1 . Charlie is a teacher and his wife, Maria is an artist. The night before last, just before the longest day of the year, Charlie was sitting in a deckchair enjoying the warm summer air when Maria touched his shoulder and he could tell immediately she was a little worried about something. He asked her what the matter was and she replied that there was a strange thing on the jacket that was hanging in the bedroom. They had both lived in the West Indies (西印度群岛) and had seen a lot of strange creatures in their house before. But now they were living in England and so Charlie just laughed and said he would have a look at the “thing”.
He walked to the bedroom. He saw a jacket hanging in the bedroom and went up to it to have a closer look at the “thing”. The moment he touched it, the thing sprang into life. Now Charlie experiences fear like the rest of us but when this creature opened its wings, he jumped out of his skin and ran screaming from the room like a small child doing about 100 miles an hour.
For a moment the next-door neighbours thought that Charlie was murdering his wife because of the noise they could hear. In fact, it was a bat that frightened Charlie.
Eventually Charlie managed to trap the bat in a box and took it to the garden to let the bat fly. Maria, who had been playing the guitar while Charlie was upstairs, asked Charlie if he had found out what the thing was. “Oh, nothing to worry about”, he said casually hoping that the terror could not be seen in his eyes, “it was just a bat.”
1. Why was Maria a little worried one night?A.Because she couldn't find her guitar. | B.Because she saw something strange. |
C.Because it was too hot for her. | D.Because she had quarreled with her husband. |
A.stood up | B.was very frightened |
C.threw off his clothes | D.was very excited |
A.It was killed by Charlie. | B.It was badly wounded. |
C.It was set free by Charlie. | D.It was kept as a pet. |
A.Charlie was afraid that his wife would laugh at him if she knew the truth |
B.the neighbours would report to the police about Charlie murdering the bat |
C.the bat wouldn't come to Charlie's room again because it was frightened |
D.Maria heard her husband screaming downstairs and became frightened |
2 . Oliver and the Seawigs by Philip Reeve
Published by OUP Press
ISBN: 978-0-192-73455-6
Oliver grew up in a family of explorers—but his biggest adventure is about to begin! Along with his new friends, Oliver goes off to look for his missing parents.
I really like this book because it’s not one of those short stories that are over too quickly, but a longish book that takes time to read. I recommend this book and give it 5 stars.
Ginny, age 8
Lady Lydia: Read Me a Story by Anne Lavis
Published by A H Stockwell
ISBN: 978-0-722-34327-2
Lady Lydia is old and eccentric (古怪的), but she is never lonely. She shares her home with bats and mice and spiders, and all the animals round about are her friends too.
My lovely daughter Alice likes all the pictures of the animals in this book, but she doesn’t like it when the pages have lots of writing on with no pictures. Alice rates this book 2 out of 5.
Alice, age 4
I Am a Woolly Hat (EARLY READER) by Salma Koraytem
Published by Orion Books
ISBN: 978-1-444-00844-9
Early Readers are stepping stones from picture books to reading books. A blue Early Reader is perfect for sharing and reading together.
This book makes my sweetheart Lucie feel lovely inside and the drawing are not as good because the colors are not bright like other books. Lucie rates this book 3 out of 5.
Lucie, age 4
A Royal Fairytale by Ink Robin
Published by Egmont
ISBN: 978-1-405-26843-1
See Kate and Will’s romance develop from their studying days at Edinburgh through to their happy wedding at Buckingham Palace with the royal family, even the queen, in tow.
My little angel Amy likes the book. The best parts are the wedding and fireworks as she likes fireworks and the colors on the page are really bright. Amy rates it 4 out of 5.
Amy, age 4
1. Which book might an animal lover prefer?A.A Royal Fairytale. | B.Oliver and the Seawigs. |
C.Lady Lydia: Read Me a Story. | D.I Am a Woolly Hat (EARLY READER). |
A.Ginny and Alice. | B.Lucie and Amy. |
C.Ginny and Amy. | D.Alice and Lucie. |
A.Philip Reeve. | B.Anne Lavis. |
C.Salma Koraytem. | D.Ink Robin. |
3 . Your house may have an effect on your figure. Experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off. You can make your environment work for you instead of against you. Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan.
Open the curtains and turn up the lights. Dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating, for people are often less selfconscious (难为情) when they’re in poorly lit places—and so more likely to eat lots of food. If your home doesn’t have enough window light, get more lamps and flood the place with brightness.
Mind the colors. Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites. In one study, people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room. Warm colors like yellow make food appear more appetizing, while cold colors make us feel less hungry. So when it’s time to repaint, go blue.
Don’t forget the clock—or the radio. People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories (卡路里) per meal than those who rush through their meals. Begin keeping track of the time, and try to make dinner last at least 30 minutes. And while you’re at it, actually sit down to eat. If you need some help slowing down, turn on relaxing music. It makes you less likely to rush through a meal.
Downsize the dishes. Big serving bowls and plates can easily make us fat. We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12inch plate instead of a 10inch plate. When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one, total intake (摄入) jumps by 14 percent. And we’ll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short, wide glass than a tall, skinny glass.
1. The text is especially helpful for those who care about ____________.A.their home comforts | B.their body shape |
C.house buying | D.healthy diets |
A.digest food better | B.reduce food intake |
C.burn more calories | D.regain their appetites |
A.Eat quickly. | B.Play fast music. |
C.Use smaller spoons. | D.Turn down the lights. |
A.Is Your House Making You Fat? | B.Ways of Serving Dinner |
C.Effects of SelfConsciousness | D.Is Your Home Environment Relaxing? |
4 . The Boy Made It!
One Sunday, Nicholas, a teenager, went skiing at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. In the early afternoon, when he was planning to go home, a fierce snowstorm swept into the area. Unable to see far, he accidentally turned off the path. Before he knew it, Nicholas was lost, all alone! He didn’t have food, water, a phone, or other supplies. He was getting colder by the minute.
Nicholas had no idea where he was. He tried not to panic. He thought about all of the survival shows he had watched on TV. It was time to put the tips he had learned to use.
He decided to stop skiing. There was a better chance of someone finding him if he stayed put. The first thing he did was to find shelter from the freezing wind and snow. If he didn’t, his body temperature would get very low, which could quickly kill him.
Using his skis, Nicholas built a snow cave. He gathered a huge mass of snow and dug out a hole in the middle. Then he piled branches on top of himself, like a blanket, to stay as warm as he could.
By that evening, Nicholas was really hungry. He ate snow and drank water from a nearby stream so that his body wouldn’t lose too much water. Not knowing how much longer he could last, Nicholas did the only thing he could he huddled (蜷缩) in his cave and slept.
The next day, Nicholas went out to look for help, but he couldn’t find anyone. He followed his tracks and returned to the snow cave, because without shelter, he could die that night. On Tuesday, Nicholas went out again to find help. He had walked for about a mile when a volunteer searcher found him. After two days stuck in the snow, Nicholas was saved.
Nicholas might not have survived this snowstorm had it not been for TV. He had often watched Grylls’ survival show Man vs. Wild. That’s where he learned the tips that saved his life. In each episode (一期节目) of Man vs. Wild, Grylls is abandoned in a wild area and has to find his way out.
When Gxrylls heard about Nicholas’ amazing deeds, he was super impressed that Nicholas had made it since he knew better than anyone how hard Nicholas had to work to stay alive.
1. What happened to Nicholas one Sunday afternoon?A.He got lost. | B.He broke his skis. |
C.He hurt his eyes. | D.He caught a cold. |
A.He found a shelter. | B.He lighted some branches. |
C.He kept on skiing. | D.He built a snow cave. |
A.returned to his shelter safely | B.was saved by a searcher |
C.got stuck in the snow | D.stayed where he was |
A.did the right things in the dangerous situation |
B.watched Grylls’ TV program regularly |
C.created some tips for survival |
D.was very hard-working |
5 . The National Gallery
Description:The National Gallery is the British national art museum built on the north side of Trafalgar Square in London. It houses a diverse collection of more than 2,300 examples of European art ranging from 13th-century religious paintings to more modern ones by Renoir and Van Gogh. The older collections of the gallery are reached through the main entrance while the more modern works in the East Wing are most easily reached from Trafalgar Square by a ground floor entrance.
Layout:The modern Sainsbury Wing on the western side of the building houses 13th-to15th-century paintings, and artists include Duccio, Uccello, Van Eyck, Lippi, Mantegna, Botticelli and Memling.
The main West Wing houses 16th-century paintings, and artists include Leonardo da Vinci, Cranach, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bruegel, Bronzino, Titan and Veronese.
The North Wing houses 17th-century paintings, and artists include Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Van Dyck, Velazquez, Claude and Vermeer.
The East Wing houses 18th-to early 20th-century paintings, and artists include Canaletto, Goya, Turner, Constable, Renoir and Van Gogh.
Opening Hours:The Gallery is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm (Fridays 10 am to 9 pm) and is free, but charges apply to some special exhibitions.
Getting There:Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross (2-minute walk), Leicester Square (3-minute walk), Embankment (7-minute walk), and Piccadilly Circus (8-minute walk).
1. In which century’s collection can you see religious paintings?A.The 20th | B.The 17th |
C.The 18th | D.The 13th |
A.In the East Wing. | B.In the main West Wing. |
C.In the Sainsbury Wing. | D.In the North Wing. |
A.Charing Cross. | B.Leicester Square. |
C.Embankment. | D.Piccadilly Circus. |
6 . I used to be a very self-centered person, but in the past two years I have really changed. I have started to think about other people
I think my
A bigger cause of my new
I think I am a much
A.since | B.before | C.or | D.unless |
A.famous | B.simple | C.different | D.skilled |
A.education | B.career | C.tour | D.change |
A.balance | B.homework | C.degree | D.interest |
A.talked | B.wrote | C.lied | D.reported |
A.careful | B.lonely | C.curious | D.guilty |
A.argument | B.game | C.experiment | D.defence |
A.dared | B.offered | C.hesitated | D.happened |
A.dream | B.problem | C.duty | D.step |
A.us | B.which | C.them | D.whom |
A.attitude | B.hobby | C.hope | D.luck |
A.friend | B.partner | C.guide | D.guest |
A.polite | B.happy | C.strange | D.confident |
A.bothered | B.answered | C.visited | D.trusted |
A.explain | B.guess | C.declare | D.see |
A.homeless | B.heart broken | C.bad-tempered | D.hopeless |
A.quieter | B.busier | C.better | D.richer |
A.forget | B.face | C.improve | D.analyze |
A.forced | B.preferred | C.ordered | D.taught |
A.miss | B.like | C.wonder | D.expect |