1 . One minute, Peggy Lewis and her husband were watching the trees blow in the wind outside their home in Eureka, Kansas. Next, they were surrounded by broken glass from the house’s windows. The roof tore off. The walls fell down. After the 152-mph tornado (龙卷风) had passed, it took a team of neighbors to pull the couple out from the ruins and take them to the hospital.
When the couple returned to their home three days after that awful night, Lewis wanted one thing — her family Bible. Lewis bought the Bible 35 years ago, at the start of her marriage. She’d used it to hold her family’s old photos, newspaper obituaries (讣告) of loved ones, a handkerchief from her great-grandmother and so on.
The Bible wasn’t where she’d last seen it, on top of an old dresser in her bedroom. Then two volunteers showed up to help the couple dig out. After an hour of searching, one volunteer found the Bible while cleaning through the little stones. It had flown approximately ten feet from that unlucky dresser. Surprisingly, while many books inside the house had been destroyed beyond recognition, the Bible was still intact (完好的), even though it had sat in the rain for days. A few of the Bible’s treasures did go missing. But ever so slowly, they began reappearing in Lewis’s life. Days after the Bible was found, volunteers discovered one of the newspaper obituaries outside the house. Two weeks later, a neighbor found another piece of newspaper sticking to her fence. “It was such a shock,” said Lewis.
Lewis and her family are living at a friend’s house until they get back on their feet. But the Bible already has its well-deserved place of honor, on Lewis’s borrowed dresser. She knows that while every good book tells stories of extremely bad weather and unlikely survival, this one actually lived it.
1. Why was the Bible so valuable to Lewis?| A．It’s a book published 35 years ago. |
| B．It’s a witness of her family’s history. |
| C．It’s the wedding gift from her husband. |
| D．It’s the first thing she bought for her family. |
| A．Volunteers found them outside the house. |
| B．Lewis found them when cleaning up the ruins. |
| C．They were found when floating near the old dresser. |
| D．Lewis’ neighbor and some volunteers discovered them. |
| A．This book was of high quality. |
| B．This book survived the tornado. |
| C．This book was worthy of being read. |
| D．This book told the stories about tornado. |
| A．History and art. | B．Financial observation. |
| C．Everyday wonders. | D．Science and technology. |
2 . Tom walked into a shop . It is a sign outside: "Second-hand (旧的) clothes bought and sold ." He was carrying an old pair of trousers and asked the owner（店主）of the shop, "How much will you give me for these?" The man looked at them and then said: "Two dollars."
" What !" said Tom. "I had guessed they were worth(值) at least five dollars."
"No," said the man, "they aren't worth a cent more than two dollars."
"Well," said Tom, taking two dollars out of his pocket. "Here's your money. These trousers were hanging outside your shop. The list price (标价)of them was six dollars and a half. But I thought that was too much money, so I wanted to find out how much they were really worth."
Then he walked out of the shop with the pair of trousers and disappeared before the shop owner could think of anything to say .
1. At first the owner of the shop thought that Tom __________ .| A．wanted to steal the trousers |
| B．wanted to buy the trousers |
| C．wanted to fool him |
| D．wanted to sell the trousers |
| A．would pay five dollars |
| B．would pay three dollars |
| C．would give Tom two dollars |
| D．would give Tom six dollars and a half |
only two dollars because ____ .
| A．he wanted to sell them cheaply (廉价地) |
| B．he wanted to buy them cheaply |
| C．he didn't like the trousers |
| D．they were old and dirty |
| A．the owner sold the trousers two dollars |
| B．Tom sold the trousers one dollar and a half |
| C．the owner bought the trousers three dollars |
| D．Tom bought the trousers four dollars and a half |
3 . My neighbor Mr Brown worked with an environmental group.Part of their duty is to rescue trapped animals.One day,he told me a true story that he and his environmental group experienced.I was deeply touched after hearing the story.Now I'd like to share this story with you.
A 50-foot humpback whale(座头鲸)became trapped in a web of crab traps（蟹笼）.The whale was weighed down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat（漂浮的）.She also had hundreds of yards of line rope around her tail，body and in her mouth.
A fisherman saw her just east of the Farallone Islands and radioed the environmental group that Mr brown is in.Within a few hours,the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off that the only way to save her was to dive in and release her－a very dangerous method.One slap of her tail could kill a rescuer.
They worked for hours with knives and eventually freed her.When she was free,she swam in what seemed like joyful circles.She then came back to each and every diver,one at a time,nudged(轻推)them，and pushed them gently around.She did that to thank them.
Mr brown said it was the most beautiful experience of his life.He said her eyes were following him the whole time when he was cutting the rope.He added he would never be the same.
I would never be the same either after hearing the story.If an animal knows how to show gratitude,how can we not know it?
1. What does Paragraph 2 tell us about the humpback whale?| A．She had lost hope of surviving. |
| B．She had been waiting for rescue patiently. |
| C．She was trapped by a fisherman on purpose. |
| D．It was impossible for her to get away by herself. |
| A．it would take the rescues too much time |
| B．the whale might put the rescuers in danger |
| C．the rescuers might kill the whale by accident |
| D．it was dangerous for the rescuers to dive in the sea |
| A．She immediately swam away. |
| B．She pushed the rescuers away. |
| C．She showed her thanks in her own way. |
| D．She asked for more help from the rescuers. |
| A．Interested and excited. |
| B．Surprised and moved. |
| C．Surprised and worried. |
| D．Disappointed and angry. |
4 . Isabella, whose mother died two years ago after her long battle with a rare illness, has to rely on her father as she approaches the pre-teen struggles every girl faces growing up. Yet, while her father, Philip, has been doing all he can, he has failed to master one skill that remains important for 11-year-olds such as Isabella: hair.
He originally just gave her a short cut because he didn't know how to do anything else. Once her hair grew back, however, Isabella learned to make a simple ponytail (马尾) on her way out the door each morning. It wasn't until she noticed her bus driver, Tracy Dean, braiding (编) another classmate's hair that Isabella gathered the courage to ask her for help.
Dean owes her good relationship with the community she serves to a previous cancer diagnosis (诊断). Seven years ago, she found out she had breast cancer, and one of the things that went through her head was: Who is going to take care of her little ones? Not that her husband couldn’t do it but that’s what moms do.
Dean's selfless deed has also taken social media by storm, rebuilding people's faith in each other, while also inspiring others to share their own stories of kind gestures within their own community.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and for Isabella, this means she now has a mother figure to look up to as she grows. “I feel like she's pretty much a mom to me,” Isabella said “And it makes me excited to see what she can do for me the next day.”
Dean's selfless act has also had an influence on Isabella at school, as her teacher, Mrs. Freeze, noted that Isabella had her head a little higher that morning after she asked for Dean's help. While this gesture will surely provide Isabella with the power she needs to remain positive for years to come, Dean can find great comfort in knowing that her help has made a lasting influence on Isabella in particular.
1. What was the trouble for Philip when bringing up his daughter?| A．To arrange her long hair. | B．To dress her elegant. |
| C．To communicate with her. | D．To help her with her study. |
| A．Everyone should care about their kid growth. |
| B．A small deed has made a big difference to Isabella. |
| C．Villagers should help each other in kids’ education. |
| D．Isabella has to be brought up by her fellow villagers. |
| A．Upset | B．Amazed | C．Awkward | D．Confident. |
| A．Indifferent | B．Skeptical | C．Supportive | D．Objective |
5 . A lot of us lose life’s tough battles by starting a frontal attack— when a touch of humor might well enable us to win. Consider the case of a young friend of mine, who was on his trapped way to work shortly after receiving an ultimatum(最后通牒) about the job. Although there was a good reason for Sam’s being late—serious illness at home—he realized that this by-now-familiar excuse wouldn’t work any longer. His supervisor was probably already pacing up and down preparing a dismissal speech.
Yes, the boss was. Sam entered the office at 9:35. The place was as quiet as a locker room; everyone was hard at work. Sam’s supervisor came up to him. Suddenly, Sam forced a grin and stretched out his hand. “How do you do!” he said, “I’m Sam Maynard. I’m applying for a job, which, I understand, became available just 35 minutes ago. Does the early bird get the worm?”
The room exploded in laughter, except that the supervisor had to clamp off a smile and walked back to his office. Sam Maynard had saved his job— with the only tool that could win, a laugh.
Humor is a most effective, yet frequently ignored, means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying “no”, criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it’s the only tool that can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialogue may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians on television are doing more today for racial and religions tolerance than people in any other form.
1. Why was Sam late for his job?| A．Because he was seriously ill at home. | B．Because he received an ultimatum. |
| C．Because he was busy applying for a new job. | D．Because he was caught in a traffic jam. |
| A．try to hold back | B．pretend to set | C．send off | D．give out |
| A．Many lose life’s battles for they are always late. |
| B．Sam was supposed to come to his office at 8:30. |
| C．It wasn’t the first time that Sam came late for his work. |
| D．Humor is the most effective way of solving problems. |
| A．Sam Maynard saved his job with humor. | B．Humor is important in our lives. |
| C．Early bird can get the worm. | D．Humor can solve racial discriminations. |
6 . Last weekend marked one of the nicest days so far this spring.
It was warm with a tiny breeze; the sun penetrated through lightweight sweaters to warm the skin; the male choir was warming up, and the graduates were walking around the lawn behind the throng of six-thousand-plus observers.
With all of the parents, sisters, brothers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, the state university was a center of activity. My nephew was going to receive his bachelor’s degree. Who would have guessed that four years would go by so quickly?
As the crowd of freshly elegant candidates wandered, joked, hugged and chattered behind the platform, I heard several cell phones ring. There were several nonsensical(无意义)conversations going on with the accompanying giggles of the not-quite-mature students, but then one conversation in particular caught my attention.
“Yes, Grandma, I’m really graduating. I can’t believe it, either!I never thought I’d be here today, you know? Really!Like, I know it!Yes, it’s a very special day...Hold on, we’re lining up...Oh wow, they’ve got hundreds of balloons they’re going to release!Yes, Kelly’s here...Okay, I’ll give her your love…here we go!Gran, I’m graduating!…Love you too, Gran. I’m so glad you could be here with me!”
And somehow, my initial surprise and annoy at the use of cell phones during such a serious occasion left me. These little representatives of modern technology had joined a young woman and her devoted Gran to share a very special moment in time.
1. The author went to the university to______.| A．enjoy the beautiful spring day | B．see how the graduates act |
| C．see a relative graduate | D．receive a bachelor’s degree |
| A．Because the conversation was carried on the cell phone. |
| B．Because the young woman sounded different from other students. |
| C．Because several nonsensical conversations were going on. |
| D．Because a young woman was sharing a special moment with her gran. |
| A．Surprised. | B．Annoyed. | C．Puzzled. | D．Moved. |
| A．To describe an exciting moment in life. |
| B．To explain the convenience technology brings us. |
| C．To advise us to use cell phones properly in public places. |
| D．To describe a common scene in life. |
Epic Fails: The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History By Erik Slader and Ben Thompson. Ages 6 to 12. The first book in the Epic Fails series deals with one of the most ambitious goals humans have pursued: the quests to fly. Authors Slader and Thompson focus on life-or-death scenes, such as when the Wright brothers crashed their glider over and over on the sandy coast of North Carolina; it took them two more years to get it right. |
Epic Fails: The Race to Space: Countdown to Liftoff By Erik Slader and Ben Thompson. Ages 6 to 12 Today, everyone is familiar with Neil Armstrong’s famous words as he first set foot on the moon, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” He made it look easy, but America’s journey to the moon was anything but simple. Our first attempt was a failure. Still, we didn’t give up. We tried again. And again. And each time we failed, we failed a little bit better. |
Fantastic Failures: True Stories of People Who Changed the World by Falling Down First By Luke Reynolds. Ages 6 to 12. Teacher Luke Reynolds opens each chapter with a quick, impossibly perfect version of one person’s life and then says how that person actually had to face huge challenges to accomplish goals. In this book, Reynolds writes about various common men, women and children. |
Cyrus Field’s Big dream：The Daring Effort to Lay the First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable By Mary Morton Cowan. Ages 6 to 12. In 1853，it took at least a week to relay a message between the United States and Europe because people had to be transported on ships over the Atlantic Ocean. Cyrus Field tried to reduce that transmission（传送）time to just minutes by laying a long undersea cable. In this book，Cowan describes many failures Field suffered before he achieved this major breakthrough. |
1. Who are the four books intended for?
| A．Children. | B．Teenagers. | C．Adults. | D．Old people. |
| A．It was written by a famous actor. | B．It tells stories of ordinary people. |
| C．It is about science fiction stories. | D．It is a picture book by a teacher. |
| A．All roads lead to Rome. | B．Failure is the mother of success. |
| C．An early bird catches worms | D．Actions speak louder than words. |
8 . My name is Lwazi Nzimande. I started my schooling at Thukeyana Primary Farm School in Underberg, KwaZuluNatal.
I had a favourite teacher in primary school. Her name was Miss Dube. She taught me natural science and human social sciences in grade six and seven, and had a way of pushing learners to be able to think for themselves. She made sure that each and every learner took part in every lesson. She used pictures, diagrams (图表) and other things to make learning easier and more unforgettable, moving at a pace that was suitable for all students. As a teacher, she showed patience, respect, open-mindedness, and reliability (可靠性). Now you see why she was my favourite teacher in primary school, don't you?
In my opinion, patience, respect, open-mindedness, and reliability are some of the things that all teachers should have and show. A patient teacher is one who understands that some learners need more explanation than others to understand something in class. He or she should always be willing to help learners. An open-minded teacher will go beyond what is found in the textbook. A teacher who is respected will find it easy to control a class. Respect is earned through what a teacher says to learners or how he or she deals with them in general.
Miss Dube often told us not to badmouth or make fun of others. She also did so. She never badmouthed other teachers in front of us. Also, Miss Dube never made fun of her learners. She thought making fun of learners in front of others would hurt them and damage their confidence.
Miss Dube was also very honest. From my point of view, that's also what a good teacher should be like. If she didn't have an answer to a question, she would let her learners know. This set a good example to the learners.
1. Why was Miss Dube the author's favourite teacher?| A．Because of her rich knowledge. |
| B．Because of her good appearance. |
| C．Because of her teaching style and character. |
| D．Because of her lifestyle and attitude to students. |
| A．Pay close attention to every student's improvement. |
| B．Tell about something outside the textbook. |
| C．Avoid believing everything in the textbook. |
| D．Show great respect for her students. |
| A．She liked praising her students. | B．She was very confident in class. |
| C．She got along well with other teachers. | D．She set a good example to her students. |
| A．Being a very patient teacher. | B．Answering students' questions. |
| C．Being honest in front of students. | D．Teaching students very difficult things. |
9 . Recently, I experienced a wonderful lesson in how little things still mean a lot. My brother, mother and I live in Hawaii. Our farm is at least a dozen miles from even the most basic of services. Therefore, I take weekly trips to the shop to get supplies. About a month ago, I finished loading up the car and was about to leave, when a piece of paper on the ground caught my eye. I picked it up and read it carefully.
It was a receipt from the State Motor Vehicle Division, recording the owners payment of her Vehicles Registration fees. At first I thought that I could find the owner. So I waited there for about an hour. Although the receipt had been borne on the wind, where in the busy, crowded parking lot would I find the owner? I looked over the receipt for contact or any personal data, perhaps a license tag or telephone number. I checked the date, the fees paid, noted the name of the owner and pocketed the paper. I concluded that the best and easiest step to take was to put the receipt in an envelope and send it to the owner first the next morning.
By the end of the week, I received a beautiful "thank you " letter from a very grateful and happy woman containing a handwritten message and a gift card. In the letter, the woman explained how the wind snatched (夺去) her receipt from a pocket in her car’s passenger door. She had searched everywhere for quite some time before giving up.
It felt great to know I had helped someone avoid a loss by doing something that at first glance(一瞥) seemed little and unimportant.
1. What can be the best title for the text?| A．A Lesson I Will Never Forget | B．Never Lose Heart or Give up |
| C．Little Things Still Mean a Lot | D．Think Carefully Before You Act |
| A．He lives downtown in Hawaii. |
| B．He goes to the shop to get supplies once a week on foot. |
| C．He is too poor to have basic supplies for his family. |
| D．He is patient and willing to help others. |
| A．the receipt | B．the license tag |
| C．the telephone number | D．the personal data |
| A．She forgot where she had put it. | B．A strong wind blew it away. |
| C．A thief took it away. | D．She left it in the parking lot |
10 . Nicole Ihus’s son John Henry was born last month with a life-threatening disease. Nicole and her husband, who live in Kansas City, contacted doctors from Minnesota and Missouri in hopes of finding a doctor who could treat John Henry for the condition, but to no avail. Luckily, Nicole managed to get in contact with the “best doctor in the world for this condition” at Johns Hopkins All Children’s in St. Petersburg, Florida, so she traveled all the way to the Sunshine State to give her newborn son a fighting chance.
After John Henry was into the ICU, Nicole felt alone in the new state, although she knew that she had to leave her son’s side in order to buy him some new clothes. Upon ordering an Uber ride to the nearby Rhea Lana children’s clothing store, she was picked up by a woman named Belinda.
Shortly after Nicole got into Belinda’s car, the new mother couldn’t help talking about her heartbreaking circumstances.
“She told me her story,” Belinda said. “She was in tears a couple of times and I really felt for her.” Rather than simply dropping Nicole off at the store, however, Belinda parked the car and insisted on accompanying her passenger into the store so she could treat John Henry to new clothes. Needless to say, Nicole was filled with gratitude.
Nicole said, “For this stranger to go completely out of her way - stop what she was doing and stop making money- to come be with me for a couple of hours while we shopped together, that was just incredible.” As Nicole cares for her newborn son and raises money for his medical conditions, she hopes to introduce the Uber driver to her son as a thank you for her compassionate gesture.
1. Why did the new mother have to travel to Florida?| A．Her husband worked there. |
| B．She wanted to have a baby there. |
| C．Her sick son might get cured there. |
| D．She wanted to find a cheap hospital there. |
| A．Drop her off at the hospital. |
| B．Accompany her while shopping. |
| C．Make friends with her son. |
| D．Buy new clothes for her. |
| A．Grateful and astonished. |
| B．Shocked and disappointed. |
| C．Worried and embarrassed. |
| D．Puzzled and regretful. |
| A．An unforgettable experience. |
| B．A heroic helper around you. |
| C．A special shopping experience. |
| D．An unexpected kindness. |
