Mum, what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton(骨骼) in the closet (衣橱)?” Jessica asked. “A skeleton in the closet?” her mother thought for a while. “Well, it’s something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad’s family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be ‘a skeleton in his family’s closet’. He really wouldn’t want any neighbor to know about it.”
“Why pick on my family?” Jessica’s father said with anger. “Your family history isn’t so good, you know. Wasn’t your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was brought to Australia for his crimes?” “Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners.” “Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now,” Jessica cut in before things grew worse.
After dinner, the house was very quiet. Jessica’s parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and from time to time she looked angrily at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica’s closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica’s mother sank in a faint(晕倒), waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter.
“What happened? Where am I?” she asked. “You just destroyed the school’s skeleton, Mum,” explained Jessica. “I brought it home to help me with my health project. I wanted to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I said something about skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad.” Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. “They’re both crazy,” she thought.
1.According to Jessica’s mother, “a skeleton in the closet” means ________.
A. a family honor B. a family secret
C. a family story D. a family treasure
2.Why did Jessica bring a skeleton home?
A. She was curious about it. B. She planned to keep it for fun.
C. She needed it for her school task. D. She wanted to scare her parents.
3.Jessica’s parents laughed madly at the end of the story probably because ________.
A. they realized their misunderstanding
B. they were crazy
C. they were over excited
D. they both thought they had won the quarrel
You may never be in an emergency situation. But if it happens, you should know how to get help. The telephone book in the United States has emergency numbers on the inside front cover. Look at the following table from the Boston telephone book. Notice that the numbers for the police and the fire department (部门) are the same. And it is an easy number to remember. If you are too unhappy or excited to remember any numbers at all, you can simply dial (拨打) “0” for an operator (接线员) in any emergency.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS FIRE POLICE DOCTOR BOSTON 911 BOSTON 911 BOSTON 482-5252 CAMBRIDGE 876-5800 CAMBRIDGE 846-1212 CAMBRIDGE 856-3585 SOMERVILLE 023-1500 SOMERVILLE 645-1212 SOMERVILLE 025-4774 Other Places _________ Other Places _________ Other Places ________ Write in your number here Write in your number here Write in your number here ★ COAST GUARD 223-6978 OR DIAL “0” (OPERATIOR) IN ANY EMERGENCY WE ARE ALWAYS THERE AND READY TO HELP! |
1.If you see a fire in Cambridge, you should dial _________.
A. 023-1500B. 846-1212 C. 645-1212 D. 876-5800
2.If you dial “0”, ________ will answer your call.
A. the police B. the doctorC. the operator D. the fire department
3.This passage is most probably taken from _________.
A. a sports magazine B. an emergency leaflet
C. a TV guide D. a telephone book
The United States is full of automobiles (机动车). There are still many families without cars. But some families have two or more cars. However, cars are used for more than pleasure. They are a part of life.
Cars are used for . They are driven to offices and factories by workers who have no other way to their jobs. When salesmen are sent to parts of the city, they have to drive in order to their products. Farmers have to drive into the city in order to shop for necessities.
Sometimes, small children must be driven to . In some cities, school buses are used only when children more than a mile from the school. When the children are too to walk that far, their parents take driving them to school. One drives on Mondays, taking her children and the neighbors' children as well. Another mother drives on Tuesdays, another on Wednesdays and so on. This is forming a car pool (拼车). Working people also form car pools, with three or four people taking turns driving to the place they work.
More car pools should be formed in order to put cars on the road and to use less oil. is a great problem, and so is the traffic in and around cities. Too many cars are being driven. Something should be done about the use of cars.
1.A. evenB. much C. little D. such
2.A. great B. necessary C. proper D. possible
3.A. families B. business C. education D. farms
4.A. get to B. look for C. find out D. use up
5.A. same B. different C. every D. each
6.A. catch B. create C. cover D. carry
7.A. cities B. schools C. parks D. gardens
8.A. move B. study C. live D. work
9.A. small B. big C. young D. old
10.A. money B. time C. pride D. turns
11.A. parent B. child C. way D. car
12.A. call B. calling C. to call D. called
13.A. where B. that C. which D. when
14.A. more B. fewer C. many D. less
15.A. Driving B. Running C. Parking D. Forming
—I hope you don't mind my opening the window.—_____. It's much too hot in here.
A.Certainly B.Of course not C.All right D.Never mind
There ______ lots of bad information which is not ____ for teenagers on the Internet.
A. seem to be; suitable B. seems to have; fit
C. seem to have; fit D. seems to be; suitable
He has many hobbies, ______ drawing, swimming and so on.
A. for example B. such as C. so as D. such