THIS is a story about a boy called Sparky. For Sparky, school was all but impossible. He failed every subject in the eighth grade. He got a zero in physics. It made him the worst physics student in the school’s history. He didn’t do much better in sports. He made the school golf team, but lost the only important match of the season.

He didn’t have friends, either. Other kids didn’t care about him. If a classmate said “hello” to Sparky outside of school, he would feel very surprised. There’s no way to tell how he might have done at dating(约会). Sparky never once asked a girl to go out in high school. He was too afraid of being turned down.  

He was a loser(失败者), and he and his classmates knew it. But, somehow, he decided to keep trying. The only thing important in his life was drawing. He was proud of his ability even though no one else appreciated it. He submitted(递交) some cartoons for his high school yearbook, but they were rejected.

After completing high school he wrote a letter to the Walt Disney Studios. He was told to submit some samples. He spent a great deal of time on the drawings. They were rejected. Another loss for the loser.  

So Sparky decided to write his own auto biography(自传) in cartoons. He created his childhood self – a little-boy loser: Charlie. He never succeeded in kicking a football and never got a date with the little red-haired girl. Sparky, the boy who had such a lack of success in school and whose work was rejected again and again, was Charles Schulz. He created the Peanuts comic strip and the world-famous cartoon characters Charlie Brown and Snoopy. 

1.From the first paragraph we can see that Sparky was        in high school.

A．a loser            B．a talented boy      C．a good player      D．a bad boy

2.Sparky never asked a girl for dating because he was afraid of       .

A．making mistakes                        B．making friends

C．being refused                          D．talking to girls

3.What does the underlined word “He” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．His cartoon character Charlie              B．Snoopy

C．Charles Schulz                          D．Walt Disney

4.His only success mentioned in this passage is           .

A．his autobiography in cartoons．            B．his artwork submitted to the Yearbook

C．his cartoons submitted to Walt Disney Studios  D．his golf match in high school

Why play games? Because they are fun, and we can learn even more while playing. Following the rules, planning your next move, acting as a team member — these are all “game” ideas that you will come across all through your life. They can help you in different ways.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are very interesting. But perhaps more importantly, they translate part of life into exciting games that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating (合作).   
Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For example, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones, which improves the hand-eye coordination (协调) needed in fishing.
The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competitions. People who watch the event (比赛项目) know that a gold medal is a win for the whole country, not just the athlete who got it. For countries experiencing natural disasters (灾害) or wars, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports games are also an event that unites (团结) people. Football is the most popular sport in the world. People all over the world play it — some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian football player, has discovered a way to spread hope through football. He created a foundation (基金会) to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a bright future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other parts of your life.
【小题1】What are children expected to learn when they play games?

THIS is a story about a boy called Sparky. For Sparky, school was all but impossible. He failed every subject in the eighth grade. He got a zero in physics. It made him the worst physics student in the school’s history. He didn’t do much better in sports. He made the school golf team, but lost the only important match of the season.
He didn’t have friends, either. Other kids didn’t care about him. If a classmate said “hello” to Sparky outside of school, he would feel very surprised. There’s no way to tell how he might have done at dating(约会). Sparky never once asked a girl to go out in high school. He was too afraid of being turned down.  
He was a loser(失败者), and he and his classmates knew it. But, somehow, he decided to keep trying. The only thing important in his life was drawing. He was proud of his ability even though no one else appreciated it. He submitted(递交) some cartoons for his high school yearbook, but they were rejected.
After completing high school he wrote a letter to the Walt Disney Studios. He was told to submit some samples. He spent a great deal of time on the drawings. They were rejected. Another loss for the loser.  
So Sparky decided to write his own auto biography(自传) in cartoons. He created his childhood self – a little-boy loser: Charlie. He never succeeded in kicking a football and never got a date with the little red-haired girl. Sparky, the boy who had such a lack of success in school and whose work was rejected again and again, was Charles Schulz. He created the Peanuts comic strip and the world-famous cartoon characters Charlie Brown and Snoopy. 
【小题1】From the first paragraph we can see that Sparky was        in high school.

Why play games? Because they are fun, and we can learn even more while playing. Following the rules, planning your next move, acting as a team member — these are all “game” ideas that you will come across all through your life. They can help you in different ways.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are very interesting. But perhaps more importantly, they translate part of life into exciting games that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating (合作).   
Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For example, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones, which improves the hand-eye coordination (协调) needed in fishing.
The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competitions. People who watch the event (比赛项目) know that a gold medal is a win for the whole country, not just the athlete who got it. For countries experiencing natural disasters (灾害) or wars, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports games are also an event that unites (团结) people. Football is the most popular sport in the world. People all over the world play it — some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian football player, has discovered a way to spread hope through football. He created a foundation (基金会) to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a bright future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other parts of your life.

1. 1.

   What are children expected to learn when they play games?

   1. A.
      To act as a team leader.
   2. B.
      To follow the basic rules.
   3. C.
      To train how to move fast.
   4. D.
      To practice rope-jumping.
2. 2.

   What can we learn from the passage?

   1. A.
      Games can help everybody to make much money.
   2. B.
      Games can turn real-life experiences into a story.
   3. C.
      Games can make skill learning more interesting.
   4. D.
      Games can prevent all the countries from disasters.
3. 3.

   What’s the main idea of the passage?

   1. A.
      Games can help people in different ways.
   2. B.
      People are advised to play games for fun.
   3. C.
      An Olympic win means a lot to every country.
   4. D.
      Sports can get people all over the world together.

Why play games? Because they are fun, and we can learn even more while playing. Following the rules, planning your next move, acting as a team member — these are all “game” ideas that you will come across all through your life. They can help you in different ways.

Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are very interesting. But perhaps more importantly, they translate part of life into exciting games that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating (合作).   

Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For example, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones, which improves the hand-eye coordination (协调) needed in fishing.

The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competitions. People who watch the event (比赛项目) know that a gold medal is a win for the whole country, not just the athlete who got it. For countries experiencing natural disasters (灾害) or wars, an Olympic win can mean so much.

Sports games are also an event that unites (团结) people. Football is the most popular sport in the world. People all over the world play it — some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian football player, has discovered a way to spread hope through football. He created a foundation (基金会) to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a bright future.

Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other parts of your life.

1.What are children expected to learn when they play games?

2.What can we learn from the passage?

3.What’s the main idea of the passage?