Bamboo (竹子) is one of nature’s most surprising plants. Many people call this plant a tree, but it is a kind of grass.
Like other kinds of grass, a bamboo plant may be cut very low to the ground, but it will grow back very quickly. A Japanese scientist reported one bamboo plant which grew 1.5 meters in 24 hours! Bamboo grows almost everywhere in the world except Europe. There are more than 1, 000 kinds of bamboo.
Not all bamboo looks the same. Some bamboo plants are very thin. They may only grow to be a few centimeters wide while others may grow to more than 30 centimeters across. This plant also comes in different colors, from yellow to black to green.
Bamboo has been used to make many things such as hats and kitchen tools. Because it is strong, bamboo is also used to build buildings.
Many Asian countries have used bamboo for hundreds of years. They often use bamboo for buildings and supporting new buildings and bridges while they are being built.
In Africa, poor farmers are taught how to find water using bamboo. These African countries need cheap way to find water because they have no money, and their fields often die from no rain and no water. Bamboo pipes (管子) help poor farmers bring water to their thirsty fields without spending a lot of money.
1.How is bamboo like grass?
A. It grows quickly. B. It’s wood.
C. It is easy to cut. D. It is very thin.
2. Though you can see bamboo everywhere, it doesn’t grow __________.
A. in China B. in Europe
C. on mountains D. in Africa
3.Why is bamboo used by African poor farmers?
A. It is cheap. B. It has different colors.
C. It is strong. D. It has been used by Asians.
4. In Asia, bamboo has been used for __________.
A. a short time B. about 100 years
C. many hundreds of years D. many thousands of year
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佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are busy trying to 36 in order to pay the high school cost for my brother and me. They don’t act in the 37 ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, “I love you” is too 38 for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Lovers’ Day is even more out of 39 .
One day, Mom was sewing a quilt (缝被子). I sat 40 beside her. “Mom, I have a question. Is there 41 between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice.
Mom stopped her work and raised her head with 42 in her eyes. She didn’t answer immediately. She 43 her head and continued to sew the quilt.
I was very worried because I thought I had 44 her. I was very regretful and I didn’t know what I should do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:
“Susan,” she said 45 , “Look at this thread. Sometimes it 46 , but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and long-lasting. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread. It can 47 be seen anywhere or anytime, but it’s really there. Love is 48 .”
I listened carefully but I couldn’t 49 her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned home, they both looked 50 . It seemed both of them had had a serious illness. After they were back, every day in the morning and sunset, my mother helped my father walk 51 on the country road.
“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day.
“Susan ,” he said kindly. “To tell you the truth, I just like 52 with your mom.” 53 his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.
Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and 54 . But from this experience, I understand that love is just 55 in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.
1. A. stay up B. rise early C. earn money D. sleep late
2.A. magic B. romantic C. unbelievable D. attractive
3. A. simple B. easy C. common D. unusual
4.A. the question B. question C. reach D. control
5.A. carefully B. silently C. certainly D. happily
6.A. feeling B. love C. quarrel D. smile
7. A. anger B. pleasure C. surprise D. happiness
8. A. raised B. shook C. nodded D. bowed
9.A. hurt B. injured C. damaged D. harmed
10. A. sadly B. excitedly C. regretfully D. thoughtfully
11. A. happens B. exists C. appears D. shows
12.. A. ever B. often C. always D. hardly
13.A. inside B. valuable C. true D. priceless
14. A. believe B. understand C. accept D. obey
15.A. quite healthy B. very pale C. fairly red D. much surprised
16. A. continuously B. worriedly C. repeatedly D. slowly
17. A. living B. chatting C. walking D. sitting
18. A. Reading B. Seeing C. Noticing D. Examining
19. A. fresh roses B. gold ring C. sweet kisses D. beautiful jewelry
20. A. a thread B. a needle C. the cloth D. the cotton
_________ that he had fallen behind, he tried to work harder.
A. Realize B. Realized C. To realize D. Having realized
The White family _____very large. All the family ______ animal lovers.
A. is; are B. is; is C. are; is D. are; are
The population of our country at present is ______ that 30 years ago.
A. as twice large as B. twice as large as C. twice as many as D. as twice much as
Turn on the TV or open a magazine ______ you will often see advertisements showing happy, balanced families.
A. but B. till C. and D. or
