A student newspaper reports that most students go to sleep at 1:30 am. Even if that’s an overstatement (夸張), it’s close to the truth. Scientists say teens should sleep nine hours each night. But that’s hard. Some are even “pulling all-nighters” (開(kāi)夜車(chē)). These students must hand in their homework the next day but they haven’t done it. In the morning they don’t look healthy and you can tell who’s been doing it. One of my classmates did a survey on the topic. She found that most kids pull all-nighters to finish homework, but some do it for other reasons, such as playing computer games!
Maybe our lack(缺乏) of sleep is because of laziness — I think I’m a rather lazy student — or maybe it’s because we have too much to do in American high schools. I usually go to bed around midnight. If I stayed up past 1:30 am, I wouldn’t get any work done. I’d be falling asleep at my computer. My classes begin at 7:30 am. I’m partly awake in my first class. By the second, I’m a little sleepy. By my third class, I’m sleepy. By midday I’m finally fully awake. But by 3:00 pm, I’m slowing down again. Yet I get more sleep than usual students.
Most American high schools seem to have a similar(相似的) problem with sleepy students. High school classes start at 7:30 am, so students have to get up one and a half hours before that to get ready and catch the bus. It’s believed that lack of sleep can be bad for both grades and health. Some schools are paying attention. Classes in those schools start at 8:30 am.
【小題1】What does the underlined sentence “it’s close to the truth” mean?

A．It doesn’t tell the truth.	B．It is quite true.
C．It is impossible.	D．I don’t think it’s right.

【小題2】Why do most of the teens have to stay up late?

A．They play computer games.	B．They watch videos late.
C．They have to do a lot of housework.	D．They have to do a lot of homework.

【小題3】When do students in most American high schools have to get up?

A．At 7:30 am.

B．At 6:00 am.

C．At 9:00 am.

D．At about 7:00 am.

【小題4】Which of the following is TRUE according to the reading?

A．The writer usually stays up past 1:30 am.

B．The writer usually goes to bed around midnight.

C．The writer usually does a survey.

D．Many American students don’t get enough sleep, so they can have high grades.

【小題5】What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Something has to be done to solve the problem of students’ lack of sleep.

B．Many American high school students are sleepy in class.

C．Many kids have too much homework to do.

D．Students can’t play computer games.

When I was ten, my mother worked all day so I had to take care of my younger brother. At that time my little brother was about four years old and he missed mum all the time.
One day, after I had given him his dinner, he started crying for mum.He was so young and really needed mum. So I dressed him, put on his shoes, carried him on my back and walked out. Soon he fell asleep. About half an hour later, I found that he had lost a shoe while sleeping. I took him off my back and put him down. I knew we needed to find that shoe, for our mother couldn’t afford new shoes. We had to go back to find it, so I told my brother to wait right there. A man heard it and stopped me just before I walked off. He asked me, “You are leaving your brother here to find the shoe? What would you do if he is not here when you return?” I did not know how to answer that question. He continued, “It’s OK if you can’t find the shoe, but it is not OK to lose your brother.” Then he sent us to mum’s workplace by taxi.
My whole life I have depended on the kindness of many strangers, I feel regretful that I cannot find them and say thank you. I do not even remember what the man’s face looked like, but he taught me a lesson—people are more important than things.
【小題1】 Why did the younger brother cry for his mother?

A．Because he was hungry.	B．Because he missed his mother.
C．Because he wanted to sleep.	D．Because he wanted to play outside.

【小題2】What does the underlined word “regretful” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Sorry.

B．Happy.

C．Excited.

D．Angry.

【小題3】What did the man mean by saying “It’s OK if you can’t find the shoe, but it is not OK to lose your brother.”?

A．People are more important than things.

B．Things are more important than people.

C．Both the shoe and your brother are important.

D．The shoe is more important than your brother.

【小題4】According to the passage, which word can best describe the man?

A．Rude.

B．Funny.

C．Silly.

D．Kind.

A new school term begins, Is anything new at your school? Sichuan students are getting an extra (額外的)hour to sleep in the morning.
This year, Sichuan schools decided that students should start classes later. This should help them feel less tired, For Junior high schools, the first classes will begin no earlier than 8:30 am.
The changes have made students happy.
Liu Xian, 15, said his class was excited by the news on the first day of school. “It’s so good we can get up later!” said Liu.
Liu studies in Chengdu No.4 Middle School. He used to get up at 6:40 am. Now he can get up at 7:40 am because class doesn’t start until 8:40 am.
Wu Hongli, 15, said the new timetable is good for her health. “I used to drink coffee every night or I would feel to sleepy to finish my homework, ”said Wu. “Now I can finish it without coffee.”She used to get up at 6:30 am. Now she can get up at 7:30 am.
Wu Hongli’s mother was happy, too. She thought more sleep would help her daughter grow taller.
But some parents worried that more sleep would mean less learning. There used to be five classes in the morning. Now there are only four.
Many teachers, though, say the changes will help students learn better.
“Students used to doze(瞌睡)for the first two classes in the morning,”said Wu Zongping, an English teacher at Chendu No.12 Middle School. “But now they look fine and they learn much better than before.”
A.The new school term began.                        B.Their schools took on a new look.
C.They felt a little bit tired.          D.They could get up later.
【小題1】In the new term, the first class in the morning in middle schools started at about          .

A．7:00

B．7:30

C．8:00

D．8:40

【小題2】Why was Liu Xian excited at the news on the first day of school?

A．There were many changes in his school.

B．He could sleep one more hour in the morning.

C．He could study in Chengdu No.4 Middle School.

D．He would have only five classes in the morning.

【小題3】What did the teachers think of the changes of the school timetable?

A．They didn’t like the changes.	B．They could use the timetable more easily.
C．They spoke highly of the changes.	D．They looked fine when they taught.

When I was seven years old my mom was diagnosed(診斷) with cancer. The doctors told us my mom might be saved with surgery(手術(shù)). But it could also kill her. She chose to have it.
The day before the surgery I was off school, and my mom planned the best day of my life, everything I loved at seven and everything that would put a smile on my face. The day began with her waking me up saying, “Kate, I have a surprise for you. Come and see.” The surprise was a doll I had wanted for the longest time. Throughout the day, she told me everything that she thought I would need to know to grow up and be a good person; she told me to be the best I could be and that I would always make her proud. We had a picnic in the park, and it was so cold that we moved to the car. The day was filled with laughter. For the first time in a long time I could see she was really happy. I would never forget her smile, or the way her eyes shone as if we were the same age. It was the best day of my life, and I will never forget the conversations we shared.
My mother managed to live through the surgery. Now when I look back, I realize that the best day of my life could be her last and this could be the last day I would remember with her, the last one we shared. I also understand how unselfish a mother is.
【小題1】 Who made the decision to have the surgery in the story?

A．The doctors.

B．The patient.

C．The writer.

D．The patient’s family.

【小題2】What did the writer’s mother do the day before the surgery?

A．She stayed at home to have a good rest.

B．She went to the doctor’s for advice.

C．She turned to her family for comfort.

D．She stayed all day with her child.

【小題3】 Why was the writer’s mother happy that day?

A．Because she left her child a special memory.

B．Because she realized her child had grown up.

C．Because she was proud of what her child had done.

D．Because she expected the surgery to be successful.

【小題4】The underlined sentence in the last paragraph suggests that ______.

A．her mother was ill again	B．the surgery was unsuccessful
C．her mother was getting better	D．the surgery was simple

【小題5】 Which of the following words best describes the writer’s mother?

A．Hardworking.

B．Famous.

C．Rich.

D．Great.