The widespread number of food scandals ( 丑聞) in China is making many people pause before they put their chopsticks in their mouth. They are wondering if the food they are eating is clean, healthy and nutritious or does it contain something harmful that will cause disease?

Most of the food we eat today is processed food( 加工食品). That means the foods we buy in stores and supermarkets, especially packaged foods, are prepared in factories. Chemicals are added to the foods in these factories to make them look better, taste better and last longer on the shelf. The chemicals are supposed to be harmless and there are laws that regulate which chemicals can and cannot be used. Unfortunately, some producers do not obey the laws.

A producer of steamed buns (饅頭) in Zhejiang Province was recently discovered to be breaking the law. He was adding yellow dye and other banned chemicals to the buns. He was also taking old buns and using them to make new buns. Most of the buns were sold to schools and eaten by students. . . like you'

Why did he do it? Why did he break the law and endanger people's health? The answer is simple: he wanted to make more money. It was a moral failing, and this is at the heart of the food scandals in China. Too many people focus on making money and not on the effects their actions can have on others.

1. Chemicals are added to the foods in the factories because _____.

A. they want to make the foods look better, taste better and last longer

B. they want to make the foods contain something harmful

C. chemicals will cause disease

D. chemicals are harmless

2. According to the passage, which is NOT true?

A. Most of the food we eat today is prepared in factories.

B. There are laws that regulate which chemicals can and cannot be used.

C. The food scandals in China are making many people worry about the food safety.

D. Most of the buns were sold to schools and eaten, by students in Zhejiang Province.

3.It was a moral failing, and this is at the heart of the food scandals in China. Here what's

the Chinese meaning of "moral failing"? 

A. 精神崩潰    B. 道德滑坡    C. 質(zhì)量下降     D. 心理失衡

4. What is the main reason of the food scandals in China?

A. Some producers do not obey the laws.

B. The processed food is clean, healthy and nutritious.

C. Too many people pay much attention to making money.

D. The chemicals are supposed to be harmless and can be used.

 

鋼琴家朗朗是世界古典音樂新一代領(lǐng)軍人物，被譽(yù)為“當(dāng)今世界最年輕的鋼琴大師”.
Lang Lang, called “Chinese Mozart”, one of the best-known Chinese pianists in the world, was born in Shenyang in 1982. He began to take piano lessons at the age of three. He played the piano at least 20 hours a week at that time. At the age of five, he won the Shenyang Piano Competition. Four years later, his father took him to Beijing to study at the Beijing Central Music Conservatory(中央音樂學(xué)院). When he was 11, he won the first prize at the Fourth International Young Pianists Competition in Germany. In 1996, he went to the United States to study music. Soon he became famous all over the US, and then around the world.
The road to success has never been easy. Lang Lang’s father even stopped his job in his police office. For over ten years, he followed Lang Lang everywhere he went, not only as a father, but also as a manager, tutor and friend, while his mother stayed in Shenyang to make money. In spite of(盡管) giving on average over 150 performances around the world every year now, he still finds time to practice and learn new works. Lang Lang considers himself lucky and believes he should give something back. He has helped the children in poor areas a lot.
【小題1】How old was Lang Lang when he went to Beijing to study?

A．He was three.

B．He was five.

C．He was nine.

D．He was eleven.

【小題2】Why did Lang Lang’s father take him to Beijing?

A．They went on vacation to Beijing.

B．Their family needed money at that time.

C．Lang Lang wanted to take part in the Piano Competition.

D．Lang Lang went there to study at a famous music conservatory.

【小題3】Where was the fourth International Youth Piano Competition held?

A．In Germany.

B．In the United States.

C．In Japan

D．In China.

【小題4】Which is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A．Lang Lang went to the United States to study music at the age of 14.

B．Lang Lang’s father had to stay in Shenyang to make money.

C．Lang Lang’s parents have done a lot for him to be a famous pianist.

D．Lang Lang is called “Chinese Mozart” because he plays the piano very well.

【小題5】 What can we learn from this passage?

A．It’s not very difficult to be a pianist.

B．A pianist is always popular in the world.

C．You have to practice and learn much to be successful.

D．Pianists never hate playing the piano because it’s interesting.

—Would you please tell me _____? — Sorry, you can turn to Mr Lee for help.

A. how long can man live without water

B. whether Yao Ming still played for Rockets

C. how I can keep myself safe from the flu

D. why did a serious accident happen

 

When my son, Mark, was in the third grade, he saved all his pocket money for over three months to buy holiday presents. The third Saturday in December Mark said he had made his list and had twenty dollars in his pocket.

I drove him to a nearby supermarket. Mark picked up a hand basket and went in while I wailed and watched in the car. It took Mark over 45 minutes to choose his presents. Finally he came to the checkout counter (交款處) and reached into his pocket for his money. It was not there! There was a hole in his pocket, but no money. Mark stood there holding his basket, tears falling down his face.

Then a surprising thing happened. A woman came up to Mark and took him in her arms. "You would help me a lot if you let me pay for you," said the woman. "It would be the most wonderful gift you could give me. I only ask that one day you will pass it on. When you grow up, I would like you to find someone you can help. When you help others, I know you will feel as good about it as I do no."

Mark took the money, dried his tears and ran back to the checkout counter as fast as he could. That year we all enjoyed our gifts almost as much as Mm-k enjoyed giving them to us.

I would like to say "thank you" to that very kind woman, and tell her that four years later, Mark went house to house collecting blankets (毯子) and clothes for the homeless people in the fire. And I want to promise her that Mark will never forget to keep passing it on.

1.When did the story probably happen?

           A. On Christmas Day.              B. Before Christmas Day.

           C. On New Year’s Day.             D. After New Year’s Day.

2.When they got to the supermarket, Mark went in      .

           A. with the writer                  B. by himself

           C. with the woman                 D. with his friends

3. What happened to Mark in the supermarket?

           A. His gifts were stolen.            B. He broke his basket.

           C. He lost his money.               D. He lost his way.

4. Why did the writer want to say "thank you" to the woman?

           A. Because she bought Mark a nice present.

           B. Because she always paid money for others.

           C. Because she collected clothes for the homeless.

           D. Because she taught Mark to help people in need.

5. What’s the best title for this passage?

           A. A big supermarket               B. A kind woman

           C. A happy family                  D. A wonderful gift

 

A very old lady won a million dollars in a lottery(彩票). Her son and her husband heard the news on the radio.

“How are we going to tell your mother?” the man asked. “The news might kill her!”

“That’s true,” the son said. “Perhaps we’d better speak to her doctor about it. He’ll know how to bring her the news gently.”

They told the old lady’s doctor about this.

“I’m glad you told me, ” he said “A shock(震驚), even a happy one, could give her a heart attack, leave it to me. I’ll find a way of bringing the news to her.”

The doctor thought about the problem for several days, then decided what he would say.

He called on the old lady and sat by her. He took her hand in his.

“Let’s play a game, my dear,” he said. “‘Let’s pretend(假裝)’ game.”

“Oh, yes, ” the old lady said. “I love ‘Let’s pretend’ game.”

“Good, I’ll ask you a question first, ” the doctor said, “Then you can ask me one.”

He pretended to think for a few minutes. Then he said, “Tell me, what would you do if you won a million dollars in the lottery?”

“Oh, that’s an easy one,” the old lady said, “I’d give most of it to you, doctor, because you have been so good to me all these years, doctor!” But the doctor was now lying on the floor. He had died of shock.

1.Who won a million dollars in a lottery?

A. The man.        B. The son.       C. The old lady.   D. The doctor.

2.What does “heart attack” mean in Chinese?

A. 攻擊心臟.       B. 驚喜.          C. 心情.           D. 心臟病.

3.Why did the doctor play ‘Let’s pretend’ game with the lady?

A. Because he wanted to get the money.                

B. Because he wanted to bring her the news gently.

C. Because he didn’t want to tell her the news.      

D. Because he wasn’t honest.

4.Who had died of shock?

A. The man.        B. The son.       C. The old lady.       D. The doctor.

5.What’s the best title for the passage?

A. A Sad Shock                      B. A wonderful Shock

C. An Interesting Shock             D. A Lucky Shock