My mother was a housewife. She thought that successful people spent a lot more time reading than watching TV. So she asked my brother and me not to watch too much TV, but to read two books every week in our free time. She would check them with marks, though she couldn’t read the book at all.
When I went to high school, I was an A-student, but not for long. I wanted cool clothes and hung out with friends. I became a C-student, but I didn’t care. One night I complained about not having enough Italian shirts. Then my mother gave me all the money and said I could get the money left to buy shirts if I finished buying all the things the family needed. I was pleased with that, but after I bought those things, there was no money left. I got to know how difficult it was for my mother to do all these. I went back to my studies and became an A-student again. Finally, my dream came true and I became a doctor.
My story is really my mother’s story----a woman with little education greatly changed my life as a parent. So I believe there is no job more important than parenting.
【小题1】What did the writer’s mother do?

Today we tell about Louisa May Alcott. She wrote one of America’s best loved children’s books.
In 1868, an American publisher asked Louisa May Alcott to write a book for girls. At first, she was not sure if she wanted to do it. She said she didn’t like girls.
However, she decided to write the book finally. She told about her experiences growing up in the northeast of the United States. The book was quite interesting. Little Women became one of the most popular children’s books in American literature. It was published (出版）in more than 50 languages.
Alcott was born in Pennsylvania in 1832. The Alcotts did not have much money. She tried teaching, sewing(缝纫) and taking care of children. She did not like any of these jobs.
At the age of 16, she wrote her first book, Flower Fables. Her stories were exciting, but unreal. She sold them to newspapers and magazines for money.
The first volume (卷) of Little Women came out in 1868. It made Alcott famous and get a lot of money. She continued writing other popular books for young people. These books included An Old-Fashioned Girl, Little Men and Eight Cousins.
Alcott wrote many exciting stories about love. But she was single (独身的) all her life. She continued to help her family during the last years of her life.
【小题1】Alcott grew up in the ______ of the US.

My mother was a housewife. She thought that successful people spent a lot more time reading than watching TV. So she asked my brother and me not to watch too much TV, but to read two books every week in our free time. She would check them with marks, though she couldn’t read the book at all.

When I went to high school, I was an A-student, but not for long. I wanted cool clothes and hung out with friends. I became a C-student, but I didn’t care. One night I complained about not having enough Italian shirts. Then my mother gave me all the money and said I could get the money left to buy shirts if I finished buying all the things the family needed. I was pleased with that, but after I bought those things, there was no money left. I got to know how difficult it was for my mother to do all these. I went back to my studies and became an A-student again. Finally, my dream came true and I became a doctor.

My story is really my mother’s story----a woman with little education greatly changed my life as a parent. So I believe there is no job more important than parenting.

1.What did the writer’s mother do?

A．A worker.         B．A housewife       C．A teacher         D．A writer

2.Why did the mother ask her children to read books in their free time?

A．Because she thought successful people spent more time reading.

B．Because she thought books were interesting.

C．Because she wanted her children to be happy.

D．Because she wanted her children to be doctors.

3.Which was NOT the reason for the writer’s falling behind(落后)?

A．He only cared about clothes and didn’t study.

B．He spent more time hanging out with friends than studying.

C．He didn’t care that he went from being an A-student to a C-student.

D．He spent much time reading storybooks.

4.What was the writer’s dream?

A．To be a doctor.                         B．To be a teacher.

C．To be an A-student                      D．To find a good job.

5.The writer mainly wants to tell us that ______.

A．mothers with little education change their children more.

B．his mother is cruel and unhelpful

C．there is a job more important than parenting.

D．his mother has an important influence（影响）on him.

Today we tell about Louisa May Alcott. She wrote one of America’s best loved children’s books.

In 1868, an American publisher asked Louisa May Alcott to write a book for girls. At first, she was not sure if she wanted to do it. She said she didn’t like girls.

However, she decided to write the book finally. She told about her experiences growing up in the northeast of the United States. The book was quite interesting. Little Women became one of the most popular children’s books in American literature. It was published (出版）in more than 50 languages.

Alcott was born in Pennsylvania in 1832. The Alcotts did not have much money. She tried teaching, sewing(缝纫) and taking care of children. She did not like any of these jobs.

At the age of 16, she wrote her first book, Flower Fables. Her stories were exciting, but unreal. She sold them to newspapers and magazines for money.

The first volume (卷) of Little Women came out in 1868. It made Alcott famous and get a lot of money. She continued writing other popular books for young people. These books included An Old-Fashioned Girl, Little Men and Eight Cousins.

Alcott wrote many exciting stories about love. But she was single (独身的) all her life. She continued to help her family during the last years of her life.

1.Alcott grew up in the ______ of the US.

A. southeast        B. northwest        C. northeast         D. southwest

2.“One of America’s best loved children’s books” refers to (指的是) the book____.

A. Little Women              B. Flower Fables  

C. An Old-Fashioned Girl      D. Eight Cousins

3.The first paragraph tells us that the article is about ______.

   A. a famous children’s book    B. a famous writer

   C. how a book came out         D. why a book is so loved

4.Alcott wrote her first book in ______.  A. 1832  B. 1848  C. 1850  D. 1868

5.From the article, we can learn ______.

   A. Alcott was born into a rich family

B. Alcott had a happy childhood

 C. Alcott didn’t live with her family

D. Alcott never married all her life

　　 Books are our best friends. They are very quiet, but we can always find both fun and knowledge once we open them. Here are two good books you can read during the holiday.

　　 The little Prince（王子）

French Writer: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

　　 Both adults and children love this classic book. It is about the adventure of a young prince. It shows the importance of innocence (纯真), imagination and love.

　　 The little prince comes from planet B -612. In his eyes, adults are all very strange. Unlike them, he sees the essence (本质) of things. He cares more about a flower and a sheep than the "important" things of the adult world.

　 The prince lives on his planet with a rose. He loves the rose very much. But he soon feels tired and leaves his planet. He meets many more strange adults on other planets.

　　 On Earth, he discovers interesting things such as a snake, other roses and a fox. The fox tells him a secret: Only the heart can discover the most important things. This helps the prince realize his love for the rose and he goes back to his planet.

　　 To Succeed on One' s Own

　 American Writer: Liu Yong

　　 Writer Liu Yong from Taiwan wrote this book for his daughter. It can help young people succeed.

　　 The book teaches you about student, how to use your free time and even what kind of clothes to wear. It answers many teenagers’ most common questions. Liu uses his daughter' s stories as examples to help readers understand the principles(原则).

　　 His book is far from boring. There are lively stories and dialogues, with objective analysis (客观分析), hope and confidence (信心) from a good father.

根据短文内容，选择最佳答案．并在答题卡上按要求作答。

56. Where does the writer of "The little Prince" come from?

　　　 A. England.　　　 B. France.　　　　 C. America.　　　 D. China.

57. What does the prince do after the fox tells him a secret?

　　　 A. He cares more about a flower and a sheep.

　　　 B. He meets many more strange adults on other planets.

　　　 C. He discovers interesting things such as a snake, other roses and a fox.

　　　 D. He realizes his love for the rose and he goes back to his planet.

58. What does " The little Prince " mainly talk about?

　　 It' s about 　　　 .

　　　 A. the adult world　　　　　　　　　 B. the planet B -612

　　　 C. a rose and a fox　　　　　　　 　　D. the adventure of a young prince

59. Who did Liu Yong write the book "To Succeed on One' s Own" for?

　　　 A. His daughter.　　 B. His students.　 C. Teenagers.　　　 D. Young people.

60. From the passage, we know that we can always find 　　　 in books.

　　　 A. the importance of teenagers’, imagination and love

　　　 B. the answers to many of teenagers' most common questions

　　　 C. the objective analysis, hope and confidence

　　　 D. both fun and knowledge