How often one hears children wishing they were grown-ups, and old people wishing they were young again. Each age has its pleasures and its pains, and the happiest person is the one who enjoys what each age gives him without wasting his time in useless regrets.
Childhood is a time when there are few responsibilities to make life difficult. If a child has good parents, he is fed, looked after and loved, whatever he may do. It is impossible that he will ever again in his life be given so much without having to do anything in return. What’s more, life is always giving new things to the child--- things that have lost their interest for older people because they are too well-known. But a child has his pains: he is not so free to do what he wishes to do; he is repeatedly being told not do something or being punished for what he has wrongly done.
When a young man starts to earn his own living, he can no longer expect others to pay for his food, his clothes, and his room, but has to work if he wants to live comfortably. If he spends most of his time playing about in the way he used to as a child, he will go hungry. And if he breaks the laws of society as he used to break the laws of his parents, he may go to prison. If, however, he worked hard, keeps out of trouble and has good health, he can have the greatest happiness of building up for himself his own position in society.
小题1:What is the happiest person according to the passage?

A．A child who can do whatever he likes.

B．An old person who lives in a comfortable life.

C．A grown-up who no longer expects other to pay for him.

D．A person who never wastes his time in his whole life.

小题2:What pains does a child have?

A．He has few responsibilities to make life difficult.

B．He doesn’t have to do anything in return.

C．He is not so free to do what he wishes to do.

D．He has to work if he wants to live comfortably.

小题3:Which of the following is true, according to the second paragraph?

A．Life for a child is fairly easy.

B．A child is always loved whatever he does.

C．If much is given to a child, he must do something in return.

D．Only children are interested in life.

小题4:What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Life is not enjoyable since each age had some pains.

B．Young men can have the greatest happiness if they work hard.

C．Childhood is the most enjoyable time in one’s life.

D．One is the happiest if he can make good use of each age in his life.

小题5:What will the fourth paragraph most probably discuss following this passage?

A．Examples of successful young men.

B．How to build up one’s position in society.

C．Joys and pains of old people.

D．What to do when one has problems in life.

If someone says to you: “ Give me five”, do not search your pocket to get five yuan! It will make others laugh! The person’s not asking for your money, but your fingers.
In the US, “ give me five” or “ give me the high five” is a popular gesture ( 动作 ). You can see it often in films or on TV. It means the clapping ( 拍  ) of each other’s raised right hands together.
People do it when they meet for the first time or something happy happens. For example, a student has good marks in exams or wins a lottery ticket ( 彩票  ). If a football team wins a game, the players will give high fives to everyone around to celebrate.
This gesture may come from the old Roman gesture of raising the right arm for the king. This showed that the person raising his arm did not have a sword ( 剑 ) in his hand.
Why not try to give the high five to your friends?
小题1:“ Give me five” is a gesture to ______________.

A．ask for money	B．celebrate success
C．search one’s pocket	D．play

小题2:The gesture “ give me five” is the clapping of _________.

A．toes

B．hands

C．arms

D．legs

小题3:When you ________, you give your friends high fives.

A．lose your money	B．go back home
C．win a football game	D．do badly in exams

小题4:The gesture started in _______ according to the story.

A．Rome

B．America

C．China

D．Britain

小题5:Why did the Romans raise the right arm for the emperor?  Because ________.

A．they were proud of their emperor

B．they were happy to see the emperor

C．they wanted to show there were no swords in their hands

D．We don’t know

As a kid, everyone wants to learn how to ride a bike. Here is some advice to_1_ you be on your way.
The bike. Start with a bicycle and it’s small enough for your feet to touch the _2_. If you lose your balance, you can put your feet to the ground _3_.
Training grounds. You need a big place for the first part of your practice. Be sure to wear something to keep _4_.
Keeping your balance. It’s very important to learn how to keep your balance. You may practice this easily. _5_ your bike to the higher place. Sit on the bike seat  _6_both feet on the ground. Lift both feet a few inches to let the bike roll down. If you start to fall, just put your feet on the ground. Try practicing this several times _7_ you get your balance.
Pedaling(踩动). After you get your balance, it’s time to _8_ learning how to pedal. Start by sitting on the bike seat. With your left foot on the ground and your right foot on the pedal, then push _9_ on the pedal. Push off with your left foot. Keep on practicing until you learn it well.
Braking(刹车). Catch them lightly at first, slowly increasing the pressure to get to a full _10_. Remember that braking hard while going fast can cause you fall over.

小题1:	A．hold B．help C．feel D．wish

小题2:	A．tree B．floor C．ground D．bike

小题3:	A．at first B．at last C．on time D．at once

小题4:	A．dangerous B．safe C．warm D．cool

小题5:	A．Take B．Bring C．Give D．Ask

小题6:	A．under B．over C．with D．after

小题7:	A．because B．though C．until D．after

小题8:	A．start B．keep C．enjoy D．finish

小题9:	A．up B．down C．in D．on

小题10:

A．look B．stop C．beginning D．turn

Chicago  On  a  Budget
How to have fun in Chicago without spending a lot of money?
Sightseeing
○ The Art Institute of Chicago has a fine collection of photos and paintings. The ticket is ＄10.00,but go on Tuesdays and you’ll get in free(免费).
○ The Sears Tower is the world’s third tallest building. By going to the 103rd floor, you can get a great view of the whole city! All for only ＄8.50.
○ There are free concerts in Grant Park in summer. They are held Wednesday through Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
○ Attend the taping of a TV show for free. The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Jenny Jones Show both offer tourists free tickets. For The Oprah Winfrey Show you’ll have to book tickets at least a month before.
Places to stay
You can get a hotel for ＄100 to ＄ 300 a day. However, you can get a room in the dormitory(宿舍) at Roosevelt University for ＄215 for a whole week! But you have to stay for 30 days to get this great rate(优惠).
小题1:This passage is written for telling us ___________.

A．Chicago is a big and beautiful city	B．where we can see fine photos and paintings
C．how to make a cheap trip in Chicago	D．there are many free concerts in Chicago

小题2:It will cost you _________ if you visit the Art Institute instead of the Sears Tower on Sundays.

A．more

B．less

C．the same

D．none

小题3:You may go to ________ if you like to get a great view of the whole city.

A．the Art Institute	B．the Sears Tower
C．Roosevelt University	D．Grant Park

小题4:You have to spend at least _____________in all to stay in a dormitory room at Roosevelt University at a good rate.

A．＄100

B．＄300

C．＄215

D．＄860

小题5:According to this passage, which of the following statements in NOT TRUE ?

A．You are free to go to the Art Institute on Tuesdays.

B．Free Grant Park concerts are held four nights a week in summer.

C．The Sears Tower is the world’s third tallest building.

D．You can get tickets to The Oprah Winfrey as soon as you arrive.

My parents had some strange rules when my sister and I were growing up. For example, they never    1   us soda or juice. Our choice was water or iced tea   2   no sugar. My mom’s   3   for it was that she didn’t like kids who only drank sweet drinks, or worse, kids who did not like    4  ! She wanted to teach us to like water or    5   unsweetened drinks that did not come in a bottle. We, on the other hand, wanted to    6   a coke when we ate out. Now I can make my own decisions, but I    7  choose juice or soda. I don’t __ 8___ it. It’s not because I don’t like it. I’m just used to drinking water. Many people    9  to think that a kid needs juice. If the child can’t get it, he or she will secretly buy this kind of drink elsewhere. I found this really    10  , since I was raised    11   no juice or soda, and I didn’t really    12   only having water. Now people    13   kids to make their own choices,    14   I grew up in a family where the children’s opinions were seldom (很少) 15   for, and the parents made the final decisions.

小题1:	A．needed B．sold C．bought D．left

小题2:	A．with B．of C．off D．without

小题3:	A．decision B．reason C．hobby D．experience

小题4:	A．soda B．juice C．water D．milk

小题5:	A．another B．the other C．others D．other

小题6:	A．order B．reply C．obey D．achieve

小题7:	A．ever B．never C．always D．sometimes

小题8:	A．think about B．take care C．pay for D．think out

小题9:	A．like B．seem C．study D．get

小题10:

A．excited B．difficult C．interesting D．necessary

小题11:

A．on B．with C．by D．for

小题12:

A．give up B．care about C．take pride in D．agree with

小题13:

A．allow B．design C．teach D．cause

小题14:

A．as B．since C．but D．though

小题15:

A．added B．asked C．influenced D．regarded

I’ve been working in a school for more than twenty years. Many parents often ask me, “How can you teach your child good study skills? How can he or she get the homework done as quickly as possible?” Here are some tips:  
1. If the child is as young as nine or ten, ask him or her to prepare a small notebook to write down the homework given by his or her teachers. By developing this habit, he or she will learn to be much more responsible (负责的).
2. Find a good place to study. This should be a quiet place that is free from everything but study things. No games, radios, or televisions. Once you have decided on a place to study, this should be the only place where your child does his or her homework and studies. There should also be a very specific time for homework to be done. Usually, homework should be done as soon as the child gets home from school. This also goes for the kids who take part in after-school activities. Of course, it is a good idea to allow the child to have a healthy snack before the work begins.
3. Also remember that it is the child’s duty to do his or her homework. Some children give up easily and go to Mom and Dad for help when they have a problem. Try to let them solve it first. By doing this, they will get a sense of success from overcoming problems. In this way we help them to help themselves.
小题1:Asking the kids to keep a notebook to remember their homework will make them ______.

A．remember more	B．learn more
C．more responsible	D．more interested in studying

小题2:The place where the children study must ________.

A．be free for everything

B．have a TV set and a computer

C．be quiet, bright and free from things for entertainment

D．be big, clean and tidy

小题3:What does the underlined word “overcoming” mean in the passage?

A．Forgetting.

B．Leaving.

C．Realizing.

D．Beating.

小题4:According to the passage, the children should _____ when they have trouble with their homework.

A．ask their parents for help	B．try to solve the problems by themselves
C．wait for their teachers’ help	D．put it away and have a snack

小题5:This passage is written _________.

A．for parents to help their children study well

B．for the children who want to improve their work

C．for teachers to teach their students

D．for housewives to make their kids happy

At lunchtime, Bonnie and Ruth sat together like they always did at school. Ruth and Bonnie were best friends and best friends always sat together for lunch. They  1  sandwiches, cupcakes and almost everything.
But today things were   2  . Bonnie looked upset, and Ruth did not know why. “Why are you sad today, Bonnie?” Ruth asked. “Because my daddy    3  his job yesterday,” she said. “And we may have to move. My mom and dad are very unhappy and they always argue. I am   4 . What is going to happen to us?”
Bonnie’s news made Ruth very sad, too. What would school be like   5  Bonnie? What could she do to help her friend? When Ruth went home she told her mom the bad   6 .
“What can I do to help?” she asked.
“I’m not sure, Ruth,” said her mother sadly.
Ruth thought and thought. She thought while she ate supper and she thought while she did homework. She even thought when she brushed her teeth before going to bed.
“What can I do?” she  7 .
The next day was Saturday and Ruth woke up very early. She dressed and ate a quick breakfast,  8  went to find her friends. They all decided to    9  together to help Bonnie. They pulled weeds, played with babies and walked dogs. They even put on a Talent show in Ruth’s backyard. All the adults paid one dollar to watch the   10  sing and dance and do magic tricks. After the performance, the children   11 their money. They had made three hundred dollars! Ruth’s mom took them to the grocery store and they bought food, soap, paper towels, and all kinds of things that a person might need.
When they left the store they went to Bonnie’s house and each of the children   12  carried a bag to the door, rang the doorbell and ran away quickly. They had so much fun with   13  secret surprise! They knew it would make Bonnie very happy.
Ruth felt happy too,   14 she had helped her friend. She knew it wasn’t much, but all she needed to do was to show her friend that she cared   15 . I think Bonnie got the message, don’t you?

小题1:	A．found B．cooked C．shared D．bought

小题2:	A．same B．good C．right D．different

小题3:	A．changed B．lost C．enjoyed D．got

小题4:	A．worried B．lonely C．disappointed D．surprised

小题5:	A．to B．with C．for D．without

小题6:	A．story B．result C．news D．report

小题7:	A．dreamt B．answered C．talked D．wondered

小题8:	A．so B．then C．after D．before

小题9:	A．work B．study C．help D．think

小题10:

A．parents B．actors C．students D．children

小题11:

A．counted B．saved C．sent D．spent

小题12:

A．slowly B．quietly C．seriously D．patiently

小题13:

A．their B．his C．her D．its

小题14:

A．though B．and C．because of D．because

小题15:

A．helped B．cared C．understood D．realized

Jean is a bright young woman who comes from a rich and famous family. She goes to a good university and has everything that money can buy. Well, almost everything. The problem is that the people in Jean’s family are so busy that they can hardly find time to be with her. In fact, Jean is quite lonely.
So Jean spends a lot of time on her QQ. She likes being anonymous(匿名), talking to people who do not know about her famous family and her rich life. She uses the name Linda on QQ and has made a lot of friends who she keeps in touch with quite often.
Last year Jean made a very special friend on QQ. His name was David and lived in San Francisco. David was full of stories and jokes. He and Jean had a common(共同的) interest in rock music and modern dance. So it always took them hours to talk happily on QQ and sometimes they even forgot their time. Of course, they wanted to know more about each other. David sent a picture of himself: He was a tall, good-looking young man with a big, happy smile. As time went by, they became good friends and often sent cards and small things to each other.
When Jean’s father told her that he was going on a business trip to San Francisco, she asked him to let her go with him so that she could give David a surprise for his birthday. She would take him the latest DVD of their favorite rock singer. But when she knocked on David’s door in San Francisco, she found that her special friend was a twelve-year-old boy named Jim!
小题1:Jean spends a lot of her time on QQ because she is _________.

A．rich

B．famous

C．young

D．lonely

小题2:Jean thought “David” was special because he _________.

A．made her quite happy on QQ	B．was from San Francisco
C．sent her a picture of himself	D．was tall and good-looking

小题3:When Jean and “David” met and introduced themselves to each other, who felt surprised?

A．“David”.	B．Both “David” and Jean.
C．Jean.	D．Neither “David” nor Jean.

小题4:What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Don’t believe those you get to know on QQ so easily.

B．People don’t use their real names on QQ so often.

C．Don’t go to meet those you get to know on QQ.

D．People should tell their real names to others on QQ.

When you are in England, you must (必须) be very careful (当心) in the streets because the traffic goes on the left. Before you cross the street, you must look to the right first and then the left.
If the traffic lights are red, the traffic must stop(停止). Then the people on foot can cross the road. If the lights are green, the traffic can go and people on foot mustn’t (禁止) cross.
In the morning and in the evening, when people go to or come back from work, the streets are very busy. The traffic is the most dangerous then.
When you go by bus in England, you have to be careful, too. You must always remember the cars drive on the left.
In many English cities, there are big buses with two floors. You can sit on the second floor. From there, you can see the city very well. That’ll be very interesting.
小题1:Before you cross a street in London, you must look to          .

A．the right side(边)	B．the left side
C．the left first and then the right	D．the right first and then the left

小题2:When you drive a car in England, you must           .

A．drive on the left	B．drive on the right
C．ignore (忽略) the traffic lights	D．go very quickly (快)

小题3:If the traffic lights are green, the traffic         .

A．can go

B．must be careful

C．mustn’t cross

D．must stop

小题4:In England, you can see some buses           .

A．with two chairs	B．with two rooms
C．with two floors	D．with two drivers

小题5:Which of the following is right?

A．After you cross the street, you must look to the left first and then the right.

B．If the lights are red, the traffic mustn’t stop.

C．You must drive cars on the left in England.

D．In the morning and in the evening when people go to or come back from work, the traffic is not dangerous.

I’m Mary. I have a piece of good news to tell you. My parents bought a new flat in the centre of the city. The rooms are not big, but they are all comfortable. There are more rooms than our old flat. I am excited(激动) because I have my own bedroom. In the old flat, I share the bedroom with my sister.
My favourite room in the new flat is my bedroom. I can be alone (单独) in it. It is my own small world. I can listen to music, read comics and chat with my friends on the phone. I can also look for things on the Internet and send e-mails to my e-friends.
Kitchen is my favourite room, too. I like helping my mother with the cooking. She is not only a good teacher but also a good cook. She often teaches me how to make some different dishes. She lived in Sichuan when she was a child. So she likes hot food and she can cook very delicious hot food.
小题1:What’s Mary’s new flat like?

A．Big and comfortable	B．Small and not comfortable
C．Big but not comfortable	D．Small but comfortable

小题2:Mary can do the following things in the bedroom except(除了)______.

A．play the piano	B．chat with her friends
C．send e-mails	D．listen to music

小题3:Which room does Mary like best?

A．The kitchen	B．Her bedroom
C．The sitting room	D．Both A and B

小题4:What does Mary’s mother do?

A．A teacher.	B．A nurse.
C．A housewife.	D．A worker.

小题5:Where did Mary’s mother live when she was a child?

A．The old flat	B．The centre of the city
C．Sichuan	D．The new flat