Why play games? Because they are fun, and a 1ot more besides. Following the rules…planning your next move...acting as a team member…these are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating (合作) .
Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones, which sharpens the hand-eye coordination（协调）needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it—some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation(基金会) to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.
1.Through playing hide-and-seek, children are expected to learn to ________.
A. be a team leader B. predict possible danger C. act as a grown-up D. obey the basic rules
2.The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can________.
A. describe life in an exciting way
B. turn real-life experiences into a play
C. change people’s views of sporting event s
D. make learning life skills more interesting
3.According to the passage, why is winning Olympic medals so encouraging?
A. It proves the exceptional skills of the winners.
B. It inspires people’s deep love for the country.
C. It helps the country out of natural disasters.
D. It earns the winners fame and fortune.
4.Iribarne’s goal of forming the foundation is to _______.
A. give poor kids a chance for a better life
B. bring fun to poor kids
C. provide soccer balls for children
D. appeal to soccer players to help poor kids
5.What can be inferred from the passage?
A．Sports can get all athletes together.
B．Games benefit people all their lives.
C. People are advised to play games for fun.
D．Sports increase a country’s competitiveness.
Online Communication
In an age when technology moves faster than most can keep up with, a small group of people still remain in the time of old-fashioned letter. Frankly speaking, I was once certain that traditional letters could never be replaced by other means of communication.
But a story about online communication changed my mind.
An old man, who suffered a lot from Parkinson’s disease, was not able to talk clearly and could hardly write his name. Living totally alone, he managed to keep in touch with nearly all the members of his family. How did he achieve this? He clicked out words on his computer keyboard.
I, therefore, managed to get an E-mail box as soon as the opportunity came. My life changed. E-mail, and all online communication, is something truly different. It has capabilities（能力） that few other products can match.
E-mail is convenient. It takes less time with its fast speed and 24-hour connection. The slow postal service is no match. If you wouldn’t want to have a face-to-face talk with your manager, you might talk with him through E-mail even if you are in the same office.
Naming all the good things about online communication is not easy. But wait. E-mail can be inconvenient. It can waste time and energy. Just think what may happen when you take a short vacation and return to find your e-mail box filled with 200 unread messages. You could easily spend half a day clearing junk ads.
Then, online communication will keep us staying at our computer while it connects us to distant strangers. Once we throw ourselves into the machine, we may forget the human touches we once held so dear. I’m sure there is and always will be a place for the old-fashioned letter, phone call, and face-to-face meeting… even in the world of modern communication.
As I listen to the sound of the modem(调制解调器), I was excited at stepping out to the outside world but, at the same time, I sensed a loss of control over something valuable in my personal life.
1.What is the most probable meaning of the underlined word “junk” in paragraph6?
A. old and useless B. New and useful C. Short but valuable D. Long but clear
2.What does the writer think of online communication?
A. It should replace old-fashioned letters completely.
B. It is perfect and always does good to you.
C. It is extremely useful and convenient, but it may be inconvenient or even harmful.
D. It does more harm than good.
3.What caused the writer to become interested in E-mail and online communication?
A. The sound of the modem. B. His own illness.
C. The changing of his life. D. A sick old man’s experience.
4.According to the writer, traditional means of communication will never disappear because ________.
A. they are convenient and popular though they are slow
B. they help to keep the friendly relationship between people
C. most people cannot keep up with the development of technology
D. modern means of communication does too much harm
5.How did the sick old man keep in touch with his family members?
A. With the help of his computer. B. By writing letters with his pen.
C. By making telephone calls. D. By visiting them regularly.
Homestay provides English language students with the opportunity to speak English outside the classroom and the experience of being part of a British home.
What to Expect
The host will provide accommodation（住宿） and meals. Rooms will be cleaned and bedcovers changed at least once a week. You will be given the house key and the host is there to offer help and advice as well as to take an interest in your physical and mental health.
Accommodation Zones
Homestays are located in London mainly in Zones2，3 and 4 of the transport system. Most hosts do not live in the town centre as much of central London is commercial and not residential(居住的). Zones 3 and 4 often offer larger accommodation in a less crowed area. It is very convenient to travel in London by Underground.
Meal Plans Available
♢ Continental Breakfast ♢ Breakfast and Dinner ♢ Breakfast, Packed Lunch and Dinner
It’s important to note that few English families still provide a traditional cooked breakfast. Your accommodation includes Continental Breakfast which normally consists of fruit juice, cereal（谷物类食品），bread and tea or coffee. Cheese, fruit and cold meat are not normally part of a Continental Breakfast in England. Dinners usually consist of meat or fish with vegetables followed by dessert, fruit and coffee.
Friends
If you wish to invite a friend over to visit. you must first ask your host’s permission. You have no right to entertain friends in a family home as some families feel it is an invasion of their privacy.
Self-Catering Accommodation in Private Homes
Accommodation on a room-only basis includes shared kitchen and bathroom facilities and often a main living room. This kind of accommodation offers an independent lifestyle and is more suitable for the long-stay student. However, it does not provide the same family atmosphere as an ordinary homestay and may not benefit those who need to practise English at home quite as much.
1.Which of the following will the host provide?
A. Room cleaning. B. Medical care. C. Free transport. D. Physical training.
2.The passage is probably written for
A. hosts willing to receive foreign students
B. foreigners hoping to build British culture
C. English learners applying to live in English homes
D. travellers planning to visit families in London
3.According to the passage. What does continental Breakfast include?
A. Dessert and coffee. B. Fruit and vegetables.
C. Bread and fruit juice. D. Cereal and cold meat.
4.What can be inferred from Paragraph 3?
A. Zone 4 is more crowded than Zone 2.
B. The business centre of London is in Zone 1.
C. Hosts dislike travelling to the city centre.
D. Accommodation in the city centre is not provided.
5.Why do some people choose self-catering accommodation?
A. To experience a warmer family atmosphere.
B. To enrich their knowledge of English.
C. To entertain friends as they like.
D. To enjoy much more freedom.
I learned how our attitudes made a big difference in our everyday lives from my friend Mary.
She doesn’t have any pets. I happened to see her outside on a -30 degree morning walking a dog. I felt sorry for Mary, out there walking a dog that’s not hers in such cold weather. I thought maybe she was saying to herself, “Yeah, this is why I don’t have any pets! I hate walking dogs.”
Later that day I saw Mary and said, “I saw you out there walking a dog this morning. Are you unhappy because you had to walk it on such a cold day?” To my surprise, she said that she enjoyed getting out there and walking the dog and that she got good exercise because of the dog. She also said she had talked to her brother, the dog’s owner, who was on holiday in Orlando, Florida with his family. He said his children were enjoying Disney World and the resorts (胜地). His four-year-old son had breakfast with Mickey Mouse and said it was the best day in his life. Mary said, “If I can help my brother and his family have a wonderful time relaxing for a week, knowing that their pet is being loved and cared for, what more could I ask for?” She added, “It’s worth it for me to make the sacrifice (牺牲) so that they can go and have fun.”
I learned a lesson from Mary.
1.What do we know about Mary?
A. She liked exercising outside before that day.
B. In fact she likes taking care of dogs very much.
C. She likes helping others.
D. She was sorry for not going on holiday with her brother.
2.Why did the author feel sorry for Mary?
A. It was a cold morning.
B. He thought Mary was suffering because of others.
C. Mary didn’t have any pets.
D. He found Mary was unhappy to walk the dog.
3.Mary’s brother and his family could have a wonderful holiday because __________.
A. the children could have breakfast with Mickey Mouse
B. the children enjoyed Disney World and the resorts
C. Mary did not go with them
D. Mary looked after their dog
4.What lesson did the author learn from Mary?
A. Traveling is fun, and walking dogs is also fun.
B. Walking dogs will make you feel warm.
C. Helping others is also a kind of enjoyment.
D. Walking dogs is also a kind of exercise.
5.What can we infer from the passage?
A. The author mistook Mary that morning.
B. Mary would raise a dog after helping her brother.
C. Mary made a lot of sacrifices for her brother.
D. Mary disliked raising any pets.
There was a king who loved art very much. One day a(n) came and said, "Please let me a picture on a wall." The king happened to have a big new hall . So he the artist to work on one of the walls.
At the same time, another artist came and asked to work on the wall. He promised he would make the same picture as the first artist’s looking at the first artist’s work. The second artist asked to have a thick curtain between the two walls neither of them could see each other.
The following day they began to work. The first artist brought in a(n) supply of paint, oil, water and so on. The second one came with a and a bucket (桶).
A month later, the first artist’s work was completed, and the second artist said, "My wall is too!"
The king went to the first artist’s wall. He was pleased with it and gave the artist a large of money. He then asked people to open the curtain.
! Each line was the same as that on the opposite wall.
The king was quite satisfied and gave him double money. However, he how the second man had made it.
"I just the wall with the cloth," the man said .The wall was made of white marble (大理石). He made it shine like a mirror. The reflection (倒影) of the first painting up on it!
The is a reflection of you too. If you are sad, the world will be sad. If you are happy, the world will be happy.
1.A. editor B. server C. actress D. artist
2.A. put B. paint C. get D. copy
3.A. built B. created C. destroyed D. founded
4.A. allowed B. realized C. persuaded D. Decided
5.A. same B. opposite C. similar D. ordinary
6.A. with B. without C. under D. upon
7.A. put up B. put back C. put away D. put on
8.A. even if B. so that C. as if D. in case
9.A. common B. artificial C. regular D.extra
10.A. mirror B. stick C. curtain D. cloth
11.A. present B. free C. useful D. ready
12.A. see B. touch C. research D. Cover
13.A. number B. amount C. total D. many
14.A. Amazing B. Exciting C. Famous D. Valuable
15.A. probably B. certainly C. exactly D. hardly
16.A. knew B. noticed C. wondered D. warned
17.A. drew B. wiped C. faced D. displayed
18.A. briefly B. naturally C. safely D. correctly
19.A. set B. added C. took D. showed
20.A. world B. story C. king D. painter
----Mary, you have won an all-expense paid trip to Pairs.
---____ I can’t believe that.
A. Are you kidding me? B. It’s my pleasure. C. Congratulations! D. Why me?
