One of the best-known American writers of children’s books is Alfred Strong, or Doctor Strong, as he is better known to readers everywhere. Now, an art show called “Doctor Strong From Then to Now” is travelling around the United States. The pictures and drawings show the history of Doctor Strong.
Doctor Strong first became famous almost fifty years ago when his first children’s book was published. Since then, he has written forty-five books that have sold more than one hundred million copies around the world.
Doctor Strong’s books are known for their easy use of words and colorful, hand-drawn pictures. These drawings bring life to his imaginary creatures. The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and hundreds of others.
The San Diego Museum, in California, organized the art show. It included about three hundred Doctor Strong’s original(最早的) drawings and some of his writings.
Most of Doctor Strong’s books, although written in a funny way, have serious messages. For example, in Mc Elligot’s Pool, he describes the danger of pollution. He discusses the arms race in The Butter Battle Book, written in 1984.
Doctor Strong is almost eighty-four years old now. He says he never planned to write stories just for children. He says he writes stories that interest people of all ages. He says he uses easy words so that everyone, even a child, can understand.
【小题1】Alfred Strong is a famous _______ in the United States.

A．doctor

B．artist

C．writer

D．reader

【小题2】Doctor Strong first became famous in __________.

A．his eighties when an art show was travelling around the United States

B．his fifties when his drawings and writings were published

C．1984 when his book Mc Elligot’s Pool was published

D．his thirties when his first book was published

【小题3】Doctor Strong’s books are very popular in America because __________.

A．they are stories about animals such as cats, elephants and so on

B．they are written in easy words with colorful pictures

C．he organized the art show in California

D．they are written in a funny way

【小题4】His purpose in writing many such books is __________.

A．to show his original pictures and drawings

B．to organize a special art show of his own

C．to make his readers laugh or smile when they read his books

D．not only to interest people but also to uncover some serious social problems

Farmer John and Farmer Bob were neighbors. For more than 30 years， they had been getting along very well.
Then their good relationship broke. It began with a small thing， then bitter words， and then weeks of silence. One morning Farmer John woke up to find a stream between the two farms. “It must be Bob，” John thought.
Then one day there was a knock on John’s door. He opened it to find a carpenter(木匠) standing at the doorway.
“I’m looking for a few days’ work，” the carpenter said.
“I do have a job for you，” John said. “Look across the stream at that farm. That’s my neighbor Bob. He dug a stream between the two farms. I want you to build a fence—an 8-foot fence. I don’t want to see his place or his face any more. I don’t have such a neighbor！”
The carpenter said， “I think I know what to do， sir， and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.”
Farmer John helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.
About sunset when the farmer returned， the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide. There was no fence there at all！
It was a bridge！ And the neighbor， Bob， was coming across， with his hand outstretched(伸出). “Hi， John！ You’re quite a fellow to build this bridge！”
Then they met in the middle， taking each other’s hands. “I’m terribly sorry for what I have said and done. We should be good to each other，” said Farmer Bob.
Then they turned to see the carpenter， who was ready to go. “No， wait！ Stay a few days. I have a lot of other jobs for you，” said Farmer John. “I’d love to stay，” the carpenter said， “but I have more bridges to build.”
【小题1】Just before the carpenter came， John and Bob  　　　　  each other.

A．didn’t speak to

B．were friendly to

C．often fought with

D．never had bitter words with

【小题2】Farmer John asked the carpenter to build a fence because      　　　　.

A．he wanted to protect his farm

B．he didn’t want to do it himself

C．he wouldn’t like to see Bob

D．he wanted to find him something to do

【小题3】What does the sentence “You’re quite a fellow to build this bridge！” mean？

A．John was great to build this bridge.

B．John was not good at building bridges.

C．John was foolish to build such a bridge.

D．John should build the bridge earlier.

【小题4】What do you think of the carpenter？

A．Shy.

B．Wise.

C．Proud.

D．Careless.

【小题5】What is the best title for the passage？

A．What a Big Fence！	B．Farmer and Bridge
C．Three Kind Men	D．A Fence or a Bridge？

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the “accident of evolution” had created.
“What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!” he said to himself. As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7 - foot grizzly（灰熊）charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing. He ran even faster, so scared that tears were coming to his eyes. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.
At that instant the atheist cried out “Oh my God!”
Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. Even the river stopped moving.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky,“ You deny my existence for all of these years; teach others I don’t exist; and even credit creation to a cosmic （宇宙的）accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this difficulty? Am I to count you as a believer?”
The atheist looked directly into the light. “It would be hypocritical（伪善的）of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as Christian now, but perhaps could you make the bear a Christian？”“Very well,” said the voice.
The light went out. The river ran again. And the sounds of the forest resumed.
And then the bear dropped his right paw... brought both paws together... bowed his head and spoke, “Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful.”
【小题1】According to the passage, the “accident of evolution” refers to the following Except ________.

A．rivers	B．God
C．trees	D．the 7 - foot grizzly

【小题2】It can be inferred from the passage that an atheist is a person ________.

A．who believes that there is God	B．who likes to do good needs
C．who makes a living by selling wood	D．who denies the existence of God

【小题3】What is the purpose of this text?

A．To tell a real interesting story.

B．To give practical advice.

C．To convince readers of the existence of God.

D．To entertain readers.

“How did Norman know, Sister Emma?”
“He overheard you and Aryan arguing. I suspect that he purposely overheard on you. Norman knew or concluded what profession Aryan practiced. He might well have followed Aryan on his explorations. Whether he did or not is beside the point. When Aryan came back yesterday afternoon, Norman certainly decided that he had made some find, for Aryan told Norman that he would be leaving for the capital to meet the detective the next morning. He probably followed Aryan to your room and overheard what passed between you.
“Since you could not act against the law of man and God, he would serve a natural justice in his own way. He took the jar of poison hemlock from the chemistry shop and when Aryan asked for a drink, he supplied it. Norman did not know the precise quantity needed and so Aryan did not suffer the full effects until after the bell called the community into the dining hall for the evening meal.”
Abbess was following Sister Emma closely.
“And then?”
“Then I began my investigation, and then the detective arrived seeking Aryan for an explanation for his death.”
“But who killed Norman?”
“Norman knew that sooner or later he would be discovered. But more importantly in his guileless (坦率的) mind there was also the guilt of having taken a man’s life to be considered. Norman was a simple man. He decided that he should accept the punishment—the honor-price of a life. What greater honor-price for the life of Aryan could he offer than his own? He also took a draught of poison hemlock.”
There was a pause.
【小题1】What may have happened to Aryan?

A．He was killed by poison.	B．He was found missing.
C．He was poisoned but saved.	D．He went away with what he had found.

【小题2】What did Abbess do according to Sister Emma when Aryan came back?

A．She talked with Aryan about Norman’s strange actions. .

B．She secretly discussed with Aryan about something secret.

C．She followed the two men and found what they were doing.

D．She let Sister Emma help find out the two men’s secret.

【小题3】What can we conclude from the above story?

A．Abbess served the detective.

B．Emma knows all the people mentioned.

C．Aryan was sent to kill Abbess but failed.

D．Norman seemed very devoted to Abbess.

【小题4】Which of the following might be true according to the above passage?

A．Abbess hired Norman to fight against Aryan.

B．Norman told everything to Emma.

C．Aryan worked for the detective.

D．All the people came from the capital.

Someone telephoned me today asking if I would be willing to bring food to a family in need. The mother was having a major operation and would be lying down for several weeks. Of course, I responded with an immediate “Yes!”. As I planned the meal in my head, I reflected on how many times over the years I had been asked to prepare food. I have done so countless times with a very open heart.
But the truly amazing thing is that I have received double over the course of my life. When my mother passed away, our house was filled with fresh dinners for weeks. A woman from the church of our community stopped by each evening with some food. The gift of food was her small way of trying to ease our pain.
Later in my life, when I was on bed rest during my pregnancy with twins, women of the church again stepped in to help. They arranged babysitting for my two-year-old daughter, and brought lovely dinners to our house. Even when I was put in the hospital, my husband would bring cooked meals to my hospital room. How we relied on these dinners to feed my tired husband and young daughter.
Food is all about comfort. It feeds our bodies, but it can also feed our souls. When you hear people talking about their favorite holidays, it usually includes their feelings connected with sharing food. I know I’ll have many more chances in my lifetime to prepare food for others. It is truly a gift I want to prepare and deliver to someone in need.
【小题1】We can learn from the first paragraph that the author _____.

A．was tired of preparing food.

B．was glad to be able to lend a hand.

C．knew the family in need very well.

D．had to stay in bed for several weeks.

【小题2】The author has given lots of food to others because _____.

A．she has received others’ food.

B．she is friendly to others.

C．she is a church member.

D．she is poor at cooking.

【小题3】What do we know about the author’s family?

A．Her husband isn’t good at cooking.

B．Her family is too poor to buy enough food.

C．She has a babysitter taking care of her twins.

D．Her family lives not far from a church.

【小题4】Which of the following is TRUE about the author?

A．She didn’t get enough food during her pregnancy.

B．Her mother died when she was in hospital.

C．She received food along with comfort in her hard times.

D．She thinks offering food is the best way to show love.

【小题5】Which of the conclusion can we get according to the article?

A．Every man has his faults.

B．Actions speak louder than words.

C．A good beginning makes a good ending.

D．One good turn deserves another.

Imagine someone has crossed the seas joining five continents by swimming. It is a major success for anyone. But it is an even greater success for Philippe Croizon, who has no arms, and no legs! His achievements show that we can all achieve great things—no matter who we are.
Philippe Croizon was 26 years old when he had an accident. The doctors had to remove both of his arms and legs. “When they cut off my last leg I wanted to die. I suffered great depression and my spirit was as low as you can get. But you have to choose—and I chose to live!” said Croizon.
While he was recovering in hospital, Croizon saw a television programme about a woman who had been swimming across the English Channel. After watching the programme Croizon decided to do it. He began to exercise every day to make him strong and it took him two years to prepare.
Finally in 2010, Croizon was ready. He entered the cold, grey sea of the English Channel. He was now 42 years old. It took him from early morning until night to swim the distance. He felt a lot of pain. But he had become the first person without arms and legs to swim between France and England. Croizon had achieved his dream, but he did not stop there. He looked for a new goal.
Early in 2012 he planned to swim across the seas that join five major continents. During the next few months he swam between the four continents of Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe and finally in the cold waters of the Bering Strait between the continents of Asia and the Americas.
“We want to show people something. If disabled people have courage and a lot of training they can do the same things as those who are not disabled,” said Croizon.
【小题1】According to the passage, Philippe Croizon _____.

A．was born with disability

B．suffered a lot from the accident

C．chose to live because of a TV programme

D．was fond of swimming since he was young

【小题2】What do we know about Philippe Croizon’s swimming across the English Channel?

A．It took him two years to finish it.

B．He was the first person to achieve it.

C．It was easy for him to finish the swim.

D．He spent a lot of time preparing for it.

【小题3】Philippe Croizon’s crossing the seas joining five continents______.

A．lasted a month

B．ended in the Bering Strait

C．happened when he was 42 years old

D．was inspired by a television programme

【小题4】Which of the following can best describe Philippe Croizon’s story?

A．Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

B．Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

C．Actions speak louder than words.

D．The finest diamond must be cut.

【小题5】What’s the best title for the passage?

A．Hope in the corner

B．A disabled man’s dream

C．Challenges to Philippe Croizon

D．Philippe Croizon’s amazing swim

Chuck，unlike other frogs，didn't like catching flies himself. But he did love eating them.

Some frogs thought Chuck was lazy. Some believed he must think he was too good for them. Some thought Chuck was the strangest frog ever.
That didn't matter to Chuck. Each morning，Chuck jumped over and sat under the spider's web. Then when Lady Eightlegs went off to dip (浸) her feet in the pond，Chuck ate flies from her web.
One morning while Chuck was enjoying his fly breakfast，Lady Eightlegs returned and caught him.
“You're the one who keeps eating my flies！”she cried.
Chuck jumped away and into the pond. Now there was an idea！Why not spin (结) his own web?
He collected some vines (葡萄藤) from a nearby farm. Then he began to spin his web. He worked on his web for hours，until very late at night. And then he fell asleep.
When he woke up the next morning，he found that he got caught by the vines.
“Help！”he shouted.
Lady Eightlegs looked up from the edge of the pond. She hurried up to help Chuck out of the vine web.
“No matter how hard I try，I can't spin a spider's web，”Chuck said.
“Of course not，”Lady Eightlegs said. “You're a frog. Frogs can't spin spider's webs any better than spiders can swim，I guess.”
“But I always see you in the water，”Chuck said.
“I only wade in (蹚水) up to my knees，”Lady Eightlegs sighed. “How wonderful it would be to swim in the middle of the pond and float (漂浮) peacefully under the sun.”
Chuck smiled，“I have an idea.”
From that day forward，Chuck carried Lady Eightlegs out to the middle of the pond，where they floated and played together. When they returned to land，they shared a breakfast of flies from her spider's web.
It wasn't exactly an ordinary friendship. But Chuck was not an ordinary frog.
【小题1】The second paragraph is written to show that Chuck ______.

A．was different from other frogs	B．didn't get along well with other frogs
C．led a lonely life	D．was a proud frog

【小题2】What do we know about Chuck's web?

A．Lady Eightlegs helped Chuck spin it.	B．It was successfully spun by Chuck.
C．It was spun far from the pond.	D．Chuck failed to spin it himself.

【小题3】It can be inferred from the text that ______.

A．Chuck had tried to catch Lady Eightlegs	B．Chuck had difficulty collecting vines
C．Lady Eightlegs was very wise	D．Lady Eightlegs swam well

【小题4】What was Lady Eightlegs' attitude towards Chuck in the end?

A．Worried.

B．Friendly.

C．Doubtful.

D．Cold.

Linda Evans was my best friend-like the sister I never had, We did everything together：piano lessons, movies, swimming , horseback riding.
When I was 13, my family moved away, Linda and I kept in touch through letters， and we saw each other on special times- like my wedding and Linda’s. Soon we were busy with children and moving to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent came back, stamped “Address Unknown”. I had no idea about how to find Linda.
Over the years, I missed Linda very much, I wanted to share happiness of my children and then grandchildren, And I needed to share my sadness when my brother and then mother died, There was an empty place in my heart that only a friend like Linda could fill.
One day, I was reading a newspaper when I noticed a photo of a young woman who looked very much like Linda and whose last name was Wagman—Linda’s married name. “There must be thousands of Wagmans . ”I thought, but I still wrote to her.
She called as soon as she got my letter, “Mrs, Tobin!” she said excitedly, “Linda Evans Wagman is my mother.”Minutes later I heard a voice that I recognized at once, even after 40 years. We laughed and cried and caught up on each other’s lives, Now the empty place in my heart is filled, And there’s one thing that Linda and I know for sure: we won’t lose each other again!
【小题1】The writer went to piano lessons with Linda Evans    .

A．at the age of 13	B．before she got married
C．before the writer’s family moved away	D．after they moved to new homes

【小题2】They didn’t often write to each other because they    .

A．got married	B．had little time to do so
C．didn’t like writing letters	D．could see each other on special times

【小题3】There was an empty place in the writer’s heart because she    .

A．was in trouble	B．didn’t know Linda’s address
C．received the card that she sent	D．didn’t have a friend like Linda

【小题4】The writer was happy when she    .

A．read the newspaper

B．heard Linda’s voice on the phone

C．met a young woman who looked a lot like Linda

D．wrote to the woman whose last name was Wangman

【小题5】They haven’t kept in touch    .

A．for about 40 years	B．for about 27 years
C．since they got married	D．since the writer’s family moved away

When he was just 19, Michael Dell started the company that would dominate the industry.
At the time, IBM personal computers sold in stores for about ＄3,000. After taking them apart and rebuilding them, Dell realized the components (零部件) could be bought for one-fourth the price. Soon he was buying components to reduce the cost. A good business decision, but it meant his room was starting to look like a mechanic’s shop.
“I was quite excited about the possibilities for personal computers and how they could change society. I had this idea to sell the products directly to the users over the phone”, he said. College plans and his parents’ expectations bothered him a lot. But Michael Dell was determined. He drove off to the University of Texas at Austin in August 1983 in a car he’d bought with earnings from selling newspapers. He was surprised that his mother wasn’t suspicious about the three computers in the backseat. By November, news reached his parents that he wasn’t attending classes. On a surprise visit to Austin, they caught their son on spot. Michael Dell told his dad that he wanted to compete with IBM.
Although Michael agreed to focus on his studies, the business chances and the timing couldn’t have been better. The public was becoming more interested in computers, but no one was producing them. In early May, a week before his final exams, Michael started Dell computer Corporation with ＄1,000. He took his exams, and then dropped out of college at the end of his freshman year. It was time to try out his direct-to-customer business model.
“Three years later”, Dell says, “we had already achieved annual sales of about ＄150 million, I was 22 years old then.”
【小题1】What does the underlined word in paragraph 1 mean?

A．affect

B．develop

C．support

D．lead

【小题2】Which of the following is true according to paragraph 2?

A．Dell discovered a good chance to make money

B．Dell could buy a computer at one-fourth the price

C．IBM made little money from personal computers

D．Dell rebuilt computers in a mechanic’s shop

【小题3】When Dell’s parents learned about his absence from class, they       .

A．tried to help with his business

B．were too suspicious to accept it

C．wanted him to go hack to class

D．encouraged him to compete with IBM

【小题4】It can be inferred from the article that       .

A．Dell was tired of his college life

B．Dell was not devoted to his study at college

C．Dell’s college life helped him greatly

D．Dell didn’t finish his final exams

【小题5】Dell’s experiences show that       .

A．determination and opportunity lead to success

B．family support plays an import in one’s success

C．there’s no need for all of us to go to college

D．we should insist on whatever we are doing

My daughter Alisa was born blind in her right eye and was bullied (欺侮) pretty severely in school. So I quitted my job as a babysitter and then schooled my daughter heart and soul at home.
A year ago a boy of 14 befriended my daughter on Facebook after reading something Alisa wrote about bullying. Today he messaged her and asked if she would like six tickets to a Colorado Rockies baseball game. They have never met in person but she said, “Sure! That would be great.”
Then I received a call from his mother explaining why her son had chosen my daughter. She said he thought my daughter deserved them because of all the good she does in the community. Her son, she explained, had experienced a similar situation and was also home schooled.
What she said is true. Now my daughter Alisa continues to teach groups of girls in trouble in our community how to look within themselves for the positive and how to be their own person.
Everything taken into consideration, we decided to meet the mother and the boy at a local bike shop. After meeting, the boy approached my car and my daughter gave him a hug and thanked him for his generosity. She told him that she had never been to a baseball game and that she was going to take her entire family, including myself, her dad, little sister, her cousin and an aunt who has brain cancer.
We all thanked one another, got in our car, and went our way. As we drove home my daughter opened the envelope. Inside it were the tickets and ＄100 each to buy hot dogs, pay for parking and not have any worries but a great time.
My daughter has always been the giver and now she and our family are the receivers and I can not tell you how incredibly honored we feel to be on the other end. What an incredible young man to have such a kind idea.
【小题1】What did the author once do according to the passage?

A．She was a ticket seller.	B．She was a school teacher.
C．She was a babysitter.	D．She was a social worker.

【小题2】How did the boy get to know my daughter?

A．They met when buying tickets to a baseball game.

B．They got in touch via the Internet.

C．They became familiar when talking face to face.

D．They went to the same school and met each other.

【小题3】Why did the boy want to offer free tickets to Alisa?

A．Because Alisa is a disabled girl.

B．Because he has a lot money to share.

C．Because Alisa often helps those in trouble.

D．Because he has a similar situation with Alisa.

【小题4】What can we learn about the boy?

A．He is afraid of meeting strangers.

B．He always bullies smaller children.

C．He is addicted to the internet.

D．He receives education at home.

【小题5】Which of the following best describes the passage?

A．Good is rewarded with good.

B．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C．Two heads are better than one.

D．Where there is a will, there is a way.