九年级英语阅读理解专项练习

九年级英语阅读理解专项练习

（1）

Little Tom down the street calls our dog "The keep dog".Zip is a sheep dog. But when Tom tries to say" Seep", it comes out "keep". And in a way Tom is right. Zip is always bringing things home for us to keep! I'll tell you about some of them.

Zip's first present was a shoe. It was made of green silk.

We didn't know how Zip found the shoe. But after a moment Mary, my big sister, told me the shoe had a strange smell. I nodded(点头)and held my nose. "What do you think it is?"

"It smells like something for cleaning. I think someone tried to clean a spot (污点) off the shoe. Then he put it at the door to dry."

"Along came Zip. And good-bye shoe!" I said."We should take it back."

"We can't ".said my sister.

"Maybe little Tom is right," Mary said. "Maybe Zip is a keep dog!"

1.The writer and Mary didn't know______.

A.what Zip's first present was

B.how Zip carried its first present home

C.who owned Zip's first present

D.what Zip's first present was made of

2.Tom calls Zip "the keep dog"because ______.

A.the dog likes keeping things

B.the dog likes playing with shoes

C.he doesn't know the dog's name

D.he can't pronounce the word "sheep"well

3.What made the shoe strange was ______.

A.its color

B.its smell

C.its size

D.that it was a silk one

4.The word "keep"in the last sentence means "_____"

A.keeping things for itself

B.bringing things for other to keep

C.not letting it run about

D.taking care of a small child

5.We can know from the reading that the dog _____.

A. likes to give presents to people

B.has been kept in at the writer's home

C.has brought some trouble

D.likes to be called "the keep dog"

Key: 1.C 2.D 3.B 4.B 5.C

（2）

An old lady in a plane had a blanket（毯子）over her head and she did not want to take it off . The air hostess spoke to her, but the old lady said, “I have never been in a plane before , and I am frightened. I am going to keep this blanket over my head until we are back on the ground again !”

Then the captain came. He said, “Madam, I am the captain of this plane. The weather is fine, there are no clouds in the sky, and everything is going very well. ”But she continued to hide.

So the captain turned and started to go back. Then the old lady looked out from under the blanket with one eye and said, “I am sorry, young man, but I don’t like planes and I am never going to fly again. But I’ll say one thing, ”She continued kindly, “You and your wife keep your plane very clean!”

1. An old lady had _________ .

A. glasses

B. a blanket over her head

C. a coat

D. a basket

2. A. She didn’t want to ________ .

A. take it off

B. turn it off

C. get on

D. talk about it

3. _________ spoke to her .

A. The air hostess

B. The man next to her

C. her husband

D. one of her friends

4. The old lady had never been _________ before .

A. abroad

B. home

C. in a plane

D. in hospital

5. The woman didn’t like planes and she was never going ________ .

A. to fly again

B. to travel

C. to go abroad

D. to go home

Key: 1－5 BAACA

（3）

Dick lived in England. One day in January he said to his wife, "I'm going to fly to New York next week because I've got some work there." "Where are you going to stay there?" his wife asked. "I don't know yet." Dick answered. "Please send me your address from there in a telegram (电报)," his wife said. "All right," Dick answered.

He flew to New York on January 31st and found a nice hotel in the center of the city. He put his things in his room and then he sent his wife a telegram. He put the address of his hotel in it.

In the evening he didn't have any work, so he went to a cinema. He came out at nine o'clock and said, "Now I'm going back to my hotel and have a nice dinner."

He found a taxi (出租车) and the driver said, "Where do you want to go?" But Dick didn't remember the name and address of his hotel.

"Which hotel are my things in?" he said, "And what am I going to do tonight?" But the driver of the taxi did not know. So Dick got out and went into a post office. There he sent his wife another telegram, and in it he wrote, "Please send me my address at this post office."

Choose the right answer

1. Dick flew to New York because ___.

A. he went there for a holiday

B. he had work there

C. he went there for sightseeing (观光)

D. his home was there

2. Why did his wife want a telegram from him?

A. Because she didn't know his address yet

B. Because she wanted to go to New York, too

C. Because she might send him another telegram

D. Because she couldn't leave her husband by himself in New York

3. Where did Dick stay in New York?

A. In the center of the city.

B. In a hotel.

C. In a restaurant.

D. At his friend's house.

4. Who would send him the name and address of his hotel?

A. The manager (经理) of his hotel.

B. The police office.

C. The taxi driver.

D. His wife.

5. Which of the following is not true?

A. Dick stayed at a nice hotel in the center of the city.

B. Dick didn't work on the first night of his arrival.

C. Dick forgot to send his wife a telegram.

D. Dick wanted to go back to his hotel in a taxi.

Key: 1-5 B A B D C

（4）

Bob and Jim once worked in the same factory. One day, Bob lent Jim ten dollars, but then Jim left his work and went to work in another town without paying back the money.

Bob didn't see Jim for a year, and then he knew from another friend that Jim was in another town and staying at a hotel. So he went there to see him late in the evening.

When he got to Jim's room, he saw his shoes near the door. "Well, he must be in," he thought, and knocked again, and said, "I know you are in, Jim. Your shoes are out here."

"I've gone out in my boots," answered Jim.

True or False

1. Bob and Jim once worked in different factories.

2. One day Jim borrowed ten dollars from Bob.

3. Jim paid back the money to Bob and went to work in another town later.

4. Bob hadn't seen Jim for a year when he learned that Jim was in another town.

Key: 1-4 F T F T

（5）

I think the most terrible thing in life for my little brother is getting up in the morning. He is almost sick when my mother calls, "Herbert! It's seven o'clock! Get up!"

Herbert answers, "I'm coming!" and goes right back to sleep. I'm not at all like my brother. I don't like to go to bed at night but I don't mind getting up in the morning. I usually wake up before my mother calls me. I jump out of bed and go into the bathroom to take a shower. I get dressed, brush my teeth, comb my hair, and get ready to go downstairs for breakfast as soon as my mother calls.

But not Herbert. He just sleeps. A military band (军乐队) in our bedroom could not wake him up. I call him and say, "Get up! Mum will be up here to pull you out of bed if you don't get up immediately!"

But he just sleeps. After calling a few more times my mother has to come upstairs and pull Herbert out of bed. It's that way every day with my little brother. Perhaps some day he'll learn to get up on time, but I really don't think so.

True or False

1. The most terrible thing in life for my little brother is going to school.

2. I'm not like my brother because I like to go to bed early at night and get up early in the morning.

3. I usually jump out of bed and go into the bathroom for a shower before my mother calls.

4. When mother calls, Herbert doesn't answer and remains in bed.

5. My mother often has to go upstairs and pull Herbert out of bed as he refuses to get up.

6. Sometimes we have to send for a military band to wake Herbert up.

7. The writer thinks some day Herbert will learn to get up on time.

Key: 1-7. F T T F T F F

（6)

In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience (经历) four seasons in one day. In the morning the weather is warm just like in spring. An hour later black clouds come and then it rains hard. The weather gets a little cold. In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day.

In England, people can also have summer in winter, or have winter in summer. So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes.

When you go to England, you will see that some English people usually take an umbrella (伞)or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them.

If you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret (后悔) later in the day.

1. Why do people in England often talk about the weather?

A. Because they may have four seasons in one day

B. Because they often have very good weather

C. Because the weather is warm just like in spring

D. Because the sky is sunny all day

2. From the story we know that when _________come, there is a heavy rain.

A. sunshine and snow

B. black clouds

C. summer and winter

D. spring and autumn

3. "People can also have summer in winter." Means "it is sometimes too ______in winter."

A. warm

B. cool

C. cold

D. rainy

4. In the sunny morning some English people usually take a raincoat or an umbrella with them because ________.

A. their friends ask them to do so

B. it often rains in England

C. they are going to sell them

D. they are their favourite things

5. The best title (标题)for this passage is ________.

A. Bad Seasons

B. Summer or Winter

C. The Weather in England

D. Strange English People

KEY: ABABC

（7）

Mr Brown was going away for a week. Before he left, he said to his son, "if anyone asks for me, you can tell him that your father has been out for doing something, and will be back in a week, then be sure to ask him to sit down for a cup of tea."

"OK, Dad," said his son. But he was afraid his son couldn't remember this, he wrote these words down on a piece of paper and gave it to him. His son put it into his small pocket, took it out and looked at it every now and then.

Four days passed, but no one came to see his father. The boy thought that there was no man to come and that the piece of paper was of no more use for him, so he burnt it that evening.

The next afternoon, someone knocked at the door. The boy opened it. A man was standing at

the door and said, "Where is your father?" The boy put his hand into his pocket at once and looked for the piece of paper. He could not find it. He suddenly remembered he had burnt it, so he shouted, "No more."

The man was very surprised. He asked, "No more? I met your father last week. When did it happen?"

"Burnt yesterday evening."

1. Mr Brown told his son that _____.

A. he would be away from home for four days

B. he would be back in seven days

C. he would be back in a month

D. he liked a cup of tea

2. Mr Brown wrote the words down on ________.

A. the wall

B. the door

C. a piece of paper

D. his son's pocket

3. A man came to visit the boy's father on ________.

A. the second day

B. the third day

C. the fourth day

D. the fifth day

4. The man was very surprised because _________.

A. he thought the child's father was dead

B. the child didn't ask him to sit down

C. the child gave him a cup of tea

D. he couldn't find that piece of paper

5. What was burnt? ___________.

A. The piece of paper

B. Mr Smith

C. The visitor

D. The boy

KEY: BCDAA

（8）

One of the things to be learned in a foreign language is guessing all the time what kind of thing to come when listening to someone talking. People do this all the time in their own language, so it is necessary (必要的) to do this in a foreign language, too. Here are some examples.

1. "What's the matter？" "I went to a party last night, so I…"

2. "I feel so tired these days."" I think you'd better…"

3."Of course, she never stops talking. She is one of the most…"

You can see from the above three examples that the context (上下文) helps a lot in understanding what is being talked about. So "guessing "is very important in understanding English, especially (尤其)spoken English.

1.This passage tells us mainly about _________.

A. the importance of "guessing " in learning a foreign language

B. how to guess what one is going to talk about

C. some examples of right guessing

D. how important it is to guess all the time

2.from the context, we can see maybe the finished answer in EXAMPLE I is _________.

A. "… so I didn't have a good time."

B. "…so I went to bed very late."

C. "…. So I felt unhappy."

D. "… so I got up very early."

3. Maybe the finished answer in EXAMPLE 2 is ________.

A. "I think you'd better have a good rest and take good care of yourself."

B. "I think you'd better have something to drink."

C. "I think you'd better get some help from your friends."

D. "I think you'd better be more careful."

4. Maybe the finished answer in EXAMPLE 3 is ______.

A. "… she is one of the most famous film stars."

B. "…she is one of the most beautiful women."

C. "… she is one of the most famous speakers."

D. " .. she is one of the most talkative women."

5. From the passage we can infer (推断) that guessing is _______in learning a foreign language.

A. the only way

B. more important in spoken English than in written English

C. more important than any other way

D. more important in written English than in spoken English

KEY: ABADB

（9）

Uncle Li and Uncle Wang are good friends. They live next to each other and their farms are both at the foot of the mountain. So they can help each other. But neither of them likes to use his head. They're both poor though they work hard. Most villagers have built new houses, but they still live in the low and broken houses. They never find out why.

Once Uncle Li went to town to buy some medicine for his wife. In the town he heard the apples in a city were expensive. He told Uncle Wang about it as soon as he went back. They decided to carry some apples to the city. They borrowed some money from their friends and bought nearly 1,000 kilograms of apples in the villages and carried them to the city on a tractor. Bad luck! A lot of apples has already been carried there when they arrived. A few days later they had to sell them at a low price (价格)。They felt unhappy and returned to their village.

"I can't understand why we sustained (蒙受) losses in business while others always profit (盈利)" Uncle Li asked one day.

"The tractor was too small " Uncle Wang said without thinking. "We'll carry more apples on a truck next time!"

"I agree!" said Uncle Li. "How foolish (傻的) we were !"

1. Uncle Li and Uncle Wang live in the low and broken houses because __________.

A. they hope to save money

B. they're both poor

C. their farms are at the foot of the mountain

D. they're not far from their farms

2. The two farmers carried the apples to the city to _________.

A. make a journey

B. visit some places of interest

C. meet their friends

D. make a profit

3. the tow farmers had to sell their apples at a low price because ________.

A. theirs weren't as good as the others'

B. theirs were much less than the others'

C. a lot of apples had been already carried to the city

D. they forgot to carry them on a truck

4. Uncle Li and Uncle Wang were unhappy because _________.

A. they had sustained losses in business

B. they had lost some money in the city

C. something was wrong with the tractor

D. other people profited in the city

5. Which of the following is true?

A. The two farmers found out why they were poor.

B. The two farmers will soon get rich.

C. Neither of the farmers is clever.

D. The two farmers decided to buy a truck.

KEY: BDCAC

（10）

On Christmas Eve─the night before Christmas Day─children all over Britain put a stocking at the end of their beds before they go to sleep. Their parents usually tell them that Father Christmas will come during the night.

Father Christmas is very kind and hearted. He gets to the top of each house and climbs down the chimney into the fireplace. He fills each of the stockings with Christmas presents.

Of course, Father Christmas isn't real. In Jim and Kate's house, "Father Christmas" is really Mr Green. Mr Green doesn't climb down the chimney. He waits until the children are asleep. Then he quietly goes into their bedrooms and fills their stockings with small presents. When they were very young, Mr Green sometimes wore a red coat. But he doesn't do that now. The children are no longer young, and they know who "Father Christmas" really is. But they still put their stockings at the end of their beds.

1. Christmas Eve is __________.

A. the night of Christmas Day

B. the evening of Christmas Day

C. Christmas Day

D. the night before Christmas Day

2. Father Christmas often puts presents ________.

A. into children's hats

B. into children's stockings

C. under children's beds

D. into children's shoes

3. When the children were very young, __________.

A. they didn't know who Father Christmas was

B. they knew that Father Christmas wasn't real

C. they thought their father was Father Christmas

D. they knew who put the presents into their stockings

4. When the children are older, they __________.

A. know that Father Christmas is real

B. ask their mother to fill their stockings with presents

C. know that Father Christmas is really their father

D. know that Father Christmas is really their friend

5. Father Christmas comes into the house through the ________.

A. chimney

B. back door

C. front door

D. window.

KEY: DBACA

（11）

To find out whether bees（蜜蜂）can see colours, the following experiment is made. A round table is put in a garden, and on the table is a piece of blue cardboard（硬纸版）with a drop of syrup （糖浆）on it. After a short time, bees come to the syrup. The bees then fly to their hive（蜂房）and give the syrup to other bees in the hive. Then they return to the feeding-place which they have found. After a while, the blue cardboard with the syrup on it is taken away. Instead of this card, a blue card is now put on the left side of the first feeding-place and a red card to its right. These new cards have no syrup on them. Very soon bees arrive again, and fly straight to the blue card. None go to the red card.

Picture 1

1. How many cards do you need to prepare for the experiment?

A. Two: one blue and one red

B. Three: two blue and one red

C. Three: one blue and two red

D. Four: two blue and two red

2. If Picture 1 below shows the table top during Step 1 of the experiment, which of A, B, C,

D in Picture 2 shows the table top during Step 2?

Picture 2

3. During Step 2 of the experiment, the bees go to ________.

A. the blue card with syrup on it

B. the new blue card with no syrup on it

C. the empty space where the original（原先的）blue card was

D. the new blue card with syrup on it on the left of the red card

4. The experiment has proved（证明）that bees ________.

A. cannot see colors

B. can see colors

C. can not see blue

D. cannot see red

5. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. Bees Love Blue

B. Bees Love Syrup

C. Bees, Color and Syrup

D. Can Bees See Color?

Keys: 1－5 BCBBD

（12）

Now satellites are helping to forecast（预报）the weather. They are in space, and they can reach any part of the world. The satellites take pictures of the atmosphere（大气）, because this is where the weather forms（形成）. They send these pictures to the weather stations. So meteorologists（气象学家）can see the weather of any part of the world. From the pictures, the scientists can often say how the weather will change.

Today, nearly five hundred weather stations in sixty countries receive satellite pictures. When they receive new pictures, the meteorologists compare（比较）them with earlier ones. Perhaps they may find that the clouds have changed during the last few hours. This may mean that the weather on the ground may soon change, too. In their next weather forecast, the meteorologists can say this.

So the weather satellites are a great help to the meteorologists. Before satellites were invented, the scientists could forecast the weather for about 24 or 48 hours. Now they can make good forecasts for three or five days. Soon, perhaps, they may be able to forecast the weather for a week or more ahead（提前）.

1. Satellites travel _____________.

A. in space

B. in the atmosphere

C. above the ground

D. above space

2. Why do we use the weather satellites to take pictures of the atmosphere? Because __________.

A. the weather satellites can do it easily

B. clouds form there

C. the weather forms there

D. the pictures can forecast the weather

3. Meteorologists forecast the weather __________.

A. when they have received satellite pictures

B. after they have compared new satellite pictures with earlier ones

C. before they received satellite pictures

D. during they study satellite pictures

4. Maybe we’ll soon be able to forecast the weather for ________.

A. one day

B. two days

C. five days

D. seven days or even longer

5. The main（主要的）idea of this passage is that satellites are now used in _________.

A. taking pictures of the atmosphere

B. receiving pictures of the atmosphere

C. doing other work in many ways

D. weather forecasting

Keys: 1-5 ACBDD

（13）

In almost every big university（大学）in the United States, football is a favourite sport. American football is different. Players sometimes kick the ball, but they also throw the ball and run with it. They try to take it to the other end of the field. They have four chances（机会）to move the ball ten yards（码）. They can carry it or they can throw it. If they move the ball ten yards, they can try to move it another ten yards. If they move it to the end of the field, they receive six points （点）.

It is difficult to move the ball. Eleven men on the other team try to stop the man with the ball. If he does not move the ball ten yards, his team kicks the ball the other team.

Each university wants its own team to win. Many thousands of people come to watch. They all shout for their favourite team.

Young men and women come on the field to help the people shout more. They dance and jump while they shout.

Each team plays ten or eleven games each season.

The season begins in September and ends in November. If a team is very good, it may play another game after the season ends. The best teams play again on January 1, the first day of the New Year. Many people go to see these games and many others watch them on TV.

1. The passage talks about ___________.

A. football

B. how to play football

C. American sports

D. American football

2. We can _______ the football in both American football and Chinese football.

A. kick

B. throw

C. run with

D. catch

3. Why is it difficult to move the ball? Because ___________.

A. ten yards is a long way

B. many men on the other team try not to let the ball come near

C. the playing field is very large

D. eleven men have to catch the ball one by one

4. If they _________, the teams will play on January 1.

A. receive six points

B. play eleven games in the season

C. are the best teams

D. move the ball to the end of the field

5. Many people come to watch football and they want their team to win. Which of the following is not their act?

A. Jumping

B. Dancing

C. Crying

D. Shouting

Keys: 1-5 DABCC

（14）

“Who has more questions, a teacher or a student?”About this question a great learned man told his student that nobody does but a teacher.

The student got puzzled. With a smile, the teacher drew two circles（圆）. Within（在……里面）the larger one is my knowledge of things, and within the smaller one is yours. Out of the circles is still unknown to both of us. Since mine is larger, as you can see, the line that marks out the circle is longer. That makes it clear that who has more chances（机会）to face something still unknown.

1. The great learned man believed that ________.

A. a teacher has more questions

B. a student has more questions

C. both a teacher and a student have questions

D. everyone, except a teacher, has more questions

2. The student thought that ________.

A. a student’s knowledge is less than his teacher’s because it comes from the teacher

B. a teacher can not necessarily answer all the questions his students ask

C. those who have less knowledge have more questions

D. anyone who learns more has more questions

3. At the end of the story, the great learned man concluded（推断）that ________.

A. a student should learn from his teacher

B. a teacher does not have so many questions as his student

C. a student knows more than his teacher

D. a teacher has more chances to face what he doesn’t know

4. Which of the following topics can NOT express the idea of the story?

A. You Will Never Learn Enough

B. A Teacher and His Student

C. There Is No Limit to Knowledge

D. One Is Never Too Old to Learn

5. We can often find such an article in ________.

A. the Palace Museum

B. any book

C. a newspaper of magazine

D. An encyclopedia（百科全书）

Keys: 1－5 ACDBA

（15）

Snow fell on the mountain. It snowed and snowed. The snow did not melt（融化）. It became deep and heavy. The snow on the bottom pressed （挤压）together., it became ice.

The ice was very wide and thick. It began to move down the mountain. It was like a river of ice. It was a glacier（冰河）.

Sometimes the glacier moved only a few inches（英寸）each day. As it moved, it took rocks and dirt with it. It changed the land. In some places, it left hills. In some places, when the glacier melted, it made rivers and lakes.

A million years ago, there were many big glaciers. Glaciers covered many parts of the world. The glaciers changed the land.

Glaciers are still at work today. A glacier in the north of Canada is cutting a new path（路）down the side of a mountain. This glacier will change the land, too.

1. The snow that fell on the mountain

A. became snowman

B. melted

C. became ice

D. turned to rain

2. The word in the story that means a river of ice is __________.

3. The story says, “The snow did not melt. It became deep and heavy”. The word it means ____.

4. Which of the following does this story lead you to believe?

A. There are not as many glaciers as there used to be

B. Glaciers do not change the land as they move over it.

C. Glaciers are found only in warm places.

5. How fast did the glacier move? (Which sentence is exactly like the one in your book?)

A. Sometimes the glacier moved only once a year.

B. Sometimes the glacier moved over ten miles each day.

C. Sometimes the glacier moved only a few inches each day.

6. The main idea of the whole story is that _______.

A. snow is heavy

B. the high land never changes

C. glaciers changed the land

Key: 1.C 2. glacier 3.snow 3.A 4.C 5.C

（16）

Long ago, people in Rome（罗马）talked to one another in Latin（拉丁文）. Pupils in school learned to read and write in Latin. Books are in Latin.

Some Romans（罗马人）went to other parts of the world. They took their language with them. Soon Latin was used in many countries. It became a world language.

People in other countries did not talk in Latin the same way. In each land, they changed the language a little. As time went by, they made more changes. At last they did not talk in Latin any more. New languages had come from the old one.

People do not talk to one another in Latin today. But they still use many Latin words. You do, too. Street, wall, city, and salt are some of the Latin words we use. You are a pupil in school. Pupil is a Latin word. It means “little doll”.

1. Latin was used by people in _____.

A. Rome

B. the United States

C. Greece(希腊)

D. Texas

2. The word in the story that means what people speak and write is ______

3. The story says, “People do not talk to each other in Latin today. But they still use many Latin words,” The word they means ________.

4. Which of the following does this story lead you to believe?

A. It is not good to change a language.

B. Pupils in schools today play with dolls.

C. Not many people can read Latin today.

5. What happened to Latin when it was taken to other countries?(which sentence is exactly like the one in your book?)

A. In each land, people talked about each other.

B. In each land, they changed the language a little

C. In each land, the children had to speak some Latin.

6. The main idea of the whole story is that ________.

A. Romans did not like to stay home

B. people in old Rome talked a lot to each other.

C. Latin changed as it moved from land to land.

Key: 1. A 2. language 3. people 4. C 5. B 6. C

（17）

A Leg Walking Right

Here are some signs + - x…, the signs a re very different. They mean very different things. When you see them, you know what to do. This sign + means that you will add some numerals. This sign—means that you will take one numeral away from another. You will subtract（减去）. What will you do when you see x and…?

Our signs are easy to read. They are easy signs to remember. Look at these two signs… .The ancient Egyptians used these signs. A picture of a leg walking to the left told them to add some numerals. A picture of a leg walking to the right told them to subtract.

In the 1500s people used this printed（印刷的）sign & to add numerals. After a while the sign began to look like this….Later, the sign became +.

How much is 2…2?

1. What do you do when you see this sign +?

A. Walk away

B. Write a numeral

C. Read a sign

D. Add

2. The word in the story that means to take one numeral away from another is _____.

3. The story says, “Our signs are easy to read. They are easy signs to remember”. The word they means ______.

4. Which of the following does this story lead to believe?

A. Egyptians could not add numerals together

B. All Egyptians had two left legs.

C. Our signs are not hard to understand

5. What did the sign to add numerals begin to look like(which sentence is exactly like the one in your book)?

A. After a while, the sign began to look like this… .

B. After a while, the sign began to look like this +.

C. After a while, the sign began to look like this &.

6. The main idea of the whole story is that ______.

A. the signs for adding and subtracting have changed.

B. People could not write in the 1500s

C. the old signs were good for Egyptians but not for us

Key: 1.D 2.substract 3.signs 4.C 5.A 6.A

(18)

Mexico's neighbors are the United States to the north and Guatemala and Belize to the south. Mexico is about one quarter of the size of the United States. Mexico has more than ninety million people. The language of Mexico is Spanish. This makes Mexico the world's largest Spanish-speaking country.

Mexico City is the capital and largest city of Mexico. The city is also very high. It is 7349 feet high (2240 metres). This makes it one of the highest capital cities in the world. The population, of Mexico City grows bigger every day. About thirty million people live there. It has more people than any other city in the world, even more than Tokyo.

Mexico also has its specialities. Many of the foods we eat started in Mexico. Foods like beans, maize, avocados, tomatoes, peanuts, chili peppers, vanilla, and chocolate come from Mexico. Mexico is also famous for its cactus (仙人掌) plants. Mexico has more kinds of cactus than any other country.

(Words: 161 Minutes: 3 )

1. Mexico is ____the USA.

A. on the south of

B. on the north of

C. a part of

D. as large as

2. Mexicans speak______.

A. English C. French

B. Spanish D. Latin(拉丁语)

3. Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Mexico City is the capital of Mexico.

B. The population of Mexico City is 30,000,000.

C. Tokyo is one of the cities with the largest population.

D. Mexico City is the highest city in the world.

4. Tomatoes were originally (最初) grown in ______.

A. America

B. Spain

C. Tokyo

D. Mexico

5. The best title (题目) of the passage is ___.

A. Mexico City

B. Mexico's plants

C. Mexico

D. Mexico's population

[Key] 1. A 2. B 3. D 4. D 5. C

（19）

A Trip to the Forest

One day Bob took two of his friends in-to the mountains. They put up their tents (帐篷) and then rode off to a forest to see how the trees were growing.

In the afternoon when they were about ten kilometres from their camp(营地), it start-ed to snow. More and more snow fell. Soon Bob could hardly see his hands before his face. He could not find the road. Bob knew there were two roads. One road went to the camp, and the other went to his house. But all was white snow. Everything was the same. How could he take his friends

back to the camp?

Bob had an idea. The horses! Let the horses take them back! But what would hap-pen if the horses took the road to his house? That would be a trip of thirty-five kilometres in such cold weather!

It was getting late. They rode on and on. At last the horses stopped. Where were they? None of them could tell. John looked around. What was that under the tree? It was one of their tents!

1. John and his two friends went to the forest to ____.

A. build their camp

B. find their way home

C. enjoy the mountains in the snow

D. watch the trees in the forest

2. They could not find their way back be-cause ____.

A. there was only one road to their camp

B. they couldn't decide which of the two roads led to their tents

C. there were no roads in the mountains at all

D. everything was covered by the white snow

3. It is clear that they wanted the horses to take them to ____.

A. John's house

B. the camp

C. the forest

D. the mountains

4. The horses stopped because____.

A. it was getting late

B. they were tired after running for a long way

C. they knew that they had got to the camp

D. they had seen John's house

5. The story happened ____.

A. on a cold winter day

B. on a dark snowy evening

C. in a cold camp far from villages

D. at night when nothing could be seen

[Key] 1. D 2. D 3. B 4. C 5. A

（20）

Two farmers were on their way home one evening after a hard day's work. Both were tired. They happened to look up at the sky and saw a black cloud overhead.

"Ah!" said one farmer, "tomorrow we shall have rain and the rice will grow well." The second answered, "Nonsense (胡说), the rain will only kill the crops (庄稼)."

So they began to quarrel (争吵). Just then a third farmer came along and asked them why they were quarreling. Both farmers explained about the black cloud.

"What cloud?" asked the third farmer. They all looked at the sky. The cloud was no longer there.

Choose the right answer

1. The two farmers were _____.

A. going home

B. going to the field

C. going to work

D. going to see their friend

2. The two farmers _____ on that day.

A. had a holiday

B. didn't work

C. worked hard

D. wanted to quarrel with each other

3. When there are black block clouds in the sky, _____.

A. it will rain soon

B. it will be fine

C. it will get hot

D. the sun is shining brightly

4. The two farmers fought in words because _____.

A. they were hungry

B. it rained

C. one said the rain would do good to the crops and the other didn't think so

D. they both hoped for rain

5. The third farmer came with and said to the other two. He _____.

A. wanted to make friends with them

B. joined them in the quarrel

C. wanted to know why they were quarreling

D. had nothings to do

6. How many farmers said that the rain would be helpful? _____.

A. None

B. One

C. Two

D. Three

Keys: ACACCB

（21）

Ali,who was working a long way from home wanted to send a letter to his wife,but he could neither read nor write, and he had to work all day,so he could only look for somebody to write his letter late at night .At last he found the house of a letter writer whose name was Nasreddin.

Nasreddin was already in bed.It is late,he said. What do you want? I want you to write a letter to my wife , said Ali , Nasreddin was not pleased. He thought for a few seconds and then said, Has the letter got to go far? What does that matter? answered Ali. Well, my writing is so strange that only I can read it, and if I have to travel a long way to read your letter to your wife, it will cost you a lot of money. Ali went away quickly.

Multiple choice

( ) 1. Ali wanted to____to his wife.

A.get something

B.have a letter written

C.bring a flower

D. say good-bye

( ) 2. At last he found the house of_____.

A.a writer

B.a seller

C.an old man

D.a letter-writer

( ) 3.When Ali told what he wanted to do Nasreddin was______.

A.not pleased

B.pleased

C.excited

D.angry

( ) 4.Nasreddin said that his writing was_____.

A.easy for anyone to read

B.strange for anyone to read

C. too strange for anyone to write

D.difficult for anyone to read

( ) 5. This story tells us______.

A.not to ask anybody for help

B.not to trouble others at night

C.not to ask for help without money

D.not to trust others

22

An old man died and left his son a lot of money. But the son was a foolish young man,and he quickly spent all the money, so that soon he had nothing left.Of course ,when that happened, all his friends left him.When he was quite poor and alone, he went to see Nasreddin, who was a kind, clever old man and often helped people when they had troubles.

My money has finished and my friends have gone,said the young man. What will happen to me now?

Don't worry , young man,answered Nasreddin.Everything will soon be all right again.Wait ,and you will soon feel much happier.

The young man was very glad.Am I going to get rich again then? He asked Nasreddin.No, I didn't mean that, said the old man.I meant that you would soon get used to being poor and to having no friends.

Multiple choice

( )1.An old man died and left his son_______.

A.nothing

B.some gold

C. much money

D.only a house

( ) 2. When the son was________, he went to see Nasreddin.

A.short of money

B.quite poor and sick

C.in trouble

D. quite poor and alone

( ) 3.The young man was very glad because Nasreddin said that________.

A.he would become rich again

B. he would soon feel much happier

C.he would become clever

D. he would have more friends

( ) 4.Nasreddin meant the young man______.

A.would get rich again

B. would get used to having nothing

C.would get used to being in trouble

D.would get out of poorness

( ) 5.What this story tells us is________.

A.that money is everything

B.that money makes the mare go

C.to save each penny

D. that misfortune tests the sincerity of friends

23

A man was travelling abroad in a small red car.One day he left the car and went shopping.When he came back, its roof was badly damaged.

Some boys told him that an elephant had damaged it. The man did not believe them,but they took him to a circus which was near there. The owner of the elephant said,I am very sorry!My elephant has a big, round,red chair.He thought that your car was his chair, and he sat on it!

Then he gave the man a letter, in which he said that he was sorry and that he would pay for all the damage.

When the man got back to his own country,the customs officers would not believe his story.They said,You sold your new car while you were abroad and bought this old one!It was only when the man showed them the letter from the circus man that believed him.

Multiple choice

( )1.A man was travelling abroad_______.

A.in a big bus

B.in a green jeep

C.in a red car

D.in a red taxi

( ) 2.The car was damaged because________.

A.there was a traffic accident

B.the circus man broke it

C. it rushed into a shop

D.the elephant sat on it

( ) 3.The circus man said that_______.

A.he would pay for part of the damage

B.he would pay for all of the

damage C.he wouldn't pay for the damage D.he would buy a new car

( ) 4. When the man got back to his country,the customs officers______.

A. would check his new car

B.only checked his car

C. searched him

D. wouldn't believe what he had said,

( ) 5.It was only________that made the officers believe him.

A.the letter from the circus man

B. a newspaper from the country

C.the certificate of his

D.the letter from the government

24

Nasreddin was cutting a branch off a tree in his garden.While he was sawing,another man passed in the street.He stopped and said,Excuse me,

but if you continue to saw that branced like that, you will fall downwith it.He said this because Nasreddin was sitting on the branch and cutting it at a place between himself and the trunk of the tree.

Nasreddin said nothing.He thought,This is some foolish person who has no work to do and goes about telling other people what to do and what not to do.

The man continued on his way. Of course, after a few minutes.The branch fell and Nasreddin fell with it.

My God!he cried.That man knows the future !and he ran after him to ask how long he was going to live.But the man had gone.

Multiple choice

( )1.One day Nasreddin was cutting a branch_______a tree in his garden.

A.on

B.in

C.at

D.off

( )2.While Nasreddin was sawing,another man_______.

A.told him to stop working

B.told him he would fall down

C. would borrow something from him

D.would help him saw that branch

( ) 3. After the man went away,Nasreddin thought that________.

A. that was a silly fellow

B..that was a wise person

C.that was a proud person

D.that fellow cheated him

( ) 4.What happened to Nasreddin after a few minutes?

A.The brancd fell .

B.Nasreddin fell down to the ground.

C.Nasreddin was hurt himself.

D..Both A and B.

( ) 5.This story is about ________.

A.a foolish man

B. a wise man

C.cutting a tree

D.the necessity of taking good advice

25

It was half-past eight in the morning. The telephone bell rang and Mary went to answer it.It's me-Peter. Hullo, who's that?she asked.

Peter was a friend of Mary's eight-year-old brother,Johnny.

Oh hullo,Peter.What do you want?said Mary.

Can I speak toJohnny?

No,said Mary,you can't speak to him now.He is busy. He is gettingready for school.He is eating his breakfast.Grandmother is combing hishair.Sister is under the table,putting his shoes on. Mother is gettinghis books and putting them in his school bag.Goodbye,I've got to go now. I have to hold the door open.The school bus is coming .

Multiple choice

( )1.Who went to answer it when the teltphone bell rang?

A.Johnny's sister

B.Peter C,Johnny D.Johnny's mother

( )2.Whom did Peter want to speak to?

A.Mary's brother

B.Mary's sister

C.Mary's grandmother

D.Johnny's mother

( )3.Johnny couldn't speak to Peter because Johnny _______.

A. was combing his hair

B.was putting his shoes on

C.was getting his books

D. was busy eating his breakfast

( )4.How do you say to a stranger who is answering your telephone?

A.Who are you?

B.Anything to say?

C.Who is it?

D.Please

( )5.From this story we know that Johnny was_____.

A. a lazy

B.a clever boy

C.a busy boy

D.a hungry boy

26

Nasreddin put two big baskets of grapes on his donkey and went to market.At midday it was very hot,so he stopped in the shade of a big tree.There were several other men there, and all of them had donkeys ofgrapes too.After their lunch they went to sleep. After some time,Nasreddin began to take grapes out of the other men's baskets and to put them in his.

Suddenly one of the men woke up and saw him.What are you doing? He said angrily.

Oh,said Nasreddin,don't worry about me.I am half mad, and I do a lot of strange things.

Oh,really?said the other man.Then why don't you sometimes take grapes out of your baskets and put them in somebody else's baskets?

You did not understand me,said Nasreddin.I said that I was half mad, not quite mad.

Multiple choice

( )1.Nasreddin went to market_______.

A. to sell his donkey

B. to buy something

C. to sell his grapes

D. to find a job

( ) 2. Nasreddin stopped______.

A.under a big tree

B.near a big tree

C.around a big tree

D.in a big tree

( )3.As Nasreddin was taking away the other men's grapes one

of the men_______.

A.pretended not to see him

B. saw him and got angry

C.woke his fellows up

D.came at him

( )4.Nasreddin said that he did a lot of strange things because_______.

A.he was clever

B. he was quite mad

C.he was foolish

D.he was half mad

( )5.In this story Nasreddin was ______.

A.a selfish man

B.a strange man

C.a friendly man

D.a foolish man

27

Nasreddin woke up in the middle of the night and saw something white in his garden.It seemed to be moving towards the house.

That is a thief(小偷)! He thought,and he took his gun and shot(开枪) at him. Then he went back to bed,because he was too frightened害怕) to go out of the house in the dark.

The next morning Nasreddin went out and saw one of his white shirts hanging on the

clothes-line in the garden,his wife had washed it the day before and hung it out to dry. Now it had a bullet- hole right through middle of it.

My God,said Nasreddin, I was lucky last night. If I had been wearing that shirt,the bullet would have killed me! And he called his neighbors together and asked them to thank God for saving him.

Multiple choice

( )1.At midnight Nasreddin saw_____in his garden.

A.something strange

B. a thief

C.something white

D.a ghost

( )2.Nasreddin was so frightened that he ______.

A.cried out for help

B.dared not go out of the house

C.dared not stay in his house

D.couldn't say a word

( )3. The next morning Nasreddin found________ .

A.his wife in the garden

B.the clothes-line

C. the thief dead

D.a bullet-hole through the white shirt

( )4.Nasreddin said that if he had been wearing taht shirt_______.

A.he would be killed

B. he would die

C.he would have killed

D.he would have been killed

( )5.He called his neighbors together in order to_______.

A.make a speech

B.tell the story

C.thank God

D.thank them

28

A judge was working in his room one day when a neighbour ran in and said,If one man's cow kills another's,is the owner of the first cow responsible?

It depends, answered the judge.

Well,said the man,your cow has killed mine.

Oh,answered the judge.Everyone knows that a cow cannot think like a man,so a cow is not responsible,and that means that its owner is notresponsible either.

I am sorry,Judge,said the man.I made a mistake.I meant that my cow killed yours.

The judge thought for a few seconds and then said,When I think about it more carefully,this case is not as easy as I thought at first. And then he turned to his clerk and said,Please bring me that big black book from the shelf behind you.

Multiple choice

( )1.The neighbour asked the judge_______.

A. whether the first cow was responsible

B.whether the owner of the first cow was responsible

C..whether both cows were responsible

D. whether both the owners were responsible

( )2.When the neighbour reported that the judge's cow had killed his,the judge answered that______.

A.a cow was reponsible

B. its owner was not responsible

C.neither a cow nor its owner was responsible

D.his cow was responsible

( )3.When the neighbour heard this, he told the judge that_______.

A.there was nothing happened

B. his cow had been killed

C.it was his cow that had killed the judge's

D.both cows had been killed

( )4.When the judge heard that his cow had died, he________.

A..got angry

B.said nothing

C.put his neighbor into prison

D.changed what he had said at first

( )5.In this story the judge was______.

A. a clever judge

B.a humorist

C.unfair

D.foolish

29

Uncle Wang works in a book shop in the middle of the city. The shop is not far from his home. It is about one kilometre away. So Uncle Wang seldom(很少)goes to work by bus. He usually goes bike there by bike, sometimes on foot.It takes (花费) him twenty minutes to get there by bike and forty minutes on foot. Today his bike is broken. He wants to walk there. Now he is having breakfast. He leaves home at ten minutes to eight and he walks to work twenty minutes earlier. His work starts at half past eight in the morning and finishes at a quarter to five in the afternoon.

1. What does Uncle Wang do?

A. He sells books.

B. He grows flowers.

C. He makes shoes.

D. He works in a hospital.

2. Why does he seldom go to work by bus? Because .

A. there is no bus

B. his shop is not far from his home

C. he likes riding a bike

D. his shop isn't in the middle of the city

3. How long does it take him to walk to his book shop?

A. Twenty minutes

B. Forty minutes

C. Ten minutes

D. Half an hour

4. What time does he usually leave home by bike?

A. At ten minutes to eight

B. At half past eight

C. At ten minutes past eight

D. At twenty minutes past eight

5. He usually gets back home from work at in the afternoon.

A. 4:45

B. 5:15

C. 4:55

D. 5:05

30

Sandwich was an Englishman. He lived in the 18th century(世纪). Sandwich was rich(有钱的), but he liked to play cards (纸牌) for money. He often played for 24 hours, and didn't even stop to have his meals. He ordered(命令) his servants (仆人) to bring him some meat and bread. He put the meat between (在两者之间) the two pieces of bread and held the food in his left hand while he played cards with his right hand. People liked Sandwich's idea, and from then on they ate bread and meat as Sandwich did.

From the name of the man, Sandwich, we have the word of the food sandwich today.

( ) 1. Sandwich was the .

A. name of a servant

B. name of a man with a lot of money

C. poor man who lived on playing cards