【推荐1】Mary Verdi-Fletcher was born with spina bifida (脊柱裂), a disease that causes weakness in the legs and spine. Undiscouraged, she was not about to be told what she could or could not do. She believes that someone who is an artist is an artist from the day he or she is born. She dreamed of dancing and made up her mind to make her dream a reality. While still young, Verdi-Fletcher — dancing in her wheelchair — entered a dance competition with a friend. They won first prize. Later she won more competitions, refusing to listen to people who said to her “ You can’t dance if you’re in a wheelchair” or “ Dancing in a chair is not really dancing”.

However, Verdi-Fletcher was not pleased with personal success alone. She wanted to make dance available to others with disabilities. In 1980, she founded a dance company called Dancing Wheels Company. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Dancing Wheels Company performs all over the world. In productions like “ The Snowman”, sit-down dancers perform with stand-up dancers. Modern lighting designs, attractive sets (布景), wonderful music, and festive costuming draw audience into fairy tales and other stories.

In one show, a young stand-up dancer named Devin played “The Brother Who Cannot See” while a young sit-down dancer named Jenny performed the role of “ The Sister Who Cannot Walk” . It was a lovely way to express a theme Verdi-Fletcher has represented all through her life: We all have disabilities. Some disabilities may be more noticeable, but hard work and devotion to our dreams can make the seemingly impossible become a reality.

1. The author uses what people said to Verdi-Fletcher to show that ___________.

A．Verdi-Fletcher had made up her mind to become a dancer

B．the people who said that were of great wisdom

C．wheelchair dancing is not real dancing

D．no one can dance in a wheelchair

2. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．Verdi-Fletcher’s contribution to dancing.

B．The Dancing Wheels Company.

C．The cooperation between Verdi-Fletcher and the disabled.

D．Verdi-Fletcher’s success in learning productions.

3. What can we learn from Verdi-Fletcher’s story?

A．Disability can destroy one’s life.

B．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C．Dancing is the best form of art for most people.

D．With great devotion one’s dream can become a reality.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To provide details about spina bifida.

B．To teach people how to dance in wheelchairs.

C．To encourage readers to work hard to realize their dreams.

D．To entertain readers with the story of “The Snowman”.

【推荐2】As I walked into the primary school, I looked down at my new black Mary Jane shoes — I wanted to be anywhere in the world but Fountain Inn Elementary School.

I stood at Mrs. Blackstone’s door. Before I tried the great escape, the wooden door suddenly opened to the singsong voice of Mrs. Blackstone, my new fifth grade teacher.

“We’ve been waiting on you!” she said in an unusually high voice. With a smile my mom walked away and I was left standing in the center stage in front of a group of students.

Over the next few days, Mrs. Blackstone made it her job to find me a new best friend and help me join a choir. During history lessons, as I didn’t want to speak in front of the class she would not only call on me but have me stand up to address my classmates. She laughed at my nervousness when I wouldn’t get in line to sharpen my pencil for fear of being embarrassed. Her silliness made me smile and finally feel much more relaxed in the new environment.

One spring afternoon, Mrs. Blackstone asked me to stay after class.

“I’d like to speak with you, Amanda”

My mind raced. Had I made a bad grade? Had I hurt someone’s feelings?

“Are you enjoying your new school?” She sat comfortably behind her desk.

“I want to tell you something, between you and me, not to be shared with anyone else.”

“Okay.” My throat all of a sudden felt very dry.

With her eyebrows raised she said. “I see something special in you. The way you communicate with others, the kindness you show — I think you have great potential to be something very important.”

I listened attentively to every word.

“I’ve been a teacher for over twenty-five years; I can see it. But you must believe in yourself. That’s very important. Remember that and you will go far.”

She then hugged me and said, “See you tomorrow.”

Her singing voice was music to my ears that day. I walked out of her class, not staring at my Mary Jane shoes, but looking straight ahead with my head high. My teacher saw something special in me!

1. What can we know about the author from the first two paragraphs?

A．She went to school unwillingly.	B．She liked the new school very much.
C．She was afraid of her new teacher.	D．She liked her teacher’s singing.

2. Why did Mrs. Blackstone have a talk with the author?

A．To tell her about her grades.	B．To encourage her to be confident.
C．To help her realize her mistakes.	D．To make her feel cared and loved.

3. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．A Teacher for Every Child	B．An Unforgettable Lesson
C．Magical Words	D．Special Treatment

【推荐3】When I was a kid, I always used to wonder how in the world my father worked outside in the winter without a coat. It could be minus 20 degrees centigrade and there’d be Dad, removing snow, or perhaps chopping(砍) some wood — his coat thrown aside — wearing a shirt, a cap, and a pair of gloves.
“Aren’t you cold, Dad?” I’d ask. “No,” Dad would reply. “I’m not cold—working too hard to be cold.”
Many times I wondered whether my father was an extremely tough man, or whether he was foolish.
One time when I was quite young, perhaps five or so, I went ice fishing with Dad. It was a bright, clear day—and bitterly cold.
After we’d been out on the ice for a little while, my feet started getting cold.
“Daddy, my feet are cold.” I said.
“Yeah, it’s cold out here today,” he replied.
“Tell you what,” he said. “Walk around. Make some circles in the snow. See how many different patterns you can make. That will get your feet warm.”
I was just a little girl at the time but I remember thinking, “How in the world will walking around in the snow make my feet warm? Dad must be out of mind.”
But he was my father, after all. I made circles in the snow. I made squares. Pretty soon I was having so much fun making patterns in the snow. I forgot about my feet being cold.
Now, all these years later, I know, too, from personal experience how my father was able to take his coat off and work outside in the winter wearing just a shirt, a cap and gloves. Because I do it, too. “Aren’t you cold?” my husband asked one winter day. “No,” I replied. “I’m not cold—working too hard to be cold.”
I hope my husband has decided I’m both tough and smart. But I guess quite a bit of the time he thinks I’m foolish.
Wherever Dad is on that great big farm in the sky—I’m sure he can’t help but smile whenever I take my coat off while I’m working outside in the winter.
1. When the author’s feet felt cold, her father advised her to ________.

A．go home alone first	B．keep walking in the snow
C．draw pictures in the snow	D．light a fire on the ice

2. Hearing her father’s advice, the author thought her father ________.

A．forgettable

B．warm-hearted

C．crazy

D．cruel

3. What might the author’s husband think of her?

A．Tough.

B．Smart.

C．Brave.

D．Foolish.

4. The author’s purpose of writing this passage is to ________.

A．remember her tough and smart father

B．show how her father cared about her

C．describe memories of her childhood

D．explain why her father loved her so much

【推荐1】BEIJIG—The two-day visit to Washington has been heavy for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown as he attempts to improve ties with Washington and promote his international image ahead of the upcoming G-20 economic summit in London.

Special Relationship

Brown had been praising the “ special relationship” between Britain and the United States before he traveled to Washington. “There is no international partnership in recent history that has served the world better than the special relationship between Britain and the United States,” Brown said in an article in The Sunday Times of London. Such enthusiasm was quickly responded by Barak Obama, the new leader of the world’s largest economy. “The special relationship between the United States and Great Britain is one that is not just important to me, it is important to the American people,” told reporters after meeting with Brown.

Brown was the first European leader to meet Obama at the White House, and this might help the British leader make his image smooth among countrymen in a turbulent(动荡)time and put him in a better position to appear side by side with Obama at the April G-20 summit that will consider the international economic crisis.

Global New Deal

The talks between Brown and Obama were expected to focus mainly on measures to jump-start international economic growth in the most serious downturn in decades. Brown will first promote his “goal new deal” with Obama before taking the G-20 talks. The prime minister, who is chairing the G-20 gathering, has said he would push for deep adjustable changes and joint efforts from all of the world’s major economies, developed and developing, to correct financial rules and inspire the global economy.

However, as pointed out by many analysts, there is the potential for bitterness between Britain and the United States. That’s because no small number of Britons believe themselves to be victims of a crisis which they say was set off by the United States. Meanwhile, analysts say it was unrealistic to expect another honeymoon for British-US ties as Obama seems to have attached more importance to the Pacific region than to Europe.

1. Brown paid the two-day visit to Washington in order to _______.

A．improve the ties with the US and his image

B．make Obama’s international image better

C．congratulate Obama on coming into power

D．prepare for the coming G-20 economic summit

2. The April G-20 summit will mainly focus on how ________.

A．to solve the international energy crisis

B．to solve the international economic crisis

C．to relax current international tension

D．to achieve the double-win goal lately

3. According to many analysts, there is the potential for bitterness between the UK and the US because___________.

A．Obama is less friendly to Brown than Brown to Obama

B．Obama hasn’t visited the UK yet as a new president

C．Obama seems to have attached more importance to Europe than to the Pacific region

D．many Britons believe themselves to be the victims of a crisis caused by the US

4. The underlined part in the last paragraph suggests that___________.

A．Britons expect too much from Obama

B．Britain and USA used to have close relationship

C．the relationship between the two countries will break up

D．Obama and the first lady will not spend their honeymoon in Britain

【推荐2】At three a.m., Jack Mills was sitting at the controls of the mail train. The train was made up of 13 cars. At the end of the train, 71 mailmen sat sorting the mail. Inside the second car, there were only five mailmen and 128 bags full of five-pound notes. This train had run more than 100 years without being robbed(抢劫). At three minutes past three, Mills and his helper, David Whitby, saw a yellow warning light. They slowed the train, and then stopped. Whitby went to the telephone beside the track. It was out of order. Then he saw a man moving between the second and the third cars. Before Whitby could give a warning, he was knocked down by two men. Mills’ cars with all the mailmen had been disconnected by the robbers. At the bridge, the bags of money were unloaded from the train and thrown into waiting trucks. One of the robbers who obviously knew the schedules(时刻表) of all the trains kept looking at his watch. At 3:45 he said, “That will have to be enough.” The robbers drove away with more than 2,500,000 pounds.
1. The robbery took place______.

A．before 3:03	B．in the early morning
C．after three o'clock in the afternoon	D．after 3:45

2. The robbers_____ before the train stopped.

A．were all in the train	B．forced Mills to stop the train
C．were waiting for the train to stop	D．ordered Mills to go on driving

3. Why didn’t the other mailmen help the mailmen in the second car when the robbery happened?

A．Because they were busy sorting the mail.

B．Because they didn’t want to help the mailmen in the second car.

C．Because the last eleven cars were separated from the front cars.

D．Because they knew nothing about the robbery.

4. One of the robbers kept looking at his watch because________.

A．he wanted to know the exact time	B．he enjoyed looking at his watch
C．he didn’t know when another train would come	D．they had to leave before another train came

5. Which the following is NOT true?

A．The train was out of order.

B．The telephone was put out of order by the robbers

C．Whitby had an assistant driver.

D．The robbers carried the money away by truck.

【推荐3】“Just take a deep breath.” “Don’t think about it.” “You’re more likely to die in a car wreck on the way to the airport than you are in a plane crash.” These are just some words given to people with a fear of flying. But as Tom Cruise, playing Lt. Daniel Kaffee in the movie A Few Good Men, said, “I get sick when I fly because I’m afraid of crashing into a large mountain. I don’t think Daniel will help.”
But there’s a new application that just may. Today, the VALK Foundation, a Dutch group that’s a partnership between KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the University of Leiden, launches the app (application) in the US. The VALK Foundation was one of the first centers for research and fear-of-flying treatment in the world and is the organizer of three world conferences on fear of flying.
The foundation said the app, called Flight App VALK, is the first scientifically-developed, web-based treatment for people who suffer from mild to moderate fear of flying.
“The fear-of-flying application we have created aims to transfer all of the knowledge we have developed through our program into a mobile application that will help ease travelers’ fears,” said Dr. Lucas van Gerwen, director of the VALK Foundation. Dr. van Gerwen is also a psychologist and professional pilot with more than 30 years experience.
The foundation said up to 30% of adults are fearful fliers. The Flight App is designed to help relax passengers before and during flights by educating users about flight safety and turbulence. It explains the sounds and sensations(感觉)they can expect during departure, flight and landing. And, if a passenger’s flight stress reaches a panic level, they press a special panic button which provides audio and written information to help decrease stress levels. Most importantly, the Flight App can be used during the flight in the airplane mode. Once downloaded, the program does not require Internet connection in the air.
1. By saying the words at the beginning of the passage, people are expected to ______.

A．decrease their fear of flying

B．get rid of their doubt about plane

C．have a good time on their flight journey

D．use some medicine to cure their fear of flying

2. According to the passage, the VALK Foundation ______.

A．is a group focusing on psychology on the flight

B．was the first center to do research into fear of flying

C．organizes the world conferences on fear of flying annually

D．focuses on researching and offering treatment on fear of flying

3. Flight App VALK is aimed to ______.

A．help passengers experience the fear of flying

B．help relax passengers before and during flights

C．treat people who suffer from mild fear of flying

D．teach people the basic knowledge of taking flight

4. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?

A．Many adults are suffering from fear of flying

B．It’s convenient for people to use the Flight App

C．Many planes will be installed with the Flight App.

D．The Flight App can decrease stress levels effectively

5. In which column of a newspaper can we read this passage?

A．Culture

B．Entertainment

C．Technology

D．Education

【推荐2】The U.S.has more than 4,000 wild bee species,and many are in danger of dying out due to human activity,chemical overuse and climate change.In Colorado,the Girl Scout troops(童子军团)have take on the task of saving bees.They made tiny homes for wild bees called"bee hotels" to fight the big drop in the population of bees.

Bee hotels are like birdhouses for wild bees.Since wild bees don't make honey,they don't live in the containers for bees,but they always need a suitable habitat(栖息地）.Out in the wild, these bees often live holes of dead trees and broken branches.But natural habitats can be hard to come by in the developed areas,which are where bee hotels come in.Dennis vanEngelsdrop,a professor at the University of Maryland,says that bee hotels play an important role in keeping the wild bee population.When wild bees check out of their hotel rooms,they leave their kids behind. A wild bee produces her eggs and leaves food for them to eat.If built correctly,bee hotels can even attract new bee species.

The troops repurposed carboard boxes,paper pipes,etc.to create homes for bees in their local community.A hotel design can be as simple as paper pipes stuck into a box.After building their bee hotels,the girls went out to place them in green pockets of their community,such as community gardens."The most interesting thing I learned is when you think of bees,you just think of honeybees,but there are so many different types,"says Aimee,a Girl Scout.Working with bees can be a daunting task.Many children only know them from the pain of bites.But the Girl Scouts learned to overcome their fears."It was hard for me to go to look at the bees,"says another girl."I'm glad I' did.We need bees for food and flowers.”

Bees are a big deal in the world of plant reproduction.They move pollen(花粉）from one plant to another.While honeybees live communally,most bee species are wild and live on their own.Honeybees may be better known,but wild bees are important pollinators(授花粉者）too.

The bee hotel project also plays an important role in bringing up a new generation of responsible citizens."What you're seeing is that you need bees to survive;so who is better to be concerned about that than the young generation?"vanEngelsdrop says."These efforts are really good because hopefully the girls will show lifelong devotion to the preservation."

1. What might be the purpose of bee hotels?

A．Te store the pollen wild bees have collected.

B．To attract more bees a to the developed area.

C．To make bees to live together as a community.

D．To offer wild bees a place to live and produce young.

2. Which is the closest in meaning to   the underlined word"daunting"in the third paragraph?

A．Tiring

B．Confusing

C．Frightening

D．Moving

3. What is the main idea   of the text?

A．Wild bees can enjoy a good life thanks to bee hotels

B．The Girl Scout save wild bees by building bee hotels.

C．The bee hotel project makes young girls responsible.

D．More and more bees are provided with natural habitats.

【推荐3】A few years ago, I realized that I had a fear of heights. Sometimes I would feel uncomfortable if I looked down from somewhere high and the higher I got, the worse I felt. However, there were some things that made me nervous when I looked up at them—such as drop towers.

About a month ago, my family and I went on a trip to Marineland—an amusement park with a sea animal theme. One of Marineland’s attractions is a huge drop tower called the “Sky Screamer”. My dad wanted to ride it, and he wanted to take me with him. He kept nagging me, and I finally gave in, because I wanted to face my fears.

Going up was terrible. I got stomachaches from just looking at the tower. When we reached the tower, we lined up and got seated on the ride. When it reached a few feet off the ground, it stopped for a moment, before sending us straight to the top at great speed. I squeezed my eyes shut and I held the handlebar as tightly as I could. A few seconds later my heart was in my mouth and I was screaming my lungs out. At the top, I opened my eyes and looked forward, not down.

I tried to prepare myself for the way down, but it didn’t really help. There I was, with my eyes squeezed shut, holding the handlebar and again, screaming at the top of my voice. In fact, it was even worse than going up! But when I got to the bottom, I felt relieved. I thanked my dad for forcing me to go on the ride, and I was pleased I had faced my fears.

So, was the “Sky Screamer” scary? Well, maybe just a little bit.

1. What made the writer finally decide to ride the “Sky Screamer”?

A．Her father’s encouraging words.	B．Her interest in the ride.
C．Her desire to face her fears.	D．Her father’s nagging.

2. What did the writer do during the ride?

A．She kept looking down.	B．She kept holding the handlebar.
C．She was too frightened to scream.	D．She squeezed her father’s hand tightly.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．The writer volunteered to take the ride because she wanted to face her fears.

B．The writer’s father forced her to ride with him in order to help her with her fears.

C．The ride was less scary on the way down.

D．The ride offered the writer a chance to face and conquer her fears.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．A trip to Marineland.

B．Facing a fear.

C．A ride to the top of the “Sky Screamer”.

D．A joyful ride on the “Sky Screamer”.

【推荐1】When we think of Hollywood, we think of films and famous film stars. They are part of Hollywood’s history. Today people make films in other places, too. Not all famous film stars live in Hollywood. But Hollywood is still a very special part in Los Angeles, California.

You can easily see where Hollywood is in Los Angeles. There is a big sign on the hills. It says “HOLLYWOOD”. The white letters are fifty feet tall. You can see the sign from far away. The Hollywood sign is a famous Hollywood landmark (标记) in Los Angeles. Many postcards show this famous Hollywood landmark.

In the hills of Hollywood, there is also the Hollywood Bowl. This is an open-air theatre. It is one of the biggest open-air theatres in the world. It has seventeen thousand seats and a very different stage (舞台). The designer (设计师) of the stage was a great American called Frank Lioyd Wright. You can listen to different kinds of concerts at the Hollywood Bowl.

1. The best title for the article should be “____”.

A．The History of Hollywood	B．Hollywood
C．Famous Films and Film Stars	D．Famous Hollywood Sign

2. We learn from the reading that ____ .

A．Hollywood is one part of Los Angeles

B．Hollywood is now a place only for travelers

C．all the films are made in Hollywood

D．“HOLLYWOOD” can just be seen from far away

3. The word “special” in the last sentence of the first paragraph means ____ .

A．unusual	B．famous
C．old	D．new

4. At the Hollywood Bowl ____ .

A．all postcards are made	B．only 7000 people can get together
C．people can enjoy music	D．you can hardly listen to all kinds of concerts

【推荐2】San Francisco is going to do what many other cities have already done-provide free bicycles for the public. The mayor of San Francisco supports the bicycle program. He wants to improve the terrible traffic problems in the city.

At first, 40 to 60 bikes will be available only to city workers. People will give their old bikes to the city to use in the program. If this program is successful, one day more than 1,000 bicycles will be available. Everyone, not just city workers, will be able to use these bicycles.

People in Fresno, California already have a free bicycle program. In fact, this idea began in Amsterdam over 40 years ago. These programs encourage citizens to get out of their cars and onto pollution-free bikes.

Fresno's Yellow Bike Program puts about forty bicycles around the city. The bikes are painted bright yellow so people know they can take them. When people take a yellow bike, they can ride to work or to shopping areas, and then leave the bike for the next rider.

Some people worry that the free bikes will be stolen. However, theft hasn't been a problem in free-bike cities by now.

While most people think the bike program is a good idea, only a few say they will use it. "I will still drive my car," says Joanna Greene. "San Francisco has a lot of hills. My office is at the top of Potrero Hill. I don't think I'm in good shape. And, wouldn't I have to carry a helmet with me all the time?"

Phil Chung agrees, "There is too much traffic. Riding a bicycle can be risky. There are not very many bike lanes. " He continues, "Plus, it's too cold in the winter. And what if you ride a bike to work, and then there isn't one to ride home?"

Program leaders know there will be problems. But they think it's worth trying. "It's not the solution for everyone," states Sylvia Pass. "But if just one hundred people use it every day, that's one hundred cars that aren't on the streets, one hundred parking spaces that aren't used. I think it's a great" beginning. "

1. Why does San Francisco provide bicycles to the public?

A．There are many bikes available.

B．Many people don't have cars of their own.

C．Many other cities have already done so.

D．The traffic problems are terrible.

2. Which is not a disadvantage of free bike program in San Francisco?

A．Free bikes will be stolen.

B．San Francisco is not flat at all.

C．Riding a bike is not safe enough.

D．It will be too cold in the winter.

3. What is the attitude of Sylvia Pass towards the program?

A．Negative.	B．Positive.
C．Objective.	D．Indifferent.

【推荐3】What to do if you find a sick, injured or abandoned wild animal.

General tips

Don't remove an animal from its natural habitat （the animal may not need assistance, and you could do more harm than good）.

Check the animal periodically for 24-48 hours.

Keep your distance.

Young animals/babies

If you find an abandoned young animal, separated from adults or left on its own — keep cats and dogs away and limit noise.

An adult may not return if it is noisy or if people are close by.

Get help for a wild animal

In Ontario, wildlife rehabilitators （复健员） are authorized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to provide temporary care to sick, injured and abandoned wildlife so it can be returned to the wild. Rehabilitators commit significant time and resources, and many seek donations to assist with their work.

Every effort is made by wildlife rehabilitators to ensure wildlife in their care do not become tame （驯 服）.

Find a wildlife rehabilitator

To get help for a sick, injured or abandoned animal, you can contact:

• an authorized wildlife rehabilitator

• your local Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry district office

Health risks

If you come across sick or diseased wildlife and you suspect there is a public health risk （such as West Nile virus）, contact your regional or local health unit immediately: Ontario Public Health Units

Public safety

If the animal is alive and there is a public safety issue, contact your local police department.

1. Which is the general solution if you find an abandoned animal?

A．Leave it where it is and observe it.	B．Remove it from its natural habitat.
C．Stay with it and care for it.	D．Pretend not to have seen it.

2. Wildlife rehabilitators are devoted to_______ .

A．providing constant care to wildlife	B．making wild animals well-tamed
C．releasing wildlife back to the wild	D．donating large sums to charity

3. Who will you contact if you find a wild animal at the risk of public health in Ontario?

A．Ontario Public Health Units.

B．An authorized wildlife rehabilitator.

C．The local police department.

D．The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

4. What's the purpose of the text?

A．To teach people how to train animals.

B．To give advice on protecting endangered wildlife.

C．To call on people to raise pets.

D．To introduce the animals in Ontario.