The holiday's upon us. Finally, after months of study, you have some time to yourself. so, why not read a book? Well, some people will say, "Why bother with books? We have the Internet and other media that offer a lot more colorful entertainment. Books are history!" But don't be fooled. There's still a lot to be said for reading.
One clear reason is that a well-chosen book is a wonderful source of vocabulary, so long as you have a good dictionary, of course. Believe me, it's far easier to get new English words and phrases from a book or article than it is from the TV or the Internet.
But an even more important point is that books give you something that modern media simply can not. The average webpage is picture-heavy and the text is often designed to make it as easy to read as possible. While "easy" may be attractive, unfortunately it's little use for many long-term development of reading skills and the general language level. For that, there's still no substitute (替代品）of a book.
But perhaps the best single reason is that simply choosing what you read and doing it independently means that it's something you do by yourself. You can choose what you want to read. It's hard work, but something down the line, you will find that what once seemed like a duty is now a pleasure. We asked three bookworms -- an English teacher, a book editor and a film critic - to pick some favorite reads for you.
1. How many reasons for reading a book does the author mention in the passage?
A. One B. Two C. Three D. Four
2. According to this passage, we basically need a ______ in reading.
A. computer B. dictionary C. notebook D. pencil
3.In the author's opinion, reading on the Internet may ________
A. develop long-term reading skills B. improve the general language ability
C. not take the place of reading books D. be an effective way of reading
4. The passage is written mainly to ____________.
A. share the pleasure of reading books B. advise readers to read books
C. stress the importance of reading online. D. help readers to choose good books.
You are walking down the street, minding your own business when you see a snowball. No big deal, right? Except the snowball is as tall as you are. And weighs about a ton. Did we mention that it is June?
That’s the experience thousand of Londoners had when they crossed paths with “ Snowball in Summer,” Goldsworthy makes sculpture （雕塑）from all sorts of things he finds outside – leaves, earth, and rocks, as well as ice and snow. He wanted to find out how busy people would react to an unexpected snowball melting in their midst.
During the winter of 2008, he rolled 13 giant snowballs near his home in Scotland. He filled each one with a surprise in the center – such as berries, feathers, little stones or sheep’s wool – which would appear as the snow melted. The finished snowballs were stored in a deep freeze until summer, then transported to London in refrigerated trucks. At midnight on June 21, 2008, while the city slept, Goldsworthy and his helpers rolled their snowballs into place.
People walking to work or school must have thought the sky was falling when they stumbled across snowballs the size of baby elephants. Some of them had never even seen snow in real life, and they couldn’t help touching them in great surprise. As the snow started to melt, things got even more interesting. The perfectly round snowballs took on different shapes as the stuff inside began to poke through. Two days later, most of Goldsworthy’s snowballs were gone, and their fillings scattered. But Londoners were left with a really good story about that odd summer day when the snowball came.
1.What is really special about the snowballs is that ______________________.
A. they lie in the street
B. they are in the shape of baby elephants.
C. they have berries, feathers, little stones and feathers in them.
D. they appear in June.
2. What was the purpose of Goldsworthy in making the snowballs?
A. To find out people’s reactions to them
B. To call up people’s memory of the cold winter.
C. To show off his skills in sculpture.
D. To let people experience the cold winter.
3. Why did Goldsworthy and his helpers roll their snowballs into place at mid-night?
A. They didn’t want to disturb other people.
B. It was quite at that time.
C. They wanted to avoid the traffic jam.
D, They wanted to give people a surprise.
Once an Englishman named Jack Brown went to Russia for a holiday. He stayed there for several months and then came home again. Some of his friends visited him a few days after he got back. “I had a very dangerous trip while I was in Russia.” Jack said to them. “I wanted to see a friend of mine in the country and the bad weather made me very late. So I was still travelling through a forest in sleigh<雪橇>when the sun went down. It was a long way from my friend’s house when about 20 wolves began to follow my sleigh. It was very dark in the forest. There was thick snow on the ground. It was cold, and there were no houses for miles and miles. First I heard the wolves, and the noise was terrible! The horses heard them, too. They were frightened and began running faster. Then I saw long, grey forms among the trees, and soon the wolves were near us. They were running very fast, and they didn’t seem to get tired like the horses.” “What did you do?” one of his friends asked. “When the wolves got very near,” Jack answered, “I put up my gun and shot the first wolf. The sleigh was moving about, but I hit the animal and killed it. Then all the other wolves stopped and ate it, so our sleigh got away from them for a few minutes.” “Then they finished their meal, and I heard them coming again. The moon was shining brightly on the snow, and after a few minutes I saw them among the trees once more. They came nearer again, and then I shot another of them, and the others stopped once more to eat it.” “The same thing happened again and again, and my horses became more and more tired and ran slower and slower until, after about two hours, only one wolf was still alive and following us.”
“Wasn’t it too fat to run?” one of his friends asked.
1.Jack told his friends what happened to him when he was______________.
A. in England one winter evening B. in Russia one winter evening
C. in America one winter morning D. in Russia one winter morning.
2. In the sentence “They finished their meal.” “meal” here means ___________.
A. the food Jack had brought with him B. the meal prepared by Jack’s friends.
C. the wolf which had been killed by Jack D. the dead animals on the way
3. According to what Jack said, the last wolf ______________.
A. had eaten up all the other wolves
B. ran much faster than the other wolves
C. was the strongest of all D. was very fat and didn’t run fast.
4.From what Jack’s friend said we know that _____________________.
A. all the wolves had been shot by Jack.
B. the last wolf was too fat to run
C. Jack was telling the truth
D. the friends did not believe what Jack had said.
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A young man was ready to graduate from college. For months he had 16 a sports car in a 17 showroom, and knowing his father 18 afford it, he told him that was 19 he wanted. 20 Graduation Day approached, he waited for the news 21 that his father had bought the car. On the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his 22 study. He handed him a beautiful box. 23 , but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened it 24 found a lovely Bible, with the young man’s name on it. 25 , he shouted to his father and said, “ With all your 26 you give me a Bible?” He then stormed out of the house, leaving the 27 ,
Many years passed. The young man was successful in both business and his family, but 28 his father was old, he intended to go back see him. He 29 him since that graduation day. 30 he could make the arrangements, he received a telegram telling his father had passed away, and he needed to take 31 possessions from his father. When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and 32 filled his heart. He saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag（标签）with the dealer’s name, 33 dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the 34 “PAID IN FULL.”
How many time do we miss blessing because they are not packaged as we 35 ? Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
1. A. owned B. driven C. admired D. seen
2. A. model’s B. manager’s C. businessman’s D. dealer’s
3. A. must B. could C. should D. would
4. A. which B. all what C. all D. why
5. A. As B. with C. For D. Along
6. A. quietly B. patiently C. politely D. anxiously
7.A. previous B. personal C. private D. professional
8. A. Curious B. Serious C. Amused D. Concerned
9. A however B. and C. or D. then
10. A. Luckily B. Happily C. Carefully D. Angrily
11. A. money B. cost C. income D. charge
12. A. car B. college C. Bible D. box
13. A. to realize B. realized C. realizing D. having realized
14. A. hadn’t seen B. didn’t see C. hasn’t seen D. wasn’t seen
15. A. When B. Before C. Until D. After
16. A. up B. in C. on D. over
17. A. regret B. happiness C. excitement D. promise
18. A. a same B. the same C. same D. the same as
19. A. sentences B. words C. talks D. phrases
20. A. expected B. respected C. regretted D. repeated
The big storm left, ________ a great damage to that area.
A. caused B. to cause D. having been caused D. having caused
下面是一篇关于BBC 广播电台中BBC Kids Pre-school这个栏目下的一些具体小节目的介绍，请阅读下列应用文和相关信息，并按照要求匹配信息。
首先请阅读下列应用文：
BBC Kids Pre-school
Pre-School programs air Monday - Friday from 6:00 a.m to 12 p.m ET
A. Theodore Tugboat
Theodore Tugboat is a cheery tugboat (拖船) featured in this award-winning animated maritime series (海洋动画系列). Living in the magical Big Harbor, Theodore (the friendliest tugboat in the world) works for the Great Ocean and Salvage Company fleet with his friends.
B. Postman Pat
Everyone’s favorite postman, Postman Pat and his faithful companion, Jess the Cat, are back in a completely new series packed full of humor, excitement and adventure. These all new adventures see the nation's favorite postman doing much more than just delivering post! From snowboarding to managing a pop band and even making his very own Hollywood movie, Pat is a 21st century hero indeed!
C. Pingu
Pingu is a charming young penguin (企鹅) who spends his time playing with friends and family—always up to playing tricks and getting himself into funny situations in his own sub-zero world.
D. Tweenies
Tweenies is an entertaining and informative (给予知识的) pre-school series in which the characters experience all the joys and challenges of three to five year olds. Through songs, rhymes, games, stories, puzzles and creative play, the Tweenies encourage young children to wonder, explore, enjoy and develop a range of life skills that will promote confidence (增强自信心) before they start school.
E. Fimbles
This U.K. pre-school hit follows three curious creatures as they start a never-ending path of discovery, exploration and entertainment. Revolving around (以……为中心) three special creatures living in a magical valley, Fimbles is full of the surprise, wonder and stimulation (刺激) that children experience when discovering new things. Each new "find" is a drive for play, invention and storytelling within the program.
F. Teletubbies
The four colorful Teletubbies play in Teletubbyland. They take part in fun, infant-pleasing activities such as rolling on the ground, laughing, running about, and watching real children on the televisions on their bellies. This children's program, starring Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po is now watched by young children in 113 countries and is translated into 45 languages.
请阅读下面五个小孩的相关信息，然后为他们选择适合个人口味的少儿栏目。
1.Mike, aged four, is a naughty (淘气的) boy, which is known to all. But sometimes he will also keep silent, especially when it’s time for Laa-Laa and Po because he has considered the two characters as his idols (偶像).
2. Joseph is only five years old but he has known a lot about Antarctic (南极). His father is a scientist who has been to Antarctic for several times. Each time he returns, his father will tell Joseph something there. So he is very interested in a special seabird there.
3. Anna, aged four, dreams of becoming a hero, because of which she likes any kind of hero. But as for heroes, she has her own standards, that is, humorousness and adventurousness.
4. Ian, aged 4, likes ocean life very much and dreams of travelling around the world by boat. Therefore, any life connected with ocean or boats will always attract him a lot.
5.Susan, aged 5, likes reading stories, singing songs and reading poems. In her class, she is known as a star in every way. In her daily life, she likes any program that can help her develop some skills.
