初中英语课外阅读：（一）农夫和苹果树A poor farmer had a friend who was famous for the wonderful apple he grew.One day, his friend gave the farmer a young apple tree and told him to take it home and plant it.The farmer was pleased with the gift, but when he got home he did not know where to plant it.He was afraid that if he planted the tree near the road, strangers would steal the fruit. If he plantedthe tree in one of his field, his neighbors would come at night and steal some of the apples. If heplanted the tree near his house, his children would take the fruit.Finally he planted the tree in his wood where no one could see it. But without sunlight and goodsoil, the tree soon died.Later the friend asked the farmer why he had planted the tree in such a poor place."What's the difference?" the farmer said angrily. "If I had planted the tree near the road, strangers would havestolen the fruit. If I had planted the tree in one of my field, my neighbors would have come atnight and stolen some of the apples. If I had planted it near my house, my own children wouldhave taken the fruit.""Yes," said the friend, "but at least someone could have enjoyed the fruit. Now you not only haverobbed everyone of the fruit, but also you have destroyed a good apple tree!"（二）阅读理解趣味故事题Several years ago, a television reporter was talking to three of the most important people inAmerica. One was a very rich banker, another owned one of the largest companies in the world,and the third owned many buildings in the center of New Y ork.The reporter was talking to them about being important.“How do we know if someone is really important?” the reporter asked the banker.The banker thought for a few moments and then said, “I think anybody who is invited to the White House to meet t he President of the United States is really important.”The reporter then turned to the owner of the very large company. “Do you agree with that? asked.The man shook his head, “No. I think the President invites alot of people to the White House.You?d only be important if while you were visiting the President, there was a telephone call fromthe president of another country, and the President of the US said he was too busy to answer it.The reporter turned to the third man. “Do you think so?”“No, Idon?t.” he said. “I don?t think that makes the visitor important. That makes the President important.”“Then what would make the visitor important?” the reporter and the other two men asked.“Oh, I think if the visitor to the White House was talking to th e President and the phone rang, andthe President picked up the receiver, listened and then said, ,it?s for you.?”1.This story happened in _______.A. EnglandB. AmericaC. JapanD. Australia2.There are _______ in this passage.A. two men and two womenB. three men and one womanC. three women and one manD. four women3.The banker thought _______.A. he was really important because he was a rich bankerB. the visitor to the White House was really importantC. the visitor who met the President of the United States in the White House was really important.D. the reporter was really important4.The owner of the very large company thought _______.A. she was really important because she owned one of the largestcompaniesB. the banker was really important.C. the owner of many buildings in the center of New Y ork was really importantD. the visitor would be really important if while he was visiting the President, the President wouldnot answer any telephone call5.The owner of many buildings thought _______.A. he was really important because he owned many buildings in the center of New Y orkB. the owner of the very large company was really importantC. the visitor was really important if he talking to the President and the President received atelephone call for the visitorD. the person who worked in the White House was really important（三）趣味阅读理解题,A farmer had a cow.A farmer had a cow. He took very good care of this cow and one day when it was ill, he was veryworried. He telephoned the vet.“What?s the problem?” The vet asked him when he arrived.“My cow?s ill,” the farmer said. “I don?t know what's the matter with her. She?s lying down and won?t eat. She?s making a strange noise.”The vet look ed over the cow. "She?s certainly ill," he said, "and she needs to take some very strong medicine."He took a bottle out of his box, put two pills into his hand and said, "Give her these. The pillsshould make her better."“How should I give them to her?” the farmer asked.The vet gave him a tube (管子)and said, "Put this tube in her mouth, then put the pills in the tubeand blow. That?ll make it."The next day the vet came to the farm again. The farmer was sitting outside his house and lookedmore worried.“How?s your cow?” the vet asked.“No change,” the farmer said, “and I?m feeling very strange myself.”“Oh?” the vet said, "Why?"“I did what you said,” the farmer answered. “I put the tube in the cow?s mouth and then put two pills down it.”“And?” the vet asked.“The cow blew first,” the farmer said.1. In the story, the vet must be _________.A. the farmer's friendB. a milk factoryC. a hospital for cowsD. a doctor for animals2.The farmer asked the vet for help when his cow _______A. couldn't lie downB. didn't eat the pillsC. couldn't make any noiseD. was ill3.What medicine did the vet give the farmer?A. Bottle of pills.B. A long tube.C. Two pills.D. A small box.4.The vet taught the farmer how _________.A. to blow the tubeB. to make the cow take the pillsC. to take the medicineD. to put the tube in his mouth5.Which of the following is true?A. The farmer ate the pills himself.B. The cow got better after taking the medicine.C. The vet came to help the farmer change the cow the next day.D. The farmer waited for the vet outside his house the next day.（四）英语趣味阅读：But the teacher criedThe six-year-old John was terribly spoiled（溺爱）. His father knew it, but his grandma doted onhim.He hardly left her side. And when he wanted anything, he either cried or threw a temper tantrum.Then came his first day of school, his first day away from his grandmother's loving arms.When he came home from school his grandma met him at the door."Was school all right?" she asked, "Did you get along all right? did you cry?""Cry?" John asked. "No, I didn't cry, but the teacher did!"（五）英语幽默小故事: 奖赏A lady lost her handbag. It was found byan honest little boy and returned to her.Looking in her purse, she commented,"Hmmm... That's funny. When I lost my bag there was a$20 bill in it. Now there are twenty $1 bills."The boy quickly replied, "That's right,lady. The last time I found a lady's purse, shedidn't haye anychange for a reward."（六）The House of 1000 Mirrors千镜之屋Long ago in a small, faraway village, there was a place known as the House of 1000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit. When he arrived, he hounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his earslifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his. He smiled a great smile,and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and firendly. As he left the House, he thought to himself, "This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit it often."In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. Whenhe saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again."All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see in the faces of the people you meet?。