Last year I had a wonderful experience. I went on a student exchange to Japan. It was an exciting time of my life and I learned many things about the school system in Japan. I was in Grade 11, which is second year of high school in Japan, but I was younger than most of my classmates. That’s because Japanese children enter first year of elementary school (小学) in April following their sixth birthday. I started school when I was still five years old.
In Japan, Children attend elementary school for six years, where they study Japanese, arithmetic, science, social studies, music, crafts, physical education, and home economics (simple cooking and sewing skills). During their three years in middle school, English is added to this list. Most schools have access to computers and the Internet.
1.
2.
3.
4.
After the terrible car accident, the whole world had been completely dark and quiet for Robert Edwards for almost ten years, for he became both blind and deaf after the doctor had saved him. The loss of sight and hearing threw him into such a sorrow that he tried a few times to put an end to his life. His family especially his wife did their best to tend and comfort him. By and by he finally regained the courage to live on.
On a hot summer afternoon he was taking a walk with a stick near his house when a thunderstorm started all at once. He stood under a large tree in order not to get himself wet. Unfortunately he was struck down to the ground by a lightning. The witnesses thought him dead but he woke up some 20 minutes later lying face down in muddy water below the tree. He felt that he was trembling badly, but when he opened his eyes ,he didn’t dare to believe that he saw a plough (梨子) lying near the wall. When Mrs Edwards came running up to him, she shouted their neighbours for help. And he saw her and heard her voice for the first time in nearly ten years.
The news of Robert’s regaining his sight and hearing quickly spread in his area.
And many doctors came to prove the truth of the news. Most of them said that he
gained sight and hearing again obviously from the knock of lightning; none of
them could give convincing reasons, 
1.
2.
3.
4. How did Edwards get his sight and hearing once more according to the doctor?
A. He regained them from head injury when he fell from a tree.
B. His wife’s first visit after almost ten years made him so happy that he regained them.
C. The lightning took the feeling from his legs and gave the senses of sight and hearing to his head.
D. The blow that caused him blind and deaf was very severe, so it took another severe blow to regain them.
Thanks to the huge success of Harry Potter, many teenagers dream about living in an ancient castle. These dreams may include beautiful silk dresses, delicious food, servants and of course, magic. However, real life in an English castle was not easy. With thick stonewalls and high towers, castles were built for defence(防御). So they were not good places to live in. In medieval times, castles must have been noisy and smelly places. Horses, cattle, chickens and sheep walked free, blacksmiths did ironwork, soldiers practised sword (剑) fights, and children of all ages played around them. Castles did not have central heating; the only heat came from the fireplace. Even in summer the castle was cool. People living in the castles had to use blankets to keep warm while at work.
Life during the Middle Ages began at sunrise. Servants lit the fire, swept the floor and cooked the morning meal. The mid-morning meal was the main meal of the day and often included three or four courses (一道菜). After dinner, everyone continued his or her work. The owner of the castle, the lord, sometimes took his guests hunting or shooting. His wife, the lady, spent much of the day watching the maids (女仆) work, as well as people working in the kitchen. She also kept an eye on the weavers and embroiderers who made clothes for the family. Supper was simple and eaten late, just before bedtime.
You may find some old magic books in a castle as Harry Potter once did. Read them before you go to bed, because when you fall asleep the magic of castle life may appear before your eyes.
1. For what purpose were the castles built in England?
A. To defend the city or country against enemies.
B. To provide a working place for blacksmiths.
C. To raise poultry (家禽) and livestock (家畜).
D. To provide a place for teenagers to learn magic.
2. Why were the ancient castles noisy?
A. Because soldiers practiced sword fights there.
B. Because blacksmiths did ironwork there.
C. Because children of all ages played around them.
D. All of the above.
3. Which of the following about family life in castles is true according to the passage?
A. The servants in castles lived an easy life.
B. The wife spent much of the day at home.
C. Supper was eaten before sunset.
D. Dinner was eaten in the middle of the day.
4.The main idea of this passage is ______.
A. castles were not good places to live in
B. castles in novels are different from those in history
C. Harry Potter's story in a castle affected people
D. what real life was like in an ancient castle
A man in a very splendid restaurant started to take off his jacket. Seeing this, the head waiter dashed to his table and said, “I’m afraid I must ask you to keep your jacket on, sir, for it is not good manners to do it in such a smart restaurant.”
“Now listen”, said the man, “I’ll let you know that the Queen of England gave me permission to remove my jacket here.”
“The Queen of England?” said the waiter in great surprise.
“Sure,” replied the man, “When I was in England last month, a friend of mine who had a very important position in high society took me to see the Queen. It was rather hot, so I started taking my coat off. The Queen looked over and said, “You may do that in the United States, but you may not do it here.” So I got the Queen’s permission, right?”
1.
2.
3.
4.
D. the English and the Americans enjoyed different ways of life
5. From the story, you can see the man was _______.
A. humorous and careless
B. such a man as used to make trouble
C. always ready to do what the Queen told him to
D. one who didn’t have good understanding
A certain student passed all his examinations. Then he went to college to 16 his studies. There he wrote down his 17 for a course (课程) in English, but after the first 18 , he didn’t go to it any more.
The English lecturer 19 this student was always absent (缺席的) and thought he had 20 another course, so he was 21 when he saw the boy’s name on the list of students who wanted to take the English 22 at the end of this year.
The lecturer had 23 a difficult paper, which followed his 24 closely, and he was eager (热切的) to see 25 this student would answer the questions. He 26 the boy’s answers would be very bad, but when they 27 him and he examined them 28 , he was able to find only one small mistake in them. As this surprised him greatly, he 29 the paper repeatedly but still couldn’t find more than one mistake, so he 30 for the student to question him about it.
When he came and sat down, the lecturer asked him, “I 31 you came to my first lecture and you’ve been absent from all the others. But I’ve examined your 32 carefully and I’ve found only one small mistake in it. I’m curious (好奇的) to know your 33 .”
“I’m very 34 about that mistake,” answered the student. “After the examination, I 35 what I should have done. I would not have made that mistake if I had not been confused by your first lecture.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14. A. enjoyed B. kept C. examined D. did
15. A. cared B. called C. looked D. sent
16. A. promise B. know C. advise D. guess
17. A. paper B. lessons C. notebook D. exercises
18. A. wisdom B. experience C. explanation D. method
19. A. glad B. proud C. content D. sorry
20. A. understood B. realized C. remembered D. suffered
He set off his missing dog.
A. in search for B. search for C. search of D. in search of
