Bamboo (竹子) is one of nature's (自然) most surprising plants. Many people call this plant a tree, but it is a kind of grass.
Like other kinds of grass, a bamboo plant may be cut very low to the ground, but it will grow back very quickly. A Japanese scientist reported one bamboo plant which grew 1. 5 metres(4 feet) in 24 hours! Bamboo grows almost everywhere in the world except Europe. There are more than 1, 000 kinds of bamboo.
Not all bamboo looks the same. Some bamboo plants are very thin. They may only grow to be a few centimetres wide while others may grow to more than 30 centimetres (1 foot) across. This plant also comes in different colours, from yellow to black to green.
Bamboo has been used to make many things such as hats and kitchen tools( 厨房用具). Because it is strong, bamboo is also used to build buildings.
Many Asian countries have used bamboo for hundreds of years. They often use bamboo for buildings and supporting (支撑) new buildings and bridges while they are being built.
In Africa, poor farmers are taught how to find water using bamboo. These African countries need cheap way to find water because they have no money, and their fields often die from no rain and no water. Bamboo pipes( 管子) help poor farmers bring water to their thirsty fields without spending a lot of money.
1. How is bamboo like grass?
A. It grows quickly. B. It's wood. `C. it is easy to cut. D. It is very thin.
2. Though you can see bamboo everywhere, it doesn't grow .
A. in China B. in Europe C. on mountains D. in Africa
3. Why is bamboo used by African poor farmers? Because .
A. it is cheap B. it has different colours
C. it is strong D. it has been used by Asians
4. Bamboo pipes can .
A. make money B. be trees C. grow quickly D. carry water
5. In Asia, bamboo has been used for .
A. a short time
B. many thousands of years
C. many hundreds of years
D. about 100 years
John sent his mother expensive presents on his mother's birthday every year. He liked to show her how rich he was.
"I must find something wonderful for her, and it must be the only one in the whole world. "John thought.
He advertised (登广告) in the newspapers. " Wanted—the best present for the woman who has everything. "
For many days his telephone did not stop ringing. People phoned him from all over the world. They wanted to sell him "the best present". But they did not have anything that was the only one in the whole world.
Then less than a week before his mother's birthday, a man came to his office. He was carrying a cage, and in the cage there was a large bird.
"This bird, "the man said, "can speak ten languages and sing any pop song. There is no other bird like it in the world. "
"I will listen to it, "John said. "If what you said is true, I will buy the bird from you. "
The man spoke to the bird. "Talk to me in French, " he said. The bird spoke to him in French. "Tell me a joke in Japanese, " he said. The bird told him a joke in Japanese. "Sing a famous pop song, "he said. The bird sang a famous pop song.
"I'll buy it, "John said. "How much do you want?"
"One hundred thousand dollars, "the man said. This was a lot of money but John paid him. Then he sent the bird to his mother with a birthday card.
The day after his mother's birthday he phoned her. "Well, mother, "he said, "Is the bird wonderful?"
"Oh, it was delicious, dear, "she said.
1. Why did John send her mother expensive presents for her birthday every year?
A. Because he loved his mother very much.
B. Because his mother needed these presents.
C. Because he wanted to show he had a lot of money.
D. Because he was the richest man in the world.
2. How did people know John wanted the best present in the world?
A. They rang John up.
B. They knew it from the newspapers.
C. John phoned them one by one.
D. They knew it on TV.
3.When did the man with a bird come to visit John?
A. Two weeks before John's mother's birthday.
B. On John's mother's birthday.
C. About five days before John's mother's birthday.
D. Less than a week after John's mother's birthday.
4. Why did John pay the man a lot of money for the bird?
A. Because it was such a beautiful bird.
B. Because he wanted to help the poor man with the bird.
C. Because the bird could look after his mother.
D. Because John thought the bird could make his mother happy.
5. What does the sentence "It was delicious, "really mean in the story?
A. His mother ate the bird.
B. His mother let the bird fly away.
C. His mother began to learn languages from the bird.
D. His mother thought it was the most expensive present in the world.
Many people have to work 46 . Some people do not mind. Other people think it's terrible.
One man thinks that working at the weekends can be 47 . He is George Smith. Mr Smith works in an office, in Brighton, England.
On Saturday, May 24, 1986, he went to the office to do some work. After he 48 the lift, it stopped between floors. Mr Smith could not get out of the lift. He began to shout, but 49 heard him. Then Mr Smith remembered that it was a holiday in England. No one was going to come to work 50 Tuesday.
There was 51 for Mr Smith to do. He had to wait until one of his workmates came to work and found him. With nothing to 52 , Mr Smith was very hungry and had to sleep most of the time.
Early on Tuesday morning, one of his workmates came into work and found the lift 53 . When the lift was opened, Mr Smith came out cold, weak, and tired. He had been in the lift for 54 hours!
Now Mr Smith says, "I only use lifts if they have 55 in them. "
1.A. from Monday to Friday B. at the weekends
C. on weekdays D. from morning till night
2. A. dangerous B. happy C. angry D. free
3. A. got off B. got into C. got out of D. got to
4. A. someone B. everyone C. no one D. either
5. A. on B. to C. from D. until
6. A. nothing B. something C. anything D. everything
7. A. read or write B. eat or drink C. cook D. know the time
8. A. was not there B. was not closed C. was not working D. was working
9. A. nearly 24 B. about 40 C. more than 60 D. over 94
10. A. pans B. beds C. exits D. telephones
He asked me .
A. who did kick the first goal in the World Cup
B. when was the APEC meeting held
C. when China became a member of the WTO
D. where will the 2008 Olympics be held
My father will have a holiday next month. He'll take me to Qingdao.
A. ten days B. ten day's C. ten-days D. ten days'
Mike learns a lot about internet. And .
A. I don't, either B. so do I C. so am I D. I am, too
