When I was a boy I was always amazed by what a heavy sleeper my Grandma was. I knew this mainly because her_ _was right next to the one my brother and I__ __.When I would wake up in the morning I would hear her steady snoring(打呼噜)echoing through the__ __walls.She rarely ever got up during the _ _and when she took a short sleep in her chair the television and record player never_ __her up.
It seemed a strange__ __then that during the middle of one night she would__ __awake the moment that old wiring in her room caught fire.Her_ __awoke my brother who then rushed through the house waking up the rest of the family.The __ __was made of old, _ __timbers(木材)and the fire raced through it in a __ __of minutes.Smoke filled every room.None of us could see anything.We were all filled with__ __and confusion(迷惑).Still,_ _ _my Grandma waking up at just that moment we all __ __it out safely.My Mom even found our small dog and picked him up just_ __we ran out the front door.
Without the coincidence of my Grandma waking up at just the__ _second that fire would have__ _us our lives as well as our home.Without it my brother would never have become a teacher and I would never have_ _ a word. Without it my brothers and I would never have raised seven__ __children. Without it all the love,learning, and__ __my family has shared with others would have been lost.
1.A. chair B.washroom C. table D. bedroom
2.A. shared B.stayed C.occupied D. spared
3.A. high B.low C.thin D.thick
4.A. meeting B.day C.period D.night
5.A. woke B.took C.picked D.broke
6.A. consequence B.coincidence C.incident D.accident
7.A. fully B.quickly C.suddenly D.naturally
8.A. sleep B.screams C.steps D.noise
9.A. bed B.wall C.roof D.house
10.A. dry B.light C.heavy D.dirty
11.A. moment B.matter C.flash D.glance
12.A. regret B.puzzle C.fear D.wonder
13.A. in place of B.as for C.in case of D.thanks to
14.A. made B.moved C.found D.fought
15.A. until B.before C.as D.since
16.A. correct B.right C.exact D.instant
17.A. cost B.lost C.killed D.destroyed
18.A. collected B.spoken C.written D.kept
19.A. wonderful B.silly C.healthy D.clever
20.A. chances B.adventure C.experience D.joy
From the moment that an animal is born it has to make decisions．___1.___ The animal is, in fact, playing a very dangerous game with its environment.
___2.____ It is different from the individual learning that an animal does in the course of its own lifetime.Genetic learning is learning by a species(animals of the same kind)as a whole ,and it is achieved by selection of those members of each generation that happen to act in the right way．__3.____The more important individual experience is likely to be, the less important is genetic learning as a means of getting over the problems of the survival game.___ 4.____It is not surprising to find that very few species indeed depend wholly upon genetic learning．
In the great majority of animals, their particular ways of acting in a new environment are a compound（复合体）of individual experience added to the action patterns animals are born with．__5.____
A. It has to decide which of the things around it are for eating, and which are to be avoided.
B. That is why animals can survive．
C. The animal's life will come to an end.
D. Animals’ ability to act reasonably is believed to come partly from what we may call “genetic learning”
E. Because most animals live in ever changing environments from one generation to the next.
F. However, the role of genetic learning depends upon how similar the future environment is to the past．
G. Each generation has its own way of eating.
Fido was now his master's constant companion in his walks, playing and skipping round him, and amusing him by a thousand sportive tricks . He took care, however, not to be troublesome by leaping on him with dirty paws, nor would he follow him into the parlor(客厅), unless invited. He also attempted to make himself useful by a number of little services. He would drive away the sparrows as they were stealing the chickens' meat; and would run and bark with the utmost fury at any strange pigs or other animals that offered to come into the yard. He kept the poultry, geese, and pigs from straying beyond their bounds and particularly from doing mischief in the garden. He was always ready to alarm Towzer if there was any suspicious noise about the house, day or night. If his master pulled off his coat in the field to help his workman, as he would sometimes do, Fido always sat by it, and would not suffer either man or beast to touch it. By this means he came to be considered as a very trusty protector of his master's property.
His master was once confined to his bed with a dangerous illness. Fido planted himself at the chamber-door, and could not be persuaded to leave it even to take food; and as soon as his master was so far recovered as to sit up, Fido, being admitted into the room, ran up to him with such marks of excessive joy and affection, as would have melted any heart to behold.
One hot day, after dinner, his master was sleeping in a summer-house , with Fido by his side. The building was old and crazy; the dog comprehended the danger, and began barking to awaken his master; and this not sufficing, he jumped up, and gently bit his finger. The master upon this started up, and had just time to get out of the door before the whole building fell down. Fido, who was behind, got hurt by some rubbish which fell upon him. Thus his love and fidelity had their full reward.
1.According to the first paragraph,we can get the information that ________.
A. Fido is too cautious to satisfy his master.
B. Fido did so many little things as not to please its master.
C. Fido is a very trusty protector of his master’s property
D. Fido often plays with sparrows,geese and pigs
2.Which of the following description is NOT mentioned in the text?
A. Fido didn’t leave its sick master’s chamber-door even refused to take food until its master recovery.
B. Fido saved its master when his master was sleeping in an old house
C. Fido drove away the wolf to protect its master’s sheep.
D. Fido drove away the sparrows as they were stealing the chickens’meat.
3.The text is developed ______.
A. by inference B. by examples
C. by comparison D. by figures
4.Which one is the best title for the text?
A. Saving the Master
B. The Loyal Dog
C. Protecting the Master’s Possession
D. The Duty of a Little Dog
Will you want me to read a whole book in English?
Yes. Believe it or not, that may be easier than you think. Not all classics are so difficult or complicated. So you’re not limited to the simplified versions. And the easier books are not all for children.
In the original versions ,books may send you to the dictionary. And you might not understand everything you read. But reading one from cover to cover will give you a real sense of accomplishment.
The key is to find the right books. Let’s take a look at these.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
Stepping into an old wardrobe, four English schoolchildren find themselves in the magical world of Narnia. On this delightful land, they find friends among the many talking creatures.
The children soon discover, however, that Narnia is ruled by the White Witch. Edmund, one of the children, falls under her power. Who can free Narnia? Only Aslan, the great and noble lion. He alone knows the Deeper Magic. But the children themselves must help fight the battle against the White Witch and those who serve her.
The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway)
Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, hasn’t caught any fish in more than 80 days. Sailing far out from land, the old man hooks an enormous fish. That begins an agonizing three-day battle. First he struggles against the great fish. Then he must fight off the sharks that circle the little boat and threaten to eat his fish. Exhausted and bleeding, the old man arrives back at shore. But his fish, his beautiful fish . . .
Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for this superb story of strength and courage, of victory and regret.
A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine Lingle)
Meg’s father, a U.S. government scientist, has been missing for many months. He had been experimenting with time travel when he mysteriously disappeared.
Now Meg, her little brother Charles Wallace and her friend Calvin will try to rescue him. But first they must outwit the forces of evil they encounter on their journey through time and space. Can they find Meg’s father before it’s too late?
This novel is more than just a science-fiction adventure. It’s an exploration of the nature of our universe.
The Pearl (John Steinbeck)
One day Kino, a poor Mexican pearl diver, finds a magnificent pearl. With it he dreams of buying a better life, new clothes and schooling for his son. Instead, it brings only evil. His wife pleads with him to get rid of it. "No," says Kino. "I will have my chance. I am a man." But when he kills a man who is trying to steal the pearl, Kino and his wife must run for their lives.
This tale of dreams, justice and the power of greed is told simply and beautifully.
1.In the passage, the author intends to _______.
A. recommend a few simplified versions of classics
B. recommend a few original versions of classics
C. tell us how to read an English book from beginning to end
D. tell us how to find proper English books to read
2.In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the White Witch is probably _____.
A. an evil woman with magic power
B. a friendly woman with magic power
C. a delightful talking creature
D. a powerful lion
3.The underlined word "outwit" in the passage probably means ______.
A. get rid of
B. take advantage of
C. beat by being cleverer
D. make the most of
4.A Wrinkle in Time is different from other books mentioned in the passage in that _____.
A. it is not a science fiction
B. it tells a true story
C. it provides some scientific knowledge
D. it tells the battle between justice and evil
Eating 40 percent less food could extend a person`s life by 20 years, according to scientists.
Researchers at the Institute of Health Ageing at University College London are developing a treatment that they hope will fight the `disease` of getting older.
They are looking into how genetics（遗传学） and lifestyle can affect ageing and add years, possibly decades, to a person`s life.
Age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and neuro degeneration can also be treated, it is claimed.
They want to find out how the life of a rat can be increased by up to 30 percent simply by reducing its food intake.
Researcher Dr. Piper told the Independent : `If you reduce the diet of a rat by 40 percent it will live for 20 or 30 percent longer. So we would be talking 20 years of human life. This has shown on all sorts of animals, even Labradors(a kind of dog).`The scientists are also studying fruit flies, which share 60 percent of human genes and age in a similar manner, and mice.
They have already made the healthy lifespan(寿命) longer in both flies and mice by using drug treatments and a balanced diet. It is hoped that this combination will also work to extend(延长) human life. Dr. Piper said: `If we discover the genes involved with ageing, we should be able to delay ageing itself. This is what we`ve found.`
He added that the field of research into extending life is only a decade old, so remains `in theory . It is their special approach to treating all age-related diseases caused by the `disease` of ageing itself that sets their research apart.
1.The author writes this text in order to_____.
A. encourage people to eat as little as possible
B. tell people how harmful food is to their health
C. introduce an on-going research on delaying ageing
D. show how similar mice and humans are to each other
2.How can people live longer according to the text?
A. Exercise regularly.
B. Reduce their diet properly.
C. Vary their lifestyles constantly.
D. Change their genes completely.
3.What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph suggest?
A. The research is effort-taking.
B. The result of the research is reliable.
C. The research has been done for a long time.
D. There’s a long way to go to put the theory into practice.
Have you ever noticed that the more you have the more you want? Let’s face it. Thinking our life is good enough doesn’t come naturally to many people. When we have high expectations of everything in life we will run into disappointment. Only when we are aware that needs are different from desires can we live with satisfaction. Here are a few ideas to help you be happier with what you have and who you are.
Focus on what you are thankful for. Most people want things to be better than they are, or when things are going well, we forget to appreciate what we have. Learn to reflect on how much better things are than they could be. Focus on what you are thankful for. Write down 5 things you are grateful for right now.
When we hold onto regrets from decisions we have made, it can really poison our well-being. Many people regret something they can no longer change, which ends up holding them back from moving forward in a more positive manner. What happened in the past is done and gone, so work to stay present and be mindful of the current moment to find more joy and fulfillment.
When we use other people as the measuring stick for our personal success and quality of life we are likely to be less satisfied. Social comparisons can provide useful information when we try to learn from others, but they also hold our perspective in a discontented position. Compare yourself less with others so you can be satisfied more.
When you are focused on your big ambitions and future goals you might elide the daily pleasures that surround you. Learn to slow down and absorb the wonder and beauty around you. Stay present and focus on the task you’re undertaking at the moment. Don’t let the life pass you by because you’re always on the go and distracted by ambition.
Practice looking at life through the lens of contentment and it will become more natural.
1.How can we live with contentment?
A. To change our lifestyle.
B. To have a motivation in life.
C. To give less attention to what we are grateful for.
D. To realize the difference between needs and desires.
2.What’s the main idea of Paragraph 3?
A. Make wise decisions.
B. Know the present situation
C. Let go of regrets.
D. Remember the past.
3.The underlined word “elide”(in Paragraph 5) probably means “_ ”.
A. enjoy B. change
C. create D. neglect
4.What should you do to put yourself in a good mood?
A. Make time for simple pleasures.
B. Learn from successful people.
C. Focus on your future goals.
D. Create chance to learn more.
