A farmer had some dogs to sell. He painted a sign advertising the dogs. A little boy came up to him and said, “Sir, I want to buy a dog.”
“Well,” the farmer said, “but they1.________(be) very expensive.” The boy 2._____(take) some changes(零钱）out of his pocket, “ I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a dog?”
“Sure. I have six dogs. You3._______(choose) any of them.” Then the farmer whistled, “Dolly!” At once, Dolly ran out of the doghouse followed by four little dogs. Then the little boy’s eyes 4._________(dance) with happiness.
But the boy saw another little dog5.________(move) out slowly. This one was the smallest. She was trying her best6.________(catch) up with the others.“I want that one,” the boy said, 7.__________ (point) to the last one. The farmer was surprised. “She 8._________(not run) and play with you like other dogs. Will you still want to buy her?” he said kindly.
Hearing that, the little boy rolled up one leg of his trousers. A steel brace(支撑物）9.________ (tie) on both sides of his leg. Looking up at the farmer, he said, “ So you see, Sir. I can’t walk very well myself. I10._________(understand) her. So we will be good friends.”
The Vieira family moved to the United States in 1981. At that time, they decided to stop speaking Spanish at home and only communicate in English. This was because they were now living in an English-speaking country.
Now the Vieira children are adults, and they sometimes travel to Spain to visit their family and friends. But they cannot communicate with them. Unfortunately this is common. When people move to new countries, they often leave their own customs and mother language behind. This is a mistake because there are many benefits to knowing more than one language.
One advantage of speaking more than one language is that you can communicate directly with more people around the world. You do not have to depend on others to talk for you, so you’re more independent. People who know only one language must use others to help them communicate
Furthermore, speaking a second language also allows people to experience other cultures and customs more effectively. Local expressions, vocabulary, and even jokes can have a powerful effect on a person’s understanding of another culture. So, knowing more than one language increases your knowledge of other cultures.
Finally, having more multi-language speakers improves relationships between countries. If people from different countries can communicate well, the world can become closer. Countries will then have more respect for each other and better understand each other’s problems.
The benefits of knowing more than one language are clear. In fact, there are no disadvantages. It is very sad that many people don’t try to learn another language. It is even worse when people let themselves forget their mother language and become silent.
1. What is the passage mainly about?
A. The benefits of learning other languages.
B. The reasons why people come to America.
C. The importance of learning English.
D. How to learn another language.
2.The passage begins with the experience of the Vieira family in order to_______.
A. discuss the need for teaching a new language
B. introduce the passage’s main characters to the readers
C. describe the advantages of moving to another country
D. show the problems of speaking only one language
3.The underlined phrase “multi-language speakers” means “people who know ______.”
A. their mother languageB. a new language
C. more than one languageD. body language
4.According to the passage, if you can speak more than one language, you can____.
A. find a better jobB. make more friends
C. better understand historyD. communicate more independently
5.Based on the last paragraph, which of the following is the worst?
A. Not knowing another language.B. Forgetting one’s mother language.
C. Refusing to learn another language.D. Failing to communicate with others.
Do you want to live a happier, less stressful life? Try laughing for no reason at all. That’s how thousands of people start their day at laughter Clubs around the world—and many doctors now think that having a good laugh might be one of the best ways to stay healthy.
The first laughter Club was started in Mumbai, India, in 1995 by Dr Madan Kataria. “ Young children laugh about 300 times a day. Adults laugh between 7and 15 times a day,” says Dr Kataria. “Everyone’s naturally good at laughing—it’s universal（通用的） language. We want people to feel happy with their lives.” There are now more than 500 Laughter Clubs in India and over 1,300 worldwide.
Many doctors are also interested in the effects of laughter on our health. According to a 5-year study at the UCLA School of Medicine in California, with laughing there is less stress in the body. Laughter improves our health against illness by about 40%.
So, what happens at a Laughter Club？ I went along to my nearest club in South London to find out. I was quite nervous at the beginning of the class, to be honest--I wasn’t interested in laughing with a group of strangers, and I was worried about looking stupid. Our laughter teacher told us to clap our hands and say“ho ho ho, ha ha ha.” While looking at each other. However,Our bodies can’t tell the difference between fake（假的） laughter and real laughter, so they still produce the same healthy effects.
Surprisingly, it works! After ten minutes everybody in the room was laughing for real—and some people just couldn’t stop! At the end of the class I was surprised by how relaxed and comfortable I felt. So if you’re under stress, then start laughing. You might be very pleased with the results!
1. In which country was the first Laughter Club started?
A. BritainB. America
C. AustraliaD. India
2. How did the writer feel at the beginning of the class?
A. Surprised B. Pleased
C. NervousD. Stressful
3.When did the people in the club begin to laugh for real?
A. After a few minutes B. After a few hours
C. After a few seconds D. After a few days
4. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. Fake laughter and real laughter are both good for health
B. 40% of the people in Laughter Clubs are good friends.
C. Adults laugh more often than children in a day.
D. Laughing is the best way to prevent illness.
5. Which is the best title of this passage?
A. Laughing is bad for your health.
B. Laughing is the best way to prevent（预防） illness.
C. Laughing is helpful for your health.
D. Laughing is the most important thing to you .
Do you enjoy reading? Here readers of your age from all over the United States recommend (推荐) great books for you to read:
My favorite book is Don’t Die, My Love by Lurlene McDaniel. I love all her books, but this was the first one I read and I have to say, it is by far my favorite. It doesn’t end like other books, and I cried while reading.
I think Nancy Drew is great! Nancy is a detective (侦探) who has many fantastic ideas! I love it because it’s a book from when my grandma was my age, and I can share the fun with her!
I highly recommend Skinny Bones by Barbara Park. It is funny so please add it on your book list. You don’t want to miss out funny stories！
I would suggest ______ by Judy Blume. It is based on real things that happened to Judy Blume. It is about a girl, Alice, who meets some girls at a new state. They become friends, make a club and meet once a week. They stop after two weeks because they all like a boy in their class and put him as number one. I think every girl should read this because it is about our growing up.
I read a book called Neela: Victory Song and it was so good I read it twice! It takes place in India in 1936 and this 12-year-old girl named Neela tries to save her father! It has lots of history in it! I also learned a lot about different cultures! The author’s name is Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.
1.According to the reader, Skinny Bones can be described as a ________ story.
A. sad B. history C. funnyD. detective
2.From which book can we learn different cultures?
A. Skinny Bones. B. Nancy Drew. C
. Don’t Die, My Love. D. Neela: Victory Song.
3.Who is most probably an Indian author?
A. Judy Blume. B. Barbara Park.
C. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.D. Lurlene McDaniel.
4.The best name of the 4th book is ________.
A. My Secret B. Growing Trouble
C. Three FriendsD. Alice Learns a Lesson
5.Which is TRUE about Nancy Drew?
A. It doesn’t have a common ending like other books.
B. It’s based on real things that happened to the author.
C. It’s about a12-year-old girl who tries to save her father.
D. Both the reader and the reader’s grandma love this book.
What is the hottest topic at your school recently? In Hangzhou Yongjin Middle School, it’s money.
The school held an activity called “making money” last weekend. About 200 Junior 1 and Junior 2 students were divided into 30 teams. They went out to make money by selling things.
What did they choose to sell? Some sold newspapers; some chose bottled water; some sold environmentally friendly shopping bags and bamboo baskets.
Hu Qing’s team decided to sell some useful books in front of the Children Activity Center. They thought parents would like to buy the books for their children. But unfortunately, they met urban management officers (城管). The officers asked them to leave. “We played hide-and-seek (捉迷藏) with the officers for the whole morning,” said Hu. “Finally we had to give up.”
Wang Bing and her team sold ice cream in a square. They didn’t meet any officers. But few people were interested in what they were selling. The team then put up a board saying “For Country Kids”. It worked. More people came to their stall (小摊). A foreigner even gave them 100 yuan. “He didn’t want any change. He said he wanted to help the children,” said Wang. “We were touched.” Later that day they gave the money they made to the “Project Hope” office.
Meng Zhaoxiang and his team were luckier. They sold all their cakes in four hours, spending 39.5 yuan and getting back 80 yuan. They made 40.5 yuan. “It was not easy to make the money,” said Meng. “Some people just looked. Others just tasted but didn’t buy. Now I know how hard it is for our parents to make the money we need to lead happy lives.”
1. In Hangzhou Yongjin Middle School, what the students talk more about is ________.
A. the officers
B. the kind foreigner
C. the activity called “making money”
D. the money they made last weekend
2.________ took part in the activity.
A. All the students
B. Some teachers
C. About 200 students of the three grades
D. Part of Junior 1 and Junior 2 students
3.Hu Qing’s team finally gave up because ________.
A. the parents didn’t like to buy the books
B. the Children Activity Center was too crowded
C. the officers didn’t allow them to sell anything there
D. the team played the game of the hide-and-seek the whole morning
4. Why did more people come to Wang Bing’s stall at last?
A. The team put up a magic board.
B. A foreigner came up and helped them.
C. The people liked to help country kids.
D. The people were interested in their ice cream.
5.According to the passage the students learn ________.
A. it’s impossible for them to make money
B. it’s not easy for their parents to make money
C. it’s very important for them to make a living
D. it’s necessary for school to hold more activities in the future
My teacher asked me if I was worried about the test and I said “No”. But I was.
A. reallyB. hardly C. nearlyD. proudly
