Mark Twain is someone Americans are taught to love. Older relatives, English teachers and the media always praise him. But when you actually take the time to read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, you find that his work is more wonderful than you could ever imagine.
The novel describes a young boy named Tom Sawyer growing up in a small town along the Mississippi River. He explores the countryside on a riverboat with his friends, falls in love with girls, starts secret clubs and searches for treasure. Twain’s idea of childhood is magical – a time of imagination, wonder and, of course, adventure.
More importantly, through the eyes of Tom Sawyer, Twain cleverly makes fun of US culture. For example, Tom hates going to church, and Twain uses scenes of Tom there to mock religion(宗教) and its old traditions.
Twain’s writing is full of these kinds of critical (批判的) points about culture and politics(政治). That’s why he is so loved in the US – he wasn’t afraid to state his opinions, and he did so clearly.
He also believed strongly in women’s right to vote in elections and gave a famous speech on the subject, called “Votes for Women”, in 1901.
“Tom was a great hero once more——the pet of the old, the envy of the young,” Twain writes in Tom Sawyer. But he could just as well be describing himself.
1.According to the writer, after reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, you are likely to think ___.
A. it’s not worth all the praise
B. it’s as wonderful as you imagined
C. it’s better to read it with teachers
D. it’s even better than you imagined
2.What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
A. A brief(简要的) description of the novel.
B. Where Twain’s idea of childhood comes from.
C. How naughty and adventurous Tom Sawyer is.
D. What makes Tom Sawyer’s adventures so wonderful.
3.What does the underlined word “mock” mean?
A. make changes to B. make fun of
C. give reasons for D. give examples of
4. Why is Twain so loved in the US according to the article?
A. He supported women’s right to vote.
B. He wrote bad things about US wars abroad.
C. He criticized American culture and society(社会) clearly and cleverly.
D. He showed readers a magical childhood that everyone would love.
5. Which is the best title of this passage?
A. Mark Twain never stops laughing at US society
B. Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer
C. Mark Twain’s life
D. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
In some science fiction movies, evil robots refuse to die, no matter how hard people fight back.
Now science fiction has become science fact. For the first time, scientists have made a robot that can take a beating (挨打) and keep on going. Scientists from Cornell University made the robot, which looks like a spider with four legs.
Until now, even the most advanced (先进的) robot was almost certain to break down when it was damaged. That is because its computer inside simply doesn’t know how to make the machine work after its shape has changed.
To deal with this problem, the scientists put eight motors (发动机) and two sensors (传感器) that read how the machine is working. They all give signals to the machine’s software. Using this information, the computer can then figure out the machine’s shape at any moment.
The new technology is a big advance in robot-making, scientists say, and it’s far from scary. It may someday help scientists create better artificial (假的) arms and legs and give new freedom to people who lose them. It might also help scientists understand how people and animals figure out their own sense of place in space.
“It has been difficult to design robots that can work well when the environment changes or when it’s damaged,” says Olaf Sporns of Indiana University in US. “With this work, we are nearer to solving this problem.”
1.Why do robots easily break down when they are damaged?
A. They cannot repair themselves.
B. The computer has changed a lot.
C. They have no computers inside.
D. The computer cannot work if the robot changes.
2.The new technology allows the robot to _________.
A. do housework for humans
B. keep work ing after being damaged
C. remember a lot of information
D. tell people where it is
3.The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 5 refers to ________.
A. sensors B. robots
C. arms and legs D. scientists
4.How do the sensors in the robot work?
A. They can replace the computer when it’s broken.
B. They can find out where the damage comes from.
C. They help the computer learn the robot’s condition.
D. They can send signals to the person who uses the robot.
5. The passage is probably from_____________.
A. an advertisement B. a tour guide
C. an application D. a newspaper
My sister Alli and I have been trying to get people to stop dropping cigarette butts(烟蒂) for seven years. One day, we were walking in our hometown and saw hundreds of cigarette butts on the ground. They made the town look so ugly that we decided to start a group to make people stop dropping butts. We called it “No Butts About It”. At first, we drew pictures with “The Earth is Not Your Ashtray(烟灰缸)” written on them. We put the pictures around our hometown---in parks, by beaches, and along roads. We wanted to make people understand that dropping butts hurts the environment. Most smokers don’t think that dropping butts hurts the earth. But it does! All rubbish does. Later, we wrote to companies and asked them for money to help us. We used the money to buy ashtrays to give smokers. We wanted smokers to carry the ashtrays with them so they didn’t have to drop butts. At the moment, we are trying to get cigarette companies to put an ashtray in each pack of cigarettes. Some companies want to do it.
Many people have started to join our group since it began. Today there are 45 other “No Butts About It” groups in America. And there are even groups in England, Australia and India! Many newspapers have written about my sister and I over the last seven years. And we have won many prizes for our good work.
But we are not interested in prizes. We just want to make the earth a better and cleaner place for animals, plants and people. One day it will be.
1.“No Butts About It” started___________
A. seventeen years ago. B. seven years ago.
C. seventy years ago D. It’s not mentioned.
2.Why did they start the group?
A. Because they don’t like cigarette.
B. Because they want to make money.
C. Because they want people to know them.
D. Because they want to protect the environment.
3.How many “No Butts About It” groups are there in America?
A. 7 B. 45 C. 46 D. 49.
4.The writer lives in_________
A. America. B. England. C. Australia. D. India.
5.What did the writer do the following EXCEPT__________?
A. starting a group called “No Butts About It”
B. writing to companies to ask them for help
C. asking newspapers to write about her sister and her
D. managing to get some cigarette companies to put an ashtray in each cigarette pack
My friends and I had just finished lunch at a hotel when it started to pour heavily. When it became lighter, I decided to brave the rain(冒雨) to get my , which was parked at my office three streets away. My friends argued that I shouldn’t go, mainly I was seven months pregnant (怀孕的) then. I told them that I’d be very . One of them wanted to come with me but I insisted that she should stay with another friend who needed with her baby.
I walked out of the and started making my way to the car. At the traffic crossing，a car stopped and the passenger with an umbrella. I knew what was happening, he walked right beside me and told me he’d send me to my destination(目的地). I was very embarrassed(尴尬的) and refused, he insisted on offering me his help. During our walk, he kept telling me to walk slower, as the ground was . When we got to the car parking lot, I him and we parted(分手). I did not get his and may not even recognize(认识) him now. Did he purposely stop for me? I’ll never know.
So how did I pay it forward? I was at home when I two Indian construction(建筑) workers walking in the heavy rain. They were probably on their way to the construction site near my home, which was a long walk. I went out and them an umbrella. The two men were wet through. They were surprised by my action , and I told them they should the umbrella and keep it. They were very . And like me, probably wondered why a stranger was giving such kindness.
1.A. money B. bag C. car D. raincoat
2.A. because B. so C. unless D. if
3.A. active B. strong C. busy D. careful
4.A. courage B. water C. help D. food
5.A. hospital B. hotel C. office D. supermarket
6.A. got off B. got in C. picked up D. took off
7.A. Before B. Since C. When D. For
8.A. so B. but C. and D. as
9.A. wet B. empty C. dry D. hard
10.A. paid B. asked C. thanked D. left
11.A. office B. name C. money D. umbrella
12.A. heard B. left C. noticed D. sent
13.A. bought B. sold C. threw D. passed
14.A. take B. bring C. buy D. lend
15.A. foolish B. sad C. grateful D. cheerful
— That young woman must have something to do with the crime, right?
— . Though she insisted she hadn’t done anything against the law.
A. I don’t agree B. I suppose so
C. I don’t think so D. She supposes so
----Your brother often disagrees with you,_________ he?
---- __________. We often have different opinions.
A. does; Yes B. doesn’t; Yes
C. does; No D. doesn’t; No
