Have you ever thought about seeing the world for free? Although it may sound impossible, there’s a growing community that is making that dream one step closer.
The community is called Couchsurfing. The idea is that people open their homes up to travelers for free, and in exchange both people will learn from each other.
Instead of paying a lot of money staying in hotels, living with locals is both cheap and authentic(正宗的). Maybe you’ll find a hidden attraction in the city. It may be a good place where people like to visit. This is also your chance to ask what life in their country is really like.
It also works as a culture exchange. For example，if you play the guitar and your host is a great cook, teach him or her how to play to say thank you for the dinner. This type of exchange is popular.
But what are some manners of being a good Couchsurfer? First, be careful about cultural taboos(禁忌). For example, if you eat with Indians, never use your left hand. In Indian culture, left hands are used for the toilet. Also, when you are going to leave, it’s a good idea to prepare a small gift. This shows your appreciation to the home owner.
Now, are you ready to travel like a local? Where will you surf first?
1.According to the passage, what’s the Couchsurfing?
A. A travel way to offer the travelers their homes for free.
B. Offer food to the travelers for free.
C. Show some places of interest for free.
D. Take the travelers to some places in the city for free.
2. What does the underlined word “appreciation ” mean?
A. 客气 B. 准备 C. 感激 D. 欣赏
3.What should we do if we eat with Indians?
A. Don’t eat with the right hand.
B. Don’t eat with the left hand.
C. Eat with two hands.
D. Don’t eat with hands.
4.What’s the main idea of the passage?
A. Hidden city.
B. Surfing on the Internet.
C. A community in the city.
D. A cheap way to travel and manners.
Not only a popular singer was Yao Beina, but also she was an energetic and warm-hearted angel. She had her corneas (眼角膜) donated to two men who needed them, which helped them see the world clearly again.
Yao was born in a music family on Sept. 26, 1981 in Wuhan. She started to learn the piano at the age of 4, and she sang her first song on the stage when she was 9 years old. Yao did quite well in singing, so she took part in the thirteenth Youth Singing Competition and won the first prize.
She became well-known to the public after making a series of songs for the hit TV drama “The Legend of Zhenhuan” in 2012, and the mandarin version (中文版本) of “Let It Go” from Disney’s “Frozen”. In July 2013, she competed in The Voice of China II and finally got the second place in Na Ying’s team. She had won a lot of music awards before she was famous.
Yao Beina was unfortunate to be diagnosed（诊断）with breast cancer (乳腺癌) and had a successful operation in 2011. Since then, she has fought against the disease for about four years while keeping singing, but sadly she failed. She originally thought of donating all of her organs (器官) to save others’ lives, but failed to do it because of her serious illness.
She’s gone, even though she had never stopped struggling with cancer. Heaven just got another beautiful angel, with her beautiful voice and kindness.
1.Yao Beina had her __________ donated to save others.
A. two corneas B. all organs
C. heart D. kidney
2. How old was Yao Beina when she started to sing for people?
A. Four. B. Nine. C. Thirteen. D. Thirty.
3.Which is TRUE about Yao Beina according to the passage?
A. She started to play the piano at the age of 5.
B. She had great voice and won a lot of awards in music.
C. She was a weak and selfish girl.
D. She won over the breast cancer in the end.
4.What’s the passage mainly about?
A. Yao Beina’s family.
B. Yao Beina’s disease.
C. Yao Beina’s teacher.
D. Yao Beina’s art achievements.
In almost every big university in the USA, football is a favorite sport. American football is not like soccer. Players sometimes kick the ball, but they also throw the ball and run with it. They try to take it to the other end of the field. They have four chances to move the ball ten yards. They can carry it or throw it, If they move it to the end of the filed, they receive six points. This is called a touch down.
It is hard to move the ball. Eleven men in the team try to stop the man who has the ball. If the man does not move the ball ten yards, his team kicks the ball to the other team.
Each university wants its team to win. Thousands of people come to watch. They all yell for their favorite team. Young men and women called cheerleaders come on the field to help the people yell more. They dance and jump while they yell.
Each team plays ten or eleven games each season. The season begins in September and ends in November. If a team is very good, it may play another game after the season ends. The best teams play again on January 1, the first day of the New Year. Many people go to see these games and many others watch them on TV.
1.In America, football players can _______.
A.only kick the ball
B. only throw the ball
C. kick, throw and carry the ball
D. do anything they like
2. If a team wants to get points , it has to move the ball _____.
A. 10 yards B. to the other end
C. away from its own end D. to the other team
3.Most teams begin to play games in _______.
A. September B. October
C. November D. each season
"The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence." That's an old in English. It means other places often look better, more interesting than the place you live. Some people worry young Chinese are beginning to feel that way. They see young Chinese ignoring 忽视Chinese culture and, instead, Japanese cartoon books, watching Korean soap operas and even celebrating western holidays.
Foreign books and soap operas are good, Chinese writers and actors are just as good. As for holidays, Christmas is nice, but it can have the meaning for Chinese that Spring Festival has, and the West has nothing to compare with Mid-autumn Festival. And let's not forget the part of Chinese culture I like best: friendliness. Not all countries are as as China.
It's good to enjoy other cultures and to learn them, but they cannot replace your own culture. It's good to look on the other side of the fence, but you take a good long look. You will find that the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence.
1.A. saying B. words C. voice D. talk
2.A. why B. when C. where D. how
3.A. if B. that C. what D. whether
4.A. buy B. refusing C. refused D. buying
5.A. but B. so C. or D. because
6.A. always B. ever C. still D. never
7.A. it B. they C. its D. their
8.A. warmer B. warm C. co1d D. colder
9.A. from B. with C. to D. over
10.A. make up B. make sure C. make up of D. be sure to
On April 20th, a big earthquake happened in Ya'an, Sichuan. Many buildings were .Many people lost their relatives and their homes. A lot of people were injured, about 200 people died. All the Chinese people felt very sad. But, , love is around us. Thousands of soldiers arrived there as quickly as they could. Many people gave them a hand. Lots of people volunteered to help them. Some raised money for them, some bought something for them, some went there the sad children up.
I'm deeply moved by these people. As a middle school student, what I can do is my pocket money to the quake –stricken area. I have also made some beautiful cards with some encouraging words help to cheer up the kids who are of the same age as we are. I’m sure no difficulty will beat us!
1.A. destroyed B. discovered C. fallen D. found
2.A. fortunate B. fortunately C. unluckily D. lucky
3.A. cheer B. to cheer up C. to cheering up D. to cheer
4.A. to donate B. donate C. to be given away D. give away
5.A. in order that B. so that C. in order to D. such that
—Is your headache getting _______?
—No, it’s worse.
A. better B. bad C. less D. well
