Desiree was only four when she lost her Dad. Instead of gradually adjusting to his death, Desiree refused to accept it and even wanted to die so as to be with her father. Concerned about her daughter, Rhonda turned to her mother, Trish Moore, for help.
November 8 of 1993 would have been Ken’s 29th birthday. So Trish advised Desiree to send her father a card. Desiree’s eyes lit up as she dictated a letter, “Happy birthday, Daddy. I love you and miss you. I hope you get this and can write to me on my birthday.” Trish wrote the message and their address on a small piece of paper and tied it to the end of the string on a balloon with a drawing of the Little Mermaid (美人鱼). Finally, Desiree released the balloon.
On November 12 in eastern Canada, Wade MacKinnon was duck-hunting. Suddenly something in the bushes caught his eye. Curious, he approached to find a silver balloon. The letter finished with a mailing address in Live Oak, California. The balloon traveled 3,000 miles. What a coincidence! A Little Mermaid balloon landed at Mermaid Lake. To help Desiree, the MacKinnons wrote her a letter with a birthday card and an adaptation of The Little mermaid.
The MacKinnons’ package arrived later on Desiree’s birthday. The letter read, “Happy birthday from your daddy. You must be wondering who we are. Well, it all started... There are no stores in heaven, so your daddy picked us to do the shopping. We know your daddy loves you very much and wants you to be happy and not sad. Lots of love, the MacKinnons.”
Tears in eyes, Desiree said, “I knew Daddy would find a way not to forget me.” Next, Trish began to read the Little Mermaid to her, in which the mermaid was finally carried away by angels. “The mermaid goes to heaven just like Daddy!” Desiree said with delight. She understood then her father was with her always.
1.Why did Rhonda ask her mother for help?
A.Her husband passed away too young.
B.She wanted to free Desiree from sorrow.
C.Desiree kept her distance from her father.
D.She had no time to read books to Desiree.
2.What do we know about the balloon?
A.It travelled a long distance for several days
B.It was decorated with some silver strings.
C.It landed just at the MacKinnons’ house.
D.It was tied with the book the Little Mermaid.
3.Which of the following best describes the MacKinnons?
A.Demanding. B.Humorous
C.Caring. D.Generous.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.A Fantastic Adventure of a Balloon B.A New Story of the Little Mermaid
C.A Heartbreaking Experience of a Girl D.A Magic Response from “Heaven”
It can be tough to pull kids away from their computers and mobile devices these days. While they' re playing games, wouldn't it be great if they could be learning at the same time? Good educational apps offer fun challenges that teach specific grade - level skills. Here are four that combine fun and learning.
Understanding Math ( $ 3.99 ； iOS)
Understanding Math goes beyond basic comprehension to gain a deeper understanding of the whys and hows of math. The app tracks your child's progress to determine strengths and weaknesses in different skill areas, and you can customize (订制) your child's learning experience to suit the needs.
Word Creativity Kit ( $2.99； iOS)
Word Creativity Kit aims not only to make creative writing fun but also build up grammar rules. The app presents a series of words from seven categories, such as space or fantasy. Kids add their own words to finish the complete thoughts that these words have inspired.
Barefoot World Atlas ( $4.99； iOS)
Barefoot World Atlas helps kids learn about geography and world cultures with a touch of the screen. Each region features a set of sub - topics, from wildlife and natural features to native people ,landmarks, and architecture. These facts and illustrations are delivered in photographs, sounds, and hundreds of mini videos.
My Grades & Homework ( $0.99； iOS)
A combination of grades and homework tracker, My Grades & Homework can help your child stay organized and on top of the progress in school. A convenient calendar and course list format and offer a glance at your child' s assignment schedule that he or she might not normally get from standard homework planners.
1.Which app is beneficial to children's writing skills?
A.Understanding Math. B.Word Creativity Kit.
C.Barefoot World Atlas. D.My Grades Homework.
2.What is the common part of the four apps?
A.They need purchasing when downloaded.
B.They help children improve their grades.
C.They make studies fun because of mini videos.
D.They inform parents of their children's progress.
3.What is the purpose of the text?
A.To wish readers to bing in more similar apps for children.
B.To encourage parents to allow their students to play apps.
C.To design the educational apps to combine fun and learning.
D.To introduce four educational apps for readers to buy and use.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What does the Golden Rule ask people to do?
A.Study hard and seek truth.
B.Respect their families and ancestors.
C.Treat others as they wish to be treated.
2.Which is one of the teachings of Confucius?
A.People should develop their own personal rules. B.Husbands should respect wives.
C.People should memorize rules of behavior.
3.How did Confucius teach lessons?
A.Through arguments. B.Through reasoning.
C.Through personal examples.
4.What does the speaker say about Confucius?
A.He used to be even more popular. B.He has influenced many cultures.
C.He has little effect on people today.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What did Fitbit say about the recent study?
A.It was false. B.It hurt their business. C.It was reasonable.
2.When does the man use his Fitbit?
A.Only when he’s exercising. B.During the daytime.
C.All the time.
3.What does the man think of his Fitbit?
A.It’s uncomfortable to wear. B.It isn’t useful.
C.It’s worthwhile to buy one.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A.Interviewer and interviewee. B.Husband and wife.
C.Neighbors.
2.Where did the man go to college?
A.In Texas. B.In Washington. C.In Nebraska.
3.What is the woman’s job?
A.She is a computer programmer. B.She is a banker.
C.She is an artist.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.When did Keiko start to live in America?
A.In 2011. B.In 2013. C.In 2016.
2.What was Keiko’s trouble?
A.He didn’t look like Japanese.
B.He was not Japanese any more.
C.He acted a little different from other Japanese.
3.Why does Keiko like Japanese culture?
A.Because Japanese people have different opinions from others. B.Because of the good relationship between Japanese people.
C.Because Japanese take each other for granted.
