A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. “What food might this contain?” the mouse wondered. He was shocked to discover it was a mousetrap.

Returning to the farmyard, the mouse warned in a loud voice, “There’s a mousetrap in the house!” The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a major concern to you, but it is of little significance to me. I cannot be bothered by it.”

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, “There’s a mousetrap in the house! There’s mousetrap in the house!” The pig showed sympathy, but said, “I am so sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there’s nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers.”

The mouse turned to the cow and said, “There’s a mousetrap in the house! There’s a mousetrap in the house!” The cow said, “Wow, Mr. Mouse. I’m sorry for you, but it’s none of my business.”

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient （配料）

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

And so, the next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think it doesn’t concern you, remember: when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

1．Which statement best fits the theme of this passage?

      A．Our lives are woven together for a reason.

       B．Don’t poke your nose into others’ affairs.

       C．Stay away from danger, and you’ll be safe.

       D．When a mouse runs across the street, everyone cries, “Kill it!”

2．Which of the animals first suffered death?

       A．Chicken              B．Pig                      C．Cow                   D．Mouse

3．Which is similar in meaning to the underlined word “slaughtered”?

       A．cooked                B．served                 C．beaten                 D．killed

4．According to the last paragraph, what situation does the writer hope to see most?

      A．Humans must stay in harmony with animals.

       B．Animals, including the mouse, should be well protected.

       C．Seeing others in trouble, we should lend a hand.

       D．We mustn’t associate with those who behave like the mouse.

As students across the country have their yearly flu shots （打流感疫苗）, doctors across the world are preparing against a possible outbreak of bird flu that few current vaccines （疫苗） will guard against. The likelihood of a bird flu spreading among humans is very high, the World Health Organization warned recently. European countries worry about bird flu very much, since many migratory birds （候鸟） start to fly back from the North.

There are at least 15 different types of bird flu virus around the world. The possible outbreak may be caused by a virus known as H5N1. It was first found to have spread from a bird to a human in Hong Kong in 1997. In addition to Asia, this bird flu has been found among birds in Romania, Turkey, Russia and Kazakhstan.

The outbreak in 1997 in Hong Kong was quickly controlled at a cost of 18 people ill and six dead. About 1.5 million chickens were collected in an effort to remove the source of the virus. But scientists say that the virus can change itself rapidly. Also, if the virus mixes with the human flu virus, it could be spread through person-to-person contact in the same way as ordinary human flu is spread. Bird flu can cause fever, coughing, sore throats and muscle aches in humans. With the introduction of vaccines, flu is not as deadly as it used to be. But throughout history it was a huge cause of death around the world. The outbreak of Spanish flu in 1918-19 killed about 40 to 50 million people worldwide.

Currently there is no vaccine against bird flu that can be used on humans. Scientists are working to develop one. This will probably take several months to complete and may not be ready in time to stop a widespread outbreak of the disease.

1．The author mainly tells us _____ in the passage.

A．people all over the world are worried about the outbreak of bird flu

B．there is a good chance of bird flu spreading to humans, which might be deadly

C．scientists are working together to develop vaccines against bird flu

D．throughout history, bird flu was a huge cause of death around the world

2．Which statement is NOT true?

A．The outbreak of bird flu in 1997 in Hong Kong was caused by a virus known as H5N1.

B．H5N1 wasn't discovered until it was found among birds in Romania and Turkey.

C．The Spanish flu in 1918-19 was deadly because it was spread from person to person.

D．People infected by bird flu suffer from fever, coughing, sore throats and muscle aches.

3．An outbreak of dangerous bird flu is possible because ______.

A．the constant changing of H5N1 may enable it to mix with the human flu virus

B．the symptoms （症状） of bird flu are just like human flu, making it hard to discover

C．there are at least 15 different types of bird flu virus

D．many countries have been affected by the dangerous disease before

4．According to the scientists, _______.

A．people needn't worry about the outbreak of bird flu

B．the virus can't be spread among humans

C．no vaccine against bird flu can be used on humans right now

D．many migratory birds start to fly back from the North

5．We can infer from the passage that _______.

A．in several months, a widespread outbreak of the disease can be stopped

B．the bird flu in 1997 in Hong Kong was soon stopped

C．as time goes on, bird flu is becoming more deadly

D．it takes scientists great effort to stop the possible outbreak of bird flu

On numerous drives throughout my childhood, my mother would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of the road or rescue a beetle (甲虫) from certain tragedy while I, in my late teens and early twenties, sat impatiently in the car.

    Though Mother’s Day follows Earth Day, for me, they have always been related. My mom has been “green” since she became concerned about the environment. Part of this habit was born of thrift (节俭). Like her mother and her grandmother before her, Mom saves glass jars, empty cheese containers and re-uses her plastic bags.

    Mom creates a kind of give-and-take relationship with wildlife in her yard. She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little early to fend off the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders out at night, it’s likely they’ll be knocked down by a family of raccoons (浣熊). Spiders that make their way into the house are captured (捕获) in a juice glass and set loose in the garden.

    I try to teach my children that looking out for the environment starts with being aware of the environment. On busy streets, we look for spent (开败的) dandelions (蒲公英) to parachute; we say hello to neighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags. This teaching comes easily, I realize, because I was taught so well by example. Mom didn’t need to lecture; she didn’t need to beat a drum to change the world. She simply slowed down enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came compassion and an instinct (本能) for preservation.

    I am slowing down and it isn’t because of the weight of my nearly forty years on the planet, it is out of my concern for the planet itself. I’ve begun to save glass jars and re-use packing envelopes. I pause in my daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other through the palm (棕榈树) leaves above my porch (门廊).

    Last summer, in the company of my son and daughter, I planted tomatoes in my yard. With the heat of August around me, I ate the first while sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands. Warm from the sun, it burst on my tongue with a sweetness I immediately wanted to share with my mom.

Why does the author say Earth Day is connected with Mother’s Day?

A. Because Mother’s Day falls shortly after Earth Day.

B. To stress that all the older women in her family are environmentalists.

C. To stress how much her mother cares about the environment.

D. Because on Mother’s Day her mother shows her how to be friend to nature.

According to the fourth paragraph, which of the following is the author’s mother NOT likely to do?

A. When she came across a lost dog, she helped it to find its shelter.

B. In spring, she spent some time watching the plants growing in the garden.

    C. She joined in the campaign to encourage the public to contribute actively towards a better environment.

    D. She walked to a nearby shop which was within ten minutes’ walk rather than drove there.

What can we conclude from the article?

A. The author’s mother is very patient with her children.

B. The author’s mother knows how to live in harmony with nature.

C. The author’s mother always took care of the wildlife that came into her yard.

D. The author’s mother used to remind her to slow down to protect the environment.

We can infer from the article that ______.

A. the author thinks that too many people now label themselves environmentalists   

B. the author’s mother knows how to get rid of the wildlife in her yard   

C. the author believes that only by learning to slow down, can we enjoy life

D. the author realizes that she should teach her children by example as well

What is the main idea of the last three paragraphs?

A. How the author taught her children to protect the environment.

B. How the author’s mother influenced the author.

C. What inspired the author to slow down and enjoy life.

D. How the author spent her time with her children.

On numerous drives throughout my childhood, my mother would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of the road or rescue a beetle (甲虫) from certain tragedy while I, in my late teens and early twenties, sat impatiently in the car.

    Though Mother’s Day follows Earth Day, for me, they have always been related. My mom has been “green” since she became concerned about the environment. Part of this habit was born of thrift (节俭). Like her mother and her grandmother before her, Mom saves glass jars, empty cheese containers and re-uses her plastic bags.

    Mom creates a kind of give-and-take relationship with wildlife in her yard. She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little early to fend off the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders out at night, it’s likely they’ll be knocked down by a family of raccoons (浣熊). Spiders that make their way into the house are captured (捕获) in a juice glass and set loose in the garden.

    I try to teach my children that looking out for the environment starts with being aware of the environment. On busy streets, we look for spent (开败的) dandelions (蒲公英) to parachute; we say hello to neighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags. This teaching comes easily, I realize, because I was taught so well by example. Mom didn’t need to lecture; she didn’t need to beat a drum to change the world. She simply slowed down enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came compassion and an instinct (本能) for preservation.

    I am slowing down and it isn’t because of the weight of my nearly forty years on the planet, it is out of my concern for the planet itself. I’ve begun to save glass jars and re-use packing envelopes. I pause in my daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other through the palm (棕榈树) leaves above my porch (门廊).

    Last summer, in the company of my son and daughter, I planted tomatoes in my yard. With the heat of August around me, I ate the first while sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands. Warm from the sun, it burst on my tongue with a sweetness I immediately wanted to share with my mom.

1.Why does the author say Earth Day is connected with Mother’s Day?

A. Because Mother’s Day falls shortly after Earth Day.

B. To stress that all the older women in her family are environmentalists.

C. To stress how much her mother cares about the environment.

D. Because on Mother’s Day her mother shows her how to be friend to nature.

2. According to the fourth paragraph, which of the following is the author’s mother NOT likely to do?

A. When she came across a lost dog, she helped it to find its shelter.

B. In spring, she spent some time watching the plants growing in the garden.

    C. She joined in the campaign to encourage the public to contribute actively towards a better environment.

    D. She walked to a nearby shop which was within ten minutes’ walk rather than drove there.

3.What can we conclude from the article?

A. The author’s mother is very patient with her children.

B. The author’s mother knows how to live in harmony with nature.

C. The author’s mother always took care of the wildlife that came into her yard.

D. The author’s mother used to remind her to slow down to protect the environment.

4. We can infer from the article that ______.

A. the author thinks that too many people now label themselves environmentalists   

B. the author’s mother knows how to get rid of the wildlife in her yard   

C. the author believes that only by learning to slow down, can we enjoy life

D. the author realizes that she should teach her children by example as well

5. What is the main idea of the last three paragraphs?

A. How the author taught her children to protect the environment.

B. How the author’s mother influenced the author.

C. What inspired the author to slow down and enjoy life.

D. How the author spent her time with her children.

 

 (10·天津B篇)

Why play games? Because they are fun, and a 1ot more besides. Following the rules…planning your next move...acting as a team member…these are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.

Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas 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 instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones. Which sharpens the hand-eye coordination（协调）needed in hunting.

Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.

Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it—some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising 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 aspects of your life.

41. Through playing hide-and-seek, children are expected to learn to ________.

A. be a team leader   B. obey the basic rules

C. act as a grown-up  D. predict possible danger

42. The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can________.

A. describe life in an exciting way

B. turn real-life experiences into a play

C. make learning life skills more interesting

D. change people’s views of sporting events

43. According to the passage, why is winning Olympic medals so encouraging?

A. It inspires people’s deep love for the country.

B. It proves the exceptional skills of the winners.

C. It helps the country out of natural disasters.

D. It earns the winners fame and fortune.

44. Iribarne’s goal of forming the foundation is to _______.

A. bring fun to poor kids

B. provide soccer balls for children

C. give poor kids a chance for a better life

D. appeal to soccer players to help poor kids

45．What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Gamed benefit people all their lives.

B．Sports can get all athletes together.

C．People are advised to play games for fun.

D．Sports increase a country’s competitiveness.