What do we call the person who writes music?

1. A.
   musician
2. B.
   composer
3. C.
   singer
4. D.
   performer

If the rose can be said to be a special flower, then the apple can be said to be a special fruit. It is very important in American culture. American stories speak of Johnny Appleseed, who went throughout America collecting apple seeds and planting apple trees. He had a great love for nature and went through fields and farms adding richness and beauty to the country.

One of the first sayings taught to school children is, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This short saying encourages children to eat fresh fruit to keep healthy. If someone always says good words to a person, people will call him an “apple polisher”. This, however, is not a good name. If someone is very dear to us, we say that he or she is the “apple of our eye”.

Most people believe that the fruit which Eve gave to Adam was an apple, even though the Bible(圣经) never says so. The apple, therefore, is a deep part of the language and stories of America.

An apple is also delicious. Apples can be cooked in many ways, used as a dessert, and made into sweet juice.

In many parts of the country during the harvest season, a popular activity is to go into an apple garden to pick apples. Washington, D. C. and New York are both famous for their apples.

Finally, when it’s time to take a vacation to American cities, one can always visit New York, which is “the biggest apple” of all the American cities.

1.What does the underlined phrase “apple polisher” mean?

2.Which of the following is TRUE with apples?

3.The passage is mainly about                             .

Last month when I was taking part in a US college interview, I was asked, “ what makes you special ? ” In fact I had answered questions likes this many times since I decided to go to college in the US .college paid special attention to different achievement . For example, a person who is very good at math can go to a famous college but also can be a good football player .

This experience made me think again that I must try to find where my own interests might lead me . To be honest, it was not easy . However, I never felt sorry to choose this way because it helped me understand myself . If I took the College Entrance Examination,as we call it gaokao in China, it could never possibly do .

When I entered high school, I took gaokao seriously because it seemed to me a great way to show how good at my lessons . However,as I grew older, I realized gaokao did make me work hard at my lessons, but the pressure also pushed many other activities out of my life, like guitar―playing . Although I had no time for it, I will still get to it in the future .

No doubt, gaokao provides a way of choosing those who are successful in their studies . But it is really important for all of us to rethink what “ talent ” really is today . This is because we now live in a world in which all of our other human qualities ( 品质）are needed for success, not just the high grade .

Ken Robinson once said, “ the society depends on different kinds of talents . ”  However, gaokao pays too attention  to a person’s grades but little to his other qualities. And it is these qualities that makes life colorful and fun .

As high school students, we can not change the present situation of eduction, but we are always free to think outside of the box . Although good school grade is still useful, I hope one day we will see our education also welcomes the amazing possibilities in different people .

1.The US College pay special attention to ________.

A．students’family background .

B．the different achievement

C．students’ideas about way of life .

D．the school a student is from .

2.When at high school, the writer ________.

A．had a lot of activities .

B．did not work hard at her lessons .

C．did well in gaokao

D．had no time to play the guitar .

3.From the passage, we know that the writer may ________.

A．go to college in America .

B．give up the US college interview .

C．become a good football player in the US.

D．change the present situation of eduction .

4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A. My school life abroad.             B. Different exams in the US.

C My view on gaokao           D. The importance of school grades

If the rose can be said to be a special flower, then the apple can be said to be a special fruit. It is very important in American culture. American stories speak of Johnny Appleseed, who went throughout America collecting apple seeds and planting apple trees. He had a great love for nature and went through fields and farms adding richness and beauty to the country.
One of the first sayings taught to school children is, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This short saying encourages children to eat fresh fruit to keep healthy. If someone always says good words to a person, people will call him an “apple polisher”. This, however, is not a good name. If someone is very dear to us, we say that he or she is the “apple of our eye”.
Most people believe that the fruit which Eve gave to Adam was an apple, even though the Bible(圣经) never says so. The apple, therefore, is a deep part of the language and stories of America.
An apple is also delicious. Apples can be cooked in many ways, used as a dessert, and made into sweet juice.
In many parts of the country during the harvest season, a popular activity is to go into an apple garden to pick apples. Washington, D. C. and New York are both famous for their apples.
Finally, when it’s time to take a vacation to American cities, one can always visit New York, which is “the biggest apple” of all the American cities.
【小题1】What does the underlined phrase “apple polisher” mean?

Has a doctor ever given you a note to take to the chemist for some medicine? Are you able to read the note easily? Some doctors write clearly , but most doctors do not. Chemists（药剂师） have more chances to read doctors’ notes, but sometimes doctors write so badly that even the chemist can’t read them.

   One day a lady wrote to a doctor inviting him to have dinner at her house. The doctor wrote an answer, but he didn’t write clearly and the lady couldn’t read it.

   “What shall I do?” she said to her husband, “I don’t know whether he is coming or not. I don’t want to give him a telephone call and say that I can’t read his writing.”

   Her husband thought a moment, then he had an idea.

   “Thank you,” said his wife. “That’s a very good idea.”

   She went to the chemist’s shop and gave the doctor’s note to the chemist. The chemist looked at it very carefully. Then he said politely, “Could you wait a moment, madam?” He went to the back of the shop. After a few minutes he returned carrying a large bottle. He gave the bottle to the lady and said, “Three times a day and one spoonful at a time.”

1.It isn’t ______ for us to read the notes written by most doctors.

A. right                  B. pleased       C. easy        D. difficult

2. A chemist is a person who ______.

A. takes medicine              B. studies chemistry

C. can read doctors’ writings     D. sells medicine

3. The lady wrote a doctor a letter because ______.

A. she wanted to see him                                        

B. she wanted to invite him to dinner

C. she wanted to get some medicine for her husband

D. she didn’t want to give him a telephone call

4.. The husband thought ______.

A. the chemist could give them answer            

B. the letter was for the chemist

C. the chemist would give them the right medicine

D. the chemist couldn’t read, either

5. After reading the story, we know ______.

A. the doctor agreed to come to the lady’s house            

B. the doctor refused to come to the lady’s house

C. the chemist couldn’t read the doctor’s note        

D. the doctor could not read the doctor’s note, either