Television is good. You'd like to watch it all day and all night. But too much TV is a very bad thing. Scientists found that kids who watch too much TV may have more trouble learning to read. They can't focus on their work.

   Kids learn language skills best by reading, talking and playing with others. If they spend too much time watching TV, they'll have less time for those things. Watching too much TV is bad for people's health. People don't move much while watching TV. What's more, they may eat a lot of food while watching. This can make them fat. We call these people "couch potatoes".

   Fighting on TV is a big problem for kids. Young people are good at following. Scientists have found that those who watch a lot of fighting shows are more likely to fight.

1. Scientists say if kids watch too much TV, they will __.

   A. learn language skills more easily 

B. be healthier

   C. find it hard to learn to read        

D. eat less food

2. Kids learn language skills best by__.

  A. reading       B. talking              C. playing with others          D. all of the above

3. While watching TV, what DON'T people do?

   A. Eat a lot of food.                     B. Have less time for reading.

 C. Hardly move.                    D. Focus on their work.

4. Which of the following is true?

   A. An American child will watch 12,000 fighting acts on TV a year.

   B. It's good for kids to learn from fighting acts on TV.

   C. Too much TV is good for people's health.

   D. It's easy for kids who watch a lot of fighting shows to fight.

5. "Couch potatoes" are people who watch too much TV and become

   A. thin                 B. fit                   C. fat           D. strong

I was born in New York, but I grew up in San Francisco. I began to live in London 25 years ago. If I am asked now where I want to live forever, I would say London. But I will always be American.

San Francisco, like London, has many parks. Every day my sisters and I were taken to play in the parks as children. I didn't go to school. I only had three hours of formal（正式的）education when I was five. I was sent to school in the morning but came home at noon on the first day. I said I didn't enjoy it and hadn't learned anything. My parents thought that school was unsuitable（不适合的）for me. They agreed with me, so I never went back to school.

Then my mother taught me and my two sisters at home, in the way of an English lady who had good education. We learned languages and reading more than sciences and maths. Sometimes she taught us herself, but we also had other teachers. They asked us to take lessons every day. About once a week we walked to Golden Gate Park. While we were walking, my mother taught me to read music. One day I noticed a little toy train in the window of a shop and I remember now how I'd like to have it. I couldn't say "r" when I was small. My mother said if I could say an "r" well, I would have the toy train. I practiced and practiced. Then one morning I woke everybody up with my "r"s. I got the toy train. I usually get the things I want in life — but I work hard for them.

1. The writer ___ .

A. was born in San Francisco                   B. likes living in London

C. is living in New York now                 D. doesn't like America

2. The writer didn't go to school in America because ___ .

A. his mother wanted him to go to school in English

B. his parents didn't think formal education was right for him

C. his mother wanted him to play outdoors in the parks

D. he couldn't get on well with the other children

3. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. The writer was taught by his mother and other teachers.

B. The writer had no education at all.

C. The writer didn't have lessons every day.

D. The writer walked to the park to learn languages once a week.

4. The writer got the little toy train at last because ___ .

A. his mother gave him the money

B. he tried his best to read music

C. he wanted it very much

D. his mother was pleased with his progress（进步）

5. The writer tells us ___ .

A. why children needn't go to school

B. how he grew in San Francisco

C. that children liked toys

D. that his mother didn't give him any toys

No man can change the weather. Nobody can control the weather. But if we read correctly the signs around us we can tell what the more important changes in the weather will be. This way of telling what the weather will be like on the following day or two is called weather forecasting（天气预报）.

For many centuries and in all countries people have studied the weather and tried to make weather forecasting.

Sometimes distant objects such as hills and tall trees seem to be very clear and near. This is a sign of much water vapour（水蒸气）in the air, and therefore rain will probably come.

Rings round the sun are a sign of coming rain. Many people feel in their bones the coming of wet weather. Their joints aches. Some birds fly high if fine weather is coming but they fly near the ground if rainy or stormy weather is on the way. It is probably because of the insects (昆虫) which they are hunting that they fly low.

If you see a rainbow during rainy weather, this is a sign that the weather will become clear and fine. Such rainbows always come in the evenings. If the stars twinkle clearly at night, then fair weather will continue. If a fog appears in the morning, just about sunrise, then the day will be warm. Instead, if a fog appears in the evening the next day will be wet weather.

If sunset is mostly red in color, then the following day will be fine. If a rainbow appears in the morning, rainy weather will probably come.

Most of the above sayings have been made by people who have used their eyes and brains to make weather forecasting.

1. When birds fly near the ground, wet weather or a _____ will come.

A. storm          B. rainbow     C. dry weather      D. fog

2. If you see a rainbow during rainy weather, the weather will ________.

A. continue to be rainy              B. clear up

C. be cloudy                           D. get dark soon

3. Many people have tried their best to ________ the weather.

A. control      B. change           C. forecast            D. affect

4. When distant hills and tall trees seem to be very clear ________.

A. people will shout

B. birds will sing

C. there are rings round the sun

D. rain will probably come

5. A lot of people have pains in their joints before ________.

A. fair weather comes                         B. it rains

C. it becomes windy                       D. it gets warm

On the evening of his arrival in New York, Jimmy wanted to make a call to Mother. He found a telephone booth nearby and put some coins into a box in it, dialed 734—8681. At first the line was busy and then his call was put through. Jimmy was very glad to say “Hello” to his mother. Just then came a sweet lady’s voice behind him.

       “Are you through?”

       “Yes.” Jimmy turned and said.

       With a polite “Excuse me”, the lady took up the receiver and dialed. Jimmy had to wait outside until she put down the telephone.

       After a while, Jimmy dialed again and heard Mother’s voice from far.

       “What’s wrong with you? Why did you ring off just now?”

       “I myself don’t know why…” Jimmy didn’t finish calling and suddenly a young man ran over and asked anxiously（焦急地）.

       “Are you through?”

       “Yes.”

       With saying “OK”, the man quickly set the receiver to his ear and dialed. Jimmy did not know what to do. Just imagine（想象）how worried Mother was in London!

1. Where did Jimmy come from?

____________________________________________________

2. Who did Jimmy call?

____________________________________________________

3. What is a “telephone-booth”?

A “telephone-booth” is a place where _________?

4. What did the lady mean by saying “Are you through?” 

The lady meant “                    ?”

5. How many times was Jimmy stopped while he was making a phone call?

__________________________________________________

(A) 那是一个炎热的夏季上午but inside the Pyramid(金字塔) it was quite cool. Tom and his classmates had just walked into the Pyramid and were very surprised to see what it was like.

They went to the Queen’s Room. They saw a passage ( 通道). At the end of it there was a small room. (B) They were told that they couldn’t go into that room, because it was newly found. Tom looked towards the passage. Two of his friends Jason and Peter saw him and said “Don’t get into trouble, Tom!”. As soon as nobody was looking, Tom went up the dark passage, opened the door and walked in. (C) Suddenly the door closed behind him. The room was very dark, but luckily Tom had brought a torch (手电筒 ) with him. When he turned it on, he saw two white faces in front of him. “Oh, no!” he cried and ran to the door. He quickly opened it and went down the passage to the Queen’s Room as fast as he could.

As soon as Tom (D) ___________, Jason and Peter took the pieces of white cloth(布) off their faces and walked slowly down the passage. They couldn’t stop laughing. (E) “That will teach him a lesson,” said Jason.

1. 将划线部分(A)译为英语                         

2. 将(B)改为同义句 Someone ________ ________ that they couldn’t go into that room.

3. 将划线部分(C )译为汉语__________________

4. 在(D)的空白处填入一个适当的词 ___________________

5. 将划线部分(E)译为汉语_______________________

Each year, thousands of Chinese middle school students go to study in foreign countries. Recent research shows among 428 middle school students in Shanghai, nearly half of them would like to study abroad.
    "Chinese children are eager to go abroad to get a wider view, less academic (学业) competition or even family honor," said Chen Yi, a Chinese writer who has lived in the US for 16 years. "But life in foreign countries can be hard for young people."
"We have to face the culture shock and language problems," said Hong Guang, a Chinese student in London.
    However, these are not always the most difficult things to overcome (克服). To most children, controlling themselves when studying alone in a foreign country is a big challenge.
Zhang Jia, a 16-year-old student from Shanghai, entered high school in Melbourne, Australia last October. To his surprise, his teachers there seldom pushed students to study. And usually there wasn't much homework.
    Some of his friends spent their whole year's money in the first two months of the new term.
"Studying abroad at a young age can help students learn foreign languages quickly and broaden their minds, but students and parents should know about the challenges," Chen said.

Erik (E), a singer from the Swedish rock band, wants to meet his friend in the Green Leaf Clothing Factory in Harbin. He needs help. A young woman (W) passes by.

E: 1______________, Madam. Do you speak English?

W: Yes. Anything I can do for you?

E: You see. I'm going to the Green Leaf Clothing Factory. But I lost the address.

W: You're nearly getting to it. 2____________this road and take the first turning on the left. Then you can see a big gate with the sign of a green leaf on it.

E: 3________________________. Bye!

W：Er …Just a minute, please.

E：4______________________?

W：Are you Erik of the Swedish rock band?

E：Oh? Were you at the concert last night?

W：Yes. I enjoyed the music very much. Could you sign your name for me, please?

E： 5_______________. With pleasure. Where?

W：Here, on the sweater, please. Thank you.

E：You’re welcome.

1.       You must write a s__________ at the end of the letter so that they can know who writes the letter.

2.       My father is the manager of the company, so he a__________ lots of meetings every day.

3.       What number should you d__________ when there is a robbery?

4.       A__________ are an ancient invention of China. They are so fast and accurate that people still use them today.

5.       Disneyland, which was created by Walt Disney, is a famous a__________ park in the United States of America.

6.       Trees are __________ (nature) air conditioners, for they can take harmful gas from the air, and release oxygen into the air.

7.       We should try to make a __________ (different) to make our world more beautiful.

8.       Wendy is really a whiz-kid. She can achieve A __________ (grade) in all subjects.

9.       20 __________ (multiply) by 6 is equal to 120.

10.   We all like a peaceful world. We want to live __________ (peace) with all the living things.

1.         He is a real Lei Feng. He always helps others when they are in trouble.

   He is a real Lei Feng. He always ________ others when they are in trouble.

2.         If you subtract 6 from 16, the answer is 10.

6 ________ ________16  ________ 10.

3.         He was so late that he couldn’t catch the bus.

   He was ________ late ________ catch the bus.

4.         We can see the green trees on both sides of the streets.

   We can see the green trees on ________ ________ of the streets.

5.         She found him very proud.

    She found ________ ________ very proud.

某英文报“读者来信”专栏正在就初中学生家长是否应该为孩子购置电脑这一话题开展讨论。有赞同的，也有反对的。请你向该报编辑写一封英文信，发表你的观点。

信的开头已写好，你只需接着写。

注意：

1、下面的提示可能会帮助你构思：

2、你不必根据上面的提示逐条进行写作，可自由发挥。

3、词数：80左右。

Dear editor,

I'm a junior middle school student. I think my parents should(shouldn’t) buy me a computer now.