When 19yearold Sophia Giorgi said she was thinking of volunteering to help the MakeAWish Foundation(基金会), nobody understood what she was talking about. But Sophia knew just how important MakeAWish could be because this special organization had helped to make a dream come true for one of her best friends. We were interested in finding out more, so we went along to meet Sophia and listen to what she had to say.
Sophia told us that MakeAWish is a worldwide organization that started in the United States in 1980. “It's a charity(慈善机构) that helps children who have got very serious illnesses. MakeAWish helps children feel happy even though they are sick, by making their wishes and dreams come true，” Sophia explained.
We asked Sophia how MakeAWish had first started. She said it had all begun with a very sick young boy called Chris, who had been dreaming for a long time of becoming a policeman. Sophia said lots of people had wanted to find a way to make Chris's dream come true—so, with everybody's help, Chris, only seven years old at the time, had been a “policeman” for a day. “When people saw how delighted Chris was when his dream came true, they decided to try and help other sick children too, and that was the beginning of MakeAWish，” explained Sophia.
Sophia also told us the Foundation tries to give children and their families a special, happy time. A MakeAWish volunteer visits the families and asks the children what they would wish for if they could have anything in the world. Sophia said the volunteers were important because they were the ones who helped to make the wishes come true. They do this either by providing things that are necessary, or by raising money or helping out in whatever way they can.
1.Sophia found out about MakeAWish because her best friend had ________.
A. benefited from it B. volunteered to help it
C. dreamed about it D. told the author about it
2.According to Sophia, MakeAWish ________.
A. is an international charity
B. was understood by nobody at first
C. raises money for very poor families
D. started by drawing the interest of the public
3.What is said about Chris in Paragraph 3?
A. He has been a policeman since he was seven.
B. He gave people the idea of starting MakeAWish.
C. He wanted people to help make his dream come true.
D. He was the first child MakeAWish helped after it had been set up.
4.Which of the following is true about MakeAWish volunteers?
A. They are important for making wishes come true.
B. They try to help children get over their illnesses.
C. They visit sick children to make them feel special.
D. They provide what is necessary to make MakeAWish popular.
Astronauts in the space stations for long missions often work very long days. Tasks are scheduled(安排) so tightly that break times are often used to finish the day’s work. It’s especially hard for long missions on the International Space Station (ISS). ISS crew members usually live in space for at least a quarter of a year. They work five days on and two days off to mimic the normal way they do things on Earth as much as possible. Weekends give the crew valuable time to rest and do a few hours of housework. They can communicate with family and friends by email, Internet phone and through private video meetings.
While astronauts cannot go to a baseball game or a movie in space, there are many familiar activities that they can still enjoy. Before a mission, the family and friends of each ISS crew member put together a collection of family photos, messages, videos and reading materials for the astronauts to look at when they will be floating 370 kilometers above the Earth. During their mission, the crew also receives care packages with CDs, books, magazines, photos and letters. Today, the Internet can be used on the ISS, giving astronauts the chance to do some “web surfing” in their personal time. Besides relaxing with these more common entertainments, astronauts can simply enjoy the experience of living in space.
Many astronauts say that one of the most relaxing things to do in space is to look out of the window and stare at the universe and the Earth’s vast land mass and oceans.
1.What does the word “mimic” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A. Find B. Copy
C. Change D. Lose
2.In the last paragraph, the author shows that astronauts ____________.
A. get more pleasure in space than on the Earth
B. find living in space a bit boring and tiring
C. regard space life as common
D. love to see the Earth from space
3.The passage mainly discusses how astronauts ____________.
A. work for longer missions in space B. connect with people on the Earth
C. observe the Earth from space D. spend their free time in space
Your house may have an effect on your figure. Experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off. You can make your environment work for you instead of against you. Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan.
Open the curtains and turn up the lights. Dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating, for people are often less selfconscious (难为情) when they’re in poorly lit places—and so more likely to eat lots of food. If your home doesn’t have enough window light, get more lamps and flood the place with brightness.
Mind the colors. Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites. In one study, people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room. Warm colors like yellow make food appear more appetizing, while cold colors make us feel less hungry. So when it’s time to repaint, go blue.
Don’t forget the clock—or the radio. People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories (卡路里) per meal than those who rush through their meals. Begin keeping track of the time, and try to make dinner last at least 30 minutes. And while you’re at it, actually sit down to eat. If you need some help slowing down, turn on relaxing music. It makes you less likely to rush through a meal.
Downsize the dishes. Big serving bowls and plates can easily make us fat. We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12inch plate instead of a 10inch plate. When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one, total intake (摄入) jumps by 14 percent. And we’ll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short, wide glass than a tall, skinny glass.
1.The text is especially helpful for those who care about ____________.
A. their home comforts B. their body shape
C. house buying D. healthy diets
2.A home environment in blue can help people ______________.
A. digest food better B. reduce food intake
C. burn more calories D. regain their appetites
3.What are people advised to do at mealtimes?
A. Eat quickly. B. Play fast music.
C. Use smaller spoons. D. Turn down the lights.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. Is Your House Making You Fat? B. Ways of Serving Dinner
C. Effects of SelfConsciousness D. Is Your Home Environment Relaxing?
You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860-1935)
Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community(社区)by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907-1964)
If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness(意识) of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-present)
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator(参议员) and in 1981, the first woman to join the U. S. Supreme Court(最高法院). O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks(1913-2005)
On December 1,1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rasa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott(抵制). It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.
1.What is Jane Addams famous for in history?
A. Her social work. B. Her teaching skills.
C. Her efforts to win a prize. D. Her community background.
2.What was the reason for O’Connor’s being refused by the law firm?
A. Not having training in law. B. Her little work experience in court.
C. Her identity as a woman. D. Her poor financial conditions.
3.Who made a great contribution to the civil-rights movement in the U.S.?
A. Jane Addams. B. Rachel Carson.
C. Sandra Day O’Connor. D. Rosa Parks.
4.What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?
A. They are highly educated. B. They are truly creative.
C. They are pioneers. D. They are peace-lovers.
听下面一段材料，然后回答问题。材料读两遍。
1.When does Alex usually have breakfast?
_________________________________________________________________.
2.How does Alex go to the training center?
_________________________________________________________________.
3.What is Alex used to doing by 1:00 pm?
_________________________________________________________________.
4.With whom does Alex have dinner at home?
_________________________________________________________________.
听下面一段材料，回答以下小题。
1.A. Caring for kids. B. Designing clothes. C. Selling toys.
2.
A. She has already had a good job.
B. She doesn’t have much experience.
C. She doesn’t like dealing with people.
