In the early days of the old west in North America．Life was difficult，so people didn’t work alone．When families were going to build houses, they asked their friends and neighbors for help．They invited them to a work pony for a few days．The women cooked together．They made breakfast，lunch，and dinner．The men worked on the building．For the children it was like a holiday．There were many other children to play with．They enjoyed it very much．Together these people built a house or a barn．At another time the family with the new house would help neighbors．They all helped one another for the good of everyone．

A work party is really cooperation（合作）．To cooperate means“to work together．”By that, a big job can be easy．Many people can work together and it becomes a small job for many workers．Working together can be fun too．

Today，there isn’t much cooperation．People don’t work together very much．Some people don’t know their neighbors．How can they ask them for help?

Today，the idea of cooperation is unusual．We often work against cooperation and don’t like to be with others．We build walls by ourselves．Today，we wait for emergencies（緊急情況）．We wait for accidents to happen．Then we are ready to help．Then we want to help．Then we talk to our neighbors．Then we become true neighbors and friends．

Why don’t we always cooperate? Why do we wait for emergencies or accidents? Why don’t we work with other people? It can be fun．Life can become easier, too．

（   ）1．In the early days of the old west in North America，Why did people work together?

A．Because they wanted to have a party．

B．Because the women would like to cook together

C．Because the children wanted to have a holiday．

D．Because life at that time was difficult and they needed help．

（   ）2．Which of tile following is NOT true in the reading?

A．People in the old west in North America helped one another for the good of everyone．

B．To cooperate means“to work together．”

C．People always cooperate today．

D．To cooperate can be fun．

（   ）3．Who builds walls against others today?

A．The old people．     B．Neighbors．         C．Children．              D．Ourselves．

（   ）4．What is the purpose（目的）of the article?

A．To tell us the life of people in the old west of Noah America

B．To advise people to cooperate today．

C．To tell us to finish our work by ourselves．

D．To tell people to build houses together