Since 2000, the Feather River Land Trust (FRLT) has been working to protect the lands and waters of the Feather River region. FRLT owns three very special places, which we invite you to visit. Maddalena Property in Sierra Valley.

Maddalena Property is a heaven for people who like birds. Its wetlands have more than 120 bird species. With increasing numbers of visitors every year, Maddalena Property has become the place that bird lovers must visit. Open to the public all year round, Maddalena Property is a great place for you to play in the wetlands, and enjoy great 360-degree views of the mountains surrounding (环绕) Sierra Valley.   

Heart K Ranch in Genesee Valley

Heart K Ranch is a Sierra Nevada treasure, with wonderful mountain beauty and a rich historical and cultural past. There are different kinds of woodlands and grasslands. Fall is a great time to make a drive from St. Bernard Lodge to Indian Valley. It's also a very good place for you to have a picnic or a long bike ride.

Leonhardt Ranch in American Valley

Leonhardt Ranch was protected in 2012 as an outdoor classroom for children in Quincy High School. During school hours, teachers and students are allowed to set up research sites and do projects in their outdoor classroom. Leonhardt Ranch is open to the public during non-school hours to walk along our riverside and watch for frogs, fish, birds and other wildlife. You can also enjoy the beautiful views of Spanish Peak and American Valley. Note: No dogs or bikes are allowed in Leonhardt Ranch.

21. The three places are all located near        .

A. Feather River    B. Sierra Valley        C. Genesee Valley     D. American Valley

22. If you want to study birds, you’d better visit         .

A. Maddalena Property and Heart K Ranch

    B. Heart K Ranch and Quincy High School

    C. Maddalena Property and Leonhardt Ranch

    D. Leonhardt Ranch and Quincy High School

23. What is the shared feature of Heart K Ranch and Leonhardt Ranch?

    A. Many kinds of landforms.

    B. A rich cultural past.

    C. An outdoor classroom.

D. Many kinds of animals.

Dear Mr Martin,

Let’s go back to the 6th grade. I joined the school band. Everyone in the band wanted the first chair, but only one kid would get it, and everyone knew it would go to Danny Chen because he was the best in the band.

Of course, I didn't get the first chair. In fact, I was almost in the last chair. Danny Chen, of course, was first. But I remember going to our band lessons, and you would keep telling me that I would be in the first chair one day. So I tried harder because I wanted to draw your attention. As time passed that year, I started to move up the ranks — I was in the 5th chair out of 14 by the end of November.

Of course, I wanted first, but I wasn’t ready for that. Slowly, you moved me up to the third chair, between Ari Simms and Tom Haggard, who was in the 2nd chair. Tom kept talking to Danny in the middle of class, and to stop that, you put me in between the two of them. That made me in the 2nd chair. That’s been the closest I’ve gotten to the first chair. And I want to thank you for that.

Of course, I want to thank you for a lot more than just giving me the 2nd chair. You helped me through my parents' divorce (离婚). You made me believe that I was good enough to do Rock’n Soul, which I loved. You made me laugh and smile when my cousin was in the hospital. And you let me sing during School of Rock rehearsals (排练). The most important thing was that you told me, “You’re different.” You explained, “You’re different because you’re just trying to be yourself. Every other girl dresses the same, talks the same and walks the same, but you’re not like that. You've been yourself since I met you. You’re happy with that. That's really important.”

I know you’re retiring this year. I want to let you know that I will miss you.

Yours,

Meaghan

24. Danny Chen got the first chair because          .

       A. he was Mr Martin’s favorite student

       B. he was the shortest boy in the band

       C. everyone else wanted him to get it

       D. he was better than the others in the band

25. What did Mr Martin often do when the author went to band lessons?

       A. He lied to her.                              B. He encouraged her.

       C. He tried to draw her attention.            D. He asked her to sit in the front.

26. Mr Martin let the author be in the second chair because he wanted to          .

       A. keep an eye on the author

       B. show he disliked Ari and Tom

       C. tell the author she was really good

       D. stop Tom and Danny talking in class

27. The author wrote to Mr Martin most probably to          .

       A. share her experience                  B. express her thanks to him

       C. tell how much she misses him                   D. ask him to let her get the first chair

       Friends are very important in our lives. Everyone needs friends. If you don’t have friends, you’ll feel lonely. However, some people don’t try to build the friendships they’d like to have. Why?

       Some people don’t build friendships because they think they have no time for that. Today many people live a very busy life, so it’s not strange that some people don’t think they have time for friendships. However, this is wrong. You should know that if you really want to do something, you can spare time for it, no matter how busy you are.

       My friend Tom used to think he had no time to build friendships. He was working almost all the time. However, one day, he realized that he didn’t have any friends in the city and became scared. He didn’t want to be lonely in the future. He decided to make a change. He didn’t bring home as much work as before. Instead, he went to a gym and started working out there. He not only became healthier, but also made some friends there.

       Some people don’t try to make friends because the idea of making new friends is scary to them. They’re afraid people will refuse to make friends with them. If someone does reject to make friends with you, it doesn’t mean that you’re useless or unlovable. Maybe they’re having a bad day. Maybe they don’t know you well. Or maybe they’re not a nice person. If you’ve been turned down by someone before, don’t think others will do the same to you.

       My friend David was afraid of making new friends, too, because he didn’t want to be turned down by others. But later he found some people were really nice. Slowly he made some good friends. Now he is no longer afraid of talking to new people and believes he can make more friends.

       So all you have to do is to believe you’ll make more friends and spare time for it.

28. According to Paragraph 2, some people don’t make friends because         .

       A. they think work is their friend

       B. they think they’re too busy for that

       C. they don’t think friends are important

       D. they don’t want to communicate with others

29. What made Tom feel scared?

       A. The thought of going to the gym.              B. The thought of having much work.

       C. The fear of having poor health.                 D. The fear of being lonely in the future.

30. What does the underlined word “reject” in Paragraph 4 mean?

       A. Refuse.                   B. Offer.               C. Afford.                    D. Try.

31. David’s story shows that we         .

       A. should be nice to other people                  B. should have some good friends

       C. shouldn’t say “no” to other people            D. shouldn’t be afraid of making friends

       How many sports stars can you name? Whether it’ s ten or thirty, I believe that 90% of them would be male (男性). Even in today’s society, which calls for gender equality (男女平等), it seems that female sports stars simply don’t get the same coverage (报道) as male players.

       The World Cup is the most widely followed sporting event in the world. According to a report, almost 715 million people watched the final match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, a ninth of the whole population of the planet. But how many people notice the fact that the FIFA Women’s World Cup has just taken place in Canada? The US team was the winner, after beating the Japanese team 5-2 in the final match. England even got a third place! However, the England team in the men’s World Cup seldom runs to the quarter-finals. While the World Cup enjoys prime-time on most BBC channels, the FIFA Women’s World Cup is put aside. The only time the media (媒体) made the news was when an English player scored an own goal!

       The inequality doesn’t end with football. Just recently, Caroline Wozniacki (a top Danish tennis player) complained that women don’t get the same chance as men to play on the show courts at Wimbledon. In this case, I think it’s the luck of the draw — the further you get in the competition, the more likely you are to play on the show courts. In the opening stages, it is true that often only the best players will play their matches on the show courts. Women’s tennis does get lots of coverage, though many complain that it isn’t exciting to watch.

       Many people think the women’s sport is often paid less attention to, but I think this is slowly starting to change. In the UK, there is a campaign called This Girl Can, which aims to get girls and women back into sports, regardless of (不管) their age, shape or sporting ability. Hopefully this campaign will encourage more people to take up and enjoy sports, and help to reduce (减少) the nation’s health problems.

32. The hidden message in Paragraph 1 is that         .

       A. female players don’t get much attention

       B. male players are more likely to enjoy sports

       C. there are more male players than female players

       D. the media prefers to provide coverage of female sports

33. The author thinks Caroline’s case         .

       A. is due to the level of players’ ability

       B. is another example of gender inequality

       C. helps women’s tennis get a lot of coverage

       D. leads to disappointment at women’s tennis

34. What’s the author’s attitude toward the future of women’s sport?

       A. Negative.         B. Positive.           C. Unconcerned.                D. Doubtful.

35. Why does the author expect more women to take part in sports?

       A. To beat male players.                  B. To have a household name.

       C. To achieve their dreams.             D. To improve their health.

How to make new friends

      When you start high school, you need to make some new friends because your old friends may be away from you now. It’s not easy to make new friends, but it’s important to make new friends. Good friends help you to be happier.   36   Here are some tips to help you make new friends at high school.

       Be confident after you enter high school. People like making friends with those who are confident.   37   Smile and ask them their name, if they’ve seen a new movie, or if they like a sport or activity. Sit in the middle of the classroom so that a lot of people will sit around you.

         38   Don’t change who you are to fit in or please other people. Many people can know it if you aren’t being yourself — don’t try too hard to fit in. There isn’t another person like you, so remember that and accept the fact that you’re special.

       Enjoy your new friends. Do something small but nice for them.   39   If you can, try and meet up with your friends outside of school and really get to know them. Enjoy yourself and enjoy being with your friends.

       Be a good friend. Being good friends is about trusting (信任) each other and caring for each other. It’s about give-and-take.   40   Try to understand your friends’ points of view. Think about their feelings. If you’re a good friend to others, you’ll enjoy friendships that can last long.

       A. Don’t be afraid of others.

       B. Everyone needs new friends.

       C. They can help you do better at school.

       D. Pick up your courage and talk to someone.

       E. Be yourself when you’re talking with others.

       F. Be there for your friends when you’re needed.

       G. For example, you can save a seat for your friend.