Driving a car at a high speed along a highway seems to be fun. You need only to follow the bright traffic signs beside the highways and it will take you to where you wish. But to a London taxi driver, driving is not an easy job. A taxi driver has to have not only skills but also a good knowledge of the city of London, from the smaller road to the most popular bar around. He has to be at service of all kinds of passengers at all times.
A certain London taxi driver told of his job as follows.
During the night it is quite usual for him to stop two or three times for some refreshments (提神). He said, “I never drink when I’m working --- I would lose my license.”
He usually goes home between 2 and 3 o’clock in the night. There are times he has to stay longer and try to make more runs. He said, “That’s the worst thing about working for yourself. If you don’t make any money, no one is going to give it to you.”
London taxi drivers not only “take” but also “give”. Every summer hundreds of children from London will go for a day at the sea --- by taxi! Their rides are paid by the taxi drivers, and these all go to the “London Taxi for Underprivileged Children”. At the sea, they are met by the mayor (市长), and a lunch party is also held in honor of the taxi drivers and the children. After a happy day running around the sea beaches and visiting the markets, the children go home again --- by taxi, and free of charge (支出), of course!
【小题1】From the first paragraph, we can see that________.

A．highways are developing very fast and there are more and more taxis.

B．it is easy to get to any place of the country now

C．it is fun to travel everywhere in a car

D．the writer wants to tell us that a London taxi driver has many difficulties in his driving

【小题2】It is not easy to be a taxi driver in London because ________.

A．he has to know all the places in the city and serve all kinds of passengers at all the time

B．there is much traffic in London and people there like traveling by taxi

C．he has to follow the bright traffic sighs

D．although he works hard he earns little money

【小题3】The underlined phrase “Underprivileged Children” in the last paragraph is about the children ________.
A. who have little knowledge              B. whose families are poor
C. who will go to sea                     C. who like taking a taxi
【小题4】What is the passage about?

A．Traffic in London.	B．London taxi for children
C．Taxi divers’ job in London.	D．Drivers disliking taxis in London

150 Years of Cool
Look in the bedrooms of young people around the world. You will probably find a pair of blue jeans in each room. Jeans are very popular all over the world.
Jeans give you the feeling of comfort, youth and energy. They have long been liked by every person.
Levi Strauss is an American company. It first made blue jeans. The company was founded in 1853 by 24-year-old Levi Strauss. Twenty years later, he made the first blue jeans in the world. The jeans were used as working trousers for the cowboys of the American West. During the Second World War, American soldiers brought blue jeans to Europe and Asia. People there began to wear jeans. Little by little, they become cool.
People from different countries like different styles of jeans. Americans like to wear simple and single-colored jeans, but many Chinese like to wear jeans with lots of different colors.
Jeans now can be seen everywhere: However, in many places, it’s not always good to wear jeans. No matter how good they may look, or what color they are, it’s often not right to wear jeans in formal places. But, when you are out, relaxing and having fun, jeans are the best choice.
【小题1】The story is talking about_____________.

A．Levi Strauss

B．young people

C．cool

D．jeans

【小题2】Levi Strauss made the first blue jeans_____________.

A．when he was 44

B．when he was 24

C．in 1853

D．in 1924

【小题3】___________ wore jeans after they were first made.

A．American soldiers	B．American cowboys
C．Levi Strauss	D．The people in Europe

【小题4】Jeans can be cool for nearly 150 years because _____________.

A．they have different styles

B．they have different colors

C．they make us feel youth, comfort and energy

D．they are working trousers.

【小题5】When you _____________, you’d better not wear a pair of jeans.

A．go to an important meeting	B．go on a trip
C．have a party	D．are having fun

Except for a few times, Americans are not big present-givers. There’s no exchange of presents among business people, and if one American tries to give another a present, it may look like that he wants to bribe (贿赂) him. Americans have learned that in some other countries people like to give presents to others, but among ourselves we don’t see the need for presents.
Even friends may never exchange presents. When I go to foreign countries, I try to bring back little things for close friends, but nobody would feel unhappy if I didn’t. I don’t often re­member a friend’s birthday, and few people outside of my family remember mine. If someone gave me presents too often, I’d get unpleasant. But a present from a foreigner - that kind from his or her homeland — won’t go wrong, except to government employees (政府职员) who can’t be given presents.
You usually open a present at once and in front of the person who gives it except Christmas and birthday presents. You should only say, "It’s so nice. Thanks…" when you get Christ­mas or birthday presents.
You may want to bring a bottle of wine (葡萄酒) or flowers to a dinner party, but you’re
never asked to.  Nobody will mind if you bring wine, but your friend may not use it that evening.
At Christmas we often give presents to our family and sometimes our friends. We also give presents to people who have been helpful during the year- doormen, babysitters, housecleaners, newspaper senders— anyone who has often helped us.
【小题1】   What does "close friends" mean in the passage?

A． The friends who are very kind.

B． The friends who live close to each other.

C． The friends who were once classmates.

D． The friends who you like most.

【小题2】  What kind of presents don’t Americans usually open in front of the givers?

A．The small presents.	B． Christmas or birthday presents.
C． The expensive presents.	D． The presents for dinner party.

【小题3】           Why do Americans also give presents to housecleaners at Christmas?

A． To pay them.	B． To help them.
C． To thank them.	D． To make them work harder.

【小题4】   Which of the following do you think is right?

A． American business people don’t want presents because they are rich enough.

B． The writer of this passage must be an American.

C． Everyone must give presents to one’s family and friends at Christmas.

D． Government employees can get little presents from a foreigner.

【小题5】   What is the main idea of the passage?

A． Present-giving in the United States.

B． Customs (习俗) in the United States.

C． American people and present-giving.

D． When and how to give presents.

Nancy’s hobby is collecting sharpeners. She spends a lot of time on it after school. She has been collecting more than one hundred sharpeners from different countries. They are all different in color and size.
Nancy likes sharpeners with animals and birds on them. In this way, she learns the names of many animals and birds. She also borrows books on animals and birds from her school library. She learns a lot about them from books.
Sometimes Nancy has many sharpeners of the same kind. She gives them to her friends. Then they give her other different sharpeners in return.
Nancy has many pen pals in many countries. She sends them sharpeners of her country. In return, they send her sharpeners of their countries. Nancy’s father also gives her sharpeners. He brings them home from his friends for her.
Many of Nancy’s friends collect other things. Some collect coins and others collect matchboxes（火柴盒）or stamps. But, all of them say that Nancy’s collection is the most interesting of all.
【小题1】Nancy spends a lot of time on her hobby             .

A．before school

B．in class

C．after school

D．during her holidays

【小题2】          Nancy’s sharpeners are different in color and size.

A．All of

B．Some of

C．Many of

D．Most of

【小题3】Sometimes Nancy has many sharpeners of the same kind. She then           .

A．keeps them

B．throws them away

C．sells them

D．sends them to her friends

【小题4】What don’t Nancy’s friends collect?
A. Sharpeners.   B. Coins.    C. Matchboxes and stamps.  D. Both B and C.
【小题5】How does Nancy collect sharpeners? Which of the following is wrong?

A．Her friends give her some.

B．Her pen pals send her some.

C．Her father buys her some.

D．Her father’s friends give her some.

I’m Alfred. I was born with a problem in my backbone and mobility(行走能力）was a big challenge, but thanks to my teachers and friends, my school life was excellent.
My friends and I used to sit together and have lots of fun. Whenever we got a free period, we used to start shouting or play games. I would take part in all competitions, such as poetry writing, story writing and painting and all activities like Teachers’ Day or anybody’s birthday and had much fun.
My English teacher was very tall. The moment she would enter the class, we would all sit quiet and open the books. She would encourage me by giving me important assignments and also morning news to read during the assembly. She would come down and hear my English debate(辩论), which made me participate in all debate competitions.
The same was true of my biology and science teacher. She was very nice and sweet. She would always give me extra information on the biology project. I could not go to the lab for the practicals (lessons or exams in science, cooking etc. in which you have to do or make something yourself rather than write or read about it), so she would bring the lab down and help me with the biology and science practicals and would give me excellent marks.
My friends made me monitor and the naughty boys listen to me. My friends used to help me with my notes if I was absent. My teachers always gave me important project work and I felt proud when they patted me on the back after I finished it quickly and correctly.
I was never shouted at or made fun of or scolded(批评) by any of my friends and teachers. Today I saw the terrible punishments given to students on television news. I felt very sad.
I really want to express my love and thanks to all my wonderful teachers and friends, without whom my school life would not have been so excellent and unforgettable. I really pray to God that each child in the world is blessed with caring teachers and wants to attend school every day.
【小题1】Alfred’s problem in his backbone _________ .

A．made him have fewer friends than others

B．prevented him enjoying an excellent school life

C．left him feeling down all the time in his life

D．made it impossible for him to move freely

【小题2】How many Alfred’s teachers are mentioned in the passage?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

【小题3】Alfred tried to do the following EXCEPT _________.

A．play games during a free period with his friends

B．take part in all competitions and all activities

C．go to the school lab to do the practicals

D．complete his project work quickly and correctly

【小题4】The underlined part “patted me on the back” is closest in meaning to “_________”.

A．scolded and hit me	B．encouraged and praised me
C．touched my backbone	D．made me calm down

【小题5】By writing the passage, Alfred aims to __________.

A．tell us how lucky a boy student he was

B．express his thanks to his teachers and friends

C．get understanding and care from more people

D．show us his great school achievements