二、阅读理解
Do you know the changes of life in China? Hundreds of years ago, life was much simpler than it is today. People didn't have modern machines, and they had no time or money to enjoy leisure activities. Many children couldn't get an education. However, things have changed greatly since China's reform and opening-up in the late 1970s. People's living conditions have improved a lot now. People can enjoy longer holidays and get more incomes (收入). So they have more chances to relax and live a colorful life. They move into tall and bright buildings. Most children study in schools with new classrooms and modern teaching equipment (设备). After school, they can take part in activities or play sports. Communications are becoming easier or quicker. People use telephones, cellphones, fax machines, E-mails and the internet to keep in touch with each other. Sending a message to your friends far away only takes you a few seconds (秒). Because of these modern inventions (发明), our life is becoming much more convenient than before.
根据短文内容，选择最佳答案。
( ) 1. What does the writer think of the life in China in the past?
A. Slow.
B. Easy.
C. Hard.
D. Simple.
( ) 2. What changes of people's life have happened now?
①People have longer holidays to enjoy themselves.
②People move into tall and bright buildings.
③Children can receive a good education.
④Most families have telephones and computers.
A. ①②③④
B. ②③④
C. ①②④
D. ①②③
( ) 3. How many inventions for communication are mentioned in the passage?
A. Three.
B. Four.
C. Five.
D. Six.
( ) 4. The underlined word "convenient" means ______ in Chinese.
A. 紧张的
B. 鲜明的
C. 方便的
D. 新奇的
( ) 5. What's the best title of the passage?
A. China's Reform and Opening-up
B. Great Changes in China
C. People's Life in China
D. Inventions Change People's Life
答案：1. D 解析：根据“Hundreds of years ago, life was much simpler than it is today.”可知作者认为过去的生活是简单的，所以选D。
2. A 解析：根据“People can enjoy longer holidays...They move into tall and bright buildings...Most children study in schools with new classrooms and modern teaching equipment...People use telephones, cellphones, fax machines, E-mails and the internet...”可知①②③④都是现在生活的变化，所以选A。
3. C 解析：文中提到的通讯发明有telephones, cellphones, fax machines, E-mails, the internet，共五种，所以选C。
4. C 解析：根据“Because of these modern inventions, our life is becoming much more convenient than before.”可知这些发明让生活更方便，所以convenient意为“方便的”，选C。
5. B 解析：短文主要讲述了中国生活的巨大变化，所以最佳标题是Great Changes in China，选B。
写作训练
你的家乡现在的样子与你的记忆里的儿时家乡一样吗？你的家乡是否已发生变化？请用5句话描述你的家乡在近十年来的变化，注意使用现在完成时。
1. ______
2. ______
3. ______
4. ______
5. ______
答案：1. Great changes have taken place in my hometown in the past ten years.
2. Many tall buildings have been built.
3. The roads have become wider and cleaner.
4. People have owned more cars and lived a better life.
5. Children have received better education in modern schools. 解析：以上句子均使用现在完成时，描述了家乡在建筑、道路、人们生活和教育等方面的变化，符合题目要求。
(
B
) 1. Mike has been in Canada for two years. He ______ two years ago.
A. goes there
B. went there
C. has gone there
D. has been there
(
C
) 2. Now people are ______ busy working that they have little time to enjoy leisure activities.
A. very
B. too
C. so
D. quite
答案：1. B 解析：two years ago是一般过去时的标志，所以谓语动词用过去式went there，选B。
2. C 解析：so...that...表示“如此……以至于……”，符合句意“现在人们工作如此忙以至于几乎没有时间享受休闲活动”，所以选C。
