Reading is fun! Besides for fun, we can also analyze(分析) texts to learn more from the texts and more about the texts. One way we can do this is by finding out the theme of the texts.
(61)The theme of a text is the “big idea” that runs through the text, connecting the characters and events. It is what the writer wants to tell us through the story. Usually the theme of a text isn’t told directly, you have to use clues(线索) in the text to find it out. (62)Themes can be ideas like family, friendship, love and so on. The theme might not be just one word, but it might be an idea such as “Friendship is important”. There may also be more than one theme in a story. (63)我们怎样才能找出文本的主题呢？ The following steps may help you.
Read through the whole text. Usually characters change as the story goes on, so the theme you get at the beginning might not be true at the end! For this reason, you need to read through the whole text first.
Find out the clue. After reading the whole text, try to answer the following questions. What important events happened during the story? What was the problem? How did the problem get solved? How did the character(s) change? What did the character(s) learn? The answers may help you to get the clues.
Get the big idea. (64)Read again for the writer’s purpose of the text by answering the following questions. Was most of the plot(情节) around friendship? Did the characters solve problems with their families? Did the main character learn the importance of friendship? (65)如果你的一个答案为“是”，你就可能获得了它。
Have you got the way to find out the theme of a text? Get your favorite book quickly and see if you can find the theme out!
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I was driving in my car the other day. The sun was out, the radio was playing, and I was singing along. The song was a happy one and even my weak voice sounded good singing it. Then it happened, however. The sweet sound of the music ended and the news break began.
I drove on while the news started. Gas prices were getting high again. The race for the presidency was getting worse and worse. Fights broke out when the fans of a sports team went wild while celebrating their team’ s win.
Finally, I could take no more and turned off the radio. I preferred staying in silence to listening to anything else about the crazy, competitive society we live in. I slowed down as I entered a town and watched the people as I drove by.
A man was helping an elderly lady out of a car and helping her place her walker so she could go into store.
A smiling woman was throwing some corns into her backyard while lots of birds flew down to enjoy the food before them.
A young man was walking along, carrying his 2-year-old daughter safely in his arms. He tickled her gently when she pulled the hat off his head and they both laughed. I laughed too as I looked at all of his kindness. Although the music was off, I felt my heart singing.
In truth, this world could use a little more kindness and a lot less competition. Kindness makes us all winners in life and shows us that we don’ t have to beat others all the time.
1.Why did the writer turn off the radio?
A.Because he couldn’ t stand all the bad news.
B.Because he preferred silence over sound.
C.Because he was driving into a town.
2.The underline word “walker” in the passage means “ ” in Chinese.
A.步行者 B.助行器 C.钱袋子
3.The writer noticed that the town was full of _______.
A.competition B.love and laughter C.old people and kids
4.The writer suggests that we should ________.
A.be more competitive B.listen to less news C.be kinder to others
5.Which of the following can be the best title?
A.A happy day B.More kindness, Less competitive C.A peaceful town
Each country has many kind people who volunteer to take care of others. For example, some high school and university students in the US often spend many hours as volunteers in hospitals or old people’s homes. They read books for the people or they just visit them and play games with them or listen to their problems.
Other young volunteers go and work in the homes of the sick people. They clean up their houses or do the shopping. For boys who don’t have fathers there is an organization called “Big Brothers”. University students and other people take these boys to play baseball games and help them get to know things that boys usually learn from their fathers.
Each city has a lot of clubs where boys and girls can go to play games or take part in other activities. Some of these clubs show movies or have short trips to the mountains, the beaches or the museums. Most of these clubs use a lot of high school and university students as volunteers because they can understand the problems of these boys and girls more easily.
Volunteers believe that some of the happiest people in the world are those who help to bring happiness to others.
1.Which place is not mentioned about volunteering in the US ?
A.Sick people’s homes. B.Hospital. C.Zoos.
2.Volunteers are people who__________.
A.Get paid for helping others B.Help to take care of others C.Sell books in hospital
3.Big brothers is an organization for boys who no longer have __________.
A.fathers B.Brothers C.friends
4.Most of the clubs choose high school and college students as volunteers because______________.
A.they understand the problems of these boys and girls more easily.
B.they need money.
C.they take them to watch baseball games.
5.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.Volunteers only help people who are old.
B.Volunteers can earn much money from their work.
C.People who bring happiness to others are the happiest.
London, England, United Kingdom 5-Day’s Weather report
DAY | DESCRIPTION | HIGH/LOW | PRECIP | WIND | HUMIDITY |
MON NOV 11
| Showers | 8°/4° | 40% | N 11 mph | 82% |
TUE NOV 12
| Partly Cloudy | 8°/5° | 20% | NE 12 mph | 84% |
WED NOV 13
| Partly Cloudy | 9°/6° | 20% | ESE 11 mph | 81% |
THU NOV 14
| PM Showers | 9°/5° | 40% | SSE 10 mph | 84% |
FRI NOV15
| AM Showers | 8°/3° | 50% | SSW 9 mph | 84% |
1.What’ s the weather like in London on Nov. 12?
A.Rainy. B.Partly cloudy C.Mostly sunny
2.The lowest temperature will appear on ______.
A.Monday B.Thursday C.Friday
3.According to the weather report, we can know ________.
A.there will be three sunny days.
B.there will be three rainy days.
C.there will be a snowy day.
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1.The chart is about ________.
A.teachers’ activities B.students’ activities C.parents’ activities
2.What kind of activities do the most people do after school?
A.Play computer games B.Do sports C.Do their homework
When an earthquake hit a small town, many houses fell down．
After the earthquake, all the newspapers reported many stories about some of the_______who were in trouble．
One Sunday, when I was reading a newspaper, a special picture_______me．It gave the clothing sizes of each family member．I thought that this would be a good chance to teach my children to help those who were less lucky than_______．I said to my seven-year-old twins, Brad and Brett, and three-year-old Meghan．“We have so much, and these poor people now have_______．We'll share what we have with them.” I_______a box with foods and clothes．While I was doing this, I encouraged the boys to choose their toys and donate some of their less_______things．Meghan watched_______as the boys_______their old toys and games and put them together．Then she walked away．A few minutes later she came back with Lucy, her much-loved doll．She put the doll on top of the other toys．“Oh, dear,”I said．"You don't have to give Lucy．You love her so much．"
Meghan said,“Lucy makes me happy, Mommy．Maybe she'll make another little girl_______, too．”
I looked at Meghan for a long moment．She taught me a lesson．
It's easy to give something that we don't want any more, but__________to give what we cherish(珍爱), isn't it?
1.A.houses B.neighbors C.families
2.A.heard B.touched C.showed
3.A.himself B.herself C.themselves
4.A.nothing B.anything C.everything
5.A.got B.filled C.found
6.A.beautiful B.favorite C.heavy
7.A.terribly B.quietly C.sadly
8.A.took out B.took up C.took care of
9.A.happy B.sad C.rich
10.A.easier B.faster C.harder
