Have you ever thought of taking a train and having an adventure (奇遇)？Riding the train can be a real adventure.That is how I feel every time I take Amtrak.I often take a four?hour trip to visit my children.Every time I take this trip I never know what will happen.

Last week when I was on the train and over an hour into the train ride，there was a man sitting by himself in the back of the train carrying on a mobile phone conversation— in another language.It was loud and disturbed most of the people on the train.I think it was annoying.

Fortunately I sat next to a wonderful old lady who was taking a two?day trip by train.She said her two daughters were distraught at the thought of her driving for three days to reach her home，although she had no trouble driving.The train ride was the only choice for her.She loved to look out of the window and watch the world go by on the train.

She was fun to talk to and asked me when my children started being parents.That is a very good question.Both of us are old and have children.She asked that same question from time to time.

There are always many people on the train from all walks of life，different countries，and many languages.Riding the train is a great way to increase your knowledge and take in all kinds of cultures.If you get hungry，you can buy food in the food car at any time.If you need to use the restroom there is always one available.

It sure beats driving the car，which has to stop for food and restrooms.And it is better than taking the bus.

1．According to the passage，the purpose of the author’s train ride was________.

A．to do business　　　　　　　　　　　　 B．to see her children

C．to visit places of interest 　　　　　　　　　 D．to see her old friends

2．Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined word “distraught” in Paragraph 3?

A．Disappointed. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B．Satisfied.

C．Worried. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．Pleased.

3．Which of the following is TRUE about the old lady sitting next to the author?

A．She is too old to drive now.

B．She does not like to take trains.

C．Although she is old，she has a good memory.

D．Her daughters live far away from her home.

4．In the author’s opinion，on the train Amtrak________.

A．the services are quite good

B．the food is terribly expensive

C．all the passengers are polite

D．all the passengers are American

5．What is the best title for this passage?

A．Train ride—a cultural experience

B．A painful experience on the train

C．The history of Amtrak

D．A wonderful lady

阅读理解

　One summer morning a tiger is walking near(附近) a lake. He wants to eat something. He is very hungry. In the lake, a duck is swimming(游泳).“That is my breakfast,” thinks the tiger.

“Good morning, Mr. Duck!” says the tiger.

“Go away, you bad tiger!” says the duck.

“I want to tell you something about your friend, Miss Chicken. If you don't come, I'll go. Good bye. Mr. Duck.”?

“Wait a minute,” says the duck. “Tell me!”

The tiger looks around(周围),“I don't want other animals to know it. Come up to me,” says the tiger. Then Mr. Duck swims to the tiger. As soon as(一……就……) he gets to the bank(湖岸),the tiger gets it and eats it up.

He laughs best that laughs last.笑到最后的人才笑得最好。

1.The tiger wants to find ______.

A．a duck	B．some food
C．some water	D．a chick

2.The tiger pretends(假装) he is_______ to the duck.

A．sorry	B．careful
C．running	D．friendly (友好的)

3.The duck _______ from the tiger.

A．like?	B．likes
C．wants to see?	D．wants to know something about his friend

4.At last(最后),the tiger_______ .

A．eats the duck?	B．eats the chick
C．is afraid?	D．tells something about the chick

5.What's the best title(题目) of the story?

A．The Duck?	B．The Tiger
C．The Tiger's Breakfast?	D．Miss Chicken

 

  Height is just one of the thousands of features your genes decide. In fact, because you have two parents, your genes provide you a height that usually lands somewhere between the height of each parent. If both your parents are tall, then most probably you will be tall, too, but if you have questions about how tall you’re going to be, ask your doctor if he or she can help you find it out.
But genes don’t decide everything. For example, eating an unhealthy diet can keep you from growing to your full potential(潜力). Getting plenty of sleep and enough exercise will help you grow to the expected height.
No doubt you’re wondering how fast you should grow. It depends. There’s no perfect or right answer. Generally speaking, kids grow about 2 inches (6 centimeters) a year between age 3 and the time when they start puberty (when your body starts changing and becoming more grown up).
Your doctor will know how your growth has been going over the years. Two centimeters here and 2 inches there are not nearly as important as the height you’re at now, how you’ve been growing up to this point, and what other changes your body may be going through.
Don’t be scared if you seem to have grown a lot in a very short time. Everyone has a growth spurt（高峰）during puberty. The age for starting puberty is about 10 for girls and about 11 for boys. But it can be earlier or later ----between 7 and 13 for girls and 9 and 15 for boys.
You’ll usually begin to notice that you’re growing faster about a year or so after your body starts to show the first changes of puberty. 
【小题1】. The Chinese for the word “puberty” is 　　　　　　　　　.

A．童年时期

B．婴幼儿时期

C．习惯养成期

D．生长发育期

【小题2】 If you want to know how fast and how tall you should grow, _____.

A．you should have enough exercise	B．you can ask doctors for help
C．you should save the environment	D．You can record your growth during puberty

【小题3】 This passage is mainly about 　　　　　　　　　.

A．how the genes work in your body	B．when is the time you grow fast
C．why you look like your parents	D．how you grow to a certain height

【小题4】 After reading this passage, we can explain 　　　　　　　　　.

A．how good it is to be a doctor	B．how much sleep time we need
C．why genes can’t decide everything	D．what healthy diet is

【小题5】 Which is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Your height most probably depends on how high your parents are.

B．Girls’ age for starting puberty is usually earlier than that for boys’.

C．The time showing the first changes of puberty is never noticed.

D．You may be scared sometimes when you grow too fast.

For several years, Americans have enjoyed teleshopping—watching TV and buying things by phone.Now teleshopping is starting in Europe (欧洲).In a number of European countries, people can turn on their TVs and shop for clothes, jewelry, food, toys, and many other things.

Teleshopping is becoming popular in Sweden, for example.The biggest Swedish company sells different kinds of things on TV in 15 European countries, and in one year it made ＄100 million.In France there are two teleshopping channels, and the French spend about ＄20 million a year to buy things through these channels.

In Germany, until last year teleshopping was only possible on one channel for 1 hour every day.Then the government allowed (允许) more telepshopping.Other channels can open for telebusiness, including (包括) the largest American teleshopping company and a 24?hour teleshopping company.German businessmen are hoping this new teleshopping will help them sell more things.

Some people like teleshopping because it allows them to do their shopping without leaving their homes .With all the problems of traffic in the cities, this is an important reason.But at the same time, other Europeans do not like this new way of shopping.They call teleshopping “junk (垃圾) on the air”.Many Europeans usually worry about the quality (质量) of the things for sale on TV.Good quality is important to them, and they believe they cannot be sure about the quality of the things on TV.

The need for high quality means that European teleshopping companies will have to be different from the American companies.They will have to be more careful about the quality of the things they sell.They will also have to work harder to sell things that the buyers cannot touch or see in person.

(   )11.Teleshopping is ____ in Europe.   

　　A.not popular    B.growing    C.not possible    D.cheap

(   )12.People like teleshopping because it is ____ .

　　A.American     B.cheaper     C.easier         D.more popular

(   )13.Some Europeans don't like teleshopping because they ____ .

A.don't like to buy things               

B.don't watch TV

C.believe the things sold on TV are expensive

D.think the things sold on TV are bad quality

(   )14.In Germany, teleshopping may ____ .

A.help businessmen get more money      B.keep the shops open longer

C.have fewer buyers                   D.bring better TV programmes

(   )15.The best title of this passage is ____ .

A.American Teleshopping           B.Teleshopping Companies

C.Teleshopping in Europe           D.Teleshopping—Junk on the Air

 

Perhaps　the　only　test　score　that　I　remember　is　the　55　when　I　was　in　high　school.
The　test　was　the　final　for　a　course.　I　remember　waiting　anxiously　as　my　teacher　Mr.　Right　passed　out　our　papers　one　by　one.　It　was　a　rather　difficult　test.　I　heard　my　classmates　groaning,　and　I　could　tel　by　the　groans　that　the　scores　weren’t　looking　good.
Mr.　Right　put　my　paper　on　my　desk.　There　in　big　red　numbers,　circled　to　draw　attention,　was　my　score,　55!
I　lowered　my　head,　and　covered　the　score　up　quickly.　A　55　is　not　something　that　you　wanted　your　classmates　to　see.“The　scores　were　not　very　good,　none　of　you　passed,”Mr.　Right　said.　“The　highest　score　in　the　class　was　a　55.”
A　55.　That’s　me!
Suddenly　my　sad　look　didn’t　look　so　bad.　I　had　the　highest　score.　I　felt　a　lot　better.
I　walked　home　alone　that　day　with　the　low　but　high　score.　My　father　knew　that　I　had　a　big　test　that　day　and　asked　me　as　soon　as　I　got　home,　“How　did　you　do　in　your　test？”“I　made　a　55,”I　said.
A　frown（皱眉）now　stood　on　my　father’s　face.　I　knew　I　had　to　explain　immediately.　“But　Dad,　I　had　the　highest　score　in　the　calss,”I　proudly　stated.　I　thought　that　explanation　would　make　a　difference.“You　failed!”my　father　replied.“But　it’s　the　highest!” I　insisted.“I　don’t　care　what　scores　others　had,　but　you　failed.　What　matters　is　what　you　do!”my　father　firmly　said.
For　years,　my　father　was　always　that　way.　It　didn’t　matter　what　others　did,　it　only　mattered　what　I　did　and　that　I　did　it　excelently.
We　often　don’t　understand　the　wisdom（智慧）of　good　parents　until　we　ourselves　stand　in　the　parents’shoes.　My　father’s　words　have　carried　me　throughout　life.
【小题1】　The　word　groaning　is　the　closest　in　meaning　to　_____.

A．singing

B．laughing

C．complaining

D．quarreling

【小题2】　In　class,　to　hide　my　score　from　my　classmates,　I　_____.

A．lowered　my　head	B．covered　my　score　up
C．walked　home　alone	D．explained　immediately

【小题3】　A　frown　stood　on　my　father’s　face　because　he　thought　_____.

A．I　did　a　bad　job　in　the　test

B．I　gave　a　good　excuse

C．I　became　the　worst　student

D．I　stood　in　his　shoes

【小题4】　We　can　infer　from　the　passage　that　_____.

A．the　father　was　strict　with　his　child.

B．the　writer　was　always　poor　in　tests.

C．Mr.　Right　was　worried　about　the　writer

D．the　writer　was　always　happy　with　his　scores

【小题5】　Which　is　the　best　title　of　the　passage？

A．The　Final　Test	B．That’s　Me!
C．My　strict　Teacher	D．Scores,　Important？