Are you a big fan of pirate（海盗） stories? Do you know how to talk like a pirate? You can have fun on September 19th. This special holiday is called International Talk Like A Pirate Day. It was invented in 1995 by two young Americans, John Baur and Mark Summers.
These two good friends came up with this idea when they were playing racquetball, and began to talk like pirates. At that moment, they thought, “Young people are interested in pirate, but there is no such a chance for people to get together to share it. Why not have a day when everybody talks like a pirate?” They decided to make September 19th the date. Since then, Baur and Summers have tried hard to promote Talk Like A Pirate Day. As Baur said, “We’ve talked like pirates, and encouraged several of our friends to do so every September 19th.”
At first, this day was only known by a few people. In 2002, Baur and Summers sent a letter about their invented holiday to Dave Barry. This columnist（专栏作家）really liked their idea. He promoted the holiday and made it known to more and more people. Now, it has really become an international holiday. On Talk Like A Pirate Day, you need to dress like a pirate. You should wear a big hat or maybe cover one of your eyes. You can pretend to be any kind of pirate that you can find in any story or movie.
Having fun and being relaxed are not the only best things about the holiday. Young people share the same interest and childhood dreams that day. That's why it is welcomed by so many people, especially young people.
Unlike traditional holidays, International Talk Like A Pirate Day is a brand new holiday which is invented by the youth themselves and celebrated by themselves too. Because of Baur and Summers’ imagination and creativity, thousands of young people’s pirate dream come true. Next time, when you have a good idea, why not share it with your fiends and insist on your belief? Maybe you can create another wonderful holiday for the youth in the future.
1.How did John Baur and Mark Summers invent the special holiday?
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A．Many young people asked them to do it |
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B．They did it just for pleasure |
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C．They did it in order to honor pirates |
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D．They thought out the idea by chance and imagination |
2.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
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A．It was Dave Barry who made more people know the holiday. |
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B．Talk Like A Pirate Day is a young, active and lively holiday |
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C．The holiday has been popular since the birth of it. |
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D．Thanks to John Baur and Mark Summers’ imagination and creativity, many people realize the pirate dream. |
3.According to the passage, which of the following can show that the holiday is special?
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A．It is a brand new holiday invented and celebrated by the youth themselves. |
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B．It is a wonderful and instructive holiday. |
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C．It has a long history. |
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D．People can make their dream come true on this day. |
4.Which of the following can serve as the best title of the passage in a newspaper？
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A．Young people’s pirate dream |
B．Can you talk like a pirate? |
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C．John Baur and Mark Summers |
D．September 19th—a traditional day in honor of pirates |
There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy and the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.
People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things: the pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine and the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend (hurt) many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing(批评) and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation(模仿). It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors(拥有者). The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend(冒犯) many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrongdoings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact(接触) with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.
1.People who are unhappy________.
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A．always consider things differently from others |
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B．usually are affected by the results of certain things |
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C．always discover the unpleasant side of certain things |
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D．usually misunderstand what others think or say |
2.The underlined phrase “sour the pleasure of society” most nearly means________.
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A．make others unhappy |
B．have a good taste with social life |
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C．tend to scold others openly |
D．enjoy the pleasure of life |
3. We can conclude (推断) from the second paragraph that________.
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A．we should pity all such unhappy people |
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B．people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness |
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C．such unhappy people are dangerous to social life |
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D．unhappy people can not understand happy persons |
4. In this passage, the writer mainly________.
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A．describes two types of people |
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B．suggests the unhappy people should get rid of the habit of unhappiness |
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C．laughs at the unhappy people |
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D．tells people how to be happy in life |
We were driving on the right road when, all of a sudden, a black car pulled out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver stepped on his brake, skidded(打滑), and missed the black car’s back end by just inches! The driver of the black car, who almost caused a major accident, turned his head angrily and started shouting bad words at us.
My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I mean, my taxi driver was friendly. So, I said, “Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to hospital!” And the following is what my taxi driver told me, which I now call “the law of the Garbage Truck”.
“Many people are like garbage(垃圾) trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump(倾卸)it. And if you let them, they dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish him well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be happier.”
So this is “The Law of the Garbage Truck”. I started thinking: How often do I let “Garbage Trucks” run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets? It was then that I said, “I’m not going to do it any more.”
I began to see “Garbage Trucks”. I see the load they’re carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my taxi driver, I don’t make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, and move on.
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. What about you? The mark of a successful person is how quickly he can get back his focus on what’s important.
1.Who acted like a garbage truck in the accident described in the first two paragraphs?
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A．The author. |
B．The driver of the black car. |
C．The taxi driver. |
D．Both drivers. |
2.The reason why the taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy is that ______.
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A．the black car was full of garbage |
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B．the driver of the black car didn’t cause any damage to the taxi |
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C．the taxi driver didn’t want his mood ruined |
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D．the driver of the black car was angry and the taxi driver felt a little frightened |
3.The underlined part “the load” in Paragraph 5 refers to _____.
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A．waste materials |
B．excitement |
C．new products |
D．bad mood |
4.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
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A．Always be kind and hardworking. |
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B．Try to be good leaders as well as good parents. |
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C．Ignore unpleasantness and stick to(坚持) your tasks. |
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D．Do things quickly so as to be ready for the next. |
Too much TV-watching can harm children’s ability to learn and even reduce their chances of getting a college degree, new studies suggest in the latest effort to examine the effects of television on children.
One of the studies looked at nearly 400 northern California third-graders. Those with TVs in their bedrooms scored about eight points lower on math and language arts tests than children without bedroom TVs.
A second study ,looking at nearly 1000 grown-ups in New Zealand, found lower education levels among 26-year -olds who had watched lots of TV during childhood .But the results don’t prove that TV is the cause and don’t ride out that already poorly motivated youngsters(年轻人）may watch lots of TV.
Their study measured the TV habits of 26-year-olds between ages 5 and 15. These with college degrees had watched an average of less than two hours of TV per week night during childhood, compared with an average of more than 2 1/2 hours for those who had no education beyond high school.
In the California study, children with TVs in their rooms but no computer at home scored the lowest while those with no bedroom TV but who had home computers scored the highest.
While this study does not prove that bedroom TV sets caused the lower scores, it adds to accumulating findings that children shouldn't have TVs in their bedrooms
1.According to the California study, the low-scoring group might ____________ .
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A．have had computers in their bedrooms |
B．not be interested in math |
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C．be unable to go to college |
D．have watched a lot of TV |
2.What is the researchers’ understanding of the New Zealand study results?
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A．The connection between TV and education levels is difficult to explain |
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B．Habits of TV watching reduce learning interest |
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C．TV watching leads to lower education levels of the 15-year-olds. |
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D．Poorly motivated 26-year-olds watch more TV. |
3.What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
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A．More time should be spent on computers. |
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B．TV sets shouldn't be allowed in children’s bedrooms. |
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C．Children should be forbidden from watching TV. |
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D．Further studies on high-achieving students should be done |
4.What would be the best title for this text?
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A．Computers or Television |
B．Studies on TV and College Education |
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C．Effects of Television on Children |
D．Television and Children’s Learning Habits |
It was Monday. Mrs. Smith’s dog was hungry, but there was not any meat in the house. Considering that there was no better way, Mrs. Smith took a piece of paper, and wrote the following words on it “Give my dog half a pound of meat.” Then she gave the paper to her dog and said gently, “Take this to the butcher（屠夫）, and he’s going to give you your lunch today.” Holding the piece of paper in its mouth, the dog ran to the butcher’s. It gave the paper to the butcher. The butcher read it carefully, recognized that it was really the lady’s handwriting and soon did it as he was asked to. The dog was very happy, and ate the meat up at once. At noon, the dog came to the shop again. It gave the butcher a piece of paper again. After reading it, he gave it half a pound of meat once more. The next day, the dog came again exactly at noon. And as usual, it brought a piece of paper in the mouth. This time, the butcher did not take a look at paper, and gave the dog its meat, for he had regarded the dog as one of his customers(顾客). But, the dog came again at four o’clock. And the same thing happened once again. To the butcher’s more surprise, it came for the third time at six o’clock, and brought with it a third piece of paper. The butcher felt a bit puzzled. He said to himself, “This is a small dog. Why does Mrs. Smith give it so much meat to eat today?”
Looking at the piece of paper, he found that there were not any words on it!
1.The little dog went to the butcher’s ________ altogether during the two days.
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A．three times |
B．four times |
C．five times |
D．six times |
2.The butcher did not give any meat to the dog __________.
A. before he felt sure that the words were really written by Mrs. Smith on Monday
B when he found that the words on the paper were not clear
C. because he had sold out all the meat in his shop
D. until he was paid enough by Mrs. Smith
3.From the story, we can know that the dog was very ___________.
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A．honest |
B．kind |
C．clever |
D．foolish |
4.At the end of the story, you’ll find that __________.
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A．the dog was clever enough to write on the paper |
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B．the dog dared not go to the butcher’s any more |
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C．the butcher was told not to give any meat to the dog |
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D．the butcher found himself cheated by the dog |
My earliest bee experience took place at a summer camp. One day our teacher told us to head up the hill nearby. We all began to 31 our destination. The girls took the concrete stairs, but the boys ran 32 up the grassy hill, at the top of which sat a long wooden fence(围栏). Without 33 the boys ahead of me vaulted（跃过） over the fence bravely.
What should I do? Take the stairs and 34 a girl, or jump over the fence and look 35 ? Then I took my chance with the fence. I placed both 36 on the top and jumped, feeling uneasy. I didn’t 37 it. As I tried, my foot 38 on the top of the fence. Down I went! I landed on my backside. I tried to 39 off the accident, but then I felt something moving 40 me. Just then I saw 41 seemed like hundreds of bees flying toward me. I had landed on a beehive（蜂窝）! I 42 up and rushed as fast as I could. But the bees flew faster. What a/an 43 situation I was in!
My clothes were covered with 44 . I parked myself in the camp and I was at a loss. 45 this, my teacher quickly took off all my clothes but underwear. Bees flew out of my clothes and 46 out of my mouth!
I had gained the 47 of all the campers, but I didn’t feel cool. I had been 48 almost 40 bees stings(蛰) all over my body. I learned a most 49 lesson that day. When we are led by the 50 to show off（炫耀）, we might find ourselves sitting on a beehive.
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