Though I have traveled in hundreds of trains, few unusual things have ever happened to me. But one day in a train something did happen. I do not mean that I was hurt: no one was hurt.
I do my work in a hot country far away from England. Every September I go there to do my business, and every July I come back to England to have a rest. So every September I go to Paris and take a train from the great French city to Mendova, and at Mendova I catch my ship.
There is one very fast train from Paris to Mendova, and it suits me well. It goes as far as Endoran, but it stops at Mendova for a few minutes to let travelers get out or in. It is called The Flying Bluebird. It reaches Mendova at seven minutes past nine in the morning, and it is never late.
A ship leaves Mendova at half past eleven, and so you will understand that The Flying Bluebird suits me very well. I always travel by it, and I have nearly two and a half hours at Mendova to go from the station to the ship. That is more than enough time.
Well, one September night, I took my place in The Flying Bluebird as usual. The train leaves Paris at nine o’clock every night, and I was in my place soon after half past eight. There were three or four people there with me, but very soon a lot of others got into the train. When no more people could sit down, they began to stand up near us and also in the corridor(走廊). In a short time the corridor was full too, and it was impossible for any more travelers to get into the train.
I could see a lot of other people outside the corridor windows, but they could not get in, and the train left Paris without them. The man sitting next to me started to ask all kinds of questions: “Where do you work? How long does it take you to get there? Are you married? How many children do you have? How much money do they pay you every year? How much do you have in the bank? How much do you spend every month?”
He asked questions for about twenty minutes but I did not give him any clear answers, and at last he stopped and began to read the paper.
I usually sleep quite well in the train, but this time I slept only a little. There were too many people, and there were too many things: small bags, large bags, coats, hats, boxes, newspapers and food. As usual, we got angry about the window. Most people wanted it shut, and two of us wanted it open. But that always happens. It was shut all night, as usual.
When I awoke in the early morning I felt hot and dirty, and glad that the journey was reaching its end. At seven minutes past nine The Flying Bluebird stopped. We were at Mendova, and I stood up thankfully. I took my two suitcases, held one in each hand, and tried to move towards the door into the corridor. In order to get out of the train, I had to pass down the corridor to the door at the far end. There was no other way out.
I could not even into the corridor. There was a suitcase on the floor by my feet, and three men were standing in my way. I felt a touch of fear. I had to get out, you see; I had to catch my ship, which left at half past eleven. And the train did not stop again until it reached Endoran, two hundred miles away.
“I must get out!” I cried. Everyone there understood me, but no one could move.
At last I was able to put one foot over the suitcase on the floor, and I nearly reached the door into the corridor. But then, very slowly, the train began to move. It was taking me away!
“Stop!” I cried. “I want to get out!” But no one outside the train could hear me, and the people inside did not care much. The train moved a little faster. What could I do? I was not even in the corridor.
Fear made me think quickly. In front of my eyes, just, above the door, was a notice that told everyone how to stop the train. I had to pull an iron thing near the notice. I did not waste time. I pulled it.
Well, a noise started above our heads. That was to show everyone that there was something wrong. It was not a small sound. Possibly the men in my ship two miles away could hear it. Then the train stopped.
No one likes to stop a train if there is no need. But I had to catch my ship. That was the only thought in my mind: to get out and catch my ship.
1.The purpose of the author writing the first paragraph is to _______.
A. answer some questions
B. arouse (激发) the readers’ curiosity
C. express some unusual feelings
D. give some advice in advance
2.What do we know about the author and the man sitting next to him?
A. The author didn’t like the man’s foolish questions
B. They talked with each other all night
C. They got angry about the window
D. The author didn’t understand the man’s words
3. On this journey on The Flying Bluebird, the author felt uncomfortable because _______.
A. he couldn’t find a seat by the window
B. he was angry with the man sitting next to him
C. the window was kept shut all night
D. there were too many people on the train
4.It can be learned from Para.10 that the author was afraid that ______.
A. he would have to spend another sleepless night on the train
B. more people might crowd into the train
C. he would miss the ship that went where he worked
D. he would have to buy another ticket
5. The noise in the underlined sentence “a noise started above our heads”(Para.15) was made by _____.
A. the angry passengers shouting at the top of their voices
B. the ship that was lying two miles away
C. the falling of boxes and suitcases to the floor
D. the train itself telling people that something was wrong
6.What would be the best title for the text?
A. A Train that Is Never Late
B. A Quick and Wise Decision
C. A Journey to Mendov
D. A Bad Experience on the Train
Study Books
Basic Study Manual Hardcover (精装书)：$ 37
Future success depends on the ability to learn. Here are the answers to the questions most often asked by parents, teachers, business trainers and by students themselves. Read this book and learn:
• What the three barriers (障碍) to study are and what to do about them.
• What to do if you get tired of a subject you are studying.
• Twenty-six simple drills to help you learn how to study easily, rapidly and with full understanding
Buy and read Basic Study Manual and use it do dramatically improve your ability to study.
Study Skills for Life Hardcover: $32
L. Ron Hubbard’s study technology for children opens the door to their future success by giving them the ability to study and learn. Fully illustrated (说明，阐明) for easy comprehension.
Learning How to Learn Hardcover: $25
• The basics of effective study for 8 to 12-year-olds, fully illustrated. Children who read and apply the materials in this book regain their liking for study and their ability to apply this knowledge in life. Get this book for a child you want to see win at his studies!
How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children Hardcover: $36
In spite of billions of dollars spent on “educational research”, children are not taught the most basic skills of learning, even the most basic of these: how to use a dictionary. In fact, a research of educational books for children found no book that told them how to use a dictionary or that one should. Written for children 8 to 12-year-olds, this fully illustrated book will teach your child:
• How to find words in a dictionary.
• The different ways that words are used.
• What the different marks and symbols that are used in a dictionary mean.
• How to use a dictionary to correctly pronounce words.
It includes a section for parents and teachers showing you how to use this book with children. Buy this book and give it to your children to unlock their education. What’s more, you will just pay 50% for it before May 1, 2014.
1.According to the advertisements, the four books are all intended for ____.
A. teachers B. children
C. adults D. women
2. Some of the four books were illustrated in order to _______.
A. persuade foreigners to buy all of them
B. reduce the cost of them
C. help readers understand them and make a better choice
D. make them suitable to different reader.
3.If you buy the four books on April 30, 2014, you will have to pay ______ for them.
A. $ 130 B. $ 112 C. $ 65 D. $ 18
4.The purpose of the passage is to _______.
A. show readers how to use the four books
B. help children to learn English
C. enrich students knowledge about nature
D. sell the four books to students.
If you get into the forest with your friends, stay with them always. If you don’t, you may get lost. If you really get lost, this is what you should do. Sit down and stay where you are. Don’t try to find your friends—let them find you by staying in one place.
There is another way to help your friends or other nearby people to find you. Give them a signal (信号) by shouting or whistling (吹口哨) three times. Any signal given three times is a call for help.
Keep up shouting or whistling always three times together. When people hear you, they will know that you are not just making noise for fun. They will let you know that they have heard your signal. They give you two shouts, two whistles, or two gun-shots (枪声). When someone gives you a signal, it is an answer to a call for help.
If you don’t think that you will get help before night comes, try to make a little house---cover up to the holes with branches (树枝) with lots of leaves. Make yourself a soft bed with leaves and grass.
What should you do if you get hungry or need drinking water? You would have to leave your little house to look for a river. Don’t just walk away. Pick off small branches and drop them as you walk so that you can find your way back. The most important thing to do when you are lost is—stay in one place.
1.If you are lost in the forest, you should _______.
A. walk around the forest and shout so that your friends could hear you
B. try to find your friends as soon as possible
C. stay where you are and give signals three times
D. try to get out of the forest and shout for help
2.If you want to let people believe that you are not just making noise for fun, you should __.
A. tell people that you are lost
B. shout or whistle three times
C. keep up shouting or whistling
D. shout at the top of your voice
3.When you hear two shouts, or whistles, or gunshots, __________.
A. it is an answer to your call for help
B. you can whistle three times
C. you should shout more loudly
D. you should try to run to them
4.When you want to leave your place to get drinking water, you should ________.
A. just go to the river
B. find some glasses or bottles before you go
C. make a fire so that you can have some tea
D. leave marks so that you can find your way back
5. This passage mainly tells you __________.
A. when you hear a signal always three times, it is a call for help
B. any signal given twice means an answer to a call for help
C. how you can live longer in a forest
D. What you should do if you get lost in a forest
At midnight, Peter was awakened by heavy knocks on the door. He rolled over and looked at his , and it was half past one. “I’m not getting at this time,” he to himself, and rolled over.
Then, a knock followed. “Aren’t you going to it?” said his wife.
So he dragged himself out of bed and went downstairs. He opened the door and there was a man
at the door. It didn’t take long to the man was drunk.
“Hi, there, ” slurred (嘟囔) the stranger, “Can you give me a push?”
“No, . It’s half past one. I was ,” Peter said and slammed（猛关） the door. He went back to bed and told his wife what had happened.
She said, “That wasn’t very of you. Remember that night we had a in the pouring rain on the way to the kids and you had to knock on a man’s door to get our car
again? What would have happened if he’d told to go away? ”
“But the guy was ,” said Peter.
“It doesn’t matter,” said the wife. “He needs help it would be the Christian thing to help him.”
So Peter went out of bed again, got dressed, and went downstairs. He opened the door, and not being able to see the stranger anywhere, he shouted, “Hey, do you still want a ?”
And he heard a , “Yeah, please.”
So still being unable to see the stranger, he shouted, “ are you?”
The drunk replied, “Over here, on the swing(秋千).”
1.A. door B. wife C. clock D. window
2.A. into trouble B. out of the house C. down to work D. out of bed
3.A. complained B. explained C. thought D. replied
4.A. louder B. weaker C. longer D. angrier
5.A. stand B. stop C. refuse D. answer
6.A. knocking B. lying C. standing D. looking
7.A. remember B. realize C. show D. doubt
8.A. go out B. go away C. go ahead D. go up
9.A. in bed B. in surprise C. at home D. at work
10.A. down B. in C. inside D. up
11.A. foolish B. nice C. typical D. generous
12.A. look B. quarrel C. fight D. breakdown
13.A. put up B. pick down C. pick up D. put down
14.A. united B. refreshed C. started D. delighted
15.A. us B. them C. the man D. others
16.A. mad B. drunk C. different D. dangerous
17.A. but B. though C. and D. because
18.A. push B. rest C. room D. lift
19.A. lady B. gentleman C. sound D. voice
20.A. where B. how C. who D. what
——Shall I give you a ride as you live so far away?
——Thank you. ______.
A. If you like B. Of course you can
C. It couldn’t be better D. It’s up to you
Their youngest child is at the stage ___________she can say a few words but not full sentences.
A. where B. that C. which D. When
