I often write about the bad state of television these days, but recently my mom told me about a story she saw on 60 Minutes that was inspiring, educational, and entertaining for the whole family. I went to the show’s website to see for myself. My mom was right. At a time when even Barbara Walters says she’s really bored with celebrities interviews, this one will not disappoint.
It’s the story of Derek Paravicini, a 30-year-old who was born three months early, physically disabled (he can’t button his own shirt), blind, and severely autistic(自闭的).
Yet, through total luck and coincidence, his family discovered that Derek had a remarkable musical talent when he was three.
Derek can hear any musical composition one time and play it perfectly on the piano.
That’s right. He only has to hear it once.
Even more unbelievable, his brain, like a computer, can keep many songs that he can immediately repeat when asked. But his talent isn’t limited to just learning things by heart. Derek is a true musical genius and artist who plays beautifully in a wide range of styles and can make his own music.
With his talent, Derek has raised millions of dollars putting on charity concerts. He also donates his time to senior centers where he acts as a human jukebox (自动唱机) machine, taking requests from senior citizens who haven’t heard their favorite songs for decades.
As it turns out, Derek loves people and his extraordinary talent has been the key to unlocking his personality and social development.
If you want to inspire your family, pop some popcorn and sit everyone down to watch this excellent piece of journalism. If your kids are like mine, it will cause a great family discussion about the definition of “disability” and the extraordinary ability of the human brain and spirit. It may even give you the perfect answer the next time your child says he or she “can’t” do something. Now that’s priceless.
Who says there’s nothing good on TV?
1. From the first paragraph, we know that 60 minutes is a TV program on .
A. interviewing celebrities
B. interviewing the disabled
C. the latest news round the world
D. stating the positive influence of TV
2. How does Derek help the elderly?
A. By buying them a jukebox machine.
B. By building senior centers for them.
C. By singing the old songs they ask for.
D. By playing the piano to raise money for them.
3. In the opinion of the author, Derek can .
A. attract the whole family to watch TV together
B. cause family members to help the disabled
C. help kids understand the ability of their brains
D. encourage kids to accept challenges in life
4.The author’s purpose in writing this passage is to .
A. prove that there is something good on TV
B. introduce a disabled but gifted musician
C. call on people to show more love to the disabled
D. express personal admiration for Derek Paravicini
Sure, human dads can play games with their kids and help with homework, but can they give birth? Daddy sea horses can! This Father’s Day, while you’re praising your daddy, you may also remember that some of the best dads in the world can be found in the animal kingdom:
Sea horses: The “Mr. Moms” in the sea, male sea horses, carry up to 2,000 fertilized eggs in small bags in their stomachs until they hatch. Even after the babies are born, they stay inside the bag until they are ready to live by themselves.
Darwin’s rheas: Thought your dad was overprotective? Darwin’s rheas, also known as South American ostriches (鸵鸟), are so protective of their children that they have even been known to attack small airplanes on the ground if they get too close to their home!
Marmosets: These little monkeys do everything but give lectures on how to give birth! Devoted dads assist during their babies’ birth. They also let Mom get some rest by taking care of the kids when she’s not nursing them.
Sand grouse: These pigeon-like birds live in areas where water is rare, so fathers fly as many as 50 miles to get water for their kids. After they dip their breast feathers in the water, they fly home and let their chicks suck the water from their bodies.
Fathers in the animal kingdom are not that different from our own beloved dads. This Father’s Day, when you are honoring your dad, honor animal dads, too, by practicing kindness toward all animals.
1. The underlined “they” in paragraph 2 refers to .
A. fertilized eggs B. their stomachs C. male sea horses D. baby sea horses
2. According to the passage, which animal is the most protective?
A. A sea horse B. A Darwin’s rhea C. A marmoset D. A san grouse
3.The passage mainly tells readers .
A. how clever and brave animals are
B. how to honor animal dads on Father’s Day
C. animal dads are different from human dads
D. some interesting facts about male animals
Americans have taken over from the Indians many things besides their continent! Where did corn, potatoes, tomatoes, chocolate and maple sugar come from? The Indians. Who invented moccasins, snowshoes and hammocks? The Indians!
A list of the tools, plants, materials and designs we owe to the Indians would include hundreds of items. But there is something far more familiar, something that is always at hand. It is used daily by every American: a large vocabulary of Indian words.
Potato, tomato, chocolate, moccasin and hammock came into English from Indian languages. So did cocoa, tobacco, maize (an Indian word for corn) and succotash. Some words have changed on the way. Potato, for example, comes from a word that sounds like “batata”. Cocoa began as “cacahuatl”.
Some meanings have also changed. The long Indian word from which succotash comes means “something broken off in bits”. Indian women often varied their dishes by mixing bits of one food with another. White men who ate an Indian dish of mixed lima beans (青豆) and corn began using the Indian word to mean this particular mixture.
Put on your moccasins and take a walk in the country. If it is a cold day and you wear a mackinaw, your jacket will be as Indian as your shoes. But mackinaw came from “michilimackinac”, the Indian name of a place where a fort (集市) served as a trading post. Bright-colored blankets or jackets bought at the post soon became known as “mackinaws”.
Early white visitors to the continent found Indian words useful for the things new to them. But some Indian sounds, such as the “tl” at the end of many words, were hard to say. That is why “coyotl” became coyote and “tomatle” became tomato.
Some words simply seemed too long. So, “musickwautash” became succotash and “rockahominy” became hominy.
1.The first two paragraphs may serve as a(n) .
A. explanation B. introduction C. comment D. background
2. Which of the following has been changed for easier pronunciation?
A. Batata B. Chocolate C. Tomatle D. Rockahominy
3. Some words have changed because .
A. they are too long
B. nobody can use them
C. the things they refer to have disappeared
D. they are too difficult for people to write
4. What is the passage mainly about?
A. How Indian traditions affect us.
B. Why Indian words were changed.
C. Things we owe to the Indians.
D. Indian words all around us.
If you want to fully enjoy your vacation, then you’d better check the Durban City Tours! This is actually one of the best choices in South Africa today.
There is nothing more relaxing than to think about it that there is a place to go and relax, right? City life is stressful, but you can escape this situation and be in the place where there is noting but fun. Here in Durban you will get to see all the amazing tourist attractions. If you love animals and want to see some elephants wandering around the streets, then Durban is the place to go. You can even get to ride one if you want!
Here you will also get to taste all the delicious South African food. You can choose from Italian cooking to its native dishes. Durban is a great place to tour with your friends and family. You will learn a lot about its history through the landmarks you will see down the streets. Tourists and even the local villagers just can’t get enough of these treats!
However, it is important that you make the necessary arrangements. There are actually lots of tour guides that will help you as you make your journey along the streets of Durban. But if you prefer the best tour guides here in Durban, then you’d better settle for the Street Scene Tours. Their staff are all well-trained and professional. They will certainly make your stay here an unforgettable one. No wonder tourists prefer the Street Scene Tours when it comes to Durban City Tours.
1.What is the main idea of Paragraph 2?
A. Durban is a relaxing city.
B. City life means high pressure.
C. It is good to have a place to relax.
D. One can have fun riding elephants.
2. If you walk in the street of Durban, what will impress you most?
A. Tourists from all over the world.
B. The buildings and many kinds of animals.
C. The streets and some wandering elephants.
D. The friendly local people and the scenery.
3.. What does the last sentence in Paragraph 3 show?
A. The food can’t satisfy them.
B. They are bored with the streets.
C. They are treated very well here.
D. They never get tired of the sights.
4. The author wrote the last paragraph mainly to .
A. attract tourists to Durban
B. help readers make arrangement
C. introduce the tour guides in Durban
D. persuade tourists to choose the Street Scene Tours
完形填空（共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Recent studies have shown that children with learning disabilities (LD) often have problems. For many, strong 21 of anger, shame, sadness, or disappointment can 22 psychological difficulties such as anxiety, depression or low self-esteem. These problems can be far more than the 23 challenges themselves.
Several heading experts in the field of LD have offered suggestions on ways to help 24 children from these problems.
To be most effective in supporting 25 , it can help to understand some primary 26 for the psychological and emotional challenges they may face.
First, it is not difficult to see 27 children with LD are at greater risk for developing psychological difficulties if one considers the repeated failure they 28 . Although they make efforts to “try harder,” children with LD may receive little 29 feedback（反馈）. Their academic struggles and failures are often met with 30 by teachers, peers and parents. Such disapproval can take the form of unpleasant labeling（标签）of a child 31“slow,” “lazy” or “dumb.” 32 developing a sense of pride in their accomplishments, children with LD may 33 in disappointment and shame. Low self-esteem and a lack of confidence only 34 prevent learning and academic success.
The second reason is the 35 difficulties they often experience. Research indicates that as many as 75% of kids with LD have such 36 as making and keeping friends. Children with LD are less 37 and often rejected by their peers. Teachers and other adults also may 38 to have negative views of them. Such social rejection(排斥)can result in 39 of self-esteem and feelings of loneliness, which, 40 may lead to psychological difficulties such as anxiety and depression.
1.A. opinions B. feelings C. ideas D. attitudes
2. A. cause B. get C. solve D. overcome
3. A. mental B. physical C. potential D. academic
4. A. protect B. prevent C. remove D. separate
5. A. experts B. children C. teachers D. parents
6. A. ways B. rules C. reasons D. directions
7.A. where B. why C. which D. when
8. A. practise B. experience C. possess D. find
9. A. hopeful B. timely C. subjective D. positive
10.A. sympathy B. courage C. disapproval D. respect
11.A. as B. for C. with D. to
12.A. Instead of B. In favor of C. Because of D. In terms of
13. A. turn away B. work out C. break off D. end up
14. A. hardly B. further C. even D. slightly
15. A. general B. social C. personal D. cultural
16. A. values B. mistakes C. chances D. difficulties
17.A. requested B. controlled C. admitted D. accepted
18.A. mean B. tend C. prefer D. pretend
19. A. pride B. need C. loss D. awareness
20. A. in particular B. in general C. in total D. in turn
I suppose we’ll have to, bad weather conditions, spend more than 500 days undertaking the construction.
A. considering B. allowed for C. including D. linked with
