Bamboo (竹子) is one of nature’s (自然) most surprising plants. Many people call this plant a tree, but it is a kind of grass.
Like other kinds of grass, a bamboo plant may be cut very low to the ground, but it will grow back very quickly. A Japanese scientist reported one bamboo plant which grew 1. 5 metres(4 feet) in 24 hours! Bamboo grows almost everywhere in the world except Europe. There are more than 1, 000 kinds of bamboo.
Not all bamboo looks the same. Some bamboo plants are very thin. They may only grow to be a few centimetres wide while others may grow to more than 30 centimetres (1 foot) across. This plant also comes in different colours, from yellow to black to green.
Bamboo has been used to make many things such as hats and kitchen tools( 廚房用具). Because it is strong, bamboo is also used to build buildings.
Many Asian countries have used bamboo for hundreds of years. They often use bamboo for buildings and supporting (支撐) new buildings and bridges while they are being built.
In Africa, poor farmers are taught how to find water using bamboo. These African countries need cheap way to find water because they have no money, and their fields often die from no rain and no water. Bamboo pipes( 管子) help poor farmers bring water to their thirsty fields without spending a lot of money.
【小題1】 How is bamboo like grass?

A．It grows quickly.

B．It’s wood. `

C．it is easy to cut.

D．It is very thin.

【小題2】 Though you can see bamboo everywhere, it doesn’t grow       .

A．in China

B．in Europe

C．on mountains

D．in Africa

【小題3】 Why is bamboo used by African poor farmers? Because        .

A．it is cheap	B．it has different colours
C．it is strong	D．it has been used by Asians

【小題4】 Bamboo pipes can       .

A．make money

B．be trees

C．grow quickly

D．carry water

【小題5】 In Asia, bamboo has been used for       .

A．a(chǎn) short time

B．many thousands of years

C．many hundreds of years

D．a(chǎn)bout 100 years

What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange, or red? If you do, you must be an active person who enjoys life. Do you like blue? Then you are probably quiet, shy, and would rather follow than lead.
Colors do influence our moods (情緒). A yellow room makes most people feel more cheerful and more relaxed than a dark green one; and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing(令人壓抑的). There was a black bridge over the Thames River, near London. The number of people who killed themselves on that bridge used to be larger than on any other bridge in the area -- until it was repainted green.[來
Light and bright colors make people not only happier but also more active. In the factory, the workers will work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black.
【小題1】 An active person may like

A．yellow, orange, or red	B．yellow, black, or red
C．orange, blue, or black	D．black, red, or orange

【小題2】Most people feel more __ in a yellow room than in a dark green one.

A．tired

B．bored

C．worried

D．relaxed

【小題3】 More people killed themselves on the black bridge than on any other bridge probably because ____

A．the bridge was very tall	B．the bridge was too crowded
C．people didn’t like the bridge	D．the color of the bridge was depressing

【小題4】 In the factory, when the machines are painted orange, the workers will work __

A．worse

B．harder

C．more slowly

D．more angrily

【小題5】Which could be the best title for the passage?

A．Cheerful Colors	B．Your Favorite Color
C．The Secret of Color	D．The Color of a Bridge

Helping your children to read and write at home will improve their skills and confidence—it will also make them get ready for learning in the classroom environment.
　    　 are needed by every child in every subject in every year of their life in or outside school. Students who improve their reading and writing skills will increase their vocabulary and their ability（能力）to use the English language correctly. As parents, you can play an important role in improving your children’s literacy（讀寫能力）. You can make a difference by listening, asking questions, giving information, and reading with your children outside school hours.
Here are 8 tips on how to help your children to read and write:
having everyday conversations with your children
trying to ask more “wh-” questions instead of easy “yes” or “no” questions
encouraging your children to talk about events you don’t know
reading to your children each night
listening to your children read
teaching your children how to use dictionaries
talking about your children’s writings
practicing filling in forms, writing letters, sending cards or emails
You can also encourage your children to join the Reading Challenge Club and discuss the books they are reading together. In the club, children must read 15 books from the Challenge book list and 5 more books chosen by themselves. There are over 1,000 books on the list. The reading must be done in one year. What’s more, it is a wonderful way to help your children to write. For example, you can encourage them to write diaries or book reviews. Remember to make positive comments as much as possible.
【小題1】 This passage is mainly written for __________.

A．children

B．teachers

C．parents

D．doctors

【小題2】 __________ is the best for the missing part in Paragraph 2.

A．“Listening and speaking skills”	B．“Reading and writing skills”
C．“Listening and writing skills”	D．“Reading and listening skills”

【小題3】 __________ is NOT mentioned in the 8 tips above.

A．“Listening to the radio every day ”	B．“Listening to your children read”
C．“Reading to your children each night”	D．“Talking about your children’s writings”

【小題4】 In the Reading Challenge Club, children have to read __________ in one year.

A．5 books

B．10 books

C．15 books

D．20 books

【小題5】 Parents can help children to write by encouraging them to__________.

A．draw pictures or take photos	B．listen to pop music
C．write diaries or book reviews	D．play computer games

Play is the basic business of childhood, and in recent years research has shown the great importance of play in the development of a human being. From earliest infancy（嬰兒）, every child needs opportunity and right materials for play, and the main tools of play are toys. The main function of toys is to suggest, encourage and play. To succeed in this, they must be good toys, which children will play with often, and will come back again and again. Therefore, it is important to choose suitable toys for different stages of a child’s development.
In recent years, research on baby development has shown that the standard a child is likely to reach, within the range of his inherited（遺傳的）abilities, is largely determined in the first three years of his life. So a baby’s ability to benefit from the right play materials should not be underestimated. A baby who is encouraged, talked to and shown things and played with, has the best chance of growing up successfully.
In the next stage, from three to five years old, curiosity knows no bounds. Every type of suitable toys should be made available to the child, for trying out, experimenting and learning, for discovering his own particular ability: Bricks and jigsaws（七巧板）and construction toys; painting, scribbling（涂鴉）and making things; sand and water play; toys for imaginative and pretending play—the first social games for learning to play and get on with others.
But at the third stage of play development—from five to seven or eight years old— the child is at school. But for a few more years play is still the best way of learning, at home or at school．It is easier to see which type of toys the child most enjoys.
Until the age of seven or eight, play and work mean much the same to a child．But once reading has been mastered, then books become the main source of learning. Toys are still interesting and valuable, which lead up to new hobbies, but their significance has changed to a child of nine or ten years old, toys and games mean, as to adults, relaxation and fun.
【小題1】 What does the writer want to tell us in the first paragraph?
Children should choose toys by themselves.
Children like playing, but they don’t need any toys.
Children should be given different toys as they grow up.
Children should be given the same toys as they grow up.
58．According to the passage, we can give the child every kind of toys ________．

A．when he is two	B．when he is around four
C．when he is six	D．when he is eight

【小題2】When a child is seven years old, what is the main source of learning?

A．Toys.

B．Books.

C．Jigsaws.

D．Paintings.

【小題3】 What is the article mainly about?

A．The importance of schooling.

B．The choice of toys for children.

C．The importance of pre-school education.

D．The role of play in a child’s development.

“Teenager” means a person from 13 to 19 years old. Although they’re young, they have to make many important choices by themselves. Often teachers and parents cannot handle them because they don’t understand and know teenagers, especially their wishes, problems or different moods in a short time. They need to think about questions like these: Should we go to college? What kind of job do I want? However, other people also influence their choices. Who influences teenagers?

It depends on the kind of choice. When teenagers buy things, friends are the most important influence. This is especially true for clothes and music. TV shows, advertisements and parents also influence teenagers. In more serious things, parents are probably the most important influence. Some teenagers say it’s best to regard both parents and friends as influences. James, a seventeen-year-old boy says he’s “just a crazy man”. He also says, “Parents are really important because they can tell you what’s right and wrong.”
But teenagers also feel they need to make choices—to make their own mistakes. As one teenager girl said, “If our parents don’t let us make our own choices, maybe in the future we don’t know how to do it.” And they feel friends can often be a big help, especially because friends sometimes know more about their situation than their parents.
【小題1】 Why do teenagers sometimes have to make their own choices?
Because the teachers want them to do it.
Because their parents want them to do it.
Because teenagers like to make choices by themselves.
Because teachers and parents don’t understand them well.
【小題2】 Who influences most to the teenagers when they buy music?

A．Their teachers.

B．Theirs parents.

C．Their friends.

D．Movie stars.

【小題3】 What does the passage mainly talk about?
Everybody needs to make choices.
Teenagers need to make choices by themselves.
Teenagers know more about TV shows and music.
Teachers and parents should help teenagers as much as possible.

Reading is a good habit, but the problem is there’s too much to read these days and too little time to read every word of it. There are hundreds of skills to help you read more in less time. Here are two skills that I think are especially good.
Preview — if it’s long and hard. Previewing is especially useful for getting a general idea of heavy reading like long magazine articles and business reports.
Here’s how to preview.
Read the first two paragraphs and the last two paragraphs carefully.
Then read only the first sentence of the other paragraphs.
Previewing doesn’t give you all the details. It keeps you from spending time on things you don’t really want － or need － or read.
Skim － if it’s short and simple. Skimming is a good way to get a general idea of light reading like popular magazines or the sports and entertainment of your daily paper.
Here’s how to skim.
Get your eyes to move fast. Sweep them across each line.
Pick up only a few key words in each line.
Everybody skims differently. You and I may not pick up the same words when we skim the same piece, but we’ll get a similar idea of what it’s all about.
【小題1】 How many skills does the writer introduce to help us in reading?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

【小題2】 What should you do if you read a long article according to the writer?

A．Read every word of it.	B．Read all the details.
C．Pick up a few key words in each line.
D．Read the first and the last two paragraphs carefully.

【小題3】 If you read a simple article, which reading skill is better to get the general idea?

A．Previewing.

B．Skimming.

C．Reading.

D．Sweeping.

Our spiritual intelligence quotient, SQ (精神智商)helps us understand ourselves and live fuller, happier lives.
　　While we’re all born with SQ, most of us even don’t know that we have it.  Luckily, you don’t have to sign up for classes to learn how to enhance(加強(qiáng)) your SQ. Here are some simple steps that can lead you to this new level of understanding:
　　Sit Quietly. The step of developing SQ begins in solitude （獨(dú)處） and silence. To tune in to its whisper, you have to keep away from your busy, noisy, complicated life and make yourself do nothing at all. At home, for example, shut the door of your bedroom, take a few deep breaths and let them out very, very slowly.
　　Step Outside. For many people, nature makes their spirit free. Go outside to watch a beautiful sunset. Follow the flight of a bird; watch clouds floating overhead.
　　Find An Activity You Enjoy. It’s important to find a hobby that helps you tune in to your spirit. Garden, walk or jog, arrange flowers, listen to music that touches your soul.
　　Ask Questions Of Yourself. Some people use their thoughtful time to focus on scriptures (經(jīng)文). Others ask open-ended (無確定答案的) questions, such as “What am I feeling? What are my choices?” But don’t expect an answer to arrive through  some super-natural form of e-mail. Later that day you’ll suddenly find yourself thinking about a problem from a perspective (角度) you never considered before.
　　Trust Your Spirit. While most of us rely on gut feelings (直覺) to warn us of danger, SQ usually nudges （漸漸推動(dòng)） us, not away from, but toward some action that will lead to a greater good.　　
【小題1】To enhance your SQ, you should first _______________.

A．stand loneliness and silence

B．make your life simpler and less busy

C．give up the daily things in your life

D．listen more to your whisper

【小題2】The underlined phrase “tune in to your spirit” in the fifth paragraph probably means ________________.

A．get your spirit relaxed	B．keep up your spirit
C．listen to your spirit	D．change your spirit

【小題3】 What will happen after people ask questions of themselves?

A．People will lead to a greater good.

B．People will think about a problem in a different way.

C．People will expect answers through e-mails.

D．People will keep away from their busy life.

【小題4】 What is the best title for the passage?

A．Advantages and disadvantages of SQ

B．The relationship between your SQ and you

C．What SQ is and in what ways it can be improved

D．What SQ is and in what ways you can make your life easier

Because earthquakes happen without warning, it’s important to take steps now to prepare. Because you don’t know where you will be when an earthquake happens, prepare some supplies for your home, workplace, and car.
1. Water.
A person needs at least 1/2 gallon of water daily just for drinking. Store at least1 gallon of water per person per day and be prepared for a 72-hour period. It’s suggested that you buy bottled water. Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open it until you need to use it. Also, do check the “use by” date.
2. Food.
It’s always a practical idea to keep a supply of non-perishable(不易腐爛的) food on hand. Have an enough supply of canned food, dried milk, dried fruits, non-salted nuts and canned juices for at least 72 hours.
3. Flashlights and spare batteries.
Keep a flashlight beside your bed, at your place of work, and in your car. Do not use matches or candles after an earthquake until you are sure that no gas leaks.
Prepare a battery –powered radio and spare batteries. Most telephones will be out of order, so radios will be your best source of information.
4. Clothes.
If you live in a cold place, you must think about warmth. You might not have heat after an earthquake. Think about your clothing and bedding supplies.
【小題1】 You should prepare all of the following except _______________.

A．canned juices

B．dried fruits

C．fresh vegetables

D．dried milk

【小題2】 If you live in a cold place, you should prepare _______________ .

A．some warm clothes and bedding supplies	B．some hot water
C．some batteries	D．some flashlights

【小題3】 According to the article we know that _________________.

A．clothes are used to protect your head

B．a(chǎn) telephone is the most important prepared thing

C．flashlights but not matches are first used after earthquakes

D．we need to prepare some supplies only at home

Look at the paper in the picture carefully. Is there anything different from your notebook paper? This kind of paper feels as soft as your notebook paper. It’s also easy to write on. But do you know, this kind of paper is made from stone?
As we know, stone is easy to get on the earth, so it’s cheap. And the stone paper is about 20% to 30% cheaper than ordinary paper. The stone paper causes little pollution and helps protect the environment, because it makes tree and water free. The following table shows what is needed to make one ton of stone paper and one ton of ordinary paper. 

Ingredients (成份) One ton of	Trees	Water	Bleach (漂白劑)	Stone	Additives (添加劑)
Stone paper	No	No	No	0.8 ton	0.2 ton
Ordinary paper	5 tons	72 M3	Yes	0.2-0.3 ton	0

 
Now in Beijing, some students begin to use stone paper to do their homework. And during the two sessions (兩會(huì)) in 2011, stone paper was also used.
【小題1】Stone paper is ______________.

A．cheap

B．difficult to write on

C．not soft

D．bad

【小題2】 We need  _______________ ton of stone to make one ton of stone paper..

A．0.8

B．0.3

C． 0.2

D．0.25

【小題3】 ________________in Beijing begin to use stone paper to do their homework.

A．All the students

B．Some students

C．Many students

D．Nobody

Many strong and out-of-control emotions are recognized as an illness. People who are always very sad have depression (抑郁癥); those who worry a lot have anxiety.
But what about anger problems? Anger is largely viewed as a secondary emotion – one caused by other emotions. People are thought to be angry because they are sad, anxious or stressed. In the past, many doctors didn’t accept the idea that anger could be a problem all on its own.
Today, though, a growing number of mental health experts think that anger is a serious problem that needs its own treatment.
How to tell the difference between “normal” anger and “anger problem” is difficult. After all, everyone gets really mad from time to time. Experts point out a few ways.
Disordered anger, as it is sometimes called, tends to be of greater intensity (強(qiáng)度). It takes very little to set off a person with an anger problem, and their responses (反應(yīng)) are very strong. An example: While most people would get upset if a driver cut them off, someone with disordered anger might try to chase down the car and force it off the road.
And in cases of disordered anger, the person gets angry more frequently and his/her anger lasts longer. For most people, angry feelings disappear quickly. But people with anger problems often stay angry for days, weeks or even years; their feelings of anger don’t disappear over time.
Consequences are also important to consider: Disordered anger often damages people’s lives. “It interferes (干擾) with people’s relationships and their jobs,” says Raymond Chip Tafrate, a US psychologist. “Even their health is affected.”
Anger clearly increases the risk of certain health problems, as many studies have shown. “When a person is angry, their heart beats faster and their blood pressure goes up,” says Howard Kassinove, a professor at Hofstra University in New York. Over time, these changes take their toll on the body, he adds.
Experts suggest that people with an anger problem take anger-management programs. The programs teach people to control their responses to stressful situations through the use of relaxation techniques. The programs sometimes include life-skills training as well: increasing someone’s level of competence (競(jìng)爭)– whether on the job or as a parent or partner – helps bring down stress and cut angry feelings.
【小題1】A person who _________ most possibly has disordered anger in the experts’ opinion?

A．can’t get out of anger quickly

B．is dissatisfied with relationships

C．has high blood pressure

D．is worried about his job

【小題2】What does the underlined word Consequences mean?

A．Responses.

B．Effects.

C．Reasons.

D．Feelings

【小題3】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Anger is an secondary emotion that makes people sad and stressed.

B．Anger was recognized as an illness by most doctors in the past.

C．A person with an anger problem gets angry more often and easily.

D．The use of relaxation techniques is the best way to manage anger.

【小題4】 What is the best title of the passage?

A．Can anger be an illness?

B．Is it disordered anger?

C．Can anger influence our life?

D．Is anger management important?