The Orphan（孤儿）Trains began 75 years ago. They helped thousands of children without parents or homes. Some children were adopted by Christian families. Those who were not adopted were the official foster children.

Most Orphan Train children found good homes with loving Christian families. But a few ended up with families who used the children as servants. Anyway, if a child were being badly treated, the Orphan Trains usually found him or her a new home. They were not only provided with food and shelter but also kept away from a life of crime.

Clara and her two brothers were lucky to find good homes through the Orphan Trains. When Clara was about seven, her parents and a sister were killed when they tried to cross a river in New York State. She and her two brothers, five-year-old James and three-year-old Howard, were sent to different families in Kansas. Each child ended up with a different loving family. They were able to keep in touch with one another throughout their lives. Clara’s new mother was a school teacher. When she grew up, Clara married, moved to Texas and lived a happy life all through her life.

 In an interview, the grown-up “orphans” said they learned in the process of their life how important it is to be loved. They grew up to become loving, caring parents of their own children.

21. We learn from the passage that the Orphan Trains was ________.

A. a traffic means for orphans             B. an aid project for orphans

C. an education organization               D. an advertisement company

22. How did the Orphan Trains help orphan children?

A. They tried to find food and shelter for those kids.

B. The agents took a train to find the children’s homes.

C. They managed to find loving homes for those children.

D. They sent those homeless children to work as servants.

23. What happened to Clara when she was seven years old?

A. Her parents died in a flood.       B. She lost her parents and a sister.

C. Her family arrived in New York.      D. She met her brothers James and Howard.

A football team stands hanging their heads. The other team has just scored again. Suddenly, a girl flies into the air. She drops down into the arms of her fellow cheerleaders. They start dancing, waving colorful pom-poms（彩球）and chanting. The whole crowd joins in the chant, lifting the spirits of the team.

Since ancient times, there have always been audiences to cheer on athletes. But somehow it took thousands of years for organized cheers to start. They first appeared at Princeton University in the 1880s. Students organized a crowd chant that went “Tah Rah Rah, Tiger Tiger Tiger, Sis Sis Sis, Boom Boom Boom, Aaaaaaahhh! Princeton! Princeton! Princeton!” Not surprisingly, this chant didn’t catch on.

In 1898, a man named Johnny Campbell from the University of Minnesota became the first cheerleader. During a football game, he wanted to pump up the crowd, so he started leading them in a chant that went “Rah Rah Rah! Sku-u-mar, Hoo-Rah! Hoo-rah! Varsity! Varsity! Varsity, Minn-e-So-Tah!” Soon after, the first cheerleading team was created.

Nowadays, 97% of cheerleaders are female. So, it’s pretty hard to believe women were not allowed to be cheerleaders until 1923. When women joined in, the sport changed in varieties of ways. Women cheerleaders made it more athletic by adding gymnastics and acrobatics（特技）into the act.

Though women were becoming more common in cheerleading, the majority of cheerleaders were men until the 1940s. When America joined World War II in 1942, many college-aged men went off to war. Women took over the cheerleading roles and from then on, they dominated（主导）the sport.

Pom-poms, the flashy balls that cheerleaders hold in each hand while doing their cheers, were first used in the 1960s. They add a little extra excitement and flash to the cheerleaders’ moves.

As cheerleading became more popular, it then spread from college to high school and finally became an important part of American culture.

24. Which aspect of cheerleading does the passage focus on?

A. Its early years.                                 B. Its great popularity.

C. Its gradual development.                D. Its main characters.

25. What can we learn about organized cheerleading?

A. It was started by college students.                                 B. It didn’t appear until 1898.

C. It has existed thousands of years.  D. It first took place during a football game.

26. Which of the following is TRUE about male cheerleaders?

A. They only make up 13% of the performers.

B. They added more excitement to their moves.

C. They’re considered to be weak and womanlike.

D. They used to take control of the cheerleading world.

27. What event led to the female dominance of cheerleading?

A. The American Civil War.                 B. The Second World War.

C. The invention of pom-poms.        D. The addition of gymnastics. 

Once an old man rose early to read each morning. His grandson wanted to be just like his grandfather, so tried to emulate him every way he could.

    One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read just like you do, but I don’t understand most of it, and I forget whatever I do understand immediately I close the book. So what good is it for me to read?”

    The grandfather, who was putting coal on the fire, said, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”

The boy did as told to, but the water leaked out before he could get the basket home.

The grandfather laughed, saying, “You’ll have to move a little faster.” This time he ran faster, but again the basket emptied. Out of breath, he decided it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket（桶）. But the grandfather said, “I want a basket of water instead of a bucket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough.”

The boy knew what he was trying to accomplish was impossible. However, he decided to show his grandfather a third time.

The boy dipped the basket into the river and ran as hard as he could. With the empty basket, he gasped（喘气说）, “See Grandpa? It’s useless!”

“So you think it useless?” the old man asked. “Then look at the basket.” To his surprise, the boy found it washed clean of the dirty coal stains and now clean inside and out.

“My child, that’s what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but the words will change you inside and out. That is the work of reading in our lives.”  

28. Why did the man tell the boy to fetch a basket of water？

A. The work was too much for himself. B. The work could test how fast the boy ran.

C. He intended to train the boy to run faster.

D. He meant to inspire the boy through an example.

29. What does the underline word “emulate” in Paragraph 1 most probably mean?

A. Admire.             B. Encourage.       C. Challenge.         D. Copy.

30. Which of the following words can be used to describe the grandfather?

A. Wise and diligent.                            B. Healthy and smart.

C. Thoughtful and loving.                      D. Serious and knowledgeable.

31. What would be the best title for this passage?

A. The Power of Reading.                  B. A Basket of Water.

C. Old Man and His Grandson.          D. On Reading Books.

Be honest, when was the last time you cried? If you’re one of those who say they never cry, the statistics are against you. Women reportedly cry 64 times a year on average, while men shed（流）tears about 17 times. Everyone from professional athletes such as Michael Jordan to politicians like Barack Obama has been caught crying at least once. But why do we cry?

Some psychologists believe crying is our body’s response when we’re helpless. Even if we’re surprised by happy news, we may still cry. Other psychologists say that when we cry, we’re trying to get others to help us out when we’re surprised, sad, angry, scared, or in danger.

Therapist（临床专家）Judith Kay Nelson says that our experience with crying as babies may determine how we view crying when we’re older. Some parents are quick to try and calm their kids down whenever they start crying. Those children will likely find crying in their adult years brings a similar comfort. On the other hand, those whose parents became angered by their crying probably won’t feel crying has the same calming effect.

Many people believe crying can actually make a person feel better. But according to studies, whether it makes us feel better or not depends on the reactions of others. If others react positively, we’ll feel better. On the contrary, we’ll feel worse.

People’s reactions to crying have a lot to do with the gender（性别）of the person weeping. In the West, it’s generally acceptable for women to be seen crying. In Britain boys are taught not to cry. Even though people are becoming more enlightened about tears, crying in males is still viewed as a sign of weakness. Philip Hodson, an expert on male emotions, has a different viewpoint. “In truth, crying isn’t weakness; it’s a relaxation system,” he says. “If we don’t use this system, we’re not being very intelligent.” After all, everybody cries.

32. What can be learned about the act of crying from the statistics?

A. Everyone, regardless of sex, cries.                                B. Some people never cry.

C. Women often cry for no reason at all.D. Men actually cry more than women.

33. Which is the opinion of therapist Judith Kay Nelson?

A. The act of crying has a calming effect on all of us.

B. Parents shouldn’t rush to calm their baby when it cries.

C. The way we view crying is shaped by our childhood experience.

D. Parents’ responses to a crying baby will determine its personality type.

34. What is said about crying making a person feel better?

A. It is completely false.                        B. It is dependent on a person’s age.

C. It is true only for men.                       D. It is influenced by others’ responses.

35. What can we infer about Western cultures from the last paragraph?

A. Only intelligent people can relax by crying.

B. Crying is still less socially acceptable for males than females.

C. Males are now encouraged to express their emotions through crying.

D. British people consider it unhealthy to keep feelings bottled up inside.

Listed below are some customs or ways of behaving that are typically Canadian and which may differ from your home country.

Punctuality.    36   If you must be late for class, enter the class quietly, take your seat making sure not to disturb the others.

   37   When invited to someone’s home for dinner, it’s customary to arrive on time or a few minutes later, but not early. You should always take with you a hostess gift such as flowers, candy or something from your home country. You’re expected to stay for a couple of hours after dinner.

Table Manners. Before eating, Christian families say a prayer of thanks. You’ll probably be expected to help yourself to food as it is passed around the table.   38   Never start to eat until everyone is seated. Canadians don’t chew with their mouths open. Canadians like to talk during meals so please join in the conversation. At the end of the meal, it’s customary to pay a polite compliment（称赞）to the meal.

Please, Thank you, and the Tone（语气）of Voice. It’s important to start all requests with “Please” and to say “Thank you” for favors.    39   When someone speaks forcefully, it sounds bossy and offensive.

Body Contact. Hugging and kissing is common in Canadian homes. Host mother or father shouldn’t kiss you but you may get a kiss goodnight on the cheek by younger family members.

   40   If you’re uncomfortable with it, talk to the headmaster.

A. Gift Giving.

B. Canadians are used to speaking gently.

C. Going to Someone’s House for Dinner.

D. Be careful to consider how much food you require.

E. Being on time for classes is seen as polite and important.

F. The host mother or father may give you an occasional hug.

G. Canadians prefer to look into the eyes of the person they’re talking to.