This past week, I took a huge step in my adult life. I flew on a plane and got to a new city that I had never been to all by myself.1..So it took a lot for me to be able to overcome my fear of flying on a plane alone.
In the months leading up to the trip, I was very nervous. I rarely travel long distances, and often avoid airplanes. However, I knew that I desperately wanted to go on this trip.2. My fears almost kept me from getting on the plane, but I knew I had to prove to myself that I was able to figure out things for myself and take my first huge step in becoming an adult.
On my drive to the airport, I did my best to keep calm and instill（逐步培养）enough confidence in myself to allow me to do this all by myself. 3.I went through security and made it to my gate, without getting lost. Then I got on my flight. I took my seat on the plane and tightly held my armrests (扶手)until we made it into the air. The whole flight, I just sat back and took some deep breaths until we finally landed. Now all I had to do was find my luggage and catch my ride. 4.
All in all, this trip has helped me to realize that I should be more confident about my abilities. I now know that I’m able to do whatever I set my mind to. 5.
A. Now I had to sit and wait to get on my flight.
B. I was wondering if everything would be fine.
C. I just need to have a little confidence in myself.
D. So I decided that I would just have to get through it.
E. At this point, I realized that I made it all on my own.
F. I am someone who is always nervous and living in fear.
G. I walked into the airport alone, leaving my family outside at the checking desk.
Never Talk to Strangers?
“Never talk to strangers.” Many children are taught this simple rule as a precaution against abduction (诱拐). In June, 2005, an 11-year-old boy was lost in the Utah wilderness for four days. During that time, he stayed on the path. He saw people searching for him but deliberately hid from them, afraid someone might “steal” him. Eventually, the unfortunate game of hide-and-seek ended and he was found. According to the Canada Safety Council, this alarming incident shows how unwise it is to instill (灌输) a fear of strangers in children. The “stranger danger” message can prevent children from developing the social skills and judgment needed to deal effectively with real-life situations. In a difficult situation, a stranger could be their lifeline to safety.
To have a child go missing is a parent’s worst nightmare. The threat of abduction by a stranger is minimal when compared with other possible reasons for a disappearance. In 2004, there were 67,266 missing-children cases in Canada. Only 31 involved abduction; in most of those cases the abductor was a relative, friend, or person known to the family. There were 671 cases of children wandering off, and 332 cases of abductions by a parent. Almost 80 percent of all cases were runaways. These statistics cast doubt on the idea that children should never talk to strangers. Wandering off is more common—but a lost child may have to call upon a stranger for help, and must develop the ability to judge what kind of people to approach. The “never talk to strangers” rule does not protect children in the situations they are most likely to face. On top of this, it can be confusing. Adults do not model the behavior; they often talk to strangers. A child may not know how to tell who is a stranger, and who is not.
For young children, nothing replaces close supervision (监管). Pre-schoolers do not understand risk and tend to act without thinking. Children need to develop habits and attitudes that will protect them from the real threats and dangers they may face. The Canada Safety Council encourages parents to give their children age-appropriate positive messages about safety, bearing in mind how youngsters may understand their world.
1.Which of the following statements is NOT true about the 11-year-old boy?
A.He practiced the “never talk to strangers” rule.
B.He hid from the rescuers to avoid possible abduction.
C.He eventually showed up when his hide-and seek game ended.
D.He stayed where he was, expecting the coming of familiar people.
2.Among the possible reasons for the missing-children cases in Canada, which one is the most frequent?
A.Being abducted by a parent. B.Running away.
C.Being abducted by strangers. D.Wandering off.
3.The “never talk to strangers” rule is confusing to children because ___________.
A.a friendly and attractive person may be dangerous
B.adults do not act upon the rule and strangers are hard to tell
C.the rule does not protect children in the situation of abducting
D.a lost child may have difficulty in communicating with a stranger
4.Which would the author agree with about the “never talk to strangers” rule?
A.It is not well recognized by parents.
B.It is practical as a safety tip in daily life.
C.It is easy enough for children to follow.
D.It is not effective in keeping kids safe.
The year was 1932. Amelia Earhart was flying alone from North America to England in a small single—engined aeroplane. At midnight, several hours after she had left Newfoundland, she ran into bad weather. To make things worse, her altimeter (高度表) failed and she didn’t know how high she was flying. At night, and in a storm, a pilot is in great difficulty without an altimeter. At times, her plane nearly plunged (冲) into the sea.
Just before dawn, there was further trouble. Amelia noticed flames (火焰) coming from the engine. Would she be able to reach land? There was nothing to do except to keep going and to hope.
In the end, Amelia Earhart did reach Ireland, and for the courage she had shown, she was warmly welcomed in England and Europe. When she returned to the United States, she was honored by President Hoover at a special dinner in the White House. From that time on, Amelia Earhart was famous.
What was so important about her flight? Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly the Atlantic Ocean alone, and she had set a record of fourteen hours and fifty—six minutes.
In the years that followed, Amelia Earhart made several flights across the United States, and on each occasion (时刻) she set a new record for flying time. Amelia Earhart made these flights to show that women had a place in aviation (航空) and that air travel was useful.
1.Which of the following statements is NOT the difficulty which Amelia Earhart met in her flight from north America to England?
A.She was caught in a storm. B.The altimeter went out of order.
C.Her engine went wrong. D.She lost her direction.
2.When Amelia Earhart saw flames coming from the engine, what did she do?
A.She did nothing but pray for herself.
B.She changed her direction and landed in Ireland.
C.She continued flying.
D.She lost hope of reaching land.
3.Which of the following statements was NOT mentioned?
A.She was the first woman who succeeded in flying across the Atlantic Ocean alone.
B.She showed great courage in overcoming the difficulties during the flight.
C.She was warmly welcomed in England, Europe and the United States.
D.She made plans to fly around the world.
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Amelia Earhart—First Across the Atlantic.
B.Amelia Earhart—Pioneer in Women’s Aviation.
C.A New Record for Flying Time.
D.A Dangerous Flight from North America to England.
I grew up in San Pedro. My dad was a fisherman, and he loved the sea. He had his own boat, but it was hard making a living on the sea. He worked hard and would stay out until he caught enough to feed the family. Not just enough for our family, but also for his mom and dad and the other kids that were still at home.
Dad was a big man, and he was strong from pulling the nets and fighting the sea for his catch. When you got close to him, you smelled the ocean.
When the weather was bad, he would drive me to school. He would pull right up in front, and it seemed like everybody would be standing around and watching. Then he would lean over and give me a big kiss on the cheek and tell me to be a good boy. It was so embarrassing for me. Here I was twelve years old, and my dad would lean over and kiss me goodbye!
I remembered the day I thought I was too old for a goodbye kiss. When we got to the school and came to a stop, he had his usual big smile. He started to lean toward me, but I put my hand up and said, “No, Dad.” It was the first time I had ever talked to him that way, and he had this surprised look on his face.
I said, “Dad, I’m too old for a goodbye kiss. I’m too old for any kind of kiss.” My dad looked at me for the longest time, and his eyes started to tear up. I had never seen him cry. He turned and looked at the windshield(挡风玻璃).“You’re right,” he said.“You are a big boy...a man. I won’t kiss you any more.”
It wasn’t long after that when my dad went to sea and never came back.
Guys, you don’t know what I would give to have my dad give me just one more kiss on the cheek...to feel his rough old face...to smell the ocean on him...to feel his arm around my neck. I wish I had been a man then. If I had been a man, I would be a man. I would never have told my dad I was too old for a goodbye kiss.
1.What does the first paragraph mainly talk about?
A.The writer’s father was a tall man.
B.Making a living on the sea was hard.
C.The writer’s father liked being a fisherman.
D.The writer’s father had a big family to support.
2.From the passage, we know that the writer’s father .
A.was a successful businessman
B.had an accident and died at sea
C.was good at driving cars
D.drove the writer to school every day
3.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that the writer .
A.wished his father to come back home soon
B.would give up what he had to look for his father
C.regretted having refused his father’s kiss
D.hoped to see his father and asked for another kiss
4.The writer wrote the passage in order to .
A.tell readers about his father’s love for him
B.attract readers to visit his father
C.give a brief introduction to himself
D.ask readers to love their fathers before it is too late.
Let’s Go and Fly a Kite
—at Piedmont Middle School’s celebration of kites!
Come and learn how to build all sorts of kites, from the simplest diamond-shaped kites to the most complex box kites. Stay as long as you like and build as many kites as you want. Once you have finished a kite, get advice on flying techniques from kite expert Lorena Hallsberg. The celebration will be at Piedmont Middle School,151 Piedmont School Drive.
The Piedmont Middle School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)has organized a refreshment(茶点)tent. All profits will benefit future PTO activities. Take a break from kite flying and drink some lemonade! While you are doing so, why not join the PTO? Membership is free; you just donate your time. Show your support for Piedmont Middle School by joining the PTO this Saturday!
When: Saturday,April 11,from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Where: Piedmont Middle School
Why: For fun!
Cost: Free, thanks to a generous gift from Bizarco Kite Company!
Schedule
9:00 a.m.—Kite-building booths open. All materials are supplied for kites.
10:00 a.m.—Kite-building shows by Lorena Hallsberg in the courtyard. Come by and learn how to build box kites and kites that look and fly like butterflies.
11:00 a.m.—Kite-flying shows on the school track. Learn all the most important skills.
12:00 p.m.—Kite-flying competitions on the school track.
1:00 p.m.—Presentation by Dr.Brian Lehrman in the show tent:“The History of Kites”.
2:00 p.m.—Best Kite competitions and judging in the show tent. Come and see the most artistic kites and the most interesting theme kites.
3:00 p.m.—Presentation by Dr.Lehrman in the show tent:“Kites and Science”.
3:30 p.m.—Awards ceremony conducted by Headmaster Seward on the football field. The results of the day’s judging will be announced, with awards such as Best of Show, Most Artistic, Highest Flyer, and others. Winners will receive gifts from the Bizarco Kite Company!
4:00—5:00 p.m.—Let’s all go and fly a kite! Everyone flies kites at the same time, creating a wonderful sight for all to enjoy.
Come to the kite celebration. Enjoy yourself and learn more.
1.Which times are most important for people who want to join in kite competitions?
A.10:00 am and 11:00 a.m.. B.12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m..
C.1:00 pm and 3:00 p.m.. D.2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m..
2.From the passage, we know that the kite celebration .
A.is enjoyable and educational
B.is strict about the shapes of kites
C.gets money from PTO of Piedmont Middle School
D.gives people a chance to see kites from around the world
3.The passage is intended for .
A.school staff B.kite experts
C.students and parents D.kite companies
If you don’t know how to ______yourself at table in a foreign country, you should copy the host.
A.dress B.tell C.show D.behave
