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| Dogs Don't Tell Jokes - By Louis Sachar 
Twelve-year-old Gary Boone knows he was born to be a comedian. He never stops joking, regardless of the fact that nobody laughs much and his classmates think he is stupid. Therefore he had no real friends at school. Due to being laughed at by his classmates, Gary Boone thought winning the school talent show would be his dream of proving himself to be a real comedian, but on the big night his dream went wrong with funny results. | Winners Never Quit - By Mia Hamm 
Mia Hamm, American soccer champion, tells a true-to-life inspiring story of learning that winning and losing aren't as important as being part of a team. More than anyone, soccer superstar Mia Hamm knows the value of teamwork. She shares this lesson, paired with energetic pictures by Carol Thompson, and this story is perfect for soccer kids and their soccer moms. |
| Shack let on s Incredible Voyage - By Alfred Lansing 
The astonishing adventure of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's survival for over a year on the ice-bound Antarctic seas, as Time t magazine put it, "defined heroism". To write the authoritative story, Lansing consulted with ten of the surviving members and gained access to diaries and personal accounts by eight others. The book has a first-hand account, expanded with maps and illustrations especially for this edition. | The Alchemist - By Paulo Coelho 
The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, continues to change the lives of its readers forever. It tells the magical story of Santiago, an Andulusian shepherd-boy (牧童) who desires to travel in search of treasure. The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts and above all, following our dreams. |
1.Why did Gary Boone want to win the school talent show?
A. To develop his comedy skills.
B. To please his classmates.
C. To make more friends.
D. To realize his dream.
2.From Shackletoris Incredible Voyage, we know the main character ______.
A. is a writer for Time magazine
B. is a survival of one polar exploration
C. has left a lot of diaries and accounts
D. has formed a close friendship with Alfred Lansing
3. If you want to know more about teamwork, you can read ______.
A. Dogs Don't Tell Jokes
B. Shackletoris Incredible Voyage
C. Winners Never Quit
D. The Alchemist
4.What do we know about The Alchemist?
A. It has an everlasting influence on its readers.
B. It gives people magical power over their dreams.
C. It tells a story of how to find treasures.
D. It is mainly about the wisdom of listening to others.
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| Elixir Written by Eric Walter Twelve-year-old Roth become a friend of Dr. Banting and his Assistant,Mr.Best. who are in search of a cure for diabetes(糖尿病).She finds herself torn between her sympathy for the animals.  Being experimented on and her friendship with Banting and Best.
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|  George Washington Carver
Written by Elizabeth Macleod Meet the “Peanut specialist”, George Washington Carver, The inventor and professor who made over and above25 products out of peanuts. Through his agricultural research, he also greatly improved the lives of countless black farmers in the southern United States. See also MacLeod’s Albert Einstein: A life of Genius. |
|  The Inuit Thought of it :Amazing Arctic Innovation
Written by Alootook Ipellie and David MacD1. Explore more than one can help0 ideas necessary to Inuit survival. From ideas familiar to us today to inventive concept that shaped their lives, celebrate the creativity of a remarkably intelligent people. Also see other books: the Chinese thought of it by Tingxing Ye and A Native American Thought of it by Rocky Landon and David MacDonald. |
|  Made in Canada:101 Amazing Achievements
Written by Bew Spencer What things do we use daily that have a Canadian connection? Here Are 101common things that were invented in Canada or by a Canadian, Including the Blackberry ,alkaline (碱)batteries the Blue Box recycling program. |
|  Newton and the Time Machine
Written by Michael McGowan Ten-year-old boy Newton has invented a time machine to see Dinosaur up close. But it disappear on a test run with his two huge friends, King Herbert and Queen Certrude.in it !Can he save them Before time runs out? |
1.Which of the following best describes Roth’s feeling in Book 1?
A. Painful B. Curious
C. Frightened D. Disappointed.
2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Animals are mentioned in Book 1 and Book 5.
B. Book 3 introduces 40 inventive concepts.
C. Alkalines batteries were invented by Dr. Banting.
D. George Washington Carver was a black farmer in the US.
3. In Book 5, King Herbert and Queen Certrude are_____________
A. Newton’s human friends B. the names of the time machine
C. two dinosaurs D. the inventors of the time machine
4.If you are interested in native Americans, you may read the book by____________.
A. Elizabeth Macleod B. Eric Walters
C. Rocky Landon & David MacDonald D. Bev Spencer
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Steve, a twelve-year-old boy with alcoholic parents, was about to be lost forever, by the U.S. education system. He had been failing since first grade. Steve was a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a twelve year old, yet, Steve went unnoticed... until Miss White.
Miss White was a smiling, young, beautiful redhead, and Steve was in love! For the first time in his young life, he couldn’t take his eyes off his teacher; yet, still he failed. He never did his homework, and he was always in trouble with Miss White. His heart would break he was punished for failing to turn in his homework! Still, he did not study.
In the middle of the first term of school, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things. His heart was in the woods, where he often escaped alone, trying to shut out the sights, sounds and smells of his alcoholic home.
One day, Miss White’s impatient voice broke into his daydreams.
“Steve!” he turned to look at her.
“Pay attention!”
Steve locked his eyes on Miss White with adolescent adoration, as she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade.
“You all did pretty well,” she told the class, “except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but...” She hesitated.
“...The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!”
She just stared at Steve, as the class turned around for a good look. Steve dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.
After that, it was war!! Steve still wouldn’t do his homework even as the punishments became more severe.
“Just try it! ONE WEEK!” He was unmoved.
You’re smart enough! You’ll see a change!” Nothing happened.
“Give yourself a chance! Don’ give up on your life!” Nothing.
“Steve! Please! I care about you!”
Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it!! Someone cared about him? Someone, totally perfect, CARED ABOUT HIM!
Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon. He, quickly, gathered up his camping things, this time including his schoolbooks. Determined, he headed for the woods.
The following Monday he arrived at school on time, and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom. She walked in, all sparkle and smiles! God, she was beautiful! He expected her smile to turn on him. It did not.
Miss White, immediately, gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried through the test, and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of surprise, Miss White took his paper. Obviously puzzled, she began to look it over. Steve walked back to his desk, his heart beating within his chest. As he sat down, he couldn’t resist another look at the lovely woman.
Miss White’s face was in total shock! She glanced up at Steve, then down, then up. Suddenly, her face broke into a bright smile. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test!
From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at home remained the same, but life still changed. He discovered that not only could he learn, but he was good at it! And he continued this course throughout his school life.
After high-school Steve entered the Navy, and he had a successful military career. During his Naval career, he inspired many young people, who without him, might not have believed in themselves.
You see, it’s simple, really. A change took place within the heart of one boy, all because of one teacher, who cared.
1. How did Miss White’s expression change when she got Steve’s paper?
A. satisfied —shocked —surprised —puzzled B. puzzled —surprised —shocked —satisfied
C. surprised —puzzled —shocked —satisfied D. surprised —shocked —satisfied —puzzled
2. Which of the following statements is NOT right according to the passage?
A. Steve fell in love with Miss White at the first sight of her.
B. Steve’s parents were so addicted to drinking that they paid little attention to Steve’s life.
C. Steve would rather stay in the woods to keep himself away from his home.
D. Having being punished many times, Steve determined to work hard and passed his first test.
3. Which of the following can serve as the best title for this passage?
A. The difference a teacher can make B. The school life of a stubborn boy
C. The importance of family education D. The skills of being a good teacher
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Twelve-year-old Allen decided to leave home city and make a living by himself because his family was too poor.
Before he left,his father asked him what he was going to do.Allen answered,“I want to learn____ performance.”
His father was___ with his answer, “What? No, you can’t do that. Circus is the place for clowns in many people’s eyes. Our family will be __ of you.”
But Allen __, “Our family is so poor right now. Which is more important to you, ___or clothing and food? I will give you some money every month from the circus. It probably will be a huge __.” His father was very __, “If you go there, somebody will know about it very soon and I’ll be very __.”
After going __ a lot of difficulties,Allen finally found a circus and convinced the __ to let him stay. He worked very hard studying magic and lived with animals.
Every month, his parents would get a__from him. But they never knew his address. They knew the money was from Allen but when people asked them about Allen’s __, they never told them the truth. Later, his parents received more and more money from him.
Then,a __ named Albert became very famous in the whole world.Everyone thought__ of his performance. Lots of people hurried to see his performance from far away.
One day, Allen’s father went to visit a relative in another __. The relative paid a lot of money for tickets of Albert the magician’s show. Allen’s father went to the show with the relative. During the show, Allen’s father got totally __ by the magician’s tricks. When the magician took off his__,the father found Albert was his son,Allen.
Allen recognized his father. His father __ him, “Why did you change your name?”
“Because you said you would be embarrassed for me.”
“But nobody will __ the famous magician is my son Allen.”
We want all the best things in life and avoid the bad past. However, every good thing comes at a __. You can’t have them all without giving up something.
1.A. music B. theatre C. circus D. animal
2.A. satisfied B. unhappy C. curious D. hopeful
3.A. guilty B. proud C. tired D. ashamed
4.A. insisted B. demanded C. added D. declined
5.A. dignity B. popularity C. name D. money
6.A. career B. success C. fortune D. performance
7.A. convincing B. stubborn C. understanding D. confused
8.A. embarrassed B. disappointed C. annoyed D. frightened
9.A. over B. after C. beyond D. through
10.A. guard B. owner C. trainer D. performer
11.A. letter B. photo C. check D. note
12.A. job B. performance C. address D. boss
13.A. clown B. magician C. musician D. writer
14.A. badly B. ill C. highly D. nothing
15.A. village B. city C. circus D. country
16.A. affected B. addicted C. persuaded D. impressed
17.A. jacket B. glasses C. mask D. gloves
18.A. hugged B. praised C. thanked D. blamed
19.A. know B. doubt C. admit D. acknowledge
20.A. reason B. point C. reward D. price
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Steve, a twelve-year-old boy with alcoholic parents, was about to be lost forever, by the U.S. education system. Remarkably, he could read, yet, in spite of his reading skills, Steve was failing. He had been failing since first grade, as he was passed on from grade to grade. Steve was a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a twelve year old, yet, Steve went unnoticed... until Miss White.
Miss White was a smiling, young, beautiful redhead, and Steve was in love! For the first time in his young life, he couldn’t take his eyes off his teacher; yet, still he failed. He never did his homework, and he was always in trouble with Miss White. His heart would break under her sharp words, and when he was punished for failing to turn in his homework, he felt just miserable! Still, he did not study.
In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things, as the day wore on. His heart was not in school, but in the woods, where he often escaped alone, trying to shut out the sights, sounds and smells of his alcoholic home. No one checked on him to see if he was safe. No one knew he was gone, because no one was sober（清醒的） enough to care. Oddly, Steve never missed a day of school.
One day, Miss White’s impatient voice broke into his daydreams. “Steve!!” Startled, he turned to look at her.
“Pay attention!”
Steve locked his gaze on Miss White with adolescent adoration (青春期的爱慕), as she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade.
“You all did pretty well,” she told the class, “except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but...” She hesitated, pinning Steve to his seat with a sharp stare, her eyes searching his face.
“...The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!”
She just stared at Steve, as the class spun around for a good look. Steve dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.
After that, it was war!! Steve still wouldn’t do his homework. Even as the punishments became more severe, he remained stubborn.
“Just try it! ONE WEEK!” He was unmoved.
“You’re smart enough! You’ll see a change!” Nothing fazed him.
“Give yourself a chance! Don’t give up on your life!” Nothing.
“Steve! Please! I care about you!”
Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it!! Someone cared about him? Someone, totally unattainable and perfect, CARED ABOUT HIM??!!
Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon. Walking into the house, he took one look around. Both parents were passed out, in various stages of undress, and the stench(恶臭) was overpowering! He, quickly, gathered up his camping gear, a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, a bottle of water, and this time...his schoolbooks. Grim faced and determined, he headed for the woods.
The following Monday he arrived at school on time, and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom. She walked in, all sparkle and smiles! God, she was beautiful! He yearned for her smile to turn on him. It did not.
Miss White, immediately, gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried through the test, and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of surprise, Miss White took his paper. Obviously puzzled, she began to look it over. Steve walked back to his desk, his heart pounding within his chest. As he sat down, he couldn’t resist another look at the lovely woman.
Miss White’s face was in total shock! She glanced up at Steve, then down, then up. Suddenly, her face broke into a radiant smile. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test!
From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at home remained the same, but life still changed. He discovered that not only could he learn, but he was good at it!
He discovered that he could understand and retain knowledge, and that he could translate the things he learned into his own life. Steve began to excel! And he continued this course throughout his school life.
After high-school Steve enlisted in the Navy, and he had a successful military career. During that time, he met the love of his life, he raised a family, and he graduated from college Magna Cum Laude. During his Naval career, he inspired many young people, who without him, might not have believed in themselves. Steve began a second career after the Navy, and he continues to inspire others, as an adjunct professor（副教授） in a nearby college。
Miss White left a great legacy. She saved one boy who has changed many lives. I know, because I am the love of his life.
You see, it’s simple, really. A change took place within the heart of one boy, all because of one teacher, who cared.
1.What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph mean?
A．Steve would give up schooling forever.
B．Steve was at a loss about improving his study.
C．Being unhappy both in school and at home, Steve intended to end his own life.
D．Due to his poor study, Steve was about to be expelled from his school.
2.What made Steve change greatly all of a sudden?
A．Miss White’s encouragement B．Miss White’s praise
C．knowing Miss White concerned him D．Miss White’s persuasion
3.What might be the best title for this passage?
A．A boy loves his teacher B．The difference a teacher can make
C．A great teacher D．Please care about your students
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| Book 1 Elixir written by Eric Walters Twelve-year-old Roth becomes a friend of Dr．Banting and his assistant, Mr．Best, who are in search of a cure for diabetes （糖尿病）．She finds herself torn between her sympathy for the animals being experimented on and her friendship with Banting and Best． |
| Book 2 George Washingtion Carver written by Elizabeth Macleod Meet the “Peanut（花生）Specialist”, George Washington Carver, the inventor and professor who made over 325 products out of peanuts．Through his agricultural research, he also greatly improved the lives of countless black farmers in the southern United States．See also Macleod’s Albert Einstein: A Life of Genius. |
| Book 3 The Inuit Thought of It: Amazing Arctic Innovations written by Alootook Ipellie & David MacDonald Explore more than 40 ideas necessary to Inuit survival．From ideas familiar to us today to inventive concepts that shaped their lives, celebrate the creativity of a remarkably intelligent people．Also see other books: The Chinese Thought of It by Tingxing Ye and A Native American Thought of It by Rocky Landon and David MacDonald． |
| Book 4 Made in Canada:101 Amazing Achievements written by Bev Spencer What things do we use daily that have a Canadian connection? Here are 101 common things that were invented in Canada or by a Canadian, including the Blackberry, alkaline（碱性）batteries and the Blue Box recycling program． |
| Book 5 Newton and the Time Machine written by Michael McGowan Ten-year-old boy Newton has invented a time machine to see dinosaurs up close．But it disappears on a test run with his two huge friends, King Herbert and Queen Certrude, in it! Can he save them before time runs out? |
1.Which of the following best describes Roth’s feeling in Book 1?
| A．Painful. | B．Curious. | C．Frightened. | D．Disappointed. |
2.In Book 5, King Herbert and Queen Gertrude are_______.
| A．the names of the time machine |
| B．Newton’s human friends |
| C．two dinosaurs |
| D．the inventors of the time machine |
3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Alkaline batteries were invented by Dr. Banting. |
| B．Book 3 introduces 40 inventive concepts. |
| C．Animals are mentioned in Book 1 and Book 5. |
| D．George Washington Carver was a black farmer in the US. |
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Developing a Funny Personality
Put yourself under the spotlight. Tell self-deprecating (自嘲的）jokes rather than make jokes at the expense of others. 1. Rodney Dangerfield made fun of both his sanity (理智）and his looks with this one: "I went to the psychiatrist (精神病医生)，and he says 'You're crazy.' I tell him I want a second opinion. He says, ‘Okay，you're ugly too!'"
Know your audience. 2. Some people find that sensationalism causes them to laugh; others find that satire (讽刺) does the trick. Learn which is which, and deliver your jokes and anecdotes so that they apply to many different categories of humor and emotion at once.
Mislead the mind. Misleading the mind is what we referred to earlier as surprise. 3. Verbal jokes use this element to the greatest level possible, trying to misdirect your attention in the same that magic tricks do.
4. Good timing is really important, because if you give the brain too much time to work out a situation or joke, the funny moment will pass by. This is probably why jokes people have heard before don't work, as recognition dulls the humor because the brain is already well-prepared by experience. React quickly and strike while the humorous moment exists.
Be observant. Look for the humor in everyday situations, and see what others don't. 5.
A. Strike while the iron is hot.
B. Different things make different people laugh.
C. Surround yourself with people who are funny.
D. More people will be more willing to laugh, instead of being laughed at.
E. You can expand your reach a good deal by listening to other funny people.
F. Often, the unnoticed humor that is standing right in front of our eyes has the most effect.
G. This is when you create a difference between what someone expects to happen and what actually happens.
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Developing a Funny Personality
Put yourself under the spotlight. Tell self-deprecating (自嘲的）jokes rather than make jokes at the expense of others. 1. Rodney Dangerfield made fun of both his sanity (理智）and his looks with this one: "I went to the psychiatrist (精神病医生)，and he says 'You're crazy.' I tell him I want a second opinion. He says, ‘Okay，you're ugly too!'"
Know your audience. 2. Some people find that sensationalism causes them to laugh; others find that satire (讽刺) does the trick. Learn which is which, and deliver your jokes and anecdotes so that they apply to many different categories of humor and emotion at once.
Mislead the mind. Misleading the mind is what we referred to earlier as surprise. 3. Verbal jokes use this element to the greatest level possible, trying to misdirect your attention in the same that magic tricks do.
4. Good timing is really important, because if you give the brain too much time to work out a situation or joke, the funny moment will pass by. This is probably why jokes people have heard before don't work, as recognition dulls the humor because the brain is already well-prepared by experience. React quickly and strike while the humorous moment exists.
Be observant. Look for the humor in everyday situations, and see what others don't. 5.
A. Strike while the iron is hot.
B. Different things make different people laugh.
C. Surround yourself with people who are funny.
D. More people will be more willing to laugh, instead of being laughed at.
E. You can expand your reach a good deal by listening to other funny people.
F. Often, the unnoticed humor that is standing right in front of our eyes has the most effect.
G. This is when you create a difference between what someone expects to happen and what actually happens.
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Founded in 1764 by French traders, St. Louis today is the fifteenth largest urban area in the United States. There are many attractive destinations for touists．
★American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog
Dog lovers who visit St. Louis won’t want to miss this 14,000-square-foot museum. Inside are over 500 paintings，prints, watercolors，and a variety of other dog art objects.
The Museum is open year round，Tuesday through Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM, and Sunday 1 PM to 5 PM. Admission is ＄5 for adults，＄2.50 for seniors, and ＄1 for children up to 14.
★Anheuser Busch Brewery
The Anheuser Buxch Brewery tour is not just for beer lovers．The tour includes the historic Brew House．Then the tour continues to the modern Bevo Packaging Plant. The best will be the Budweiser Clydesdale stables. The tours are always free．
★Gateway Arch
Designed by Eero Sarinen and Hannskari Bandel, it took over two years and 900 tons of stainless steel to build. It is the tallest of the country’s National Monuments. The Arch is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. About one milion people per year come to the top of the Arch, where there is an observation platform providing a great view of the city.
★The St. Louis Zoo
First version of the St. Louis Zoo opened in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair, but in the century since it has grown into one of the chief zoos in the world. The passenger train takes visitors around the Zoo，which contains over 9,000 animals of over 800 species.
The Zoo is open every day but Christmas and New Year，with summer hours of 8 AM to 7 PM，and hours the rest of the year of 9 AM to 5 PM．Admission to the Zoo is free．
1.If a senior high school student plans to visit American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog with his parents and his five-year-old brother，he has to pay ______．
A．＄8.5 B．＄12 C．＄13.5 D．＄16
2.If you are interested in how to make beer，you can visit ________．
A．The St. Louis Zoo
B．Anheuser Busch Brewery
C．Gateway Arch
D．American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog
3.Which of the following statements about Gateway Arch is TRUE?
A．People can see the city clearly on the top of the Arch.
B．It was designed by two famous Italian architects.
C．It took 900 tons of stainless steel and cement to build.
D．It is the largest of the country ‘s National Monuments.
4.If you plan to visit the St. Louis Zoo, you can go there _____.
A．on New Year ‘Day
B．on ChristmasDay
C．at 5:30 p.m. in winter
D．at 8:30 a.m. in summer
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Louis Cha, better known by his pen name Jin Yong, is an established writer of the classic Chinese Wuxia novel series The Condor Trilogy, A Hero Born.
Cha ______ to Cambridge University for a master’s degree. Aged 81, he became one of the oldest students to ______ in the university’s history.
Cha and his wife left their finely-furnished house in Hongkong and rented a much ______ one near Cambridge. It was ______ that after a careful discussion they hired an Italian ______ so that they could eat Chinese food in an Italian style.
Every day, Cha ______ a schoolbag containing books and materials for class. As a famous kung fu ______, he has many fans. Whenever asked for his signature, he would ______ them politely and tell them if instead of ______ class, he was taking a walk or having a coffee, he would ______ for them.
“Cha used to go to class by bike. However, his wife ______ that cars in the campus might knock him down. Then, the bike was ______, but Cha called himself an old man with little sense of ______ and before long he ______ the car too. Now he uses a taxi.”
When Cha was very ______, his mother once compared him to his star cousin Xu Zhimo who went to Cambridge. Cha was a little ______, determining to prove himself by studying in Cambridge too.______, the most important reason is his strong thirst for knowledge. Cha said, “Some people think I am not ______ to be the director of Literature School in Zhejiang University. I don’t retort (反驳), but I can always ______ my own knowledge.”
As the most accomplished and highly productive founding father of Chinese Wuxia classics, Cha’s consistent ______ to learn really deserves our admiration.
1.A. applied B. graduated C. appealed D. entitled
2.A. enter B. enroll C. write D. show
3.A. shabbier B. costlier C. bigger D. brighter
4.A. serious B. challenging C. considerate D. interesting
5.A. babysitter B. nurse C. chef D. teacher
6.A. sends B. carries C. holds D. chooses
7.A. scholar B. director C. artist D. novelist
8.A. refuse B. accept C. approve D. appreciate
9.A. delivering B. skipping C. conducting D. attending
10.A. interpret B. write C. sign D. explain
11.A. expected B. predicted C. feared D. argued
12.A. changed B. replaced C. destroyed D. exchanged
13.A. humor B. business C. direction D. achievement
14.A. gave up B. took up C. sold out D. used up
15.A. old B. young C. sick D. lazy
16.A. sad B. surprised C. demanding D. jealous
17.A. However B. Therefore C. Furthermore D. Consequently
18.A. welcomed B. qualified C. recruited D. elected
19.A. test B. show C. prove D. increase
20.A. hesitation B. intelligence C. willingness D. ability