We always celebrated Dad’s birthday on Thanksgiving Day, even after he entered a nursing home. When we knew it might be his last birthday, the whole family decided to get together for a huge birthday celebration at the nursing home.
Dad was a good storyteller and we were always his listeners. During a quiet moment, I announced it was now Dad’s turn to listen to stories for a change. I wanted everyone to tell Dad what we loved about him. The room became quiet. Then one after another, people told stories from their hearts, while Dad listened with tears in eyes.
Everyone seemed to have more than one story. Even the little grandchildren couldn’t wait to tell Dad why they loved him. For a man who had been kind to so many hundreds of people in his life, here was our chance to tell him how much we love him. A few months later, at Dad’s memorial service, we more fully realized what we had given to Dad that night. Those are the stories people normally tell at a funeral (葬礼) after a loved one is no longer alive to hear the words. They tell stories, full of tears. But we had given those memories to Dad in his life, and we had told them through laughter, together with hugs and joy. He had them to hold and enjoyed them from time to time in his mind during his last days and months.
Words do matter, and they are enough. We just need to say them or to speak them publicly the ones we love. That’s the ways to give back love and that’s our chance to celebrate a person in his or her life.
1.The writer’s family decided to have a huge birthday celebration because______.
A. Dad was to leave the hospital
B. it might be Dad’s last birthday
C. they would celebrate Thanksgiving Day
D. Dad was at the nursing home
2.According to the passage, we know______.
A. all the family loved the father, including the little grandchildren
B. the writer’s father was still enjoying good health
C. the party was held at the writer’s home
D. the doctor told the writer his father was going to die at once
3.From the passage, we know the writer’s father was______ to hear
the stories.
A. surprised B. moved C. sad D. frustrated
4.The best title of the passage can be______.
A. An Amazing Story B. A Kind Father
C. Say Our Love Publicly D. A Big Party
A recent research shows that physical activity(体育活动) may help students do better in their classes. The research comes because educators in some countries are reducing time for activities like P.E. class.
Researchers go over the results of fourteen studies. Twelve were from the United States, one from Canada and one from South Africa. The studies appeared between 2009 and 2013. They included more than 55,000 children, aged six to eighteen.
Thomas Singh, one of the researchers, says the studies showed a relationship between physical activity and scores on subjects such as math, English and reading. Ms. Singh offers some possible explanations (解释):
“ There are, first, physiological (生理的) explanations, like more blood flow, and so more oxygen (氧气) to the brain. Being physically active means there are more hormones（ 荷尔蒙） produced like endorphins ( 脑内啡). And endorphins make your stress level lower and your mood improved, which means you will perform better in class. Also, students who take part in organized sports learn rules and how to follow them. This could improve their classroom behavior and help them know what they should do.
All in all, the finding tells us that physically active kids are more likely to do better in school. Ms. Singh says schools should consider the finding before they cut physical education programs.
1.What led the researchers to do the studies?
A. Schools’cutting physical activity.
B. Their interest in physical activity.
C. The tests including about 55,000 children.
D. Kids’unsatisfying schooling performance.
2.How many countries took part in the studies?
A. 14. B. 12 C. 2. D. 3.
3.Which of the following is NOT one of the advantages of physical activity according to the passage?
A. Getting more blood flow.
B.Better classroom behavior.
C. Feeling relaxed and refreshed.
D. Greater ability to organize activities.
（1）
Books Contents | |
Leo the Snow Leopard By Craig Hatkoff | It was written by the best story-teller. The story is about Leo, a young snow leopard(雪豹) that was helped by a kind man in the snowy mountains in Pakistan. Snow leopards are in danger. Leo was just two months old when he was found and he could not live in the wild on his own. |
Where Do Recyclable Materials Go By Sabbithry Persad | Tiana has been learning about recycling at school. But after her dog, Bubbles, gets lost chasing after a recycling truck, she decides to learn a lot more about recycling! Following Tiana, readers will learn how to take care of the environment. |
The Scrap Kins Build By Brian Yanish | Meet the Scrap Kins. They are friendly monsters. In the book, they’ll show you how to turn rubbish into some pretty cool things. Readers will learn how to make toy planes from plates, bags, old clothes and more. You know what they say: One person’s rubbish is another person’s love. |
Explore( 探索) Life Cycles ！ By Kathleen M. Reilly | Do you know the largest seed( 种子)in the world or an egg can weigh up to 4 pounds? You ’ll learn about all of these things and more with the latest book in the Explore Your World series( 系列). The books give readers a good look into the life cycles of plants and animals on the Earth. |
1.How old was Leo when he was found?
A. Four months old. B. Two years old.
C. Three months old. D. Two months old.
2.If Jim is interested in making toys from rubbish, he will probably
like to read______.
A. Leo the Snow Leopard B. The Scrap Kins Build
C. Where Do Recyclable Materials Go?
D. Explore Life Cycles!
3.The four books are all about______.
A. nature and the environment
B. monsters C. animals D. plants
完形填空（共15 小题；每小题1 分，满分15 分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给的四个选项中，选出可填入空白处的最
佳选项。
Many books have been written about“the art of giving”. And we also know that it’s hard to give people a gift, 1.a personal one. If we want to make it better, we should understand who you will give the gift to and their likes and 2.
As is often the case, some little kids think they don’t get enough gifts 3.some old people think they get too many gifts. Different people like different kinds of gifts. Some presents are never too 4. For example, when a little child just gives his or her mother a leaf from a tree, it is enough to make her very 5.
Gift giving is different in different 6.Here are some of their likes. In Japan, people sometimes give special gifts. But they are not opened. Later, the same gift may be given away to someone 7.because many people have enough things and don’t want 8. gifts themselves. In Canada, a tree can help remember 9.In the USA, some people ask their families and friends to give money to charity rather than buying them gifts. In Sweden, doing something for someone is the best gift. People don’t need to 10.too much money. Instead, making a meal for him or her is enough.
To make things 11.some people would rather just give money. In some cultures, however,12.money can make people uncomfortable.“When someone gives me money, it just makes me think they’re being lazy,”says John Wilson.“In England, we have a saying: It’s the thought that 13.When someone gives me money, I feel they don’t think it about at all. I prefer to receive a gift 14.has some thought behind it.”
Different people have very different thoughts 15.this subject! So maybe the art of giving is difficult! What do you think?
16.A. specially B. especially C. commonly D. usually
17.A. displays B. disadvantages C. disagreements D. dislikes
18.A. while B. when C. as D. if
19.A. same B. similar C. small D. huge
20.A. lonely B. happy C. sad D. angry
21.A. cities B. towns C. provinces D. countries
22.A. else B. other C. another D. else’s
23.A. too much B. much too C. too many D. many too
24.A. a child B. a person C. a guide D. a chef
25.A. spend B. take C. cost D. make
26.A. more difficult B. easy C. difficult D. easier
27.A. using B. giving C. receiving D. fetching
28.A. counts B. discovers C. finds D. invents
29.A. who B. what C. where D. that
30.A. to B. on C. up D. in
- Bill, can I get you anything to drink? - ______ .
A. You are welcome. B. No problem.
C. I wouldn’t mind a coffee. D. It doesn’t matter
- I can hardly believe my eyes. Is that you, Lucy?
- Yes. It has been almost 20 years______ we were together.
A. since B. before C. after D. until
