No More Time Out

Shawn and Thomas had always been good friends. They lived near each other, and they both loved __36__.They played baseball, touch football, and kickball. They also liked to play soccer, shoot baskets, and skateboard.

When they were in the fourth grade, though, Thomas broke his __37__ in a soccer game. He had to be on crutches for six weeks.

Shawn __38__ Thomas, but what was there to do? Shawn didn’t like television or computer games. Thomas didn’t like to sit and talk. After trying three times to start a conversation, Shawn __39__ up. He said, “I’m out of here.”

For days, Shawn __40__at home, feeling guilty for not visiting Thomas again. Thomas stayed home, too, feeling __41__because Shawn wasn’t visiting him. After a week, Shawn’s mom spoke up. “It’s time for you and Thomas to get back into action! That’s why I spoke to Ms McNulty at the library. She has the perfect volunteer job for you both,” she said.

Shawn said __42__.

His mom continued, “The library sells used books to raise money. People are always __43__off books in bags and boxes. Someone has to carry the books to the storage room. Someone has to sort them into fiction (小说) and nonfiction. You and Thomas can be a team __44__.” “No, we can’t!” said Shawn. “He and I don’t want a job.” However, Shawn’s mom wouldn’t __45__ no for an answer.

Sure enough, __46__the boys began, things changed. Shawn felt strong as he carried bags and boxes through the library. Sorting books in the storage room, Thomas felt useful again. In fact, one day Thomas said, “Between you and me, Shawn, this isn’t so __47__.” Shawn smiled and agreed. They were a good team.

301 words

1.A. sports             B. books            C. movies       D. arts

2. A. arm           B. hand        C. leg          D. nose

3.A. phoned         B. invited          C. visited          D. checked

4.A. came           B. gave         C. turned           D. hurried

5.A. stayed         B. waited           C. called           D. talked

6.A. tired          B. afraid           C. weak         D. angry

7.A. nothing        B. something    C. anything         D. everything

8.A. bringing       B. dropping     C. showing      D. knocking

9.A. soon           B. only         C. perhaps     D. again

10. A. choose           B. keep         C. take         D. allow

11.A. because           B. once         C. if               D. although

12. A. private          B. simple       C. bad          D. special

 

A young man worked very hard at his lessons. He was too busy to have a rest. At last, he became ill, so he couldn’t go to sleep. Every night, when he went to bed, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep. But he always stayed awake and couldn’t fall asleep.
After some days, he decided to see a doctor. “I just can’t go to sleep at night. What should I do? Could you please help me?”
“I have a suggestion(建议)，”said the doctor. “Try counting numbers. By the time you reach one thousand, you’ll be asleep. I’m sure of it.”
The next day the man returned to the doctor’s office. “Well,” said the doctor, how are you today? Did you try my suggestion?”
The man still looked tired. “Yes,” he said, “I tried counting one, two, and three— up to one thousand. But when I reached five hundred and sixty-nine, I began to feel sleepy. I had to get up and drink some tea so that I could go on counting up to one thousand. But then I still couldn’t fall asleep.”
【小题1】The young man couldn’t go to sleep because ____________________,

A．he was worried about his homework

B．he worked too hard and became ill

C．he didn’t finish doing his lessons

D．there was a lot of noise there and he couldn’t have a rest

【小题2】The doctor asked the young man ________________________.

A．to get up to drink some tea

B．to take some medicine and go to bed earlier

C．to count numbers while he was lying in bed

D．to count numbers before he went to bed

【小题3】The young man returned to the doctor’s office the next day because______.

A．he wanted to ask the doctor how to count the numbers

B．he wanted to thank the doctor

C．he was better and wanted some more medicine

D．he still couldn’t go to sleep at night

【小题4】The young man _________.

A．counted from 569 to 1000

B．counted from 1 to 1000 and fell asleep

C．counted from 1 to 569 and got up to drink some tea

D．counted from 1 to 569 and fell asleep

【小题5】The young man _____ in fact.

A．didn’t understand the doctor’s suggestion

B．wasn’t ill at all

C．was not able to count numbers

D．didn’t try the doctor’s suggestion

After my husband died, my world crashed around me. My six children were ten, nine, eight, six, three and 18 months, and I was overwhelmed(不知所措的) with the responsibilities of earning a living, caring for the children and simply keeping my head above water.
I was lucky to find a wonderful housekeeper to care for the children during the week, but from Friday nights to Monday mornings, the children and I were alone, and frankly(坦诚地) I was uneasy. Every unusual noise or any late-night phone call filled me with fear. I felt really alone.
One Friday evening I came home from work to find a big beautiful German shepherd(牧羊犬) on our doorstep. It was obvious he wanted to make the house his home. The children took an instant liking to “German” and asked me to let him in. I agreed to let him sleep in the basement(地下室) until the next day. That night I slept peacefully for the first time in many weeks.
The following morning we made phone calls and checked lost-and-found ads for German’s owner, but with no results. Saturday night he was still with us. 
On Sunday I had planned to take the children on a picnic. Since I thought it best to leave German behind in case(以免) his owner came by, we drove off without him. When we stopped to get gas at a local station, we were amazed to see German racing to the gas station after us. He stayed again Sunday night.  
Monday morning I let him out for a run while the children got ready for school. He didn’t come back. We thought we’d never see him again. On Friday evening, German was back again. We took him in, and again he stayed until Monday morning, when our housekeeper arrived. It went like this for almost 10 months. We looked forward to his coming. Each Monday morning he left home.
Each week, between German's visits, I grew a little braver, but every weekend I enjoyed being with him . Then one Monday morning we patted his head and let him out for what turned out to be the last time. He never came back. We never saw or heard from German again. I think of him often. He came when I needed him the most and stayed until I was strong enough to go on alone. I believe German was sent because he was needed, and because no matter how abandoned(被放弃的) and alone we feel, somehow, somewhere, someone knows and cares. We are never really alone.
【小题1】What does the underlined part “keeping my head above water” in the first paragraph mean?

A．trying to keep calm in public

B．trying to get attention from other men

C．showing her high spirit in the face of trouble

D．trying to continue to live

【小题2】When the author’s husband died, ______.

A．she couldn’t raise the six children on her own

B．she couldn’t relax at weekends

C．The housekeeper only came at weekends

D．she was too busy to feel lonely

【小题3】 Which of the following is WRONG according to the article?

A．German was fond of living with the family.

B．The writer felt safe and protected with German around.

C．The dog stayed until the writer was strong enough to go on alone.

D．The writer was too busy that weekend to go to find the dog’s owner.

【小题4】Which is the best title for the passage?

A．A homeless dog	B．A friend’s strength
C．How to keep a dog	D．Keep up when in trouble

Learn a second language
There was once a young mouse that lived in a hole in a wall. One day, the young mouse woke up from his sleep and looked out of the hole. As he looked out, a fantastic smell came to his nose. “Cheese!” the mouse said happily to himself. “I’ll go and get it now and have it for breakfast.”
But then he remembered his parents’ words. His parents were very clever mice and often said to their son, “Always wait before you go for a piece of cheese.”
So the young mouse waited quietly. Then he heard a quiet “Miaow” and he knew the cat was there. He stayed in the hole and said to himself, “I’m glad I listened to my parents and learned to wait.”
The next day, he looked out again. He put his nose out of the hole, and the beautiful smell of cheese came to his nose again. He could see the cheese. It was only a few centimetres away. But he sat still and waited quietly. This time he did not hear any cat noises. Instead he heard a very quiet “Woof, woof.”
“It’s a dog!” he thought. “If the dog is there, the cat won’t be there. I expect the dog has chased the cat away, so I’m safe.” The mouse ran out of the hole and started eating the cheese. He did not see the cat, which caught him and ate him.
When the cat finished her meal, she said to herself, “I’m glad I listened to my parents and learned a second language.”
【小题1】Who told the mouse to wait before going for a piece of cheese?

A．The cat.	B．The dog.
C．The cat’s parents.	D．The mouse’s parents.

【小题2】How did the young mouse know the cat was there?

A．He heard the cat.	B．He saw the cat.
C．He smelt the cat.	D．He knew the cat.

【小题3】What was the cat’s meal?

A．The mouse’s parents.	B．The cheese.
C．The young mouse.	D．The fish.

【小题4】 Which language did the cat learn as a second language?

A．English.

B．Chinese.

C．Dog language.

D．Mouse language.

【小题5】Which of the following sentences is Not True according to the passage?

A．The young mouse lived in a hole in a wall.

B．The next day the mouse didn’t hear any cat noises.

C．The cat pretended to be a dog by making the noise “woof”.

D．The mouse’s parents told their daughter to wait before going for a piece of cheese.