2018年中考英语题型专项复习任务型阅读20篇及答案

Passage 1

The Art of the Elephants

If your cat walked across something you were painting and left footprints behind, would you consider your cat an artist? What if your bird held a colored pencil in its beak（喙） and painted on a piece of paper? Most people may think of animal art as a joke, but some people have been taking it very seriously.

Elephants were used for hundreds of years in Thailand’s logging industry(伐木业). They moved wood from forests in areas where there were no roads. At the beginning of this century, when the forests of Thailand began to quickly disappear, the government put a stop to logging. All of a sudden, many elephants in Thailand no longer had a way to make a living.

Some elephants were treated badly. Others had to try to live on their own and couldn’t find enough food to eat. There were once tens of thousands of elephants in Thailand. Today, there are less than five thousand. When two Russian American artists, Vitaly Komar and Alex Melamid, first heard about the troubled elephants in Thailand, they knew that something had to be done to forever change the way people treated Thai elephants. Then, they came up with an idea to help these elephants.

Komar and Melamid visited elephant camps in Thailand and began

to show the elephant trainers how to teach the elephants to paint. At first, the trainers had to guide the elephants’ trunks. The elephants became more comfortable doing this with practice—and lots of sweet snacks—and finally started to paint on their own. The strange idea that Komar and Melamid had to save the elephants actually began to work. They even helped found several elephant art schools in Thailand and in other Asian countries. The elephants and their trainers go there to learn about painting and get supplies they need.

Today, people begin to buy elephant artworks from galleries(画廊) all around the world. Some are even willing to pay more than ＄2,000 for the works of the elephant artists! Some people compare the cheerful, brightly-colored artworks to the works of some great abstract(抽象地) painters. Some people are just happy to buy these special and original(原创地) artworks. Others think they are helping the troubled elephants in this way. The next time you see a piece of colorful abstract art, find out who the artist is. You just may be surprised at what you learn! 1. What may most people think of animal art?

___________________________________________________________ 2. What did elephants do in Thailand’s logging industry?

___________________________________________________________ 3. How many elephants are there in Thailand today?

___________________________________________________________ 4. What was Komar and Melamid’s idea to help the elephants in Thailand?

___________________________________________________________ 5. Please list one reason why people buy elephant artworks.

___________________________________________________________

【主旨大意】本文是一篇说明文，介绍的是大象艺术品。大象作画是两名俄罗斯籍的美国画家为帮助大象而想出的一个主意，即让训象师教大象作画，画作出售后，训象师和大象可以得到报酬和需要的东西。很多人喜欢大象的画作，也有人是为支持这些受苦的大象而购买这些画作的。

1. Most people may think of animal art as a joke.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：大多数人对于动物艺术的看法是什么？根据第一段最后一句“Most people may think of animal art as a joke...”可知，大多数人觉得动物艺术是笑话。

2. They moved mood from forests where there were no roads.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：大象在泰国的伐木业中从事什么工作？根据第二段第二句“They moved mood from forests where there were no roads”可知，人们用大象在没有公路的森林中运输木头。

3. There are less than five thousand.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：现如今，在泰国有多少只大象？根据第三段第四句“Today，there are less than five thousand.”可知今天的大象数量不足5千只。

4. They showed elephants trainers how to teach elephants to paint.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：Komar和 Melamid想出了什么办法来帮助泰国的大象？根据第四段首句“Komar and Melamid visited the elephant camps in Thailand and began to show elephants trainers how to teach elephants to paint.”可知,两人拜访了泰国的大象营地，并给训象师展示怎样教大象绘画。 5. Some people compare the cheerful, brightly-colored artworks to the work of some great painters./ Some people are just happy to buy these special and original artworks./ Others think they are helping the troubled elephants in this way.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：请列举人们购买大象艺术作品的一个原因。根据最后一段中“Some people...Some people...Others...”可知,有些人把这些艺术比作最伟大画家的抽象艺术；有些人就是喜欢购买这种特别和原创的

艺术作品；另一些人认为以此可以帮助受苦的大象。

Passage 2 Albino Power

I was born an albino（白化病患者） in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1945. No one in my family had ever known what an albino was, what it meant to be an albino, what had to be done differently because I was an albino.

My parents and friends treated me just like they treated everybody else. They was just about the best thing they could have done. It gave me a leg up on trusting myself, so when troubles came along, I could deal with them.

Truly, my schoolbook photo always looked like a snowball with two pieces of coal for eyes. Like most albinos, I had terrible eyesight, but the fact that I could hardly see didn’t worry me all that much.

Kids laughed at me, calling me “Whitey”. People stared at me when I held reading material right at the tip of my nose so I could see it well enough to read. Even when I was eight or nine, movie theater workers started asking me to pay adult prices because I “looked older”.

The worst part for me was that because my eyesight was so bad that I

couldn’t play sports very well. but I didn’t give up trying. I practiced playing basketball every day. And I studied harder.

Finally, I got better at school and loved it. By the time I got to college, I was double majoring（专业）, going to summer school and taking part in every kind of after-class activity I could find. I had learned to be proud of being an albino. I tried my best to make “albino” positive work. And I decided to make my living with my eyes—and in sports.

I couldn’t see well enough to play sports, but with a good and long-lasting education and the drive to do it, I could make a living involved in the area I loved. I’ve done it now for more than thirty years in print and in video, and now in cyberspace. People make jokes about how I’m the only “blind editor（编辑）” they know, but the jokes are friendly smiles now, and some of them are signs of respect. And I make jokes about being an albino. I have even developed an all-white routine, if you could call it that.

I was just a proud albino kid from the coal country of Pennsylvania. I now realize that being born an albino helped me to get over difficulties, become confident, and be proud of my personal achievements. 1. How did the writer’s parents and friends treat him?

___________________________________________________________ 2. Why couldn’t the writer play sports very well?

___________________________________________________________ 3. What was the writer doing by the time he got to college?

___________________________________________________________ 4. What does the writer think of the “blind editor” jokes now?

___________________________________________________________ 5. What does “Albino Power” mean to the writer?

___________________________________________________________

【主旨大意】本文是一篇记叙文，作者天生患白化病，也正是这个白化病让作者战胜生活中的困难，获得自信。

1. Just like they treated everybody else.【解析】题干意为：作者的父母和朋友是如何对待他的？根据第二段第一句“My parents and friends treated me just like they treated everybody else.”可知答案。

2. Because his eyesight was very bad.【解析】题干意为：为什么作者不能很好的运动？根据第五段第一句“The worst part for me was that because my eyesight was so bad...”可知答案。 3. He was double majoring, going to summer school and taking part in after-class activities.【解析】题干意为：等到作者上大学了，他做了什么？根据第六段第二句“By the time I got to college, I was double majoring(专业），going to summer school and taking part in every kind ...”可知答案。

4. They are friendly smiles.【解析】题干意为：作者现在是怎样认为“盲人编辑”这个玩笑的？根据第七段倒数第三句“...but the jokes are friendly smiles...”可知答案。

5. It is the power to help him to get over difficulties,become confident,and be proud of his personal achievement.【解析】题干意为：“白化病力量”对作者来说意味着什么？根据最后一段最后一句可知答案。

Passage 3

Can you imagine a world without a writing system for your language? It may be hard to picture it now, but a man named Sequoyah lived in such a world. Sequoyah was a member of a native American tribe, the Cherokee. Cherokee people speak their own language, but for hundreds

of years they did not have a system of writing. Without a writing system, the Cherokee had no newspapers or books before 1809.

Sequoyah was probably born around the year 1770 and lived with his mother in a small village in the mountains of Tennessee. When he grew up, he became a blacksmith. When he was doing business with those “English-speaking people”, he noticed that they used paper with marks to record their thoughts and ideas. Sequoyah called these pieces of paper with marks “talking leaves”. He began to wonder why people who spoke Cherokee did not have a way to write down their words.

In 1809, Sequoyah decided to give the Cherokee their own “talking leaves”. At first he tried to make a different symbol for every word in the Cherokee language. But in that case, there would be so many symbols and too hard for people to remember, so he decided to make a picture for each syllable (音节). After much hard work, Sequoyah invented 85 symbols. In order to see whether it would work, he helped his six-year-old daughter Ayoka learn each symbol and found she could learn to read and write very quickly. Sequoyah’s invention was a success!

Before long, Sequoyah’s writing system had spread far and wide. Cherokee people living in all different parts of the country learned to read and write. In 1825, Sequoyah’s system was made the official written language for Cherokee people. To this day, Cherokee speakers still use Sequoyah’s writing system. In some parts of the United States, you can

see street signs and billboards written in both English and Cherokee. Sequoyah will always be remembered for his important contribution to Cherokee people.

1. Did the Cherokee have newspapers before 1809?

___________________________________________________________ 2. What did Sequoyah call the pieces of paper with marks?

___________________________________________________________ 3. How many symbols did Sequoyah invent in the Cherokee language? ___________________________________________________________ 4. When was Sequoyah’s system made the official written language? ___________________________________________________________ 5. Why will Sequoyah always be remembered?

___________________________________________________________

【主旨大意】本文是一篇说明文，文中主要介绍了塞阔雅（Sequoyah）对切诺基语的发展所做出的巨大贡献。

1. No.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：在1809年之前，Cherokee有报纸吗？根据第一段最后一句“Without a writing system, the Cherokee had no newspapers or books before 1809.”可知答案是否定的。

2. Talking leaves.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：Sequoyah把带有符号的纸张称为什么？根据第二段倒数第二句“Sequoyah called these pieces of paper with marks ‘talking leaves’.”可知，他把这些带有符号的纸张称为“说话的树叶”。

3. 85.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：在切诺基语中，Sequoyah发明了多少符号？根据第三段第四句中“After much hard work, Sequoyah invented 85 symbols.”可知，Sequoyah发明了

85个符号。

4. In 1825.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：Sequoyah的书写系统什么时候成为了官方的书面语？根据最后一段第三句“In 1825, Sequoyah’s system was made the official written language for Cherokee people.”可知，Sequoyah的书写系统在1825年成为了官方的书面语。 5. Because of/For his important contribution to Cherokee people. / Because he created the writing system for Cherokee language. / Because he made the official written language for Cherokee people.【解析】题干意为：Sequoyah为什么会被人们永远纪念?阅读短文可知，Sequoyah为切诺基人的语言发展做出了巨大的贡献，据此表述即可，答案不唯一。

Passage 4

Garbage（垃圾） Island

You can’t see it from the air. It’s almost impossible to see from a ship. But somewhere in the North Pacific is a huge island of garbage, just below the water surface.

What is the island made of?

The garbage island is not an island, but a collection of millions of plastic and other objects（物体）. The water movements of the Pacific Ocean bring the objects together and cause them to go around in a big circle.

Charles Moore found it in 1997 and named it “the Great Pacific Garbage Patch”.

Where does all the plastic come from?

Much of the garbage comes from everyday objects, such as shopping bags and water bottles. Some of these objects finally reach the ocean.

Garbage from the western coast of North America takes about six years to reach it. Objects from East Asia take about a year. Other garbage comes from ships passing through the area.

Is the Garbage Patch dangerous?

The larger pieces of garbage are a problem for wildlife. For example, sea turtles（海龟） and seabirds often think the plastic is their food. They eat the plastic and die.

In addition, the plastic stops sunlight from reaching deeper water. Without sunlight, very small sea animals die. Then, there is less food for larger fish to eat.

What can we do to help stop it?

Cleaning up the island isn’t easy. But we can make people realize the problem. One environmentalist（环保主义者）， David de Rothschild, is sailing around the world on a boat made of plastic bottles to teach people about the problem of garbage in the sea.

Another idea is that we can recycle the plastic garbage. Environmental engineer Cesar Harada is building a robot that collects pieces of plastic. Harada hopes to use his robot in the Pacific. Harada also has a website for reporting environmental problems. He says, “I hope everybody can become an environmental activist.” 1. What is the garbage made of?

2. Where does Peter go on his high school class trip?

___________________________________________________________ 3. What happened to Peter after he was bitten by the spider?

___________________________________________________________ 4. How is Spiderman born at last?

___________________________________________________________ 5. What kind of life is Peter living?

___________________________________________________________

【主旨大意】本文是一篇说明文。文中主要介绍了蜘蛛人的诞生过程。

1. Stan Lee.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：谁创造了蜘蛛人？根据第一段第二句“He created by Stan Lee in 1963”可知蜘蛛人是由斯坦?李创造的，故填Stan Lee。

2. He goes to a high school class trip to a science lab.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：在上高中的时候，他在班级旅行的时候去了哪里？根据第二段第三句“One day，on a high school class trip to a science lab”可知在高中的班级旅行的时候去了一个科学实验室。故填He goes to a high school class trip to a science lab.

3. He has amazing powers.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：在被蜘蛛咬了之后，彼得发生了什么事？根据第二段第四句“Soon Peter realizes he has amazing powers”可知在被蜘蛛咬了之后，彼得很快就发生他拥有惊人的力量。故填He has amazing powers.

4. Spiderman is born when Peter decided to use his powers to fight against enemies who do cruel things to people at last.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：最后蜘蛛人是怎么诞生的呢？根据第二段倒数第二句“Peter decides to use his powers to fight against enemies who do cruel things to people.”可知他决定用他的超能力来和对人民残暴的敌人作斗争，这样蜘蛛人就诞生了。故填Spiderman is born when Peter decided to use his powers to fight enemies who do cruel things to people at last.

5. He’s living a magical life with his amazing powers but life is not easy for him with difficult reasons.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：彼得过着什么样的生活？根据第三段前三句“Life is

not easy for Peter even though he is a superhero. He is in love with Mary Jane but cannot tell her about his amazing powers. Besides, his best friend Harry hates Spiderman! Peter is also short of money and time. ”可知虽然自己有超能力，但是有时生活也并不容易。故填He’s living a magical life with his amazing powers but life is not easy for him with difficult reasons.

Passage 7

Today in our P. E. class, we all had to play basketball. There are only 7 girls in our P.E. class, so the class is mostly boys. And because we’re girls, they don't really like us. We hate basketball, and they hate us. So we asked them if we could sit on the chairs and not play. They agreed and so we talked and laughed happily on the chairs.

Well, today, Just while all the girls were talking happily, the P. E. teacher came in. Angrily, he looked at all the boys running around with the basketball. Seeing that not a girl was playing, he looked at us. Shaking his head, he blew his whistle( 哨子). Everyone looked up. We were all surprised.

“Why aren't you playing?” he asked us.

“Well，they said that we didn’t have to play，Mr. Backus!” We quickly blamed(归咎于) the boys, afraid to get into trouble.

“What? They didn't want to play!” the boys didn't want to get into trouble, either. Mr. Backus told us to get up and made all of us run around the playground for 5 minutes. Later, he made us sit down and listen to him. The boys complained, but he made them listen anyway.

“Am I ever unfair to you?” he asked. We all shook our heads. It was

true. Mr. Backus was the nicest P. E. teacher ever! He never shouted and complained. He was just nice. “Well, then I hope you are fair to me. I don t care whose fault(错误) it was. One person’s fault, the whole class’s fault. Understand?”

We nodded and waited. It was the only thing he ever asked us to do: to be fair. It was not much; it was not anything. So we listened on.

“This time I catch you not doing anything, you run for 5 minutes. Next time. you run for 10 minutes. It’s your choice. You could play games or run. I don’t really care, but I think you care. Remember, one person's fault: the whole class's fault. Got it?”

As we nodded again, he left. We could see him smile as he closed the door. Mr. Backus was just too nice. That was why we all liked him and he certainly loved us.

1. Do the girls in the class like basketball?

___________________________________________________________ 2. What did the girls do in their P. E. class?

___________________________________________________________ 3. How long did Mr. Backus ask the students to run?

___________________________________________________________ 4. What did the students think of Mr. Backus?

___________________________________________________________ 5. What did Mr. Backus want his students to learn from his lesson?

___________________________________________________________

简答：

1. No, they don’t.

2. They talked and laughed happily on the chairs. 3. For 5 minutes.

4. He was nice / a good teacher.

5. They should be responsible for what they do.

Passage 8

Dealing with sleep-away Camp

I have never been away from home, at least not for more than three days, much less two whole weeks. When I got the chance to go to Journalism Camp, I was afraid. Of the 19 other students there, I Knew no one.

What if I had to go home during camp time because I wouldn't be able to get used to the new situation? What if my roommate and I don't get along? How do I even use a washing machine?

Well, after the first night, nearly all of my problems were solved. The students were amazing, and my roommate was perfect. She knew how to do crazy braids(辫子) with my long hair and she loved to listen to me talk loudly! I couldn't have asked for more.

The two weeks nearly flew by, and I learned to take responsibility for myself: washing clothes, cleaning and other things like that.

However, in the process I didn’t realize how tied I had become to the usual order of waking up early, running to get to the newsroom in time,

and coming back to a large room full of friends who shared similar feelings as I did.

On the last day, I couldn’t get myself to turn in my room keys. It couldn't be over. I become emotionally tied really easily, so it was hard for me to pull away. I couldn't push away my tears. Leaving camp Just left me empty.

I wasn't having the “blues”, but I felt really sad about leaving. Returning home, I was in the state of disappointment for a few days. I kept to myself, sleeping through most of the day so I wouldn’t have time to look back.

I needed to get used to life at home again. This was my challenge. I was lucky to have the two-week experience, but I had to learn to accept that not all things last forever.

I could still keep in touch with my new friends while continuing on with the rest of my summer. I know I will go through the same experience when I leave high school after senior year. High school life will never return after graduation, but I can still keep in touch with my friends and look forward to other experiences I will have.

1. How did the writer feel when she got the chance to go to Journalism Camp?

___________________________________________________________ 2. After the first night, what did the writer think of the students and her

roommate?

___________________________________________________________ 3. How long did the camp last?

___________________________________________________________ 4. What was her challenge?

___________________________________________________________ 5. What

did

the

writer

learn

from

the

experience?

__________________________________________________________

【主旨大意】本文是一篇记叙文，主要讲述了作者在度夏令营期间，学会了很多事情，也习惯了哪里的生活，却发现回家后，不能很快适应家里的生活。通过经历这些事情，作者明白过去的时光是不能返回的，她需要期待未来发生的事情。

1. She was afraid.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：当作者有机会去新闻营时，她感到怎么样？由文中第一段“When I got the chance to go to Journalism Camp, I was afraid”可知他很害怕。故可知答案。

2. The students were amazing and her roommate was perfect.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：在第一晚后，作者认为那里的学生和她的室友怎么样？由文中第三段“Well, after the first night … The students were amazing, and my roommate was perfect.”可知作者认为学生很好，室友很完美。故可知答案。

3. Two weeks.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：这个夏令营持续了多长时间？根据文中第四段“The two weeks nearly flew by...”可知夏令营持续了两个星期。故可知答案。

4. She needed to get used to life at home again.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：她的挑战是什么？根据文中第八段“I needed to get used to life at home again. This was my challenge.”可知坐着的挑战是又要适应家里的生活。故可知答案。

5. She learned to take responsibility for herself and to accept that not all things last forever.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：作者从这次的经验中学到了什么？根据文中第四段“…and I learned to take responsibility for myself ….”以及第九段“… but I had to learn to accept that not all things last forever.”可知作者从这次经验学到，应该对自己负责以及不是所有的东西会永远存在。故可知答案。

Passage 9

DIY. which means Do It Yourself, is quite popular in UK. Lots of stores and supermarkets sell DIY things. TV programs show people how to DIY.

English people like DIY. There is a saying in UK—“An Englishman’s home is his castle(城堡)”. Huge numbers of people spend their holidays making their homes beautiful “castles”. If there is anything that needs fixing around their homes, such as painting the walls or putting in a new shower, they will do the jobs themselves. They share DIY experience with their friends. More and more people have discovered the joy of DIY. Sometimes people also DIY for saving money. With the economy (经济) becoming worse at present, many people cannot afford a big house. They are looking at how they can make their house better without spending a lot of money. It is not surprising that DIY is so popular.

DIY can be difficult. There is a huge market for DIY furniture. People need to get together pieces of furniture with a few basic tools. However, people often find it not easy to build a piece of furniture because they can't understand the instructions. Sometimes the instructions are simple and clear, but the furniture itself is difficult to build. One thing is for sure, though most DIY projects are started with the best ideas, many of them may not get finished. DIY can also be dangerous. For example,

anything electrical should be done by a professional worker. Unluckily, many people don't care about this warning and put themselves in danger. It is reported that in just one year over 230, 000 people were hurt while doing DIY in UK, including 41, 000 who fell off ladders.

Therefore, DIY can bring us fun and help us save money, but it is not always as easy as it is thought to be if we bite off more than we can chew. Maybe factories should make products that are easier and safer for us to DIY. All in all, it is a very good and suitable thing for many people. 1. Is DIY quite popular in UK?

_________________________________________________________ 2. How do many English people spend their holidays?

_________________________________________________________ 3. What do people get together pieces of furniture with?

_________________________________________________________ 4. How many people were hurt while doing DIY in UK in a year? _________________________________________________________ 5. Why do people in UK like DIY?

_________________________________________________________

【主旨大意】本文是一篇应用文，主要介绍了英国一种流行的活动，DIY，从不同方面来解读这个项目，它可以很容易也可以很危险，同时也憧憬了未来DIY的发展。

1. Yes, it is. 【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：DIY在英国很流行吗？由文中第一段“……is quite popular in UK.”DIY在英国确实很流行。故可知答案

2. By making their homes beautiful “castles”.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：大多数英国人是怎样度过他们的假期的？由文中第二段“As Englishman’s home is his castle，huge number of

people spend their holidays making their homes beautiful castles”。故可知答案。

3. With a few basic tools.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：人们用什么将家具组合在一起？根据文中第三段“people need to get together piece of furniture with a few basic tools”可知需要一些基本的工具。故可知答案。

4. Over 230,000 people.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：在英国一年中有多少人因为DIY而受伤？根据文中倒数第二段“It is reported that in just one year over 230,000 people were hurt while doing DIY in UK.”可知一年有超过23,000的人在英国因为DIY而受伤。故可知答案。 5. Because DIY can bring people fun and help them save money.【解析】细节理解题。题干意为：为什么英国人喜欢DIY？根据文中最后一段“Therefore，DIY can bring us fun and help us save money.”可知英国人觉得DIY又好玩又能省钱。故可知答案。

Passage 10

A beautiful, expensively dressed young lady came to see the doctor and complained that her whole life was empty: it had no meaning. The doctor called over an old lady who cleaned the office floors, and then said to the rich lady, “I’m going to ask Mary here to tell you how she found happiness. All I want you to do is to listen.”

So the old lady put down her broom(笤帚) and began her story:“Good afternoon, madam. I’m a cleaner in this hospital. Now let me tell you something about my life experience. Well, my husband died of heart disease and three months later my only son was killed by a car. I had nobody…I had nothing left. I couldn’t sleep; I couldn’t eat; I never smiled at anyone, I even thought of taking my own life because I didn’t want to live alone in the world. Then one evening a little cat followed me home from work. Somehow I felt sorry for it. I decided to let the cat in. I got it some milk, and it licked the plate clean. Then it purred and rubbed(蹭) against my leg, and for the first time in months, I smiled. Then I began to think: If helping a little cat could make me smile, maybe doing something for people could make me happy. So the next day I took some rice, vegetables and meat to my neighbor who was sick in bed. Every day I tried to do something nice for someone. It made me feel so

happy to see them happy. Today, I don’t know of anybody who sleeps and eats better than I do. I’ve found happiness, by giving it to others.”

When she heard that, the rich young lady cried. She had everything that money could buy, but she had lost the things which money couldn’t buy.

1. Did the young lady complain that her whole life was empty?

_________________________________________________________ 2. What did the old lady do?

___________________________________________________________ 3. Why did the old lady never smile at anyone?

___________________________________________________________ 4. What made the old lady feel happy?

___________________________________________________________ 5. Who do you want to learn from, the young lady or the old lady? Why? ___________________________________________________________

简答： 1. Yes, she did.

2. She was a cleaner in the hospital.

3. Because her husband died of heart disease and three months later her only son was killed by a car. / She had nobody… / She had nothing left.

4. Every day she tried to do something nice for someone.

5. The old lady. Because she could make herself happy by doing something for people.

Passage 11

Television is one of the greatest technological inventions of the 20 century. A Scottish man called John Logie Baird invented it. Inventors

take moving pictures in China, and the first person to drive a car in Denmark. He photographed the opening of Yellowstone National Park, in 1916. When things happened, Burton Holmes was there. In travelling for 62 years Holmes kept time in his photographs, saving it for generations to come.

1. When was Burton Holmes born?

___________________________________________________________ 2. Did Burton take at least one camera with him everywhere he went? ___________________________________________________________ 3. Why did Burton decide to have the slides painted?

___________________________________________________________ 4. What did Burton Holmes do in 1910?

___________________________________________________________ 5. What was the most valuable thing Burton did for future generations? ___________________________________________________________

简答： 1. In 1870. 2. Yes, he did.

3. So that his parents would appear in colour.

4. He published a set of books about his travel experiences.

5. He kept time in his photographs, saving it for generations to come.

Passage 14 Max’s Good Habit

Max reads more than anyone he knows. He loves to read during all

of his free time. His friends laugh at him because he would rather read than play video games, but his parents and his teachers are proud of him. They say reading is important, and it will help him learn about the world around him. They also tell him it is a good habit to read on a regular basis.

One day Max was reading a magazine article about volcanoes. He told his friends all about volcanoes and what causes them to erupt(爆发). The very next week, his class was told to do a science project. It was to create a poster board with information about volcanoes and to build a volcano model. Guess who everyone wanted in their project group? Max's friends weren't laughing at him anymore. Max ended up being in a group with Liz, Anna and Josh.

Max made copies of the magazine article about volcanoes so his project partners could read about them, too. They also went to the library to look for more information about volcanoes.

The group met at Anna’s house that night to organize the information. They all asked Max what he thought was most important. Then they discussed and decided on the information they wanted to put on the poster board.

The next night they met at Josh's house to build their volcano. They used cardboard and modeling clay(黏土). First they made a volcano shape with the cardboard, and then they covered the shape in brown clay.

They also fixed red clay to the top of the volcano model to make it look like it was erupting.

The volcano looked great. Max. Liz, Anna and Josh were very proud of

their hard work. When they turned in their project. their teacher was

proud, too. Thanks to Max's good habit, they got an A+ on both parts of the project.

1. Why do Max's friends laugh at him?

_________________________________________________________ 2. What was the science project?

_________________________________________________________ 3. Where did the group get the information about volcanoes?

_________________________________________________________ 4. What did the group use to make the volcano model?

_________________________________________________________ 5. What do you learn from this story?

_________________________________________________________

简答：

1. Because he would rather read than play video games.

2. It was to create a poster board with information about volcanoes and to build a volcano model. 3. From the magazine article that Max read and the library. 4. They used cardboard and modeling clay.

5. I learn that reading is a good and important habit and it’s helpful for our study.

Passage 15 Ready, Set, Jump!

For skydivers, the sky isn’t the limit. It's just the beginning. Thousands of people try skydiving each year. Some only jump once, while others go on to experience lifelong adventures, flying and turning over through the air.

Skydiving is a method of leaving an airplane and returning to the earth with the help of gravity, then slowing down by using a parachute(降落伞). It may include more or less free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been used and the body gradually accelerates (加速）to the highest speed.

There are three choices for the beginners. However, before you try skydiving, a ground course on safety is required. The first method is accelerated free-fall. You jump out of the plane while being held by two coaches, one on either side. They hold onto you until you open your parachute. The second method is called static line. After jumping out, you will experience free-fall for a second or two. Then the weight of your body will pull the line tight, opening the parachute.

Tandem(串联) is the most popular because it is the easiest. You and the coach are tied together, the coach behind, with you in front. You jump out of the plane together, and the coach takes care of opening the parachute

For each of these three methods, the coaches give instructions in the

air with hand signals(信号) or a radio. If you are eager to try something challenging and would love to feel the freedom of flying, skydiving might be an adventure for you. Who knows? With risk and excitement mixed together, skydiving might Just change your life. 1. Do thousands of people try skydiving each year?

___________________________________________________________ 2. How many choices are there for the beginners?

___________________________________________________________ 3. Why is tandem the most popular?

___________________________________________________________ 4. How do the coaches give instructions in the air?

___________________________________________________________ 5. What is the passage mainly about?

_________________________________________________________

简答：

1. Yes./Yes, they do.

2. 3/Three./There are three choices. 3. Because it is the easiest. 4. With hand signals or a radio.

5. What skydiving is and how beginners skydive./The introduction of skydiving and the methods for beginners.

Passage 16

People always have different feelings. Among them is shyness. It means feeling frightened when you are around other people. Some children were born shy. Some become very shy later because of life experience. In fact, everyone gets a little shy sometimes. It depends on how shy you are. If shyness doesn’t stop you from doing something you want to do, being shy isn’t a big problem.

According to scientists, shyness generally begins during childhood. Most of time, shyness is caused by people’s worry about what other people think of them, so shy people often find it very difficult to meet new people. This fear has bad effects on their work life, social life and love life. The following suggestions may be helpful for shy people.

Find ways to relax when you go out. When you are old enough, consider drinking a glass of wine before heading out for the night. Talk with your friend or family members to help yourself calm down(平静).

Look best when you go out. Wear something that makes you feel confident and comfortable.

Listen carefully when people speak. Shy people sometimes think that meeting new people means having to do a lot of talking. You can ask simple questions and then listen to the answers. People love to feel like other people are listening to them and sharing their point of view.

Build your confidence and change your attitude towards meeting new people instead of worrying about how they will think of you, and think about what are good points you hope to find in the new person you will meet.

Try these suggestions if you do feel very shy. Hopefully you can enjoy your life better. 1. What does shyness mean?

___________________________________________________________ 2. Is being shy always a big problem according to the passage?

___________________________________________________________ 3. When do scientists think shyness usually begins?

___________________________________________________________ 4. Who can help shy people calm down?

___________________________________________________________ 5. What is the passage mainly about?

___________________________________________________________

简答：

1. Shyness means feeling frightened when you are around other people. 2. No.

3. During childhood.

4. Their friend and family members.

5. What shyness is and how to deal with it.

Passage 17

A Different Kind of Spring Break

For many American university students, the weeklong spring break holiday means an endless party on a sunny beach. In Panama City Beach, Florida more than half a million university students arrive during the month of March to play and party, making it the number one spring break place in the United States.

A week-long party is not for everyone, however, and a growing number of American university students have found a way to make spring break matter. For them, joining or leading a group of volunteers to help solve problems such as homelessness or environmental damage makes spring break a special learning experience that university students can feel good about.

During one spring break week, students from James Madison University in Virginia took part in 15 “spring break” trips to nearby states, three others to more distant parts of the United States, and five international trips. One group of JMU students traveled to Bogalusa Louisiana, to help rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane (飓风 )Katrina. Another group traveled to Mississippi to organize creative activities for children living in a homeless shelter. One group of students did go to Florida, but not to lie on the sand. They did some work to help protect the

native Florida plants.

Students who take part In spring break projects find them very rewarding(值得的). While most university students have to get their degrees before they can start helping people, student volunteers are able help people right now without degrees On the other hand, the buildings or rooms they live or stay are far from attractive. Students often sleep on the floor of a school or church. But they only pay around $250 for meals and transportation,which is much less than some of their friends spend traveling to more traditional spring break hot spots.

Spring break projects appear to be growing in popularity at universities across the United States. Some students take the opportunity to meet friends. Others want to exercise their beliefs to make the world a better place. Whatever their reasons, these students have discovered something that give them rich rewards along with a break from school work.

1. What’s the number one spring break place in the United States? ___________________________________________________________ 2. What is the way to make spring break matter for some students? ___________________________________________________________ 3. How did the students help in Bogalusa, Louisiana?

___________________________________________________________

4. Where do the student volunteers often sleep?

___________________________________________________________ 5. What makes the spring break projects more rewarding?

___________________________________________________________

简答：

1. Panama City Beach, Florida.

2. Joining or leading a group of volunteers to help solve problems. 3. By rebuilding homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. 4. On the floor of a school or church.

5. Student volunteers can help people right now without degrees, spend less money, meet new friends and exercise their beliefs.

Passage 18 It’s about Time

Do you know what time it is? If you do, you probably are looking at a clock or watch. Long ago, people didn't have clocks or watches like you do. When the sun rose, they got up and when the sun went down, they went to bed. They told time by the position of the sun in the sky.

People discovered that they could use a stick and the sun to tell time. This was called a shadow clock. They put a stick in the ground, pointing straight up. The direction of the stick’s shadow and how long or short it was told them the time.

A better kind of shadow clock was called a sundial(日晷). Sundial

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