When my wife left this world, I chose to travel in Antigua looking for a peaceful place to rest my old body. Not quite old and weak, I felt I wanted something more than the usual hotel room with 24-hour room service.

I decided this year to try something completely new and booked myself a private holiday home in Antigua. This was the best decision I had ever made, as there was plenty to do, plenty to see and lots of lovely restaurants to visit. There was a private swimming pool, and a cool, wide yard where I ate my breakfast most mornings.

Antigua has to be one of the loveliest places on earth to spend a holiday. The bright blue sea and the endless blue around the beach areas proved to be an excellent place for me to spend the long afternoons.

I had to hurry to do what I wanted to do before the holiday came to an end. I managed to visit the Sugar Mill and Shirley Heights on my last two days and yet found myself wondering whether I could extend for a few more days.

I rented a boat and came home after a day’s sailing, refreshed, looking forward to dinner. Everything is so pleasant on these beautiful islands, swept by the trade winds and warmed by the sun for so many summer months. The food just tasted better to me, perhaps because I was having such a great holiday. There was always someone to have a drink with---- that’s what I liked most.

1.Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned about the private holiday home the writer stayed in?

A．It had a private swimming pool.

B．There were lots of restaurants near it.

C．The writer often had breakfast in its yard.

D．It supplied delicious seafood to the writer.

2.The word “extend” in Paragraph 4 probably means “______”.

A．make something last longer

B．make you feel happy

C．prevent from entering

D．sell goods to foreign countries

3.The most important reason for the writer to travel in Antigua was ______.

A．there was bright blue sea

B．there was endless blue sky

C．there were lots of lovely restaurants

D．there were many people to drink with

4.The passage is most likely to be taken from a part of ______.

A．a tour guide                           B．a travel diary

C．a student’s report                      D．a health report

Carly Williams decided to become a TV reporter when she was in Grade 6. “ One day, we went out into forest and did some reporting about forest fires,” Carly said. “ Ever since then, I have loved the job and I have been trying to do it as much as I can.”

Now 15, Carly reports for the news program at her school. And she has interviewed many famous people including some famous basketball players and TV stars.

“Carly is a great student and I am sure she will achieve her dream in the future,” said one of Carly’s teachers.

Last month the happiest thing for Carly was that she got a call from Teen Kids News in New York. She sent them some films she made by herself for the school news program. Teen Kids News is on over 200 TV stations around the USA. The producer of the show said he liked Carly’s films and asked if Carly would make a film for them.

“ All I could say was, yes, yes, yes!” Carly said. “ I didn’t even think for a second.”

Carly spent five days learning something about Teen Kids News in New York. She also visited a person who was a reporter for Teen Kids News and got some advice.

Her first task was to interview an artist in New York. Carly said she worried about working with a new team because she wanted to impress the producer. Although under great pressure, she did a wonderful job.

“Carly has gotten to do some pretty amazing things,” said Carly’s mother. “For her to get that taste of it was pretty cool.”

1.Which thing helped Carly decide to be a TV reporter?

A．The task to interview an artist in New York.

B．Her report about forest fires when in Grade 6.

C．Her interviews with many famous people.

D．The exciting words from one of her teachers.

2.Last month Carly was very happy because __________.

A．she was asked to make a film for Teen Kids News

B．she did a wonderful job for the school news program

C．she sent some of wonderful films to Teen Kids News

D．she visited a reporter in New York and got some advice

3.Why was Carly worried when doing first task?

A．Her mother asked her not to do it.          B．She wanted to interview a producer.

C．She wanted to impress the producer.        D．She doesn’t want to work with a new team.

One day, I went to see my last patient(病人), an old woman. In the doorway, I saw she was struggling (挣扎) to put socks on her swollen (浮肿)feet in the bed. I stepped in, spoke quickly to the nurse, read her chart noting. I was almost in the clear that she was not in serious condition.
I asked, “Could I help put on your socks? How are you feeling? Your sugars and blood pressure were high but they’re better today. The nurse mentioned you’re anxious to see your son. He’s visiting you today. It’s nice to have a family visit. I think you really look forward to seeing him."
"Sit down, doctor. This is my story, not yours." She said with a serious voice.
I was surprised as I helped her with the socks. She told me that her only son lived around the corner from her, but she had not seen him in five years. She believed that was the main cause of her health problems. After hearing her story and putting on her socks, I asked if there was anything else I could do for her. She shook her head no and smiled. All she wanted me to do was to listen.
Each story is different. Some are detailed; others are simple. Some have a beginning, middle and end; others don’t have clear ends. Some are true; others not. Yet all those things do not really matter. What matters to the storyteller is that the story is heard — without interruption(打断) or judgment(评价).
It was that woman who taught me the importance of stopping, sitting down and truly listening. And, not long after, in an unexpected accident, I became a patient. 20 years later, I sit all the time — in a wheelchair.
For as long as I could, I continued to see patients from my chair. I believe in the power of listening

1. 1.

   How was the old woman?

   1. A.
      Her feet were swollen
   2. B.
      Her sugars were high
   3. C.
      She was not badly ill
   4. D.
      Her blood pressure was better
2. 2.

   How did the doctor know that the old woman’s son was visiting her?

   1. A.
      The nurse told him
   2. B.
      The old woman told him
   3. C.
      The woman’s son told him
   4. D.
      The doctor got it from her chart noting
3. 3.

   What did the old woman think caused her health problems?

   1. A.
      Her son’s not seeing her
   2. B.
      No one listening to her story
   3. C.
      The medical care of the hospital
   4. D.
      The distance between her and her son
4. 4.

   When the patient told the doctor her stories, what she needed might be ______

   1. A.
      keeping smiling
   2. B.
      interruption or judgment
   3. C.
      listening without interruption
   4. D.
      communicating with each other
5. 5.

   Which statement is NOT right according to the passage?

   1. A.
      Her son lived close to her house
   2. B.
      The old woman didn’t need the doctor’s treatments
   3. C.
      Listening is powerful medicine
   4. D.
      The doctor has to “walk” with the help of a wheel chair

In the United States, people like going camping for vacation. They do everything for themselves to relax in the woods instead of staying at a modern hotel or a restaurant. They enjoy themselves far away from the noisy cities for a few days.

What should you prepare if you want to go camping like them? When you are camping, you make all of your own food. Barbeques(烤肉架) are very necessary while camping. You can bring bread, drinks, meat and vegetables to the camp. You’d better bring some wood and a lighter(打火机) to make a fire. Remember to put stones around the fire to make sure it won’t get too big and dangerous. When the fire is ready, you can cook food over it.

Children really like this activity at night. The whole family sit around the fire, eat their favorite food. Certainly they can sing songs and dance together. What a pleasant and exciting moment.

Camping is a fun activity for the family to do. Vacation does not have to mean going to visit a place far away. It could be as simple as setting up a tent in the nearby woods.

1.Where do people in the United States like to go camping according to the passage?

A．In big cities.                            B．In a place of interest.

C．In a modern hotel or a restaurant.           D．In the woods.

2.What are NOT necessary if you are camping?

A．Sunglasses.        B．Barbeques.        C．Some wood.       D．Tents.

3.What does the phrase “make a fire” mean in Chinese?

A．烧烤             B．生火             C．煮饭             D．搭桥

4.What should you do while using fire?

A．Put stones around the fire.

B．Cover（盖） the fire with grass.

C．Cook food under the fire.

D．Keep far away from the fire.

5.What can we know from the passage?

A．Camping is popular in China.

B．You needn’t prepare the food for yourselves while camping.

C．Children like camping very much at night.

D．We shouldn’t go camping for it’s dangerous.

It is said that people born on different dates have different characteristics. For example, people who were born between March 21 and April 20 are likely to be active and strong. They like power and enjoy adventures.
People who were born between April 21 and May 21 are likely to learn more slowly, but they can remember what they learn well. They love children and usually have many friends.
People who were born between May 22 and June 21 are bright and humorous. They like to talk and enjoy wearing fine clothes.
People who were born between June 22 and July 22 think deeply. They would rather hide their feelings than express them.
People who were born between July 23 and August 22 are interested in many subjects and it is interesting to hear them talk.
People who were born between August 23 and September 22 are said to be calm and thoughtful. They like to read and often become successful scientists.
If you have free time, you can read about star signs to see if your characteristics match your birth date.

1. 1.

   People who were born between March 21 and April 20 are ________.

   1. A.
      patient
   2. B.
      modest
   3. C.
      energetic
   4. D.
      kind
2. 2.

   People who were born between May 22 and June 21 like to ________.

   1. A.
      wear fine clothes
   2. B.
      take care of others
   3. C.
      travel around the world
   4. D.
      buy their friends nice gifts
3. 3.

   People who were born between June 22 and July 22 are not good at ________.

   1. A.
      singing and dancing
   2. B.
      earning money
   3. C.
      doing with difficulties
   4. D.
      expressing their feelings
4. 4.

   People who were born ________ often become successful scientists.

   1. A.
      between April 21 and May 21
   2. B.
      between July 23 and August 22
   3. C.
      between August 23 and September 22
   4. D.
      between June 23 and July 22
5. 5.

   The passage mainly talks about ________.

   1. A.
      birth dates
   2. B.
      abilities
   3. C.
      star signs
   4. D.
      birth dates and characteristics