Sonoma County, California is famous for its natural beauty. The area is also known for its fruits, vegetables, eggs, and seafood. When I first moved to the area years ago, I had no idea I would be living in such a rich area!
After the summer, local festivals practically celebrate the richness of the county every weekend. From Egg Days, Tomato Festival to Seafood Festival, Sonoma County has something for everyone. An event held every year is one of the most special in the area, which celebrates the harvest(收获) of tomatoes, showing over 170 kinds of this tasty fruit. Cooks prepare the most favorite tomato-inspired dishes. You can enjoy all kinds of food while listening to live music, and taste the world famous Kendall Jackson wine.
Another great feature of this event is the opportunity to take part in the yearly competition with your own tomatoes. Tomatoes are judged (判断) on looks, taste, and weight and winners will be awarded (奖励). If you’re planning on visiting and want to attend this event, get your ticket early as it sells out quickly.
This year, to celebrate Tomato Festival, I decided to plant a few tomatoes in a wine barrel (桶) that had kept a lemon tree before. The tree, after about 6 years, finally did not produce fruits anymore, so I changed to plant 3 tomato plants instead. The three wine barrel plants stand over six feet tall and that’s above the top of the barrel! They have lots of flowers and some have started to produce fruits. As usual, harvest may be late this year, but the quality of my tomatoes will be excellent. I believe I’ll realize my dream of being the best tomato gardener.
1.We can know from the first two paragraphs that .
A．the author didn’t live there long
B．Sonoma County lies by the sea
C．people there like drinking wine
D．there are celebrations every day
2.The passage mainly tells us something about .
A．Egg Days B．Seafood Festival
C．Tomato Festival D．Vegetable Days
3.If you are the best tomato gardener you will .
A．be given prizes as a winner B．eat tomato dishes for free
C．be respected by the local people D．drink Kendall Jackson wine free
Believe it or not, oceans and seas are easy to be harmed by the development of human society. They are also influenced by man-made pollution easily. It is human beings that do great harm to the ocean ecosystems(生态系统).
The coral reefs(珊瑚礁)are fine ecosystems that provide food and protection for many ocean creatures. The coral in almost all of the oceans is in danger from pollution.Chemicals from factories end up in the seas and oceans and destroy coral reefs. If the coral systems die some ocean creatures will be sure to die out.
Protecting the ocean also has something to do with the protection of ocean wildlife like dolphins. The fishing industry depends on modern ways to catch many fish in order to earn more money. But the nets for fishing also seize other sea animals. The fishing boat workers are advised to check their nets and set other ocean animals free. But the boats are in a hurry to make money and often other ocean animals are caught with fish.
Offshore oil spills(近海石油泄露) can destroy the ocean environment because oil kills all ocean life. The world depends on oil and because there is a great amount of oil off the shore of many countries, the need for oil is more important than the risk of the oil spill. However, the fact is that one human mistake can lead to an ocean environmental accident that will cause years of damage to the fine ocean ecosystems. Oil spills will kill all the creatures in the area of the spill. The oil will be washed up on shore and destroy the ecosystems along the shore including birds.
Everyone who cares about the environment should be interested in protecting the ocean, and all of us should do something for the protection of the ocean.
1.According to the passage, the ocean is harmed easily as a result of .
A．the overuse of the oceans
B．the change of natural conditions
C．the increase of population by the sea
D．the increasing activities of humans
2.What does the second paragraph mainly tell readers?
A．How ocean creatures depend on coral reefs.
B．Coral reefs are home to ocean animals.
C．The great harm caused by factory pollution.
D．The importance of protecting coral systems.
3.The underlined work “seize” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced with“ ”.
A．catch B．attract C．place D．cover
4.Why do people continue to get oil in the sea at the risk of oil spills?
A．Because they believe the oil spill can be stopped.
B．Because there is a large amount of oil in the sea.
C．Because they are in great need of oil.
D．Because getting oil in sea is easier than on land.
A girl who graduated from a world-famous university wanted to do translation work for authority leaders. She was so happy when she entered the British embassy(大使馆). She thought it was the greatest happiness in her life as many graduates wanted to get that job while she was one of the few people who got it!
But when she started her new job, she realized that it was just a job of answering calls and recording staff members’ starting and quitting times. It was unappreciated and was supposed to have no future. However, she didn’t feel sad about it. She learnt how to love the job. And she loved it when she was working. The names and phone numbers of the staff members were written down on the notebook so that she could remember them. When the phone calls came in, she picked it up as soon as possible. When someone asked her about who was not in the office, she would answer them the right name and the time when they left. Nobody could do that except her.
Her wonderful performance not only received the compliments from the embassy’s staff, but also the employees from the local government. And a leader of a famous company in Britain was also impressed by it and invited her to work for him. After that she became a personal translator of an important leader from Britain and appreciated by the foreigners.
We cannot choose our destiny(命运), but we can choose the attitude with which we face our life. Maybe the attitude could change our destiny. If we cry to life, life will be gray. If we smile to life, life will smile to us, too.
1.What was once the girl’s greatest happiness in her life?
A．Being a translator for a leader.
B．Graduating from the university.
C．Working in the British embassy.
D．Continuing her study in the university.
2.The girl was invited to work for the company mainly because of her .
A．excellent work B．rich knowledge
C．friendly attitude D．excellent English
3.What can we know from the passage?
A．The girl was once asked to leave the British company.
B．The foreigners were impressed by her good pronunciation.
C．People in the British embassy spoke highly of the girl.
D．The girl was famous for her remembering ability.
4.The author wants to tell us that .
A．everybody has his or her own hard times in life
B．we should take a positive attitude towards life
C．we should be ready to lend a hand to our friends
D．it is important to listen to other’s problems carefully
One in 400 children in the United States has diabetes(糖尿病). And the most difficult thing for the young diabetic patients is that many of them don’t have a clear idea when they need to take insulin(a drug used in treating diabetes).The parents of one Long Island boy found the perfect solution—Hero, a specially trained dog that can discover when a diabetic is in trouble and find help.
Johnny Pion, eight years old, is a poor kid that was told he was a diabetic in 2008. He can’t do without insulin. His blood-sugar levels should be closely checked. He even can’t go out to play without his mom or dad fearing he might need help.
With Hero in her new home, Johnny’s parents may worry a little less. They received the news about Hero on the newspaper. The dog cost around $20,000. With the help of friends and family, the Pions brought Hero home from Warren Retrievers in Virginia. Mary Campbell. Hero’s trainer, said the dog could discover the slightest changes in blood sugar by her sense of smell.“Humans have 5 million smell receptors(感受器)； dogs have 5 billion smell receptors,”she said.
When the dog discovers something’s wrong, she’ll rub(蹭)her head against Johnny’s legs. If he doesn’t answer her, Hero knows to look for Johnny’s mom and dad. Hero even could ring up 911.
On their first night, Johnny’s was comfortably sleeping in his own bed with Hero and not with his parents for the first time. Night time is very important because blood sugar goes unchecked while sleeping. Now Hero is a round-the-clock nurse.
1.Young people with diabetes have difficulty .
A．telling when they need to take medicine
B．finding what is he best medicine for them
C．remembering the names of their medicine
D．knowing how to keep healthy and live a longer life
2.Hero can help Johnny because she .
A．cost around $20,000
B．never sleeps during the night
C．has 5 million smell receptors
D．can discover the changes of blood sugar
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A．Hero can telephone her owners for help.
B．Hero is helpful for the family.
C．The Pions paid for the dog by using donations.
D．The Pions provided special food for the dog.
4.After Johnny Pions got ill, he had to .
A．carry insulin every day
B．go to hospital very often
C．sleep under the care of others
D．live with his family doctor
Several years ago, we moved into the apartment where we live now. When my friends helped me move in, the downstairs neighbors began to 16 about the noise. I could do 17 about it. After all, noises are unavoidable(不可避免的).How can anyone move in 18 .
Still 19 ,the complaints continued on a daily basis—well after the first day. We walked “too loudly”down the stairs, we laughed too often, we opened and closed the door too many times…They had many 20 to complain.
Nobody can stand the endless complaints and quarrels. I soon learned that they had 21 the last few families who lived above them by the same way. So I had the information I needed and I tried to 22 every situation carefully.
I tried to walk in 23 to avoid any possible noises. Whenever they called 24 came to the door with a complaint, no matter how unreasonable, I simply listened. From their confused expressions, I could imagine that they had never expected to get a 25 attitude from me.
Of course, it was hard to keep calm but my sister and I 26 . I told my sister that we were going to be pleasant and 27 them to change their attitude to neighbors. I explained to her that they probably felt 28 in their lives because they are common people. 29 , they were always looking for a 30 to show their power so that nobody could look down upon them. I continued smiling and greeting them as I saw them, much to their 31 .On more than one occasion(不止一次), I ended up 32 them. They thanked me before they left.
Unexpectedly, the next time I saw them, they all smiled and 33 friendly. We had a short but pleasant 34 . Ever since then, they’ve been very pleasant neighbors, and we’ve become good 35 .
1. A．worry B．talk C．care D．complain
2. A．verything B．nothing C．something D．anything
3. A．quietly B．quickly C．suddenly D．slowly
4. A．angrier B．less C．better D．worse
5. A．purposes B．times C．reasons D．persons
6. A．come across B．driven off C．knocked into D．taken in
7. A．treat B．allow C．keep D．accept
8. A．fashion B．trouble C．doubt D．peace
9. A．but B．so C．or D．as
10. A．funny B．positive C．gentle D．satisfying
11. A．continued B．decided C．began D．stopped
12. A．order B．ask C．forbid D．encourage
13. A．stupid B．powerless C．unfortunate D．dangerous
14. A．Besides B．Therefore C．Otherwise D．However
15. A．task B．chance C．challenge D．job
16. A．surprise B．worry C．taste D．expect
17. A．frustrating B．annoying C．helping D．joining
18. A．sounded B．felt C．phoned D．looked
19. A．discussion B．quarrel C．conversation D．journey
20. A．friends B．workmates C．partners D．classmates
-----Could you do me a favor ?
------It depends on _____ it is .
A．whichever B．which C．whatever D．what
