阅读理解。

Dear readers,

     Imagine a little girl who knows there will not be enough food for dinner, who can't fill her stomach with

water because it's polluted (被污染), and who has watched life slip away (消失) from her father, little brother

and sister because the family is too poor to see a doctor. She would gladly walk miles to school, but her

mother needs her badly (非常) at home. What will her future be?

     Is it hard to believe?

     For Maria Pestora, these are the real life. But for just 52 pennies a day, you can sponsor (资助) a child like

Maria. Through "Save the Children", you can help Maria's mother get the tools and ways she needs to turn

their poor food into a good dinner, and get the money she needs to buy clothes and school things for Maria.

    To help Maria most, your money is put together with that of other sponsors. Building a school, a hospital,

or bringing in clean water is what "Save the Children" has been about since 1932. For you there are many

rewards. You have the chance to write to or hear from your sponsored child, to receive photos or progress

reports, to know you are reaching out to another person, not with a handout (救济品), but a hand up. That's

how "Save the Children" works. But without you, it can't work. Please take a moment now to fill in and post

the form below to help a child like Maria.

     It can make a difference in her life and yours.

                                                                                                                                      For the children

                                                                                                                                      David Li Guyer

1. We can read the letter in           . [ ]

A. somebody's diary

B. a piece of newspaper

C. a progress report

D. a story book

2. What's Maria's most serious problem? [ ]

A. She has no chance to go to school.

B. Her father died of a serious disease.

C. Hard work has made her suffer a lot.

D. Her mother needs her badly at home.

3. What is "Save the Children"? [ ]

A. An activity to help poor children go to school.

B. An office of the government to collect money.

C. A program shown at theaters to help the poor.

D. A group who works for children in poor places.

4. The last sentence in the letter means           . [ ]

A. If Maria goes to school, you will be rewarded

B. What you give is more than what you take

C. Both Maria's life and yours will change a lot

D. Maria and you can help each other at school

5. Which activity is similar to "Save the Children"? [ ]

A. English Corner.

B. Project Hope.

C. The Summer Camp.

D. Job Training.

阅读理解。

     Today, almost everyone has heard of Harry Potter. The books detailing his experiences at Hogwarts

School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have aroused passion, creativity, and interest in reading throughout the world.

    But have you ever considered why you are a fan of the Harry Potter series?

    JK Rowling has created a list of characters and an environment for them to inhabit that appeals to both

adults and children.

The fantasy aspect of the wizarding world expands the imagination, and takes the mind to new and exciting places. Anything could happen there. Her stories contain parts of the believable and unbelievable, changing the predictability that readers commonly come across and bear in fiction.

The main theme of the series, including good versus evil, prejudice, love, death, sacrifice, friendship and

loyalty, in actuality contributes to the ever-lasting nature of the stories. At the same time, these themes

remind us of classic literature, offering mature readers tales that wear like a comfortable pair of shoes,

while introducing younger readers to concepts they will meet throughout their lives.

    Much of the appeal also comes from the characters. In each book, JK Rowling introduces and

describes the characters in such a way that we wonder not only about their futures, but also about their

pasts. Even supporting characters are suddenly more than just extras in the background. And what of

Harry Potter himself? We care about Harry, because we watch him grow from an innocent boy to a

powerful wizard. We see him as both Hero and Victim. He experiences endless love and extreme pain,

and as readers, we experience them with him.

   This perfect combination of emotion, suspense and fantasy, together with the fact that JK Rowling is a

superb storyteller is the reason why we are Harry potter fans. People are fond of Harry Potter series.

With books like these, it's hard not to be.

1. Harry Potter series become popular partly because________.

A. they remind us of the childhood and environment we had in the past

B. they take us to a world beyond our imagination and expectation

C. they offer us ever-lasting nature of the stories

D. they set an example of hero for us to follow

2. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 6 mean?  

A. The supporting characters are not necessary in the story.

B. Readers care only about Harry but not those supporting characters.

C. Even the supporting characters are attractive in the story.

D. Those supporting characters only appear all of a sudden.

3. The themes of the Harry Potter series do not contain________.

A. prejudice and love           

B. good and evil

C. death and sacrifice           

D. safety and peace

4. People care for Harry Potter because _________.  

A. they think of classic literature when reading the story

B. they find different experiences from theirs on Harry

C. they share the experiences with Harry

D.  they like JK Rowling's description very much