There are two kinds of people in the world. Those of the first kind are born idlers (游手好闲者), taking interest in nothing. It seems what they live for is to pass time idly. They simply don’t know why they have to do so, nor will they bother to ask. The other kind are those who take things seriously and never wish to idle away their life. But only a part of the second group are eager enough to make success. All the others fail to make enough effort to make their dreams come true. 
Why do things so happen to them? What are the reasons?
I later find out that some people are determined. They are “igniters” that catch fire of their own, giving light and heat. But that’s not the case with others. They may be fuels but not igniters. As pieces of wood or coal, they need a match or a lighter to make them burn so that their energy can be released to give off light and heat.
The majority of people need some igniter to light them. Thus igniter becomes a must for those people to succeed. Unless a suitable igniter comes their way, they will always remain idle like cold unused firewood or coal.
Fortunately, such an igniter is not difficult to meet. One may find it in an instructive book, a film story, a few words of a close friend, some advice of a good teacher, a pleasant journey, or an unexpected love.
Any of these, coming at the right time, can serve as an igniter to start one’s enthusiasm for learning or for a better career, to turn him from a passive state of waiting to an active state of pursuing, to lend him strength to go ahead bravely. In that case, what he has prepared for years will be quickly turned into fruitful reality.
Such an igniter may turn up of itself, but most likely we have to find it ourselves. Never let a chance slide away, for it is the key to your success.
【小题1】 According to the text, “________” are the persons that can light many people so that their energy can be released to give off light and heat.

A．idlers

B．igniters

C．fuels

D．serious people

【小题2】 According to the writer, what do most people definitely need to succeed? 

A．Storing a lot of energy.

B．Great interest in everything.

C．An igniter coming at the right time.

D．Wonderful dreams about a bright future.

【小题3】 The writer writes the article to _________.

A．describe two kinds of people

B．encourage people to find chances to succeed

C．praise those who work hard

D．make fun of idlers

In the United States and several other countries, 2.5 million children play baseball in an organization called Little League. They play on teams in their hometowns. Their parents and other adults in the community coach or instruct them and serve as umpires to make sure that everyone follows the rules. Local businesses give money for the ball fields and the uniforms. Local teams compete against each other and the winners get to play teams that are more distant. Eventually, the top teams go to the Little League World Series.

One hundred years after Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York, in 1839, Little League got started in Pennsylvania. Three men started the game for neighborhood boys with a smaller playing field and fewer innings than adult baseball. Little League became popular after World War II when the game spread across the United States. By 1955 it was played throughout North America and within five years it had spread to Europe. Children’s baseball really caught on in Japan and Taiwan of China and teams from those areas won the World Series seven out of eight years. After this, the organization tried banning foreign teams from the World Series, but the ban came to an end after one year.

At first, Little League was only for boys aged nine to twelve. However, in 1974, the parents of girl baseball players brought a law suit. The courts ruled that Little League had to include both boys and girls. Later Little League added on softball and other games for teenagers up to age eighteen. Occasionally a Little Leaguer becomes a professional player. For example, Gary Carter went from Little League to play nineteen seasons in the Major Leagues, ten of them as an All-Star player. But, by and large, youngsters play baseball for fun and because their parents are proud of them.

1.The mothers and fathers of Little League players ______.

A. help run the games          B. travel in coaches

C. give the teams money        D. play in the World Series

2.In what year was Little League established?

A. 1839      B. 1939      C. 1955    D. 1960 

3.Why do most players take part in Little League?

A. To play in the Major League.

B. To have fun and please their parents.

C. They expect a profit from All-Star games

D. They want to learn how to serve as umpires.

4.What is true about players today?

A. Little League is only for neighbourhood boys.

B. Girl players have to buy their suits.

C. Girls and boys can participate to age eighteen.

D. Children can only play until age twelve.

 

I grew up in a house where the TV was seldom turned on and with one wall in my bedroom entirely lined with bookshelves, most of my childhood was spent on books I could get hold of. In fact, I grew up thinking of reading as natural as breathing and books unbelievably powerful in shaping perspectives (观点) by creating worlds we could step into, take part in, and live in.
With this unshakable belief, I, at fourteen, decided to become a writer. Here too, reading became useful. Every writer starts off knowing that he has something to say, but being unable to find the right ways to say it. He has to find his own voice by reading widely and discovering which parts of the writers he agrees or disagrees with, or agrees with so strongly that it reshapes his own world. He cannot write without loving to read, because only through reading other people’s writing can one discover what works, what doesn’t and, in the end, together with lots of practice, what voice he has.
Now I am in college, and have come to realize how important it is to read fiction (文学作品)．As a law student, my reading is in fact limited to subject matter—the volume (量) of what I have to read for classes every week means there is little time to read anything else. Such reading made it all the clearer to me that I live in a very small part in this great place called life. Reading fiction(小说) reminds me that there is life beyond my own. It allows me to travel across the high seas and along the Silk Road, all from the comfort of my own armchair, to experience, though secondhand, exciting experiences that I wouldn't necessarily be able to have in my lifetime.
【小题1】What does the underlined word in paragraph 1 mostly probably mean?

A． even

B．almost

C．tiredly

D．gradually

【小题2】What can be inferred about the author as a child?

A． He never watched TV.

B． He read what he had to.

C． He found reading unbelievable.

D． He considered reading part of his life.

【小题3】The underlined word "voice" in the second paragraph most probably means “________________ ”.

A．an idea

B．a sound quality

C．a way of writing

D．a world to write about

【小题4】What effect does reading have on the author?

A． It helps him to realize his dream.

B． It opens up a wider world for him.

C． It makes his college life more interesting.

D． It increases his interest in worldwide travel.

【小题5】Which of the following can be the best title of this text?

A． Why do I read?

B． How do I read?

C． What do I read?

D． When do I read?

Most recently, it's very common in students who need a parent present for job interviews. Naturally, it's easy to blame the students in these situations, but the bigger problem is us. We—as parents—are so eager to shelter our kids that we fail to realize that this in itself is harming them. As the mother of two young sons, I have to remind myself constantly that the biggest responsibility I have as a parent is to help them develop the skills needed to live in, to live without me. So, I'll let them fail．
I'll let them fail because as long as they are safe and warm inside their comfort zones, they will never grow. And failure along with loss, heartbreak, disappointment, etc.—will be part of growth for them. Call me the anti-tiger mom, but leaving them alone is, my way of helping them become equipped to fit in this world as we know it today. From terrorism and seemingly endless natural disasters, to our national debt and beyond, if we expect the next generation to stand up to the very real problems of our time, we need to stop feeding them and start teaching them how to fish.
My children now are becoming little masters of compromise, but they try to negotiate everything now. It's a small price to help them learn a skill they'll use for the rest of their lives, including when I don't accompany them on job interviews.
【小题1】Why do parents accompany their kids on job interviews?

A．Because they want to protect their kids from difficulties．

B．Because they think they can help them on the questions．

C．Because their kids are too shy to attend interviews．

D．Because their kids strongly request them to do so．

【小题2】According to the author, what is beneficial to kids' development?

A．Sheltering them．	B．Keeping them safe．
C．Leaving them alone．	D．Blaming them．

【小题3】Why does the author stress failure in kids' life?

A．To make them stronger than other kids．

B．To help them grow in this tough world．

C．To help them develop all social skills．

D．To make them learn to compromise．

【小题4】Which of the following might be the best title for the text?

A．Never Shelter Your Kids

B．Let Your Kids Fail

C．Be Eager to Grow Up

D．Live Without Parents

Homestay provides English language students with the opportunity to speak English outside the classroom and the experience of being part of a British home.

What to Expect

The host will provide accommodation（住宿） and meals. Rooms will be cleaned and bedcovers changed at least once a week. You will be given the house key and the host is there to offer help and advice as well as to take an interest in your physical and mental health.

Accommodation Zones

Homestays are located in London mainly in Zones2，3 and 4 of the transport system. Most hosts do not live in the town centre as much of central London is commercial and not residential(居住的). Zones 3 and 4 often offer larger accommodation in a less crowed area. It is very convenient to travel in London by Underground.

Meal Plans Available

♢ Continental Breakfast  ♢ Breakfast and Dinner ♢ Breakfast, Packed Lunch and Dinner

It’s important to note that few English families still provide a traditional cooked breakfast. Your accommodation includes Continental Breakfast which normally consists of fruit juice, cereal（谷物类食品），bread and tea or coffee. Cheese, fruit and cold meat are not normally part of a Continental Breakfast in England. Dinners usually consist of meat or fish with vegetables followed by dessert, fruit and coffee.

Friends

If you wish to invite a friend over to visit. you must first ask your host’s permission. You have no right to entertain friends in a family home as some families feel it is an invasion of their privacy.

Self-Catering Accommodation in Private Homes

Accommodation on a room-only basis includes shared kitchen and bathroom facilities and often a main living room. This kind of accommodation offers an independent lifestyle and is more suitable for the long-stay student. However, it does not provide the same family atmosphere as an ordinary homestay and may not benefit those who need to practise English at home quite as much.

1.Which of the following will the host provide?

A. Room cleaning.  B. Medical care.  C. Free transport.  D. Physical training.

2.The passage is probably written for       

A. hosts willing to receive foreign students

B. foreigners hoping to build British culture

C. English learners applying to live in English homes

D. travellers planning to visit families in London

3.According to the passage. What does continental Breakfast include?

A. Dessert and coffee.       B. Fruit and vegetables.

C. Bread and fruit juice.    D. Cereal and cold meat.

4.What can be inferred from Paragraph 3?

A. Zone 4 is more crowded than Zone 2.

B. The business centre of London is in Zone 1.

C. Hosts dislike travelling to the city centre.

D. Accommodation in the city centre is not provided.

5.Why do some people choose self-catering accommodation?

A. To experience a warmer family atmosphere.

B. To enrich their knowledge of English.

C. To entertain friends as they like.

D. To enjoy much more freedom.