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Short and shy， Ben Saunders was the last kid in his class picked for any sports team. “Football， tennis—anything with a round ball， I was useless，” he says now with a laugh. But back then he was the object of jokes in school gym classes in Englands rural Devonshire.

It was a mountain bike he received for his 15th birthday that changed him. At first the teen went biking alone in a nearby forest. Then he began to cycle along with a runner friend. Gradually， Saunders set his mind building up his body， increasing his speed， strength and endurance （忍耐力）. At the age of 18， he ran his first marathon.

The following year， he met John Ridgway， who became famous in the 1960s for rowing an open boat across the Atlantic Ocean. Saunders was hired as an instructor at Ridgways School of Adventure in Scotland， where he learned about the older mans cold-water exploits. Intrigued， Saunders read all he could about Arctic explorers and North Pole expeditions （遠征）， then decided that this would be his future.

Journeys to the Pole arent the usual holidays for British country boys， and many people considered his dream as fantasy. “John Ridgway was one of the few who didnt say， ‘You are completely crazy，” Saunders said.

In 2001， after becoming a skilled skier， Saunders started his first long-distance expedition toward the North Pole. He suffered from frostbite （凍傷）， had a closer encounter with a polar bear and pushed his body to the limit.

Saunders has since then become the youngest person to ski alone to the North Pole， and hes skied more of the Arctic by himself than any other British. His old playmates would not believe his change.

This October， Saunders， 27， heads south to explore from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back， an 1800-mile journey that has never been completed on skis.

1. The turning point in Saunders life came when ___

A. he started to play ball games

B. he got a mountain bike at the age of 15

C. he started to receive Ridgways training

D. he ran his first marathon at the age of 18

2. What do we know about Saunders？

A. He once worked at a school in Scotland.

B. He followed Ridgway to explore the North Pole.

C. He was chosen for the school sports team as a kid.

D. He was the first British to ski alone to the North Pole.

3. What does the underlined word “Intrigued” probably mean？

A. Excited. B. Attracted.

C. Delighted. D. Convinced.

4. It can be inferred that Saunders journey to the North Pole ___ .

A. made him well-known in the 1960s

B. was accompanied by his old playmates

C. was supported by other Arctic explorers

D. set a record in the North Pole expedition

B

Why do people buy art？ To answer this question， ask yourself what your reasons are for thinking of getting a piece of art. An artwork can cost a large amount of money， but if it meets your needs， its worth every penny.

People buy art for many reasons. Many people buy an artwork simply because they like it， even if it is by an unknown artist. Art， as long as you enjoy it， is never a waste of money.

Art is for enjoyment. Art is meant to be shown. Dont ever feel pressured into buying something you wont enjoy looking at day after day， no matter what other people may say. Dont buy something that doesnt attract you just because it is trendy， or because the artist is famous， or because you have been advised that the artwork will make a good investment. If you dont like the artwork at all， dont buy it！

Art improves your environment. Have you ever noticed that all beautiful homes have art as an integral （必需的） part of the decoration？ Art lends life and color to otherwise simple and ordinary walls. A well thought-out art collection will help create a unique atmosphere in your home and make it more attractive.

Art makes a statement. The kind of art you surround yourself with says much about your personality， tastes and values. Art truly is a mirror of the soul.

Art enriches your life. Love—even the love of a work of art—contributes to healthier living and a longer lifespan （壽命）. Art should enrich your life. Otherwise， why do you spend precious time and resources on it？

Just remember to select something which will appeal to your tastes， and keep to a sensible budget （預算）. Good art neednt cost an arm or a leg.

Happy art collecting！

5. According to the author， what should you consider when buying a piece of art？

A. Whether it brings pleasure to you.

B. Whether it is fashionable at present.

C. Whether it is created by a famous artist.

D. Whether you can profit from it in the end.

6. Which of the following words best describes a work of art placed in a house？

A. Unique. B. Ordinary.

C. Attractive. D. Necessary.

7. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 5 mean？

A. Art is an expression of yourself.

B. Art can show what you look like.

C. A mirror can be a piece of true art.

D. A mirror has a feature similar to art.

8. Whats the purpose of the passage？

A. To explain the benefit of art to people.

B. To teach us how to choose works of art.

C. To advise us to buy an expensive artwork.

D. To remind us to be sensible when buying an artwork.

單詞訓練營

從下列方框里10個單詞中選擇8個適當單詞的正確形式填入下列各句中，使其句意完整。每個單詞只使用一次。

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shave strategy surrender unload yell

1. When I was graduating from college， my generation also found the world in a ____ .

2. There were many raised eyebrows when he ____ all his hair off.

3. The pressure on emotion is hard to ____ .

4. He drew back slowly， ____ step by step.

5. The singer felt ____ by the many letters of support.

6. After six hours on the roof， the gunman ____ to the police.

7. It would be better to use ____ than to attack by force.

8. The teacher ____ his students many examples on the blackboard.

單句改錯

下列各句每句有1個錯誤。

1. I tried to warn him the danger， but he was determined to get his own way. ____

2. He often suffers in allergies due to foods that do not agree with him. ____

3. He took his courages in both hands in the face of danger.

____

4. If you are in the State Department， wed be at war. ____

單句翻譯

1. 每次感到失望時，老師總是鼓勵我不要放棄。

2. 他站起身來作了一個簡短的演講。

3. 我倆唯一的共同點是我們都去過法國。

4. 我考試通過了，所以刻苦努力還是值得的。

單項選擇

1. That story is ___ most interesting. I think it is ___ best to be translated into English.

A. / ； / B. the； /

C. the； the D. /； the

2. — Have you seen the film about the Iraq War？

— No， I havent， and never ___ of it.

A. had I heard B. I have heard

C. have I heard D. did I hear

3. Nature ___ him to write such beautiful poems.

A. occupied B. inspired

C. encouraged D. admired

4. Allen talked about a lot about things and persons ___ he remembered in the school.

A. what B. whom

C. which D. that

5. The seven little kids went to the beach and ___ as many stones as they could carry.

A. turned back B. dropped back

C. brought back D. set back

6. I wonder why he can be so ___ when he knows he has cancer.

A. thankful B. grateful

C. regretful D. cheerful

7. The farmer ___ to shoot any dog that killed one of his sheep.

A. threatened B. armed

C. defended D. resisted

8. The car was repaired but not quite to my ___ .

A. joy B. pleasure

C. astonishment D. satisfaction

Many high schools and colleges with a football team in the United States usually have a homecoming day.

This can be the most important event of the year next to graduation. Students plan homecoming day for many weeks.

When the day arrives， they begin before dawn to decorate the schools. There are signs to wish luck to the team and many other signs to welcome back the graduates from other years. Many people still come to homecoming clubs to build booths and sell lemonade， apples or sandwiches. Some clubs help to welcome visitors.

During the day people like to look for teachers that they remember from long ago. Often they see old friends and they talk together about those happy years in school.

Everyone soon comes to watch the football game. When the game is half over， the band comes onto the field and plays school songs. Another important moment is when the homecoming king appears. All the students vote for another student who is popular. It is a great honor to be homecoming king.

Homecoming is a happy day， but it is not perfect unless the football team wins the game. Even if the team loses， the students still enjoy homecoming. Some stay at the school to dance， and others go to a party. For everyone it is a day worth remembering.

1. Whats the most important event of the year next to granduation？ （no more than 2 words）

2. What are the two things that all the students do on home-coming day？ （no more than 10 words）

3. How do the students prepare for the homecoming day？ （no more than 8 words）

4. Why do the students still enjoy homecoming day even if the team loses？ （no more than 10 words）

5. What kind of person can be chosen for the homecoming king？ （no more than 6 words）