Hee-haw! Scores of farms across the country are opening up to overnight guests. The best have all the appeal of a first-rate inn ----- plus here a moo, there a moo.

Sure, you and your kids plan to conquer the theme parks. In the meanwhile, why not make a little hay? Farm stays are fast becoming the great American alternative to the pre-packaged vacation.

LIBERTY HILL FARM

Rochester, Vt.; 802/767-3926; www.libertyhillfarm.com. Adults$75, teens $50,kids 12 and under $35, including breakfast and dinner; shared baths.

Beth and Bob Kennett run a farm straight out of a storybook. You’ll find Beth in the kitchen, rolling out dough（生面團(tuán)） for a pie. Bob’s busy with other work. Guests sleep in seven sunny bedrooms right in the farmhouse and can participate in any of the farm jobs. Maybe you and your kids won’t be up at 6 a.m. to meet the milk truck, but you can help with the milking twice a day, collect eggs, and pick sweet corn and wild blackberries in season.

HULL-O FARM

Durham, N.Y.; 518/239-6950; www.hull-o.com; Adults $110, kids 10—14 $60, 5—9 $50, 2—4 $35, under 2 free, including breakfast and dinner; private baths.

It started in 1993 as a way to bring in some extra money at a time of falling milk prices. But soon after Frank and Sherry Hull opened their Catskill Mountains dairy farm to overnight visitors, they discovered they loved it. As you drive up, Sherry greets you on the porch（入口處）of the 1825 farmhouse with a cow-shaped cookie jar. Before long your kids are playing around with the cows, sheep, ducks, goats and getting ready for a hayride（乘坐裝滿干草的牛車出游）.

MERAMEC FARM CABINS

Bourbon, Mo.; 573/732-4765; http://www.wine-mo.com Doubles with private bath $75, $10 per additional person. Trail and riding fees extra.

Climb onto the back of the Ford pickup and catch up with the herd. One gentle cow named Cricket will even let the kids sit on her back. At the barn（牲口棚）, Carol will introduce you to the horses ---15 Missouri Fox Trotters --- and lead you on a trail ride over the hills and down along the spring-fed Meramec River, where everyone swims. Grab a fishing pole and head back to the river. When you have your fill of the wild, try Carol and Dave’s favorite restaurants or wineries（釀酒廠）, within 20 miles of the farm.

The underlined sentence in the first paragraph implies that ___________.

A. you can enjoy the best cuisine at the first rate restaurant

B. some farm provide country experiences as well as good accommodations

C. farm work is hard, but you can enjoy it a lot, playing with the animals

D. if you want to hear a cow’s cry, please stay on a best farm

We can learn from the three ads that _____________.

A. Hull-O Farm was not built for overnight visitors

B. Frank and Sherry Hull run a farm out of a storybook

C. kids can sit on a gentle cow’s back on Hull-O Farm

D. you can’t milk a cow if you get up late on Liberty Hill Farm

The Browns have a 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. If they stay on Liberty Hill Farm for one night, how much will they pay?

A. $175.                B. $220.                C. $235.                D. $250.

Who will be most likely interested in the webpage?

A. Kids who want to find pleasure in the theme parks.

B. People who expect to be employed on the farm.

C. Researchers who are interested in raising cows on farms.

D. Those who plan to have family vacations on working farms.

One day, Raul was miles away from the small ranch (牧場(chǎng))house in a large valley. Everything seemed to be all right, yet he felt strange and somewhat uneasy. The wind had picked up, and angry, dark clouds  31  across the sky. He could smell the rain coming. And it did.  32 , the lightning flashed through the clouds, nearly  33  Raul. The thunder (雷聲) was so loud that he buried his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes. Then he heard it — hoof beats (蹄聲). He  34 . There before him stood a tall, white horse. An old man stared down at him from its back.
“Wh-wh-who are y-y-you?” asked Raul. “Oh, my name is Gray Cloud,” the old man answered  35 , “come with me.”
Raul followed on with his horse. A  36  feeling came over him. All  37  them the rain was pouring down,  38  not a drop fell on them. They seemed to be  39  back toward Raul’s home. Raul lost track of time. Then all at once, he found  40  at the ranch gate. The old man turned his horse, waved his hand, and smiled. Lightning flashed again. The old man and his horse were  41 .
Raul’s father ran out across the yard to  42  him. “We have been  43  about you. Are you okay? Hurry. Let’s get in out of the  44 .”
“Wait,” said Raul. “Have you ever heard of an old man called Gray Cloud?”
“Can’t say I … wait. I believe my great-grandfather used to tell stories about a man called Gray Cloud. He died a long time ago. They all say he was  45  by lightning during a terrible thunderstorm. Why do you ask?” At this, Raul was really more shocked than puzzled.

TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010

Frequently Asked Questions

What is TEENSGIVING?

TEENSGIVING is an exciting event where hundreds of New York City teens gather together annually for a remarkable day of community service. This year, TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 participants will once again better New York City and impact thousands of lives!

When is TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010?

SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010

Where is TEENSGIVING?

All over New York City. Everyone will meet at the 92nd Street Y (92nd and Lexington) at 9:00 AM for the event kick-off. Then, all TEENSGIVING volunteers will disperse across the city to work with our partnering agencies where they will make a HUGE difference (and have fun!).  

Who participates in TEENSGIVING?

Hundreds of teenagers from around the city. Teens come from the 92nd Street Y, various city schools, youth groups, and organizations in the area. In addition, many adult volunteers (ages 21 and older) will donate their time to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.

What projects do participants do at the agencies?

Sample projects include painting park benches, planting gardens, visiting and playing with underprivileged children, assembling craft kits for children in hospitals, assisting at animal shelters, working at soup kitchens, delivering meals and celebrating with families at homeless shelters.

Do I get anything for participating in TEENSGIVING?

Yes! Everybody benefits! Teen volunteers will receive *6 hours* of community service credit, good towards honor society, high school graduation and college application requirements. Adult volunteers will be “thanked” with a light breakfast, a gift certificate for their troubles, and the satisfaction of helping our city’s youth contribute to their community. In addition, all teen and adult volunteers will receive a cool TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 T-shirt.

This sounds awesome! How do I register for TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010?

Interested teens and/or adults should e-mail the TEENSGIVING Coordinator Josh Hyman at jhyman@92Y.org (subject: TEENSGIVING) to receive more information and to register for this fantastic event!   

**Teens can also contact their school’s Community Service Advisor

TEENSGIVING is sponsored by the 92nd Street Y.

1. TEENSGIVING is an event held ____________.

A. from time to time    B. every year   C. every two years  D. twice a year

2.Teenagers may do the following in the event EXCEPT ____________.

A. watering flowers   B. cooking        C. cleaning streets    D. taking care of animals

3. An adult volunteer may get ______ for his time devoted to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.

A. community service credit and a T-shirt

B. a high school certificate, a T-shirt and a light breakfast

C. a T-shirt, a light breakfast and a gift certificate

D. a gift certificate and community service credit

4. The writer’s purpose in writing the passage is to __________.

A. inform readers of some frequently asked questions

B. introduce TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 to readers

C. encourage readers to ask more questions about TEENSGIVING

D. call on readers to participate in TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010

I ran into a stranger as he passed by. “I’m so sorry!” was my reply. Then he said, “Excuse me too. I wasn’t   36  watching for you.” We were very polite, this stranger and I. Then we went   37  our way after saying goodbye.
But at     38   , a different story is told. How we treat our loved ones, young and old. Later in the kitchen, as I    39   the meal, my daughter walked up to me, very still. When I turned, I    40   knocked her down. “Get out of the way!” I shouted with a frown (皺眉). She stepped away silently, with her little heart    41  . I didn’t realize how rudely I had spoken.
That night, when I lay    42   in bed, God’s quiet voice spoke to me and said, “While    43   with a stranger, you are calm and polite, but with those you love, you are quick to excite.  Go to look around on the kitchen floor, you’ll find some flowers there by the    44   . Those are the flowers she brought for you. She    45    them herself — pink, yellow, and your favorite blue. She stood there quietly and you never saw the    46    in her eyes.”
By this time, I felt sad and small and now my own tears began to fall. I quietly went and knelt (跪) by her    47   . “Wake up, my dear,” I said. “Are these the flowers you picked up for me?” She smiled, “I found them out by the tree, I    48      them in a napkin（紙巾）, just for you. I knew you’d like them, especially the     49   .” I said, “I am so sorry that I missed them today. And I    50   have fussed (大驚小怪) at you that way. ”
And she whispered, “Mommy, that’s OK… I still love you     51   .” I hugged her and said, “I love you, too and I love the flowers.”
Do you know that: if you die tomorrow, the    52   you are working for could easily replace you in a matter of days. But the family you leave    53  will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into our    54   than into our families--- an unwise investment (投資) indeed.
Remember that   55  =" (F)ATHER" + (A)ND + (M)OTHER + (I ) + (L)OVE + (Y)OU.