I wonder whether there is any girl or boy who does not like to see a rainbow in the sky. It is so beautiful.
There is a story, saying that whenever you see a rainbow you should run at once to the place where it touches the ground, and there you would find a pot of gold. Of course it is not true. You could not find the pot of gold or its end. No matter how far you run, it always seems far away.
A rainbow is not a thing which we can feel with our hands as we can feel a flower. It is only the effect of light shining on raindrops. The raindrops catch the sunlight and break it up into all the wonderful colours which we see. It is called a rainbow perhaps because it is made up of raindrops and looks like a bow（弓).
That is why we can never see a rainbow in a clear sky. We see a rainbow only when there is rain in the air and the sun is shining brightly through the clouds.
Every rainbow has many colours in the same order. The first or the top colour is always red, and the next comes orange, then yellow, and last of all, blue. A rainbow is indeed one of the wonders of nature.
小题1:Children like rainbows because          .

A．they are beautiful

B．they are like bows

C．they can find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow

D．they are good to crops

小题2:We cannot feel          with our hands.

A．a pot of gold

B．a flower

C．a rainbow

D．a raindrop

小题3:We can see a rainbow          .

A．when it is raining heavily

B．when it is snowing

C．when it is cloudy

D．when it is becomes fine shortly after raining

小题4:Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．A rainbow is like bow.

B．A rainbow is the effect of light shining on raindrops.

C．Every rainbow has different colours in different orders.

D．A rainbow is one of the wonders of nature.

小题5:The first colour of a rainbow is always           .

A．yellow

B．red

C．green

D．blue

The hottest place in the world is the Sahara Desert in Africa. But there are deserts in many other places: in America, in Asia and in Australia. In 1917 the temperature in Death Valley, in the United States, was over 48°C every day for six weeks. That's very hot!
But deserts are not always hot. After dark, deserts are very cold.
Not many animals and plants can live in a desert, because it doesn't rain very often. But one animal likes the desert — the camel. It has big feet to walk on the sand. It can live for a long time without water. Sometimes it doesn't drink anything for weeks — so it gets very thirsty! When it finds water it can drink 100 liters(升) at a time.
小题1:What’s the weather like in a desert?

A．Always hot.

B．Always cold

C．Warm and wind

D．Hot in the daytime, cold in the night

小题2:How many days is the temperature over 48°C in Death Valley?

A．6 days

B．30 days

C．42 days

D．48 days

小题3:Which animal can live in the desert?

A．Camels

B．Horses

C．Tigers

D．Dogs

小题4:The hottest place in the world is ______________.

A．Sahara Desert

B．Death Valley

C．Australia

D．We don’t know

小题5:How is a camel like?

A．It has big nose

B．It can drink much water.

C．It can’t live for 7 days without water.

D．It can live for 100 years.

Canberra is the capital of Australia. It is a modern and lively city with a population of over 345 000.

History Canberra is the eighth largest city in Australia. It is 238 km from Sydney and 507 km from Melbourne. Melbourne was once the capital of Australia. Sydney people also wanted to make their city the capital. It was difficult for the government to make the decision. Then in 1911, the government chose a place to build the new capital. It was between Sydney and Melbourne, the two largest cities in Australia. It took more than 14 years to build the city. In 1927, the city was set up. It became the capital and was named Canberra. “ Canberra” means “a place for friends to get together”.

Culture Canberra is a beautiful city with trees and flowers everywhere. There’s a Flower Festival in September each year. People can enjoy all kinds of beautiful flowers and welcome the spring to arrive. A man-made lake --- Lake Burley Griffin is in the center of the city. It’s about 25 km long. People like to ride bikes, walk or run around the lake. In Canberra, there’re many famous universities like the Australian National University and the University of Canberra. The National Library and the National Museum of Australia are also famous places that people like to visit.

小题1:How far is Canberra from Sydney ?

A．25 km.

B．238 km.

C．345km.

D．507 km.

小题2:The word “ Canberra” means ____________.

A．the largest city	B．a beautiful man-made lake
C．the old capital city	D．a place for friends to get together

小题3:Canberra Flower Festival is a festival to ____________.

A．ride bikes	B．visit universities
C．welcome the spring	D．walk around the lake

Antifreeze is a liquid(液体) that is added to water to keep it from freezing． When water freezes and turns to ice，it expands(膨胀)．The force of water expanding is so great that it will break the hardest metal．Water is used in car engines(发动机) to keep them cool while they run，and if this water is allowed to freeze in winter it can break the iron block of the engine．That is why antifreeze is necessary．
Water freezes at 0℃；the usual kind of antifreeze will not freeze until the temperature is－40℃．A mixture(混合物) of five parts of water and four parts of antifreeze will prevent freezing at－18℃；four parts of water and five parts of antifreeze reduce this to －22℃．
Alcohol is a kind of good antifreeze，but when the air is running it becomes hot and the alcohol boils away，so it must be changed very often．Most people use antifreeze that does not boil away when the engine is running．There are several chemicals that do this．One of the most popular is called ethylene glycol．
小题1:people use ________ to keep car engines cool．

A．antifreeze

B．water

C．alcohol

D．ethylene glycol.

小题2:The usual kind of antifreeze freezes at ________．

A．0℃

B．－18℃

C．－22℃

D．－40℃

小题3:We use antifreeze in order to ________．

A．keep alcohol in water

B．stop ice from becoming water

C．make the freezing point of water lower

D．raise the freezing point of water

小题4:Besides alcohol，________ is another kind of popular antifreeze．

A．water

B．ethylene glycol

C．any chemical

D．any mixture

小题5:The text is written to ________．

A．tell us what antifreeze is

B．make people buy antifreeze

C．tell us that cars need antifreeze

D．show us how to protect car engines

If the rose can be said to be a special flower, then the apple can be said to be a special fruit．It is very important in American culture．American stories speak of Johnny Appleseed, who went throughout America collecting apple seeds and planting apple trees．He had a great love for nature and went through fields and farms adding richness and beauty to the country．
One of the first sayings taught to school children is, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away．” This short saying encourages children to eat fresh fruit to keep healthy． If someone always says good words to a person, people will call him an “apple polisher”．This, however, is not a good name．If someone is very dear to us, we say that he or she is the “apple of our eye”．
Most people believe that the fruit which Eve gave to Adam was an apple, even though the Bible (圣经) never says so．The apple, therefore, is a deep part of the language and stories of America．
An apple is also delicious．Apples can be cooked in many ways, used as a dessert, and made into sweet juice．
In many parts of the country during the harvest season, a popular activity is to go into an apple garden to pick apples．Washington, D．C．and New York are both famous for their apples．
Finally, when it’s time to take a vacation to American cities, one can always visit New York, which is “the biggest apple” of all the American cities．
小题1:During these years, iphones are popular with the people all over the world. Which country is his starter--Steven Paul Jobs from?

A．America

B．England

C．Russia

D．Japan

小题2:Why was Johnny Appleseed so famous?

A．He had a great love of nature．

B．He liked the American people．

C．He went throughout the country．

D．He collected apple seeds and planted apple trees．

小题3:What does the underlined phrase “apple polisher” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Something for cutting apples．

B．A person who likes to please others．

C．A person who is dealing with fruits．

D．A machine for cleaning apples quickly．

小题4:Which of the following is TRUE with apples?

A．Apples are medicine．

B．Apples are the most important food．

C．New York is famous for its big apples．

D．The Bible says Adam was given an apple．

小题5:The passage is mainly about ___________．

A．apples in American culture

B．stories about the apple

C．some famous sayings of the apple

D．big cities that are famous for apples

Passage 1
Do you always understand directions on a bottle of medicine? Do you know what is meant by “Take only as directed”? Read the following directions and see if you understand them.
“To reduce pain, take two tablets (药片) with water, followed by one tablet every eight hours, as required. For night-time and early morning relief (减缓疼痛) take two tablets at bedtime. Do not take more than six tablets in twenty-four hours.
For children of six t twelve years old, give half the amount (量). For children under six years old, ask your doctor’s advice.
Reduce the amount if you suffer from restlessness or sleeplessness after taking the medicine.
小题1:How many tablets at most can a person over 12 have in 24 hours?

A．Three

B．Four

C．Six

D．Eight

小题2: How many tablets should a nine-year-old kid normally take in 24 hours?

A．Half a tablet

B．One tablet

C．Two tablets

D．Four tablets

小题3:What is the advice for one who cannot sleep well after taking the medicine?

A．Stop taking the medicine at bedtime.	B．Continue to take the normal amount
C．Take more than the normal amount	D．Take less than the normal amount

小题4: It can be inferred from the medicine directions that this medicine ______.

A．helps you to fall asleep quickly	B．may be dangerous to small children
C．cannot be taken if one feels sleepy	D．should not be taken by kids under 6

小题5:This text is most probably taken from a _______.

A．textbook

B．newsreel

C．doctor’s notebook

D．bottle of medicine

Passage 2
When you get tired of homework, several minutes’ walk in a nearby green park helps you relax at once. Or you may stand facing the lake or the seas. They will calm (not to be excited or nervous) you just like the green plants.
Wonder why? Color is a key part of the answers. Since it is so, green and blue help make people feel more quiet and safe.
All colors have special power. Scientists have found that many colors have specific effects (效果) on people’s mind and feelings.
Try an easy and interesting experiment and you’ll see how color “mislead” you sometimes. Wrap (包装) two boxes of the same size with colored paper, one red and the other white. Then weigh the two boxes with your hands. Which one is heavier? Most people will think that the red box is heavier, even though they weigh the same.
Colors can affect (影响) learning. Scientists have found that students spend more time reading if they read information written in blue text. Blue helps most people calm down and think more.
Clever uses of colors in daily life are to be seen everywhere. Hospitals and libraries seldom paint their walls, tables and desks red. They use light colors, like light blue or green. Red makes people excited while light colors help them relax. Haven’t worked out how color affects your daily life? Start with your small room. Try to make some changes in it and you’ll get to know how important color is!
小题1:The underlined word “mislead” means _____.

A．affects	B．effects
C．causes someone to have a wrong idea	D．give wrong directions

小题2:We’d better paint the walls of the hospital in _____.

A．light blue or light green	B．deep red or deep brown
C．deep orange or deep red	D．light green or light yellow

小题3:If you want to ______, you’d better sit in the room painted blue.

A．weigh something with your hands	B．study attentively
C．face the lake or the sea	D．enjoy some rock music

小题4:Which of the following is NOT true?

A．When you are going to have a rest, you’d better sit in the room painted green

B．Scientists have known some differences among some colors

C．When you get tired of homework, you should look at the green plants far away

D．The passage has told us clearly why some colors are warm and other colors are cool.

小题5:The reading mainly shows us _____.

A．the difference between red and blue

B．how to get on well with others

C．how to make smart uses of different colors in our daily life

D．how to paint and decorate our rooms

阅读短文， 根据要求完成下面各小题。
Canada is one of the best places in the world for a skiing(滑雪) vacation. Here are some good resorts(胜地) for skiing in Canada.
Canmore, one of the best resorts, is in Alberta, Canada. It is cheap and you can also stay in the National Park.
Another great place is Marmot Basin. This beautiful ski resort is also in Alberta. It’s one of the least crowded ski resorts in North America. 71. You can spend more time on the slopes(斜坡) and don’t need to wait to go back up the mountain.
Mount Tremblant Resort is in the beautiful Laurentian Mountains. It has a beautiful village(乡村), with a lot to see and do. This is a great place to enjoy winter and skiing.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is a four-season(季节) mountain resort. It is in the Canadian Rockies. You can enjoy skiing and sightseeing during the day and relax in the quiet hotel during the evening.
Have a look at these places before planning your skiing vacation. You are sure to find one you like.
（一）根据短文内容，回答下列各题。
小题1:How many places for skiing in Canada are mentioned(提到) in this passage?
_________________________________________________________________
小题2:Which two ski resorts are in Alberta?
_________________________________________________________________
（二）将文中划线的句子译成汉语。
小题3:_____________________________________________________________
（三）给短文拟一个合适的标题。
小题4:_____________________________________________________________

In recent years advances in medical technology have made it possible for people to live longer than in the past．New medicines and machines are developing every day to extend life．However, some people，including some doctors，don’t agree with these life extending measures, and they say that people should have the right(权利)to die when they want．They say that the quality of life is as important as life itself，and that people should not be forced to go on living when conditions of life have become unbearable．They say that people should be allowed to die with dignity(尊严)and to decide when they want to die．Others don’t agree and say that life under any conditions is better than death and that the duty of doctors is always to extend life as long as possible．And so the quarrel goes on and on without a definite(明确的)answer．
小题1:People can live longer than in the past．It’s because _______．

A．medical technology develops	B．we have big hospitals
C．there are many good doctors	D．both B and C

小题2:According to some people whether a dying patient has the right to die is up to__________.

A．the doctors	B．the surroundings
C．his or her family	D．the patient himself or herself

小题3:In the writer’s opinion __________.

A．death is better than life	B．1ife is better than death
C．neither life nor death is good	D．none of the above

小题4:Why do some patients want to die? Because ________.

A．the doctors are not good	B．the conditions are bad
C．life is too hard	D．they are seriously ill

Before you can start speaking and writing in English, your brain must get enough correct English sentences. This is obvious（显而易见的）.
There are two ways to get correct English sentences: listening and reading. Both are good, but reading is much easier than listening. With the help of a good dictionary, you will be able to understand English texts much more easily than movies. If you just read one book in English, you will see that your English has become much better. English phrases will just come to you without thinking when you are writing or speaking.
This is true for hundreds of words and grammar structures（结构）. If you read in English, you can forget about grammar rules. Throw away your grammar book! You needn’t know the rules for the present perfect tense(现在完成时). Instead, read a few books in English, and soon you will feel that “I have seen Paul yesterday” is wrong. The only difference between you and native speakers is that they have heard and read more English sentences than you have.
小题1:From the first paragraph, we know that ________.

A．English is difficult to learn

B．if you have seen an English sentence, you can speak English

C．before you use English, you must know some English

D．everyone is a born English speaker

小题2:What is the best way to get correct English sentences according to the passage?

A．Speaking.	B．Writing.
C．Thinking.	D．Reading and listening.

小题3:In the writer’s opinion, we can grasp English grammar rules _______.

A．by reading English books	B．by reading grammar books
C．by writing and speaking	D．by learning grammar rules

小题4:The only difference between you and native speakers is that native speakers _______.

A．have parents as their English teachers

B．are born to know grammar rules and phrases

C．read and hear more English than you

D．have a gift in learning English

小题5:What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．It is important for us to know English words.

B．Reading is important for us to learn English.

C．English grammar is not so important.

D．The best way to learn English is going to England.