假设你李华，你的美国朋友Mike在学习汉语的过程中遇到了困难，感到沮丧气馁，写信向你求助如何学好汉语。请你根据以下要点给他回信。

1. 给予安慰；

2. 提供建议；

3. 表达愿望。

注意:1. 词数80左右；

2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

3. 信的开头已为你写好。

Dear Mike,

How are you doing?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Best wishes.

Yours,

Li Hua

根据所给汉语意思或单词首字母，在空白处填入单词的正确形式。

1.Life is a long race where we need to ____________ (竞争) with others to go beyond ourselves.

2.Six months after ______________(遭受)our defeat on the practice field, we won our first game.

3.Everybody should be treated e____________ in education.

4.When people were divided, many _____________ (多样) of dialects appeared in the Chinese writing system.

5.He has great interest in _______________ (文学) and he will choose it as his major in university.

6.Add the names of two people who can be ___________________ (联系) in times of emergencies.

7.The white color has always been a s____________ of sadness in Chinese cultures.

8.China is making great efforts for its e_______________ development to improve the quality of people’s lives.

9.What ____________ (使惊讶) the teacher most was that he won the first prize.

10.There exists a g______________ gap between the oh-ohs and their parents.

阅读下面材料，在空白处填写适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

If you take the Amazon Rainforest Tour, you can spend three days 1.(explore) the rainforest with a local guide. During your tour, you will enjoy the plants and animals unique to the rainforest. You will also live in the tree house 2. (build) by the locals.

阅读下面材料，在空白处填写适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

A deadly earthquake hit Tangshan 1. 28 July 1976. It seemed as if the world were coming to 2. end. The number of people who were killed or badly injured was over 400,00. Nearly everything in the city 3. (destroy). Luckily, with joint efforts, a new Tangshan was built. Tangshan has proved that people must unify and show the wisdom 4. (stay) positive in times of disasters.

阅读下面材料，在空白处填写适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

China is 1. (wide) known for its ancient civilization, 2. has lasted thousands of years. There are many reasons why this has been possible, but one of the main factors has been the Chinese 3. (write) system. It has helped connect China’s present with its past and unite people in such a large country 4. many dialects are spoken.

    Two weeks ago my grandfather passed away. It really put me into deep ____because my grandfather held a unique position in my life. For me, my grandpa was not only a ____ family member but a tutor (导师) who encouraged me to work hard and ____ well.

I’ll never forget the first time I read a long piece of his writing. It was when I ____ for Princeton and he offered to write to the university on my behalf. He wrote in beautiful ____ and used poetic language, unafraid of sounding too “flowery”. I read the ____ out loud so I could hear the rhyming sounds.

My grandfather ____ hard work. Every time he came to visit us in New York, he would ____ my brothers and me for our good performance, which made me feel inspired. I knew he had worked hard to ____ the big family during the Great Depression. He was awarded many military ____ for winning many battles in the Navy in World War II.

At the funeral, a friend of my grandfather walked to me and said that my grandfather had told him about a small ____ I had written. After it came out, I sent it to my grandfather ____ received no reply. This man told me that my book hit my grandfather’s ____ and brought tears to his eyes. My grandfather said he was so ____ of me.

Now I feel even more deserved to write well because I know my grandfather ____ it. I know he lives in my heart forever.

1.A.excitement B.sorrow C.disappointment D.fun

2.A.beloved B.strict C.strange D.common

3.A.read B.study C.behave D.write

4.A.registered B.went C.applied D.turned

5.A.symbols B.envelopes C.characters D.pages

6.A.letter B.word C.language D.poem

7.A.demanded B.valued C.ignored D.deserved

8.A.instruct B.blame C.lecture D.praise

9.A.survive B.raise C.affect D.grow

10.A.medals B.champions C.rewards D.prizes

11.A.story B.poem C.article D.book

12.A.so B.but C.and D.or

13.A.brain B.heart C.eye D.ear

14.A.confident B.frightened C.proud D.amazed

15.A.remembered B.demanded C.appreciated D.realized

Walk Out of the Comfort Zone and Try New Things

For most high school students, free periods (课，节) are useless. From what I have seen, few do homework. 1.. This makes it impossible for those who actually want to do work to complete any. As a senior next year, I think extra periods should be used to take optional subjects.

2.. Now is the time for us students to choose a suitable one. We will experiment in different fields of study. We will never know if we are interested or talented in a subject if we don’t try it.

In my 8th grade, I was told that I had to take an art class as a graduation requirement; so in the 9th grade I took Studio and Art. One of the projects was to build a clay pot, but I built mine incorrectly, so it broke in the kiln (窑). 3.. Now I know for sure that I do not want to be an artist. However, the class was one of my favorites that year. I was able to try new activities and test my ability.

4.! College is when we should focus on a specific major, but high school is when we have to figure it out.

Half of all college students change their major at some point. By doing that hundreds of dollars are wasted on classes that they would have never needed to take. So use our extra periods to find out what we want to do in college. 5..

A. Our school offers many classes

B. We should find out what we are good at

C. I’ve avoided anything related to art since then

D. Instead, many are on their phones and talking

E. I found out that I have no artistic ability at all

F. Walk out of our comfort zone and try new things

G. The classes we choose can influence us in the future

    In its early history, Chicago had floods frequently, especially in the spring, making the streets so muddy that people, horses, and carts got stuck. An old joke that was popular at the time went something like this: A man is stuck up to his waist in a muddy Chicago street. Asked if he needs help, he replies, “No, thanks. I’ve got a good horse under me.”

The city planner decided to build an underground drainage (排水) system, but there simply wasn’t enough difference between the height of the ground level and the water level. The only two options were to lower the Chicago River or raise the city. An engineer named Ellis Chesbrough convinced the city that it had no choice but to build the pipes above ground and then cover them with dirt. This raised the level of the city’s streets by as much as 12 feet.

This of course created a new problem: dirt practically buried the first floors of every building in Chicago. Building owners were faced with a choice: either change the first floors of their buildings into basements or lift the entire buildings to meet the new street level. Small wood-frame buildings could be lifted fairly easily. But what about large, heavy structures like the Tremont Hotel, which was a six-story brick building?

That’s where George Pullman came in. He had developed some house-moving skills successfully. To lift a big structure like the Tremont Hotel, Pullman would place thousands of jackscrews (千斤顶) beneath the building’s foundation and turn the jackscrews the same amount at the same time, thus raising the building slowly and evenly. Astonishingly, the Tremont Hotel stay open during the entire operation, and many of its guests didn’t even notice anything was happening.

Some people like to say that every problem has a solution. But in Chicago’s early history, every engineering solution seemed to create a new problem.

1.Why was the joke about Chicago mentioned in Paragraph 1?

A.To explain why horses were widely used.

B.To show the terrible road condition.

C.To prove Chicagoan were humorous.

D.To describe the lifestyle in the past.

2.What did Ellis advise to do?

A.Lower the Chicago River.

B.Build pipes above ground.

C.Fight against heavy floods.

D.Raise the level of streets.

3.What was the problem in moving Tremont Hotel?

A.It was hard to move its basement.

B.It was mainly made of wood.

C.It was too heavy to move easily.

D.There was no equipment to use.

4.What can be inferred from the text?

A.Tremont Hotel was the biggest building in Chicago.

B.George became famous for moving Tremont Hotel.

C.It took great efforts to move Tremont Hotel.

D.Guests left Tremont Hotel before the move.

    Group exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve physical fitness and sustain (保持) a healthy lifestyle. Group exercise is challenging, yet fun! Of course everyone knows that exercise is good for the body. However, studies have shown that when exercise is performed in groups, it’s not only great for improving physical health but for psychological health. It’s an opportunity to be social and improve your strength. Additionally, group exercise creates a community feel and the shared common goal inspire people to work hard.

Another beneficial aspect of group exercise is the informational support people receive from the instructor. Many people fear the gym because they feel lost and don’t want to embarrass themselves. If you feel that way, then group training is an even better option for you. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about fitness through the clear instruction of a fitness instructor. If you’re tired of wandering around the gym wasting time and becoming bored, you can attend an upbeat group fitness class that will keep your workout on track. Don’t let fitness frighten you!

If you’re serious about wanting to live a healthy lifestyle, it’s extremely important to surround yourself with people who’ll provide you with the proper emotional support. Surround yourself with people who encourage and understand you! Make fitness even more fun by trying something new or any group fitness class with a friend. Plan to go for a jog together. Then try a fun healthy restaurant or fresh juice bar! Fitness can be both fun and social!

Surrounding yourself with people who’ll provide you with respect support can be very beneficial while working towards reaching health and fitness goals. First, decide to do it for yourself and work towards staying positive. Then make sure the people you surround yourself with are supportive.

1.Why is group exercise more beneficial according to Paragraph 1?

A.It can help set practical goals.

B.It can improve physical fitness.

C.It can reduce stress and anxiety.

D.It can create a sense of belonging.

2.What does the underlined word “upbeat” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A.Peaceful. B.Boring. C.Cheerful. D.Annoying.

3.What can be learnt from the text?

A.Support from friends matters.

B.Doing sports alone is harmful.

C.We should often eat out with friends.

D.Jogging is the most beneficial sport.

4.What may be the best title for the text?

A.Ways to do group exercise

B.Group exercise, better health

C.Without friends, without health

D.Benefits of doing exercise

    One Sunday, Nicholas, a teenager, went skiing at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. In the early afternoon, when he was planning to go home, a fierce snowstorm swept into the area. Unable to see far, he accidentally turned off the path. Before he knew it, Nicholas was lost, all alone! He didn’t have food, water, a phone, or other supplies. He was getting colder by the minute.

Nicholas had no idea where he was. He tried not to panic. He thought about all the survival shows he had watched on TV. It was time to put the tips he had learned to use.

He decided to stop skiing. There was a better chance of someone finding him if he stayed put. The first thing he did was to find shelter from the freezing wind and snow. If he didn’t, his body temperature would get very low, which could quickly kill him. Using his skis, Nicholas built a snow cave. He gathered a huge mass of snow and dug out a hole in the middle. Then he piled branches on top of himself, like a blanket, to stay as warm as he could.

By that evening, Nicholas was really hungry. He ate snow and drank water from a nearby stream so that his body wouldn’t lose too much water. Not knowing how much longer he could last, Nicholas did the only thing he could - he huddled (蜷缩) in his cave and slept.

The next day, Nicholas went out to look for help, but he couldn’t find anyone. He followed his tracks and returned to the snow cave, because without shelter, he could die that night. On Tuesday, Nicholas went out again to find help. He had walked for about a mile when a volunteer searcher found him. Having been stuck in the snow for two days, Nicholas was saved.

Nicholas might not have survived this snowstorm had it not been for TV. He had often watched Grylls’ survival show Man vs. Wild. That’s where he learned the tips that saved his life. When Grylls heard about Nicholas’ amazing deeds, he was super impressed that Nicholas had made it since he knew better than anyone how hard Nicholas had to work to stay alive.

1.What caused Nicholas to get lost at the mountain?

A.Having no guides to help.

B.Forgetting the way back.

C.Terrible weather.

D.Poor eyesight.

2.How did Nicholas keep himself warm?

A.He built a snow cave.

B.He found a shelter.

C.He kept on skiing.

D.He made a fire.

3.Why was Gryll’s show mentioned?

A.It was Nicholas’ favorite TV program.

B.It taught Nicholas useful knowledge.

C.Nicholas shared his story on the show.

D.Gryll asked Nicholas to make a TV interview.

4.Which of the following may best describe Nicholas?

A.Calm and brave. B.Responsible and curious.

C.Lucky and smart. D.Confident and outgoing.

    Contact CCA’s Special Programs to learn more about our wide range of credit and noncredit opportunities for academic and personal development.

Summer Program

Exceptional 4-week program for students currently completing their study of high school. Earn 3 college credits!

Our setting is CCA’s Oakland campus, where studio-focused, college-level courses help you push beyond concepts to portfolio (作品集)-ready pieces. On-campus Housing & Scholarships available!

Summer courses

CCA offers about 35 for-credit degree courses each summer, scheduled on the San Francisco and Oakland campuses.

Undergraduate and graduate students can work with a visiting artist, develop skills and stay on track for graduation by earning credits ... all while still allowing time to visit family, work, travel, etc.

For information about summer housing, please contact the Office of Residential Life at 510594722 or housing@ cca. edu.

Summer Start

Summer Start is a six-week program designed specifically for international undergraduate and graduate students. This is a for-credit program; students receive six credits towards their degree. During the program, you must live on CCA’s San Francisco campus.

Tuition includes six units of discounted graduate college credit, which will include books, field trip expenses and one-on-one tutoring. Housing fees include six weeks at CCA’s San Francisco Panoramic Residence.

Company-Customized Programs

CCA’s Office of Special Programs can design customized workshops to develop andstrengthen employee skills within your company. Customized programs have included:

* An Ideation Sketching class, for the design team of a national clothing retailer, scheduled Friday afternoons on San Francisco campus.

* Software-specific workshops, for designers from a national paper products and gifts retailer, scheduled in a two-day workshop format during the week on our Oakland campus.

1.Who can apply for Summer Program?

A.Undergraduate students.

B.International students.

C.High school students.

D.College students.

2.What can students do if they take summer courses?

A.Get some credits.

B.Visit famous artists.

C.Make some friends.

D.Go on a field trip.

3.What does Summer Start require students to do?

A.Live on one of the campuses.

B.Pay school fees in advance.

C.Read as many books as possible.

D.Complete the courses on time.

听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。

1.What did Lisa do in order to lose weight?

A.She worked out at the gym.

B.She ran in the morning.

C.She ate small meals.

2.How much weight did Ashley lose?

A.60 pounds. B.149 pounds. C.151 pounds.

3.Why did Ashley keep a blog?

A.To share her stories.

B.To record her weight loss.

C.To write down weight-loss ways.

听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

1.Which country is the man from?

A.England. B.Canada. C.America.

2.What does the man find it hard to get used to?

A.The weather.

B.The city’s sights.

C.The food.

3.What’s the man’s condition in class now?

A.Listening quietly.

B.Asking questions actively.

C.Joining in group discussions.

4.Why does the man chat with his neighbors in his free time?

A.To kill the time.

B.To practice his Chinese.

C.To get to know more about them.

听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

1.What’s wrong with the woman’s bike?

A.It’s completely out of control.

B.It doesn’t run very well.

C.It has caused an accident.

2.How does the man help the woman?

A.By fixing her bike.

B.By calling his uncle.

C.By lending her his bike.

3.Where does the conversation take place most probably?

A.At a factory.

B.At a school.

C.At a repair shop.

听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

1.How did the woman learn French?

A.By learning it at college.

B.By learning it by herself.

C.By learning it from Mr. Brown.

2.What language did the woman learn for two months?

A.French. B.German. C.Spanish.

3.What does the man think of German?

A.Hard. B.Popular. C.Simple.

听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

1.What should the man do after getting to the bridge?

A.Turn right before crossing it.

B.Cross it and turn right.

C.Cross it and turn left.

2.What’s the most probable relationship between the speakers?

A.Neighbors. B.Classmates. C.Strangers

What does the woman mean?

A.Linda is very nice.

B.She needs more friends.

C.They should accept the invitation.

When will the man set off for the airport?

A.At 1:30 p.m. B.At 2:00 p.m. C.At 2:30 p.m.

What are the two speakers mainly talking about?

A.The man’s last job.

B.Their favorite jobs.

C.The woman’s new job.

Where will the man go for his holiday?

A.Suzhou. B.Shanghai. C.Beijing.

What did the woman buy for her father?

A.A watch. B.A tie. C.A coat.

阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

“It’s not looking too good, darling, I think you’d better pack a few things and go to your mother’s place. And you’d better take Rosie and Monty with you.”

Putting down the phone, Sara sighed. Tomorrow was her husband Tony’s birthday. She had planned to cook him a nice meal and then surprise him with the new mountain bike she’d bought for him. If she went to her mother’s house, Tony wouldn’t get his present for days.

However, her mother’s house was the best place to be right now. Being on higher land, it would be safe from the floods. It had been raining heavily for almost two weeks and the river near Sara and Tony’s house was rising higher and higher all the time. Tony and others from the village had spent the last two days putting sandbags along the side of the river to stop it from overflowing. Now they feared that their hard work had been useless and soon the whole valley would be flooded.

Sara dressed baby James in warm clothes and collected the things she would need for him over the next few days. She put the lead on the dog and went in search of Monty, the cat. It took her a long time, but eventually she found him safe and warm under the covers on her bed. She placed him in his cat basket and took him into the kitchen where James and the dog, Rosie, were waiting.

Just as she was reaching for the car keys, Sarah heard a sound like the noise bath water makes when you pull out the plug. She looked at the backdoor, water was flowing in underneath. Turning around, she saw dirty brown water fountaining out of the drain and filling the sink. Realizing that they were trapped by the flood and it became impossible for her to drive out, quickly she put James into her backpack and pulled onto her back. Calling to Rosie, she picked up the cat basket and ran to the front of the house and out into the front garden, where the car was parked.

注意:

1.所续写的短文的词数应为150左右；

2.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。

Paragraph 1:

The water was already up to her knees, and Rosie was swimming beside her.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Paragraph 2:

Sara, together with James, Rosie and Monty, was hungry and frightened on the roof of the house when a boat appeared in the distance.

_____________________________________________________________________________

假定你是李华, 你的美国笔友John 发来E-mail询问你对即将到来的寒假有何打算。请你给他回一封邮件，介绍你的寒假安排, 内容包括:

1. 学习与锻炼；

2. 春节活动；

3. 社会实践活动。

注意:

1. 词数80左右;

2. 可适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯。

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Rugby looks like a 1. (mix) of soccer and American football. Legend says rugby was invented in 1823 at a school in the town of Rugby, England. A student was playing in a soccer match, but he got 2. (bore) with just kicking the ball, so he picked it up and ran with it. Before long, this new way of playing soccer became popular at the school. When the school’s students finished their studies, they moved to other parts of Britain, 3. (take) the new game, 4. they called rugby, with them. Before long, they established rugby 5. (club) throughout Britain and in British colonies around the world.

By the 1870s, there were many rugby clubs in Britain and elsewhere, but they weren’t all playing rugby the same way. To solve this problem, representatives from twenty-two teams met 6. agreed on official rugby regulations. They also founded 7. association (协会) of rugby teams, called the Rugby Football Union (RFU).

Today, Rugby Union World Cup tournaments 8. (hold) every four years. Thousands of fans travel 9. (attend) the matches and cheer on their favorite teams. Believe it or not, not one team who’s won the Rugby World Cup has 10. (successful) won the next World Cup! But players and fans don’t mind. They just enjoy the game.

    My teacher Mr. Bush is the most positive person I’ve ever met. He has the ability to _____positiveness to young students.

He always smiles and never gets ____ at students. Once I met some ____ because I felt overshadowed by my brother, who seemed to be doing great in every way. Hopelessness ___ me whenever I was in a classroom. But that all ____ when I met my teacher for life, Mr. Bush. Having found out about my problems, he just kept ____ me. Because of Mr. Bush, my world was filled with ____ and power.

A few weeks ago, everyone in my class was feeling a bit ____ because of a bad day at school. But things got ____ after a close of Mr. Bush’s class. He drew a picture on the whiteboard that ____ a half-full glass of water. He then said, “Class, the point of view in which you look at things will ____ your feelings. Like this glass of water; some people see it and think ‘What! Only half a glass of water. How ____ I am.’ Whereas other people think ‘Wow, I’m so thirsty. Great! Half a glass of water for me!’ It all is in the ____ you think.”

Mr. Bush’s ____ way of thinking always makes me feel glad and ____. I will always remember him.

1.A.pass on B.apply for C.consist of D.give up

2.A.strict B.patient C.mad D.curious

3.A.friends B.needs C.realities D.difficulties

4.A.drowned B.resisted C.cured D.relaxed

5.A.happened B.changed C.solved D.included

6.A.forgiving B.calming C.encouraging D.calling

7.A.sunshine B.fear C.surprise D.disappointment

8.A.cheerful B.down C.eager D.afraid

9.A.warmer B.higher C.better D.happier

10.A.served B.filled C.bought D.showed

11.A.hurt B.care about C.give away D.affect

12.A.pleased B.unfortunate C.bright D.perfect

13.A.way B.direction C.end D.past

14.A.different B.optimistic C.special D.important

15.A.proud B.careful C.lonely D.hopeful

    Many scientists believe our love of sugar may actually be an addiction. When we eat or drink sugary foods, the sugar enters our blood and affects parts of our brain that make us feel good.

1.In this way, it is in fact an addictive drug, one that doctors recommend we all cut down on.

“It seems like every time I study an illness and trace a path to the first cause, I find my way back to sugar,” says scientist Richard Johnson. One-third of adults worldwide have high blood pressure, and up to 347 million have diabetes. Why? “ 2.“ says Johnson.

Our bodies are designed to survive on very little sugar. Early humans often had very little food, so our bodies learned to be very efficient in storing sugar as fat. In this way, we had energy stored for when there was no food. But today, most people have more than enough. 3.

So what is the solution? It’s obvious that we need to eat less sugar. 4.From breakfast cereals to after-dinner desserts, our foods are increasingly filled with it. Some manufacturers even use sugar to replace taste in foods that are advertised as low in fat.

But there are those who are fighting back against sugar. 5.Other schools are growing their own food in gardens, or building facilities like walking tracks so students and others in the community can exercise. The battle has not yet been lost.

A. We take in more energy and fat.

B. Then the good feeling goes away, leaving us wanting more.

C. Our ancestors were used to poor food, clothing and shelter.

D. So the very thing that once saved us, may now be killing us.

E. Sugar, we believe, is one of the reasons, if not the major one.

F. The trouble is, in today's world, it's extremely difficult to avoid.

G. Many schools are replacing sugary desserts with healthier options like fruit.

    Nobody needs reminding that exercise is good for our health, but we may need reminding that it needs to be done in the right way.

Light exercises are a great way to improve circulation and keep our muscles active, especially if the rest of the day will be spent sitting in front of a computer or in a lecture hall. However, certain sports like long distance running require training to build up our bodies so they can handle the challenge. If we go into such sport cold, it can shock our muscles, hearts, lungs, and other organs and cause severe pain or in some cases, even death.

Some people are born with medical conditions that go unnoticed until they stress the unstable part of their body. A weak heart may never be seen until we do something that causes extreme physical effort. Recently there have been cases of people dying while running long distances. Also, a university student died after taking a 1.000m running exam. Some universities and high schools have cut long distance races (i.e. 3.000m, 5,000m) from their campus sports games, partly because of the supposed danger and partly because they say fewer people are entering such events.

Maybe education about such events is lacking, especially during primary and high school. People participating in such competitions should realize that a reasonable amount of training is required beforehand and having a medical check is wise, especially for a marathon. People shouldn’t be forced to participate in events that push them past their limits, especially if they haven’t warmed-up completely. Cancelling events could lead to people becoming less healthy and overweight. Maybe these events shouldn’t be cancelled, but organizers and participants should be more careful about regular health checks.

1.Why does the author write the text?

A.To give us some reminding on exercises.

B.To persuade us to take less sports.

C.To advise students to have regular exercises.

D.To require cancelling long distance running.

2.What does the underlined word “cold” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A.Having trained a lot. B.Without any preparation.

C.Having a low temperature. D.In an unfriendly way.

3.Why do some universities and schools cancel long distance races?

A.Because no students are willing to enter such events.

B.Because the students’ physical conditions are too poor to finish them.

C.Because long distance running is not fit for students.

D.Because they worry about the supposed danger in such races.

4.What does the author advise us to do before running a marathon?

A.Have a medical check and warm-up exercises.

B.Push ourselves past our limits.

C.Participate in it confidently.

D.Try to lose some weight first.

    Two British teachers have broken the world record for the longest journey in a tuk-tuk after pulling their failing vehicle for 43 miles. Richard Sears and Nick Gough traveled 37,500 kilometers around the world and passed through 37 countries. They did this to support grassroots education project in Africa, Asia and South America.

The pair, who set off from London, thought their expedition was over when the vehicle started to fail. When the tuk-tuk broke, they were only 70 kilometers from their destination. They decided to pull it the rest of the way. The tuk-tuk, which weighs 800 kilograms, was pulled in turns by Rich and Nick over three days. On arrival in Chepen, Peru, they discovered a mechanic who specialized in tuk-tuks and managed to fix it.

The pair were back on the road and aiming for their next goal. Along their journey they had to tackle deserts and jungles. They also survived close encounters with elephants in Uganda and Botswana and an accident in Malaysia. The greatest hardship on the tuk-tuk was the mountain ranges lying in their path, including the Alps, the Himalayas and the Andes.

Nick and Richard uncovered some inspirational projects across Africa, Asia and South America. They witnessed firsthand the educational challenges facing these areas today. They joined street children in the slums of Cairo, Khartoum, Kampala, Mumbai and Phnom Penh. They visited Congolese refugees (难民) in camps in Eastern Burundi. They witnessed how education could free sex-workers in Delhi and victims of human trafficking in Nepal.

The pair established The Tuk Tuk Educational Trust, a U.K. registered charity.

Talking bout their motivation, Richard said: “The world’s leaders have made a commitment to achieving universal primary education but, in spite of this pledge (誓言，承诺), over 57 million primary-aged children worldwide are still out of school; many more are in school, though still cannot access quality learning opportunities.”

1.Why did the two teachers travel the world?

A.To support an education project.

B.To create a new world record.

C.To entertain themselves.

D.To challenge themselves.

2.How far did the two teachers pull the tuk-tuk each day on average?

A.A little more than 30 kilometers. B.About 14 miles.

C.43 miles. D.70 kilometers.

3.What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A.How they realized their next goal.

B.Their exciting experience on the road.

C.The beautiful scenery of famous mountains.

D.The difficulties and dangers they faced in the journey.

4.Which of the following best describes the two teachers?

A.Curious and brave. B.Humorous and generous.

C.Courageous and responsible. D.Efficient and honest.

    Up till about 130 years ago, newspapers in the United States attracted only the most serious readers. They used no illustration (插图) and the articles were about politics or business.

Two men changed that - Joseph Pulitzer bought the New York World and William Randolph Hearst of the New York Journal. Pulitzer bought the New York World in 1883. He changed it from a traditional newspaper into a very exciting one overnight. He added lots of illustrations and he told his reporters to write articles on every crime they could find. And they did. One of them-a woman reporter, even pretended she was mad and was sent to a hospital. She then wrote many articles about the poor treatment of patients in those hospitals where mad men were kept.

In 1895, Hearst came to New York from California. He wanted the Journal to be more exciting than the World. He also wanted it to be cheaper, so he lowered the price to a penny. Hearst attracted attention because his newspaper headings were bigger than anyone else’s. He often says, “Big print makes big news.”

Pulitzer and Hearst did anything they could to sell newspapers. For example, Hearst sent Frederic Remington, the famous illustrator, to draw pictures of the Spanish-American War. When he got there, he told Hearst that no fighting was going on, Hearst answered, “You provide the pictures. I’ll provide the war.”

1.What kind of news did American newspapers carry 130 years ago?

A.Only serious matters. B.All kinds of exciting news.

C.Crimes and mad people. D.The treatment of patients in hospital.

2.What can we know about the woman reporter in the second paragraph?

A.She helped Joseph Pulitzer buy the New York Journal.

B.She was forced to be mad and was sent to a hospital.

C.She learned a lot about the real life of the mad patients in hospital.

D.She made the newspaper from traditional to exciting.

3.Pulitzer and Hearst used all the means EXCEPT ________ to make newspapers exciting.

A.adding illustrations into newspapers

B.satisfying the needs of politicians

C.getting the reporters to write about crimes

D.printing big newspaper headings

4.What does this passage mainly talk about?

A.The difficulties that the newspaper owners faced.

B.Two most famous reporters of the United States.

C.Newspaper owners were fond of crimes and war.

D.Two important men changed newspapers greatly.

    Travelers in America who want to experience the Wild West can now go to a holiday in the old style to see how the American pioneers traveled and lived.

Today’s travelers go by horse wagon like the old-time. They set up camp at night under the stars and learn to cook their meals over fires. They also learn to lead herds of cattle with present-day cowboys and try to bring wild horses into a corral (畜栏). For those who just want to pretend half way, the special holidays offer the chance to “rough it” during the day in the wagons but sleep at night in the comfort of fan air-conditioned ranch (牧牛场) complete with swimming pool, sauna and tennis courts.

In Wyoming the holiday makers will travel by wagon past ghost towns and cemeteries where pioneers and wild cowboys were buried. The route goes along the same track as the Pony Express riders who braved attacks from Indians and robbers to get the mail through to the Wild West. High Island Ranch in Wyoming at the foot of the Rocky Mountains is also an ideal place to go trout fishing and to ride wild horses. In Colorado, the modern-day pioneers can stay at Randy George’s ranch and try their hand at breaking-in horses and branding (打烙印) cattle. In New Mexico there will be a chance to help in driving cattle to their new summer pastures (牧场). Trips last for a week so those taking part get a chance to get a feel for the Wild West as it really was.

1.What is the author’s purpose by writing the passage?

A.To reveal the real life of the Wild West in the old time.

B.To tell the readers what they should prepare for special holidays.

C.To introduce some trips in which people can experience the Wild West.

D.To advertise for the most popular tourist attractions in America.

2.What does the underlined phrase “rough it” in paragraph 2 mean?

A.Make the travelers comfortable.

B.Live a hard and simple life.

C.Travel everywhere in the wagons.

D.Bring wild horses into a corral.

3.What can be inferred from paragraph 3?

A.Travelers will pass ghost towns to visit pioneers and wild cowboys.

B.People are not interested in how the pioneers traveled and lived.

C.It was not easy to deliver the mail to the Wild West in the old time.

D.The pioneers and wild cowboys in the old time led an easy life.