Tell a story and tell it well, and you may open wide the eyes of a child, open up lines of communication in a business, or even open people’s mind to another culture or race.

People in many places are digging up the old folk stories and the messages in them. For example, most American storytellers get their tales from a wide variety of sources, cultures, and times. They regard storytelling not only as a useful tool in child education, but also as a meaningful activity that helps adults understand themselves as well as those whose culture may be very different from their own.

“ Most local stories are based on a larger theme,” American storyteller Opalanga Pugh says, “ Cinderella(灰姑娘), or the central idea of a good child protected by her goodness, appears in various forms in almost every culture of the world.”

Working with students in schools, Pugh helps them understand their own cultures and the general messages of the stories. She works with prisoners too, helping them knowing who they are by telling stories that her listeners can write, direct, and act in their own lives. If they don’t like the story they are living, they can rewrite the story. Pugh also works to help open up lines of communication between managers and workers. “For every advance in business,” she says, “ there is a greater need for communication.” Storytelling can have a great effect on either side of the manager-worker relationship, she says.

Pugh spent several years in Nigeria, where she learned how closely storytelling was linked to the everyday life of the people there. The benefits of storytelling are found everywhere, she says.

“I learned how people used stories to spread their culture,” she says, “ What I do is to focus on the value of the stories that people can translate into their own daily world of affairs. We are all storytellers. We all have a story to tell. We tell everybody’s story.”

22.     What do we learn about American storytellers from Paragraph 2?

   A. They share the same way of storytelling.

   B. They prefer to tell the stories from other cultures.

   C. They learn their stories from the American natives.

   D. They find storytelling useful for both children and adults.

23.     The underlined sentence (Paragraph 4) suggests that prisoners can _____.

   A. start a new life                        B. settle down in another place

   C. direct films                            D. become good actors

24.     Pugh has practised storytelling with _____ groups of people.

   A. 2              B. 3               C. 4             D. 5

25.     What is the main idea of the text?

   A. Storytelling can influence the way people think.

   B. Storytelling is important to the growth of business.

   C. Storytelling is the best way to educate children in school.

   D. Storytelling helps people understand themselves and others.

    The first tape recorder didn’t use tape. It used long thin wire. It was invented in 1900 by Valdermar Poulsen. In 1930, German scientists invented the tape we use today. Back then the tape was on big rolls. In 1964 the Philips company in Holland invented the cassette. It’s pretty much a holder for the tape. People use cassettes all over the world. If you don’t have a cassette recorder, borrow one.

    Think of a book your parents read out loud to you. That might be a great book to read out loud to your mom or dad in their car. Put a cassette in the recorder, open the book, hit the record button and start reading out loud.

    Remember there is no such a thing as a wrong way to do this. You might think you’ve made a mistake, but this gift is part of you, and nothing about that can be a mistake. It’s impossible.

    You get to be all artistic and creative here. You might want to play music in the background. Do whatever you want. The gift is you, so you decide. Remember to say “I love you”at the end of your reading. That’s like the prize at the end of the book.

22.     Choose the right order that shows the development of the tape recorder.

    a. Using big rolls.

    b. Using cassettes.

    c. Using thin wire.

    A. a,b,c         B. b,c,a     C. c,a,b      D. c,b,a

23.     Why does the author mention the history of tape recorders in Paragraph 1?

    A. To inform readers of new inventions.

    B. To lead into his following suggestion.

    C. To give an example of his suggestion.

    D. To show the importance of tape recorders

24.     What does the author advise us to do?

    A. To read a book to our parents in their car

    B. To ask our parents to record a book.

    C. To make a gift for our parents.

    D. To practice reading out loud.

25.     Why does the author say it is impossible to make a mistake in Paragraph 3?

    A. Because the tape shows your true love.

    B. Because it’s easy to use a tape recorder.

    C. Because the music is what your parents like.

    D. Because it’s impossible to find a mistake in the book.

In modern times, people have to learn to ________all kinds of pressure although they are leading a comfortable life.

A. keep with              B. stay with               C. meet with                D. live with

The population of this city，forty percent of which___________，___________20% in the last three years.

A. are Germans; has risen by                  B. are Germans; has fallen to

C. is Germans; have increased to            D. is Germans; have been reduced by    

It is high time the child ________ to the hospital.

A. is sent                      B. would be sent           C. be sent             D. were sent

______ the website of the Fire Department in your city, and you will learn a lot about firefighting.

A. Having searched    B. To search                    C. Searching         D. Search

Would you like to join us in the game?

--          , for I have something important to attend to.

       A. I will                        B. I’d love to                C. I won’t            D. I’m afraid not

Eating too much fat can _____ heart disease and cause high blood pressure.

A. appeal to           B. contribute to             C. attend to            D. devote to

The growing speed of a plant is influenced by a number of factors,          are beyond our control.

A. most of them                 B. most of which          C. most of what    D. most of that

Not only________ polluted but ________ crowded.

A. was the city；were the streets                B. was the city；the streets were

C. the city was；were the streets                D. the city was；the streets were