Davey wanted to play baseball. But fifty years ago, in his small town, he couldn’t find enough players for two full teams or an empty lot big enough for a field. And when he played ball in his back yard, he just broke windows and got into trouble. So Davey began playing with a plastic golf ball and a broom handle for a bat.
When his dad, David Mullaney, a former semi-pro baseball pitcher(投手), realized his son was hurting his arm trying to throw curves with the little plastic ball, he decided to find a better solution. Mullaney got a bunch of hollow plastic spheres from a local factory, sat down at his kitchen table and began cutting different size holes in the balls with a razor knife. He thought maybe the holes would alter the ball’s flight and help his son throw curves and sliders without hurting his arm.
All the balls failed—except the one with the eight oblong(长椭圆形的) holes cut into one of the hemispheres. This ball curved naturally and sharply without a violent snap of the wrist. In fact, Davey was now striking out so many batters; he called his new ball a “wiffle ball”. A year later, Mullaney borrowed $20,000 from family and friends and started producing Wiffle Balls in his little suburban town of Shelton, Connecticut.
“I didn’t want investors.” He said, “I wanted to control my own company.” This was the beginning of one of the hottest fads(时尚) of the fifties and a perennial(长久的) best seller well known all around the world. Since then millions of boys and girls have enjoyed countless hours of safe, wholesome fun playing with a Wiffle ball and bat. Esquire Magazine has even called the Wiffle Ball “a national treasure”. By producing a high quality product at an affordable price, three generations of Mullany’s have enjoyed the satisfaction and benefits of running a successful and profitable family business.
Over the years, they’ve had plenty of offers to buy them out, but they’re still working out of a small factory in Shelton, making a new Wiffle Ball every couple of seconds. Creativity and persistence are two of the important sources for wealth. If he gave up his attempts at trying new things, Mullany would not have invented the wiffle ball, nor would he have made such a big fortune.
1.From the passage we can know that           .          

A．Mullaney made the invention of Wiffle ball with the help of his son

B．fifty years ago people didn’t like playing baseball very much

C．Mullaney’s attempts to help Davey better enjoy ball-playing led to the invention of Wiffle ball

D．playing balls would hurt one’s arm before the Wiffle ball’s appearance

2.All the following are true EXCEPT         .

A．Davey was a good ballplayer after the Wiffle ball came into existence

B．David Mullaney wanted to run the family business on his own

C．Mullaney’s family made a big fortune through the production of Wiffle balls

D．Mullaney’s business was nearly bought out but they worked hard to keep it

3.The underlined word “spheres” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to         .

A．balls? B．bottles? C．bags? D．boxes

4.The two important factors for Mullaney’s successful family business are         .

A．time and fortune　? B．persistence and creativity

C．quality and fame 　 D．cooperation and efforts

5.The passage mainly tells us something about         .

A．Davey, a famous baseball player????????????? B．a popular ball game in the 1950’s

C．the birth of Wiffle ball 　　　　　????????????? D．the success of a family business

　　 Nike is one of the world’s best - known sports shoe and clothing companies with over $1 billion of income each year. It markets running shoes, walking shoes, basketball shoes, jogging(慢跑) suits and many other related products. Yes, despite its success, Nike (like many of its competitors) depends heavily on famous people to increase sales.

　　 And over the past few years, Nike has made use of one of the best known people in sports history: Michael Jordan for Air Jordan basketball shoes and clothing. In the first two years on the market, sales from the shoes and clothing reached$100 million. Michael Jordan’s fee? $2.5 million over five years, a royalty(专利的使用费) on all items sold, and a number of other benefits(益处).

    Nike’s promotion efforts for Air Jordan have been impressive. It decided to hire Michael Jordan after he starred for and co-captained the gold - medal winning 1984. U. S. Olympic basketball team. He has since become an exciting all-pro(人人称赞) player in the National Basketball Association. The name Air Jordan came from the shoe’s air sole and Michael Jordan’s name. Magazine and television commercials, for which Nike has invested $5 million, have shown Jordan leaping, blocking shots, and “slam dunking.” Huge bill- boards(户外广告牌) of him in action also have appeared in major cities. McDonald’s and coke commercials featuring Jordan have added to his public status.

1. The passage mainly tells us that ________.

A．Nike is a success

B．Nike is a model company

C．firms can make use of famous people to increase sales

D．Michael Jordan is a famous basketball player

2. It can be known from this passage that

A．Michael Jordan made a great contribution to American basketball in 1984

B．the name Air Jordan came from Michael Jordan’ s name

C．the name Air Jordan came from the shoe’ s name

D．Nike designed the shoes for pilots

3. In some major cities, there are advertisements that feature Jordan

A．drinking Coke and coffee

B．playing basketball

C．playing with children

D．drinking wine

4. It can be concluded from this passage that

A．both Jordan and Nike benefited from advertising

B．Nike could not have survived without Jordan, the basketball star

C．The American National Basketball Association also depends heavily on Jordan

D．The American National Basketball Association benefited from Jordan

　　 And over the past few years, Nike has made use of one of the best known people in sports history: Michael Jordan for Air Jordan basketball shoes and clothing. In the first two years on the market, sales from the shoes and clothing reached$100 million. Michael Jordan’s fee? $2.5 million over five years, a royalty(专利的使用费) on all items sold, and a number of other benefits(益处).

    Nike’s promotion efforts for Air Jordan have been impressive. It decided to hire Michael Jordan after he starred for and co-captained the gold - medal winning 1984. U. S. Olympic basketball team. He has since become an exciting all-pro(人人称赞) player in the National Basketball Association. The name Air Jordan came from the shoe’s air sole and Michael Jordan’s name. Magazine and television commercials, for which Nike has invested $5 million, have shown Jordan leaping, blocking shots, and “slam dunking.” Huge bill- boards(户外广告牌) of him in action also have appeared in major cities. McDonald’s and coke commercials featuring Jordan have added to his public status.

1. The passage mainly tells us that ________.

A．Nike is a success

B．Nike is a model company

C．firms can make use of famous people to increase sales

D．Michael Jordan is a famous basketball player

2. It can be known from this passage that

A．Michael Jordan made a great contribution to American basketball in 1984

B．the name Air Jordan came from Michael Jordan’ s name

C．the name Air Jordan came from the shoe’ s name

D．Nike designed the shoes for pilots

3. In some major cities, there are advertisements that feature Jordan

A．drinking Coke and coffee

B．playing basketball

C．playing with children

D．drinking wine

4. It can be concluded from this passage that

A．both Jordan and Nike benefited from advertising

B．Nike could not have survived without Jordan, the basketball star

C．The American National Basketball Association also depends heavily on Jordan

D．The American National Basketball Association benefited from Jordan

One morning in Philadelphia, the sun shone bright through all the thick jungles and the tall churches. John, 6, wearing the worn-out clothes, walked from a far place, his dark small hands holding a piece of stolen bread.

John stopped for a moment at the entrance to the church and then left tightly holding the bread,      

He was an orphan(孤儿), whose parents were killed in World War II leaving him alone in the orphanage for five years, Like many children in the house, he had a lot of free time. Mostly no one took care of them, so they had to learn how to steal those they wanted.             

John believed God to be real, so every Sunday morning in any case he would go to the church to have a look and listen to those people singing inside or reading the Bible. He felt only at this moment he was the child of God and so close to God. But he couldn’t enter because his clothes were so dirty. John himself knew it.

John was quietly calculating the times. This was his 45th Sunday at the entrance to the church. He stood on tiptoe（踮着脚尖） for a while and walked away.

As time passed, the pastor(牧师) noticed John and learned from others that he was the small boy who liked stealing things in the orphanages.

On the 46th Sunday, the sun was shining and John came still holding a piece of bread with his dark small hands. When he just stood there, the pastor came out. He felt like running away, but he was carried by the pastor's friendly smile.

The pastor walked up to his side, clearly seeing John's small hands shaking.

"Are you John?"

John didn't answer, but looked at the pastor and nodded.

"Do you believe in God?" the pastor patted John on his head with dust.

"Yes, I do!" This time John told him loudly.

"So you believe in yourself?"

John looked at the pastor, without a word.

The pastor went on saying, "At the first sight of you, I find you're different from other kids because you have a good heart."

His face turning red, John said nervously, "In fact, I'm a thief." With that, he lowered his head.

The pastor didn't speak, but held John's dark small hands, slowly opened them and put them against his wrinkled face.

"Ah" Just at the same time, John shouted and was about to take out his dark small hands. Yet the pastor tightly held his small hands and spread them out in the sun.

"Do you see, John?"

"What?"

"You're cupping the sunshine in your hands."

John blankly looked at his hands: when did they become so beautiful?

"In God's eyes, all children are the same. When they are willing to spread out their hands to greet the sun, the sun will naturally shine on them. And you have two things more than they do. First is courage and the second is kindness." With that, the pastor led him into the church. It was the first time that John went into this sacred place, and at this moment he didn't feel inferior, but the unspeakable warmth.

On that morning greeting the sunshine, John found himself again, along with the confidence, satisfaction, happiness, dreams he had never had.

Twenty years have passed. Now the boy who ever tightly held the bread with his dirt hands has been the most famous cook in Philadelphia and made many popular dishes.

Every Sunday morning, he would personally send the bread he baked to the orphanage. Those children who greeted him with cheers were used to consciously spreading their palms before they got the bread.

Because they all knew when we are willing to spread out our hands to greet the sunshine, the sun will naturally shine on us.

1.The method the writer uses to develop Paragraph is ______________

A．presenting contrasts (对比)                B．showing causes （原因）

C．offering analyses                        D．providing explanations

2.Why didn't John go inside whenever he went to the church?

A．He was frightened to be recognized by the pastor

B．He was not welcomed by those singing in the church.

C．He was sorry for his dirty clothes and identity as a thief.

D．He was left alone in the orphanage and nobody cared for him.

3.Which of the following questions did John reply certainly?

A．“Are you John?"                        B．"Do you see, John?"

C．"So you believe in yourself?"               D．"Do you believe in God?"

4.Which of the following can best describe the pastor's great effect on John?

A．John became a famous cook.

B．John admitted his bad behavior. (行为)

C．John believed God to be real

D．John spread warmth to other orphans.

5.According to the passage, the sunshine cupped in hands can bring _______________

A．cheers and confidence                   B．dreams and imagination

C．courage and kindness                    D．forgiveness and satisfaction

The computer keyboard helped kill shorthand---a system of rapid handwriting, and now it's threatening to finish off handwriting as a whole. When handwritten essays were introduced on the SAT exams for the class of 2011, just 15% of the most 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive (草写字母）.The rest? Block letters.

And those college hopefuls are just the first edge of a wave of US students who no longer get much handwriting instructions in the primary grades, frequently 10 minutes a day or less. As a result, more and more students struggle to read and write cursive.

At Keene Mill Elementary School in Springfield, all their poems and stories are typed. Children in Fairfax County schools are taught keyboarding beginning in kindergarten. Older students who never mastered handwriting say it doesn't affect their grades.

There are those who say the culture is at a crossing, turning from the written word to the typed one. If handwriting becomes a lost form of communication, does it matter?

It was at University of Virginia that researchers recently discovered a previously unknown poem by Robert, written in his unique script. Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers, historians say, because their authenticity (真实性）can be confirmed. Students also find them more fascinating.

The loss of handwriting also may be a cognitive (认知的）opportunity missed. Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better-a lifelong benefit.

It doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills. At some schools in Prince George's County, elementary school students use a program called Handwriting Without Tears for 15 minutes a day. They learn the correct formation of manuscript letters through second grade, and cursive letters in third grade.

There are always going to be some kids who struggle with handwriting because of their particular neurological (神经系统的)wiring, learning issues or poor motor skills. Educators often point to this factor in support of keyboarding.

1.What is the author concerned about after 2011 SAT exams?

A. Keyboarding.      B. Shorthand

C. Handwriting.    D. Block letters.

2.A poem by Robert mentioned in the passage is used to _________.

A. prove how valuable handwriting is

B. explain what a famous poet he is

C. show how unique his poem is

D. stress how fascinating the documents are

3.The example of Handwriting Without Tears helps to argue that_________.

A. the schools are responsible for the loss of handwriting

B. the loss of handwriting is a cognitive opportunity missed xKb 1.Com 

C. it doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills

D. the culture is turning from the written word to the typed one

4. According to the author, when is a perfect time to learn handwriting?

A. Kindergarten.           B. Primary school.           C. High school.            D. College.

5.What is the author’s attitude towards this debate?

   A. Devotion.        B. Encouragement.         C. critical.          D. Objective.