There have been nine secetary0generals of the United Nations (联合国秘书长) since the first one was appointed (任命) in 1946. But somehow, Kofi Annan has been the one that people tend to remember the best.
Annan, born in Ghana, was the first black African to ever hold the job. And he won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. Just as the New York Times put it, Annan “redefined (重新定义) the UN”.
During those 10 years—from 1997 to 2006—the world was at its worst. This period witnessed the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, the Sept. 11 attacks of 2001, and the US’s invasion (侵略) of Iraq in 2003.
On its own, the UN has little power. However, Annan combined that power with his own to achieve great things. He kept the world from falling apart from attacks and wars. He also fought for women’s rights and the educational rights of children, and fought against the spread of HIV in Africa.
It was because of these things that he and the UN were awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2001, for their work toward “a better organized and a more peaceful world”. Annan also put “people” at the center of everything the UN does. He took the trouble to relate to (建立联系) others—young or old, senior or junior, ambassador (大使) or security guard (保安).
Maybe what Annan did was more than just redefine the UN. Indeed, as Antonio Guterres, current secretary-general of the UN, said, “In many ways, Kofi Annan was the UN.”
1.According to the passage, we can learn that ______.
A. secretary-generals are not usually remembered by people
B. people believe that Annan has been the best leader of Ghana
C. Annan is the only black man to win the Noble Peace Prize
D. Annan is the first black African secretary-general of the UN
2.The underlined word can be replaced by “______”.
A. saw B. made
C. prevented D. happened
3.What did Annan do to redefine the UN?
A. Women and children were kept from being attacked.
B. He stopped the spread of HIV and found the cure for AIDS in Africa.
C. He made the world a better and more peaceful place.
D. He has every country get the same rights in the UN.
4.What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?
A. Annan has trouble in communicating with others.
B. People are believed less important than others by Annan.
C. The current leader of the UN thins highly of Annan and his great achievements.
D. People in higher position easily get more support from the leaders of the UN.
Do you know who made the ABC song? Some people say a man named Charles Bradlee created the song. He was the first person to say he owned it. That was in 1834. Bradlee called the song “The Schoolmaster”. A schoolmaster in an old name for a teacher. No one knows where it came from. But we do have some clues.
Sounds Like Another Song
The ABC song sounds the same as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. It has the same tune, or music. It sounds like “Baa Baa Black Sheep”, too. Try singing each song. Sing them in a row. You can hear for yourself! The tune was first printed in 1761. It didn’t have any words. No one knows who wrote it. Later, a woman wrote the words for “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. Her name was Jane Taylor. She lived in England. She wrote the words in 1806. Mozart was a very famous composer. He wrote a piece of music in 1785. It sounds a lot like the ABC song!
We Learn Better From Songs
When the ABC song first became popular, few children went to school. Most people did not learn how to read. They did not learn how to write, either. As time went on, this changed. More people needed to know how to read and write. More children started learning the ABC song. It helped them remember the letters.
Why do we sing the ABC song? We could just read it quietly. Or we could say it without singing. Why is the song partly important? The answer is related to how we learn. Children have always leaned from grown-ups. But 200 year ago, most people couldn’t read or write. Children had to remember things. They could not write down what they learned. They could not read about it later. So it was important to remember. Songs helped people remember. People sang song that told stories. They taught their children what they knew through songs.
So, no none really knows who made the ABC song. We do know that this song is popular today. Most children who learn to speak English will sing it. Then they will remember their letters!
1.How is the passage mainly developed?
A. By listing facts. B. By comparing.
C. By telling a story. D. By examining differences.
2.Who made the ABC song?
A. Charles Bradlee
B. Jane Taylor.
C. Mozart.
D. No one knows the answer exactly.
3.Why was making the alphabet into a song important?
A. Because the song was written by a famous music writer.
B. Because the song helps people remember the letters.
C. Because the song sounds like “Baa Baa Black Sheep”.
D. Because children always learn from grown-ups.
4.Why the Question “Who made the ABC song?” is used in the beginning?
A. To test the readers.
B. To introduce a topic.
C. To show the song is important.
D. To analyze the cause and effect.
Dear Dale,
My mother recently gave birth to a boy, my new younger brother. But though he’s adorable (可爱的), I have to do more chores than before. And when I don’t do them well, my father scolds (批评) me. I feel terrible. What can I do?
Emily
Dear Dale,
My mother recently gave birth to a boy, my new younger brother. But though he’s adorable (可爱的), I have to do more chores than before. And when I don’t do them well, my father scolds (批评) me. I feel terrible. What can I do?
Emily
Dear Emily,
Congratulations on the new member of your family.
It’s completely natural for you to feel different now that you’re not your parents’ only child. Before, you got all their attention, but now, you have to share that attention with your new brother.
However, rather than feel sad about your new situation, you should see it as an opportunity to show everyone how mature (成熟的) you are. Now that your brother’s here, you’re no longer the kid of the family.
This also means that you now have the responsibility to help raise your brother and show him how the world works.
As for your parents, put yourself in their shoes and you’ll see why they’re acting differently toward you.
Your parents still love you as much as they did before, of course, but raising a baby is very difficult and tiring.
Because of this, you should try your best to support your parents by not getting upset if they scold you or ask you to do things you normally wouldn’t have to do.
Most importantly, remember to keep setting a good example to your brother. Once everything settles down, you’ll never be able to imagine life without him.
Dale
Dear Emily,
Congratulations on the new member of your family.
It’s completely natural for you to feel different now that you’re not your parents’ only child. Before, you got all their attention, but now, you have to share that attention with your new brother.
However, rather than feel sad about your new situation, you should see it as an opportunity to show everyone how mature (成熟的) you are. Now that your brother’s here, you’re no longer the kid of the family.
This also means that you now have the responsibility to help raise your brother and show him how the world works.
As for your parents, put yourself in their shoes and you’ll see why they’re acting differently toward you.
Your parents still love you as much as they did before, of course, but raising a baby is very difficult and tiring.
Because of this, you should try your best to support your parents by not getting upset if they scold you or ask you to do things you normally wouldn’t have to do.
Most importantly, remember to keep setting a good example to your brother. Once everything settles down, you’ll never be able to imagine life without him.
Dale
1.What is Emily’s trouble?
A. How to get along well with her family members with the baby born to her family.
B. How to get rid of chores she normally doesn’t have to do.
C. How to take care of her adorable brother when parents are busy.
D. How to avoid Father’s scolding when she does something wrong.
2.What should Emily do according to Dale?
A. Love her parents as much as she can.
B. Try to pay more attention to herself.
C. Put herself in her parents’ shoes.
D. Feel sad about her new situation and see it as an opportunity.
3.Where can we most probably read this text?
A. In a travel guide. B. In an interview.
C. In a journal. D. In a textbook.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Which month is it then?
A. September. B. October. C. November.
2.What will the weather be like tomorrow?
A. Rainy. B. Sunny. C. Windy.
3.What will the high temperature be on Friday?
A. 60 degrees. B. 65 degrees. C. 70 degrees.
4.Why should people take advantage of the weekend?
A. There will be a festival.
B. There will be many events going on.
C. The sunny weather may not last.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Where did the man begin his trip?
A. From California. B. From Florida. C. From Washington.
2.How long did it take to go from Chicago to New York?
A. 20 hours. B. 45 hours. C. 65 hours.
3.What was the man’s trip like on the whole?
A. So-so. B. Boring. C. Enjoyable.
4.What does the man think of traveling by train?
A. It saves time.
B. It saves money.
C. It is a great way to see the country.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Which room does the man show the woman first?
A. The bedroom. B. The living room. C. The bathroom.
2.What’s wrong with the carpet?
A. It’s dirty. B. It has a hole in it. C. It has a strange color.
3.What do we know about the kitchen?
A. The window won’t close.
B. The door needs fixing.
C. The refrigerator is in bad condition.
