Whatwould you do if you were a fifth grader facing a huge homework load every night, and you found out that there was a machine that would do all the work for you? That’s the situation presented to Sam, Kelsey, Judy and Brenton in Dan Gutman’s entertaining new book for young readers, The Homework Machine.
The four children, all fifth graders in Miss Rasmussen’s class at Grand Canyon School, are as different as any four 11-year-olds could be, but they have one thing in common — all are somewhat separated from their classmates. Sam is a newcomer and has had his share of school trouble before; Kelsey quietly carries her pain at losing her father; Judy’s sense of justice (正义感) always annoys others; and Brenton…well, he is another story entirely. Brenton is easily the smartest child in school, so smart that even his parents and teachers have trouble keeping up with him. When Brenton and his three classmates are put into the same study group by their teacher, the others discover that Brenton has made a time-saving gadget (装置) to do his homework for him. While the boy genius(天才) is perfectly able to do the homework himself, Sam, Kelsey and Judy could use the help.
Having perfect grades is something new for these three, and as they meet every day to “do homework”, they find that they’re learning a lot — about each other. Such a good thing can’t last though, and when a secret man starts trying to get in touch with them, the children begin to get nervous. Soon there’s an even more frightening problem — why can’t the Homework Machine be turned off?
Told in different voices (as all the children make statements to the Grand Canyon Police), the story develops in an interesting fashion. Gutman is a gifted who has written dozens of children’s books, each with a funny and impressing tale that should be equally liked by boys and girls.
1.What type of text is it?
A. A book review. B. A school report
C. A science story D. A student’s diary
2.What is one common thing that all four children have to deal with at school?
A. Getting along with classmates.
B. Overcoming sad feelings.
C. Following school rules.
D. Keeping good grades
3.What can we learn about Brenton?
A. He is careless. B. He is clever.
C. He is brave. D. He is quiet.
4.Why did the children get frightened?
A. They had no idea how to stop the machine.
B. They lost the connection with each other.
C. They were questioned by a strange man.
D. They were tracked down by the police.
A thief dropped a winning lottery ticket (彩票) at the scene of his crime, but he has been given a lesson in .The man whom he robbed (抢劫) the ticket and won the $25,000 prize, but he managed to find the thief, and handed over the .
The robbery happened when Professor Sabbatucci was changing a tyre (轮胎) on a highway. Another motorist, who stopped to , stole a suitcase from his car and drove off. The professor found the ticket and put it in his pocket before home.
Next day, the professor saw the lottery on TV and realized it was a winner. He the $25,000 prize. Then began a with his conscience (良心). In the end, he decided he could not keep the money he had been robbed. He then put a in newspapers and made an announcement on the radio, : “I’m trying to find the man who robbed me. I have $25,000 for him — a lottery . Please meet me.”
The professor received hundreds of from people who were hoping to him into handing them the cash. But there was one voice he and he arranged to meet the man in a park.
The robber gave back the and burst into tears. He could not what was happening. Why didn’t you the money?” he asked. The professor replied: I couldn’t because it’s not mine.” Then he walked off, turning down the thief’s to share the prize.
1. A. friendship B. honesty C. bravery D. adventure
2. A .sent B. took out C. bought D. picked up
3.A. crime B. ticket C.]cash D. evidence
4.A. repair B. rest C. watch D. help
5.A. left B. dropped C. forgotten D. damaged
6.A. running B .walking C. driving D. riding
7.A. results B. story C. loss D. sales
8.A. presented B. took C. donated D. shared
9.A. battle B. business C. lecture D. quarrel
10.A. since B. while C. even though D. as if
11.A. review B. request C. show D. notice
12.A. joking B. saying C. wondering D. replying
13.A. number B. luck C. win D. receipt
14.A. notes B. emails C. letters D. calls
15.A. trick B. persuade C. lead D. draw
16.A. recognized B. remembered C. recorded D. recovered
17.A. car B. suitcase C. money D. check
18.A. imagine B. blame C. believe D. realize
19.A. keep B. return C. give D. earn
20.A. deal B. promise C. payment D. offer
The atomic weight of oxygen is_____than ______of the hydrogen.
A. 15 times heavier; that
B. 15 times heavier: those
C. 16 times as heavier; that
D. 16 times as heavy; those
In Singapore, people______eating or drinking on the subway can be fined up to 500 Singapore dollars.
A. having caught B. catching
C. caught D. to catch
The zookeeper was really annoyed with me.
— How could he have been if you______stones at the animals?
A. didn’t throw B. don’t throw
C. hadn’t thrown D. haven’t thrown
—What do you do as a volunteer in North Africa?
—__________! There are many poor people who need a lot of help.
A. None B. Something
C. Little D. Everything
