出自:大学英语（C）252
Henry was an office worker in a big city. He worked very hard and enjoyed traveling in his holidays.
He usually went to the seaside, but one year he saw an advertisement in a newspaper. “Enjoy country life. Spend a few weeks at West Hill Farm. Good food. Fresh air. Horse riding. Walking. Fishing. Cheap and interesting.”
“This sounds a good idea,” he thought. “I’ll spend a month at West Hill Farm. I think I can enjoy horse riding, walking and fishing. They’ll make a change from sitting by the seaside and swimming.”
He wrote to the farmer. In the letter he said that he would like to spend all of July there. Then on the first of July, he left for West Hill Farm.
But four days later, he returned home.
“What was wrong with West Hill Farm?” his best friend, Ed, asked him. “Didn’t you enjoy country life?”
“Country life was very good,” Henry said. “But there was another problem.”
“Oh. What?”
“Well,” he said, “the first day I was there a sheep died, and we had roast mutton for dinner.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Ed asked. “Fresh meat is the best.”
“I know, but on the second day a cow died, and we had roast beef for dinner.”
“Lucky you!”
“You don’t understand,” Henry said. “on the third day a pig died and we had roast pork for dinner.”
“A different meat every day,” Ed said loudly, “and you are complaining!”
“Let me finish,” Henry said. “on the fourth day the farmer died, and I didn’t dare (敢)stay for dinner!”
1、1. How did Henry find out about the farm?
A、He saw it in a newspaper advertisement.
B、His best friend told him.
C、He wrote to the farmer.
D、Maybe he learned it from the radio.
学生答案：A
2、2. Henry came back home several days later because _____.
A、he didn’t like the country life at all
B、the farmer wasn’t friendly to him
C、his holiday was over
D、he thought he might have to eat the farmer
学生答案：D
3、3. “…and you are complaining!”, the word “complain” means _____.
A、夸奖
B、说三道四
C、抱怨
D、故弄玄虚
学生答案：C
4、4. Which of the following sentences is true?
A、Ed could eat a different kind of meat every day.
B、Henry thought he could enjoy a change.
C、Henry couldn’t think of anything else to do, so he went to the farm.
D、The farmer died because of the bad meat he ate.
学生答案：B
5、5. Which is the best title for the passage?
A、What a beautiful farm!
B、Have a good time.
C、A short holiday
D、Henry and the farmer.
学生答案：C
If you look around, there are probably many coffeehouses (咖啡馆) near you. Coffee is a very big business. According to the International Coffee Organization, the world drinks about $70 billion in coffee each year.
Although coffee is one of the world’s most popular drinks, many people believe it isn’t healthy. It has been blamed for high heart rates, high blood pressure, and stomach problems. Coffee can make you feel more stressed and it can lead to sleep problems. Don’t even think about drinking coffee before you go to bed, or you’ll be up all night!
One common belief is that some women who drink coffee may have a hard time getting pregnant (怀孕). Others believe coffee can cause low birth weight if pregnant women drink it.
Medical research, however, has started suggesting that coffee might actually be good for us. It can give us energy, and it is thought to be helpful for headaches. It can protect our bodies against harmful substances in things like smoke and pollution. Overall, research shows that coffee is far more healthful than harmful.
While coffee may have health benefits, it is also full of caffeine which can make us feel excited. However, the problems can be controlled by limiting the amount of coffee we drink. There is no evidence that coffee is more truly harmful, and every day there is more evidence to show that it is good for us.
1、1. What do many people believe about coffee?
A、It is a big business.
B、It is a popular drink.
C、It isn’t healthy.
D、It is easy to prepare.
学生答案：C
2、2. What is Paragraph 2 mainly talking about?
A、The stress coffee causes.
B、The harmful effect of coffee.
C、The sleep problems coffee causes.
D、The most popular drinks.
学生答案：B
3、3. What is a common belief about the effect of coffee on women?
A、They may have difficulty getting pregnant.
B、They may have difficulty giving birth.
C、They may have babies with low weights.
D、They may have sleep problems.
学生答案：A
4、4. Which of the following is not a benefit of coffee?
A、It can give us energy.
B、It is thought to be helpful for headaches.
C、It can protect our bodies against harmful substances.
D、It can help the overweight reduce weight.
学生答案：D
5、5. What suggestion does the writer give to control the negative side effects of coffee?
A、Not to drink coffee before sleep.
B、Limit the amount of coffee we drink.
C、Limit the times we drink coffee.
D、Learn how to better prepare coffee.
学生答案：B
On April 22nd, people around the world celebrate something they all have in common: the earth. Earth Day is a celebration that began in America in 1970. On that day, a US politician called on the country’s people to protest against environmental pollution. Twenty million people took to the streets for a peaceful demonstration. Earth Day is now celebrated by over a billion people around the world.
What do people do on this day? At first, people simply listened to speeches. These days, there are parades and information fairs, where you can learn about environmental problems and solutions. Many schools have students make posters (海报). These posters encourage green practices, like recycling and taking public transportation. Some people choose to plant trees or pick up trash in parks and natural areas. Environmental organizations use Earth Day to inform the public of the damage people do to the earth. Once more people know the problems, we can take more steps to solve them.
To do your part in protecting life on earth, follow three simple rules: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Reduce the amount of energy you use and the waste you produce. Try to reuse what you buy. If you can’t reuse something, don’t throw it away. Recycle it! It will take little time to do it, but the earth will thank you.
April 22nd is a great day to start your earth-friendly habits. Go outside, hug a tree, and think about ways to make every day Earth Day.
1、1. What do we know about Earth Day from Paragraph 1?
A、It began in the year 1970.
B、It was an idea of the US Congress.
C、It is now celebrated by 20 million people.
D、Some people were against it at the beginning.
学生答案：A
2、2. On the first Earth Day, people just _____.
A、listened to the news
B、listened to speeches
C、enjoyed nature
D、talked about problems
学生答案：B
3、3. Why do students make posters?
A、To encourage more people to plant trees.
B、To win a contest for the best poster.
C、To get people to care about the environment.
D、To raise lots of money for Earth Day.
学生答案：C
4、4. Environmental organizations use Earth Day to _____.
A、teach people how to solve environmental problems
B、teach the public how to better protect the environment
C、tell the public about the damage people do to the earth
D、raise money for environmental protection programs
学生答案：C
5、5. The writer of the passage encourages us to _____.
A、organize our own activities to celebrate Earth Day
B、take public transportation instead of driving
C、make suggestions to improve our environment
D、think about ways to make every day Earth Day
学生答案：D