More than a hundred years ago, an American produced a game. He called it indoor tennis. The Americans were not interested in it at first so he sent it to his London friends and it became very popular in Britain.The game was then played across the dining room table, or on the floor with the net hung between two chairs. The balls were made of cork or rubber.The bats were made of wood.
A few years later a hollow ball like the one we use today was invented. The game then quickly spread all over the world. An Englishman once made a bat covered with rubber. He first played the game in England and called it “ping-pong”. “Ping”was the sound of the bat when it hit the ball. and “pong” was the sound of the ball when it hit the table.
【小题1】Who invented the game of ping-pong?
A  A Chinese  B An Englishman  C An American  D We don’t know
【小题2】The game was first known as_________.
A ping-pong tennis   B  table tennis
C outdoor tennis     D indoor tennis
【小题3】What did the British think of the game?
A Moving  B Interesting  C Terrible  D Well
【小题4】In the early days the ball was ______________.
A hollow       B covered with rubber
C made of cork and rubber  D made of plastics
【小题5】The name of ping-pong has something to do with_______.
A sound  B size  C history  D  place

More and more people like bicycling and it is no surprise. It is fun, healthy and good for the environment. Maybe that’s why there are 1.4 billion bicycles and only 400 million cars on roads worldwide today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere, and there is no oil cost!
Get on a bicycle and ride around your neighborhood. You may discover something new all around you. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your car. You can bike to work and benefit (受益) from the enjoyable exercise without polluting the environment. You don’t even have to ride all the way.
Folding (折叠) bikes work well for people who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. You can do the same on an airplane. A folding bike can be packed in a suitcase. You can also take a common bike with you when you fly. But be sure to look for information by getting on airline websites. Not all airlines are bicycle-friendly to travelers.
Health Benefits of Bicycling:
l It helps to prevent heart diseases.
l Bicycling helps to control your weight.
A 15-minute bike ride to and from work three times a week burns off five kilos of fat in a year.
l Bicycling can improve your mood (心情).
Exercise like bicycling has been shown to make people feel better, more relaxed and self-confident.
l Bicycling is healthier than driving.
【小题1】From the passage, we know that bicycling is becoming very __________.

More than 200 activities have been held so far during the Chinese Language Year in Russia. It has not only made Chinese culture popular in Russia, but also improved understanding and friendship between Russians and Chinese people. More and more Russians begin to enjoy Chinese food and operas, watch TV programs to leam Chinese, and travel in China.
Since the Chinese Language Year program in Russia started, so many events such as movie weeks, operas, Chinese language classes, language contests and teaching programs have been popular in Russia.
Through the activities, Russian people have had a chance to leam more about the Chinese culture, literature, history and its life today. For example, the first group of 500 Russian students visited the Chinese cities of Beijing, Dalian and Qingdao. There they painted both countries' landmarks, including the Tian' anmen Square, the Great Wall, the Kremb(克林姆宫),the Volga River and the Red Square. When the Russian students returned, they took part in a photo contest and a writing contest to show their love for China.
And Russians, especially young people, have become more and more interested in learning Chinese. To date, more than 130 universities in Russia are offering Chinese courses. More than 20 middle and primary schools have also taught Chinese as their first foreign language.
【小题1】______activities have been held so far during the Chinese Language Year.

A．Many events have been popular in Russia.

B．Russians have had a chance to learn more about China.

C．Russians have become more and more interested in learning Chinese.

D．Chinese Language Year in Russia makes Chinese culture popular.