Dad had a green comb. He bought it when he married Mum. Every night，he would hand me his ____ and say, “Good girl, help Daddy clean it, OK?”
I was ____ to do it. At age five, this dull task brought me such ____. I would excitedly turn the tap____and brush the comb carefully. Satisfied that I’d done a good job, I would happily return the comb to Dad. He would____affectionately(深情地）at me and place the comb in his wallet.
Two years latter，Dad started his own _______which wasn’t so good . Things started to ______, Dad didn’t come home as early and as he used to. Mum and Ibecame____with him for placing our family in trouble. With ____going on，an uncomfortable silence grew between us.
After my graduation, Dad’s business was getting back . On my 28th birthday, Dad came home________. As usually I helped him carry his bags into bis study.When I turned to leave, he said，“Hey，would you help me ____ my comb?” I looked at him a while，then ___ the comb and headed to the sink.
It hit me then: why, as a child,_____dad clean his comb was such a pleasure. That routine(习惯）meant dad was home early to ____ the evening with Mum and me. It___ a happy and loving family.
I passed the clean comb back to Dad, He smiled at me and_____ placed his comb in his wallet. But this time，I noticed something _______. Dad had aged. He had wrinkles next to his eyes when he smiled, ____ his smile was still as ____ as before, the smile of a father who just wanted a good ____ for his family.
1.A. bag B. wallet C. comb D. brush
2.A. annoyed B. relieved C. ashamed D. pleased
3.A. joy B. sadness C. courage D. pain
4.A. out B. over C. in D. on
5.A. stare B. smile C. shout D. laugh
6.A. family B. business C. task D. journey
7.A. progress B. change C. improve D. form
8.A. satisfied B. delighted C. mad D. strict
9.A. time 
B. patience C. speed D. ease
10.A. occasionally B. early C. frequently D. rarely
11.A. sharply B. repair C. clean D. keep
12.A. dropped B. took C. handed D. threw
13.A. watching B. letting C. helping D. hearing
14.A. find B. lose C. waste D. spend
15.A. affected B. broke C. meant D. supported
16.A. firmly B. hurriedly C. casually D. carefully
17.A. different B. exciting C. interesting D. urgent
18.A. for B. or C. so D. yet
19.A. convincing B. heartwurining C. cautions D. innocent
20.A. origin B. life C. reputation D. education
In many parts of the world，cars play an important role in daily life and many societies would not exist without them.So the idea that in 20 years’ time, no one will own cars may be hard to believe.But this is the prediction made by a team of transport researchers who are taken seriously, not only by government but also by ear manufacturers.
The Human Science and Advanced Technology Institute at Loughborough in the UK is part of an international research program.The team there believes that by 2020 all cars will be computerized，which will mean much saving，no accidents and better use of roads.The superintelligent car of the 21st century will drive itself, and it will not be owned by one individual.Instead，we will have a choice of cars and change them as frequently as we change our clothing.
According to Dr.David Davis，who leads the research team，these predictions are based on the rising cost of the car culture，which had blocked up our cities，polluted our air, and caused more deaths than both world wars put together.
Davis says，cars will be fitted with some intelligent devices to regulate the distance between one car and another.The car will automatically speed up，or slow down，to match the speed of the car in front.Computers are much safer drivers than people，so cars in a road train will be able to drive much closer together than cars driven by people.
By 2010，Dr.David Davis believes，car technology will give motorists a clear view of the road，whatever the weather conditions，by projecting an image of the road ahead on to the car’s windscreen.And by 2020，cars will travel in_convoy,_linked to each other electronically.Cars will be connected by an electronic tow bar to the car in front to form “roadtrains”．“The front vehicle in such a train burns the normal amount.”says Davis.“But all the others in the train would burn about ten percent of the normal amount，and so produce about ten percent of the pollution.”
1.Which of the following will be the characteristic of the cars of 2020?
A. The car will speed up out of control.
B. We will own as many cars as we want.
C. All cars will be driven by computers.
D. Cars will produce more pollution than present ones.
2.The leader of the research team believes that the present car culture will change because________.
A. cars play a very important role in daily life
B. many societies would stop functioning without cars
C. cars should not be owned by one individual
D. it causes many deaths to human society
3.The expression closest in meaning to the phrase “in convoy” in the last paragraph is________.
A. in line B. sidelong
C. side by side D. shoulder to shoulder
4.What will happen if cars are joined to each other electro- nically in 2020?
A. Motorists will get a clear view of the road.
B. There will be less pollution caused by car.
C. The weather condition will not have effect on motorists.
D. All trains will bum less fuel than present.
Over 40 years ago, a country music DJ convention (大会) was held every year in Nashville, Tennessee. Many country performers used to attend (参加) the convention to give their performances. Fans would go to Nashville hoping to see their favorite performers. In the end, so many fans began showing up in Nashville that a festival named Fan Fair was born.
The first Fan Fair was held in April 1972, in Nashville for four days. Some of country music's biggest stars attended. There were about fifty thousand fans. The first Fan Fair was so successful that planning began almost immediately for 1973. The date was changed to June, when the weather would be better. Over one hundred thousand fans attended the second Fan Fair.
Every year brought so many performers and fans to Fan Fair that, in 1982, it was moved to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. Fan Fair stayed at the fairgrounds for another nineteen years.
There was always the unexpected during the festival. In 1974, former Beatle Paul McCartney attended. In 1992, more than six hundred reporters from Europe, Asia, and South America went to cover the appearance of a popular star, Billy Ray Cyrus, who had introduced a new country line dance. In 1996, Garth Brooks, who made a surprise appearance, signed autographs (签名) for 23 hours.
In 2001, Fan Fair returned to downtown Nashville as the world's biggest country music festival. Now, over one hundred and twenty-five thousand country music fans go to Nashville every June. As you can imagine, those who want to attend Fan Fair must plan ahead. For example, they need to buy a ticket several months ahead of time. Of course, there's much more to prepare.
1.According to the text, Fan Fair _____.
A. has a history of more than 50 years
B. lasts almost half a month every year
C. is the most important music festival in America
D. is a time when country music lovers get together
2.The second Fan Fair _____.
A. was held in the spring of 1972
B. was more popular than the first one
C. was moved from Nashville to the fairgrounds
D. was attended by former Beatle Paul McCartney
3.The purpose of the fourth paragraph is to _____.
A. show why Fan Fair has been popular
B. introduce three famous musicians
C. explain how Fan Fair started
D. ask people to attend Fan Fair
4.What will the author probably talk about next?
A. Advice for fans.
B. Music in America.
C. Education in Nashville.
D. The future of country music.
Some unwelcome visitors from North America have been turning up in the waters off the coast of Great Britain.
North American lobsters (龙虾) have been found in the North Sea (between Great Britain and Northwest Europe), far from their own habitat. The lobsters usually live along the eastern coast of Canada and the United States.
It is impossible that the lobsters could have made the 5,600-kilometre journey on their own. They were probably brought to Britain and then got away from containers. Some of the lobsters that were caught had elastic bands (松紧带) holding their legs shut, like lobsters that are kept in containers in stores or restaurants.
Many may have been “set free” from some ships passing through the area. Sometimes passengers order a live lobster from a tank in the dining room and then ask the waiter to throw it overboard instead of cooking it.
According to official records, 26 North American lobsters have been caught in waters off Great Britain since 1988. However, it is believed many more have been found but not reported.
It is against the law to let North American lobsters come into British waters. If they settle down in European waters, it would be bad for the local lobsters. The
two live in the same place and eat the same food. But North American lobsters are larger, stronger and more aggressive (好斗的) than European lobsters, and they produce young more quickly.
As a result, they could take food and space away from the local lobsters, and from other types of shellfish that live in the same area. These lobsters may also carry diseases that could harm the local lobsters.
1.Those unwelcome lobsters _____.
A. could travel 5,600 km a day on their own
B. used to live in waters off Great Britain
C. would soon disappear in British waters
D. might have escaped on the way to Britain
2.What can we learn about European lobsters?
A. They are growing too fast to be kept under control.
B. Shellfish often take away their food and space.
C. They are easily harmed by North American lobsters.
D. People become ill easily if they eat these lobsters.
3.The author's purpose of writing the text is most likely to _____.
A. discuss B. report
C. advertise D. introduce
The pupils of Grangetown High have been busy getting to know their newest and tallest classmate — a 7-meter-tall giraffe outside their school.
The giraffe is a huge sculpture (雕像) made by a local artist. The school's headmaster noticed the sculpture in the artist's garden as he drove past one day, and thought it would be perfect for his school. “I knew everyone would love it,” he said, “because our basketball team is known as the Grangetown Giraffes, and they wear giraffes on their shirts. So I asked them to write a letter to the artist, asking how much it would cost to buy the giraffe. He was very kind and got it ready to deliver (递送) in six weeks — all for nothing! It was expected to arrive one Sunday morning, so that the pupils would see it when they got to school on Monday — at that time they had no idea that we were getting it.”
The artist, Tom Bennett, was a university professor (教授) of chemistry before he left that job in 2006 and only took up metalwork a couple of years ago. “I've always drawn pictures,” he said. “I can even remember doing it on my first day at school — I drew a horse. I wanted it to be the best horse picture ever, but I don't think I succeeded.” Tom's first metalwork was a bicycle for two that he and his wife could go cycling on together. “It was the most uncomfortable bike ever created,” he said, “so I gave up making bicycles and went into sculpture instead.”
Meanwhile the pupils at Grangetown High are very happy with their new classmate. “We're going to hold a competition to give it a proper name,” said one girl. “Everyone likes the expression on its face, so perhaps that will give us some ideas.”
1.According to the text, the giraffe _____.
A. was as tall as a basketball player
B. was given to Grangetown High for free
C. was sent to Grangetown High on Monday
D. was specially made for a basketball team
2.When the pupils got to school on Monday, they probably felt _____.
A. shy B. sad
C. excited D. confident
3.What can we learn about Tom Bennett?
A. He showed interest in art at an early age.
B. He was good at drawing, especially horses.
C. He visited Grangetown High as a professor.
D. He learned a lot about sculpture at university.
4.What's the main idea of the text?
A. It was a difficult job to name a giraffe.
B. Tom Bennett is well-known as a sculptor.
C. The Grangetown Giraffes is a strong team.
D. A metal giraffe arrived at Grangetown High.
作为一名高中学生，你将参加主题为“let’s ride bicycles”的英语演讲比赛。请撰写一份演讲稿，主要内容包括：
1.目前汽车带来的空气污染和交通堵塞等问题；
2.骑自行车的益处，如节能环保、有利健康等。
参考词汇：低碳生活（low-carbon life）；节能（energy saving）；有毒排放（poisonous emission）;交通堵塞（traffic congestion）
注意：1. 词数100左右；2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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