1
DIY, which means Do It Yourself, is quite popular in UK. Lots of stores and supermarkets sell DIY things. TV programmes show people how to DIY.
English people like DIY. There is a saying in UK----“As Englishman’s home is his castle”. Huge number of people spend their holidays making their homes beautiful “castles”. If there is anything that needs fixing around their homes, such as painting the walls or putting in a new shower, they will do the jobs themselves. They share DIY experience with their friends. More and more people have discovered the joy of DIY. Sometimes people also DIY for saving money. With the economic downturn at present, many people can not afford a big house. They are looking at how they can make their house better without spending a lot of money. It is not surprising that DIY is so popular.
DIY can be difficult. There is a huge market for DIY furniture which people need to get together themselves with a few basic tools. However, people often find it not easy to build a piece of furniture because they can’t understand the instructions. Sometimes the instructions are simple and clear, but the furniture itself is difficult to build. One thing is for sure, though most DIY projects are started with the best intentions. Many of them may not get finished. DIY can also be dangerous. For example, anything electrical should be done by a professional worker. Unluckily, many people don’t care about this warning and put themselves in danger. It is reported that in just one year over 230,000 people were hurt while doing DIY in UK, including 41,000 who fell off ladders.
Therefore , DIY can bring us fun and help us save money, but it is not always as easy as it is thought to be if we bite off more than we can chew. Maybe factories should make products that are easier and safer for us to DIY.
1.How do many English people spend their hoildays to the passage?
A. Making their homes beautiful.
B. Visiting their friends.
C. Travelling all over the world
D. Making a lot of money
2.Why do English people like DIY?
A. Many stores sell DIY things.
B. DIY can bring them fun.
C. TV programmes teach them to DIY
D. All DIY projects are easy.
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. DIY is a waste of money.
B. it is always difficult to DIY.
C. We should be careful while doing DIY.
D. It is very safe for us to DIY.
4.In the passage, “we bite off more than we can chew” probably means .
A. We can eat everything we like.
B. We should do something difficult.
C. We do something that is too difficult.
D. We eat too much food that is not safe.
1
Jack Johnson is one of the most popular singer-song writers in the world.
Jack was born on May 18. 1975 in Hawaii Being the song of a famous surfer. Jack usually has an interest in surfing.Most of his life lessons were learned in the water.At the age of 17, Jack entered the finals of the Pineline Masters—the worlde’s most famous surfing competition.Everyone thought Jack would become a professional surfer like his father.Unluckily .One month later,he had a deadly accident while surfing and was seriously hurt.
Life is like a reaching door.When it closes, it also opens. Jack started to practise playing the guitar and write songs when he was staying in hospital.At first ,his father thought Jack only did it for fun.but soon he was suiprised at the great progress his song had made.
When studying in the university. Jack didn’t stop practising his guitar skills.He played the guitar for school partses.He wrote songs and sang for his teachers and friends.They liked his songs.His first music albam Brushfire Fairytaies came out in 2001.It was a great success.His second album，On and On ，was much like his first.They were filled with sweet，easy-going songs that everybody liked listening to later. Jack had lots of concerts in and out of America.He became popular all over the world.
Jack had five albums by 2010 and more than 15 million copics of them were sold.His music doesn’t fit into any of the popular music styles like pop,rocks R and B or hip-hop.It is more like folk music, played with a guitar and beautiful voice.When listening to his songs,you feel like lying on the beach enjoying the warm sunfine.
Jack is a talent,though he himself says he is only a surfer who loves music. In his songs we can find his secret of success.Whatever happens in our lives,we have to accept it and do the best we can.
1.At the age of 17, Jack__.
A. had his first music album
B. took part in a surfing compentition
C.had his first concert
D.became popular all over the world
2.Jack started to write songs__.
A. while he was staying in hospital
B.when he had concerts out of America
C. after his seccond album came out
D.after he played the guitar at the school party
3.What is the seccet or Jack’s success?
A.He was born in Hawaii
B. His father was very famous
C. He wrote many songs for his teachers and friends
D. He always faced difficulties bravely and tried his best.
4.What’s the best title of the passage?
A. A Famous Writer B.Surfing in the Sea
C.A Guitar Player D.Surfing in the Music
1
There are about 80.000.000 mines under the ground in more than 60 countries. It is difficult and dangerous to clear these mines.About 50 people including many children were killed or hurt each day.In 2003，APOPO，a Duch research company that trains the animals,came up with the idea of using rats to search for the mines.
The animal trainers found that a kind of rats from Africa were clever and had a sharp sense of smell.The rats were about 75 cm long and weighted about 1.35 kg.light enough to run across a minefield without setting off the mines.
In January 2004，the APOPO startec this preject.First ,the trainers let the 4-week-old baby rats get familier with humans. A few weeks later，the rats were no longer afraid of people and the things around them.Then they were trained to connect a click sound with food.After the rats had learned that ,the trainers then taught them to tell the different between the smell of mines and other smells.When the rats could do it，the click was sounded and they were given a bit of bananas.The method was called clicker training.“The training isn’t easy.”said the trainer Adulish Mebomvu.“You have to be patient.Sometimes I get angry,but then again.I tell myself these are animals.”
After nine months’ training,the rats were taken to 4 minefield. They ran across the minefield ,stopped, sat and searched the ground to tell the deminers that they smelt out a mine. Then the mine was cleared.It had taken two deminers a day to clear a 200 m2 minefield. But with the help of two rats they could finish it in two hours.
The rats and the deminers saved thousands of lives.“The rats did this job much better than we expected.So far they have helpde to make almost 2.000.000 m2 of land safe.They are heroes.”said Bart Woetjcds.the head of the APOPO.
1.The APOPO trained the rats to search for__.
A. children B.animals C. minea D.bananas
2.While training the rats,the trainers have to be __.
A.patient B. clever C.brave D.serious
3.How long did the training last?
A.Two hours B. One day C. Four weeks D.Nine month
4.Which of the following is NOT TRUE acorrding to the passage?
A. Each day about 200 people were killed or hurt by minea
B. The APOPO started to train the rats is January 2004.
C. The trainers gave the rats food after they smelt out a mine .
D.The rats and the deminres saved thousands of livers.
1
Canberra is the capital of Australia.It is a modern and lively city with a population of over 345.000.
History
Canberra is the eighth largest city in Australia.It is 238 km from Sydney and 507 km from Melbourne was once the capital of Austualia. Sydney people also wished to make their city the capital .It was difficult for the government to make the decision.Then in 1911,the government chose a place to build the new capital. It was between Sydney and Melbourne，the two largest cities .In 1927，the city was set up. It became the capital and was named Canberra.“Canberra”means“ a place for friends to get together.”
Cuture
Canberra is a beautiful city with trees and flowers everywhere.There’s a Flower Festival in September each year. People can enjoy all kinds of beautiful flowers and welcome the spring to arrive.A man-made like-lake. Bertey Griffin is in the center of the city.It’s about 25 km long. People like to ride bikes 、walk or run around the lake.In Canberra，there’re many famous universities like the Australian National University and the University of Canberra.The National Library and the National Meseum of
Australia are also famous places that people like to visit.
1.How far is Canberra from Sydney?
A.25km B. 238km C. 345 km D.507 km
2.The word “Canberra”means__.
A. the largest city
B. a beautiful man—made lake
C. the old capital city
D.a place for friends to get together
3.Canberra Flower Festival is a festival __.
A. ride lakes
B.visit Universities
C. welcome the spring
D.walk around the lake
1
It snowed again.My seventh Christmas was round the corner.I dreamed of getting the present from Father Christmas until my elder sister dropped the bomb.“There is no Father Christmas.”
I ran to my grandmother’s house, for she always told the truth.Grandmother was at home. I told _1_everything.“No Father Christmas?”she was a little_2_.“Don’t belive it.Put on your coat,and let’s go.”
“Go?Where，Grandma?” I asked.
“Kerby’s Store.”
As we walked through its doors. Grandma handed me the dollars and said.“Take the _3_and buy something for someone who needs it.I’ll wait for you in the car.”Then she turned and walked out of the Kerby’s.
For a few seconds I just stood there，holding the money，wondering_4_to buy，and who to buy it for.
I thought of_5_I knew my family，my friends，my neighbours…I suddenly thought of Bobbie Decbar， a _6_with bad breath and messy hair.He sat right behind me_7_Mrs. Polack’s class.
Bobbie_8_went to any party during the winter.His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, _9_we all knew that he didn’t have a cough,and he didn’t have a coat.I decided to buy Bobbie a red warm coat_10_he would like.
That evening, grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons, and_11_“To Bobbie.From Father Christmas”on it.Grandma told me Father Christmas never let people know that he _12_ them.Then she drove me over to Bobbie’s home ,telling that I was helping Father Christmas_13_ the presents.
Grandma parked the car along the street.and we hid behind the trees near Bobbie’s home .Then Grandma said to me.“All right , Father Christmas get going.”
I took a deep breath，rushed to his front door，put the present down_14_the door，rang the doorbell and flew back to the safety of the _15_and Grandma.We waited breathlessly in the dark for the front door to open.Finally it did and there stood Bobbie.
That night ,I realized that Father Christmas was alive and well.and we were on his team.
1.A. him B. her C. them D.you
2.A.angry B.happy C. tired D. afraid
3.A.book B. coat C. present D.money
4.A.what B. when C. where D.how
5.A. everybody B. nobody C. somebody D.anybody
6.A.girl B. boy C. man D.woman
7.A. for B. on C. in D.with
8.A.always B. often C. sometimes D.never
9.A. so B. if C. but D.and
10.A. where B. that C. who D.why
11.A.read B. say C. write D.spell
12.A.helped B.belived C. taught D.made
13.A.give up B. give away C. put up D.put off
14.A.on B. behind C. outside D.over
15.A. shop B. cars C. door D.trees
1—I’m going to Hainan on vacation next week.
-- __.
A. Have a good time B. Not at all
C. Thank you D.I have no idea
