One pleasant evening, I was holding Grandpa's hand and taking a walk in the park. “Where are the peanuts? Give me now!” He suddenly said. How I wished I had some with me! “William, the monkeys are taking long to come out today. Wait till they smell the peanuts.” I knew he was lost in one of his memories again. I remembered the stories he told me of how he fed the monkeys when he was a kid. Then, he saw the goldfish! He acted as if he was seeing them for the first time.
Poor Grandpa! He fell ill with Alzheimer's disease last year. The doctor said it could destroy a person's memory. The patient might also not be able to make reasonable judgments. The sad part was that it was a lifelong disease. But when my parents invited him to stay with us, he refused and said he liked living alone. One day, he forgot to turn off the fire after cooking porridge. Luckily, one of the neighbors came to help him before the fire could spread.
It was then that my parents brought Grandpa to live with us. Often, he would forget my name and ask me who I was and what I was doing in his house. Each time I would answer softly, “It's me, Ray, Grandpa!” Even if he had forgotten who I was, he would always be my beloved grandfather.
Word Bank
Alzheimer's disease阿尔茨海默症 judgment 判断 porridge 粥
1.What did Grandpa want to do in the park?
A.Eat peanuts. B.Smell flowers.
C.Feed monkeys. D.Tell stories.
2.What would happen to Grandpa according to the doctor?
A.His brain wouldn't need examinations. B.His memory could get better.
C.He might not judge things correctly. D.He had to live by himself.
3.What does the underlined word “destroy”mean in Chinese?
A.增强 B.改善 C.放弃 D.破坏
4.Why did the writer's parents bring Grandpa to live with them?
A.To make sure of his safety. B.To help him remember their names.
C.To answer his questions in time. D.To get his help with the housework.
5.Which of the following best describes the writer?
A.Smart. B.Caring. C.Honest. D.Brave.
This summer holiday, our school organized a trip to England. It's a valuable chance for us. We were so happy because it was our 1. time to England. And we were excited about this trip.
We arrived at the airport in London at 9 o'clock on July 16th. The weather there was very nice to have a trip. Then the driver drove us 2. the small town of Sawston. When we reached there, it was 11：30 at night. I thought the host family would not take me home 3. the next day. But to 4. surprise, they were still waiting for me. My host mother, Claire Carse, took me home and gave me some food to eat. I was deeply moved by their kindness. This is the 5. wonderful trip I have ever had. I never forget it.
Once when I was a young boy, I boasted that I made my mind to win the first place at the coming piano competition, but I knew this goal was _____ impossible. Every year, the best players from all over the state took part in this _______. It was a huge deal, especially _____ a beginner like me.
My mom was my number one _____. Every day after school, she would sit down right next to me while Miss Green was giving me piano lessons or I was _____ my piano piece. When I couldn't and wouldn't play any longer, she would always say, “If you make up your mind to win, then act like it. Don't _____．” After every practice, my whole body was in pain for numb fingers and stiff back. However, I didn't want to disappoint my mom, so I kept on practicing _____I finally slept on the piano keys.
Finally, the big day _____. I got up early that morning. Right before my _____ to perform, my mom said, “I know you want to win, but listen to me: Be there for the ______ not for the success, okay?” I managed to nod.
When I walked onto the stage, I was ______ that the judges would hear the beating of my heart instead of the music. Carefully, I took a ______ before the piano and began to play. Slowly, I began to ______ the world around me. I just let ______ fall deeper and deeper into the music.
Naturally I really won the first place. The experience made me realize that determination is not just saying that you will win. As my mom always said, “It's ______ to beat the person who is the best, but it is harder to beat the person who never gives up.”
Word Bank
boast 吹嘘 numb 麻木的 stiff 僵硬的 determination 决心
1.A.nearly B.mainly C.hardly D.exactly
2.A.competition B.exam C.concert D.test
3.A.with B.of C.for D.from
4.A.teacher B.director C.speaker D.reader
5.A.writing B.making C.singing D.practicing
6.A.give off B.give away C.give up D.give out
7.A.until B.since C.after D.though
8.A.followed B.came C.reached D.left
9.A.way B.method C.turn D.task
10.A.praise B.record C.purpose D.experience
11.A.afraid B.interested C.excited D.surprised
12.A.walk B.seat C.rest D.taste
13.A.understand B.love C.forget D.visit
14.A.itself B.herself C.myself D.himself
15.A.wise B.easy C.common D.difficult
Everyone faces difficulties in their life. Daniel Kish was born with a special eye illness and lost his eyesight before he was only 14 months old.
Soon after, however, he started to do an amazing thing. He learned to make clicks with his tongue to help him move around. Kish now moves about using sonar. He is so good at it that he can ride a bicycle by himself on public roads. And he started the organization World Access for the Blind(WAFTB) in 2000, teaching others how to use sonar. In the interview with National Geogra phic, ,he explains how the sonar works.
“When I make a click sound, it produces sound waves. These waves reflect off surfaces all around and return to my ears. My brain then deals with the sound and turns it into pictures in my mind. Each click is like a camera flash, which helps me make a 3D picture of my surroundings for hundreds of feet. It's like having a conversation with the environment.”
Kish feels it is exciting to ride a bike using sonar, although he needs to click twice a second, much more than he usually does. “It may sound a bit dangerous to move around the world in this way,” he says. “But most people in the world live in fear of things that they imagine. I love hiking and mountainbiking. I go almost everywhere. And I've never had an accident and hurt myself.”
He is happy to be able to help more blind children to improve their life.“We've served over 10，000 students in nearly 40 countries,” he tells the reporter. “Many students are surprised how quickly results come. Seeing isn't in the eyes. It's in the mind.”
Word Bank
click 咔嚓声 sonar 声呐
1.Kish moves around using sonar because ________．
A.he is good at making clicks
B.it makes him “see” the world
C.he has a great interest in science
D.it is important for him to keep healthy
2.What can we learn about World Access for the Blind (WAFTB) from the passage?
A.It offers the blind free bicycles.
B.It sells sonar products to the blind.
C.It teaches the blind to use sonar.
D.It helps the blind find more friends.
3.Which of the following is the right order showing how the sonar works?
①The sound waves reflect off surfaces.
②The person makes a clicking sound.
③The brain turns the sound into pictures.
④The sound waves reach the person's ears.
A.①③②④ B.②①④③
C.①④②③ D.②③①④
4.Which of the following is TRUE?
A.There is a camera in each sonar.
B.Kish can't see anything when he was born.
C.Kish has never had an accident during his ride.
D.Kish should click twice a minute when he was riding in public places.
5.What's the best title for the text?
A.Living without fear
B.Travel with the blind
C.Hoping for the future
D.Looking around the world
哈佛大学的一项研究表明，爱做家务的孩子更容易体验到幸福感，更有前途。请你以“Help with some housework”为题，写一篇英语短文，描述你平时所做的家务以及你对做家务的看法。
要求：1. 文中不得出现真实姓名和学校名称；
2. 词数100左右。
Help with some housework
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I have a photo album. 1. a present from my classmate—David.
I got to know David on the second day of middle school. We both liked collecting stamps, so we always had a lot of things to talk about. Once I traveled with him to his hometown in the countryside. He showed me 2. and I saw many interesting things. We had a wonderful time. It is really nice to have such a good classmate.
However, last summer, David went to another city because of his father's job. Before leaving, he gave 3. a photo album. “It has the unforgettable events we 4. experienced together. I have also written some notes under each of these photos，” he said. I5. deeply moved. I always look at the album when I think of David. I really miss him.
