Basketball is still a young game. It's over a hundred years old. In the winter of 1891, a certain college was having some trouble with its boy students. The weather was bad and the students had to stay indoors. As they couldn't play outdoors, they were unhappy, and some even got into fights from time to time.
Some of the teachers, at the college asked Dr. Naismith to invent a game so that the students might have something to play with. It was not easy to invent such a game because it had to be played indoors , and the court (球场) was not very large.
Dr. Naismith thought for a few days and invented a kind of ball game. It was a fast, wonderful game with much moving and passing of the ball. It was played between two teams. To make a score , the ball had to be thrown into the basket ten feet(英尺) above the floor on the wall . At each end of the court there was such a basket. At first, Dr. Naismith wanted to throw the ball into a box. As he could not find boxes of the right size, he had to use fruit baskets instead. That is how the game got its name.
1.How long is it since basketball was invented?
A．1000 years B．More than 100 years
C．1100 years D．Less than 100 years
2.The students felt unhappy because _______.
A．they had much homework to do
B．they often got into fights
C．they couldn't play outdoors
D．they had little time to study
3.Who asked Dr. Naismith to invent a game?
A．Some students B．Some teachers
C．Some students' parents D．Some of his friends
4.When a student ______ , he makes a score.
A．receives the ball.
B．throws the ball to another student
C．runs quickly with the ball in his hand
D．throws the ball into the basket
5.Which sentence is right?
A．Dr. Naismith had to use fruit baskets to throw the ball.
B．It was easy to invent the game.
C．The students could go outdoors when the weather was bad.
D．The ball had to be thrown into the basket ten feet above the floor.
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
Chicago On a Budget
How to have fun in Chicago without spending a lot of money?
Sightseeing
○ The Art Institute of Chicago has a fine collection of photos and paintings. The ticket is ＄10.00,but go on Tuesdays and you’ll get in free(免费).
○ The Sears Tower is the world’s third tallest building. By going to the 103rd floor, you can get a great view of the whole city! All for only ＄8.50.
○ There are free concerts in Grant Park in summer. They are held Wednesday through Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
○ Attend the taping of a TV show for free. The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Jenny Jones Show both offer tourists free tickets. For The Oprah Winfrey Show you’ll have to book tickets at least a month before.
Places to stay
You can get a hotel for ＄100 to ＄ 300 a day. However, you can get a room in the dormitory(宿舍) at Roosevelt University for ＄215 for a whole week! But you have to stay for 30 days to get this great rate(优惠).
1.This passage is written for telling us ___________.
A．Chicago is a big and beautiful city B．where we can see fine photos and paintings
C．how to make a cheap trip in Chicago D．there are many free concerts in Chicago
2.It will cost you _________ if you visit the Art Institute instead of the Sears Tower on Sundays.
A．more B．less C．the same D．none
3.You may go to ________ if you like to get a great view of the whole city.
A．the Art Institute B．the Sears Tower
C．Roosevelt University D．Grant Park
4.You have to spend at least _____________in all to stay in a dormitory room at Roosevelt University at a good rate.
A．＄100 B．＄300 C．＄215 D．＄860
5.According to this passage, which of the following statements in NOT TRUE ?
A．You are free to go to the Art Institute on Tuesdays.
B．Free Grant Park concerts are held four nights a week in summer.
C．The Sears Tower is the world’s third tallest building.
D．You can get tickets to The Oprah Winfrey as soon as you arrive.
Michael Jackson is one of the world’s best singers. Michael Jackson was born in the middle west of Gary, Indiana, in 1958. He began singing with his four brothers. They called the group “Jackson Five”. The group became very popular after appearing on a television progam. They started singing in 1965, became popular soon. In 1970 the group made their first record the name of “I Want You Back”. It was very popular. One of their hit records was “Never Say Goodbye”.
Michael was good at dancing as well as singing, for example, his dance moves and moon walking. He was asked to act in a film in 1978 for the first time, in the same year he made a record on his own, which sold eight million copies all over the world.
Michael nearly didn’t go out because he was too famous. Once his fans went off in a faint（晕倒） when they saw him at the concert. No one can do it by now. He lived in a large house and kept lots of animals. He never ate meat. He often raises money for charity. This made him win the Guinness World Records（吉尼斯世界纪录）in 2006. He died on June 25th, 2009, but he would live in our heart forever.
1.What’s the name of their first record?
A．“Never Say Goodbye” B．“See You, See Me”
C．“I Want You Back” D．“On the World”
2.Michael was good at __________ according to the passage.
A．rock music B．street dance
C．playing the piano D．moon walking
3.Why did Mochael have to stay at home most of the time?
A．Because he was too famous
B．Because he often felt lonely.
C．Because he had no friends
D．Because his company asked him to do so
Music and Behavior
Where did you go yesterday? Did you hear 1 at any of those places? Today most stores and restaurants play music. You might 2 hear music in an office or on a farm.
Scientists believe that music changes the 3 people behave. According to some scientists, the sound of western classical music makes people 4 richer. When a restaurant plays classical music, people spend 5 money on food and drinks. When the restaurant plays 6 music, people spend less money. With 7 music, people spend even less.
Scientists also 8 that loud , fast music makes people eat faster. In fact, people 9 their food faster when the music gets faster. Some restaurants play fast music during their 10 hours. This gets people to eat faster and leave more quickly. In this way, restaurants 11 make more money.
Some scientists think that music makes you think and learn better. They say 12 music helps students to be more active. It is true that people earn better when they are 13 . And listening to music can help you relax.
The 14 time you hear music somewhere, be 15 . It might change the way you do things.
1. A．music B．stores C．songs D．sound
2. A．already B．even C．hardly D．never
3. A．way B．time C．idea D．place
4. A．become B．get C．feel D．look
5. A．much B．more C．little D．less
6. A．pop B．modern C．light D．country
7. A．no B．much C．any D．some
8. A．expect B．hope C．realize D．believe
9. A．cook B．order C．eat D．make
10. A．free B．busy C．happy D．sad
11. A．can B．should C．can’t D．needn’t
12. A．how B．why C．what D．that
13. A．excited B．interested C．confident D．relaxed
14. A．first B．second C．next D．last
15. A．quiet B．quick C．happy D．careful
What are your brothers’ ?
A. job B. job’s C. jobs
