When I was a kid, I was the girl who kept the training wheels on my bike as long as possible. Even my younger sister had got rid of them much earlier than me. But as I began to grow older, this changed.
All this happened on the Bike Safety Day. It is supposed to be a fun day at school when all of us kids bring our bikes to school and the school provides us with the opportunity to ride outside and learn proper bike safety. Sounds like fun, right? No. In fact, it caused me to panic. What was I going to say when my friends asked me about my training wheels?
With the pressure of everyone seeing my training wheels, I determined to let them go. This was the first big change I’d ever made on my own.
I went to my parents and told them all about my dilemma. They were more than happy to help. We went outside and got my bike. Instead of running away and hiding behind, I stood in front of my bike and took great pride in my decision as my dad removed the training wheels.
I got on and steadied myself. My heart raced but my feet and hands were calm. My dad started to push before my feet even moved and suddenly I was off. The fear faded away and a relaxed mind came into its place. It was crazy to think how quickly I learned something that took so long for me to even try!
My confidence soared. This was going to be the start of a brand new world for me. My accomplishment would carry me forth to new goals and wins. I realized that if I set my mind to something, I could achieve it.
1.What does the school expect the students to do on Bike Safety Day?
A.Have their bikes checked. B.Ride outside for fun.
C.Acquire bike safety skills. D.Remove the training wheels.
2.What does the underlined word "them'’(in Paragraph 3)refer to?
A.The author's friends. B.The author's parents.
C.The safety problems. D.The training wheels.
3.What happened when the author finally rode without the training wheels?
A.She felt extremely embarrassed. B.Everything turned out to be easy.
C.She ended up flat on the ground. D.Her sisters followed her example.
4.What does the author think is necessary for her to achieve a goal?
A.Patience. B.Determination. C.Pressure. D.Concentration.
Bright Side did some research on many places throughout the world where you can buy a house for 1 dollar or for free!
Roubaix, France
If you like France, Roubaix located in the north of France is just for you. The local authorities want it to be populated and attractive. You can buy a small house in the industrial district for just $1. The buyer is supposed to live in this house for 3 years.
Buffalo. USA
Buffalo offers whoever qualifies to buy a house for $1. All you need is to be a lawful citizen of the city and invest amount of money into its decoration. Doing this, the authorities are hoping to make the city beautiful again without spending money.
Liverpool, Great Britain
In Liverpool, most of houses were abandoned (遗弃）by the working class during the years of unemployment. The government is trying to sell the houses for just $1. If you want to buy such a house, it has to be your first deal on buying property（房产）.
Candela, Italy
If you still have any doubts about spending $1 on a house, you should know: the government will pay you some money, if you move to Candela. In order to be paid, you need to become a permanent（永久的）citizen and have an income of $7500 per year. If moving alone, you will get $800, and if you are going with your family, the pay can be four times as much as only one person.
For more information of other cities, please Click Here.
1.Why do the authorities of Buffalo provide a house for people with 1$?
A.To improve the lives of poor people.
B.To make the city attractive at no cost.
C.To solve the problems of employment.
D.To attract people to the industrial areas.
2.What is required to buy a house for 1 dollar in Liverpool?
A.You need to be an unemployed citizen.
B.You should live in the house for 3 years.
C.It must be your first house purchase.
D.You have to repair and decorate the house.
3.How much money can you get if moving to Candela with a whole family?
A.$3200 B.$9600
C.$800 D.$7500
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Where can one probably see a spider?
A.23,000 feet above sea level.
B.2,200 feet below the earth's surface.
C.On Mount Qomolangma.
2.What can we conclude from the talk?
A.Spiders deserve more respect of us.
B.Spiders are dying out of the earth.
C.People should raise spiders to destroy insects.
3.Why would human life be in danger if there's no spider?
A.Because spiders catch and eat insects.
B.Because spiders can protect our environment.
C.Because spiders can help reduce air pollution.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.How many credits should the man get for a master degree in education?
A.15. B.30. C.45.
2.Why does the man want a lighter program at the beginning?
A.Because he doesn't want to fail any classes.
B.Because he wants to have time for social experience.
C.Because he doesn't need to take more courses.
3.What do we know about the man?
A.He has got a Bachelor of Science.
B.He can get 3.5 credits for each course.
C.He has taken English Literature.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What does Jane think of her trip to the West Coast?
A.It was wonderful. B.It was terrible. C.It was tiresome.
2.What's the disadvantage of Los Angeles?
A.It is noisy and highly polluted.
B.The weather is hot and humid.
C.There is no subway and the bus service is bad.
3.What's the weather like in San Francisco?
A.Warm and nice. B.Cool but comfortable. C.A little cold.
4.Why is it easy to go around in San Francisco?
A.Because of the small size and good transportation.
B.Because of the extensive subways.
C.Because of the small population.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What does the man like to do after work?
A.Play table tennis and golf, and go for a run.
B.Play tennis and golf, and go fishing.
C.Play tennis and golf, and go for a run.
2.How often does the man play golf?
A.About once a week. B.About once a month. C.About once a year.
3.What time will the two speakers meet at the clubhouse?
A.At 1:30. B.At 1:13. C.At 2:30.
