Computers are useful machines. They can help people a lot in their daily (1)I            . For example,
they can help people to save much time to do (2)m            work, and they can help people to work out
many (3)p           . More and more people learn to use computers.
     Today more and more (4)f             own computers. Parents buy computers (5)f            their children.
They hope computers can (6)h             them improve their studies. However, many of their children
(7)u             computers to play games and watch videos instead of studying. So many teachers and parents
complain that computers cannot help children to study but make them fall (8)b            . So computers are
locked in boxes by parents.
     In some (9)o             countries, even some scientists also hate computers. They say computers
(10)l            many of people lose their jobs or bring them a lot of trouble. 
     Will computers bring people trouble or happiness? It will be decided by today's students themselves.

     It is true that many students at school these days are suffering from a serious lack of sleep. Many of
them feel tired and lose their interest in studying. 　
     Take my classmates and me as examples. Now we're students in Grade Eight. We have a lot of books
to read and we have to study hard every day. When we get home after evening classes, we still have a lot
of homework to do. When we finish our work, it is often eleven or twelve o'clock. Therefore, some of us
fall asleep in class during the day. 　
     To solve this problem, we need time for more exercise to make us physically healthy. Also, teachers
should give less homework to us. Most important of all, measures should be taken to improve the education
system.

根据短文内容，用适当的单词填空，使句子的意思完整、正确。每空限填一词。
1. Some students feel tired because they don't get enough _________.
2. This is my ________ year to study in the middle school.
3. We don't finish our homework _________ it is often eleven or twelve o'clock.
4. Doing ________ is a good way to keep ourselves healthy.
5. Students hope to get _________ homework from their teachers.

     The world is not only hungry, but it is also thirsty for water. This may seem strange to you, since nearly
70% of the earth's surface is covered with water. But about 97% of that is sea water, or salt water. Man can
only drink and use the other 3%-fresh water from rivers, lakes, underground, and other sources (资源).
But we cannot even use all of that.
      However, our need for water is becoming larger almost day by day. We should take steps (措施) to deal
with (对付; 处理) this problem now and in this way we can avoid (避免) a serious worldwide water shortage
later on.
      We all have to learn how to stop wasting our valuable water. One of the first steps is to develop (开发;
发展) ways of reusing it. Today in most large cities, water is used only once and then sent out into a sewer
system (下水道). From there it returns to the sea or runs into underground places.
      But even if (即使) every large city reused its water, we still would not have enough.
     All we have to do, to make use of (利用) sea water in the world, is to remove (去除) the salt. But it is not
an easy thing.

1. The world is thirsty for water because _______.

A: man hasn't got enough food to eat.
B: we haven't got enough fresh water.
C: only 70% of the earth's surface is water.
D: more water is sent into sewer system.

2. The underlined word "valuable" means______.

3. What should we do if we want to have enough fresh water?
    (a) Make full use of the sea water.
    (b) Carry salt water into lakes or rivers.
    (c) Try to save the fresh water as much as possible.
    (d) Do our best to use the water again.
    (e) Drink and use all the water on the earth's surface.

A: (c) and (e)
B: (a) and (d)
C: (a), (c) and (d)
D: (b), (d) and (e)

4. The best but the most difficult way to solve the water problem of the world is to           .

A: remove the salt from the sea water
B: make the water in the cities clean
C: take water from underground
D: make the need for water smaller

A: the World Is Not Only hungry but Also Thirsty
B: We Should Make Steps to Deal with the Water Problem
C: The World's Water Problem
D: The Fresh Water Is Still Enough

     Parents are the closest people to you in the world. They love you just because you are their child. And
they would do anything for you.
     Like a lot of middle school students, Zhuang Shuxia has a problem. She and her parents don't get on
well.
     "I really want to be my Daddy's little girl. But it feels like he just doesn't understand. He talks at me and
he doesn't listen to me," said Zhuang, a Junior 3 student in Shijiazhuang, Hebei.
     Do you and your parents also have problems? May 15 is the International Day of Families. On that day
people around the world give thanks for good things about their families and work on family problems. Well,
why don't you all take a walk and have a talk on Saturday?
     A study last year showed that 1,500 Beijing families had the same problem as Zhuang's family. The
children 12 to 15 years old, didn't like talking with their parents much. They weren't happy at home.
     Of course lots of kids feel that way. But you and your parents will be much happier if you can be friends.
Here are some ways to have a good talk with them.
● Find a good time to talk, like when you're eating dinner, going out for a walk or watching TV.
● Tell them something you're interested in, or ask them about their lives when they were young. They love
      to talk about it.
● Listen to them carefully, and look at them in the eye.
● Be honest (诚实的). Your parents will trust (信任) you more.

A. The people who love us.
B. The people who understand us.
C. Our father and mother.
D. All the family members.

2. What is Zhuang Shuxia's problem?

A. Her father thinks she is old enough.
B. Her father doesn't like to talk with her.
C. She really wants to be a little girl again.
D. She and her father don't understand each other well.

3. What does the writer suggest the students to do on the International Day of Families?

A. They should remember the special day for the families in the world.
B. They should take a walk and have a talk with their parents.
C. They should do something to celebrate the International Day of Families.
D. They should help others to solve their family problems.

4. How does the writer know 1, 500 families had the same problem as Zhuang's family?

A. From a study made in Beijing.
B. From reports about family problems.
C. From discussions with parents and their children.
D. From a report on the International Day of Families.

5. In this passage the writer tells the children, 12 to 15 years old ______.

A. how to show their thanks to their parents
B. how to make friends with their parents
C. how to feel happier at home in different ways
D. how to win their parents' trust by listening to their parents

     The population of the Earth is growing faster. It is important that we look after the Earth. We need it! 
     The Earth gives us a lot of things. We also give the Earth a lot, but some of the things are not good.
     In nature, when something dies, other animals and plants get food from it. Every animal or plant gives
food for other animals or plants. However, animals can't get food from many of the things that we "give"
he Earth. Animals and plants can't eat metal, plastic and glass. These things will stay in the ground for
many, many years.
     Some rubbish is very dangerous for plants and animals. In some places, many animals live together.
One animal makes food for many more animals. If we put rubbish and chemicals in the water, the plankton
(浮游生物) can die. If there isn't any plankton, many animals have nothing to eat.
    So what can we do? Don't leave any rubbish in the countryside! Don't make so much rubbish!

1. The Earth gives us ______.

A. food
B. rubbish
C. chemicals
D. pollution

2. When something dies in nature, ______.

3. We must ______ to look after the Earth.

A. put metal in the ground
B. use more wood
C. keep frogs in the water
D. make less rubbish

                                                    The world's water shortage  
     The world is not only hungry, but it is also thirsty for water. This may seem strange to you, since
nearly 70% of the earth's surface is covered with water. But about 97% of that is sea water, or salt
water. Man can only drink and use the other 3%-the fresh water from rivers, lakes, underground, and
other sources. And we can not even use all of that. Even worse, some of it has been made dirty.?
      However, as things stand today, this fresh water is still enough for us. But our need for water is
becoming larger and larger quickly-almost day by day. We should take steps to do with this problem
now and in this way we can get away from a serious worldwide water shortage (缺少) later on.?
      We all have to learn how to stop wasting our valuable water. One of the first steps is to develop
ways of reusing it. Today in most large cities, water is used only once and then sent out into a sewer
system (下水道). From there it returns to sea or runs into underground places.?
      But even if every large city reused its water, we still would not have enough. All we'd have to do
to make use of sea water in the world is to remove the salt. If we take these steps we'll be in no danger
of drying up.?

1. The world is thirsty for water because            .?

A. man hasn't got enough food to eat
B. we haven't got enough fresh water
C. only 70% of the earth's surface is water
D. more water is sent into sewer systems

2. The underlined word "valuable" means             .?

3. What should we do if we want to have enough fresh water?
    (a) Make full use of the sea water.?
    (b) Carry salt water into lakes or rivers.? 
    (c) Try to save the fresh water as much as possible.?
    (d) Do our best to use the water again.? 
    (e) Drink and use all the water on the earth's surface.?

A. (c) and (e)???
B. (a) and (d)?
C. (a), (c) and (d)
D. (b), (d) and (e)?

4. The best but the most difficult way to solve (解决) the water problem of the world is to             .?

A. remove the salt from sea water
B. make the water in cities clean
C. take water from underground ?
D. make the need for water smaller ?

A. The Importance of the Water?
B. The World's Water Problem?
C. The Thirsty World ?
D. Fresh Water and Sea Water?

     Do you have to carry a heavy bag to school? Does it make your back (背部) hurt? Well, students at a
high school in Kansas (堪萨斯州), America, have a meeting with their city's mayor to complain (抱怨)
about their heavy bags. They say their bags are giving them headaches, and making their necks (脖子) and
backs hurt. The mayor says he is very sorry. He says students may do more of their homework on the
Internet (国际互联网) to give their backs a rest.

1. A heavy bag may make students            .

A. headache
B. earache
C. toothache
D. A, B and C

2. Kansas is in            .

3. The students talk about their heavy bags to            .

A. the mayor
B. their parents
C. their teachers
D. their friends

4. "Mayor" in Chinese means             .

A. 校长
B. 队长
C. 市长
D. 省长

A. he has a headache
B. he wants the students to do more homework
C. he is sorry
D. he has to work hard