You will have a lot of reading to do in this grade this year. You can do more of it in less time if you learn to read rapidly.
Perhaps you have been told about some habits which keep a person from reading fast and have been strongly asked to break those habits which you might have.
Do you still have any of these bad habits? Check yourself by answering “yes” or “no” to these questions.
(1) Do you move your lips (嘴唇) when reading silently?
(2) Do you point to words with your finger as you read?
(3) Do you move your head from side to side as you read?
(4) Do you read one word at a time?
If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, start at once to break the habit. If you move your lips, hold your fingers over them, or hold a piece of paper between your lips while you are reading. Then if your lips move, your will know it and can stop them.
If you point to words, hold the two sides of your book, one side with your left hand, the other side with your right hand. Then you won’t have a free finger to use in pointing while reading. If you move your head, place your chin (下巴) in one hand and hold your head still (静止不动的).
If you read no more than one or two three words at a time, you need to work very hard in learning to take in (吸收) more words at each glance (一瞥) as your eyes travel across the lines of words.
Even if you do rather fast now, you can learn to read even faster. As you probably have been told, the set of fast reading is to take in whole groups of words at each glance. Read in thought groups and force (迫使) your eyes along the lines of words at fast as you can make them go. Anyone who practices doing these things will be able to read faster.
1. You may hold your fingers over your lips while reading so as ________.| A．to tell others to be silent |
| B．to feel whether your lips move or not |
| C．to hold a piece of paper between them |
| A．don’t keep your head still |
| B．don’t hold your books with your hands |
| C．don’t use your finger to point to words |
| A．you can read more in less time |
| B．you can write faster |
| C．you can understand better |
| A．have | B．get rid of (改掉) | C．keep |
| A．the way of reading fast |
| B．the importance of fast reading |
| C．the bad habits in reading |
2 . “Make-A-Wish” is one of the world’s most well-known charities(慈善机构). It makes wishes come true for children who have serious illnesses. It gives them hope and joy and helps them forget about their health problems and have fun.
It all started in 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona. Christopher was a 7-year-old boy who was very sick. He always dreamed of becoming a police officer. Tommy Austin and Ron Cox, two police officers, made his wish come true. They gave Christopher a tour of the city in a police helicopter(直升机) and made a real police uniform(制服) for him.
There are four kinds of wishes children usually have:
I wish to go. Children usually want to travel or go to a concert, a game or a park.
I wish to meet. Children sometimes want to meet their favorite actors, singers or players.
I wish to be. Some children wish to become actors, singers or police officers.
I wish to have. They often want to have a computer, a game, a bike or many other things.
Let’s hope more wishes will come true in the future. People who work in the charity always try for the best. Almost 25,000 volunteers(志愿者) help, work or give money. Will you be one of them?
1. “Make-A-Wish” is a charity to help ________.| A．sick children | B．serious officers | C．kind volunteers |
| A．They gave him a computer. |
| B．They gave him a tour of the city. |
| C．They took him to a concert. |
| A．I wish to go. | B．I wish to have. | C．I wish to be. |
| A．explain what “Make-A-Wish” is |
| B．encourage more people to join the charity |
| C．tell us how Christopher’s wish came true |
| A．Christopher and Tommy are two officers. |
| B．Only a few volunteers are working for “Make-A-Wish”. |
| C．“Make-A-Wish” has a history of over 30 years. |
3 . In Chengdu, tea culture has developed into the Chengdu-featured（特色的）tea house culture. There is a saying about Chengdu tea houses: You could see more tea houses than sunny days. Why can the tea house in Chengdu catch so much eyesight? Because of their many different functions（功能）: for relaxing, meetings, as well as entertainment.
Chengdu tea houses are often decorated（装饰）with bamboo desks and bamboo chairs. Chengdu people love tea houses, because they love chatting. They often gather together in a crowded tea house, and drink tea when chatting in their free time. They often have a cup of tea and cakes, watch actors performing traditional arts, talk and laugh with people in the house, which could be true joy of life.
The soft wind is filled with tea's smell. The teas they use are usually jasmine green teas, Dragon Well and Biluochun. They use northern Gaiwan as tea sets (larger than Gongfu Gaiwan). Gaiwan is made up of three parts: the lid, the cup and the saucer（茶碟）. When the tea service master pours water into the Gaiwan, you will see the water filling from the air into Gaiwan, with a lively sound. In a moment, water stops. Then look at the Gaiwan. The water in it is just right at the level of the Gaiwan's mouth, with a simple drip（水满）on the desk. This is a unique（独特的）skill, as well as an art.
No matter where you are in Chengdu, in a quiet park or in a busy street, you can see those featured tea houses. They have fair price and good service. People can stay there for half a day, having only a cup of tea and little snacks. In the talks of friends and neighbors, the colorful tea culture of Sichuan is fully expressed.
请务必将以下小题的答案写在相应位置!
1. What are the functions of Chengdu tea houses?
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2. What are the desks and chairs in Chengdu tea houses made of?
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3. What's the difference between northern Gaiwan and Gongfu Gaiwan?
__________________________________________________________
4. Who has the unique skill of pouring water in the tea houses?
__________________________________________________________
5. What's the passage mainly about?
__________________________________________________________
As it is well known, saying “no” is not easy at all. But sometimes we have to learn to say “no”. To learn to say “no”, we have to first understand what’s stopping us about it. There are some common reasons why people find it hard to say “no”.
You want to help others. You are a kind soul(灵魂) at heart. You don’t want to turn the person away and you want to help when possible, even if it may take up your time.
Afraid of being rude. I was brought up under the idea that saying “no”, especially to people who are older, is rude. This thinking is common in Asian culture, where face-saving is important. It means not making others look bad or lose faces.
Wanting to be agreeable. At times, you find you are not in agreement. You don’t want to keep yourself away from the group, so you agree to do others’ requests.
Fear of conflict(冲突). The person might be angry if you refuse him. This might lead to an ugly conflict. Even if there isn’t, there might be disagreement which might lead to bad effects(影响) in the future.
Fear of losing opportunities. Sometimes, saying “no” means closing doors or losing opportunities. It may make you feel worried. For example, one of my friends was asked to work in another department(部门) in her company. Since she liked her team, she didn’t want to go. However, she didn’t want to say “no” as she felt it would affect her promotion(晋升) opportunities in the future.
1. In Asian culture, it is2. Why do you agree to do others’ requests?
3. What does saying “no” mean sometimes?
4. 请从文中找出并写下全文的主题句.
5. 请将文中画线的句子译成汉语。
5 . Many scientists find that colors can change people’s feelings. It’s very interesting. Some colors can make people feel relaxed, and some colors can make people feel nervous.
Now, this kind of knowledge is being used in many places. For example, school walls are always painted green because green makes students feel relaxed. It is also good for the students’ eyes. Some books are also green or light blue for the same reason.
Restaurant owners not only have to know how to make food, but also have to know how to make money. Here are some things they’ve learnt from scientific studies. The color red makes people hungry. Many fast food restaurants have red furniture or walls.
Soft colors like pink and light blue make people feel relaxed, so they spend more time eating. Loud music may be nice at first, but it soon makes people want to leave. Hard seats also make customers want to eat quickly and leave. Many restaurants, especially fast food restaurants, use this knowledge to make customers eat faster.
1. How does the color green make the students feel?| A．Hungry. | B．Nervous. | C．Angry. | D．Relaxed. |
| A．Green. | B．White. | C．Light blue. | D．Red |
①Play loud music. ②Play soft music.③Have hard seats.④Paint their walls red
| A．①②③ | B．①③④ | C．①②④. | D．②③④ |
| A．Color and restaurant. | B．Use color to make money. |
| C．Color and science. | D．Use color to change feelings. |
6 . Here are three famous cities in the world. You will find the most famous landmarks which are symbols for a city and maybe even for the country.
 | Venice This beautiful city in northeastern Italy is built on about 120 small islands. The city has no roads. Instead, people use boats to travel along the canals (运河). Flat-bottomed boats called gondolas were once the main means of transportation. You should see St. Mark's Square, the center of activity in this city. It has wonderful buildings. |
 | Chicago This American city is the main business and cultural center of the Midwest. It is famous for its music, opera and theaters. It also has excellent museums. When shopping in this city, you can visit a long row of fashionable stores on North Michigan Avenue. One of the world's tallest buildings, the John Hancock Center, is also on this avenue. |
 | Rio de Janeiro Travelers use many words to describe this South American city: beautiful, sunny, friendly and exciting. It is the city of the Carnival (嘉年华), when everyone dances the samba in the streets. Tourists also love to visit its wonderful beaches and mountains. You should not miss the National Park of Tijuca, one of the largest city parks in the world. |
1. is built on about 120 small islands.
| A．Chicago | B．Venice | C．Rio de janeiro | D．Tijuca |
| A．parks | B．theaters | C．boats | D．colleges |
| A．in South America | B．in northeastern Italy |
| C．on North Michigan Avenue | D．on St. Mark's Square |
| A．dances the samba in the streets | B．travels by boat along the canals |
| C．visits the world's tallest buildings | D．goes shopping at fashionable stores |
7 . It might be fun to use your smartphone, but be careful. Too much screen time may be harmful to your health.
First, it is bad for your eyes. A researcher called Sarah Hinkley says the problem comes from the blue light that the screen gives out. Looking at a smartphone for a long time can cause eye strain（劳损）, headaches and dry eyes. So it is a good idea to take a break every 15 minutes when you are working at a computer or using a smartphone.
Second, screen use can do harm to children’s brains. A new study shows that using screens too much can affect（影响） how children’s brains grow. If children use screens for more than one hour a day, they might have lower levels of white matter in their brains. White matter is a key to the development of language and reading skills. So it is wise to cut down the time of children using all kinds of screens.
Third, using screens too much will affect your sleep. According to a study, about 95% of the people between the ages of 13 and 64 use electronics before bed, especially the young people under 20. Doctors say that the light from those electronics at night may make you excited before you go to bed. Then it’s hard for you to get enough sleep. So you’d better turn off smartphones, TVs, and all other screens an hour before your bedtime.
To keep healthy, doctors and researchers strongly advise that you shouldn’t use screens for long hours.
1. The blue light from your screens can cause ________.| A．eyestrain | B．headaches | C．dry eyes | D．all of the above |
| A．take a break every 15 minutes | B．have lower levels of white matter |
| C．use screens too much before bed | D．are the people from 13 to 64 |
| A．Using smartphones for long hours does harm to your eyes. |
| B．A lot of screen time affects children’s brain growth. |
| C．The light from electronics at night may make you excited. |
| D．People of all ages mustn’t use electronics. |
| A．a science magazine | B．a travel diary | C．a guide book | D．a novel |
| A．The ways to keep healthy. | B．The harm of using screens too much. |
| C．The ways to use screens. | D．The advantages of using screens. |
8 . Carpooling (拼车) for School
In the UK, students often carpool. When your school doesn't have a school bus and your home is not near, you can carpool. Usually three or four students go to school in the same car. Their parents take turns (轮流) in taking the students in their cars.
The students have to be on time, because nobody wants to be late for class. If you are in the car and wait (等) for a friend for a long time, you will be unhappy. Your friends will feel the same way when you let them wait. Students learn a great lesson—to be on time.
Carpooling | |
Where | In the |
Who | Three or four |
Why | 1. Some schools don't have a school 2. Some students don't live |
A great lesson | To be |
9 . Most people want to be happy, but few know how to find happiness. Money and success alone do not bring lasting happiness. Aristotle, a Greek thinker, said, “Happiness depends on ourselves.” In other words, we make our own happiness. Here are a few suggestions to help you be happier:
The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so much time thinking about the future. For example, getting into college or getting a good job that we fail to enjoy the present. You should enjoy life's simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends. People who have several close friends often live happier and healthier lives.
Another secret to live a happy life is to be active, and have hobbies where you forget your problems and time. Many people experience this by dancing, or playing a sport, such as swimming. You can forget about your problems, and only think about the activity.
Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. Studies show that people feel good when they spend their time helping others. If you want to feel happier, do good things for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to buy food for an elderly person, or simply help out around the house by washing the dishes.
1. How many pieces of advice does the passage give on happiness?| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．Everyone knows how to live a happier life. |
| B．It’s wrong to spend time on work. |
| C．Hobbies take up too much time. |
| D．Doing good things for someone can make you happier. |
| A．Reading a good book. |
| B．Traveling to a foreign country. |
| C．Playing a sport. |
| D．Spending time with close friend. |
| A．The Secrets of Happiness. |
| B．Money Makes You Happy. |
| C．Ideas for Helping Other People to Be Happy. |
| D．Good Friends Make You Happy. |
10 . Bi Sheng was born in Song Dynasty. He lived in a small village which lies in Huanggang today.He invented the printing around 600 AD (公元)。He was the world’s first inventor of the printing. It is about 400 years earlier than the printing in Germany.
The printing is also called the movable type printing (活字印刷).But how did it work in the past?
First of all, the clay was made into movable types. Then words were engraved (雕刻) carefully onto the types. After that the words were chosen and put in right order in a box according to the text. Next, the workers brushed ink onto the movable types. Finally the types could be used for printing. They could be used again and again for different books.
The movable type printing plays an important role in Chinese culture. With the help of it, Chinese culture spread around the world more quickly. At the same time, the movable type printing was widely used in the world at that time. As a result, more and more culture communication among countries took place.
The movable type printing, the compass (指南针)，gun powder and the paper-making are called four great inventions of China. They make China own an important and even top position in the history of human civilization (文明).
1. When was the movable type printing invented?| A．About 600 years ago. | B．Around 600 AD. | C．Before Song Dynasty. | D．About 400 years ago. |
| A．Brush ink onto the types. | B．Make the clay into movable types. |
| C．Print by using the types. | D．Engrave words onto the types. |
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．the compass | B．gun-powder | C．the paper making | D．the movable type printing |
| A．Four great inventions and their position in the history of human civilization. |
| B．Bi Sheng invented the movable type printing after trying many times. |
| C．The movable type printing and the importance for the culture communication. |
| D．How Bi Sheng invented the movable type printing in Song Dynasty. |
