任务型阅读 （一）
A little stream(小溪) ran down from a high mountain through many villages and forests. Then it reached a desert. “I went through so many difficulties. I should have no problem crossing the desert,” she thought. As she started, she found herself slowly vanishing(消失)into the sand. After many tries, she still failed. “Maybe I can’t reach the ocean,” she said sadly to herself. At this time, a deep voice said, “If wind can cross the desert, so can a river.” It was the voice of the desert. But the little stream answered, “That’s because the wind can fly, but I can not.” “That’s because you can’t give up what you are. Let yourself evaporate(蒸发)into the wind and it can take you across me,” said the desert. “Give up what I am now? No! No!” The little stream could not accept this idea. “The wind can carry the vapor(蒸汽)across the desert and let it leave as rain. The rain will form a river again,” said the desert. “And whether you’re a river or vapor, your nature never changes.” After hearing this, the little stream went into the open arms of the wind. It carried her to the next stage of her life.
The course of our lives is like the experience of the little stream. If you want to go through difficulties in your life to head for success, you should also change the way you are. Answer the following questions according to what you read. 1. Did the little stream want to reach the ocean or the desert at last?
____________________________________________ 2. Was the little stream able to cross the desert at first? ____________________________________________ 3. Who gave the advice to the little stream?
____________________________________________ 4. What did the little Stream do after hearing the desert's words? ____________________________________________
5. What can you realize from the experience of the little stream in this passage? ____________________________________________
（二）
阅读下面短文，并用英语回答问题（请注意每小题后面的词数要求）。
There was once an old and deep well. People got water by dropping
a bucket(木桶) tied to a rope. The rope passed over a wheel just above the
well. On the other side of the rope was another bucket.
A strong pull brought one bucket to the top while the other down to the water. They always
passed each other on the way up and down, but never had time to speak.
At last, the rope became worn. So a new rope had to be put in its place. While this was being
done, the two buckets were left standing together near the well.
“What a boring life we have!” said one bucket to the other. “I am quite tired of it. No matter
how full we come up, we are always sent down empty.”
But the other bucket laughed and said, “What a funny way you have of looking at things!
Don’t you see that whenever we are sent down empty, we always come up full?’
Boys and girls sometimes talk like these two buckets. You may hear one of them say, “Just as
we are having a good game, we are made to stop and go to work again.” “Yes,” the other will reply, “but as soon as work is over, we always get to go out and have fun again.”
There are two ways of looking at things. If you want to be happy, look at the bright side.
1. What were the buckets tied to? （不超过10个词） ____________________________________________
2. Where did the two buckets talk with each other?（不超过10个词） ____________________________________________ 3. What does the story tell us?（不超过15个词） ____________________________________________
(三)
Do you always find it is raining when you walk out? Or are you always buying umbrellas and leaving them home when it rains? There is a new umbrella that could solve both problems. The umbrella will not only tell you the weather, but also let you know you’ve left it behind. How does it work? The umbrella will send a message to your smartphone. And it says “Hey, it’s going to rain in 15 minutes where you are, so you’d better take your umbrella.”
Besides, if you are forgetful, you may never leave an umbrella on a bus or somewhere else again. The umbrella will send a warning to your smartphone if you leave it behind. The new umbrella is expected to go on sale soon. Though it is a good idea and it looks pretty cool, the umbrella will cost you $185. Maybe you will just check the free weather apps (应用程序) on your smartphone and take an umbrella with you when it is going to rain. 1. How many problems can the new umbrella solve?
____________________________________________ 2. What else can the new umbrella tell you besides the weather? ____________________________________________ 3. Where will the new umbrella send a warning? ____________________________________________ 4. When will the new umbrella be sold?
____________________________________________ 5. Does the writer think the new umbrella looks cool? ____________________________________________
参考答案
（一）
1. She(It) wanted to reach the ocean at last./The ocean. 2. No, it(she) wasn't.
3. The desert, The desert did./ The desert gave the advice to the little stream.
4. After hearing this, she(it) went into the open arms of the wind,/ She(It) went into the open arms of the wind,
5. If we(I) want to go through difficulties in our(my) life to head for success, we(I) should also change the way we are(I am)./ If we are(I am) in trouble, we(I) should try our(my) best to find ways to solve the problems./ Whenever we(I) meet difficulties, we(I) shouldn't give up and