A garden that’s just right for you

Have you ever visited a garden that seemed just right for you, where the atmosphere of the garden appeared to total more than the sum(总和) of its parts?    36   . But it doesn’t happen by accident. It starts with looking inside yourself and understanding who you are with respect to the natural world and how you approach the gardening process.

●   37 

Some people may think that a garden is no more than plants, flowers, patterns and masses of color. Others are concerned about using gardening methods that require less water and fewer fertilizers(肥料).     38   . However, there are a number of other reasons that might explain why you want to garden. One of them comes from our earliest years.

●Recall your childhood memories

Our model of what a garden should be often goes back to childhood. Grandma’s rose garden and Dad’s vegetable garden might be good or bad, but that’s not what’s important.   39   --how being in those gardens made us feel. If you’d like to build a powerful bond with your garden, start by taking some time to recall the gardens of your youth.    40  . Then go outside and work out a plan to translate your childhood memories into your grown-up garden. Have fun.

A. Know why you garden

B. Find a good place for your own garden

C. It’s our experience of the garden that matters

D. It’s delightful to see so many beautiful flowers

E. Still others may simply enjoy being outdoors and close to plants

F. You can produce that kind of magical quality in your own garden, too

G. For each of those gardens, writer down the strongest memory you have

—How about camping this weekend，just for a change?

—OK，________you want.

A．whichever    B．however       C．whatever     D．Whoever

China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba had an amazing year as the Now.11 shopping carmival broke new records,the Double Twelve shopping day    with success.

A.having followed   B.following        C.followed          D.to followed

作为一名高三学生，你或许经常跟你的父母就看电视问题闹矛盾。你的父母以学业繁重和影响视力等为由阻挠你看电视，而你又认为电视能满足你的兴趣爱好同时繁重的学业下也需要放松，最后你们之间相互妥协达成了一致意见。请你以该话题写一篇字数120左右的短文。

注意：1. 就双方的理由可以进行适当的扩充，协议自己想象。

2. 开头已写好，不计入字数

I am a Senior 3 student. I often quarrel with my parents over whether I can watch TV after school

 —Is there any possibility _________ you could pick me up at the airport?

—No problem.

A．when         B．whether       C．that             D．what

    Harry potter and The Hunger Games haven’t been big hits for nothing. Lots of teens still read quite a lot. But a study shows a clear decrease over time. Nearly half of 17-year-olds say they read for pleasure no more than one or two times a year. That’s way down from ten years ago.

    The digital revolution (革命) means there are more platforms (平台) than ever to read on. Jim Steyer has been studying the effect of technology on children. He has four kids and has seen the trend most with his 16-year-old. “I start to see it in our 10-year-old as well, because he is reading less and less, and more and more attracted to some of the digital media platforms that he has access to, and that he didn’t have access to when he was 6 or 7 years old,” he says.

    The studies don’t say that kids are reading less because they’re spending more time online. But Steyer is convinced that’s at least part of the answer.

    “First of all, most children now have access to e-readers, or other smart electronic devices like phones and tablets (平板电脑),” he says. “ And they’re spending time on that. Many reports show the increasing use of new technology platforms by kids. It just strikes me as extremely logical that that’s a [Z-x-x-k.Com]big reason.

    Researchers want to know more about how teens are spending their time in the digital age. But [Z-X-X-K]Kathryn Zickuhr of the Pew Research Center says it’s tricky. If a kid is looking at a book, you may think he or she is reading. But when it comes to looking at a smartphone or tablet, who knows?

    “We’ve heard from middle and high school teachers that sometimes the Internet is wonderful for enthusiastic students to do deep research,” says Zickuhr. “But on the other side, obviously there are many distractions on the Internet.”

    However, Jim Steyer says, “Kids with parents who read, who buy or take books out of the library for their kids, and who then set time aside in their kids’ daily schedule for reading, tend to read the most — whether it’s on a book, an e-book or some other devices.”

24. What did Jim Steyer see in his four kids?

  A. They tend to read more on electronic devices.

  B. They created their own digital media platform.

  C. They improved their reading on electronic devices.

  D. They have become more addicted to digital media.

25. What statement may Kathryn Zickuhr agree to?

  A. Kids are easily distracted on the Internet.

  B. Most kids pretend to be doing online reading.

  C. Most kids like to read on a smartphone or tablet.

  D. Kids rarely use the Internet to do serious research.

26. The last paragraph suggests that ________.

  A. parents need to spare time to read for kids

  B. parents should make a reading plan for kids

  C. parents can do a lot to encourage more reading[Z-x-x-k.Com]

  D. parents working in a library tend to read the most

27. What is the main idea of the text?

  A. What books do teens like to read the most?

  B. Why aren’t teens reading like they used to?

  C. How can teens read on electronic platforms?

  D. When will teens turn to books for fun again?

--Does the young man standing there ________ the company.

-- No, the company is _____his father.

A.in possession of; in the possession of

B.have possession of; in the possession of

C. take possession of; in possession of

D. have possession of; in possession of

Any exercise is good exercise, but when it comes to losing weight, it’s hard to beat running. After all, running is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories and get fit without having to restrict your diet.                         31    If you’re not a runner yet but interested in losing weight, here are four reasons running can be the best exercise for weight loss.

    32   When comparing running with walking the same distance, studies find that running will lead to greater weight loss, most likely because your resting energy expenditure stays elevated(高的) after you run. In a long-term comparison study of runners and walkers, calories burned through running led to 90% more weight loss than calories burned through walking.

Running is time-efficient. Even if the myth that running a mile and walking a mile burn the same number of calories were true, running is a considerably faster way to burn those calories.    33     

Running is convenient. Though many of us have accumulated a vast arsenal(武器，装备) of GPS gadgets and tech tees over the years, little is actually required to go running. You can do it alone. You can do it almost anywhere.     34   For this reason alone, running is the best workout for weight loss because it’s cheap and accessible, and there are fewer barriers to maintaining a routine, even while traveling.

Two words: runner’s high.     35   Fortunately, studies support what many runners have experienced on an anecdotal level—running can actually get you high. Scientists have found links between moderate to intense exercise and morphine-like brain chemicals, which explains the occasional flood of thrill that rushes over you during a hard run. That happy sensation you had after your last race makes you want to go for another run, right?

A. Cultivate the good habit of running.

B. Running works even when you’re at rest.

C. You will never stick to a habit if you don’t like it.

D. The first rule of exercising for weight loss is that if you don’t enjoy it, you won’t stick with it.

E. You don’t need any equipment beyond a pair of running shoes.

F. If you’re already a runner, keep on.

G. Most people can run two or three times as far as they can walk in a given amount of time.

As we all know, travelling can be an excited experience. Let me give you some advices that you have to pay attention. You can find out more about your destination by surf 11Z-x-x-k.Com]the internet before you set out. You needn’t take too many cash. Since it can be very convenient to pay in cash, using cheques is much more reliable. In additional, it will be wise of you to take an umbrella in case of it should rain. And if you are to travel abroad, you’d better understand the cultural diversity. Keep this in mind that being polite in foreign countries can help you had a wonderful trip.

A man died and was on his way to another 　1　,either Heaven or Hell. He saw an extremely　 2　palace halfway and the owner of the palace 　3　 him to stay and live in the palace. 

The man said, “I have been working 　4　during my life and now I just want to eat and sleep 　5　any work.” 

The owner of the palace said,“　6　,there is nowhere else better than here for you. There is a wealth of　7　 in my palace and you can eat whatever you want without anyone 　8　 you.　9　,you can rest assured (放心) that　10　 needs to be done by you.” Then, the man settled down in the palace. 

At the beginning, the man felt very　11 　at the turn of eating and sleeping. But　 12　,he felt a bit lonely and empty. So he went to the owner and groaned, “It is very 　13　 to live by just eating and sleeping every day. Now I show no　14　 in this kind of life any more. Could you help me find a 　15　?” 

The owner replied,“　16　, there is no job here at all.” 

After another several months, the man could not 　17　 the present life and went to the owner 　18　,“I really could not stand this sort of life any more. If you do not offer me a job, I would 　19　 to go to Hell instead of living here.”

The owner of the palace smiled contemptuously(轻蔑地),“Do you think it is Heaven here? It is　 20　 Hell!” 

1.A.world                B. house                C. home      D. hospital

2.A.summer             B. fairy-tale           C. royal                                     D. splendid

3.A.asked                B. warned              C. forced       D. demanded

4.A.comfortably       B. hard                  C. honestly         D. happily

5.A.apart from         B. besides              C. without          D. with

6.A.If any                B. If so                  C. If necessary    D. If possible

7.A.jewels               B. tastes                C. books        D. food

8.A.stopping            B. dropping           C. noticing          D. meeting

9.A.However           B. Otherwise          C. Anyway        D. Besides

10.A.anything          B. everything          C. nothing        D. something

11.A.surprised         B. happy                 C. mad      D. frightened

12.A.easily              B. carefully            C. confidently   D. gradually

13.A.strange            B. enjoyable           C. boring           D. relaxing

14.A.interest            B. trust                  C. patience         D. curiously

15.A.partner            B. way                  C. meaning          D. job

16.A.Thanks            B. Cheers             C. Sorry              D. OK

17.A.bear                B. lose                 C. handle             D. risk

18.A.indeed             B. already            C. always             D. again

19.A.hope               B. prefer              C. promise            D. expect

20.A.right                B. also                 C. actually            D. still

A shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness from the wisest man in the world. The boy walked a long way, and finally came upon the beautiful castle where the wise man lived.

On entering the main room of the castle, the boy was quite surprised: tradesmen coming and going, people chatting in the corners, and a small orchestra playing soft music. The wise man talked with everyone, and the boy had to wait for two hours before it was his turn.

The wise man listened carefully to the boy’s explanation of why he had come, but told him that he didn’t have time just then to explain the secret of happiness. He suggested that the boy look around the palace and return in two hours.

“Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something,” said the wise man, handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. “As you wander around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill.”

The boy began to walk up and down stairs of the palace, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he returned to the wise man.

“Well,” asked the wise man, “Did you see the Persian tapestries（挂毯）in the hall? Did you see the garden that took the master gardener ten years to create?” The boy was embarrassed, and replied that he had observed nothing. His only concern had been not to spill the oil.

“Then go back and observe the wonders of my world,” said the wise man. The boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of the palace. This time he observed all of the works of art on the ceilings and the walls. When he returned, he described in detail everything he had seen.

“But where are the drops of oil?” asked the wise man. Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was gone.

“Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you,” said the wise man. “The secret of happiness is to see all the wonders of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.”

1.When the boy arrived at the castle, he           .

A. received a warm welcome from the wise man

B. had already missed his chance to talk to the wise man

C. was shown around the palace by the local people

D. didn’t expect to see so many people around

2.The wise man gave the boy two tasks in order to             .

A. show him how to observe the wonders in the world B. teach him the secret of happiness

C. make him learn from his mistakes         D. let the boy enjoy his palace and garden

3.We can infer from the article “the drops of the oil on the spoon” probably refer to _____ .

A. the beauty of one’s nature                    B. the fortune a person possesses

C. the responsibilities one has to take on        D. the great opportunities in life

4.What would be the best title for the article?

A. Lesson about Happiness                          B. The Secret of Happiness

C. Learning about Happiness                           D. Searching for Happiness

 Travel is a very good activity. When traveling, you can relax   61  , forget your tiredness or troubles, and have the energy to take on the new tasks   62   (wait) for you.

But sometimes traveling is not an   63   (enjoy) thing. For example, the weather can be changeable. If you climb a mountain, it may rain suddenly. You may be caught    64   the rain and may catch a cold.   65  worst thing is that you may have your money stolen   66  you may have an injury. All these terrible things are  67  can happen to you.

Therefore, when you   68  (go)on a trip, you must make a good preparation. Firstly, you must have clear information about the weather. Secondly, you should choose   69    good companion so that you can help each other. Thirdly, you must be careful enough and try to avoid accidents.   70   you do this, you will surely enjoy your travel.

In 1978, I was 18 and was working as a nurse in a small town about 270 km away from Sydney, Australia. I was looking forward to having five days off from duty. Unfortunately, the only one train a day back to my home in Sydney had already left. So I thought I’d hitch a ride (搭便车).
   I waited by the side of the highway for three hours but no one stopped for me. Finally, a man walked over and introduced himself as Gordon. He said that although he couldn’t give me a lift, I should come back to his house for lunch. He noticed me standing for hours in the November heat and thought I must be hungry. I was doubtful as a young girl but he assured （使…放心）me I was safe, and he also offered to help me find a lift home afterwards. When we arrived at his house, he made us sandwiches. After lunch, he helped me find a lift home.
   Twenty-five years later, in 2003, while I was driving to a nearby town one day, I saw an elderly man standing in the glaring heat, trying to hitch a ride. I thought it was another chance to repay someone for the favour I’d been given decades earlier. I pulled over and picked him up. I made him comfortable on the back seat and offered him some water.
    After a few moments of small talk, the man said to me, “You haven’t changed a bit, even your red hair is still the same.” I couldn’t remember where I’d met him. He then told me he was the man who had given me lunch and helped me find a lift all those years ago. It was Gordon.
53. The author had to hitch a ride one day in 1978 because          .
   A. her work delayed her trip to Sydney

B. she was going home for her holidays
   C. the town was far away from Sydney

D. she missed the only train back home
54.  Which of the following did Gordon do according to Paragraph 2?
   A. He helped the girl find a ride.

B. He gave the girl a ride back home.
   C. He bought sandwiches for the girl.

D. He watched the girl for three hours.
55. The reason why the author offered a lift to the elderly man was that            .
   A. she realized he was Gordon    

B. she had known him for decades
   C. she was going to the nearby town

D. she wanted to repay the favour she once got
56. What does the author want to tell the readers through the story?
   A. Giving sometimes produces nice results.
   B. Those who give rides will be rapid.
   C. Good manners bring about happiness.
   D. People should offer free rides to others.

In its early history, Chicago had floods frequently, especially in the spring, making the streets so muddy that people, horses, and carts got stuck. An old joke that was popular at the time went something like this: A man is stuck up to his waist in a muddy Chicago street. Asked if he needs help, he replies, "No, thanks. I've got a good horse under me."

The city planner decided to build an underground drainage (排水) system, but there simply wasn't enough difference between the height of the ground level and the water level. The only two options were to lower the Chicago River or raise the city.

An engineer named Ellis Chesbrough convinced the city that it had no choice but to build the pipes above ground and then cover them with dirt. This raised the level of the city's streets by as much as 12 feet.

This of course created a new problem: dirt practically buried the first floors of every building in Chicago. Building owners were faced with a choice: either change the first floors of their buildings into basements, and the second stories into main floors, or hoist the entire buildings to meet the new street level. Small wood-frame buildings could be lifted fairly easily. But what about large, heavy structures like Tremont Hotel, which was a six-story brick building?

That's where George Pullman came in. He had developed some house-moving skills successfully. To lift a big structure like the Tremont Hotel, Pullman would place thousands of jackscrews (螺旋千斤顶) beneath the building's foundation. One man was assigned to operate each section of roughly 10 jackscrews. At Pullman's signal each man turned his jackscrew the same amount at the same time, thereby raising the building slowly and evenly. Astonishingly, the Tremont Hotel stay open during the entire operation, and many of its guests didn't even notice anything was happening. Some people like to say that every problem has a solution. But in Chicago's early history, every engineering solution seemed to create a new problem. Now that Chicago's waste water was draining efficiently into the Chicago River, the city's next step was to clean the polluted river.

51. The author mentions the joke to show ______. 

A. horses were fairly useful in Chicago 

B. Chicago's streets were extremely muddy

C. Chicago was very dangerous in the spring 

D. the Chicago people were particularly humorous

52. The city planners were convinced by Ellis Chesbrough to_______.

A. get rid of the street dirt  

B. lower the Chicago River 

C. fight against heavy floods 

D. build the pipes above ground

53. The underlined word "hoist" in Paragraph 4 means "_______". 

A. change 

B. lift 

C. repair

D. decorate

54. What can we conclude about the moving operation of the Tremont Hotel? 

A. It went on smoothly as intended.

B. It interrupted the business of the hotel.

C. It involved Pullman turning ten jackscrews. 

D. It separated the building from its foundation.

55. The passage is mainly about the early Chicago's ______. 

A. popular life styles and their influences 

B. environmental disasters and their causes

C. engineering problems and their solutions 

D. successful businessmen and their achievements

What is time? Is it a thing to be saved or    41    or wasted, like money? Or is it something we have no control    42   , like the weather? Is time the same all over the world? That's an easy question, you say.    43    you go, a minute is 60 seconds, an hour is 60 minutes, a day is 24 hours, and so forth. Well, maybe. But in America, time is    44    that. Americans see time as a valuable    45   . Maybe that's why they are    46    of the expression, "Time is money."

To Americans, punctuality is a way of showing    47    for other people's time. Being more than 10 minutes late to an appointment usually    48    an apology, and maybe an explanation. People    49    are running late often call ahead to let others know of the   50    . Of course, the less formal the situation, the less important it is to be exactly    51   . At informal get-togethers,    52   , people often arrive as much as 30 minutes past the  53   time. But they usually don't try that at work.

American lifestyles show    54    people respect the time of others. When people plan an event, they often    55    the time days or weeks in advance. Once the time is fixed, it takes almost a(n)    56    to change it. If people want to come to your house for a friendly visit, they will usually    57    first to make sure it is convenient. Only very close friends will just    58    unannounced. Also, people hesitate to call others late at night for fear they  59   be in bed. The time may vary, but most folks think   60    about calling after 10:00 p.m.

41. A. bought         B. ignored                     C. spent         D. killed

42. A. over                   B. in                      C. with           D. for

43. A. However             B. Whenever          C. Whatever   D. Wherever

44. A. less than             B. no more than            C. not more than    D. more than

45. A. resource             B. material                    C. source              D. factor

46. A. short                  B. fond                  C. crazy         D. enthusiastic

47. A. preference            B. mercy                    C. respect             D. hatred

48. A. calls for              B. arises from        C. makes for   D. results from

49. A. whom          B. which               C. who           D. whose

50. A. time                    B. result                C. explanation D. delay

51. A. in time         B. on time                     C. ahead of time     D. over time

52. A. such as        B. in a word           C. for example       D. as usual

53. A. assigned              B. appointed           C. approved    D. assessed

54. A. how many           B. how far                    C. how much  D. how soon

55. A. set               B. prepare                     C. use            D. quit

56. A. emergency             B. pleasure                C. period        D. emotion

57. A. write                  B. claim                 C. inform              D. call           

58. A. drop out              B. drop by                    C. drop off            D. drop behind

59. A. must                   B. might                C. need          D. shall

60. A. first                    B. last                   C. once          D. twice

Sports is not only physically challenging, but it can also mentally challenging. Criticism from coaches(trainers), parents, and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create too much anxiety or stress for young athletes. Stress can be physical, emotional, or psychological, and research has showed that it can lead to burnout. Burnout has been described as dropping or quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable.

The early years of development are critical years for learning about oneself. The sport setting is one where valuable experiences can take place. Young athletes can, for example, learn how to cooperate with others, make friends, and gain other social skills that will be used throughout their lives. Coaches and parents should be aware, at all times, that their feedback（反馈）to youngsters can greatly affect their children. Youngsters may take their parents’ and coaches’ criticisms to heart and find a flaw in themselves.

Coaches and parents should also be cautious(careful) that youth sport participation does not become work for children. The outcome of the game should not be more important than the process of learning the sport and other life lessons. In today’s youth sport setting, young athletes may be worried more about who will win instead of enjoying themselves and the sport. Following a game, many parents and coaches focus on the outcome and find fault with youngsters’ performances. Positive reinforcement should be provided in spite of the outcome. Research shows that positive reinforcement motivates and has a greater effect on learning than criticism. Again, criticism can create high levels of stress, which can lead to burnout.

5．According to the passage sports is positive for young people in that_____.          

A．it can help them learn more about society

B．it teaches them how to set realistic goals for themselves

C．it enables them to find flaws in themselves

D．it can provide them with valuable experiences

6. Many coaches and parents are in the habit of criticizing young athletes _________.

       A．without realizing criticism may destroy their self-confidence

       B．in order to make them remember life’s lessons

       C．believing that criticism is beneficial for their early development

       D．so as to put more pressure on them

7．According to the passage parents and coaches should_______.

       A．help children to win every game

       B．pay more attention to letting children enjoy sports

       C．enable children to understand the positive aspect of sports

       D．train children to deal with stress

8．The author’s purpose in writing the passage is_______.

       A．to persuade young children not to worry about criticism

       B．to emphasize the importance of positive reinforcement to children

       C．to discuss the skill of combing criticism with encouragement

       D．to teach young athletes how to avoid burnout

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处，每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。

 增加： 在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧）,并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除： 把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。

修改： 在错词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

      2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

 I will share one experience with you. With the college Entrance Examination draw near, I was filled with great anxiety. However, I couldn’t be absorbed in study, resulting from my failing in the examination. I got very discouraging. Just then ,my teacher, Miss Zhang, approached me and said, “In life we all have moments when we can’t achieve what we want to. It is natural. Don’t allow those moments to weaken you, and turn them into motivation to inspire yourself.” Her words were reminder that provided me with constant encouragement to smile at life. Consequently , I gained that I deserved.

   So it is an optimistic attitude which matters most of all. It gives you the confidence to deal with difficulties and to achieve what you want in your life.

    Most leaders are made from experience and opportunity.Failure is a key part of this.Failure is not the opposite of success;it's a stepping  stone to success.Failures strengthen our determinations and help us cultivate a deeply-help belief. You can't be a leader without  knowing why you're leading-without a defined and unshakeable sense of purpose. Sometimes we realize this purpose only after being tested.tested. When we fail, we gain a view  about where we're going, how we're going to get there, and why we began in the first place. 

    In my own experience, the times I've been knocked down have given me

invaluable  insight about my leadership, my driving force, and myself. Personal development is hard-fought and hard-won-but it's worth it. Four years ago, I had the rare privilege of meeting with Burmese  pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi （昂山素季）in Rangoon. She had just been released from unjust house arrest that had lasted 20 years. It's an experience staying with me, and I know I will always look back on those few hours as one of the most fantastic and inspiring experiences of my life. 

     Throughout a life time of leadership,Aung San Suu Kyi has never hesitated to risk her voice,her  freedom or her satety to preserve an ideal. She has taken enormous risks,suffered persecution (迫害）and countless setbacks.But these don't compare to the worth she sees in protecting values of equality,democracy,and justice.She choose to se  beyond the risk of failure because she is focused on her vision for Burma and lets nothing discourage her sense of purpose or rob her faith.

     She said, “the difference between good intentions and great leadership is the courage andcommitment to stay the course, no matter how difficult the path.” I think it's a message for all of us, especially when we think about rejection.

Leaders don't give in  to failure, they rise above it. They see hopes where others see problems. They lead relentlessly（坚韧地） because they're determined to someday live in the world they imagine.

32.Which of the followingg is wrong about Aung San Suu Ky?

A.She has taken enormous risks and countless setbacks.

B.She has never risked her safety to preserve an ideal.

C.She is a woman leader of reat courage and detemination.

D.She has a strong sense of purpose.

33. Why does the author take Aung San Suu Ky as an example?

A.to show they are good friends.

B.to prove Aung San Suu Ky is a great leader.

C.to make her topic more powerful.

D.to illustrate woman can also be great leaders.

34. What can we conclude from the passage?

A.It is failure that makes Aung San Suu Ky  a great leader.

B.A leader should see hopes not problems.

C.Failure is the opposite of success.

D.Failure and rejedtion make most leaders.

35. What quality is not mentioned to be great leader in the passage?

A.determination  B.courage  C.purpose  D.honesty

 After recovering from his illness, he was advised to ________ gardening, as a hobby to kill time when nobody was with him.

A. take away B. take on            C. take off            D. take up

Hello. I’m Jan from Mrs. Lake’s class. My class wants to work together to help the public. We think we have found a great way to do this. Last month we did a class project on the highways near our town. We learned about the Adopt-a-Highway Program. This program brings people together to pick up litter along the roads. We think it would be a great idea for all students in our school to join the program and adopt a highway.

Adopting a highway is not like adopting a pet. When a highway is adopted, only part of the highway is cared for by a group of people. The group agrees to work every week to keep its part of the highway clean. Each group gets its own sign that has the name of the group printed on it. The sign is put up at the side of the road. This sign lets drivers know who is keeping that area of the road clean.

The Adopt-a-Highway Program is a great way for people to help their environment look nicer. Also, the government does not have to send out as many road workers. This saves money. Finally, people may try harder to keep roads clean if they see people, especially teenagers like us, cleaning them up.

    We will need helpers to care for our adopted highway. If you want to feel great and keep our roads clean，please come with your parents to the meeting next week. We will meet in Mrs. Lake’ room on Wednesday at 6:00 P.M. At the meeting, we will talk about which roads are the dirtiest as a result of people's unkind acts. Then we' ll try to pick an area to adopt and clean.

   I look forward to seeing you at the meeting. Remember to keep our roads clean!

24.What is the Adopt-a-Highway Program about?

  A. Giving names to the highways.     B. Drawing pictures of highways.

  C. Picking up litter along the roads.    D. Putting up signs near the roads.

25. What should the students do first if they want to join the program?

  A. Pick a spot to care for.             B. Call Mrs. Lake next week.

  C. Write a letter to their parents.       D. Go to a meeting on Wednesday.

26.What is the purpose of this speech?

  A. To encourage students to join the program.

 B. To introduce the traffic system.

  C. To show drivers how to drive safely.

  D. To tell a story about adopting a pet.

27.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

  A. Adopt-a-Pet                    B. Adopt-a-Highway

C. Ways to Protect the Environment   D. Volunteers on Roads