It was a Sunday and the heavy storm had lasted all night. The morning after the storm, though, was beautiful: blue skies, warm air and a calm, inviting sea touching the shore gently.
My father realized it was a good day for fishing and invited my sister and me to go with him. I was only 14 and fishing had never been my thing, but I decided to go all the same. I ’m so glad I did.
On the road to the harbour we could see the terrible destruction on the coast, but the harbour itself was in fairly good shape. After all, it was protected by the arms of a bay that only one tiny channel to the sea. As we got on board, we noticed two big humps(里脊）in the distance.
On approaching them, we saw it was a mother whale with her baby. We couldn’t believe it---there aren’t any whales along the coast here. The storm must have driven them across the ocean into the bay, in which the still water was so badly polluted that nothing could survive.
The little baby whale--- actually as big as our boat-- was obviously stuck and could not move. The mother dived under the water and camp up suddenly, making big whirlpools(旋涡）and waves. “ she’s trying to help her baby, but on the wrong side,” my father said. At this point , my father moved our boat in a semicircle to the other side and, heading the boat towards the baby whale, pushed it gently. With our several gentle pushes the big hump turned over and disappeared under water. Then it swam up right beside its mum. They struggled in their desperate attempts to escape but missed the exit and started heading in the wrong direction. We hurried up to the whales and tried to lead them towards the bay channel. Slowly, they let us lead them, sometimes rising from the water right beside us to breathe---and to give us a trusting look with those huge eyes. Once they hit their first part of clean water flowing straight from the sea, the mum gave us a wave with her tail and off they swam into the distance.
In the excitement it had felt like only a few minutes, but we had been with those wonderful animals for almost an hour and a half. That was the simple and lasting beauty of the day. Nearly four decades later, I still look back fondly to that golden day at sea.
1.The author says “ I’m so glad I did”(in Para.2) because_________
A. he witnessed the whole process of fishing
B. he enjoyed the beauty of the calm sea
C. he spent the weekend with his family
D. he experienced the rescue of the whales
2. The harbour survived the storm owing to____________
A. the shape of the harbour
B. the arms of the bay
C. the still water in the channel
D. the long coast line
3. The mother whale failed to help her baby because___________
A. she had stayed in the polluted water for too long.
B. the whirlpools she had made were no big enough.
C. the waves pushed her baby in the wrong direction.
D. she had no other whales around to turn to for help
4.What is the theme of the story?
A. Fishing provides excitement for children.
B. It’s necessary to live in harmony with animals.
C. It’s vital to protect the environment.
D. Saving lives brings people a sense of happiness.
The flag, the most common symbol of a nation in the modern world, is also one of the most ancient. With a clear symbolic meaning, the flag in the traditional form is still used today to mark building, ships and other vehicles related to a country.
The national flag as we know it today is in no way a primitive artifact. It is , rather, the product of thousands of years’ development. Historians believe that it had two major ancestors, of which the earlier served to show wind direction.
Early human beings used very fragile houses and boats. Often strong winds would tear roofs from houses or cause high waves that endangered travelers. People’s food supplies were similarly vulnerable (易受损害的). Even after they had learned how to plant grains, they still needed help from nature to ensure good harvests. Therefore they feared and depended on the power of the wind, which could bring warmth from one direction and cold from another.
Using a simple piece of cloth tied to the top of a post to tell the direction of the wind was more dependable than earlier methods, such as watching the rising of smoke from a fire. The connection of the flag with heavenly power was therefore reasonable. Early human societies began to fix long pieces of cloth to the tops of totems (图腾)before carrying them into battle. They believed that the power of the wind would be added to the good wishes of the gods and ancestors represented by the totems themselves.
These flags developed very slowly into modern flags. The first known flag of a nation or a ruler was unmarked: The king of China around 1008 B.C. was known to have a white flag carried ahead of him. This practice might have been learned from Egyptians even further in the past, but it was from China that it spread over trade routes through India, then across Arab lands, and finally to Europe, where it met up with the other ancestor of the national flag.
1.The best title for the passage would be_________________
A. Uses of Flags B. Power of the National Flag
C. Type of Flags D. Development of the National Flag
2.The earliest flags were connected with heavenly power because_____________
A. they could tell wind direction
B. they could bring good luck to fighters
C. they were believed to stand for natural forces.
D. they were handed down by the ancestors
3.What does the author know of the first national flag?
A. He knows when it was sent to Europe.
B. He believes it was made in Egypt.
C. He doubts where it started
D. He thinks it came from China.
4. What will the author most probably talk about next?
A. The second ancestor of the national flag.
B. The role of China in the spread of the national flag.
C. The use of modern flags in Europe.
D. The importance of modern flags.
Have you got any wonderful plans for your coming winter vacation? Here are some wonderful films for you to kill time.
Away We Go
Verona De Tessant (Maya Rudolph) and Burt Farlander (John Krasinski) are in their early thirties and struggling to meet daily needs and build fulfilling lives as an artist and a salesman.
When they learn they will soon become parents, they are faced with the challenge of how and where to raise a child and build a happy family. With a baby on his way, the young couple, look at their lives and are puzzled about what they really want.
Another Happy Day
Lynn was married to Pual, but they broke up and Lynn took their daughter Alice while Paul got their son Dylan.
Years later, now Dylan is getting married, and Lynn is attending the wedding, with her younger son Elliot and Ben. Elliot is a drug addict and Ben keeps everything to himself. Dylan hasn’t spoken to Lynn in years, and Lynn is fearful of Pual and his wife Patty. At last, all this has put Lynn in a depressed situation, and she’s not sure just how she’s going to get through the day.
La Vita e bella
Also named as Life is Beautiful, the film is a black comedy and also a best medicine that heals the scar left by war. This movie has some kind of characteristics as natural and active. On the 7th Oscar Award Ceremony , the movie won three great awards.
It is not a sad movie from the very beginning , but when the father uses a great way to hide his murder from his son, all people are impressed by this moving deed. Under the protection of the father, the son has lived a happy life.
The Shawshank Redemption
The film is an American film directed by Frank Darabont and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. The film tells the story of Andy, a banker who spends nearly two decades in Shawshank State Prison for the murder of his wife and his wife’s lover despite his claims of innocence. There he makes friends with Red. Andy manages to escape from the prison by digging a tunnel with the rock hammer over the years. When Red is later released , he remembers Andy’s advice. He then visits the place Andy mentions before he escapes. There, he finds money and a note left by Andy, telling him to get to Zihuatanejo.
1.This passage aims to _______________
A. make comments on films for a cinema
B. recommend several films for fun
C. introduce films for a film corporation
D. advertise several films for a website
2. Which film might best help a newly married couple to figure out their new roles in future life?
A. La Vita e bella B. Another Happy Day
C. Away We Go D. The Shawshank Redemption.
3.What is the ending of The Shawshank Redemption?
A. Andy killed his wife and his wife’s lover.
B. Andy became famous for helping Red.
C. Red felt cheated by Andy in a way.
D. Red and Andy got reunited happily.
While there has been public debate about whether running is good for your health for a long time, experts agree that running has more benefits than the costs. Some people are concerned that the pressure on your knees and ankles can be detrimental. While this can be true, there are many things that you can do to reduce your risk of injury.
You should always go to a doctor for advice before you begin any type of exercise program. Then, a good pair of running shoes can be helpful as your feet hit the ground. They will help protect your ankles by providing stability to your feet. So it is good idea to visit a specialty(专业) running shoe store. The staff there can suggest shoes which are ideal for your running style.
In order to learn the proper form, you may get some advice from a friend who has been running for some time, or even join a running club. They can provide good tips as well as some support and encouragement for you.
Lastly, it is important to start out slowly. When it comes to getting in shape and losing weight , short bursts of speed followed by periods of slower movement would be proper. Aim for around 30 minutes of exercise a few days a week. As you get better, you can increase your speed. Always allow your body to rest in between heavy exercise as your muscles need time to bring energy back.
Follow these instructions and your running experience will be a great one!
1.In the expert’s opinion,______________________.
A. running is good for your health as well as your mind.
B. you should buy running shoes in an expensive store.
C. running has more advantages than disadvantages for you.
D. you should go to the doctor if you have a running injury
2.The underlines word “ detrimental” in Paragraph 1 probably means___
A. harmful B. useful C. expensive D. rare
3.If you take up running, you should___________________
A. worry about the pressure on your knees and ankles
B. ask the shopkeeper for a pair of running shoes
C. take advice from friends whom you will start running with
D. join a running club so that you can get encouragement
4.What can we infer from the passage?
A. More and more people have become interested in running.
B. Good running methods can reduce the risk of injury.
C. It’s better to run as far as possible to lose weight.
D. The instructions in the passage are given by a famous doctor.
England was one of the first countries to set aside a day to recognize mothers．In the eighteenth century, many people worked as household servants for the , "Mothering Sunday" was _ for them to return home to be with their mothers．Though this stopped when the Industrial Revolution altered the working and living patterns of people, one for mothers was established as a holiday in the twentieth century．
In the United States, Mother's Day did not become a（n） holiday until 1915．Its establishment was due to the perseverance and love of one , Anna Jarvis．Anna's mother had provided strength and support as the family their home in West Virginia and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania her father served as a minister．
When Mrs Jarvis died on May 5, 1905, Anna was determined to her．She asked a minister at the church in West Virginia to give a sermon（布道） memory of her mother．
On the same Sunday in Philadelphia, ministers there honoured Mrs.Jarvis and all mothers with a (n) Mother's Day service．Anna Jarvis began writing to congressmen, asking them to a day to honour mothers. In 1910, the governor of West Virginia proclaimed(宣布) the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day and a year later every state it．
On Mother' s Day morning some American children the tradition of serving their mothers breakfast in bed．Other children will give their mothers which they have made themselves or bought in ．Adults give their mothers red carnations, the official Mother's Day flower．If their mothers , they may bring white carnations to their grave（坟墓）sites．This is the busiest day of the year for American ．On the special day, family members do not want Mom to cook dinner!
1.A．before B．since C．when D．until
2.A．rich B．poor C．living D．injured
3.A．protected B．reserved C．changed D．persuaded
4.A．form B．custom C．habit D．plan
5.A．Monday B．Wednesday C．Sunday D．Friday
6.A．ordinary B．common C．regular D．official
7.A．nearly B．largely C．deeply D．highly
8.A．mother B．sister C．daughter D．waitress
9.A．destroyed B．found C．made D．left
10.A．where B. when C．why D．how
11.A．reward B．honour C．award D．inspire
12.A．on B．at C．in D．for
13.A．special B．expensive C．simple D．easy
14.A．put off B．give up C．take on D．set aside
15.A．understood B．received C．celebrated D．prevented
16.A．follow B．refuse C．accept D．support
17.A．letters B．gifts C．calls D．toys
18.A．schools B．churches C．stores D．hospitals
19.A．went ahead B．moved on C．stayed up D．passed away
20.A．restaurants B．departments C．offices D．markets
My first football 1. ( compete) was in Nagoya, Japan several years ago. Last year our team went to Seattle, Washington in the USA. We 2. (win) second place. 3. (personal), I think the team that got first place cheated, because they had developed a new type of program just 4. the match began. So we need to encourage our programmer to improve our intelligence too. We are 5. (determine) to create an even 6. (good) system. In a way our programmer is like our coach. She programs us with all 7. possible moves she has seen while 8. (watch) human games. Then she prepares reliable moves to use if a new situation arises. In this way I can make up new moves using my “artificial intelligence”. I would really like to play against a human team, for I have been programmed to act just like them. After all, 9. the help of my electronic brain that never forgets anything, using my intelligence is 10. I’m all about!
