In North America, most students go to school by bus. The subway is also widely used in some cities.
In small towns and cities, walking is still popular.
     The yellow school bus is a familiar sight all over North America. It is a very convenient form of
transportation because it takes students right to the entrance to the school. It also gives students opportunity
to chat with their friends. However, the bus is slow and does not always pick up on time.
     The subway is a means of getting around quickly in many cities. However, it is expensive and can be
very crowded during rush hour. Another disadvantage of the subway is that the stops are not so close to the
school, and students often have to walk considerable distance or take a bus from the subway stop to the
school.
     Walking has a number of advantages for those who live reasonable close to school. It's free and it provides
a form of exercise. However, it's no fun if you have a large backpack full of books to carry. It's also
unpleasant if the weather is either too hot or cold or wet.

1. In North America, most students usually go to school by ________.

A. school bus or subway
B. car or bicycle
C. taxi or car

2. For many students, the yellow school bus is convenient but it is ________.

A. too expensive
B. slow and sometimes late
C. crowded and dirty

3. Subways are fast but the stops are often a little bit ________ the school.

A. close to
B. busy for
C. far away from

4. Walking is a good way for the students that live reasonable close to school and it is ________.

A. not convenient
B. bad for health
C. good for health

5. This passage is about ________ in North America.

A. transportation
B. students
C. schools

     When I was a teenager growing up in Russia, I wanted to leave school and have my own life. The only
way I could do this was to work in the local brick factory in my town, or get married. I was nervous when
I told my father I wanted to leave school. I thought he would say, "No! You are going to college." He took
me by surprise when he said,"OK. We'll go to the brick factory."
     Two days later, he took me to the factory. I had a very romantic idea of working in a factory.  I had
imagined everyone to be friends working together and having fun. I even imagined there would be music and
singing. I guess I had watched too many movies as a teenager.
     When we arrived at the factory gates, my father spoke to the guard and one minute later we were inside.
My father said, "Take your time. Look around." I walked around the factory looking at the building, the
workers, and listening to the noise. It was horrible. I ran back to my. father and said, "I want to go home."
     He asked me, "What do you think of the factory?"
     "It's terrible," I replied.
     "And marriage is even worse!" he said.
     I went back to school the next day thinking about studying hard so I could get into a good college. I
enjoyed studying English so I decided to major in languages at college. Thanks to my father and our trip to
the brick factory, I now work at the United Nations and my father is very proud of me. I married a very
good man and my life is much better than it would have been working in the factory!

1. The writer lived in _________ when she was a teenager.

A. Russia
B. Japan
C. China

2. At first she thought life in the factory would be _________ than in school.

A. more careful
B. more colorful
C. more beautiful

3. When she told her father that she wanted to leave school, he expressed his disagreement _________.

A. by doing nothing
B. in a special way
C. by saying nothing

4. After they visited the factory, the girl _________.

A. decided to work there
B. decided to get married
C. changed her mind

5. The underlined word "horrible" means "_________" in Chinese.

A. 糟糕的
B. 緊張的
C. 浪漫的

     Asking for information or help is a very common and necessary activity, especially when we visit a
foreign country. So knowing how to ask for information politely is important. In English, "Where are the
restrooms?" and "Could you please tell me where the restrooms are?" are similar requests-both are correct
English, but the first could sound rude. It's important to use correct language, but sometimes this alone is
not enough-we need to learn how to be polite when we make requests.
     In English, just like in Chinese, we change the way we speak when talking with different people. The
expressions you use might depend on whom you are speaking to or how well you know them. If you say
to your teacher, "Where is my book?" this will sound rude. But if you say, "Excuse me, Mr West. Do you
know where my book is?" your question will sound much more polite. On the other hand, it might be alright
to say "Where is my book?" in some situations, perhaps with people you know well.
     And you would not usually say, "Peter, lend me your pen." A very direct order like this can sound rude
in English. Usually in English polite questions are longer and include extra language, such as "Could you
please...?" or "Can I ask...?" It sounds more polite to say, "Peter, could you please lend me your pen?"
Sometimes we might even need to spend some time leading in to a question or request. For example, if you
stop a stranger in the street, we might first say, "Excuse me. I wonder if you can help me." or "I'm sorry
to trouble you but," before asking them for help.
     It might seem that speaking politely is more difficult than being direct, and in a way this may be true.
However, in order not to offend people, learning about the language etiquette is just as important as learning
grammar or vocabulary. And doing this will also help you become better at English, or any other language
you wish to speak.

1. It's important to know how to ______ in English when we visit a foreign country.
2. When you talk with different people, you need to ______.
3. Extra words are used to help ______.
4. ______ is as important as learning language structure.
5. How do you say "Don't smoke here." politely? ______

     When my son, Mark, was in the third grade, he saved all his pocket money for over three months to buy
holiday presents. The third Saturday in December Mark said he had made his list and had twenty dollars in his
pocket.
     I drove him to a nearby supermarket. Mark picked up a hand basket and went in while I waited and
watched in the car. It took Mark over 45 minutes to choose his presents. Finally he came to the checkout
counter (交款處) and reached into his pocket for his money. It was not there! There was a hole in his pocket,
but no money. Mark stood there holding his basket, tears falling down his face.
     Then a surprising thing happened. A woman came up to Mark and took him in her arms."You would help
me a lot if you let me pay for you," said the woman."It would be the most wonderful gift you could give me.
I only ask that one day you will pass it on. When you grow up, I would like you to find someone you can help.
When you help others, I know you will feel as good about it as I do now."
     Mark took the money, dried his tears and ran back to the checkout counter as fast as he could. That year
we all enjoyed our gifts almost as much as Mark enjoyed giving them to us.
     I would like to say "thank you" to that very kind woman, and tell her that four years later, Mark went house
to house collecting blankets (毯子) and clothes for the homeless people in the fire. And I want to promise her
that Mark will never forget to keep passing it on.

1. When did the story probably happen?

A. On Christmas Day.
B. Before Christmas Day.
C. On New Year's Day.
D. After New Year's Day.

2. When they got to the supermarket, Mark went in .

A. with the writer
B. by himself
C. with the woman
D. with his friends

3. What happened to Mark in the supermarket?

A. His gifts were stolen.
B. He broke his basket.
C. He lost his money.
D. He lost his way.

4. Why did the writer want to say "thank you" to the woman?

A. Because she bought Mark a nice present.
B. Because she always paid money for others.
C. Because she collected clothes for the homeless.
D. Because she taught Mark to help people in need.

5. What's the best title for this passage?

A. A big supermarket
B. A kind woman
C. A happy family
D. A wonderful gift

     Everyone has got two personalities (性格) -the one that is shown to the world and the other that is secret
and real. You don't show your secret personality when you're awake because you can control yourself, but
when you're asleep, your sleeping position shows the real you. In a normal night, of course, you often change
your sleeping positions. The important position that best shows your secret personality is the one that you go
to sleep.
     If you go to sleep on your back, you're a very open person. You normally trust people and you are easily
influenced by new ideas. You don't like to make people unhappy, so you never express your real feelings.
You're quite shy and you aren't very confident.
     If you sleep on your stomach, you are a person who likes to keep secrets. You worry a lot and you're
always easily becoming sad. You never want to change your ideas, but you are satisfied with your life the
way it is. You usually live for today not for tomorrow.
     If you sleep on curled up (蜷縮), you are probably a very nervous person. You have a low opinion of
yourself and often protect yourself from being hurt, so you are very defensive. You're shy and you don't
usually like meeting people. You like to be on your own.
     If you sleep on your side, you have usually got a well-balanced (平衡的) personality. You know your
strengths and weaknesses. You're usually careful. You have a confident personality. You sometimes feel
worried, but you don't often get unhappy. You always say what you think, even if it makes people angry.

1. You may find the passage in _______. 

A. a science magazine
B. a guide book
C. a sports newspaper
D. a story book

2. When does the sleeping position best show your secret personality?

A. In the daytime.
B. At the beginning of sleep.
C. At night.
D. During the deep sleep.

3. Tina hardly tells her secrets to her friends. She probably goes to sleep _______.

A. on curled up
B. on her stomach
C. on her back
D. on her side

4. What does the word "defensive" mean in the passage?

A. 易怒的
B. 攻擊性的
C. 外向的
D. 有戒心的

5. What does the passage tell us?

A. Sleeping on your side is the best way of sleeping.
B. Changing positions will cause sleeping problems.
C. Sleeping positions show people's secret personalities.
D. Enough sleep makes people look better and healthier.

     Fruit and vegetables should be a part of what we eat every day. Educating your children about the
importance of eating fruit and vegetables is important for their health. Here are some fun activities to
help you teach your children about fruit and vegetables.
     ★ Reading is one excellent way. Choose a colorful book with many different types of fruit and vegetables.
     ★ Provide your children with fruit and vegetable puzzles. Your children will be able to see what fruit and 
vegetables look like as they're putting the puzzles together. You can also teach them the different names of
fruit and vegetables.
     ★ Each day give your children different fruit and vegetables to eat. This will give them the chance to
taste many kinds of fruit and vegetables. Talk to your children about what they look like and how they taste
and smell.
     ★ Play fruit and vegetable games. Prepare little cups with fruit and vegetables cut up into small pieces.
Cover your children's eyes and give them one of the cups to try. After tasting, they have to guess what kind
of vegetable or fruit it is.
     ★ Grow vegetables. You can teach your children how vegetables grow by planting them. Your children
will also learn how to take care of vegetables.

(     )1. Reading is a good way to help your children know about fruit and vegetables.                 
(     )2. The puzzles can help children know how fruit and vegetables taste and smell.                
(     )3. By playing fruit and vegetable games, children can know what fruit and vegetables look like.
(     )4. Growing vegetables can teach your children how to look after vegetables.                    
(     )5. The passage is mainly about the advantages of eating fruit and vegetables.