according to the writer?
What should you do if you want to make more friends? (请自拟一句话作答)
Microblogging(微博) is sweeping across the world. You Can express your ideas on any topic on it. Of course, you might also make comments(评论) on others’ microblogs.
The following is Tony’s microblog at Enviroboard and its comments.
Subject: Eco-Friendly Transportation
Saturday 9th June 8:05 am
Hi everyone! My name’s Tony. I’m doing a project about greener ways to travel. I want to know if anyone has any good ideas. Thanks for your help!
Comments [4]
I think people should do more things online from home. Why pollute the air by driving your car to the supermarket, when you can order your weekly shopping on the Internet—You can also book holidays as well.
Posted by Billy on June 1lth 7:36 am
I try to use public transportation whenever I can. I take the bus to college and walk home. When my mum wants to give me a lift, I always refuse, as I can get there quickly by bus. Also the buses in my town are electric so they are environmentally friendly!
Posted by Carol on. June 12th 10:35 am 
Why not use two wheels? Any motorcycle will use less fuel (燃料)than an a car. You don’t get caught in traffic jams either. But in my opinion, the best thing is a bicycle. They don't produce any pollution and help you to keep fit at the same time.
Posted by Daz on .lune 12th 16:00 pm
I can’t get to my university by bus or train. So I found three other girls who live nearby to have a car share with. And now we take it in turns to drive every day. I have cut down the costs —and most importantly, —I am helping the environment!
Posted by Angela on June 15th 9:36pmBilly thinks that we can make less air pollution by .
| A．doing things online at home | B．driving cars to shopping centers |
| C．taking buses to the supermarkets | D．taking holidays around the world |
Buses in Carol’s town are environmentally friendly because .
| A．they use fuel | B．they are cheap |
| C．they are electric | D．lifts are free |
Daz thinks riding bicycles ______.
| A．will help us save more fuel | B．will get caught in traffic jams, too |
| C．can be very clean and help keep fit | D．will save us some time |
Angela goes to school by car sharing because ________.
| A．she doesn’t like buses | B．she wants to help the environment |
| C．she wants to go to school quickly | D．she mainly wants to save cost |
Tony wrote the message on his microblog to________.
| A．get some good ideas on making net pals |
| B．get some tips on travelling to the places with green trees |
| C．use microblog to go shopping |
| D．ask for some advice on cutting down pollution while travelling |
Are you sometimes a little tired and sleepy in the early afternoon? Many people feel this way after lunch. They may think that eating lunch is the cause of the sleepiness. Or, in summer, they may think it is the heat. However, the real reason lies in their bodies. At that time---about eight hours after you wake up, your body temperature goes down. This is what makes slow down and feel sleepy. Scientists have tested sleep habits in experiments where there was no night or day. The people in experiments almost always followed a similar sleeping pattern(模式). They slept for one long period and then for one short period about eight hours later.
In many parts of the world, people take naps(小睡) in the middle of the day. This is especially true in warmer climates, where the heat makes work difficult in the early afternoon. Researchers are now saying that _____________ are good for everyone in any climate. A daily nap gives one a more rested body and mind and therefore is good for health in general. In countries where naps are traditional, people often suffer less from heart disease.
Many working people, unluckily, have no time to take naps. Though doctors may advise taking naps, employers(雇主们) do not allow it! If you do have the chance, however, here are a few tips about making use of your nap. Remember that the best time to take a nap is about eight hours after you get up. A short sleep too late in the day may only make you feel more tired and sleepy afterward. This can also happen if you sleep too long. If you do not have enough time, try a short nap--- even ten minutes sleep can be helpful.
___________________________________________________________________________
Researchers are now saying that _____________ are good for everyone in any climate.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Steven Jobs, the designer(设计者) of Apple Computer, was not clever when he was in school. At that time, he was not a good student and he always made troubles with his schoolmates. When he went into college , he didn’t change a lot. Then he dropped out. But he was full of new ideas.
After he left college, Steven Jobs worked as a video game designer. He worked there for only several months and then he went to India. He hoped that the trip would give him some new ideas and give him a change in life.
Steven Jobs lived on a farm in California for a year after he returned from India.
In 1975, he began to make a new type of computer. He designed the Apple Computer with his friend in his garage(汽车库). He chose the name “Apple” just because it could help him to remember a happy summer he once spent in an apple tree garden.
His Apple Computer was such a great success that Steven Jobs soon became famous all over the world.．Steven Jobs was not a good student in school because he __________.
A. never did his lessons
B. was full of new ideas
C. always made troubles with his schoolmates．The underlined words “dropped out’’ mean “__________” in Chinese.
A. 退学 B. 争吵 C.迟到．Steven Jobs designed his new computer __________.
A. in India B. with his friend C. in an apple tree garden．Steven Jobs was famous for his __________ all over the world.
A. new ideas B. Apple Computer C. video games．From this passage we know __________.
A. Steven Jobs didn’t finish his studies in the college because he hated his schoolmates
B. Steven Jobs liked traveling in India and California
C. Steven Jobs liked trying new things and making new ideas become true
我市是一个海滨旅游城市，每年夏天接待大量的外国游客。学校学生会决定招聘部分志愿者在暑假期间为外国游客服务。
假若你是李华(16岁，九年级十一班），希望参加这次志愿活动，既帮助别人，锻炼自己，又能提高自己的英语能力。
请根据所给提示，用英文回复下面的招聘启事。
注意内容 1.包括应聘的条件、目的及打算； 2.不要出现你的真实姓名和学校名称；
3.邮件开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数； 4.词数:80左右。
Volunteers Wanted
Serving for the foreign visitors during the summer vacation.
Outgoing; Excellent spoken English ；Know about some western culture Those who are interested in this activity, please send your email to studentunion@ 163. com before June 14th, 2014 for an applying.
Student Union
Dear Sir/Madam，
I am interested in becoming one of the volunteers.
I'm looking forward to your early reply.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
小明班级将要出一期“低碳生活”为主题的英语板报，请小明写一份“低碳生活”的倡议书，倡议同学们加入低碳一族。要点如下：
1、节约用水、用电、用纸；
2、去超市自备购物袋；
3、不要购买不必要的衣服；
4、步行或骑自行车上学；
5、……
要求：(1)中心突出，语义连贯，层次清晰，书写规范；
(2)词数在80词左右，开头已给出，不计入总词数；
参考词汇：
低碳low-carbon; 一次性的one-off
With the global warming getting worse, more people choose to live a low-carbon life for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gases.
Let’s take actions and be a low-carbon people!
It is well-known that everyone has his own dream as well as his own future. But do you know what future really is? I have to say that future is now. That is to say, we must treasure every minute now. If we want to have a bright future, we should know how important time is and use it well.
There is an old English saying: “Gain time, gain life.” Then what’s time? Time is something that we can’t see or touch, but we can feel it passing by. Time is always with us. When we are at table, time passes; when we play, time goes by unnoticeable. We always say “Time is money,” but time is even more precious than money, because when money is spent, we can earn it back. But if time is gone, it well never return. So some of us even say time is priceless.
We should always remember: Future is now. For us students, we should try our best to work hard in order to create a great future of our own. We should make the best use of every hour and be the master of today. We should do everything before us as well as possible. And never put off what can be done today till tomorrow.
As we all know, “Time and tide wait for no man.” If you waste today, you will regret tomorrow. So from now on, work hard. Tomorrow will be better, and your future will be brighter. Remember: “No pains, no gains.” Today’s hard work is the cause of tomorrow’s harvest.
根据文章内容，补全下面句子，每空一词。If we want to have a bright future, we should know the _____ of time and make every minute useful.
Time is money, but time is even more ______ than money.
When money is _____, we can earn it back.
Time is priceless. _____ time will return no more.
As students, we should never put off what can be done today till tomorrow and we should try our _____ to do everything well.
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