Two weeks ago, Ruichang City in Jiangxi Province was hit by an earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale(里氏震级). It killed 18 people and left hundreds homeless.

　  Earthquakes are one of the most deadly natural disasters(灾难) in the world. They happen more often than you would expect.

　  In the 24 hours after you read this, 400 to 500 earthquakes will shake the earth. You won't notice most of them because you live in a relatively(相对地) safe area or the quake is too far away or because the quake will be too small to notice.

　  Earthquakes are caused by sudden breaks in rock masses(群) deep in the earth. Rock masses are always under very high pressure. If the pressure in a certain area become too much and the rock masses break, an earthquake happens. But exactly when the rock masses reach the breaking point is a mystery(谜).

　  China is on the Eurasia(欧亚) plate, where earthquakes happen very often due to the earth's plates knocking against each other. Up to 17,139 earthquakes have taken place in China in the past 44 years, according to scientific research.

1What happened to the City of Ruichang?

A.18 people were killed in an earthquake.

B. Hundreds homeless people left the city.     

C. An earthquake ruined thousands of houses there.

D. An earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale happened.       

2How many earthquakes can happen in a day in the world?

A. 24.                  B. 44.                  C. 400 to 500.                   D. 17139.

3Why does the earth quake? Because ______.

A. we live in a relatively safe area                                             

B. the pressure in the earth is too big

C. the rock masses is reaching the breaking point

D. the rock masses break suddenly deep in the earth

C

Once upon a time a woman found she was not easy to wake up in the morning as early as she wished. So she bought a beautiful alarm clock. These clocks are so made as to strike with loud whirring noise at any hour the owner pleases to set them.

The lady placed her clock at the head of the bed, and at the right time she found herself roused by the long, rattling sound.

She got up at once, and felt better all day for her early rising. This lasted for some weeks. The alarm clock faithfully did its duty, and was plainly heard so long as it was obeyed.

But, after a time, the lady grew tired of early rising. When she was waked by the noise, she merely turned over in bed, and slept again.

In a few days, the clock ceased to wake her from her sleep. It spoke just as loudly as ever; but she did not hear it, because she had been in the habit of not obeying it.

Finding that she might as well be without it, she made up her mind that when she heard the sound she would jump up.

Just so it is with conscience(自觉意识，诚意). If we will obey its voice, even in the least important things, we can always hear it, clear and strong.

But if we allow ourselves to do what we have some fears may not be quite right, we shall grow more and more sleepy, until the voice of conscience has no longer power to wake us.

4Why did the clock failed to stop to get the woman up later?

A. Because she was tired of getting up early in the morning.

B. Because she could not hear the clock any more.

C. Because she was too tired to wake up at it.

D. Because the clock stopped to do its duty.

5 Both the underlined words “whirring” and “rattling” are kinds of ______.

A. colours                        B. sounds         C. actions                   D. feelings

6 The writer mainly wants to tell us that ______.

A. we should always obey our clocks

B. the clock sometimes can’t wake us up as we wish 

C. It is conscience that ensures early rising not the clock

D. The voice of conscience has no longer power to wake us.

   

Amy was a dear little girl, but she was too ready to waste time in getting ready to do her tasks, instead of doing them at once as she ought to.

In the village in which she lived, Mr. Thornton kept a store where he sold fruit of all kinds, including berries in their season. One day he said to Amy, whose parents were quite poor, “Would you like to earn some money?”

“Oh, yes, ” replied she, “for I want some new shoes, and papa has no money to buy them with.”

“Well, Amy,” said Mr. Thornton, “I noticed some fine, ripe blackberries in Mr. Green’s field today, and he said that anybody was welcome to them. I will pay you thirteen cents a quart(度量单位) for all you will pick for me.”

Amy was delighted at the thought of earning some money; so she ran home to get a basket, intending to go immediately to pick the berries.

Then she thought she would like to know how much money she would get if she picked five quarts. With the help of her slate(书写板) and pencil, she found out that she would get sixty-five cents.

“But supposing I should pick a dozen quarts,” thought she, “how much should I earn then?” “Dear me!” she said, after figuring(测算) a while, “I should earn a dollar and fifty-six cents.”

Amy then found out what Mr. Thornton would pay her for fifty, a hundred, and two hundred quarts. It took her some time to do this, and then it was so near dinner time that she had to stay at home until afternoon.

As soon as dinner was over, she took her basket and hurried to the field. Some boys had been there before dinner, and all the ripe berries were picked. She could not find enough to fill a quarter of a quart.

As Amy went home, she thought of what her teacher had often told her---“Do your task at once; then think about it,” for “One doer is worth a hundred dreamers.”

7How many times did Amy figure with her slate?

   A. 3.                               B. 4.                         C. 5.                     D. 6. 

8The underlined sentence may mean “______”.

A. she got ready to waste some time to do her tasks

B. she thought it was a waste of time to do her tasks

C. she liked to waste time when should do her tasks immediately

D. she was not ready to get her tasks ready, and it’s a waste of time

9What can we infer from the story?

A. Amy’s family was very poor.

B. Amy was good at counting with a slate.  

C. Mr. Thornton was the richest person in the village.

D. Amy would learn a better lesson from this affair than from school.        

10 The best title of the passage may be “_____”.

A. The Money Amy Did Not Earn               

B. The Girl Did Not Like To Waste Time    

C. Amy, A Good Student To her Teachers

D. A Poor Girl Wanted To Earn Some Money

 In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited . About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way . Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seem all at sea and looked embarrassed (窘迫的 . No one had told them about the British custom (习惯)of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus .

　　Learning the language of a country isn't enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn't agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding (点头) your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty .

　　In that country, you shake your head to mean 'yes'— a nod means 'no' . At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula, you will find that your glass is repeated refilled as soon as you drink up . If you think that you have had enough , you should take the cup or glasses in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top.

　　In Europe it quite usual to cross your legs when you are sitting talking to someone even at an important meeting. Doing this in Thailand, however, could bring about trouble . Also, you should try to avoid (避免)touching the head of an adult (成人) ——it's just not done in Thailand .

1.The British people tried to push the three gentlemen out of the way, because the gentlemen______

A．were foreigners                        B．didn't have tickets

C．made a loud noise                       D．didn't line up for the bus

2. According to the article, if you want to have a pleasant journey in a foreign country, you should ____ 

A．learn the language of the country

B．understand the manners and customs of the country

C．have enough time and money

D．make friends with the people there

3.In India it is considered impolite ___________.

A．to use the right hand for passing food at table.

B．to pass food with the left hand.

C．to eat food with your hands.

D．to help yourself at table.

4.To cross one's legs at an important meeting in Europe is _______.

A．a common (平常的) habit                 B．an important manner

C．a serious (严重的) trouble                 D．a bad manner

 

Once　upon　a　time,　a　young　man　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　town　announcing　that　he　had　the　most　beautiful　heart　in　the　world.　A　large　crowd　gathered,　and　they　al　praised　his　heart　for　it　was　perfect.
Suddenly,　an　old　man　appeared　and　said,　“Why　,your　heart　is　not　as　beautiful　as　mine.”
The　old　man’s　heart　was　ful　of　scars（伤疤）.　Some　pieces　of　his　heart　were　removed　and　some　pieces　from　other　people　were　put　in,　but　they　didn’t　fit　quite　right.　So　there　were　several　jagged（锯齿状的）edges.　In　fact,　there　were　stil　some　holes　in　his　heart　where　the　pieces　were　missing.
The　 young　 man　 laughed,“Comparing　yours　with　mine,　mine　is　perfect　and　yours　is　a　mess.”
“Yes,”said　the　old　man.　“But,　every　scar　shows　that　I　took　out　a　piece　of　my　heart　and　gave　it　to　a　person,　and　often　he　gave　me　a　piece　of　his　heart　in　return.”
“Why　do　you　have　some　jagged　edges　in　your　heart?”asked　the　young　man.“Because　the　shapes　of　the　pieces　weren’t　the　same.”“Then　the　holes?”“Sometimes　I　gave　pieces　of　my　heart　away,　and　the　other　person　hasn’t　given　back　a　piece　of　his,　so　… but　I　don’t　care.”“How　come?”“They　remind　me　of　the　love　we　shared.”
The　young　man　was　deeply　moved.　He　walked　up　to　the　old　man,　took　a　piece　of　his　heart　out　and　gave　it　to　the　old　man.
The　old　man　placed　it　in　his　heart,　then　took　a　piece　from　his　old　scarred　heart　and　placed　it　in　the　wound（伤口）in　the　young　man’s　heart.　It　fitted,　but　not　perfectly,　as　there　were　some　jagged　edges.
The　young　man　looked　at　his　heart,　not　perfect　any　more　but　more　beautiful　than　ever.
How　sad　it　must　be　to　go　through　 life　 with　 a　 whole　untouched　heart!
【小题1】　The　young　man　stood　in　the　town　to　_____.

A．meet　the　old　man	B．compare　his　heart　with　others’
C．show　his　beautiful　heart	D．give　pieces　of　his　heart　to　others

【小题2】　It’s　clear　that　the　old　man　was　_____.

A．a　sily　man	B．a　humorous　man
C．a　wel-known　man	D．a　kind-hearted　man

【小题3】　We　learn　from　the　story　that　in　the　end　the　young　man　was　_____.

A．lost

B．moved

C．hurt

D．untouched

【小题4】　The　old　man　said“… but　I　don’t　care”means　_____.

A．he　didn’t　expect　others’return

B．he　didn’t　feel　pain

C．he　didn’t　think　it　serious

D．he　cared　nothing

【小题5】We　can　get　more　beautiful　hearts　by　sharing　_____

A．ideas

B．scars

C．love

D．beauty

Frank Smithson woke up and got up to turn off the alarm clock(闹钟). “Oh no!” he thought to himself. “Another day at that office; a boss (老板) who shouts at me all the time.”

As Frank went downstairs, his eyes fell on a large brown envelope (信封) by the door. He was very happy when he opened it and read the letter inside. “Bigwoods Football Pools (足球赌博公司) would like to congratulate you. You have won half a million pounds（英镑）.”

Frank suddenly came to life. The cigarette fell from his lips (唇) as he let out a shout that could be heard halfway down the street.

At 11:30 Frank arrived at work. “Please explain why you're so late,” his boss said. “Go and jump in the lake,” said Frank. “I've just come into a little money so this is good-bye. Find yourself someone else to shout at.”

That evening Frank was smoking a very expensive Havana cigar (雪茄) when a knock was heard on the door. He rushed to the door. Outside were two men, neatly dressed in grey suits. “Mr. Smithson,” one of them said, “we're from Bigwoods Pools. I'm afraid there's been a terrible mistake…”

1.What do we know about Frank from the passage?

A. He was a lazy man.      　　   B. He was a lucky person.

C. He had made a lot of money.      D. He got on well with his boss.

2.When he heard the knock at the door, Frank probably thought _________.

A. someone had come to say sorry to him

B. someone had come to give him the money

C. his friends had come to ask about the football pools

D. his friends had come to congratulate him on his luck

3.On hearing “…there's been a terrible mistake…”, Frank was most likely to be_____.

A. disappointed (失望的)　　 B. worried 　 C. grateful　　　D. curious

 

Hello!
My name is Molly Sharp. I'm eleven years old. I've got one brother—his name's Joson and he's fourteen. I haven't got any sisters.I live with my mum and dad and grandma in a small house in Chesterfield，in the north of England. There are lots of things to do here. My friends and I go to the cinema on Saturdays.
　  Do you like games? I like football. My favorite team is Manchester United. I sometimes play football with my brother. I can play well but he isn't very good.
　  I've got seven pets--a tortoise and six goldfish. I want a dog or a cat，but my mother doesn't like them.
Please write to me.
Becky
【小题1】 The girl wants to find a ________.
　  

A．sister

B．brother

C．pet

D．pen pal

【小题2】What is the girl's surname(姓)?
　  

A．Sharp

B． Molly

C．Becky Molly

D．none of the above

【小题3】 The girl's family live in ________.

A．a big room	B．a cinema
C．the west of England	D．the north of England

【小题4】 Does the girl play football well?

A．Yes，she does.	B．No，she doesn't.
C．She's not very good.	D．We don't know.

【小题5】 The girl's mother doesn't like ________. 

A．the tortoise or the goldfish

B．the tortoise or the dog

C．a dog or a cat

D．the goldfish or the cat