It's March, 2050.

Frank and Mary Smith wake up（醒來）in their comfortable house and turn on the computer to watch news. They used to (過去) read the Times, but changed to newspaper online in 2013.

As they watch the computer, Frank and Mary take their usual weight control pills (減肥藥), and ask one of the robots to make coffee. Frank enters the study to have a meeting with his workmates around the world. He works on a computer for several companies（公司）. This is his third job. He used to be in marketing and then television.

Mary also has a job. Both she and Frank used to have an office desk in London, but in 2014 they decided to move to the seaside and work at home.

Frank and Mary have one child, Louise. She also has her own workstation in the family home. She goes to school only one day a week, mainly to play with other children. Classrooms disappear in 2030 because there is no need for them. Louise, now thirteen, is studying Chinese. Now it becomes as important as English as a world language. Louise has many Chinese friends. They talk by computer.

1.Frank and Mary turn on ________to watch news.

A.the computer B.the iphone C.the video phone D.the TV

2.Frank and Mary decided to work at home________.

A.in 2050 B.in 2030 C.in 2014 D.in 2013

3.From the passage we know________.

A.Mary reads news online before 2013 B.Frank is in marketing and computer

C.there are no classrooms in 2030 D.children only need to play in 2030

The story of Tom Edison

Many years ago, a boy, named Thomas Alva Edison, lived in a small town in Ohio. Tom was a lively child. He was always taking things apart（分開）and put them together again or trying to put them together.

One day his father said, “Look at this! Another broken（壞的）toy!” “Now don’t be hard on him,” said his mother. “He only wants to see how things work.” But even she lost patience with him when he almost burned down（燒毀）the family’s barn! Tom was more careful, but it was hard when he was curious（好奇的）.

Then the family moved to Michigan. By now, Tom was old enough（足夠的）to go to school. Unfortunately, he didn’t like to sit quietly and listen to the teacher or memorize（背誦）his lessons.

Because Tom spent most of his time daydreaming, his teachers thought there was something wrong with him. But he just liked experimenting（做實驗）more than he liked school. Tom’s mother decided to teach him at home. Soon, he loved to read, especially about science.

At 12, Tom got a job on a train selling candy, newspapers and sandwiches. His father agreed.

Two days later, Tom was at the station to begin his job.

Before long, Tom set up（建立）a laboratory in the train’s baggage car. When he finished his work, he would experiment.

At 16, he got his first real job as a night telegraph operator（夜間電報員） and station agent（火車站管理員）. But Tom can never hold a job very long. He was either too tired from studying or too busy experimenting to do his job. So Tom decided to spend more time inventing（發(fā)明）things. He was independent（獨立的）and hard working.

Some of Tom’s inventions began to be noticed. Then Tom happened to be in New York at the gold exchange （黃金交易所） when an important machine broke down（損壞）. Tom walked in, and in an hour or two, he had the machine running perfectly. In the following months, Tom invented a way to improve the machine. The company paid him $40,000 for his invention. “I’m going into business for myself,” said Tom.

1.When Tom was a child, he was________.

A.naughty B.clever C.lively D.lazy

2.In school Tom spent most of his time________.

A.sleeping B.daydreaming C.talking D.sitting still

3.Where did Tom set up his laboratory?

A.In his home B.At the train station C.In the train’s baggage D.In the company

4.Why can Tom never hold a job very long?

A.Because he was not able to do his job.

B.Because he spent too much time reading books.

C.Because he liked to change new jobs.

D.Because he was either too tired from studying or too busy experimenting to do his job.

Food is a major（主要的）of every culture. After all, everyone needs to eat! But each country has its own traditions on what people eat and when.

Egypt

Egyptians commonly start the day with a drink, sometimes going with bread. Breakfast can be eaten any time after this but before the day’s main meal. In the past, this main meal was served at around 3:00 p.m. But now people work longer hours and eat when they get home at around 6:00 p.m. Dinner parties are held later, around 9:00 p.m.

Most Egyptian meals include bread or ice, cooked vegetables and beans or meat.

France

France is known for its fine cooking, and its people take food seriously. Most eat three meals a day at fixed times and never snack between meals. Breakfast is a light meal of bread and coffee. They eat lunch at around 1:00 p.m. and a dinner with multiple courses after 8:00 p.m.

The French consider eating a social activity. Eating alone is hard to see, and eating while doing something else is unheard-of. The French take time to enjoy their meals and visitors should do the same.

Brazil

Like the French, Brazilians usually eat a light breakfast. Lunch, the largest meal of the day, usually consists of meat, rice, potatoes, beans and vegetables. Between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., people enjoy a smaller meal with their families.

Brazilians don’t mind eating a hurried or light meal and sometimes buy food from street carts (手推車). But they always finish eating before walking away.

The United States

American’s ancestors came from many countries, so American eating habits differ. Some take time to prepare and eat a hot breakfast. Others take a bagel (面包圈) while rushing out the door or just skip breakfast. For lunch, most Americans eat a sandwich or leftovers. Traditionally, families got together for a large evening meal around 6:00, but now busy schedules force many families to eat in turns. American restaurant servings tend to be huge. But you don’t have to finish them; taking leftovers home is common.

1.People of Egypt usually start a day with________.

A.a drink B.a bagel C.some meat D.some vegetables

2.In which country do people consider lunch the largest meal?

A.Egypt. B.France. C.Brazil. D.The United States.

3.What does the passage mainly talk about?

A.Ways of life B.Eating habits.

C.Delicious food. D.Restaurant culture.

Clerk: 1., madam?

Anna: Yes, thank you. I’d like to buy a sweater for my daughter.

Clerk: 2.

Anna: I’m looking for something to match her brown skirt.

Clerk: Here’s a pretty green one.

Anna: But it has long sleeves（袖子）. I’d like to buy a short-sleeved blouse with a high neck. Have you got anything like this kind?

Clerk: We have some, but they are yellow. 3.

Anna: Small. She is only eleven years old. Have you got the right size?

Clerk: Yes. Here you are.

Anna: 4.

Clerk: It’s 100 yuan. But there’s a sale on today, everything is half price.

Anna: Oh, my God. That’s very cheap. 5.

Clerk: What else would you like?

Anna: That’s all. Thank you!

A.I’ll take it.

B.How much is it?

C.What size does she take?

D.Can I help you

E.What color does she like?

Return to the moon

It might not be long until humans uncover the secrets of the far side of the moon. China’s Chang’e 4 robotic probe (探測器), which is set to become the first probe to land on the moon’s far side, was launched successfully on Dec 8, Xinhua reported.

The moon rotates (自轉(zhuǎn)) at the same speed that it orbits (繞…運行) Earth. Therefore, the same side of the moon always faces Earth. The far side of the moon is the side that we cannot see. We don’t know much about it so far.

However, the far side of the moon is an ideal (理想的) place for scientific research(研究). It is exposed (暴露) to solar winds that may have formed unique minerals (礦物質(zhì)) and other resources. And since the far side is less affected by Earth’s gravity, scientists can make clearer observations of deep space from there, according to China Daily.

But it is hard to land on the far side of the moon. Spacecraft that land there cannot receive any radio signals(信號) from Earth. To solve this problem, China launched a relay satellite (中繼衛(wèi)星) called Queqiao into space in May. Through Queqiao, scientists can control and operate Chang’e 4 and make sure it will land in a specific(特定的) area.

The probe’s travel time is also important. Chang’e 4 is expected to land on the moon on Jan 2, China Daily reported. It will travel through space for more than 20 days before landing. This is longer than Chang’e 3, which was in space for about 12 days before landing.

The travel time was changed because scientists want Chang’e 4 to land on the moon when it is daytime. This way, the spacecraft’s solar panels ( 太 陽 能 板 ) can receive energy from the sun and allow the probe to start working. A single day on the moon is about 28 days on Earth. Therefore, Chang’e 4 will keep orbiting the moon before landing as it waits for daytime, according to Sun Zezhou, chief designer of Chang’e 4.

Did you know? Chang’e 4 took some plant seeds and eggs to the moon. It was hoped that Chang’e 4 was able to do experiments with them. These were the first biological experiments to take place on the moon.

1.Is Chang’e 4 the first probe to land on the far side of the moon?

2.What does the far side of the moon refer to(指代)?

3.Why does the same side of the moon always face Earth?

4.How did Chinese scientists solve the problem of no signals?

5.Why do scientists want Chang’e 4 to land in daytime?

We should be________ [ke?fl] with our things when we are in a hurry.

Life in the future will________ [t?e?nd?] a lot.

It isn’t always________ [seif] to pay over the Internet.

You can see many________ [?fe?m?s] paintings in National Gallery.

He is a big________ [f?n] of Chinese table tennis team