Some time ago I discovered that one of my chairs had a broken leg. I didn't think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended, as there are a whole lot of antique(古董) shops near my home. So I left home one morning carrying the chair with me. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception. I was quite wrong. The man wouldn't even look at my chair.
The second shop, though slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and the fourth—so I decided that my approach must be wrong.
I entered the fifth shop with a plan in my mind. I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper, “Would you like to buy a chair?” He looked it over carefully and said, “Yes, not a bad chair. How much do you want for it, sir?”“Twenty pounds,”I said. “OK,”he said. “I'll give you twenty pounds.”“It's got a slightly broken leg,” I said. “Yes, I saw that, it's nothing.”
Everything was going according to plan and I was getting excited. “What will you do with it?” I asked. “Oh, it will be easy to sell once the repair is done.”“I'll buy it,” I said. “What do you mean?” “You've just sold it to me,” he said. “Yes, I know but I've changed my mind. I am sorry. I'll give you twenty seven pounds for it.” “You must be crazy,”he said. Then, suddenly the penny dropped. “I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair.” “You're right,”I said. “And what would you have done if I had walked in and said,‘Would you mend this chair for me?’”“I wouldn't have agreed to do it,”he said. “We don't do repairs, not enough money in it and too much trouble. But I'll mend this for you, shall we say for a fiver(五英镑钞票)?” He was a very nice man and was greatly amused by the whole thing.
1.We can learn from the text that in the first shop the writer_________.
A．was rather impolite
B．was warmly received
C．asked the shopkeeper to buy his chair
D．asked the shopkeeper to repair his chair
2.The underlined word “approach” in the second paragraph means _________.
A．plan for dealing with things B．decision to sell things
C．idea of repairing things D．way of doing things
3.The expression “the penny dropped” in the last paragraph means the shopkeeper ____.
A．changed his mind B．accepted the offer
C．saw the writer's purpose D．decided to help the writer
4.How much did the writer pay?
A．￡5. B．￡7. C．￡20. D．￡27.
5.From the text, we can learn that the writer was _________.
A．honest B．careful C．smart D．funny
Most people around the world are right-handed. This also seems to be true in history. In 1799, scientists studied works of art made at different times from 1,500 B.C. to the 1950s. Most of the people shown in these works are right-handed, so the scientists guessed that right-handedness has always been common through history. Today, only about 10% to 15% of the world’s population is left-handed.
Why are there more right-handed people than left-handed ones? Scientists now know that a person’s two hands each have their own jobs. For most people, the hand is used to find things or hold things. The right hand is used to work with things. This is because of the different work of the two sides of the brain. The right side of the brain, which makes a person’s hands and eyes work together, controls the left hand. The left-side of the brain, which controls the right hand, is the centre for thinking and doing problems. These findings show that more artists should be left-handed, and studies have found that left-handedness is twice as common among artists as among people in other jobs.
No one really knows what makes a person become right-handed instead of left-handed. Scientists have found that almost 40% of the people become left-handed because their main brain is damaged when they are born. However, this doesn’t happen to everyone, so scientists guess there must be another reason why people become left-handed. One idea is that people usually get right-handed from their parents. If a person does not receive the gene(基因) for right-handedness, he / she may become either right-handed or left-handed according to the chance and the people they work or live with.
Though right-handedness is more common than left-handedness, people no longer think left-handed people are strange or unusual. A long time ago, left-handed children were made to use their right hands like other children, but today they don’t have to.
1.After studying works of art made at different times in history, the scientists found _______.
A. the art began from 1,500 B.C.
B. the works of art ended in the 1950s
C. most people shown in the works of art are right-handed
D. most people shown in the works of art are left-handed
2.How many people in the world are left-handed now?
A．Less than one sixth. B．More than a half.
C．About 40%. D．The passage doesn’t tell us.
3.What is the hand for most people used to do?
A．It’s used to find or hold things.
B．It’s used to work with things.
C．It’s used to make a person’s eyes work together.
D．It’s the centre for thinking and doing problems.
4.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A．No one really knows what makes a person become right-handed.
B．Left-handedness is cleverer than right-handedness.
C．Today children are not made to use their right hands only.
D．Scientists think there must be some reason why people become left-handed.
5.The best title for this passage is _______.
A．Scientists’ New Inventions B．Left-handed People
C．Which Hand D．Different Brains, Different Hands
It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour a week to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries（食品杂货）, saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity（人性）as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.
1.Why was the bike so important to the couple?
A．They used it for work and daily life.
B．It was their only possession.
C．It was a nice Kona 18 speed.
D．The man's job was bike racing.
2.What does the underlined phrase mean?
A．go very far to see someone
B．walk out on foot to greet someone
C．help someone
D．enjoy the moment with someone
3.How did people get to know the couple's problem?
A．From a stranger.
B．From a newspaper.
C．From TV news.
D．From radio broadcasts.
4.What do the couple learn from their experience?
A．Strangers are usually of little help.
B．One should take care of their bike.
C．News reports make people famous.
D．An act of kindness can mean a lot.
5.What is the best title of the passage?
A．Terrible Suffering
B．Lasting Smile
C．Ask strangers for help
D．Spreading Effect of Acts of Kindness
根据句子结构的语法性，在下面空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词的适当形式填空，并将答案填入答题卡的相应位置。
1.They have been married ________ ten years.
2.England is ________ European country.
3.Lily is not a good girl ________ we forgive her because she is still so young.
4.This plan ________(change) but no body told me about that.
5._______(know) that Joey is a selfish girl, we decided not to play with her again.
6.Betty is ________(beautiful) than Jenny.
7.I think _______ stupid that we will wait for her until 9 p.m..
8.It is a pleasure _______ (help) others.
9.This is the latest book _______(write) by Mo Yan.
10.He broke the window _______ the stone.
11.This is the factory ______ we worked last year.
12.All of us know _____ has happened.
13.Tom’s ________ (absent) made his father very angry.
14.There are three boys making _______(annoy) noise around me.
15.With their __________(encourage), I kept on working hard.
On the night of my birthday, I went with my mom to the nearest drug store to buy vitamins. Even though it was my birthday, I was feeling 11 and a bit lonely. Maybe I missed my dad who died four years ago, I just wanted him to be beside me that day.
On my way to the drug store, I was crying. When I arrived there, I cleaned my 12 up from the tears and tried to 13 when I ordered the vitamins my mom wanted to buy. While I was waiting, I looked around the building and I 14 sight of a beggar next to the door. She was with her son, a cute little boy. They were sitting on the street. Although it was in winter at the moment and I still felt 15 with my coat, I noticed that the child was just wearing an old T-shirt. I felt sorry for them. When I 16 for my vitamins, I glanced at them and had an idea. “Why don’t I contribute some of my smaller clothes to them? Today is my 17 .” I thought to myself. I had to 18 something with someone else that day. Yeah, I 19 that I had to do that. I went home in a hurry and I felt so excited as I looked for some of my smaller 20 .
At home, I told my mom my 21 and told her my idea. My mom 22 with me. I found a few clothes and went back to the drug store. When I got there, I didn’t hand the clothing over myself. I wanted it to be a 23 , so I asked someone to hand the clothes over, then I left. As I left, I 24 someone saying “thank you!” and I hoped it was for me.
On the road, my heart was full of 25 and warmth. I felt glad that I could share something on my birthday and that was a big gift for me.
1. A．happy B． sad C． glad D． delighted
2. A．hand B． cheek C． head D． shoulder
3. A．smile B． ask C． run D． cry
4. A．put B． caught C． kept D． held
5. A．warm B． cloudy C． cold D． hot
6. A．paid B． answered C． accounted D． applied
7. A．Sunday B． holiday C． Monday D． birthday
8. A．share B． discuss C． support D． send
9. A．expected B． managed C． failed D． decided
10. A． clothes B． books C． medicine D． caps
11. A． experience B． practice C． experiment D． discovery
12. A． discussed B． agreed C． argued D． debated
13. A． secret B． wonder C． news D． pride
14. A． touched B． heard C． smelt D． felt
15. A． sadness B． happiness C． coldness D． worry
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Ways to fight the flu
The flu is annoying enough on its own. In order to keep yourself from it, follow these tips.
★Get the flu vaccine(疫苗). It’s the best way to protect yourself against the flu. 1 It also helps the people around you because there’s less chance you will catch the flu and pass it on.
★Wash your hands often. Hand washing is an important way to protect against germs(细菌) like flu viruses. 2 So get in the habit of washing your hands when you come home from school, the mall, or anywhere else where you are around a lot of people.
★ 3 Flu viruses travel through the air, so try to stay away from people who look sick. It’s also a good idea to avoid touching your nose, eyes, and mouth –three places flu viruses can easily enter the body.
★Cough or sneeze into a tissue(手巾纸) –not into your hands. That way, you’re not spreading the virus when you touch surfaces that other people may touch too.
★ 4 You don’t want to pass your germs to someone else. And staying home is a great excuse to watch your favorite movie, play video games, or read to have a good rest. 5
You also can fight the flu by getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, and getting regular exercise.
Don’t let the flu ruin your fall and winter fun. Fight back!
A．Stay home if you have the flu.
B．Keep your distance if someone is sick.
C．Rest can help the body recover faster.
D．Take some medicine as soon as you have the flu.
E. It also helps protect against other germs and illnesses.
F. Getting vaccinated doesn’t just protect your own health.
G. Don’t let the flu fall at one of the most exciting times of the year.
