江苏省历年中考真题分类汇编：任务型阅读（问答类）

A two-week-old baby hippo sat alone on the bank of the Zambezi River in Zambia, a country in Africa. His mother was dead. The morning sun rose and with every passing minute he lost more strength. Without his mother, the baby probably wouldn't make it through the night.

Luckily, Ian Stevenson and his friends saw the baby hippo. They took him back, fed him milk and eggs. The young animal was saved and soon doubled his weight. He seemed happy and healthy.

Later, the hippo, now called Douglas, was moved to an ideal home at Chipembele, a wildlife center owned by Ann and Steve Tolan, They built a sleeping place for Douglas by a pool where he liked to swim. They fed him every three hours. Douglas enjoyed playing with the Tolans' pet dogs and swimming in the pool. Sometimes at night, other hippos came from the nearby river to eat grass. At first, Douglas would walk into his pool to hide. "But he soon fought against his shyness and played with them, "Tolan shys. Douglas remained at Chipembele for about five years before he was moved to another part of Zambia.

Hi, Tom,

    Thanks for your message andI am glad that you wrote to me for ideas.

    I remember when I waslearning English, I felt uncomfortable about speaking. I could remember lots ofwords and knew grammar rules, but speaking was difficult. I now feel a lot moreconfident about speaking, so here are some ideas that I have taken from my ownexperience.

    Don't worry about makingmistakes. Other people will still know your meaning and they probably won'tnotice your mistakes.

    Use every chance you get tospeak. For example, it's a good idea to use only English in class and not tospeak to your classmates in your own language. At home, you should also trypracticing new words and grammar learnt in class.

    Think about extra speakingpractice outside the classroom. You can join a conversation group, such as thechat groups in the study centre. They are free to join.

    Practice speaking online.There are lots of websites where you can communicate with someone from allaround the world.

    I hope this helps you andplease come to me if you have other problems.

Best wishes,

Eliza

Eyes always on us

Video cameras are everywhere; schools. theatres and stores. But in recent years, they have entered our homes. Many parents set up cameras at home to watch their children's online classes and homework. Are cameras really helpful? What do students think about it?

A. Interview with Andy Griffiths

    Andy Griffiths is well known as a writer of children's books. Here are some interesting things, you might not know about him!

    What do you like to do after a long day of writing?

    I go for long runs and bike rides beside the beach. An hour of exercise after a long day of writing gives me energy. Then I'm ready to write some more.

    Do you write using a computer or by hand?

At first I write the stories by hand, and then I transfer(转录)them onto a computer. I like to write by hand when I travel. I find it very easy to lose myself in my diary when I am away from my usual activities.

    What super power would you like to have?

    X-ray vision(影像)if I can control it.

    What is your favourite food?

    Fro never happier than when I'm drinking banana milkshakes. And I love fish. But I don't like drinking fish milkshakes - they are just terrible!

    What is your favourite book?

Alice in Wonderland. It has so many surprises and such silliness in it.

    Do you write for adults too?

    Only if I really have to. T much prefer the freedom and fun of writing for children.

    What do you say to kids who say, "Why should I read?"

As Dr. Seuss says. "The more you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go."

    Have you ever heard the saying "There is no place like home!" This is just another way of saying that home is a very special place. Our bedroom, our family, our pets, and all of the things we love are at home.

    Is home a place where you can relax and have fun? Is home a place where you get all of your best thinking done? Being at home means different things to different people. As people grow older, home usually represents more responsibility (责任) because it needs care inside and out. Who takes care of all of these things in your home? How do you help out?

    There are many different kinds of homes. Some people live in apartments, condos, or single﹣family homes. Homes have different rooms that are used for different purpose. The kitchen, the bedrooms, the living room and the bathroom each have their own use. Suppose your house does not have a roof and you are a bird flying over it, what does your house look like? Think about it.

    Some people might say that family and food are two of the best parts of being home. At home, you can tell your parents about your day, play with your pets, and grab a snack from the cupboard of fridge. You can relax in your room and read a book or play a game. You can ask friends over to play. Home is a place to take care of and be grateful for. Even though you are young, you can help to make a nice place to be. After all, home is where the heart is!

Obey the rules of British roads

    British roads, some of the safest in the world. A study in 2018 compared more than 30 countries and found that 3.8 people per 100,000 died in traffic accidents in the UK. This number was lower than any other country. So, what did British drivers do to achieve this? What are they doing differently? Here are five top tips for drivers who are planning a trip to the UK.

    People in Britain drive on the left side of the road. In fact, a long time ago people drove on the left in most countries, but now only a few countries have this. Don't forget that this also means you must drive the other way around roundabouts (环岛) .

    British people feel that waiting should be fair for everybody. If you are in a queue of traffic, then don't try to push past the cars in front of yours. This is called "jumping the queue". You must wait for your turn; otherwise people may get angry with you.

    You must stop at the traffic lights when they are red. In many countries, it is OK to go past the red lights if you are turning a corner or if there isn't any other traffic around. In the UK you could have a lot of trouble if you do this.

    If another driver flashes (闪烁) his cars lights at you, he is probably trying to tell you that he will wait for you to go first. British people don't like to use their car horn (喇叭) much and they think people who do so are rude.

    If you get in an accident, don't try to pay the police. The police in the UK never take money, and if you try to offer them some, you could end your holiday visiting British prison.

The face—down generation（一代）

    If you were born in the 2000s, you are called the oh—ohs. The 21st century. That would make you young, creative, connected, world—wide, and no doubt smart. Maybe good—looking, too. Right? But what do other people think about your generation?

    Some adults worry that you're more interested in the screen in front of you than the world around you. They think of you as the "face—down generation" because you use your phone so much. They wonder how you will deal with school, friends, and family.

    Other adults worry that today's youth are spoilt(溺爱)and don't want to face the challenges of adult life. Many children born in the 1990s and 2000s were raised by "helicopter parents". They were always there to guide and help their children with a busy program filled with homework and after—school activities such as dancing, drawing, or sports. With parents who do everything for them, today's youth seem to prefer to live like teenagers even when they are in their 20s or 30s.

    Does the face—down generation need a heads—up? Well, probably not. The fact .is that many of today's teenagers are better educated and more creative than past generations. They seem to be willing to become leaders. More young people than ever volunteer to help their communities. There are also brave young people such as Malala Yousafzai, the teenager who won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for pushing girls' rights to go to school.

    So if you're one of the oh—ohs, there's reason to be hopeful about the future. Things are looking up for the face—down generation. Chances are that you do great and laugh out loud.

    Joining a short-term research program in China has not only allowed Pakistani agricultural scientist Sayyar Khan to push forward with his academic studies, but also given him a chance to see a country he had heard so much about.

    Khan is now doing a one-year research program at the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences. The program is sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and many young talented scientists who come from collaborating countries, such as Pakistan, are given opportunities to work in China.

    Although this is his first visit to China Khan says he is well-informed of the long friendship between China and Pakistan. He is impressed most by the cooperation (合作) in education between China and Pakistan. especially since the start-up of the Belt and Road Initiative ("一带一路"建设) in 2013.

    "Many students from my university and my city have visited China and completed their higher education here." he says, adding that he has met with many of them.

    "I hear news about China on television and read about it in print media, so I know of the rapid development of China in recent decades."

    Khan says the Belt and Road Initiative will have a very positive effect on the world.

    "I hope that I can stay in China to participate in such cooperation projects." he says. Khan says life in Beijing is much easier than he'd expected, thanks to the convenient(便利的)public transportation and restaurants offering food for Muslims(穆斯林). This encouraged him to bring his family to live with him a couple of months ago.

    He says that language is the only challenge for them so far. However, he finds no problem talking with his Chinese colleagues, many of whom speak good English. He also enjoys the relaxing working environment and has a very good relationship with his co-workers.

    A young lady was driving a family car home with her father when they were caught in a heavy storm. The young lady was a little afraid and asked her father. "What should I do, stop or keep driving?"

    Her father said, "Keep driving."

    After driving a few kilometers, the storm was becoming heavier and heavier. The young lady noticed that some cars and big transport trucks were pulling over（靠边停）to the side of the road. The young lady asked her father again if they should stop. But her father said nothing. So, she had to keep on driving.

    Ten minutes later, the storm started to become small and she could see a little more clearly. After a couple of kilometers, she drove out of the storm. Moreover, the sun came out and the road ahead was dry.

    Her father told her to stop and get out of the car.

    "But why now, Father?" she asked in surprise.

    Her father said, "When you get out, you can look back at all the people in cars and big trucks that gave up and they are still in the storm. Now, your storm is over because you didn't give up.

    Don't give up, even if the stronger do. If you keep going, soon your "personal storms" will be over. The sun will shine on you again and the road ahead will be dry and clear.

    Hangzhou won its bid(申办) for the 2022 Aian Games on September 16^th, 2015. It will be the third time that the Games are held in a Chinese city after Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.

    The well-known capital city of Zhejing Province in the southeast part of the country has a population of 8.9 million. It is a beautiful city with a long history and it has been developing rapidly in recent years. Hosting the Asian Games will give the city another chance to grow.

    "We have seen here the strong wish and the great effort of Hangzhou to host the19th Asian Games," The OCA(亚奥理事会) president praised.

    The Games are set to include 36 to 40 sports. Thirty venues (场馆) have already been completed, while several others are still being built and will be put into use on year before the Games. The Asian Games will be held from September 10 to 25, when the temperature is around 20⁰C.

    "There is no doubt that the event will attract more visitors to experience the beauty and charm of this amazing city. At the same time, more roads will be built and the underground will be added, reducing heavy traffic. But the best part is that it will give us the chance to watch world-class competitions close to our homes." Shao Lin, a local people, told the reporter excitedly.

    With the Asian Games in Hangzhou in September and the World Cup in Qatar(卡塔尔) in November, 2022 will be an exciting year for Asians, especially Chinese sports fans.

    Hangzhou is trying its best to get ready for the big sports show. Hangzhou is waiting to see you in 2022.

    Culture UK: Bristol

    Chocolate!

    The first chocolate bar in the world was created in Fry's, a company in Bristol. Joseph Fry invented the delicious treat around the year 1720. Fry's also produced the first chocolate Easter egg in the UK in 1873. The company continues to produce chocolates and sweets to this day.

Balloon Festival

    The Bristol Belle was the first modern hot-air balloon in Western Europe and was developed and built in 1967. The Bristol International Balloon Festival is held every summer in the city, and is Europe's biggest hot-air balloon event.

    According to a new study, Bristol is the UK's most musical place, with the biggest number of musicians among the population. It's well-known for giving birth to the trip-hop scene in the 1990s. Its multicultural（多元文化的）population has really influenced the sounds of the Bristol music scene.

    Famous people

    JK Rowling

    J.K. Rowling was born and brought up in Chipping Sodbury, just outside Bristol. It is said that she invented her famous character Harry Potter after meeting a young boy named Ian Potter in the village where she grew up.

    Banksy

    Banksy is a graffiti artist local to Bristol. He is famous all over the world for his street art. Some of his pieces have been sold for hundreds of thousands of pounds. Many Hollywood pop stars and famous people love to collect his work.