Theatre began with the ancient Greeks. They used to have shows called "plays", which tell a story by people acting out what happened in it. They had big theatres which were outside, and you could have up to 17.000 people come and watch it. These outside theatres were round in shape, with stone seats going down to the centre, when they had the "stage". The Romans also built theatres, and there are several you can visit in England, Greece, Italy and Turkey.

Greek used to have a person to explain the story to the people who were watching, and the actors used to wear pictures on their faces, some with happy faces, some sad.

There were not any theatres in Europe in the Middle Ages, but groups of actors (or players, as they used to be called) travelled around the country putting on shows and singing songs in the towns and in large private houses. Many large houses from this time have a special area in it where the players would do their shows.

In England between 1558 and 1603, the ruler was Queen Elizabeth I. During this time, theatres would be built outside the city walls because some people thought they were not safe places to be and that people caused troubles there. They were usually round, and people would stand up to see the show. Rich people had seats to sit on. People used to eat and drink during the show. They used to shout out to the actors and sometimes throw food at them.

In Elizabethan times, a theatre group had 12 men and one writer in it. Women were not allowed to be in the show, so young boys used to wear dresses and play the female roles.

Theatre in London today is very popular, even if tickets are very expensive. Many American stars want to perform in London, and in the last few years Kevin Spacey, Nicole Kidman and Kathleen Turner have all acted in plays in London's theatres.

【1】Who began theatre?

【2】Where did actors put on shows in the Middle Ages in Europe?

【3】Why were theatres built outside the city walls in Elizabethan times?

【4】How many people did a theatre group have in Elizabethan times?

【5】What_ is the passage mainly about?

We should learn to understand our mother well. Here are the best ways towards a better relationship with her. They are not necessarily surprising, but they have worked for many people. Try them.

Remember your mother's age

As children, we often forget our mother's age. Knowing our mother's age, not just in numbers of years but in terms of her psychological (心理的))and physical state, often helps us to understand her better.

Listen to your mother

I have found that sometimes the things my mother told me long ago are pretty useful.If you respect her point of view, it will help your mother feel close to you.

Ask your mother about your childhood(童年的)history

If you are lucky enough to have a living family, think of your life as a jigsaw puzzle(拼圖游 戲)and ask as many questions as you can to put the picture together. Understanding your childhood history can help you know more clearly who you are,as part of a family which you share with your mother.

Trying to understand our mother is the topic of how we understand ourselves. We should follow the way of her life. When we are able to accept our mother—with all her failings, we can understand her better and it can also help us to know about our shortcomings. Remember that understanding our mother is really about understanding ourselves.

【1】Should we learn to understand our mother well?

【2】What do children often forget about their mother?

【3】How do we make our mother feel close to us?

【4】Why do we ask our mother about our childhood history?

【5】What does the writer want to tell us?

Cartoonist: Charles Schulz

Charles Schulz is a true hero. For nearly 50 years, Schulz's comic strip, the Peanuts collection has been the most well-known cartoon in the world. It has 355 million daily readers in 75 countries. On February 13th, 2000, Schulz died of cancer. But he will always be remembered by people old and young worldwide.

In Schulz's works, he always stayed positive. He tried to give readers a happy feeling. Kids like Peanuts because the characters live a simple life and go through the same troubles as they do. He did not pick out stressful topics of the day. Instead, he always brought readers into a joyful world by writing about a happy place with simple worries.

Schulz was also a good father of four children. It's said that he never failed to stop his work to play a pick-up baseball game or have lunch with his family. He was always very involved in his children's lives and supported their decisions. He taught them the importance of a person's inner worth. His family describes Schulz as a man with the fewest needs.

His youngest daughter, Jill, said, "He's a fighter, but he always has bad luck." When Schulz leamed his cancer was senous, he was forced to give up the job he loved - writing the Peanuts cartoons. Unluckily, Schulz died the night before the last strip of his comics came out in the Sunday papers. Some might say this was unlucky, but Jill said her father enjoyed spending his whole life writing to make people happy.

Charles Schulz put a little comedy into our often-stressful world. He will be remembered as the world's favorite cartoonist. "You're a good man, Charles Schulz!"

【1】How many daily readers does the Peanuts collection have?

【2】How did Schulz bring readers into a joyful world?

【3】What did Schulz teach his children？

【4】When was Schulz forced to give up the job he loved?

【5】Why is Charles Schulz a true hero?

I wasn’t prepared for a reply, but he said, “I really am homeless and I really am hungry! You can come with me and watch me eat!” But I kept on walking.

I couldn’t forget what happened to me that day for the rest of the week. I had money in my

pocket and it wouldn’t have killed me to hand over a dollar or two even if he had been lying. On a very cold night, no less, I thought the worst of a fellow human being. Flying back to Anchorage, I still couldn’t help thinking of him.

I was the writer of a weekly garden column (專欄）at The Anchorage Daily News. One day, out of the blue, I came up with an idea. Bean’s Cafe, the soup kitchen in Anchorage, feeds

hundreds of hungry people every day. Why not try to get all my readers to plant one row in their

gardens for Bean’s? Plant a row and take it down to Bean’s. Clean and simple.

We didn’t keep records back then, but the idea began to take off. People would call me when they took something in. Those who only grew flowers gave them away. Food for the spirit.

In 1995 , the Garden Writers Association of America ( GWAA) held their meeting in Anchorage and alter learning of Anchorage’s program, Plant a Row for Bean’s became Plant a Row for the Hungry. The idea was to have every member of the Garden Writers Association of America write or talk about planting a row for the hungry.

As more and more people started working with the program, many companies gave free seed to customers and had the logo (商標(biāo)）seen in public.

Garden editor Joan Jackson raised more than 30,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables her first year, and showed the public how the program could really work. Texas fruit farms gave away food to their local food bank alter hearing about Plant a Row. Today the program continues to grow.

I am shocked that millions of Americans are threatened by hunger. If every gardener in

America - and we’re seventy million strong - plants one row for the hungry, we can make a difference in the number of neighbors who don’t have enough to eat. Maybe then I will stop feeling guilty (愧 疚) about walking past a hungry man I could have helped.

【1】Did the writer give money to the hungry man?

【2】How did the writer feel alter flying back to Anchorage?

【3】What did the writer try to get his readers to do?

【4】What did the GWAA do for the “Plant a Row” program?

【5】What is the purpose of the program?

It was a two hours’ ride. After they arrived, they walked in the street for two hours, ________ a sign that read, “ We need two tickets.” There were many scalpers around, but the cheapest ticket was $200. They were about to leave when suddenly a man stopped them. He took out two tickets and ________ them to Mr. Clinton.

“How much do you want?”

“Just a present,” said the man. “Enjoy the game.”

Mr. Clinton wouldn’t ________, so the man explained, “I’m Jackson. Hans is my boss. He and his wife haven’t missed a World Series in 18 years. But he is ill and can’t watch the game this time. So he told me to give the two tickets to people ________ I thought would actually enjoy the game. A lot of people looked as if they might just take the tickets and sell them. Then I saw you and I followed you for a while. You seemed very disappointed. You ________ me think of my dad and me when I was a child. I dreamed of going to a World Series game with my father. But my dream never came true.”

How do you suppose this made Mr. Clinton and his son feel? Here is what Mr. Clinton said, “This is the most ________ thing that ever happened to us. My boy and I must have turned to each other over 30 times and said, ‘I can’t believe this.’ We still never forget Jackson and Hans.”

【1】A. me B. her C. him D. us

【2】A. ticket B. pair C. basketball D. game

【3】A. carrying B. putting C. writing D. giving

【4】A. passed B. sold C. threw D. handed

【5】A. accept B. pick C. buy D. refuse

【6】A. when B. who C. what D. why

【7】A. let B. taught C. brought D. made

【8】A. important B. successful C. wonderful D. useful

【1】The teacher with two of his students is walking into the classroom.

【2】There is an old man coming here.

【3】The useful dictionary was given by my mother last year.

【1】Our school is not far from my home.

【2】All of us considered him honest.

【3】My grandfather bought me a pair of sports shoes.

【4】He broke a piece of glass.

【5】Trees turn green.

【6】They pushed the door open.

【7】Grandma told me an interesting story last night.

【8】He wrote carefully some letters to his friends.

【9】All the students think highly of his teaching

【10】We need a place twice larger than this one.

【11】He asked us to sing an English song.

【12】We will make our school more beautiful.

【13】He didn't come．

【14】The old man lives a lonely life.

【15】Luckily the 1989 earthquake did not happen in the center of town.

【1】Please tell us a story.

【2】My father bought a new bike for me last week.

【3】Mr Li is going to teach us history next term.

【4】Here is a pen.Give it to Tom.

【5】Did he leave any message for me?

【1】There was a big smile on her face.

【2】Every night he heard the noise upstairs.

【3】He began to learn English when he was eleven.

【4】The man on the motorbike was travelling too fast.

【5】With the medicine box under her arm, Miss Li hurried off.

【6】She loves the library because she loves books.

【7】I am afraid that if you've lost it, you must pay for it.

【8】The students followed Uncle Wang to see the other machine.

【1】They use Mr, Mrs with the family name.

【2】What is your given name?

【3】On the third lap are Class 1 and Class 3.

【4】I am afraid some people forgot to sweep the floor.

【5】The man downstairs was trying to sleep.

【6】I am waiting for the sound of the other shoe!