My name is Sara. When I was little, I played the drums. I also had a guitar. In fourth grade, I started playing the trombone (长号). I practised about four hours a week. All of this might not seem like a big deal for a lot of kids, but there's something about me that makes me a bit different from others. I was born without hands. Since I was about one year old, I’ve worn prosthetics (假肢).
This year, I got an invitation to join the high school marching band (行进管乐队). I told my mom I wanted to do it. But I had an instructor who thought I would not be able to march in the band — not because it was a high school band and I was only in seventh grade, but probably because my body was different. All I wanted was to show that I could do it, so I joined the band. And it paid off!
Music gives me energy. That happens sometimes. One time I was so down, I didn’t even want to get out of bed. Then I hit my MP3 player by accident. A song came on, and I got up and started dancing. It helped me say to myself, “OK, I can get through today.”
Around my musician friends, we all share the same problems, like working out how many beats there are in a measure (小节). I have a hard time counting the beats, but so do a lot of the other kids. It’s a normal problem that we musicians share. When I’m with the band, I don’t feel as different as I do in other situations. It’s just another way that music makes me want to go on, and not to just sit down by myself and not care about life.
1.In what way is Sara different from other kids?
A.There’s something wrong with her body. B.She knows how to play many instruments.
C.She learned to play the drums at a very early age. D.She kept playing the trombone for the longest hours.
2.When invited to join the marching band, Sara________.
A.said no at first B.had no idea what to do
C.followed the instructor’s advice D.believed that she would make it
3.How does Sara probably feel when she’s with the band?
A.Bored. B.Relaxed.
C.Successful. D.Afraid.
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A.A High School Band B.A Young Drummer
C.My Love for Music D.My Magic Hands
The International Voluntary Service runs a number of Youth Exchanges throughout the year. Youth Exchanges give small groups of 4-5 young people the opportunity to take part in volunteering trips abroad for an average of two weeks．These young people are joined by 4-5 young people from 3-4 other nationalities and are a wonderful intercultural experience in a safe environment.
Example Youth Exchanges：
Youth Exchange 1
Location：Ireland
Other nationalities：Ireland，Spain，Italy，Hungary
Theme：Focuses on the topic of community reconstruction and community activities—exploring how local issues facing our communities are connected to global issues．The group will also learn about the eco-village as an example of a community and take part in team-building activities.
Youth Exchange 2
Location：France
Other nationalities：Bulgaria，Italy，France
Theme：Organic gardening & continual living．This project will take place in a natural park，where the group will take part in gardening activities and games／workshops about continuous development．
Youth Exchange 3
Location：Macedonia
Other nationalities：Serbia，Turkey，Ireland
Theme：Foster social inclusion and motivate personal development of young people through sports and outdoor activities．Promote outdoor activities as a tool to help inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities．
Youth Exchange 4
Location：Italy
Other nationalities：Italy，Bulgaria，Greece
Theme：A sociaI-environmental project that intends to promote social inclusion and continuable development，regarded as a process of civil rights and active citizenship. Over 10 days, the group will participate in activities to raise awareness about the effect of our behavior on the environment．
1.What do you focus on when travelling in France?
A.Gardening work.
B.Civil rights.
C.Developing social inclusion.
D.Rebuilding communities.
2.If you are interested in protecting the environment，you can take part in ________.
A.Youth Exchange 1 B.Youth Exchange 2
C.Youth Exchange 3 D.Youth Exchange 4
3.Which nationality are Youth Exchanges most popular with?
A.Spain． B.Italy. C.Ireland. D.France.
It’s easy to see how to help others, but what about those whose needs aren’t so obvious? This story may have happened a while back, but it was a(n) ______ which has stayed with me and helped me ever since.
It was Thanksgiving and I was volunteering with my ______ at a shelter for the poor. We stood behind the counter dishing out hot food to ______ came in. Most of our diners looked like they had been having ______ times, their clothes old, worn and dry. In ____, they looked poor!
Then, a man came in, who looked ______ but poor. He was well dressed, wearing a(n) ______ suit. I wondered what he was doing there and my jaw dropped in ______ when he joined the line for food. The ______ he came to my service station, the more I muttered. What was this man doing? I wanted to know. ______ he wasn’t going to take food.
Then my mother quietly took me to one side. She said, “You have ______ that the needs of the people who come here must be purely physical: poverty, hunger or ______ shelter? What if he needs comfort, ______ or just to be among other human beings?”
Her words hit me like a ton of bricks! I felt like I should ______ to the man, but I didn’t.
About a week later the shelter received a large ______ from an anonymous (匿名的) source. I can’t ______ but wonder if it came from that man.
Now, whenever I meet others, I ______ my mother’s words and try to send kindness and blessings to them, ______ of how they look.
Needs aren’t always ______. But kindness always makes a(n) ______.
1.A.activity B.story C.lesson D.performance
2.A.cousin B.brother C.sister D.parents
3.A.anyone B.whoever C.who D.whom
4.A.hard B.easy C.cozy D.smooth
5.A.total B.all C.word D.short
6.A.anything B.something C.nothing D.everything
7.A.cheap B.ordinary C.strange D.expensive
8.A.amazement B.disappointment C.embarrassment D.appreciation
9.A.close B.closer C.far D.farther
10.A.Likely B.Surely C.Immediately D.Instantly
11.A.said B.required C.wanted D.thought
12.A.enough B.great C.inadequate D.comfortable
13.A.friends B.work C.assistants D.money
14.A.refer B.shout C.belong D.apologize
15.A.collection B.contribution C.donation D.affection
16.A.expect B.help C.assist D.wait
17.A.remind B.remember C.think D.forget
18.A.regardless B.despite C.beside D.instead
19.A.obvious B.shown C.hidden D.unclear
20.A.effect B.breakthrough C.impression D.difference
There is hardly anybody walking in the street in the night, _____?
A.isn’t it B.isn’t there C.is there D.is it
That is the only way we can imagine ____ the overuse of water in students’ bathrooms.
A.reducing B.to reduce
C.reduced D.reduce
There is a common belief among the students in our school _____ they should make great efforts to learn and reach the peak of their academic performances.
A.which B.that C.whether D.if
