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

Have you ever planted a few trees on Tree Planting Day? Each year, millions of people, both 41.______, plant a lot of trees. But this may not be the best way to make your home a 42._____ place.
Last week we visited a park in Hebei. We were 43._____ to find most of the trees had been burned. The workers told us that the trees 44._____ soon after they were planted because they weren’t watered well enough. 45._____ workers burned them and cleaned the place for 46._____ trees to be planted this year. 47.______ a card found in one of the dead trees, a student wrote,” I hope this tree will grow up with me to 48.______ the backbone (栋梁) of our country.” The workers said that the survival (存活) of the trees was really more important than 49.______ trees were planted.
Some people in Beijing now have a new idea that they can donate (捐赠) some money and let professional (专业人士) plant and 50.______ the trees.

【小题1】

A．students and teachers B．old and young C．boys and girls D．mother and father

【小题2】

A．smaller B．colder C．warmer D．larger

【小题3】

A．pleased B．happy C．interesting D．surprised

【小题4】

A．died B．grew C．bought D．planted

【小题5】

A．Though B．When C．Because D．So

【小题6】

A．few B．old C．new D．dead

【小题7】

A．Over B．From C．On D．About

【小题8】

A．need B．hold C．plant D．be

【小题9】

A．how many B．when C．how soon D．why

【小题10】

A．take out B．take down C．take up D．take care of

Have successful people ever felt sad? Do they have any "secrets" to success? The answers to these questions can be found in US president Barack Obama's "back to school" speech. Here is a small part of his speech.
I know that sometimes, after watching TV, you may feel that you can be rich and successful without any hard work--that your ticket to success is through rapping (饶舌音乐) or basketball or being a TV star. But when chances come, you may not succeed.
The truth is, being successful is hard. And you may not succeed at everything the first time you try. That's OK. Some of the most successful people in the world have had the most failures. JK Rowling's first Harry Potter book was rejected(退稿)12 times before it finally came out. Michael Jordan lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career (职业生涯). But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
These people succeeded because they understand that you can't let your failures beat you--you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time.
No one's born being good at things. You become good at things through hard work. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
And even when you're struggling(挣扎), even when you're discouraged(泄气), and you feel like other people have given up on you--don't ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.
【小题1】Why does Barack Obama talk about JK Rowling and Michael Jordan in the second paragraph?

A．To show that these two famous persons are different.

B．To show that writing and sports are difficult skills.

C．To show that the two persons were treated unfairly.

D．To show that being successful is hard.

【小题2】Barack Obama believes ____________ in his speech.

A．you can be rich and successful without any hard work

B．you may succeed at everything the first time you try

C．you can't let your failures beat you

D．you shouldn't ask other people for help

【小题3】What does the underlined sentence mean?

A．If you're discouraged, you should give up on yourself.

B．You should believe in yourself no matter how difficult it is.

C．When you're struggling, you'll feel like other people have given up on you.

D．If you are not struggling or discouraged, you can give up on yourself.

【小题4】What's the best title of this small part of Mr. Obama's speech?

A．The way to succeed	B．Failures can help you
C．Don't give up on yourself	D．Barack Obama's success

Have you ever heard of a famous charity called Operation Smile? We hope we can help you understand how we are trying to help children all over the world.
Operation Smile was started by a doctor and his wife. In 1982, together with some volunteers, they went to Philippines to help children who had holes in their lips or inside their mouths. It was very difficult for them to eat and drink. These volunteers worked very hard. But they worried that they could not carry on with the work because they were short of money. Then they decided to start a charity so that they could help these needy children. They called it Operation Smile.
Operation Smile works in more than twenty developing countries and has cured over 10,000 children who have problems with their mouths. Operation Smile has won many prizes for its work and in 1999 they even started a special event called“The World Journey of Hope”. 5,000 children in 18 countries are cured during the event.
On the other hand, Operation Smile trains local doctors and nurses in developing countries so that they can continue to help children when Operation Smile has left. As to the children with much more serious problems, they will send them to America for further treatment.
So show your kindness and generosity to the needy children now. You can send your donation to Operation Smile at local banks. Many thanks from the children who can smile now will come to you.
【小题1】Operation Smile is a famous _____, which was started by a doctor and his wife.

A．school

B．charity

C．building

D．person

【小题2】Operation Smile helps the children by _____.

A．curing the children who have problems with their mouths

B．helping poor children go back to school

C．helping blind children to see again

D．offering houses to homeless children

【小题3】 Five thousand children from _____ countries are cured during the event “The World Journey of Hope”.
A. ten                 B sixteen          C. eighteen            D. twenty
【小题4】Why did they worry that they could not carry on with the work?
Because  _____.

A．there were no more volunteers

B．they went to America for further study

C．they didn’t have enough money

D．the doctors were too busy

【小题5】What does the writer ask us to do to show our kindness and generosity to the needy children?

A．To donate money at local banks.

B．To be a volunteer in Philippines.

C．To send cards to the needy children.

D．To be a doctor of Operation Smile.

Have you ever suddenly felt that someone you know was in trouble—and he was? Have you ever dreamed something that came true later? Maybe you have ESP.
ESP stands for（代表） Extra Sensory Perception. It may be called a sixth sense. It seems to let people know about events before they happen, or events that are happening some distance away.
Here is an example: A woman was doing washing. Suddenly she screamed, “My father is dead!” I saw him sitting in the chair!” Just then. a telegram came. The woman’s father had died of a heart attack. He died sitting in a chair.
There are thousands of stories like this on record. Scientists are studying them to find out what is behind these strange mental messages. Here’s another example—one of hundreds of dreams that have come true.
A man dreamed he was walking along a road when a horse and carriage came by. The driver said, “There’s room for one more.” The man felt the driver was dead, so he ran away. The next day the man was getting on a crowded bus. The bus driver said, “There’s room for one more.” Then the man saw the driver’s face was the same face he had seen in the dream. He wouldn’t get on the bus. As the bus drove off, it crashed and burst into flames. Everyone was killed!
Some people say stories like these are lies or coincidences. Others, including some scientists say that ESP is true. From studies of  ESP, we may some day learn more about the human mind.
【小题1】People with ESP may know about ____________

A．someone’s trouble	B．events before they happen
C．their dreams	D．events after they happen

【小题2】 From the passage it can be inferred that ____________.

A．all people have ESP	B．some women or men have ESP
C．children have ESP	D．no have ESP