Andy rode slowly on his way to school, day-dreaming about the fishing trip that his father had promised him. He was so busy dreaming about all the fish he would catch that he was unaware of everything else around him.
He rode along until a strange sound drew him to the present. He came to a stop and looked curiously up to the heavens. What he saw shocked and terrified him. A huge swarm of bees filled the sky like a black cloud and the buzzing mass seemed to be heading angrily towards him.
With no time to waste, Andy sped off in the opposite direction, riding furiously—but without knowing how to escape the swarm. With a rapidly beating heart and his legs pumping furiously, he sped down the rough road. As the bees came closer, his panic (惊慌) increased. Andy knew that he was sensitive to bee stings(蜇). The last sting had landed him in hospital—and that was only one bee sting! He had been forced to stay in bed for two whole days. Suddenly, his father’s words came to him. “When you are in a tight situation, don’t panic. Use your brain and think your way out of it. ”
On a nearby hill, he could see smoke waving slowly skywards from the chimney of the Nelson family home. “Bees don’t like smoke,” he thought. “They couldn’t get into the house.” Andy raced towards the Nelson house, but the bees were gaining ground. Andy knew he could not reach the house in time. He estimated that the bees would catch up with him soon.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted a small dam used by Mr. Nelson to irrigate his vegetable garden. Off his bike and into the cool water he lived, disappearing below the surface and away from the savage insects. After holding his breath for as long as he could, Andy came up for air and noticed the bees had gone. Dragging himself out of the dam, he struggled up the hilly slope and rang the doorbell. Mrs. Nelson took him inside and rang his mother.
“You’ll really need that fishing break to help you recover,” laughed his mother with relief. “Thank goodness you didn’t panic!” But Andy did not hear her. He was dreaming once again of the fish he would catch tomorrow.
1.
Why did Andy fail to notice the swarm of bees earlier?
A. He was riding to school.
B. He was listening to a strange sound.
C. He was going fishing with his father.
D. He was lost in the thought of the fishing trip.
2.
Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the swarm of bees in the passage?
A. They crowded like a black cloud.
B. They shocked and terrified Andy.
C. They tried to attack Andy in a mass.
D. They made Andy stay in hospital for two days.
3.
How did Andy avoid the bees in the end?
A. He asked Mr. Nelson for help.
B. He did himself under the water.
C. He rushed into the Nelson house.
D. He rode off in the opposite direction.
4.
Which of the following can best describe Andy’s escape from the bees?
A. No pains, no gains.
B. Once bitten, twice shy.
C. Where there is a will, there is a way.
D. In time of danger, one’s mind works fast.
Following the nuclear at the Fukushima (福岛) nuclear power station in Japan, Germany has decided to abandon the use of nuclear energy sooner than it had planned.
Germany was planning to cut its use of nuclear power slowly over 25 years. But now, the government has speeded up its program. Germany’s government has said that seven of its 17 nuclear reactors (反应堆) will stop working for three months for safety checks.
Nuclear power has been very unpopular in Germany since the Chernobyl (切尔诺贝利) nuclear reactor disaster in Ukraine (乌克兰) in 1986. Since then, the country has been working on developing new resources of energy.
The plan to give up nuclear power will cost the country at least 150 billion euros (1.4 trillion yuan)) in investment. Experts say this will likely lead to a rise in electricity prices.
Some experts think Germany is setting a good example for countries such as the US to follow. Germany now gets 23 percent of its energy from nuclear power –about as much as the US.
However, France, which relies on nuclear energy for more than 70 percent of its power, shows no sign of changing its policy.
1.
We can most probably read the article _______.
A. in a newspaper B. in a pamphlet(小册子)
C. in an advertisement D. in a textbook
2.
The most appropriate heading for this article is _______.
A. Germany to develop its new resources of energy
B. Nuclear power no longer popular in Germany
C. Germany to have safety checks for some nuclear reactors
D. Germany to end its nuclear energy program
3.
According to the article, all of the following statements are true EXCEPT______.
A. In both the US and Germany, approximately a quarter of their energy are from nuclear power now.
B. The explosion of some Fukushima nuclear reactors has quickened Germany’s pace to abandon nuclear energy.
C. France, which relies on nuclear energy for more than 70 percent of its power, will follow Germany and cut its use of it at any cost.
D. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster seemingly cast a huge shadow over the Germans, making them increasingly suspicious of the safety of nuclear energy.
Winners Club
You choose to be a winner!
The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account（交易账户）where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7 – that’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
It’s a club with impressive features for teenagers:
No account keeping fees!
You’re no millionaire so we don’t expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!
Excellent interest rates!
You want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits（储蓄）without taking them out in a month.
Convenient
Teenagers are busy – we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet——You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job!
Mega magazine included
Along with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.
The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. We can’t wait to hear from you. It’s the best way to choose to be a winner!
1.
The Winners Club is a bank account intended for ________.
A. parents B. teenagers C. winners D. adults
2.
Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club?
A. Special gifts are ready for parents.
B. The bank opens only on work days.
C. Services are convenient for its members.
D. Fees are necessary for the account keeping.
3.
. The Winners Club provides magazines which ________.
A. encourage spending
B. are free to all teenagers
C. are full of adventure stories
D. help to make more of your money
4.
What is the purpose of this text?
A. To set up a club. B. To provide part-time jobs.
C. To organize key-cards. D. To introduce a new banking service.
“Mum, what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton（骨骼）in the closet（衣橱）?” Jessica asked. “A skeleton in the closet?” her mother paused thoughtfully. “Well, it’s something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad’s family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be ‘a skeleton in his family’s closet. He really wouldn’t want any neighbor to know about it.”
“Why pick on my family?” Jessica’s father said with anger. “Your family history isn’t so good, you know. Wasn’t your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?” “Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners.” “Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now,” Jessica cut in before things grew worse.
After dinner, the house was very quiet. Jessica’s parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica’s closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica’s mother sank in a faint（晕倒）, waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter.
“What happened? Where am I?” she asked. “You just destroyed the school’s skeleton, Mum,” explained Jessica. “I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad.” Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. “They’re both crazy,” she thought.
1.
According to Jessica’s mother, “a skeleton in the closet” means ______.
A. a family honor B. a family secret
C. a family story D. a family treasure
2.
What can we learn about some Australians’ ancestors from Paragraph 2?
A. They were brought to Australia as prisoners.
B. They were the earliest people living in Australia.
C. They were involved in some crimes in Australia.
D. They were not regarded as criminals in their days.
3.
Why did Jessica bring a skeleton home?
A. She was curious about it. B. She planned to keep it for fun.
C. She needed it for her school task. D. She intended to scare her parents.
4.
. Jessica’s parents laughed madly at the end of the story probably because ______.
A. they were crazy
B. they were over excited
C. they realized their misunderstanding
D. they both thought they had won the quarrel
When Alice started to cycle home from Jenny’s house, she wasn’t nervous. She was certainly not afraid of the dark. __21___, it was only a 15-minute ride home. But halfway there, she began to wish that she hadn’t been so ___22___.
As she rounded a sharp bend, it suddenly___23__ cold — very cold. Alice’s breath became puffs of white cloud and her legs were so cold that it became hard to ride.
With her heart beating fast, she struggled so hard to move __24__ that she didn’t hear the car which suddenly appeared beside her. She stopped by the road. The big black car also ___25___. Slowly, the passenger-window began to slide down. Alice held her breath. In the soft light inside the car, something _26__. Then, the light brightened and Alice was staring at a sweet, grey-haired old lady. “Hello, dear,” said the old lady. “I need ___27___. I’m afraid I’m lost. I need to find the nearest airport. I must be there in the next five minutes. ”
“Airport? You ___28___ are lost,” Alice said. “You need to go back five kilometers ___29___ you reach the T-junction. Turn left and ___20___ for about another 10 kilometers to the main highway. From there, just follow the ___31___ to the airport. But I’m afraid there’s no ___32__ you’ll get there in five minutes!”
“Thank you very much, dear,” replied the old lady. “Don’t worry — I’ll _33__ in time.”
The ___34___ moved up and the car started off. A little way ahead, it ___35___ and with headlights flashing, it drove past Alice. But then, something ___36___ happened. The car began changing. First, its color __37___from black to silvery-grey. Then, the wheels began disappearing, but the car continued to move forward, __38___ just above the ground. As the car ___39___ into the dark sky, the big red tail-lights grew larger and larger and glowed more and more brightly. With a faint whistling ___40___, the car was gone in seconds, leaving Alice shaking her head in disbelief…
1.
A. However B. Besides C. Therefore D. Otherwise
2.
. A. brave B. excited C. curious D. stubborn
3.
A. fell B. seemed C. proved D. grew
4.
A. aside B. around C. forward D. backward
5.
A. arrived B. stopped C. stayed D. started
6.
A. gathered B. existed C. dropped D. moved
7.
A. help B. gas C. rest D. water
8.
A. necessarily B. normally C. basically D. certainly
9.
A. if B. until C. unless D. as
10.
A. drive B. walk C. follow D. march
11.
. A. address B. signs C. notices D. guidance
12.
A. doubt B. room C. time D. way
13.
A. have it B. get it C. make it D. finish it
14.
A. door B. window C. headlight D. wheel
15.
. A. passed B. rushed C. turned D. continued
16.
A. strange B. sensitive C. imaginable D. horrible
17.
A. developed B. appeared C. spread D. changed
18.
A. rolling B. floating C. drawing D. flashing
19.
A. pointed B. returned C. broke D. rose
20.
A. tune B. voice C. sound D. tone
Only when I left my parents for Italy _____ how much I loved them.
A. I realized B. I had realized C. had I realized D. did I realize
