Reading can be a social activity.Think of the people who belong to book groups.They choose books to read and then meet to discuss them.Now the website BookCrossing.com turns the page on the traditional idea of a book group.
Members go on the site and register the books they own and would like to share.BookCrossing provides an identification number to stick inside the book.Then the person leaves it in a public place,hoping that the book will have an adventure,traveling far and wide with each new reader who finds it.
Bruce Pederson,the managing director of BookCrossing,says,"The two things that change your life are the people you meet and books you read.BookCrossing combines both."
Members leave books on park benches and buses,in train stations and coffee shops.Whoever finds their book will go to the site and record where they found it.
People who find a book can also leave a journal entry describing what they thought of it.E-mails are then sent to the BookCrossers to keep them updated about where their books have been found.Bruce Peterson says the idea is for people not to be selfish by keeping a book to gather dust on a shelf at home.
BookCrossing is part of a trend among people who want to get back to the"real"and not the virtual(虚拟).The site now has more than one million members in more than one hundred thirty-five countries.
1.Why does the author mention book groups in the first paragraph? ______
A.To explain what they are.
B.To introduce BookCrossing.
C.To stress the importance of reading.
D.To encourage readers to share their ideas.
2.What does the underlined word"it"in Paragraph 2 refer to? ______
A.The book.
B.An adventure.
C.A public place.
D.The identification number.
3.What will a BookCrosser do with a book after reading it? ______
A.Meet other readers to discuss it.
B.Pass it on to another reader.
C.Keep it safe in his bookcase.
D.Mail it back to its owner.
4.What is the best title for the text? ______
A.Online Reading:A Virtual Tour
B.Electronic Books:A new Trend
C.A Book Group Brings Tradition Back
D.A Website Links People through Books
You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams(1860-1935)
Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community(社区)by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931,Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson(1907-1964)
If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor(1930-present)
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952,she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator(参议员) and ,in 1981, the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks(1913-2005)
On December 1,1955,in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.
1.What is Jane Addams noted for in history?
A.Her social work.
B.Her teaching skills.
C.Her efforts to win a prize.
D.Her community background.
2.What is the reason for O‟Connor‟s being rejected by the law firm?
A.Her lack of proper training in law.
B.Her little work experience in court.
C.The discrimination against women.
D.The poor financial conditions.
3.Who made a great contribution to the civil-rights movement in the U.S.?
A.Jane Addams. B.Rachel Carson.
C.Sandra Day O’Connor. D.Rosa Park.
4.What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?
A.They are highly educated. B.They are truly creative.
C.They are pioneers. D.They are peace-lovers.
While a man was passing by an elephant, he suddenly stopped. The elephant was held by only a small rope. The farmer ties the rope to the elephant's front leg. No chains, no cages. The man was very confused. He wanted to know why the elephant didn't run away.
He visited the farmer and asked why the elephant just stood there and didn't run away. "Well," the farmer said, "when it was very young and much smaller, we used the same size rope to tie it. At that age, the rope was strong enough to hold it. Of course it couldn't run away. When it grew up, it still believed the rope could hold it. So it never tried to run away."
The man was very amazed. In fact, the grown-up elephant could run away at any time. But it didn't run away just because it believed it couldn't. As a result, it was stuck right there.
We have such problems in our life. Sometimes we don't think we can deal with the problems. Sometimes we fail to deal with them. It's not wise to stop struggling. See? Failure is part of learning. We should never give up the struggle.
1.The farmer held the elephant by ________.
A.making a chain to tie the elephant B.making a cage for the elephant
C.tying a rope to the elephant's front leg D.tying a rope around the elephant's body
2.When the elephant grew up, the farmer used ________ to hold it.
A.a stronger rope B.a smaller rope
C.the same size rope D.a longer rope
3.The grown-up elephant couldn't run away because ________.
A.no one came to save it B.the elephant couldn't run fast
C.it was not strong enough D.it believed it couldn't
4.The writer wants to tell us ________.
A.not to stop struggling B.to give up the struggle in life
C.to learn from the farmer D.to learn from the elephant
Welcome to Los Angeles. Here are some best things to do in Los Angeles (LA) with your kids.
Fall at the Beach
Thanks to its almost perfect weather all through the year, a visit to the beach is one of the best things to do when in Los Angeles with kids. While they enjoy themselves nearby, you can simply relax and have a good rest in the sun.
Trip to Disneyland
A trip to the City of Angels with your little angels is incomplete without a visit to the Magic Kingdom. The joy they'll feel from being around all those Disney characters will light up your day, too.
Visit to the museums
If you want to turn your stay in LA into an educational one for your kids, you should visit the museums. Starting with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, or the California Science Center, or even the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena, you have many choices. I'm sure a visit to all these places will make your kids feel smarter.
Visit to the Universal Studios Hollywood
Your kids could get to see interesting things from some of the most popular movies ever. From the theme park of Jurassic Park to Wisteria Lane from the TV play Desperate Housewives, the Universal Studios Hollywood is a place that we all find wonderful.
1.The passage is written for those who ________.
A.will go on a business trip to Los Angeles
B.plan to have a trip to Los Angeles with their kids
C.want to educate their children by traveling abroad
D.are interested in the history and culture of Los Angeles
2.Parents who prefer their kids to learn should choose ________.
A.the Universal Studios Hollywood
B.the Magic Kingdom
C.the museums
D.the beach
3.The writer suggests visiting the beach because ________.
A.children can learn a lot there
B.parents can take a rest there
C.it provides different sports equipment
D.it’s the best beach in the world
—It is amazing that you have made a great number of friends.
—Friendship is valuable in our life, and I think a life ______has no friends is like a life without the sun.
A.who B.that C.what D.whose
The girl found a child _________ in the corner.
A.to cry B.cries C.crying D.cried