Farah was sitting in the kitchen going over the party list with her mother. The exams were over and Farah wanted to invite her friends for a party.
“Farah, aren't you going to invite Hafsa?” her mother asked. Hafsa had been her best friend since childhood.
“Mother, you know I am now a part of Purple Girls Club and we have some rules about people we can be friends with,” Farah answered.
“Really? And what are the rules?” her mother asked.
“Well, only very pretty girls can be part of our group. And Hafsa is so ... you know ... dark.”
“I cannot believe it,” her mother said angrily.
As Farah left the kitchen, her father called her from the living room. Farah went to her father and paled when she saw the exam report in his hands. “Farah, what has happened to your grades? You have failed in Mathematics,” her father said. Farah had no answer. The truth was that the activities of Purple Girls Club left her with very little time for studies. “Farah, it says that you can take part in supplementary exams. If your grades don't improve then, I'll cancel your trip to Spain.” Farah went to her room and called Gina, the leader of Purple Girls Club, “Gina, can you help me to complete my notes before the exams?” Gina laughed. “Exams? Who cares about exams?”
One by one, she called her friends in the club but no one seemed to care or wanted to help. Farah knew Hafsa would help her. Farah also knew Hafsa had been hurt by her, but Hafsa said, “If you need any help, just let me know. We can study together till your exams.” Next Monday, as two friends entered the school together, Gina called out. “Farah, you know our rules. You cannot be friends with those who do not belong to our club.”
“Gina, I have a new rule about friendship,” Farah replied.
1. After Farah became a member of Purple Girls Club, she chose a friend according to a person's ____.| A．looks | B．usual activities | C．grades | D．favorite colors |
| A．he didn't allow her to go to Spain | B．she didn't do well in her exams |
| C．she had to leave Purple Girls Club | D．he asked her to improve her grades |
| A．A friend in need is a friend indeed. | B．A perfect friend will never be found. |
| C．Be slow in choosing a friend. | D．Friendship can be developed easily. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】When an earthquake hit a small town, many houses fell down. After the earthquake, all the newspapers reported many stories about some of the families who were in trouble.
One Sunday, when I was reading a newspaper, a special picture touched me. It gave the clothing sizes of each family member. I thought that this would be a good chance to teach my children to help those who were less lucky than themselves. I said to my seven-year-old twins, Brad and Brett, and three-year-old Meghan,"We have so much, but these poor people now have nothing. We'll share what we have with them.
I filled a box with foods and clothes. While I was doing this, I encouraged the children to choose their toys and donate some of their less favorite things. Meghan watched quietly as the boys took out their old toys and games and put them together. Then she walked away. A few minutes later she came back with Lucy, her much-loved doll. She put the doll on top of the other toys."Oh, dear,"I said."you don't have to give Lucy. You love her so much. Meghan said."Lucy makes me happy, Mommy. Maybe she'll make another little girl happy, too."
I looked at Meghan for a long moment. She taught me a lesson. It's easy to give something that we don't want any more, but hard to give what we cherish(珍爱), isn't it?
1. According to the passage, the writer has ________children.| A．one | B．two | C．three | D．four |
| A．捐赠 | B．丢掉 | C．展出 | D．放好 |
| A．a girl | B．a game | C．a doll | D．an earthquake |
| A．An earthquake happened in the writer's hometown. |
| B．The writer let Meghan give her much loved doll. |
| C．The writer decided to buy some clothes for those people in trouble. |
| D．The writer thinks it is more difficult to give what we love a lot. |
| A．A family story | B．The spirit of giving |
| C．The way of helping others | D．A sad experience |
【推荐2】In 2010, a terrible earthquake occurred in China’s Qinghai province, causing tremendous damages. With the aid of the central government and people throughout the nation, the rescue and recovery lifted the survivors further and further from hell.
But there was still much room for improvement. Qinghai taught me to create light when there seems to be none to be found—literally.
I started working on the highland region by installing solar panels in an isolated school without electricity. We also provided metric tons of clothes, computer labs, libraries food, medicine, coal and even yaks. Indeed, when first arrived in China, never imagined I’d’ end up buying, riding, milking and getting kicked by yaks-let alone harvesting their waste for fuel. Even there, on the “planet’s third pole”, Chinas’ poverty alleviation miracle means that the Qinghai I’ve returned to recently is different place than I first saw in 2011. Since the government has brought unthinkably rapid development, we’ve shifted toward providing surgeries for nomadic children and university scholarships for nomads.
One surgery was for girl with a severe cleft palate. She’d lived in such a remote area that she was amazed when she first rode an escalator in Beijing. She was shocked by the “stairs that move themselves”. A friend paid to fly her home after the surgery. She was amazed because she didn’t know that planes flew above the clouds. She felt like an angel. And I, too, felt closer to heaven.
My book, Closer to Heaven, published in English and Chinese by China Intercontinental Press, is the highlight of my life’s mission to contribute to and tell the story of China’s poverty alleviation miracle from the front lines.
These journeys have been adventures. They’ve brought me from the darkness of the quake zone toward the light, from the United States to the “roof of the world” and closer to heaven. And they’ve been firsthand exploration of how China, in turn, has lifted so many people from the hell that is poverty and closer to heaven, as it exists on this Earth.
1. What does Paragraph 2 tell us?| A．Electric breakdowns happened all the time. |
| B．In some remote areas, the sun actually never rises. |
| C．In some places, people had no access to electricity. |
| D．People suffered from power failure from time to time. |
| A．He flew above the clouds. | B．He wrote Closer to Heaven. |
| C．He lived on the planet’s third pole. | D．He was happy to bring happiness to others. |
| A．A science fiction, picturing China’s future high-tech development. |
| B．An adventure book, recording China’s tough battle against poverty. |
| C．A travel brochure, describing China’s breathtaking tourist attractions. |
| D．A personal diary, telling about the author’s lifelong experiences in the USA. |
| A．The author has never been to western China before. |
| B．Little has been done to improve people’s well-being. |
| C．The girl had an unforgettable experience during the Beijing trip. |
| D．The author has done little voluntary work while staying in China. |
【推荐3】I've loved my mother's desk since I was just tall enough to sit above the top of it. Mother sat writing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the action of writing must be a most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, Mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk，” she said again, “is for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, and never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she just did it. But as a young girl, I wanted to have hearttoheart talks between mother and daughter. They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional (易感动的)”．But she lived “on the surface (表面)”．
As years passed, I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive(原谅) me.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace—it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn't be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
But the present of her desk told me, as she'd never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside—a photo of my father and a onepage letter, folded and refolded many times. It was my letter.
“In any way you chose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.”
1. The writer began to love her mother's desk________．| A．after her mother died |
| B．before she became a writer |
| C．when she was a child |
| D．when her mother gave it to her |
| A．deep understanding between the old and the young |
| B．different ideas between mother and daughter |
| C．free talks between mother and daughter |
| D．part of the sea going far in land |
| A．She had never received the letter. |
| B．For years, she often talked about the letter. |
| C．She didn't forgive her daughter at all in all her life. |
| D．She read the letter again and again till she died. |
| A．My Mother's Desk | B．Mother and Children |
| C．My Letter to Mother | D．Talks Between Mother and Me |
【推荐1】Too many people want others to be their friends, but they don’t give friendship back. That is why some friendships don’t last long. To have a friend, you must learn to be one. You must learn to treat your friend in the way you want your friend to treat you. Learning to be a good friend means learning three rules: be honest, be generous, be understanding.
Honesty is where a good friendship starts. Friends must be able to trust one another. If you do not tell the truth, people usually find out. If a friend finds out that you haven’t been honest, you may lose the friend’s trust. Good friends always count on one another to speak and act honestly.
Generosity means sharing and sharing makes a friendship grow. You do not have to give your lunch money or your clothes. Naturally you will want to share your ideas and feelings. These can be very valuable to friends. They tell your friends what is important to you. By sharing them, you help your friends know you better.
Sooner or later everyone needs understanding and help with a problem. Something may go wrong at school. Talking about the problem can make it easier to solve. Turning to a friend can be the first step in solving the problem. So to be a friend you must listen and understand. You must try to put yourself in your friend’s place so that you can understand the problem better.
No two friendships are ever exactly alike. But all true friendships have three things in common. If you want a good friendship, you must practise honesty, generosity and understanding.
1. Some friendships don’t last very long because__________.| A．some people receive friendship but do not give friendship back |
| B．there are too many people who want to make friends |
| C．those who give others friendship receive friendship from others |
| D．they don’t know friendship is something serious |
| A．Always tell your friends the truth. |
| B．Sharing your mind with your friends is of great value. |
| C．Discussing your problems with your friends often helps to solve the problem. |
| D．A friend who gives you his lunch money is a true friend. |
| A．Honesty is the best policy | B．A friend in need is a friend indeed |
| C．How to be friends | D．Three important points in life |
| A．指望，依赖 | B．认为 | C．重视 | D．数，点（数） |
【推荐2】I’d been asked to go to an editor’s office with the old program “We have a story we think you’d be perfect for”. Here was the topic: We want you to write about how middle-aged men have no friends. Seeing that, I couldn’t help thinking, “Excuse me? I have plenty of friends.” Then the editor told me there were all sorts of evidence out there to show how men, as they age, let their close friendships go, and that the fact can cause all sorts of problems and have a terrible impact on their health.
As I walked back to my desk in the newsroom--a distance of maybe 100 yards--I quickly search for my friend list. First of all, there was my friend Mark. Wait, how often do we actually hang out? Maybe four or five times a year? And then there was another best friend from high school, Rory, and. . . I actually could not remember the last time I’d seen him.
There were all those other good friends who seemed as if they’re still in my life because we follow one another via social media, but as I ran down the list of those I considered real, true, lifelong friends, I realized that it had been years since I saw many of them, even decades for a few.
By the time I got back to my desk, I realized that I was indeed perfect for this story, not because I was unusual in any way, but because my story was very, very typical. And as I looked into what that means, I realized that in the long term, I was heading down a path that was very, very dangerous. And I knew I needed a change.
1. What was the author’s first reaction to the topic?| A．He thought it was perfect for him. | B．He knew the editor was joking. |
| C．He felt surprised and doubtful. | D．He showed an interest in it. |
| A．To solve health problems. | B．To change a dangerous path. |
| C．To attach importance to friendship. | D．To prove the author’s writing ability. |
| A．He realized the topic worth writing. | B．He wasn’t popular with others. |
| C．He had close friends in his life. | D．He didn’t make any true friends. |
| A．Through letters. | B．Through the Internet. |
| C．By phoning each other. | D．By partying regularly. |
【推荐3】Studies show if you have good friends throughout your life, you will live longer. There is a lot of truth behind the common saying. You must first be one if you want some good friends.
Be real. People are bored with those who are always trying to be someone they are not. People are most comfortable around others who are comfortable in their own skin.
Be honest. Lies always have a way of coming to light. Try to be honest with everyone around you. Be reliable. Nobody wants to be friends with someone who lies. Also, friends will say the truth to each other, even when it’s hard.
Be a good listener.
| A．So just be yourself. |
| B．Encourage your friends. |
| C．Care about your friends. |
| D．Make time for your friends. |
| E．Here are some tips you can refer to. |
| F．Don’t give up on your friends just because they are having difficulties. |
| G．Don’t watch television or text while your friends are sharing something with you. |
【推荐1】Way back in1953, high school looked like a big hurdle (障碍)for me and several of my classmates. When we reached the 9th class, we got Mr. Iyer, a strict maths teacher who was also our class teacher. He always stuck to his discipline. We had to arrive on time, pay undivided attention to his lectures, and dared not neglect any of his homework.
Even so, as our class teacher, we got to know him better. Noticing some of us fidgeting one day as the mid-term exams approached, he stopped solving a mathematical problem to ask us why. “There’s too much to do.” We signed. “We’re afraid we’ll never manage to finish our review before the exam.”
“Nothing is impossible.” Mr. Iyer told us. “This classroom is on the second floor. Do you have a problem reaching here?”
We reacted with blank stares.
“No you don’t!” he said, answering his own question. “You have a staircase to help you climb up to this level. No one expect you to make it in two giant leaps--- You simply take one step at a time. Any task can be solved if you focus on the immediate action to be taken. The rest will take care of itself, if you keep at it. One step at a time, That’s the secret.
Then he wrote down an old motto on the blackboard: “The longest journey starts with a single step.” But having heard his staircase analogy (比拟) , we saw him in a new light.
Most of my classmates scored distinctions in maths. And I went on to become an English teacher. To this day, whenever I pass on Mr. Iyer’s invaluable advice to my own students, they brighten up at the prospect of a lighter academic burden.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Maths is difficult to most of the author’s classmates. |
| B．The students thought Mr. Iyer was not a good teacher. |
| C．Mr. Iyer was serious about his job and strict with the students. |
| D．Mr. Iyer would punish the students neglecting his discipline. |
| A．Excited | B．Nervous | C．Hardworking | D．Calm |
| A．one can reach the goals in a giant leap. |
| B．the goals can be reached step by step. |
| C．There is only one step between success and failure. |
| D．task can be solved under the guide of the teacher. |
| A．Mr. Iyer is a strict and cool teacher. |
| B．Mr. Iyer leaves an invaluable advice to us. |
| C．It’s vital to master the method of learning. |
| D．It’s necessary to work hard to prepare for the exam. |
【推荐2】It all started with a tweet from a social media influencer Jérôme Jarre on March 15 after he was on a call with a volunteer in Somalia who had just seen a 6-year-old girl die after walking 90 miles with her mother in search of water. In Somalia alone, 6.2 million people are in need of help.
In his video, Jarre says that everyone is on social media from food and water companies to airlines. What if they could find an airline willing to send food and water to Somalia?
With Turkish Airlines being the only airline that flies to Somalia, he started a GoFundMe campaign (活动) called “Love Army for Somalia” and challenged viewers to post on social media #TurkishAirlinesHelpSomalia to get them to set aside one of their flights to Somalia for food.
The campaign took off, and other social media influencers joined the movement to help spread the word. Within days, many famous people joined the cause. Turkish Airlines listened and came back with an answer, saying they would keep donating (捐赠) a plane to be filled with food until the end of the famine (饥荒). This campaign received $1 million within 24 hours with the average (平均的) donation being around $28 — the highest donation of $50,000 came from Alex and Ani, a jewelry company.
The goal was to reach $1 million in 10 days and the amount (数量) of money raised in such a short time by so many people surprised Jarre. However, they don’t want this to be a one-off campaign, and to keep the campaign going they’ve come up with another hashtag, #NominatedForSomalia, and ask each donor to encourage three friends to donate through social media.
Jérôme Jarre is in Somalia right now and sharing wonderful images that will put a smile on your face and make sure help is reaching the right people.
1. What happened to the 6-year-old girl?| A．She lost her way. | B．She lost her life. |
| C．She failed to be a volunteer. | D．She failed to stay close to her mother. |
| A．To set up an organization. | B．To give up using social media. |
| C．To raise money from the public. | D．To apply for a job in an airline. |
| A．Paragraph 2. | B．Paragraph 3. | C．Paragraph 4. | D．Paragraph 5. |
| A．It was a great success. | B．It drew little attention. |
| C．It fell short of its goal. | D．It was questioned by viewers. |
| A．Hopeful people in bad situations |
| B．Huge social influence of famous people |
| C．The big change social media makes in our life |
| D．A powerful story on using social media for good |
So you’re thinking about breaking up with me. But before doing that, make sure you have examined its short-term and long-term environmental effects.
Let’s start simple: consider the great number of gallons of clean, drinkable water that would be wasted by my crying in the shower. Scientists don’t have a precise estimate of how much water might be lost, but, considering the length of my listening to the recent two sad albums during the shower, the amount is sure to be catastrophic.
Make no mistake: running from my sweet hug leaves a set of carbon footprints. Your leaving me will start a swift chain of events that results in me at a bar, drunkenly cursing at you with my friends.
At the end of the night, I will be forced to take a taxi home instead of the subway. Those extra carbon dioxide releases are a breakup by-product, as are the single-use plastic bottles of Glacier Freeze-flavor Gatorade I’ll surely buy the next morning.
Some effects are more hidden. Should you kick me to the roadside, you must anticipate that I am going to sit there eating ice cream. I will eat ice cream a lot every day, because I have seen sad women do this in movies. This, of course, causes ecological disaster. Not only do dairy cows produce greenhouse gas, but industrial dairy farming can cause the destruction of prairies (北美草原) forests, and other ecosystems. You might meet other interesting women in your life, but good luck is replacing North America’s wetlands!
Breaking up with me is a very personal choice, and no one can make it for you. I only hope that you have gained a helpful new way of thinking, one broad enough to deal with the world that waits for you in your single-hood. There might be “other fish in the sea,” but will there be actual fish in the real sea? It doesn’t look good. Alternatively, we could stay together and preserve this beautiful blue sea for our grandchildren. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and I eagerly wait for your decision.
1. What can we learn from the passage?| A．The North America’s wetlands are expected to disappear. |
| B．The writer will cry much during the shower for the breakup. |
| C．Eating ice cream has a direct connection with deforestation. |
| D．An international organization is waiting for the man’s reply. |
| A．wasting water |
| B．global warming |
| C．white pollution |
| D．illegal fishing |
| A．To remind her boyfriend to care for the environment. |
| B．To state the short-term and long-term environmental effects. |
| C．To persuade her boyfriend not to break up with her. |
| D．To reveal her disappointment and sorrow after the breakup. |
【推荐1】Barbican Art Gallery
A world-class arts and learning center, the Barbican pushes the boundaries of all major art forms including dance, film, music, theater and many visual arts from Egypt.
Tickets:
Adult: £10 online/£12 at the door
13-17 years old: £6 online/£8 at the door
Children aged 12 and under: Free
Opening Times:
Sat.—Wed.: 10 a.m.—6 p.m.; Thu.一Fri.: 10 a.m.一9 p.m.
Review by Laura Miller: I have just watched To Kill a Mockingbird here. The play and actors were fantastic. Nice and clean ladies' toilets with hot water. During the interval, they were selling the usual ice cream and drinks. Not all staff were friendly, but most were. I would come again to watch another show or even the same one.
The British Museum
A museum of the world, for the world. Discover over two million years of human history and culture. Some of the world-famous objects include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian mummies.
Admission and opening times:
Free, open daily 10 a.m.—17:30 p.m.
The Museum is closed on Jan. 1, Good Friday (April 10, 2020) and Dec. 24, 25 & 26, but open every other day of the year.
Review by Robert James: I arrived at the main entrance line at 10:45 a.m., waited patiently as it rolled forward for a few minutes. Now 11:30 a.m. with two thirds of the line to go, another 30 minutes to wait and with knowledge that I had to go downtown shopping by 1 p.m., I turned on my heels and left.
1. How much will a couple with kids of 11 and 14 pay for online tickets of the Art Gallery?| A．£20. | B．£26. |
| C．£32. | D．£36. |
| A．Dance. | B．Film. |
| C．Music. | D．Theater. |
| A．Both offer free admission. | B．Egyptian exhibits are on display. |
| C．They're open all year round. | D．They're located downtown. |
【推荐2】Troubleshooting: Unable to install the supplied software on a computer
The software supplied with a camera, camcorder (a portable video camera) or personal audio device may not install for the following reasons:
※1. The software may not be compatible with the computer operating system.
※2. The computer does not meet the minimum system requirements for installing the software.
※3. Another application or utility is running in the background of the computer and interfering with the installation.
※4. Antivirus or spyware software is preventing installation.
Follow the steps below to troubleshoot this issue.
√1. Check the instruction manual to determine the minimum system requirements and operating system supported by the software. Instructions for your product are usually available online.
√2. Check the specifications of the computer to ensure it meets the minimum system requirements and operating system supported by the software.
√3. Download and install all available updates for the computer and software. Software and driver updates for your product are usually available online.
NOTE: An install utility is an application used to assist with the installation of other software. If an install utility is available, follow the online instructions to properly download and install it.
√4. Temporarily disable any antivirus or spyware software.
√5. Close any software applications or other unnecessary utilities that may be running on the computer.
√6. Attempt to install the software and follow the on-screen instructions.
NOTE: If the software was designed to use an older version of the Windows operating system than what is currently installed on the computer, you can try installing using the compatibility mode.
√7. If the software will still not be installed, try installing it using the Safe Mode of the computer as follows:
NOTE: Some bundled software requires the product to be connected to the computer during the installation process.
1. Which of the following may be a reason for the failure of the installation of the supplied software?| A．The maximum system requirements are not met for the software. |
| B．The computer is using the latest Windows operating system. |
| C．The software is incompatible with the computer operating system. |
| D．The antivirus software is not running in the background. |
| A．temporarily disable other applications | B．follow the on-screen instructions |
| C．try installing it using the Safe Mode | D．switch to the compatibility mode |
| A．using the Safe Mode of the computer | B．turning off and restarting the computer |
| C．connecting the product to three computer | D．copying the software to a folder on the hard drive |
【推荐3】Those who live in the Western world often feel as though their civilization is, and always was, the most technologically advanced in the world. However, that is not necessarily true. Many important inventions that we once used, or still use today, have come from the “East”, as the Europeans once called China. Here are some examples.
Printing
Do you know a German named Johannes Gutenberg? His printing machine helped shape the modern Europe, and the world. But the Chinese did it first, and they did it much earlier.
During the Tang Dynasty (AD 618—907), Chinese engineers began using wood blocks to print designs onto silk. They would soon begin producing short Buddhist texts so people could carry in their pockets. By AD 868, the first dated, printed book was published. It was a translated Indian Buddhist text called the Diamond Sutra.
By the way, Gutenberg was born around 1,400, nearly 540 years after the publishing of the Diamond Sutra.
Banknotes
Not long after coming up with an efficient printing press, the Chinese invented banknotes, pieces of colored paper that are given value by the very people who use them. Today, nearly all modern currency comes in the form of banknotes. Banknotes began to appear in China in the 700s and helped to replace those copper (铜), silver and gold coins with things like our “green Benjamins”.
Gunpowder
Here is an important weapon that Europeans love! By AD 300, Chinese scientists were putting in paper certain chemicals which, when mixed together and ignited (点火), would produce fireworks. By AD 800, the Chinese improved this powder to fire balls of iron at city walls and tightly gathered enemies. This is in contrast to the West, which only began describing gunpowder around AD 1,200.
Compass
While this is certainly not an invention we use every day, like the banknote, the compasses were also first invented in China during the Han Dynasty (206 BC—AD 220). The spoon-shaped things always point north. During the Tang Dynasty, they were refined (改进) into more familiar needles.
1. When was the Diamond Sutra printed?| A．Around AD 540. | B．Around AD 700. |
| C．Around AD 868. | D．Around AD 1,400. |
| A．Copper. | B．Silver. | C．Gold. | D．Paper. |
| A．Both were used to kill the enemies. | B．Both were invented in the Han Dynasty. |
| C．Both were improved in the Tang Dynasty. | D．Both were widely used in the daily life. |
