The surprising experiment I am about to describe proves that air is all around you and that it proves down upon you. Air pressure is a wonderful force. When you swim underwater, you can feel water push down your body. The air all around you does the same. However, your body is so used to it that you do not notice this. The pressure is caused by a layer of air called the atmosphere. This layer surrounds the Earth, extending to about five kilometers above the Earth’s surface.

The following experiment is an easy one that you can do at home. But make sure that you are supervised, because you will need to use matches. Now foe the experiment！

What you need

·A hard-boiled egg without the shell

·A bottle with a neck slightly smaller than the egg

·A piece of paper

·A match

Metheod

1） Check that the paper will sit firmly on the neck of the bottle.

2） Tear the paper into strips and put the strips into the bottle.

3） Light the paper by dropping a burning match into the bottle.

4） Quickly sit the egg on the neck of the bottle.

Result

Astonishingly, the egg will be sucked into the bottle. Your friends will be amazed when you show them the experiment. But be careful when you handle matches.

Why it happened

As the paper burns, it needs oxygen and uses up the oxygen （air） in the bottle. The egg acts as a seal in the neck of the bottle, so no more air can get inside. This reduces the air pressure inside the bottle. The air pressure must equalize, so more air from outside must enter the bottle. The outside air pressure against the egg and then the egg is pushed into the bottle! The proves that air is all around and that it is pressing down on it.

1.Why is there the need to take care when you are doing the experiment?

A. The bottle could break.

B. You need to light the paper with a match.

C. The egg needs to be shelled.

D. The egg has to be perfectly placed on the neck of the bottle.

2.In the experiment, the burning inside the bottle can___.

A. equalize the air pressure inside and outside

B. make a seal in the neck of the bottle

C. finish up the oxygen inside the bottle

D. produce more oxygen inside the bottle

3.How did the egg put into the bottle？

A. The oxygen inside the bottle sucked the egg in.

B. It became salt without the shell.

C. The neck of the bottle was wide enough.

D. The outside air pressure forced it into the bottle.

4.The experiment is carried cut to prove ______.

A. water pushes on your body when you swim underwater.

B. the earth is surrounded by a layer of air called the atmosphere.

C. the pressure of air around us has a powerful force.

D. the air pressure is not equalized around us.

Outside her shabby cottage, old Mrs. Tailor was hanging out laundry on a wire line, unaware that some children lay hidden in the leaves of a nearby tree watching her every move. They were determined to find out if she really was a witch.

They watched as she took a broomstick to clean the dirt from her stone steps. But, much to their disappointment, she did not mount the broomstick and take flight. Suddenly, the old lady’s work was interrupted by the cackling of her hen—a signal that an egg had been laid in the warm nest on top of the haystack.

The old broomstick was put aside as she hobbled off towards the haystack followed by Sooty, a black cat she had rescued from a fox trap some time back. With only three legs, it was hard for Sooty to keep up with the old lady. The cat provided proof—the children were sure that only a witch could own a black cat with three legs.

There, standing on a wooden box, was Mrs. Tailor, stretching out to gather her precious egg. Taking the egg in one of her hands, she began to climb down when, without warning, the box broke and the old lady fell.

 “We have to got and help her,” whispered Amy.

 “What if it is a trick?” replied Ben.

 “Don’t be silly, Ben. If she were a witch, she would have turned us into frogs already,” reasoned Meg. “Come on Amy, let’s go.” The girls climbed down the tree and ran all the way to the haystack.

Approaching carefully, they could see a wound on the old lady’s face. She had knocked her head on a stone and her ankle was definitely broken. “Go and get Dad,” Amy yelled to her brother. “Tell him about the accident.”

The boys did not need another excuse to leave. They ran as fast as thy could for help, hoping that Mrs. Tailor would not wake and turn the girls into frogs.

1.Were the children hiding in the tree?

A. They wanted to watch Mrs. Tailor do her housework closely.

B. They were playing a hide-and-seek game

C. They wanted to find out if the rumors about Mrs. Tailor were true

D. They were pretending to be spies

2.Mrs. Tailor stopped sweeping when____

A. her front steps were clean             B. she noticed the children in the tree

C. she was ready to take a flight          D. she heard the hen cackling

3.Ben did not rush in help Mrs. Tailor because_____

A. he thought that she could be necking them

B. he knew that they could not have been in the tree

C. he did not the old lady fall down

D. he was afraid of the three-legged cat

4.Which of these old sayings best suits the story’s lesson for us?

A. Make hay while the sun shines.

B. Never judge a book by its cover.

C. People in glasshouses should not the stones.

D. A bird in the hands worth two in the bush.

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36---55各题所给的四个选项（A,B,C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Peter and Paul had a permission from their parents to camp in a field close to their farm. But, being adventurous boys, they know it would be more 1to camp in the woods that lay beyond the river. Excitedly, the boys  2with their tent and food.

Carrying their heavy 3, the two brothers walked along the riverbank, hardly noticing the distance or the sun beating down. . They were eager to reach their 4before lunchtime. As they entered the cool, shadowy woods, they began to search for a suitable camping spot. Peter wanted to 5close to the river at the edge of the woods, 6Paul, who was older, insisted that they camp further away. 7Peter followed his brother deeper into the 8. “This really is a wonderful setting!” said Paul in excitement. They 9the tent , and settled down to eat the sandwiches they had made, then decided to find their way 10to the river to catch some fish.

 “Are you sure that this is the right 11?” whispered Peter shakily. “I’m sure we passed that hollow tree just a while ago. ” Paul walked 12silently. “Look, there it is again. We’re lost, aren’t we?” complained Peter. Paul had to admit that he didn’t know where they were. 13, they were a long distance from where they were 14to be. They were not even 15of where they had set up their camp. They set in 16for a few minutes until Peter had a bright idea. “Why don’t we look for clues（线索） the way trackers 17in the movies? We weren’t careful about how we walked, so I’m sure we would have left 18some broken tree branches and leaves. ”

Carefully, the boys 19the marks that they had left, until finally they found their campsite. Hurriedly, they packed their belongings and set off 20the direction of the river.

What would their parents think of their adventure?

1.A. surprising       B. exciting          C. annoying       D. frightening

2.A. went round       B. went back         C. went away      D. went though

3.A. load             B. torn              C. food           D. storage

4.A. grassland        B. destination       C. field          D. river

5.A. live             B. lie               C. wait           D. stay

6.A. but              B. and               C. or             D. so

7.A. Unconsciously    B. Unfortunately     C. Unwillingly    D. Uninterestingly

8.A. woods            B. farm              C. setting        D. camp

9.A. put off          B. put on            C. put down       D. put up

10.A. forward         B. near              C.  back          D. further

11.A. place           B. mark              C. way            D. time

12.A. alone           B. about             C. in             D. on

13.A. After all       B. At last           C. Above all      D. At first

14.A. discovered      B. encouraged        C. persuaded      D. supposed

15.A. afraid          B. sure              C. informed       D. reminded

16.A. enjoyment       B. satisfaction      C. disappointment D. imagination

17.A. appear          B. do                C. work           D. behave

18.A. behind          B. out               C. aside          D. amount

19.A. fetched         B. watched           C. followed       D. collected

20.A. for             B. to                C. at                 D. in

 Some of you may have finished unit one. _____ , you can go on to unit two.

A. If you may      B. If you do      C. If not       D. If so

 The government plans to bring in new laws _____ parents to take more responsibility for the education of their children.

A. forced       B. forcing    C. to be forced     D. having forced

 The fact has worried many scientists ______ the earth is becoming warmer and warmer these years.

A. what          B. which         C. that       D. though

 Frank put the mediocre in the top drawer to make sure it would not be_______ to the kids.

A. accessible        B. relative        C. acceptable    D. sensitive

 ---Do you want a lift home?

---It’s very kind of you, but I have a much late in the office. I overslept this morning because my morning clock _______.

A. doesn’t go off       B. won’t gone     C. wasn’t going off   D. didn’t go on

 It is reported that the police will soon ____ the case of two missing children.

A. look upon         B. look after       C. look into       D. look out

 ------- What is the price of petrol these days

-------Oh, it ______ sharply since last month.

A. is raised        B. has risen     C. has arisen         D. is increased