When was the last time your family sat down together to have a dinner?
The speed at which we live today no longer allows for slow eating habits. Most people work long hours. There is lots of fast food and eating out is now on the increase. Often, food is eaten in front of the television in silence, or a child eats alone in front of the computer.
When I was a child, every evening around the same time, one of the children would be asked to set the table, and then we'd go and wash our hands: before the meal. This was the time of day when we would talk about our day at school. But now things have changed a lot.
A family environment plays an important role for children in learning to communicate with others and understanding table manners, such as waiting for others to finish before leaving the table and not speaking with a mouth full of food. Parents’ likes and dislikes of a certain food will also influence a child's own likes and dislikes. Studies have shown that children who often eat with their families have better results at school than children who eat with their families less than twice a week.
Regular meal times give children the chance to discuss their problems with family members. They can also learn to respect others around the table. Talking to your children over dinner is the best way of having their-trust. Children learn good eating habits from their parents at a very young age. Family meals are important. Prepare them for your children.
【小題1】Some families eat less together because __________.

A．most children live in a school

B．people are busy with their work

C．table manners change a lot

D．food in the restaurant is better

【小題2】Children who often eat with their families _________.

A．turn out to do better in their studies

B．prefer to share food with others

C．show concerns about families

D．a(chǎn)re interested in cooking

【小題3】Which word can best describe the writer's attitude towards eating together with families?

A．Supportive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Worried.

D．Grateful.

【小題4】Which would be the best title of the passage?

A．Table manners of a family	B．The importance of meals
C．Why should the family eat together?	D．How to choose food for your family?

In today's fast paced, high stress world people are working longer hours than ever, and often exhaust themselves at day's end in front of the television to relax enough to begin again in the morning．However, television watching, for most people, does not really lower stress．Studies show that TV viewing more than an hour or so actually creates stress and, especially in women, may lead to the blues．Most individuals are unaware that doing some exercise after work makes them more energetic since it increases energy levels．
Wise use of free time does not mean getting an advanced degree, although the mental encouragement gained through education is unbeatable in keeping your mind active．Learning new things nearly always adds a spark to your daily life, especially if it is a favorite topic, such as sport, fashion, or art．Also, look through your bookstore or library to find books on your interests．Try to replace a half hour TV watching with reading．
It is reported that in the United States recently, many individuals have as few as two good friends．Long work hours and car commute act to separate people from each other．This separation is deadly．Find ways to meet people at the end of the day and on weekends．Often this can be best done by combining activities, such as by joining a walking group to get both exercise and companionship．Taking a class will lift your spirits and allow you to meet others with similar interests．Hobbies are great for reducing stress and provide another opportunity for social interaction．
Using your free time to aid your health may include these elements and many more, such as going to concerts and spending time with family．Overall, the key is to spend less free time being passive．The best ways to use free time are to be mentally and physically active, spend some time outdoors, and interact with other people on a regular basis．
【小題1】What can we learn from the passage?

A．Watching television may cause women to feel depressed．

B．Finding interests and hobbies in common means taking a class．

C．Going to concerts is the best way to make you mentally active．

D．Getting an advanced degree in education always lights up your life．

【小題2】What does the underlined word "commute" in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．The arrangement to work every day．	B．The journey to work every day．
C．The communication between people．	D．The separation between people．

【小題3】Which would be the best title for the passage?

A．Live a Happy and Healthy Life	B．Relax Yourself in Various Ways
C．Spend Your Free Time Wisely	D．Interact With Others Outdoors

Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides, following the rules, planning your next move, acting as a team member…. These are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating.
Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones，which sharpens the hand-eye coordination（協(xié)調(diào)）needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it—some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.
【小題1】Through playing hide-and-seek, children are expected to learn to _____.

A．be a team leader	B．a(chǎn)ct as a grown-up
C．obey the basic rules	D．predict possible danger

【小題2】The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can_____.

A．describe life in an exciting way

B．turn real-life experiences into a play

C．change people’s views of sporting events

D．make learning life skills more interesting

【小題3】According to the passage, why is winning Olympic medals so encouraging?

A．It proves the exceptional skills of the winners.

B．It inspires people’s deep love for the country.

C．It helps the country out of natural disasters.

D．It earns the winners fame and fortune.

【小題4】Iribarne’s goal of forming the foundation is to _______.

A．bring fun to poor kids

B．provide soccer balls for children

C．give poor kids a chance for a better life

D．a(chǎn)ppeal to soccer players to help poor kids

Among various programs, TV talk shows have covered every inch of space on daytime television. But no two shows are more opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest, than the Jerry Springer and Oprah Winfrey shows.
Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of "rubbish talk". The show takes the ever-common talk show titles of love, sex, cheating, and hate, to a different level. Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is about the dark side of society, yet people are willing to eat up the troubles of other people's lives.
Like Jerry Springer, Oprah Winfrey takes the TV talk show to its top. But Oprah goes in the opposite direction. The show is mainly about the improvement of society and different quality of life. Contents are from teaching your children lessons, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.
Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like poisonous waste being poured into society. Jerry ends every show with a "final word". He makes a small speech about the entire idea of the show. Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable.
Clean as it is, the Oprah show is not for everyone. The show's main audience are middle-class Americans. Most of the people have the time, money and ability to deal with life's tough problems. Jerry Springer, on the other hand, has more of a connection with the young adults of society.
【小題1】Compared with other TV talk shows, both the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows are _______.

A．more interesting.	B．unusually popular.
C．more detailed.	D．more formal.

【小題2】Though the social problems Jerry Springer talks about appear unpleasant, people who watch the shows ________.

A．show disbelief in them.	B．a(chǎn)re ready to face up to them.
C．remain cold to them.	D．a(chǎn)re willing to get away from them.

【小題3】Which of the following is likely to be a topic of the Oprah Winfrey show?

A．A new type of robot.	B．National hatred (憎恨).
C．Family income planning.	D．Street accident.

【小題4】What is the advantage of the Jerry Springer show?

A．The show exposes the dark sides of society.

B．The show pours poisonous waste into society.

C．Jerry sums up (總結(jié)) the whole idea of the show.

D．Jerry talks about the improvement of society.

If you plan on visiting to Fiji, you are probably looking for some fun things to do. Below are four unusual places.
The Poseidon Resort
The Poseidon resort is an underwater resort that gives visitors a beautiful view of sea life. This resort covers 255 acres. It’s covered and surrounded by a lagoon (咸水湖) that covers 5,000 acres and is about 90 feet under water, giving you a beautiful view of sea life right before your eyes. This resort even has a hotel for those who would prefer to have the unusual experience of sleeping and waking up to the beautiful scenery all around them.
The Sabeto Mud Pool
If you’re looking for something unusual to do, you can’t pass up the mud pool at Sabeto. It is located in a mountain range with a huge group of Geothermal (地?zé)岬? pools full of nice, warm mud. Getting down and into the mud in the pool is believed to have benefits for healthy skin. This is unusual, but adults and especially kids will love it.
Fire Walking
Fire walking in Fiji is believed to have originated on the island of Beau. Fire walking is when you walk on white-hot stones barefoot. To do this, you have to be mentally prepared for it. Trust me; there is a lot of preparation and strict rules that travelers follow in order to do this safely.
The Fiji Museum
The Fiji museum is unusual due to all the amazing artifacts you’ll see dating back 3,000-4,000 years. This museum has a certain attraction that makes it funny—a shoe. It’s been said that a man named Thomas Baker was eaten by the locals several centuries ago and the only thing left was his shoe. This unusual museum is a great idea if you bring the whole family to Fiji.
【小題1】Visitors who have the unusual experience of sleeping at the Poseidon resort can _________.

A．enjoy the excellent service in the hotel

B．open windows to see sea life swimming

C．see sea life around them in the room

D．only watch videos about sea life

【小題2】Why do adults like to get down into the mud pool?

A．To float on the warm mud	B．To make them strong
C．To play with the warm mud	D．To keep their skin healthy

【小題3】Which of the following things needs more courage and stricter rules?

A．Trying fire walking	B．Visiting the Poseidon resort
C．Getting into the Sabeto Mud Pool	D．Visiting the Fiji museum

【小題4】The underlined word “artifacts” in Paragraph 5 means__________.

A．historic things made by man	B．things invented not long ago
C．things that look very strange	D．useful things in people’s daily life

Have you heard about Post Office Cats in Britain? They are mouse hunters. The post office has actually employed cats since 1868. They are not employed to sort or deliver mail, of course, but to protect the mail and keep the population of mice under control. They make sure your morning post arrives free from damages caused by rats and mice.
London post offices were the first to try out the experiment. Within a few months the population of mice had shrunk sharply. Other post offices all over the country were soon using cats in the war against rats and mice as well. Within ten years the pay of the cats was improved from one and a half old pence a day to six or nine pence a day. Now the average rate of pay is about a few pounds a month.
Some of the hard-working cats have become quite famous. In 1980, a cat named Lucky stopped an attempted robbery in a Worcestershire post office on her own. As the two burglars made their way in through the window, Lucky started an attack and they fled empty-handed. Another excellent cat was Jerry, of Earls Court post office in London. He served the building for 16 years and was on duty for 24 hours every day. He drove all the mice away.
However, there are fewer cats employed by the post office than at any time in the past. With the faster movement of the mail and better surroundings, post office cats are not always needed. But many post offices still employ them and they become great friends with the postmen. According to the post office, there is no plan for their services to be discontinued in the foreseeable future.
【小題1】Cats were introduced to British post offices to ________.

A．help sort and deliver mails and papers

B．guard the building against thieves

C．keep mails and papers undamaged

D．search for certain dangers in mails

【小題2】The underlined word “shrunk” in the second paragraph probably means “________”.

A．decreased

B．increased

C．narrowed

D．expanded

【小題3】The cat named Lucky became famous because________.

A．She served the post office for 16 years around the clock.

B．She alone drove two burglars away from the post office.

C．She protected mails from being bitten by mice.

D．She was employed to sort and deliver mail.

【小題4】We may learn from the last paragraph that________.

A．the duty of the cats has been replaced by machines

B．a(chǎn)ll the post offices are now completely mice free

C．cats are now considered of little use in post offices

D．cats will still be seen in service for quite a long time

Good afternoon, and welcome to England. We hope that your visit here will be a pleasant one. Today, I would like to draw your attention to a few of our laws.
The first one is about drinking. Now, you may not buy alcohol(酒) in this country if you are under l8 years of age, nor may your friends buy it for you.
Secondly, noise. Enjoy yourselves by all means, but please don’t make unnecessary noise, particularly at night. We ask you to respect other people who may wish to be quiet.
Thirdly, crossing the road. Be careful. The traffic moves on the left side of the road in this country. Use pedestrian crossings(人行橫道) and do not take any chances when crossing the road.
My next point is about litter(throwing away waste material in a public place). It is an offence(違法行為) to drop litter in the street. When you have something to throw away, please put it in your pocket and take it home, or put it in a litter bin.
Finally, as regards smoking, it is against the law to buy cigarettes or tobacco(煙草) if you are under l6 years of age.
I'd like to finish by saying that if you require any sort of help or assistance, you should contact your local police station, who will be pleased to help you.
Now, are there any questions?
【小題1】The main purpose of this speech would be to     .

A．prepare people for international travel

B．declare the laws of different kinds

C．give advice to travelers to the country

D．inform people of the punishment for breaking laws

【小題2】How many laws are there discussed in the speech?_______

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five

D．Six

【小題3】From the speech we learn that        

A．In this country, if you are under l8 years of age, you may not buy alcohol, but your friend can buy it for you.

B．You may not buy cigarettes or tobacco unless you are above l6 years of age.

C．Because the traffic moves on the left side of the road, you must use pedestrian crossings when crossing the road.

D．You can’t make noise except at night.

【小題4】The underlined word “contact’’ in the seventh paragraph means      .

A．keep in touch with

B．get in touch with

C．join

D．report

【小題5】Who do you think is most likely to make the speech?

A．A policeman.

B．A lawmaker.

C．A teacher.

D．A lawyer.

Wildlife faces threats ( 威脅 ) from habitat destruction, pollution, and other human actions. Although protecting wildlife may seem too hard at times, even small actions in your own neighbourhood can help protect many different animals. Here are some tips on how to protect wildlife through small actions.
1.Create wildlife friendly areas in your backyard.
When trying to make your garden more beautiful , you can choose plants that can provide food and shelter to native wildlife . This will also help cut down on pollution . Add bird or bat houses to your yard or garden to attract and shelter these species. 
2. Avoid harming the natural ecosystem ( 生態(tài)系統(tǒng) ) in your area.
Some plants from other places can kill or harm native plants that provide food and shelter for wildlife.
3. ________________________________________________.
By using less water and fewer fuels, you will be helping to protect the wildlife around you . Take buses or the subway when you can, turn off electric devices when you’re not using them , take shorter shower, and keep your room temperature at or below 68 degrees during the winter.
4. Buy products that are wildlife friendly
Don’t buy products that are made from endangered animals. Keep in mind that some endangered animals are killed by traps , catches or hunters who are after other wildlife within the same habitat.
5. Donate money or time to organizations that protect wildlife and their habitats.
You can give money to organization or groups that protect wildlife species in your neighbourhood.
【小題1】We infer that the purpose of this passage is to ________.

A．tell us why protecting wildlife is extremely important now

B．suggest that we protect wildlife through actions

C．explain why protecting wildlife is not as hard as people think.

D．give us some tips on how to protect wildlife through small actions

【小題2】Which of the following threats to wildlife is NOT mentioned in the passage ?

A．Animal diseases

B．Loss of habitat

C．Pollution

D．Hunters

【小題3】What’s the best title for the third point ?

A．Have a greener lifestyle.	B．Use less water and fewer fuels.
C．Take a bus when you go out .	D．Try a new kind of life.

【小題4】The writer suggests that we _________.

A．not buy products made from animals

B．share cars with others when we go out

C．grow as many kinds of plants in our gardens as possible

D．provide shelters for birds and bats in our gardens or yards

It was the end of the school term and my son Tom had less than three months left before he would finish his six years at high school. During this time he had developed a love for basketball. Sadly, because of my work over the last twelve months, I had only been able to attend a few of his games; however, I was determined to get to his last game for the school term.
Tom’s team came out in the first 10 minutes with a burst of goals that saw them leading by just over 20 points at the end of the first half. The second half changed as the other team quickly played themselves back into the game. Tom’s team started to miss an increasing number of shots. It was at that point that the coach called his first time out.
The noise of the spectators (觀眾) became quiet as the coach spoke to them. He had the team standing in a half circle, but he squatted (蹲) down, looking up at them and fiving some very calm and clear instructions on what they needed to do in the last couple of minutes. As he stood up to allow the team to return to the court, I saw him give some further words of encouragement to all of them.
You could see that he knew that the team was fighting to save the game and that he needed to lift them up. By squatting down he placed himself in a position where he was talking up to them, rather than down or at them, and as the players went back onto the court his words of encouragement served to lift their energy and spirits.
Well, Tom’s team went on to win the final by 5 points. As I drove away I thought about what can happen to us all in our everyday life. One of my favourite quotes is about the half filled glass of water --- “Is it half full or is it half empty?” Like the coach, the answer to this quote all depends on how you look at things.
【小題1】Why did the writer come to see his son play basketball?

A．Because his son would graduate from high school.

B．Because he felt sorry for never watching his son play.

C．Because it was a final his son played a key role in.

D．Because he had a strong interest in basketball himself.

【小題2】By squatting down, the coach wanted to _____ .

A．talk about what the players were doing wrong

B．make the players feel better

C．prevent spectators from hearing what he said

D．show his anger at the bad performance of the players

【小題3】What is the writer’s attitude towards the coach?

A．Negative.

B．Supportive.

C．Interested.

D．Unconcerned.

【小題4】What can we infer from the passage?

A．A father should care about his son at school.

B．Playing hard is rewarded with a close match.

C．What a coach says has the most influence on players.

D．Looking at things positively is important in hard times.

People in cities all over the world shop in supermarkets. When you enter the supermarket, you see shelves full of food. You walk in the aisles, pushing your shopping cart. You probably hear soft, slow music in the supermarket. This kind of music is playing to relax you and make you walk slowly. Thus, you will probably stay longer and buy more food.
Where do you go in the supermarket when you first arrive? Many people go to the meat section first. This area of the store has many different kinds of meat. Some kinds are expensive and others are not. Usually, some kinds of meat are on sale. So it has a special low price. The manager of the store knows where the customers usually enter the meat section. The meat on sale is usually at the other end of the section, away from where the customers enter. If you want to buy this specially priced meat, you have to walk by the more expensive meat first. Maybe you will see something that you want to buy before you reach the cheaper, inexpensive meat. Then you will spend more money in the meat section.
The diary section sells milk that is low in fat. Some supermarkets sell three different containers（包裝盒）of low-fat milk. Each container looks different, but each contains the same product. One says "1% fat", one says "99% fat free" and one says "low-fat" in big letters and "1%"in very small letters. If you look carefully you can see that all the milk has the same amount of fat, and each container is the same size. The prices of all these three should be the same. However, in many stores these three containers of milk would each have a different price. The store will make more money if a customer chooses the milk that costs the most.
Most of the food in supermarkets is very attractive. People often stop to look at the products in attractive containers. But remember, many products will say, "Buy me!". Stop and think which ones are the best value for your money.
【小題1】The word "aisles" in the first paragraph means _______ .

A．the entrance of a supermarket

B．the place where you pay for your goods

C．the way between the shelves

D．the place where the special priced meat is on sale.

【小題2】When you walk by the expensive meat, _______ .

A．maybe you will buy some	B．you will not look at it
C．you will buy diary products	D．maybe it is on sale

【小題3】The three different kinds of low-fat milk _______ .

A．contain three different amount of milk

B．contain three different kinds of milk

C．each have the same amount of fat

D．a(chǎn)re all the same price

【小題4】Supermarket managers make the food attractive so _______ .

A．it is cheap

B．the customers will buy more

C．it is expensive

D．it is in the diary section