Alice Munro has won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature. The short story writer is the first-ever Canadian, and the 13th woman, to win the prize. She has been called “the master of the modern short story”.

Alice Munro was born on July 10, 1931, just outside Wingham, Ontario, which has appeared in her stories many times.

Munro said that she began to escape into books when she was only ten years old. After her mother was diagnosed(诊断)with a serious disease, she started to throw herself into the world of books to make herself feel better.

Munro was a late bloomer(大器晚成) as a writer. She produced her first collection when she was 37 and didn’t get known outside Canada until the 1970s.

In fact, Munro works with an easy-to-read writing style, which is often described to be “practically perfect”. Her story, The Bear Came Over the Mountain, was made into a movie called Away From Her.

The 83-year-old author is often compared to Chekhov, the 19th century Russian who is considered one of the greatest short story writers in history.

Munro lived for many years in the small town of Clinton, Opt, but she was so shy that many people in the town didn’t know who she was. Munro said she was trying to be more social and accept invitations and go out to see people.

1.Who is Alice Munro?

2.How old is Alice Munro?

3.Why did she escape into books?

4.Can readers find any information about Wingham in Munro’s stories?

5.What is the film Away From Her based on?

6.What kind of person do you think Alice Munro is? Tell us your impression of her in TWO to THREE sentences.

A blind schoolgirl has become the youngest interpreter (口译员) when she is only ten years.

Alexia Sloane is from Cambridge. She was told by the doctor she had a brain tumor (脑癌) when she was on holiday "with her parents in France. After that the two-year-old girl became blind.

Though the little girl can't see anything, she has great talent for languages and at the age of 10 she is already fluent (流利的) in English, French, Spanish and Chinese-and is learning German.

Now her dream of working as an interpreter has come true. East of England MEP (欧盟议员) Robert Sturdy invited her to the European Parliament (议会). "Usually a person who enters the European Parliament should be 14 at least. So it was amazing for Alexia to work there at the age of 10. " said Alexia's mother Isabelle. Alexia can speak three languages since birth. As her mum is hah" French and half Spanish and her dad Richard is English. " She has always been very good at languages and shown an interest from a very young age. " added Isabelle, who also has a four-year-old daughter Melissa.

Alexia has dreamed of becoming an interpreter since she was six and chose to go to the European Parliament as her prize when she won the Young Achiever Community Award of the Year (年度青年成就奖). She asked if she could learn from the interpreters and HEP Robert Sturdy agreed to take her along as his guest. " It was fantastic and I decided to become an interpreter, "said Alexia. "Nothing can stop me. "

1.How old is the youngest interpreter according to the passage?

2.When did Alexia Sloane become blind?

3.Who offered Alexia the chance of working as an interpreter?

4.What is right about Alexia Sloane?

5.What do you think is the meaning of the sentence "Nothing can stop me. "?

根据表格所提供的信息，选择正确答案。（10分）

1.How old is Lucy?

A．Eleven.      B．Twelve.      C．Thirteen.            D．Fourteen.

2.What’s Tom’s favorite color?

A．White.           B．Red.         C．Black.           D．Blond.

3.Are they in the same school?

A．Yes, they are.   B．No, they aren’t.   

C．Yes, they do.        D．No, they don’t.

4.They are       .

A．boys         B．thirteen         C．girls            D．students

5.What color is Lucy’s hair?

A．White.           B．Red.             C．Black.   D．Blond.