Once upon a time, there was an old man who lived alone in a small shack (棚屋). Every day at _________, when the birds were singing from branches in the treetops, as the sun set and the sky grew _________, the old man would sit outside his shack and tell _________ to the dandelion that grew in his garden. So _________ were the tales that no one could remember if they really happened.
One day, a group of _________ walked past the shack. They heard the old man talking and telling a story. They found it to be _________. The children remained standing there _________ until the old man finished telling another old tale. One of the girls _________, “Granddad! Who are you telling your stories to?” “I tell them to this dandelion growing down here, _________ next to me,” the old man replied. The children looked and for the first time ______________ the small dandelion growing in the old man’s garden. How ______________, they thought -telling stories to a dandelion. Why?
“He knows how to listen,” answered the old man, responding to the children’s ______________ look.
So, day after day, the children ______________ and listened to Granddad’s stories until one morning, when the dandelions were noticed to have ______________.Its small yellow petals disappeared and in their place were fuzzy (毛茸茸的) white hairs. A sudden ______________ dispersed the fuzzy white hairs off the dandelion and scattered its seeds in ______________ direction. Children looked at the white hairs ______________ in the air.
As the children ______________ adults, they left their homes and built new homes here or there. Granddads stories, just like the dandelion’s ______________ from which dozens of new dandelions ______________, were scattered along with the children who grew up.
1.A.dawn B.night C.noon D.dusk
2.A.bright B.blue C.white D.dark
3.A.lies B.tales C.messages D.news
4.A.old B.interesting C.mysterious D.good
5.A.people B.children C.scholars D.students
6.A.dull B.scary C.fascinating D.instructive
7.A.telling B.sharing C.debating D.listening
8.A.called out B.gave in C.called back D.asked for
9.A.right B.fully C.seldom D.even
10.A.heard B.noticed C.felt D.praised
11.A.amusing B.strange C.boring D.pleasant
12.A.confused B.determined C.thrilled D.worried
13.A.left B.played C.returned D.arrived
14.A.grown B.changed C.improved D.died
15.A.storm B.rain C.snow D.wind
16.A.another B.one C.every D.no
17.A.fighting B.dropping C.diving D.flying
18.A.took care of B.looked up to C.grew up into D.got along with
19.A.seeds B.petals C.hairs D.leaves
20.A.planted B.withered C.blossomed D.faded
Why do so Many People Like Golf?
Today’s golf enthusiasts like golf for many reasons. 1. Trees and lakes provide aesthetic pleasure and a natural environment for animals, including birds, squirrels, fish, and in some states like Florida, even alligators. In an era of crowded cities and suburbs, the open-air, breezy golf course is a tonic (补药).
In addition to the pleasing serenity of a golf course, people also like golf because of the exercise. 2. Short courses can be easily walked, while many choose an electric golf cart on long courses. Even so, a golfer must walk from cart to ball for each shot, which amounts to a good deal of exercise. The swing also works several upper body muscles.
People also like golf because of the challenge. 3. Getting the swing just right makes all the difference in sending the ball sailing from the tee. Putting on the green requires an opposite skill set that includes a sharp eye, choosing the right line, and applying just the right amount of strength.
4. Often called “the gentleman’s sport,” women like golf too because it is a non-contact sport that nearly anyone can enjoy with a little practice. Whether competing for titles in local or international tournaments, or playing for pleasure on a lazy afternoon, golf is a sport with much to offer all ages and both genders. 5.
A. Try it and you just might find you like golf too.
B. Finally, people like golf because of the pleasure.
C. Finally, many like golf because it is a social game.
D. While it may seem like an easy game, it is highly technical.
E. It seems like more people like golf today than ever before.
F. Rolling green courses are landscaped not only for technical challenge but for beauty.
G. Golf courses are 18 holes, and can be long or short to accommodate different skill levels.
Ready or not, here they come: Scientists who played hide-and-seek with rats found that their furry subjects seemed to love the game- and they were remarkably good at it.
The researchers taught six adolescent male rats how to play a one-on-one version of hide-and-seek. They equipped a large room with cardboard barriers and small containers to serve as hiding places for humans and rats, respectively. The game started when the rat was placed in a small box in the middle of the room. If the rat was the “seeker,” the scientist would hide and then remotely open the box. If the rat was the “hider the scientist would crouch (蹲伏) by the box when the rat came out. This prompted the little rodent to running quickly for cover. All six rats learned how to be the seeker. Five of them were able to handle hiding as well.
Compared with something like playful wrestling, hide-and-seek is more complex for several reasons. It requires an understanding of the rules, a clear grasp of players’ distinct roles and the ability to assume different roles on different rounds. This unconventional experiment sheds light on the sophisticated sense of play in these tiny rodents, and also hints at the evolutionary usefulness of this type of play.
Peggy Mason, a neurobiologist (神经生物学家) at the University of Chicago, said that she was most impressed by the discovery that the rats didn’t just learn hide and seek—they wanted to play it. Play probably helps young animals learn how to socially interact, Mason said. She pointed to evidence that when rodents are prevented from playing during early development, they don’t grow into normal adults. Instead, they become anxious, they don’t play well with others and they aren’t great parents.
1.What can we know about the experiment?
A.Rats do better than other creatures in hide-and-seek.
B.Rats may enjoy themselves in hide-and-seek.
C.Rats prefer hide-and-seek to other games.
D.Rats may be subject to humans in hide-and-seek.
2.What may drive the rat to hurriedly hide in the experiment?
A.The scientist’s getting close.
B.Potential danger out of the box.
C.Its sense of safety under the cover.
D.Other rats’ call for help.
3.Which of the following best describes hide-and-seek?
A.Unique B.Outdated
C.Easy D.Demanding
4.What may be a possible cause of a poor rat parent?
A.Deep anxiety over their kids’ growth.
B.Unwillingness to get on well with their kids.
C.A lack of confidence in their kids.
D.Absence of play in their early life.
“The Lion King” is one of Disney’s highest earners. But behind “The Lion King”, a true story of Sundiata Keita is still largely invisible outside his own country.
Known as the Lion of Mali, Sundiata was the founder of the Malian Empire, the largest kingdom in West Africa. His empire expanded more than 1,000 miles from the Atlantic coast all the way to the Niger River. Sundiata ruled from 1235 to 1255.
Sundiata’s father, King Naré Maghann Konaté, was told by fortune tellers that if he married an ugly woman she would give birth to a son who would become a mighty and magnificent king. He already had a wife named Sassouma Bereté and a son named Dankaran Tourman. However, Konate took Sogolon Kedjou as his second wife. She gave birth to Sundiata, who was born disabled. Though the king favored him, both Sogolon and Sundiata were unfairly teased for his disability.
Sundiata became a great leader among his people, sparking resentment from his half-brother Tourman who wanted the throne for himself. When Konaté died, many suspected that he had been murdered. Fearful of an attack on their lives. Sogolon took Sundiata and the rest of her children and fled. The Mandinka people were taken over by the cruel and unfair King Soumaoro Kante of the Sosso people.
In need of their true leader, the people sent word for Sundiata to return and take his rightful place as the king. Outside of the country, Sundiata built alliances with the king of Mema and other local rulers. He gathered an army to free the Mandinka people and defeat the Sosso king. Upon his victorious return, he adopted a new title for himself. “Mansa,” which means king or emperor in Mandinka. Sundiata’s kingdom became one of the most wealthy and powerful empires in history.
1.Why is the movie “The Lion King” mentioned in paragraph 1?
A.To show us one of Disney’s achievements.
B.To encourage a view of the movie.
C.To introduce a true story.
D.To tell us its popularity among the public.
2.Why did Konaté get married to Sogolon Kedjou?
A.Because she was a recognized beauty.
B.Because he expected her to produce a great successor.
C.Because she adored him for his immense power.
D.Because he was not content with his first wife.
3.What does the underlined word “resentment” in paragraph 4 refer to?
A.Inspiration. B.Anger.
C.Admiration. D.Guilt.
4.Where is this text most likely from?
A.A magazine. B.A diary.
C.A guidebook. D.A novel.
A group of schools in Minnesota recently made a big change. They took some famous books off their reading list. One book was Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” The other was Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The schools in Minnesota decided that some words in the books were racist and can be hurtful to students.
This is a step in the right direction. But the harmful words in the stories are just the beginning. There are other reasons why these books should no longer be in classrooms.
Many people think the book, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, for example, one of the best books of all time. That is not true. In the book, there is a white lawyer named Atticus Finch. He defends Tom Robinson, a black man, in court. Tom exists only to be saved by Atticus. He does not make decisions for himself. He does not have a full life. He is in the story only to teach the white community about racism. The character is not complete and the white savior (救世主) idea shows poor writing skills.
Students do not learn as much from flat characters like Tom. They should read more authors of color. They should read stories where people of color are important. There are books about people of color that show joy and success. These books give students a fuller understanding of racism. Students of color must be able to see their real lives reflected in books so that they can change to become more accepting of others.
1.What caused the change in some schools’ reading list according to paragraph 1?
A.Efforts to lessen students study burden.
B.Intention to focus students’ attention on certain books.
C.Dissatisfaction with some writers’ choice of words.
D.Disrespect for some writers like Mark Twain.
2.According to the passage, “To Kill a Mockingbird” ________.
A.is the best book of all time
B.depicts all characters in detail
C.shows preference for the white
D.advocates harmony between races
3.What do we know about books about people of color?
A.They may disappoint their readers.
B.They fail to show joy and success.
C.They get in the way of readers’ understanding of racism.
D.They encourage readers’ acceptance of others.
4.What’s the best title of this passage?
A.Classroom reading lists change.
B.Two famous books lose appeal.
C.Different races conflict.
D.Words in books hurt.
Our national park system invites visitors to choose their own adventures in the most beautiful spots in the U.S. Here’s our selection for the most exciting and unusual national park activities.
Rock-Climbing: Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a climber’s paradise. Since 1969, the Yosemite Mountaineering School and Guide Service has been training newbies and accompanying seasoned climbers on trips in the park’s many climbing areas.
Snorkeling: Virgin Islands National Park
You’ll want flippers, a mask and snorkel to explore the best trail in St. John because it’s actually underwater. The snorkeling trail at Trunk Bay is a 225-yard swim lined with signs describing the fish, coral and plants that live in the warm turquoise waters.
Orienteering: Prince William Forest Park
Set off on a modern-day treasure hunt at Prince William Forest Park. Leave the GPS system at home for an orienteering adventure using Just a map and compass to follow clues around one of the park’s 30 courses. You can choose to set your own pace, whether it’s a slowpoke family stroll while the kids master the compass or a competitive jaunt to race to the final clue.
Hiking: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hikers can set off on a great adventure on foot any time of year in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. With more than 800 miles of trails, there are plenty of options including scenic strolls through fields of wildflowers and strenuous climbs to the top of the park’s glorious waterfalls.
1.Which park may a diver favor?
A.Yosemite National Park.
B.Virgin Islands National Park.
C.Prince William Forest Park.
D.Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
2.What is a necessity for an orienteering adventure in Prince William Forest Park?
A.GPS system. B.Treasure.
C.Compass. D.Pacer.
3.What can visitors do if they go to Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
A.Enjoy beautiful scenery. B.See underwater creatures.
C.Play hunt game. D.Receive climbing training.
