Most young people enjoy some forms of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling, or swimming, or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some forms—football, basketball, hockey, golf or tennis. It may be mountaineering.
Those who have a passion of climbing high and difficult mountains are often looked upon with astonishment. Why are men and women willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks in high mountains? This astonishment is caused, probably, by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.
Mountaineering is a sport and not a game. There are no man-made rules, as there are for such games as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of different kinds which would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man-made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.
If we compare mountaineering with other more familiar sports we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a “team game”. We should be mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no “matches” between “teams” of climbers, but when climbers are on a rock face linked by a rope on which their lives may depend, there is obviously teamwork.
The mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature. His sport requires high mental and physical qualities.
A mountain climber continues to improve his skills year by year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty. But it is not unusual for men of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they perhaps climb with more skills and less waste of effort, and they certainly experience equal enjoyment.
1.What sports are popular among people in winter in the passage?
A. Soccer and golf. B. Skiing and skating.
C. Cycling and hockey. D. Mountaineering.
2.What does the underlined word “passion” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Strong emotion. B. Good way. C. Better skill. D. Good reason.
3.Why does the author think mountaineering is a sport, not a game?
A. Because it has man-made rules.
B. Because it is too dangerous for climbers.
C. Because it can't bring people joy or leisure.
D. Because it is free for climbers to use their own methods.
4.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Mountaineering is not attractive to people.
B. Physical quality is more important than mental one for climbers.
C. A mountain climber passes his best by the age of thirty.
D. It is possible for an old man of fifty or sixty to climb the Alps.
5.What is the best title for the passage?
A. Sports in winter B. Team work in climbing
C. Mountaineering D. A mountain climber
Growing up, I wanted to be just like my mom. She was kind. People always seemed to feel comfortable in her presence. For years, she was a volunteer in our community. I loved going to the local nursing home with her where she taught a ceramic(陶艺)class.
On one summer day, Mama told me to get changed and meet her at the car. I had planned to spend the day at the lake with friends. Why did she have to ruin everything? I imagined the cool lake water. Irritated, I climbed into the car and slammed the door shut. We sat in silence. I was too upset to make conversation.
“Tasha, would you like to know where we are going?” Mama asked calmly.
“No,” I said.
“We are going to volunteer at a children’s shelter today. I have been there before and I think it would benefit you.” she explained.
When we reached the shelter, Mama rang the doorbell. Moments later, we were greeted by a woman. She led us to the front room where all of the children were playing. I noticed a baby whose body was scarred with iron marks. I was told it was because she wouldn’t stop crying. The majority of the children had noticeable physical scars. Others hid their emotional wounds.
As I took in my surroundings, I felt a gentle tug on my shirt. I looked down to see a little girl looking up at me. “Hi! You want to play dolls with me?” she asked. I looked over at Mama for reinforcement. She smiled and nodded. I turned back and said, “Sure.” Her tiny hand reached up and held mine, as if to comfort me.
My mom taught me a valuable lesson that summer. I returned to the shelter with her several times. During those visits, some of the children shared their troubled pasts with me and I learned to be grateful for what I had. Today as I convey these values to my own child, I reflect back to that experience. It was a time that I will never forget.
1.What do you think made the writer admire her mother?
A. Her kindness to others. B. Her excellent teaching.
C. Her quality of honesty. D. Her positive attitude to life.
2.According to Paragraph 2, how did the author feel when she was asked to go out with her mom?
A. Excited. B. Angry. C. Surprised. D. Worried.
3.From the passage, what can we learn about the children in the shelter?
A. They were never punished.
B. They weren’t allowed to go outside.
C. They were once treated badly.
D. They all suffered from mental illness.
4.Which word is closest to the meaning of the underlined word “reinforcement” ?
A. Truth. B. Help. C. Comfort. D. Support.
5.What lesson did the author learn from her experience?
A. To value what you have. B. To play with children is fun.
C. To love others is to love yourself. D. To do as what your parents do.
Americans with small families own a small car or a large one. If both parents are working, they usually have two cars. When the family is large, one of the cars is sold and they will buy a van (住房汽车).
A small car can hold four persons and a large car can hold six persons but it is very crowded. A van hold seven persons easily, so a family with three children could ask their grandparents to go on a holiday travel. They could all travel together.
Mr. Hagen and his wife had a third child last year. This made them sell their second car and buy a van. In the van, the sixth and seventh seat are used to put other things, for a family of five must carry many suitcases when they travel. When they arrive at their grandparents’ home, the suitcases are removed from the two seats which can then carry the grandparents.
Americans call vans motor homes. A motor home is always used for holidays. When a family are traveling to the mountains or to the seaside, they can live in their motor home for a few days or weeks. All the members of a big family can enjoy a happier life when they are traveling together. That is why motor homes have become very popular. In America there are many parks for motor homes.
1.What do Americans call a van?
A. A motor car. B. A big truck. C. A motorbike. D. A motor home.
2.What did Mr. Hagen and his wife do before they bought a van?
A. They sold their second car.
B. They moved to their grandparents’ house.
C. They built a new place for a van.
D. They sold their old house.
3.According to the passage, what kind of family is more likely to buy a van?
A. A family with a baby.
B. A family with much money.
C. A family with more than two children.
D. A family living in the countryside.
4.What do Americans usually use motor homes to do?
A. To travel with all the family members on holiday.
B. To do some shopping with all the family members.
C. To visit their grandparents at weekends.
D. To drive their children to school every day.
5.Why have motor homes become popular?
A. Because they can take people to another city when people are free.
B. Because they can let families have a happier life when they go out for holidays.
C. Because some people think motor homes are cheap.
D. Because big families can put more things in motor homes.
People use their mouths for many things. They eat, talk, shout, ____ and smile. In the English language, there are many expressions using the word ____.
For example, if you say ____ things about a person, the person might protest (抗议) and say “Do not bad mouth me.”
Sometimes, people say something to a friend or a family member that they later ____ because they hurt that person’s feelings. The speaker might say “I really put my foot in my mouth this time.”
Another ____ is when someone falsely claims another person said something. The other person might protest, “I did not say that. Do not put ____ in my mouth.”
Information is often spread through our mouths. This is general ____ between people, like friends talking to each other. “How did you hear about that new ____ ?” someone might ask. “Oh, by word of mouth.” The ____ means the person has been told about the movie by others.
Sometimes a person has a bad or unpleasant ____ with another person. He might say that experience “ left a bad taste in my mouth ”. Or the person might have had a very____ experience, like being chased by an angry dog. He might say, “ had my ____ in my mouth.”
Some people have lots of money because they were born into a very ____ family. There is an expression for this, too. You might say such a person “was born with a ____spoon in his mouth. However, some people live from hand to mouth. This person is very poor and only has enough money for the most ____ things in life, like food.
1.A. dance B. sing C. walk D. think
2.A. mouth B. head C. hand D. face
3.A. beautiful B. serious C. good D. bad
4.A. regret B. avoid C. refuse D. keep
5.A. position B. situation C. collection D. direction
6.A. sentences B. phrases C. things D. words
7.A. preparation B. communication C. competition D. protection
8.A. game B. movie C. name D. friend
9.A. answer B. problem C. design D. degree
10.A. life B. expression C. experience D. style
11.A. frightening B. interesting C. pleasing D. exciting
12.A. heart B. eye C. tongue D. finger
13.A. poor B. famous C. large D. rich
14.A. paper B. silver C. wooden D. iron
15.A. important B. expensive C. useless D. honest
The day _____ Nelson Mandela helped me was one of my happiest.
A. which B. when C. that D. why
The man _____ this house belongs is a friend of Wang Lin’s.
A. whom B. for whom C. to whom D. with whom
