1 . For the past two years, 8-year-old Harli Jordean from Stoke Newington, London, has been selling marbles(弹珠). His successful marble company, Marble King, sells all things marble-related － from affordable tubs of the glass playthings to significantly expensive items like Duke of York solitaire tables － sourced, purchased and processed by the mini-CEO himself.
“I like having my own company. I like being the boss,” Harli told the Mirror.
With profits now in the thousands, “the world’s youngest CEO” has had to get his mother and older brothers to help him meet the growing demand.
Harli launched Marble King after swapping marbles at school led to schoolchildren consuming his marble collection. Yes, he literally “lost his marbles.” Harli and his mother, Tina, turned to the Internet to find replacements.
Harli saw an empty space online: the marbles he wanted were hard to find. Within months, Harli had his own marble-selling website － and orders started pouring in.
Tina says her son's attachment to marbles started when he was just 6.
“His attachment became so passionate that we started calling him the Marble King — so when he wanted to set up a website it was the natural name for it,” she told The Sun.
“I never thought it would become so popular － we are struggling to cope with the number of orders at times.”
The 8-year-old boy has his sights set on expanding his business and launching his own brand of marbles.
“Sometimes his ideas are so grand we have to _______ a bit. But his dream is still to own Britain's biggest marble shop and open stores around the world,” Tina told The Daily Mail.
“At the moment he is annoying me by creating his own Marble King marbles － so that could well be the next step for him.”
1. Harli’s Marble Company became popular as soon as he launched it because ______.

A．it was run by “the world’s youngest CEO”

B．it filled the gap of online marble trade

C．Harli was fascinated with marble collection

D．Harli met the growing demand of the customers

2. How many mass media are mentioned in the passage?

A．One

B．Two

C．Three

D．Four

3. The underlined expression “scale them back” is closest in meaning to ______.

A．hold them down	B．carry them out
C．set them aside	D．clear them away

4. What message do the last two paragraphs carry?

A．Conflicts often occur between Harli Jordean and his family.

B．Harli’s mother and brothers are worried about Marble King’s future.

C．Marble King marbles will surely attract more fans around the world.

D．The “Marble King” has great ambition for his Marble King company.

2 . As I grew older, my dad and I grew further apart. We always had totally different opinions. He thought that college was a waste of time, but for me it was important to finish college. He wanted me to work my way to the top as he had done in his field，but I wanted a different life. There was a time when we did not talk with each other.
A few months ago, I heard that my 84-year-old dad was in poor health. When he called and asked whether I could move from Colorado bank to Tennessee to help him, I knew he was seriously ill. I am his only child and so it was time to meet my father's requirement.
Two weeks after moving back, we bought a boat and started fishing again. Fishing was one of the few things that we did while I was young and that we both enjoyed. It is strange but true that as we are fishing we are able to put things that have kept us apart for so many years behind us. We are able to talk about things that we have never talked about before. Fishing has been healing the old wounds that have kept us apart.
It is not important how many fish we catch. It is about enjoying the relationship that we have not had for years. I' m 62 and he is 84. When we are on the lake fishing, it is like enjoying life. It is far better to find a way to put the unhappy past behind. I am so lucky to spend the happy time with my father in his last years. Now my heart is filled with love. A smile always graces my lips.
1. The author and his father became further apart because      .

A．they lived very far from each other

B．they seldom went to see each other

C．they only communicated by phone

D．they had different views on things

2. Why did the author came back to Tennessee?

A．Because his father invited him to go fishing.

B．Because he decided to live in a different city.

C．Because his father was ill and needed caring.

D．Because he regretted being rude to his father.

3. For the author, fishing with his old father

A．helps cure his father’s disease

B．makes him realize the importance of relaxation

C．is a good way to get close to nature

D．provides a chance for them to communicate

4. Which of the following can be the title for the text?

A．Fishing Brings Us Together	B．Forgiving Is Difficult
C．Memories of Old Days	D．My Beloved Father