Reggie couldn’t hear a thing. He was a____boy, but he had been born deaf. He was well-known to everyone in town, and they were all____him. Unfortunately, though, he____seemed to end up being treated differently from everyone else. Children worried they would____him, and that maybe because he wouldn’t hear the ball being hit in his____. Adults acted like he was unable to____them, as though he was some kind of baby.
His friend Michael didn’t like this. He decided that things had to be____. Michael’s father was the town’s mayor(市长), and Michael____to convince him that this year, in honor of Reggie, they should offer one day of the____to deaf people. During that whole day everyone would have to wear earplugs(耳塞).
People liked the____. The day became known as The Day of Silence, and when it arrived, everyone stuck plugs in their____, in a spirit of great fun. That morning was filled with____and laughter. But, as the hours passed, people became more and more aware of how____life was when they couldn’t hear anything.
On that day nobody was thinking of Reggie as just a____person. This meant he could be____just like any other boy, and people saw a whole new side of____. Not only that, but Reggie had a bright and sharp mind. On that day, using his usual____, Reggie was the one who could communicate best with everyone. This meant that people paid more attention to what he was saying, and they were____by his intelligence and his ability to find solutions to almost any problem. They____that he had always been like that, and that in normal life all Reggie needed was a little more time than others to____. That was the only difference.
1.A. healthy B. poor C. normal D. brave
2.A. close to B. fond of C. strict with D. thankful for
3.A. seldom B. never C. sometimes D. always
4.A. hurt B. cheat C. punish D. shock
5.A. home B. direction C. classroom D. car
6.A. understand B. encourage、 C. protect D. support
7.A. worked B. changed C. acted D. prepared
8.A. managed B. prepared C. helped D. learned
9.A. journey B. term C. week D. festival
10.A. excuse B. course C. idea D. game
11.A. clothes B. hands C. rooms D. ears
12.A. victories B. meals C. jokes D. lessons
13.A. difficult B. dangerous C. short D. useless
14.A. stupid B. deaf C. rude D. negative
15.A. treated B. taught C. comforted D. fed
16.A. themselves B. him C. itself D. them
17.A. words B. telephones C. tools D. gestures
18.A. frightened B. embarrassed C. surprised D. amused
19.A. proved B. reported C. remembered D. realized
20.A. watch B. eat C. communicate D. walk
If you like dangerous and exciting sports, maybe skydiving (跳伞) is for you. First skydivers jump from an airplane. 1. Sometimes, skydivers do gymnastics in the air—for example, they might hold their knees close to their bodies and turn upside down. Finally, skydivers pull a cord (绳索) and a parachute (降落伞) opens. 2. Skydivers usually wear hard helmets to protect their heads. Sometimes, skydivers are on a team in a competition such as the Olympics. The team works together and does movements in the air. 3. The team with the most points wins.
It’s difficult to see what skydivers do when you’re standing on the ground. Often, people fly in airplanes to make a tape of the skydivers. 4.
If skydiving doesn’t sound fun to you, there are plenty of other sports. 5. Surfers stand out in the middle of the ocean on a long, flat board. Surfers don’t have to worry about jumping out airplanes, of course---but don’t forget about the shark!
A.You can always try surfing.
B.Then, skydivers fall quickly toward the ground.
C.It is the best choice for you to skydive or try surfing.
D.With a video camera, the operator records their performances.
E.It is not easy to jump out of the airplane when you are in the plane.
F.Judges watch the skydivers and give them points for doing amazing things.
G.The parachute helps slow the skydiver so he or she lands on the ground safe.
At thirteen, I was diagnosed (诊断) with a kind of attention disorder. It made school difficult for me. When everyone else in the class was focusing on tasks, I could not.
In my first literature class, Mrs. Smith asked us to read a story and then write on it, all within 45 minutes. I raised my hand right away and said, ''Mrs. Smith, you see, the doctor said I have attention problems. I might not be able to do it. ''
She glanced down at me through her glasses, ''You are not different from your classmates, young man. '' I tried, but I didn’t finish the reading when the bell rang. I had to take it home.
In the quietness of my bedroom, the story suddenly all became clear to me. It was about a blind person, Lous Braile. He lived in a time when the blind couldn't get much education. But Louis didn't give up. Instead, he invented a reading system of raised dots (点), which opened up a whole new world of knowledge to the blind.
Wasn't I the ''blind'' in my class, being made to learn like the ''sighted'' students? My thoughts, spilled out and my pen started to dance. I completed the task within 40 minutes. Indeed, I was not different from others; I just needed a quieter place. If Louis could find his way out of his problem, why should I ever give up?
I didn't expect anything when I handed in my paper to Mrs. Smith, so it was quite a surprise when it came back to me the next day-with an ''A'' on it. At the bottom of the paper were these words, ''See what you can do when you keep trying? ''
1.Why didn't the author finish the reading in class?
A.Because he didn't like the teacher.
B.Because he was not fond of literature.
C.Because the class room was too noisy.
D.Because he got a kind of attention disorder.
2.What can we learn about Louis Braille from the passage?
A.He couldn't see and read for the whole life.
B.He got a good education at school.
C.He made an invention which helps the blind.
D.He managed to cure his blindness.
3.What's Mrs. Smith's attitude to the author in the classroom?
A.She encouraged him. B.She looked down on him.
C.She sympathized(同情) him. D.She was angry with him.
4.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Keep trying, and you can do it.
B.Ways to overcome attention disorder.
C.How to be a great teacher.
D.What should you do as a blind.
We have most friends at the age of 26 after having spent the first quarter of our lives building up our friendship circle, new research has claimed.
The research into friendship shows that our social circle peaks at 26 years and 7 months, at which we typically have five close friends.Women are most popular at 25 years and 10 months, with men hitting the highest friendship point a little later at 27 years and 3 months.
The research, by Forever Friends, shows that about a third of adults meet their closest friends while at school，with about a fifth saying they meet them at work.
Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter now also play a major role in building new friendship.The research points out that 25 to 34yearolds make 22 friends via Facebook, compared to 18 to 24yearolds who make 12, and 35 to 44yearolds who make just four.
Forever Friends' relationship coach Sam Owen says, “It is no coincidence that over a third of us meet our best friends at school. It is a key time in our lives when friendship is growing through sharing notes，giving gifts, seeing each other regularly and laughing a lot. As adults we can often forget how powerful these small things are and how the little things can make a difference.”
Later in life we find ourselves losing friends. Over half of us lose friendship through moving, while 36% say that over time they grow apart from close pals. Having children also causes 19% to drift away from childhood friends.
With growing pressure being put on friendship these days，it's important to make time for our friendship.
1.How many friends can a 20yearold college student make via Facebook?
A.4. B.12.
C.18. D.22.
2.In Paragraph 5，the author is trying to tell the readers________.
A.how important making friends is
B.that friendship is not easy to keep
C.how much has been done to keep friendship
D.School time is an important period to develop friendship.
3.The underlined phrase “drift away from” in Paragraph 6 means “________”.
A.make sense of B.lose touch with
C.feel sorry for D.make up with
4.This passage is most probably taken from________.
A.Facebook or Twitter B.an advertisement
C.a textbook D.a newspaper
No one thought that the RMS Titanic would sink on its first time at sea. But in 1912, the ship hit an iceberg and sank during the night. No one knew exactly where it had sunk. Even if someone had known, it was 12,500 feet (3.8 km) underwater. To search for the Titanic so deep in the water seemed impossible. But, 73 years later, Dr. Robert Ballard thought he had found a way to go that deep.
In 1985, Ballard set out to find the Titanic. He would use an unmanned submarine（无人驾驶的潜水艇）called Argo. Ballard’s research team controlled it from a ship on the surface. Argo had video cameras and lights on it. This let Ballard see the ocean floor.
Argo searched for signs of the Titanic. For many days and nights, Ballard and his teammates found nothing but sand and sea life. Time was running out. Ballard had only four days left before he had to return his boat. He knew this would be his only chance. Then, Ballard was awakened by one of his men. It was just after one o’clock in the morning. He rushed to the control room. On a screen was the view of one of the Titanic's boilers. They had found it!
Argo took amazing pictures of the ship. Ballard and his teammates found that the huge ship was in pieces. The debris was spread across one square mile (2.6 km2) of the ocean floor. They saw teacups, bottles, shoes, and other belongings（所有物）of the passengers.
During his career, Ballard has made more than 100 trips underwater. He has done much to teach children about the oceans. But, he will always be thought of as the man who found the Titanic.
1.Why was it difficult to find the Titanic?
A. Its size was huge. B. It was deep under the sea.
C. It had been broken into pieces. D. The weather at sea was terrible.
2.What can we learn from Paragraph 3?
A. The poor life at sea. B. The difficulties in controlling Argo.
C. The causes of the Titanic’s sinking. D. The experience of finding the Titanic.
3.What does the underlined word “debris” in Paragraph 4 mean?
A. Rocks and sand. B. Dead passengers.
C. Pieces from the Titanic. D. Personal belongings.
4.What’s the best title for the text?
A. Ballard’s life B. Finding the Titanic
C. Underwater trips D. The sinking of the Titanic
The Empire State Building is one of the most popular attractions in New York City, both for the tour and history of the building. Our Empire State Building facts include NYC Insider tips and the best ways to tour this world-famous icon, whether you are short on time or budget.
Empire State Building Hours
The main entrance to the Empire State Building is on Fifth Avenue between 33rd & 34th Streets. All Visitors must use this entrance and there is often a wait just to get in the building. The Empire State Building Observatory is open from 8:00 a. m. to 2:00 a. m. 7 days a week. Last elevators go up at 1:15 a.m.
Empire State Building Tour Facts
The ESB offers two observatories, the 86th floor and the 102nd floor.
86th Floor Observatory (indoor and outdoor)
1,050 feet (320 meters), reached by high speed, automatic elevators, it has a glass-enclosed area, which is heated in winter and cooled in summer. High powered binoculars (双筒望远镜) are available for the convenience of visitors at a minimal cost.
102nd Floor Observatory (indoor only)
Tickets are only sold upon arrival at the Empire State Building at a cost of $15.00 in addition to regular admission tickets.
Empire State Building Tickets
Regular — $38 adult, $32 ages 6-12, under 5 free.
Express Pass — $65 all visitors ages 6+
Buying your tickets before you go to New York saves you time. When buying tickets, you can opt for regular tickets or express tickets. You can also buy a discount pass for free entrance. If you want to visit the 102nd floor, you can get tickets which include dinner at STATE Grill and Bare.
1.What can we learn from the second paragraph?
A.You can enter the building through three entrances.
B.A large number of visitors are attracted by the building.
C.Visitors are not allowed to take elevators after 1:00 a.m.
D.The Empire State Building is closed on weekends.
2.What can we say about the 86th Floor Observatory?
A.It is located at a height of 1,050 meters.
B.It is a bit colder outside than inside.
C.The binoculars can be used free of charge.
D.Visitors can enjoy the view of NYC outdoors.
3.How much should a couple pay if they want to visit the building with shorter waiting?
A.$76. B.$64.
C.$130. D.$103.
