One windy spring day, I
noticed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Colorful creations of different shapes and sizes filled the skies like beautiful birds flying and dancing. As the strong winds blew against the kites, a string kept them in control.
Instead of blowing away with the wind, they rose against it to achieve great heights. They shook and pulled, but the restraining (控制的) string and the cumbersome (笨重的) tail kept them in control, facing upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled against the string, they seemed to say, “Let me go! Let me go! I want to be free!” They rose beautifully even when they fought the restriction of the string. Finally, one of the kites succeeded in breaking loose(松散的). “Free at last,” it seemed to say. “Free to fly with the wind.”
Yet freedom(自由) simply put it in the control of an unkind wind. It fell down to the ground and landed in a mass of weeds and string against a dead bush. “Free at last”, free to lie powerlessly in the dirt, to be blown helplessly along the ground, and to stop lifelessly against the first obstacle (障碍物).
How much like kites we sometimes are. The Heaven gives us adversity (逆境) and rules, rules to follow from which we can grow and get strength. Some of us break away from the rules so hard that we never reach the heights we might get to. We keep part of the rules and never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground.
Let us each rise to the great heights, knowing that some of the rules that we may be angry about are in fact the strong force that helps us achieve.
1.Why does the writer write the first paragraph?
A. Because it was the first time that he had seen young people flying kites.
B. Because he wants to share his feelings in nature with the readers.
C. Because he wants to tell the readers how to make beautiful kites.
D. Because he wants to use readers’ similar life experience to understand the article better.
2.By writing the
second and third paragraphs, the writer seems to let the readers know__________.
A. anyone who wants no restraints is sure to be a sad end
B. what a pity it is that one kite flew down to the ground
C. man with freedom can’t be like that kite which fell down
D. the unkind wind is the cause of the fallen kite’s failure
3.What does the underlined word “restriction” in the second paragraph probably mean?
A. 束缚B. 放纵C. 摇摆D. 牵引
4.In the writer’s opinion, ____________.
A. without restrictions and rules we can make endless progress
B. kites are good examples to those who want to get freedom
C. restrictions are necessary for us human beings
D. we don’t need any freedom at all
Is getting a black belt(腰带) on your life’s to-do list? Then this elderly woman in San Francisco just might be your hero.
Just two years before her 100th birthday, Sensei Keiko Fukuda has become the first woman to achieve a tenth-degree black belt --- the highest rank in Judo (柔道). Fukuda is now one of only four living people who have earned the tenth-degree black belt. Throughout history, only 16 people have ever achieved this honor.
Fukuda began practicing Judo in 1935 and is the only surviving student of its founder, Kano Jiguro.
At her teacher’s requirement, she learned English to help spread Judo internationally.
During a time when getting married, building a family and becoming a housewife were the norms(行为标准)，Fukuda broke from tradition, continuing Judo instead of getting married.
“All I did was Judo ... This was my marriage,” Fukuda replied tearfully to the San Francisco Chronicle. “This is when my destiny (命运) was set. I just imagined how long the road would be.”
She described the Jiguro’s school as “old-fashioned and sexist(性别歧视的) about belts and ranks”. In fact, an edict(法令) that prevented women from achieving any higher than a fifth-degree black belt kept Fukuda at that level for 30 years. She finally got the sixth degree in 1972 when a women’s division（分部）was
created.
Fukuda thinks Judo and her life to be “gentle, kind and beautiful, yet firm and strong, both mentally and physically”. Fukuda says this kind of beauty is not external(外在的). She explained. “I believe this inner beauty is true beauty… All my life this has been my dream.”
Her dream was turned into reality, 
and the 98-year-old Sensei Keiko Fukuda continues to teach Judo three times a week at a women’s Judo training center.
1.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the article?
A. She is the first woman to achieve the highest rank in Judo.
B. It took her 30 years to get a tenth-degree black belt.
C. Her teacher wanted her to help spread Judo to other parts of the world.
D. Only one woman and fifteen men have ever earned the tenth-degree black belt in the history.
2.Why did Fukuda pursue(追求) Judo all her life?
A. To look for inner beauty.
B. To help Japan become stronger.
C. To spread Judo around the world.
D. To fight against tradition.
3.Which of the following best describes Fukuda according to the article?
A. TraditionalB. Popular
C. Determined (坚定的) D. Curious
The number of rural(乡村的) left-behind children under 17 years old has increased to 61.02 million, according to a report. These children’s parents leave them with their grandparents or other family members in order to make money in cities.
Sichuan Province and Henan Province have the highest percentage of rural left-behind children. Together with Anhui Province, Guangdong Province and Hunan Province, these five provinces have 43.64% of the country’s rural left-behind children, the report says.
The report finds that left-behind children are mainly in the central and western provinces. But the developed eastern areas also face similar problems, the report says. Guangdong Province has the most left-behind children, with 4.34 million, followed by Zhejiang Province, Jiangsu Province, Shanghai and Beijing.
“What I’m worried about most is the schooling of my child, as I have no time to help her with her homework.” Said An Baiyou, a truck driver from Shangdong Province, who has been leaving his 10-year-old daughter with his parents while driving trucks in other provinces. “However, to make money or to take care of the child, you can only choose one side.”
Wang Zhenyao, the president of Beijing Normal University Institue of Public Welfare, says that if the left-behind children problem can’t be solved, it will affect the nation’s future.
Compared with those who live with their parents, left-behind children need more care and protection. The country should think about ways to attract the rural workers in cities to return and work in their hometown to improve the development of these places.”
In addition, it is important to set up laws to protect the basic rights of young people, especially those with illnesses or only one parent.
These children are the future of the nation. People should offer them their love, care and protection.
1.Which of the following is TRUE, according to the passage?
A. Wang Zhenyao has a 10-year-old daughter.
B. An Baiyou chooses to make money in cities instead of taking care of his child in Shandong.
C. Zhejiang Province has about 4.34 million left-behind children.
D. The developed eastern areas don’t have the left-behind children problem.
2.Wang Zhenyao mainly wants to tell us that ____________.
A. it is not easy to solve the left-behind children problem
B. children with illnesses or only one parent are very poor
C. it is important to solve the left-behind children problem
D. rural workers like working in cities rather than their hometowns
3.The best title of the passage is____________.
A. Serious facts about rural children
B. A choice of children or money
C. More care to rural left-behind children
D. A report on parents’ worry about rural left-behind children
Dogs are considered as man’s best friend. But what about cats? Sometimes cats can make equally wonderful friends. The following is a comparison of the two animals.
A Friend Helps You When You’re Sick
Dogs | When Catherine lay down on the sofa, Pepe stared(盯) into her eyes and kept sniffing(嗅). After being pushed away, he suddenly jumped onto her chest. That’s when Catherine felt a pain that made her visit a doctor, and a fast-growing cancer was found. Months later, however, Pepe started staring and sniffing again. It seemed strange, but sure enough, Catherine’s cancer had spread. |
Cats | When Tee sits and stares directly into her face, Alana immediately finds a chair. That’s because Tee is warning her that she is about to faint(昏倒), which can happen as often as three times a day. But Alana won’t get hurt if she sits down. Not only does Tee warn Alana, but also her husband. Then the cat stays with Alana until she recovers. |
A Friend Saves Your Life
Dogs | Ryan fell into the water by accident. The river was full of melted snow, and Ryan was very cold and his body temperature was dropping dangerously low. Luckily, he was found by Chelsea, who was playing with her dog, Zion. “Zion knew the boy was in trouble,” says Chelsea. “Ryan grabbed onto the dog’s collar, and Zion just turned around and came straight back to the shore.” |
Cats | “I was napping in my bedroom, and then I was woken by Joey screaming and running back and forth,” says Bernice. Then she found herself surrounded by smoke. With Joey alongside her, she managed to get out of the door. By then, flames(火焰) were shooting up from the basement. “I found him in a mailbox when he was young and now I feel very fortune. Without him, I’d have probably died in the smoke.” |
1.When Alana is about to faint, Tee will ____________.
A. stare at her and keep sniffing
B. jump onto her chest suddenly
C. sit and stare directly into her face
D. scream and run back and forth
2.What can we learn about Ryan?
A. He likes swimming in rivers.
B. He has a lovely dog, Zion.
C. Chelsea helped him swim back to the shore.
D. He was in danger when he was found by Chelsea.
3.What happened to Bernice?
A. She was badly hurt in a big fire.
B. She met the brave cat, Joey, in a big fire.
C. A fire broke out when she was napping.
D. She ran out of the burning house with the help of firemen.
Barefoot (赤脚的) and dirty, the girl just 
sat there and watched the people go by. She never tried to speak. She never said a word. Many people , but never did one person stop.
The next day, I decided to go back to the park, being curious if the little girl would still be there. Right in the very spot as she was the day before, she sat, with the look on her face.
As I began walking towards her, I could see the back of the little girl’s dress showed a deformity (畸形的). As I got closer, the little girl slightly her eyes to avoid (避开) my stare.
I sat down beside her and opened with a simple . The little girl stammered (结结巴巴地说) a hi. I smiled and she shyly smiled back. We talked darkness fell and the park was completely empty.
“Why are you so sad?”
She replied slowly, “Because I’m .”
“Little girl,” I said in a soft voice, “You me of an angel because of your difference.”
She stood to her feet excitedly, “Really?”
“Yes, that’s the thing. You’re like a little angel sent to watch over all those people walking by.”
She nodded her head and smiled, “ I am. And since you think of someone yourself, my job here is done.”
What a big ! I stood quickly, “Wait, so why did no one stop to help an angel?”
She bloomed(绽放) a big smile, “You’re the one who could see me, because you care for others.” With those words, she spread her wings and flied away from my sight.
From then on, I believe I am not all I have, for there is an angel always me. She is always watching over those who do good things for others.
1.A. passed B. looked C. asked D. helped
2.A. angriest B. coldest C. happiest D. saddest
3.A. lowered B. closed C. rose D. opened
4.A. smile B. hello C. question D. word
5.A. before B. after C. till D. when
6.A. different B. foolish C. beautiful D. poor
7.A. force B. treat C. turn D. remind
8.A. Indeed B. Happily C. Perhaps D. Luckily
9.A. beyond B. beside C. including D. except
10.A. excitementB. present C. surprise D. happiness
11.A. clever B. great C. lucky D. only
12.A. on B. with C. in D. for
--- What a nice party! Thank you for inviting us.
--- ____________. See you.
A. For pleasure.B. Not so nice.C. With pleasure. D. It was a pleasure.
