A city without cars would be very strange, right? But Venice is such a city.

Venice is in the northeast of Italy. It wasn't built on land, like Beijing or Shanghai, but on more than 110 islands.  Seawater is everywhere around the city.

Even so, travel isn't difficult. The waterways have always been the best way to get around. There are 117 waterways and more than 400 bridges that can guide you where you want to go. People in Venice move from place to place by boat. They like to enjoy the scenery and cool summer nights while taking boat trips.  They can talk to other people as they go along.

Venice grew out of small islands in saltwater lakes when some Italians escaped from a war more than 1,500 years ago, and built homes there.

Water makes the city special, but it is also a big problem.

Once, people used too much underground water. This made the city get lower little by little. Now the city has gone down by 23 centimeters. Another problem is the rising seawater. The temperature has risen over the years.  This has made the ice of the Arctic Ocean (北冰洋) rnelt( 融化).

Every year, high waters hit the city in autumn and winter. When a lot of water comes, more than half of the city is underwater.

Scientists are trying different ways to stop the city from getting even lower.

46. According to the passage, which picture shows the right place of Venice?

47. Which is the most impossible way for people in Venice to get around in the passage?

A. On foot.        B. By boat.        C. By car.        D. By bike.

48. Why is Venice still getting lower and lower?

A. Because too many people live there.

B. Because the rising temperature has made the ice melt.

C. Because lots of bridges have been built.

D. Because the underground water is rising.

49. What seasons are dangerous for Venice because of high waters?

A. Summer and autumn.         B. Autumn and winter.

C. Summer and winter.          D. Spring and winter.

50. The passage is mainly about        .

A. the waterways of Venice      B. the history of Venice

C. the scenery of Venice         D. the problem of Venice

1. What’s the best title for Passage A?

A．Practice makes perfect                                                         B．Clothes don’t make the man.

C．The early bird catches the worm.                D．It’s never too late to learn. 

2. In which province did the story happen in Passage B?

A．Liaoning.                    B．Hubei.                C．Fujian.            D．Hebei.

3. What does the underlined word repaid mean in Passage C?

A．付款                          B．赔偿                  C．报答              D．贷款 

4. Which of the following is true is TRUE according to the passages above?

A．Xia Chimei came to school with her husband and son

B．The dog was so clever that it taught itself to borrow money.

C．Wang Dan lost the use of her legs because of polio when she was three.

D．Mr. Ye picked up a 5-yuan note and give it to the dog on the way home

A     Xia Chimei, 51, has become both classmate and granny of kids at Xiping Primary School in Xuan’en county, Hubei Province．By far the oldest student at the school enrolled(人学)in first grade earlier this year．She is now learning pinyin with children just six and seven years of age．Her husband and children encouraged her to go to school when the new term began early this year．She had never been to school in her life．

B     A dog owner in Dalian, Liaoning Province, was very surprised when his 4-year-old dog picked up a 5-yuan note and gave it to him on Monday on their way to a market．

Days earlier, Mr. Ye had dropped a 10-yuan note on his sofa and let the dog pick it up for him．He then showed the pet other notes and told it how to use money．He did that just for fun．But he never thought the animal would take to(喜欢) dealing with money so naturally．

C     Wang Xiaoyan, a farmer in Duanjiawan village, Shaanxi Province, has carried his daughter, who suffers from polio(小儿麻痹症), to school every day over the past lo years．

Wang’s daughter, Wang Dan, lost the use of her legs after catching polio in 1995, at the age of three．Three years later when it was time for Wang Dan to go to school, Wang Xiaoyan decided he would carry her．The girl has repaid him by her excellent studies．

1．How old did Xia Chimei begin her study in Passage A?

A．6．                     B．7                         C．15．                   D．51．

2．What’s the best title for Passage A?

A．Practice makes perfect．                                   B．It’s never too old to learn．

C．Clothes don’t make the man．                            D．The early bird catches the worm．

3．In which province did the story happen in passage B?

A．Liaoning．           B．Hubei．               C．Fujian．                 D．Shaanxi．

4．What does the underlined word “repaid” mean in Passage C?

A．付款                   B．赔偿                    C．报答                   D．贷款

5．Which of the following is TRUE according to the passages above?

A．Xia Chimei came to school with her husband and son．

B．The dog was so clever that it taught itself to borrow money．

C．Wang Dan lost the use of her legs because of polio when she was three．

D．Mr. Ye picked up a 5-yuan note and gave it to the dog on the way home．

For years I wanted a garden. I’d spend hours thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together.
But then we had Matthew, and Marvin, and the twins Alisa and Alan, and then Helen. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.
Money was not enough. Neither was time. Often when my children were little,one of them would want something that cost too much, and I’d have to say, “Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know.”
Finally, all the children got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about a garden.
Then, one spring morning, on Mother’s Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I looked out of the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. There were things blowing around on it. Then I put my glasses on—and I couldn’t believe what I saw.
There was a money tree in my yard!
I went outside to look. It was true! There were dollar bills*, one hundred of them, hanging all over that tree. There was also a note among them, “Thank you for your time, Mom. We love you!”
Later, my children bought me tools, ornaments, a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books. A new page started in my life.
That was three years ago. My garden’s now very pretty, just like I wanted. When I go out and take care of my flowers, I don’t seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they’re right there with me. Now every year when winter comes, I look out of my window and think of the flowers I’ll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes—every time.
I’m still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does!
【小题1】How many children did the writer have?