1 . Reading can be a social activity. Think of the people who belong to book groups. They choose books to read and then meet to discuss them. Now the website BookCrossing.com turns the page on the traditional idea of a book group. Members go on the site and register the books they own and would like to share. BookCrossing provides an identification number to stick inside the book. Then the person leaves it in a public place, hoping that the book will have an adventure traveling far and wide with each new reader who finds it. Bruce Pederson, the managing director of Book Crossing, says, “The two things that change your life are the people you meet and books you read. BookCrossing combines both.”

Members leave books on park benches and buses, in train stations and coffee shops. Whoever finds their book will go to the site and record where they found it.

People who find a book can also leave a journal entry describing what they thought of it. E-mails are then sent to the BookCrossers to keep them updated about where their books have been found. Bruce Peterson says the idea is for people not to be selfish by keeping a book to gather dust on a shelf at home.

BookCrossing is part of a trend among people who want to get back to the “real” and not the virtual(虚拟). The site now has more than one million members in more than one hundred thirty-five countries.

1. How do people of book groups often read?

A．They sell books to read and then meet to discuss them.

B．They choose books to read and then meet to discuss them.

C．They exchange books to read and then meet to discuss them.

2. How do Book Crossing members read?

A．Go on the site—register the books—leave it in a public place

B．Register the books—go on the site—leave it in a public place.

C．Leave it in a public place—go on the site—register the books.

3. What are the two things that change people’s life?

A．The people you miss and books you read.

B．The people you meet and books you own.

C．The people you meet and books you read.

4. How many members does BookCrossing.com have?

A．Over one million members.

B．Over two million members.

C．Over three million members.

2 . Want to see your work published and win some cash along the way? Then read on. The national Spark a Story writing contest is calling in all young storytellers!

●Who can participate?

The contest is open to students in grades 9, 10, 11 or 12, or those who are being home-schooled in the United States.

●Deadline and requirements.

You’re able to send your short story up to October 7th. It will be judged on creativity, originality and overall quality of writing. Your story must be original works and shouldn’t be longer than 5000 words. There is no minimum length requirements.

●How can I send my short story?

*Online at http://learn.hmhco.com/hmhsparkamind

*Send your short story as a PDF or Microsoft word document to Sparka@hmhco.com

*Send your short story via U.S. Mail to:

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

222 Berkeley Street

Boston, MA 02116

●What will I win?

The best stories will be published next year. Winners will receive a free copy of the book and $100 cash.

1. Who is this passage intended for?

A．Students.

B．Teachers.

C．Parents.

D．Editors.

2. How many ways can you use to send your short story?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

3. In which section of a newspaper can you read this passage?

A．Sports.

B．Science.

C．Education.

D．Fashion.

3 . Serena was walking to her class slowly. She worried about the ________ test she would have to take that morning. As she was reaching the classroom, a piece of paper suddenly fluttered (飘落) down and ________ near her feet. As Serena ________ the paper, her heart nearly missed a beat. It was the history test paper complete with ________!

Serena’s very first ________ was not to tell anyone what she had found. She would ________ all the answers and do extremely well in the test. After some hard thinking, however, she realized that it would be a very ________ thing to do. Besides, it would be ________ to her classmates. In the end, Serena ________ the paper to her history teacher, Miss James.

“Thanks, Serena. I have been ________ for it everywhere,” said the teacher. “Sorry, Miss James. I’ve read all the questions already.” Serena said.

Miss James told her not to ________ as she would think of new ________ for the test. Serena’s heart sank. She was half hoping that the test would be cancelled (取消). However, she did her best in the new test later that day.

A few days later, the test papers were returned to the class. To her pleasant ________, Serena discovered that she had scored eighty marks.

“You know,” she told her friends, “I could ________ have got full marks if I had cheated. But I wouldn’t be as ________ as I am now with the eighty marks I got.”

1.

A．English

B．Chinese

C．maths

D．history

2.

A．disappeared

B．landed

C．slid

D．hung

3.

A．aimed at

B．laughed at

C．looked at

D．shouted at

4.

A．answers

B．introductions

C．explanations

D．marks

5.

A．discovery

B．impression

C．thought

D．guess

6.

A．forget

B．memorize

C．ignore

D．correct

7.

A．dangerous

B．wonderful

C．dishonest

D．hopeful

8.

A．useful

B．easy

C．difficult

D．unfair

9.

A．pushed

B．returned

C．introduced

D．recommended

10.

A．waiting

B．hoping

C．searching

D．asking

11.

A．worry

B．lie

C．hesitate

D．excuse

12.

A．pictures

B．questions

C．places

D．goals

13.

A．surprise

B．regret

C．anger

D．horror

14.

A．never

B．ever

C．hardly

D．easily

15.

A．pleased

B．bored

C．patient

D．angry