Alexis Rocha is a 13-year-old boy from California, US. He weighs 147 pounds (67 kg). But six months ago, he weighed more than 202 pounds (91 kg). How did he lose all that weight in only half a year?
“One day, I was surprised to find that I weighed about 200 pounds,” Rocha says. “I thought I had to do something.”
Rocha is from a boxing (拳擊) family—his father and two older brothers are professional boxers. So he decided to start boxing. He began with simple exercises, like sit-ups and push-ups (俯臥撐). Then Rocha started jogging(慢跑). “No kid likes running,” he says. “I don’t want to do it, either, but I have no choice but to keep on.”
Months later, Rocha joined a boxing club in his city. He is always the first kid at the club to begin exercising, and the last to leave with sweat (汗水) on his face. Every day he boxes for about three hours.
“Rocha works very hard,” says his coach, Hector Lopez. “It’s surprising to see him lose the pounds so quickly. I’ve never seen anything like this in my 20 years of coaching.”
Rocha is very happy with his weight now. There is a family photo in his room from 18 months ago. “Each time I look at the photo, I laugh at myself. I was so big back then,” Rocha says. “I look 100 times thinner and 1,000 times stronger now.”
【小題1】How much weight did Rocha lose in six months?
A. At least 24 pounds.     B. At least 30 pounds.　　    C. At least 55 pounds.
【小題2】 Rocha said he had no choice but to keep on running because_______.
A. he liked running very much
B. he wanted to be thin and strong
C. he wanted to be a professional boxer
【小題3】What makes Coach Hector Lopez surprised?
A. Rocha lost weight so quickly.
B. Rocha was so fat 18 months ago.
C. Rocha comes from a boxing family.
【小題4】What’s the correct order of the following sentences?
a. He did some sit-ups and push-ups.
b. He lost the pounds quickly.
c. He joined a boxing club.
d. He began running.
f. He boxed for about three hours every day.
A. a-d-c-f-b     B. d-a-f-c-b     C. a-d-f-c-b 
【小題5】The writer mainly wants to tell us _______.
A. Rocha is a hardworking boy
B. it is important to get exercise
C. everything is possible if you work hard

Bamboo is one of the nature’s most surprising plants. Many people call this plant a tree, but it is a kind of grass.

Like other kinds of grass, a bamboo may be cut very low to the ground, which grew 1.5 meters ( 4 feet ) in 24 hours! Bamboo grows almost everywhere in the world except Europe. There are more than 1,000 kinds of bamboo.

Not all the bamboos look the same. Some bamboo plants are very thin. They may only grow to be a few centimeters wide while others may grow to more than 30 centimeters (1 foot) across. This plant also comes in different colors, from yellow to black to green.

Bamboo has been used to make many things such as hats and kitchen tools. Because it is strong, bamboo is also used to build buildings. Many Asian countries have used bamboo for hundreds of years. They often use bamboo for buildings or supporting new buildings and bridges while they are been built.

In Africa, poor farmers are taught how to find water using. These African countries need cheap way to find water because they have no money, and their fields often die from no rain and no water. Bamboo pipes help poor farmers bring water to their thirsty fields without spending a lot of money.

1. How is the bamboo like grass?

   A. It grows quickly.   B. It’s wood.     C. It is easy to cut.  D. It’s very thin.

2. Though you can see bamboo in many places, it doesn’t grow           .

   A. in China         B. in Europe      C. on mountains    D. in Africa

3. Why is bamboo used by African poor farmers?   Because           .

   A. it is cheap              B. it has different colors

 C. it is strong             D. it has been used by Asians

4. Bamboo pipes can        .

       A. make money      B. be trees       C. grow quickly   D. carry water