Two strangers were sitting together in a plane . They were on a long journey . One of the men was a teacher . The other was a farmer .

They sat without talking for a while , then the farmer said , “ Let’s do something to pass the time .”

“ What do you want to do ?” the teacher asked .

“ We can ask each other riddles (谜语 ),” the farmer said, “ You start.”

“ Let’s make the rules first ,” the teacher said . “ And to make the game more interesting , let’s play it for money . If we don’t know the answer to the riddle , we have to pay a dollar .”

The farmer thought about this for a while , then he said , “ That’s not fair（公平 . You are a teacher , an educated ( 受过教育的) man . You know more things than I do . I am just a farmer .”

“ That’s true ,” the teacher said , “ What do you think we should do ?”

The farmer said , “ If you don’t know the answer to a riddle ,you pay me 100 dollars .If I don’t know the answer to the riddle , I’ll pay you 50 dollars.”

The teacher thought for a while , then he said , “ OK. That’s fair . Who’ll go first ?”

“I will ,” the farmer said . “ Here’s my riddle . What has three legs when it walks , but only two legs when it flies ?”

The teacher thought and thought , “ What has three legs when it walks, but only two when it flies ?” Then he said , “ That’s a good one . I don’t know the answer .” He gave the farmer 100 dollars and said , “ Tell me the answer . What is it ?”

“ I don’t know , either .” The farmer said , and gave him 50 dollars .

1.At first the two men sat there without talking because ________ .

A．the farmer didn’t like the teacher         B．the teacher didn’t like the farmer

C．the farmer liked to tell jokes               D．they didn’t know each other

2.The farmer wanted to __________ .

A．make the journey interesting .             B．see if the teacher was lucky

C．know if the teacher was clever .            D．make friends with the teacher .

3.The teacher thought at first that the farmer __________ .

A．would fail the game                      B．knew more then he.

C．could answer any riddles .                 D．would win the game .

4.From the short story we know that __________ .

A．the teacher was cleverer than the farmer .

B．an educated man is not always clever.

C．both of the two men could know the answer

D．Neither of the two men was clever.

5.The best title of this story is __________ .

A．How to Answer Riddles .                  B．A Rich Teacher.

C．A Way of Getting Money.                  D．A Clever Farmer.

 

Elena jogged (慢跑) with her dad in some empty lots (小块地). These out-of-the-way lots were good places to jog. But the lots were full of rocks and rubbish.
One day, Elena saw a sign on the lots. It said, “New City Park”. Elena was excited. Maybe the park would have a jogging trail (路径)! Elena told her parents about the sign.
“I read about the park in the newspaper,” said Elena’s father. “The city wants volunteers to help clean the area. Then the city will build a soccer field and a playground. But the paper didn’t mention a jogging trail.”
“Well, perhaps if I help clean up the lots, they’ll put in a jogging trail,” said Elena.
On Saturday Elena went to the lots. Many adults were working there. Some were picking up rubbish. Some were moving rocks. Elena looked around. She could carry rubbish, and she could move rocks. So she went to the area every week to do volunteer work. She told everyone she was glad to help build the park. She explained that she hoped the park would have a jogging trail. Then everyone knew her and her jogging trail.
Soon the volunteers cleared the lots. The city could start building. The mayor (市长) gave a speech. He showed a drawing of the new park. He told them about the soccer field. There would be picnic tables. There would be a playground. The park would even have basketball courts. But there was no sign of a jogging trail.
The mayor thanked the volunteers. Then he asked if they had any suggestions. The volunteers said they wanted to build a jogging trail around the park. They told the mayor how helpful Elena had been and how she wanted a jogging trail. The mayor then said, “A jogging trail won’t be hard to build. Let’s do it!”
Everyone clapped and cheered.
【小题1】How did Elena know the city needed volunteers to help clean the lots?

A．She read it in the newspaper.	B．She learned it from a sign.
C．She was told by other volunteers.	D．Her father told her about it.

【小题2】Why did Elena want to help clean the lots?

A．Because she wanted to play on the playground.

B．Because she wanted her name in the newspaper.

C．Because she wanted the city to build a jogging trail.

D．Because she wanted to work with other volunteers.

【小题3】Who suggested the mayor to build a jogging trail?

A．The volunteers.

B．Elena herself.

C．Elena’s father.

D．Nobody.

【小题4】What can be the best title for the story?

A．Elena and a Mayor	B．Elena and a Jogging Trail
C．Elena and Some Volunteers	D．Elena’s Family

Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Yes? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I’m afraid you’ll never learn to swim just by reading books about swimming or looking at others swimming. It’s the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice.

Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. The children in English-speaking countries first listen to others. Then they try to imitate and speak. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn’t matter. Just be relaxed, try to catch every word. Somebody may be a good listener. But he dare not speak. He’s afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don’t be afraid. We must be brave. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone as long as he knows English. Whether you know him or not is not important, when there’s nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It’s interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you’ll make.

Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we’re interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense. This is the most important.

Keep writing English diaries. We can also write English articles. You may even post them to English magazines. Don’t be afraid of failure. Failure is the mother of success.

Easier said than done. Well, let’s do more practice from now on. I’m sure you’ll learn English well in this way.

1.You can learn to swim by_______.

A．reading books about it

B．looking at others swimming

C．having lessons on it

D．going into the river and learning

2.We should learn English by _______.

A．listening and speaking                    B．reading and writing

C．both A and B                           D．swimming

3.What will you do with mistakes when you speak?

A．Don’t make mistakes.

B．Study hard

C．Try not to speak English

D．Don’t be afraid.

4.What’s more important for senior school students?

A．listening                              B．speaking

C．reading and writing                      D．learning

5.We can listen to English ______, according to the passage.

A．by train                               B．on the radio

C．every minute                          D．now and then

 

Swimming and English Learning
Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Yes? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I’m afraid you’ll never learn to swim just by reading books about swimming or looking at others swimming. It’s the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice.
Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. The children in English-speaking countries first listen to others. Then they try to imitate and speak. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn’t matter. Just be relaxed, try to catch every word.
Somebody may be a good listener. But he dare not speak. He’s afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don’t be afraid. We must be brave（勇敢）. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone so long as he knows English. Whether you know him or not is not important when there’s nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It’s interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you’ll make.
Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we’re interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense. This is the most important.
Keep writing English diaries. We can also write English articles. You may even post them to English magazines. Don’t be afraid of failure. Failure is the mother of success.
Easier said than done. Well, let’s do more practice from now on. I’m sure you’ll learn English well in this way.
(   ) 6. You can learn to swim by_______.
A. reading books about it  B. looking at others swimming
C. having lessons on it    D. going into the river and learning
(   ) 7. We should learn English by _______.
A. listening and speaking       B. reading and writing
C. A and B                  D. swimming
(   ) 8. What will you do with mistakes when you speak?
A. Don’t make mistakes.          B. Study hard
C. Try not to speak English        D. Don’t be afraid.
(   )9. What’s more important for senior school students?
A. listening    B. speaking    C. reading and writing   D. learning
(   ) 10. We can listen to English ______, according to the passage.
A. by train     B. on the radio   C. every minute   D. now and then

Two strangers were sitting together in a plane . They were on a long journey . One of the men was a teacher . The other was a farmer .
They sat without talking for a while , then the farmer said , “ Let’s do something to pass the time .”
“ What do you want to do ?” the teacher asked .
“ We can ask each other riddles (谜语 ),” the farmer said, “ You start.”
“ Let’s make the rules first ,” the teacher said . “ And to make the game more interesting , let’s play it for money . If we don’t know the answer to the riddle , we have to pay a dollar .”
The farmer thought about this for a while , then he said , “ That’s not fair（公平 . You are a teacher , an educated ( 受过教育的) man . You know more things than I do . I am just a farmer .”
“ That’s true ,” the teacher said , “ What do you think we should do ?”
The farmer said , “ If you don’t know the answer to a riddle ,you pay me 100 dollars .If I don’t know the answer to the riddle , I’ll pay you 50 dollars.”
The teacher thought for a while , then he said , “ OK. That’s fair . Who’ll go first ?”
“I will ,” the farmer said . “ Here’s my riddle . What has three legs when it walks , but only two legs when it flies ?”
The teacher thought and thought , “ What has three legs when it walks, but only two when it flies ?” Then he said , “ That’s a good one . I don’t know the answer .” He gave the farmer 100 dollars and said , “ Tell me the answer . What is it ?”
“ I don’t know , either .” The farmer said , and gave him 50 dollars .
【小题1】At first the two men sat there without talking because ________ .

A．the farmer didn’t like the teacher	B．the teacher didn’t like the farmer
C．the farmer liked to tell jokes	D．they didn’t know each other

【小题2】The farmer wanted to __________ .

A．make the journey interesting .	B．see if the teacher was lucky
C．know if the teacher was clever .	D．make friends with the teacher .

【小题3】The teacher thought at first that the farmer __________ .

A．would fail the game	B．knew more then he.
C．could answer any riddles .	D．would win the game .

【小题4】From the short story we know that __________ .

A．the teacher was cleverer than the farmer .

B．an educated man is not always clever.

C．both of the two men could know the answer

D．Neither of the two men was clever.

【小题5】The best title of this story is __________ .

A．How to Answer Riddles .	B．A Rich Teacher.
C．A Way of Getting Money.	D．A Clever Farmer.