A widow’s wish to hear her late husband’s voice again has pushed London’s Subway system to restore a 40-year-old recording of the subway’s famous “ Mind the gap” announcement.
The underground, or the tube, first opened in 1863, tracked down the voice recording by Oswald Lawrence after his widow, Margaret McCollum, told them what it meant to her.
McCollum, 65, said she used to frequently visit Embankment tube station or plan her journeys around the stop to listen to Lawrence’s voice, even before his death. She was taken aback in November when she noticed it had been replaced by a different voice.
“Lawrence was a drama school graduate when he auditioned (试音) for a tour company. For six years after his death, I’d stay on the platform—just sit and listen to it again,” she added.
When Margaret approached the tube, she was told it had a new broadcast system and it couldn’t use the old recording anymore.
Nigel Holness, director of London Underground, said its staff has been so moved by McCollum’s story that they dug up the recording and gave the widow a copy of the announcement on a CD for her to keep. “Tube staff is also working to restore Lawrence’s announcement at the station,” he added. “It is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. The tube’s ‘Mind the gap’ messages, voiced by various actors, have accompanied countless London commuter journeys since the 1960s. Train drivers and staff made the warnings themselves before that.”
“I’m very pleased that people are interested in Oswald’s old recording,” Margaret said. “He was a great London transport user all his life .He would be amused, touched, and delighted to know he’s back where he belonged.”The best title for the passage is________.
| A．A Replaced Recording | B．Mind the Gap |
| C．A Widow’s Wish | D．The Tube’s Struggle |
The underlined phrase “ taken aback” means_________.
| A．disappointed | B．annoyed |
| C．excited | D．shocked |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．The tube always uses recordings to remind passengers. |
| B．Oswald’s voice is great comfort to Margaret. |
| C．No recording can be equal to Oswald’s voice. |
| D．Oswald was an outstanding actor in London. |
In my first week as a graduate student at Cambridge University in 1964 I met with a fellow student, two years ahead of me in his studies; he was unsteady on his feet and spoke with great difficulty. This was Stephen Hawking. I learned that he had a bad disease and might not live long enough even to finish his PhD degree.
But, amazingly, he has reached the age of 73. Even mere survival would have been a medical miracle, but of course, he didn’t merely survive. He has become arguably the most famous scientist in the world for his brilliant research, for his bestselling books, and, above all, for his astonishing victory over hardship.
Stephen received his “death sentence” in 1964, when I thought it was hard for him to go on with his study. Stephen went from Albans School to Oxford University. He was said to be a “lazy” undergraduate, but his brilliance earned him a first-class degree, an “entry ticket” to a research career in Cambridge and a uniquely inspiring achievement.
Within a few years of the burst of his disease he was wheelchair-bound, and his speech was so unclear that it could only be understood by those who knew him well. But his scientific career went from strength to strength: he quickly came up with a series of insights into the nature of black holes (then a very new idea) and how the universe began. In 1974 he was elected to the Royal Society at the exceptionally early age of 32.
The great advances in science generally involve discovering a link between phenomena that were previously conceptually unconnected — for instance, Isaac Newton realized that the force making an apple fall to earth was the same as the force that holds the moon and planets in their orbits. Stephen’s revolutionary idea about a link between gravity and quantum(量子) theory has still not been tested. However, it has been hugely influential; indeed, one of the main achievements of string theory(弦理论)has been to confirm and build on his idea. He has undoubtedly done more than anyone else since Einstein to improve our knowledge of gravity and he is one of the top-ten living theoretical physicists.What impressed the author most about Stephen Hawking?
| A．His brilliant research. |
| B．His defeating hardship. |
| C．His serious disease. |
| D．His bestselling books. |
What made Stephen Hawking start his research career at Cambridge?
| A．His death sentence. |
| B．His “lazy” attitude. |
| C．His above-average talent and ability. |
| D．His rich experience. |
It can be inferred that Stephen Hawking was born .
| A．in the early 1940s | B．in the late 1940s |
| C．in the early 1930s | D．in the late 1930s |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Hawking’s theory was proved years ago. |
| B．Hawking was not as successful as Newton. |
| C．Hawking’s theory has had little influence on others. |
| D．String theory built on Hawking’s idea. |
There were three brothers. They each decided to find a precious treasure and meet a year later.
One year later, the three brothers gathered again. They each boasted about the treasure they had.
The oldest brother brought a telescope. "I found a telescope which can see far away."
The second brother brought a flying carpet." I found a flying carpet that can be anywhere."
The third brother said." I found an apple that cures all diseases."
The brothers were amazed at the treasures they found. "Let's see what we can do with our treasures now." The brothers all nodded.
The oldest brother looked through his telescope and saw a palace in the distance. A princess was lying in bed sick. The second opened his carpet and said. "Let's ride this carpet and go to the palace." The three brothers went to the palace on the flying carpet to save the sick princess.
The three brothers met the king and told him why they had come. The king said. "If you cure the princess, I will let one of you marry the princess." The youngest brother gave the princess the apple he found.
The princess had been sick for a long time, but with one bite of the apple, she was cured.
The king hugged the princess with joy. "Okay, as promised, one of you can marry the princess." The brothers each wanted the other to marry the princess. No matter how pretty and princess was, the brothers thought their loyalty was more important.
The king was moved and gave them gold and silver and high positions. The three brothers lived happily ever after.Which of the following phrases can take the place of the words underlined?
| A．figured out | B．worked out |
| C．showed off | D．complained about |
Which the following sentence is true?
| A．The three brothers didn’t get along well with each other. |
| B．All the brothers wanted to marry the princess. |
| C．The king didn’t want to keep his promise. |
| D．None of the three brothers married the princess. |
Who saved the princess?
| A．The oldest brother | B．The second brother |
| C．The youngest brother | D．The three brothers |
Which of the followings is the best title?
| A．A precious treasure | B．A beautiful princess |
| C．The three happy brothers | D．A brilliant palace |
Larry was on another of his underwater expeditions(探险)but this time, it was different. He decided to take his daughter along with him. She was only ten years old. This would be her first trip with her father on what he had always been famous for.
Larry first began diving when he was his daughter’s age. Similarly, his father had taken him along on one of his expeditions. Since then, he had never looked back. Larry started out by renting diving suits from the small diving shop just along the shore. He had hated them. They were either too big or too small. Then, there was the instructor. He gave him a short lesson before allowing him into the water with his father. He had made an exception. Larry would never have been able to go down without at least five hours of theory and another similar number of hours on practical lessons with a guide. Children at his age were not even allowed to dive.
After the first expedition, Larry’s later diving adventures only got better and better. There was never a dull moment. In his black and blue suit and with an oxygen tank fastened on his back, Larry dived from boats into the middle of the ocean. Dangerous areas did not prevent him from continuing his search. Sometimes, he was limited to a cage underwater but that did not bother him. At least, he was still able to take photographs of the underwater creatures.
Larry’s first expedition without his father was in the Cayman Islands. There were numerous diving spots in the area and Larry was determined to visit all of them .Fortuna for him, a man offered to take him around the different spots for free. Larry didn’t even know what the time was, how many spots he dived into or how many photographs he had taken. The diving spots afforded such a wide range of fish and sea creatures that Larry saw more than thirty varieties of creatures.
Larry looked at his daughter. She looked as excited as he had been when he was her age. He hoped she would be able to continue the family tradition. Already, she looked like she was much braver than had been then. This was the key to a successful underwater expedition.In what way was this expedition different for Larry?
| A．His daughter had grown up. |
| B．He had become a famous diver. |
| C．His father would dive with him. |
| D．His daughter would dive with him. |
What can be inferred from Paragraph2?
| A．Larry had some privileges. |
| B．Larry liked the rented diving suits. |
| C．Divers had to buy diving equipment. |
| D．Ten-year-old children were permitted to dive. |
Why did Larry have to stay in a cage underwater sometimes?
| A．To protect himself from danger. |
| B．To dive into the deep water. |
| C．To admire the underwater view. |
| D．To take photo more conveniently. |
What can be learned from the underlined sentence?
| A．Larry didn’t wear a watch. |
| B．Larry was not good at math. |
| C．Larry had a poor memory. |
| D．Larry enjoyed the adventure. |
Ray’s wedding had gone off smoothly. Everyone seemed to have had a good time. A few people had too good a time; they went home with designated (指派的) drivers. All evening, the gift table remained unguarded. Who would steal anything, Ray thought. He had never heard of such a thing happening at a wedding. But his best friend Aaron said there was a first time for everything. He walked out regularly from the inside festivities to check on the gift table, making sure no one doubtful was hanging around it.
Ray and Julia went on a 3-week honeymoon to Italy right after the wedding. When they got back, they opened all the gifts and sent out thank-you notes. But there was one problem. A married couple that used to be good friends had obviously given nothing. This surprised Julia, because Walt and Mary said they were excited to be invited. And, they actually seemed to have had a great time at the wedding. Frankly, Ray didn’t even care if they hadn’t given a gift. He just needed to know whether to send a thank-you note. Ray called Aaron. Aaron said maybe Walt had left an envelope on the gift table like Aaron had. “Yes, but we got your envelope with the cash inside,” Ray said.
“Maybe my envelope looked too thin, and some thief thought Walt’s envelope looked nice and fat.”
Aaron asked Ray if he had looked everywhere for Walt’s gift. Had he called up the wedding site to see if anything had been left behind? Ray said that he had looked everywhere and made a lot of calls that were fruitless.
Ray didn’t know what to do. If he sent Walt and Mary a thank-you note for a gift they hadn’t given, they would be insulted. If he didn’t send them a thank-you note for a gift they had given, they would get angry.
“What would you do?” Ray asked. Aaron said he would call Walt up and tell him the problem.
“You can’t go wrong with simply being honest,” Aaron said.
“Oh, yes, you can,” Ray contradicted (反驳) him. “Sometimes it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie.” But he thought about it, and finally decided that Aaron was right. He called Walt and told him the problem. Walt said that yes, he had given an envelope. In fact, the envelope contained $500 cash.
“$500?!” Ray asked. “That’s a lot of cash, Walt!” Walt admitted that it was, but he had gotten a fat raise early that year and Ray’s was the only wedding he’d been to in quite a while. Ray thanked him very much, and apologized sincerely for someone stealing Walt’s generous gift. Walt told him that it was “only money”.
When Ray told Aaron about Walt’s gift, Aaron laughed. “The only thief at the wedding was Walt! I stopped playing cards with him last year because I caught him cheating. And it was only a $10 pot! I’m sure I told you about that.”
“Yes, you did tell me,” Ray said. But, of course, he had to send Walt a thank-you note anyway.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Aaron looked on honesty as the best policy. |
| B．Walt had surely gotten a fat raise early that year. |
| C．Stealing had never happened at a wedding. |
| D．Nobody checked on the gift table all evening. |
The underlined word “insulted” in Paragraph 5 probably means ______.
| A．deeply impressed | B．much discouraged |
| C．badly hurt | D．greatly moved |
What kind of person is Ray?
| A．Friendly and optimistic. | B．Doubtful and experienced. |
| C．Outgoing and stubborn. | D．Thoughtful and polite. |
Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
| A．A Wedding Party |
| B．The Wedding Gift |
| C．The Thief at the Wedding |
| D．A Secret at the Wedding |
Matthew Henson-Arctic Explorer
In 1880，fourteen-year-old Matthew Henson loved to hear sailors tell tales of their exciting 1ives at sea．The travel，the adventure，the danger，and the steady pay were all attracting young Henson．One day，he found a job as a cabin boy off a beautiful ship called the Katie Hinds．For the next five years．Henson sailed around the world．With the help of the ship’s captain and other members of the crew．Henson learned mathematics，navigation，history，geography，and many other subjects．By the time he left the Katie Hinds in 1885，Henson was well educated and had become an excellent seaman．
Unable to find work anywhere else，Henson took a job in a hat shop in Washington，D．C．One day in 1887，a man came in to buy a hat．The man，Robert Peary，asked the owner if he knew anyone with experience at sea．Peary would soon travel to South America for the U．S．government．He needed experienced men to accompany him．The shop owner knew about his young employee’s skills and experience on ocean journeys，so he introduced Peary to Henson．
Using his map-reading and sailing skills，Henson proved himself to be a worthy and smart seaman．Peary soon made Henson his assistant，and they became close friends．One day Peary told Henson about his real dream：to be the first man to stand on“the top of the world"at the North Pole．He asked Henson to help him make his dream come true．Over the next five years，the two explorers made two trips together to the Arctic．However，they were not able to reach the pole either time．The cold，wind，and ice were worse than either of them had ever imagined．
In 1908，Peary and Henson were ready to make their final attempt at reaching the North Pole．Both men were over forty years old．The years of hardship in the arctic cold had made them suffer a lot．This would be their last chance．With four Inuit guides，they made a mad rush straight across the ice toward the po1e．Peary’s feet were injured and he had to be pulled on a dogsled．In April 1909．Henson’s instruments showed they were standing at the North Pole．Together Henson and Peary planted the American flag in the snow．
In later years，Robert Peary and Henson were greatly honored for their achievements．Today，the two friends and fellow explorers lie in heroes’ graves not far apart in the Arlington National Cemetery．In paragraph 1，the author shows how Henson became________．
| A．a skilled seaman |
| B．a highly educated captain |
| C．employed in a restaurant |
| D．interested in helping others |
Paragraph 2 mainly tells us__________．
| A．how Matthew Henson met Robert Peary |
| B．why Matthew Henson went to the hat shop |
| C．why Matthew Henson stopped working on the Katie Hinds |
| D．how Robert Peary knew that Matthew Henson had sea experience |
On their trip to the North Pole，Henson and Peary could best be compared to___________.
| A．hunters running after wolves |
| B．generals seeking power over another country |
| C．soldiers going to war to fight for their freedom |
| D．fighters performing a task in an unknown land |
The information presented in this passage is mainly organized_________．
| A．by cause and effect |
| B．by comparing and contrasting |
| C．in the order that the events happened |
| D．with main ideas and supporting examples |
It was such an extremely freezing day that I decided to get a cup of hot drinking first after work．As my colleague，Ricky，and I were making our way to a coffee shop，I noticed an old gentleman rather poorly dressed sitting on a bench nearby．Obviously he was frozen，seemingly one of the homeless or someone like that．
We joined the 1ine and waited to be served．Ricky handed the server a twenty-dollar bill， ordered three cups of hot coffee，and gestured the server to give one to the old gentleman outside on the bench as a favour．The server looked at Ricky，a little perplexed，without full comprehension of the request．Afterwards，there was a wonderful exchange between the server and the old man in need of some attention．I only wish I had taken a photo of the smiles on the both faces.
As I was thinking about this event later on，I wondered to myself why Ricky didn’t perform this act of kindness himself．I suspected that deep down in his heart he was hoping that this act of kindness might inspire others to do something for this old man as well．Absolutely beautiful!
There are many ways of thinking when we meet someone as the old man in need of kindness and attention．Perhaps he needs a little helping hand and thank God for my colleague who inspired the others to goodness as well．Oh，by the way，the last words Ricky told the server were，“There go I，but for the Grace of God．”What was the author’s impression of the old gentleman?
| A．He was a greedy man． |
| B．He took on a sign of poor manners. |
| C．He was in poor health． |
| D．He needed some kind of human care. |
Why didn't Ricky give the favour to the old gentleman himself?
| A．He didn’t know the old gentleman． |
| B．He was too shy to speak to strangers． |
| C．He tried to influence others to be kind． |
| D．He feared the old man would refuse his help． |
What the author really thinks absolutely beautiful is that_________.
| A．an act of kindness could go widespread |
| B．a cup of coffee could warm the old man |
| C．the server was very kind to customers |
| D．Ricky had created good impressions |
They say there are three ways to experience the Grand Canyon；on foot，on mules(骡子)or by air．We chose the first．Waking up early，my husband and I and our three children couldn’t wait to get started．We decided to walk along a lovely path named Bright Angel Trail．
As we set out，I was shocked at how narrow the path was．And I couldn’t help noticing that the other tourists weren’t like us．They had heavy backpacks，water bottles，and hats．But as usual we were dressed．As the sun rose higher．Arizona’s famous heat seemed to roast us．There was no shade and our legs were aching．We decided to go back，with the girl on my back and the boys far behind．By the time we finally got back，our legs were like jelly．
The next day，after we’d had a long rest and a good breakfast，we were ready for another view of the Canyon—by air．After our last walk，this would be the easiest thing in the world．
We called to each other excitedly as the plane took off and circled around the Canyon．But the smiles on our faces disappeared as the pilot tossed(翻转)the plane around，pretending he was going to hit the ground．I shouted，“STOP，TAKE US BACK!”When we finally arrived back on land，once again our legs were like jelly．We hardly spoke as we drove back．
As I said，there are three ways to view the Grand Canyon．We never tried the mules，but personally I'd suggest a fourth buy yourself a good magazine like National Geographic．That way，you can see the Canyon，without fear or tiredness．Which of the following is true according to the second paragraph?
| A．They made a careful preparation before the trip． |
| B．They children were more joyful than their parents． |
| C．Bright Angel Trail was not as lovely as they expected． |
| D．The narrow road prevented them from enjoying the view． |
The underlined expression“Our legs were like jelly”probably means_________.
| A．we were weak | B．we were unhappy |
| C．we were dissatisfied | D．we were disappointed |
Which of the following best describes their Canyon trip by air?
| A．It proved to be frightening． | B．It was more comfortable. |
| C．It turned out to be exciting． | D．It made each of them tired． |
We can infer from the passage that_________．
| A．experiencing the Canyon on mules would be the best way |
| B．one needs to dress less when visiting the Grand Canyon |
| C．the writer was not serious when she made the suggestion |
| D．the whole family narrowly escaped from the air accident |
Lee Kuan Yew emerged onto the international stage as the founding father of the state of Singapore, then a city of about 1 million. He developed into a world statesman who acted as a kind of conscience to leaders around the globe.
Fate initially seemed not to have provided him with a stage on which to achieve more than modest local success. In the first phase of decolonization, Singapore emerged as a part of Malaya. It was cut loose because of tensions between Singapore’s largely Chinese population and the Malay majority and, above all, to teach the city a lesson of dependency, Malaya undoubtedly expected that reality would cure Singapore of its independent spirit.
But great men become such through visions beyond material calculations. Lee challenged conventional wisdom by opting for statehood. The choice reflected a deep faith in the virtues of his people. He asserted that a city located on a sandbar with no economic resource to draw upon, and whose major industry as a colonial naval base had disappeared, could nevertheless thrive and achieve international reputation by building on its principal asset(财富): the intelligence, industry and dedication of its people.
A great leader takes his or her society from where it is to where it has never been ---- indeed, where it as yet cannot imagine being. By insisting on quality education, by suppressing corruption and by basing governance on merit. Lee and his colleagues raised the annual per capita income of their population from $500 at the time of independence in 1965 to roughly $55,000 today. In a generation, Singapore became an international financial center., the leading intellectual metropolis of Southeast Asia, the location of the region’s major hospitals and a favored site for conferences on international affairs. It did so by adhering to an extraordinary pragmatism: by opening careers to the best talents and encouraging them to adopt the best practices from all over the world..
Superior performance was one component of that achievement. Superior leadership was even more important. As the decades went by, it was moving ---- and inspirational ---- to see Lee., the mayor of a medium-size city, become a mentor of global strategic order.
The great tragedy of Lee’s life was that his beloved wife was felled by a stroke that left her a prisoner in her body, unable to communicate or receive communication. Through all that time, Lee sat by her bedside in the evening reading to her. He had faith that she understood despite the evidence to the contrary.
Perhaps this was Lee Kuan Yew’s role in his era. He had the same hope for our world. He fought for its better instincts even when the evidence was ambiguous. But many of us heard him and will never forget him.Why did Lee Kuan Yew choose to lead Singapore to be independent?
| A．He intended to act as a kind of conscience to leaders around the globe. |
| B．He determined his people shouldn’t be subjected to Malaya anymore. |
| C．He had considerable confidence in the value of the city’s assets. |
| D．He wanted Singapore to be the most powerful country worldwide. |
From the underlined sentence in Paragraph2, we can know that ________.
| A．Malaya expected Singapore to be powerful |
| B．Malaya had a desire to kick off Singapore |
| C．Malaya firmly believed Singapore would give in |
| D．Malaya didn’t think Singapore possessed independent spirit |
The fourth paragraph is organized to ________.
| A．illustrate how advanced Singapore has been today |
| B．demonstrate Lee Kuan Yew attached great importance to the talents |
| C．prove what a crucial decision Lee Kuan Yew once made |
| D．show the tremendous impact Lee Kuan Yew had on Singapore |
Which of the following can best describe Lee Kuan Yew?
| A．Stubborn and arbitrary |
| B．Aggressive and affectionate. |
| C．Demanding and bossy |
| D．Outspoken and humorous. |
Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there.
~Thomas Fuller
My father was always an enthusiastic gardener. I think his Irish blood called to the earth in much the same way his own grandfather had. One of my earliest memories is standing barefoot in the freshly tilled soil, my hands blackened from digging in the ground, still a bit cold from the turning. As a small child, the garden was an amazing fairyland, full of possibility. As a teenager, though, it was often a source of conflict between the old man and me.
As a child, I loved following Dad around in the garden. I remember Daddy pushing the tiller ahead in perfectly straight lines. His gardening gloves, banana yellow, would grip the handles of the old tiller; the roar of the machine was pleasantly deafening. After a while, he would stop and pull the gloves off to wipe his brow. Daddy loved growing all sorts of things: yellow and green onions, watermelons almost as big as me, rows and rows of yellow corn, and our favorite -- ruby red tomatoes.
As I grew into a teenager, I didn't get so excited about gardening with Daddy. Instead of the magical land of possibility, it had turned into some kind of medieval(中世纪的) prison. It was one more thing on a list of demands that I imagined no one else in the world had to deal with.
Dad would say, "Tina, come help me plant the garden today. It's a beautiful morning to be outdoors."
"Aww, Dad, I was going to the movies with my friends," I would replied.
"Tina, I could sure use a hand weeding the garden today," he would remark.
"Today? Sorry, Dad, I already made plans," I would stubbornly say, digging in my heels. "Why do we have to have a garden, anyway? It's stupid. You can buy carrots for a quarter at the grocery store," I would point out. He would just smile knowingly. I usually got my way, and didn't have to help out if I really didn't want to. After all, I had better things to do with my time.
As Dad grew older, his passion for gardening never declined. After all the kids were grown and had started families of their own, Dad turned to gardening like never before. His garden took up most of his backyard, which was quite a stretch. Even when he was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer, he still put out his garden. Still, he planted the zucchini and yellow squash, the juicy cucumbers, the spicy jalapenos, and of course, the tender tomato plants. Sometimes, I would come over to visit. He would share the rewards of his garden with me, as we would walk together through the carefully weeded rows.
But then, something changed. The cancer, bit by bit, invaded his body and stole his livelihood, his independence, his humor. Unfortunately, the doctor had run out of treatments. Hospice(临终关怀) is a whole other ballgame. Somebody has to be with the family member twenty-four hours a day. I found myself in all kinds of uncomfortable situations with Dad, and more than once I felt his anger at his helplessness. Little by little, I had to do the things he used to do. Soon I was cutting his grass, paying his bills, putting his pills in a cup, and adjusting his oxygen. These things he resisted, but I knew things were definitely changing when I began caring for the garden.
Though I had heard the words of the doctor as well, what really convinced me that Dad was dying was the state of his garden that year. That year, he only planted tomatoes. Too tired to weed them, he simply tied them with twine to the fence and let them be. So I would come over and water them occasionally, and pluck out the weeds.
Five years ago, Dad planted his last little patch of tomatoes. For the first few years after he died, I couldn't even bear to look at anyone's garden without having strong memories pour over me like cold water from a bucket. Three years ago, though, something changed, and I decided to plant my own garden. I decided I would start out with just a few tomatoes. That morning, I got out the old tiller and it roared to life, almost as if it had been waiting. After breaking up a fair amount of soil, something caught the corner of my eye and I had to smile. It was my eight-year-old son Nathan, standing barefoot in the freshly tilled soil, his hands blackened from digging in the earth.Which word best describes the author’s feeling about gardening as a teenager?
| A．uninterested | B．satisfied |
| C．doubtful | D．indifferent |
The author’s father______.
| A．devoted a lot in gardening in order to cut down the daily expenses |
| B．was quite angry at his daughter’s absence of gardening |
| C．was not as enthusiastic as before about gardening after his children’s growth |
| D．was probably an Irishman or had Irish blood lineage |
What makes the author realize the approach of her father’s death is______.
| A．what the doctor told her |
| B．when some one had to be with her father always |
| C．the state of his garden that year |
| D．his anger when he felt helpless |
What does the underlined sentence mean?
| A．It was unbearable to see other peoples’ gardens were poorly managed. |
| B．It was unbearable to see other peoples’ gardens were well managed. |
| C．Memories of Dad rushed to me the moment I saw other peoples’ gardens. |
| D．The idea of gardening made me feel like being in a bucket with cold water. |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
| A．dad preferred tomatoes a lot because of its wonderful taste |
| B．dad refused all things I did because I didn’t love gardening |
| C．the desertion of Dad’s garden resulted from his laziness |
| D．the author restarted gardening with a new understanding of it |
The best title of the passage is ______.
| A．Gardening benefits health |
| B．Dad’s tomatoes |
| C．Bridge the father-and-daughter gap |
| D．My love of gardening |
A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.
A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till without stopping, and continued to walk.
A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3-year-old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most beautiful pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment.
The outlines were: in a commonplace（普通的） environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we enjoy beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected situation?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?”Few people stopped to listen to Joshua Bell playing because____________.
| A．people were in a hurry |
| B．they were not interested in music |
| C．it was too cold in the subway |
D．the p erformance was not good enough |
When children stopped to look at the violinist, their parents ____________.
| A．would give him some money |
| B．would stop to enjoy the music |
| C．would applaud for the performance |
| D．would urge them to continue walking |
Which of the following is true about Joshua Bells performance?
| A．Nobody gave him money |
| B．Nobody recognized him. |
| C．Nobody appreciated it |
| D．Nobody organized it |
Joshua Bell played in the metro station in order to ____________.
| A．make more money |
| B．practice his skills in playing music |
| C．made an advertisement for his concert |
| D．find out people’s reaction under such a circumstance |
The purpose of the passage is to _________.
| A．set us to think about our life |
| B．show us how to play music |
| C．tell us the importance of music |
| D．report a subway performance |
We are not rich by what we possess but rather by what we can do without.
——Immauel Kant
Many times my friend June would say, “If I ever get rich, I’m getting a completely new wardrobe （大衣柜）and moving into a bigger apartment.” I thought of her words and her chances of being rich are about as good as mine. But, to everyone’s surprise, a few years ago June did come to large inheritance（遗产）.
At first June said very little about the money. As the initial shock disappeared, she became excited, June is a great believer in making lists, so I was surprised to find her writing down all the ways she would spend her new wealth.
As time went on, she started revising the list. What had been midway down the list was now at the top. At last, I said to her, “You know, it isn’t necessary to spend all your inheritance at once. Take come time; think about it.” “I know, I know,” she answered with a little bit anger.
Then one morning June called, “I’ve decided how I want to use my new inheritance. I want to see what you think,” she said. This wasn’t something I looked forward to, but we had been friends so long.
As we sat, June spread a sheet of paper on the table. To my great surprise, she had written only two words: Charities, and Grandchildren-in that order. Though I had promised to keep quiet, I couldn’t keep from asking how she came to this decision.
“Well,” she said, “I took your advice and thought about it.” She added, “Helping others means a lot to me, so I’m hoping this gift will help people in need.”
I interrupted, “But what about this big apartment you most hope to have?”
“At first it was hard, but it doesn’t seem as important any more”, she answered with a smile.
Then June moved her hand, and I could see a few words written in tiny letters at the bottom of the page. After having a look at the small print, I burst into laughter. June had written: AND one new wardrobe.From the passage we can learn that the writer at first .
| A．was richer than her friend June |
| B．was no richer than her friend June |
| C．was poorer than her friend June |
| D．was interested in money as June |
When making a list of how to deal with her inheritance, June .
| A．didn’t change it at all |
| B．had a quarrel with the writer |
| C．kept it secret from the writer |
| D．made some changes to it |
When June called the writer to talk about her new decision, the writer .
| A．felt that June would do something meaningful |
| B．refused the invitation at first, but changed her mind later |
| C．had decided not to make any comments on June’s list |
| D．was eager to learn more about the new list |
What did the writer think of her friend’s new decision?
| A．She found it funny and wrong. |
| B．She found it unacceptable and unbelievable. |
| C．She found it surprising and meaningful. |
| D．She found it difficult and meaningless. |
When I set out to drop my dad of fat the airport，it was dark and dreary(沉闷的)．It started to rain on the way．When I left the airport，the visibility wasn’t clear because of the drops of rain．It was before 6 am．
Even though the road conditions were poor，I drove at my normal speed．I was angry with the more cautious drivers ahead of me that were delaying my drive．The exit ramp(坡道)to the highway was a tight spiral(急盘旋)．It is a dangerous spot in good weather and totally scary when the weather is miserable or it is dark．But I didn’t want to slow down and arrive home any later than necessary．I drove down the ramp too fast．The road was wet and my car slid，landing face down on the passenger side．
I didn’t like to drive by myself at the time and had debated taking my husband and son with me on the trip．Thankfully，I was alone in the car．My accident was slight．In fact, I was lucky enough not to have a single scratch．I shuddered to think the injuries my son would have suffered had he been in the backseat of that car with no seatbelt when it rolled．After the ear rolled three times，I found my mobile phone was lost in a pile of small things that were all lying in the bottom of the car．A lady was kind enough to let me borrow her mobile phone，but with-out the numbers preprogrammed who could I call? I was lucky enough to remember my father’s mobile phone number，and fortunate that he hadn’t yet got on his plane.
You never know when an accident will happen．As a driver，I will keep safety in mind by obeying all traffic laws and have safe-driving habits，especially in bad weather．Insist your children always wear their seatbehs．Life is a journey and everyone should value it and enjoy the ride．Why was the author angry with those drivers?
| A．She thought they drove too slowly． |
| B．They made much noise on the ramp． |
| C．They didn’t pay attention to the safety． |
| D．They tried to stop her car on the ramp． |
What does the underlined word“shuddered” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
| A．Ensured the safety． |
| B．Remembered clearly． |
| C．Trembled because of fear． |
| D．Took control of the bad situation． |
What is the main reason that resulted in the accident?
| A．The visibility was not clear． |
| B．The author drove rather fast． |
| C．It started to rain heavily then． |
| D．It was an unsafe spot for driving． |
We can learn from this passage that the author _____________．
| A．had just a single scratch |
| B．called her father for help |
| C．felt sorry because her son was injured |
| D．found her mobile phone with the help of a lady |
The breaking news of Mo Yan's Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday evening soon aroused public curiosity of the 57yearold Chinese writer: Why was it him that was favored by the Swedish Academy?
Born in 1955 into a rural family，Mo dropped out of school and became a farmer when he was a teenager．He joined the military and devoted himself to writing after the Cultural Revolution （1966－1976）．
Less than half an hour after the announcement，Mo's works turned to soldout status at China's major online book sellers．One lucky buyer wrote in an online comment: “Rushed to purchase，but to my shame，I have not read any of his novels．”
Although Mo was entitled one of the top domestic literature awards before the Nobel Prize，he is not the most popular novelist in China，in either the book market or in reputation．
Mo's novel “Big Breasts & Wide Hips，” translated by Howard Goldblatt，tells a story of a mother who struggled and suffered hardship and intertwined fates with Chinese people in the 20th century．His more recent work “Frog” more directly criticized China's onechild family policy，which helped control the country's population explosion but also brought tragedies to rural residents in the past 60 years．
“I think the reason why I could win the prize is because my works present lives with unique Chinese characteristics，and they also tell stories from a viewpoint of common human beings，which is above differences of nations and races，” Mo said on Thursday evening to Chinese journalists．Mo also said many folk arts originated from his hometown，such as clay sculpture，paper cuts，traditional new yearpaintings，have inspired and influenced his novels．
With more Chinese writers like Mo，the world could learn a more real China．Perhaps，this is another reason for the Swedish Academy's choice．What can we conclude from the second paragraph?
| A．Mo's life experiences． | B．Mo's family life． |
| C．Mo devoted himself to writing． | D．Mo had a gift for writing． |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Mo didn't got any national awards before he won the Nobel Prize． |
| B．Mo was the top novelist in China before he won the Nobel Prize． |
| C．Mo's novels have attracted many people to read． |
| D．Mo's novels are all based on his daily life． |
Which of the following have no effect on Mo's novels according to the passage?
| A．Clay sculpture． | B．Paper cuts． |
| C．Folk arts． | D．Beijing opera． |
According to the passage，we know that________．
| A．Big Breasts & Wide Hips' leading role is one happy mother |
| B．Big Breasts & Wide Hips criticized China's onechild family policy |
| C．Frog came out earlier than Big Breasts & Wide Hips |
| D．Frog shows benefit as well as shortcoming of one China's policy |
On June 15th，2012，millions of people watched as 33yearold Nik Wallenda walked across one of the world's greatest waterfalls on a tightrope（钢丝）．What made the 25－minute walk that was televised live and watched by over 13 million people worldwide even more amazing，is that it was done over the Niagara Falls－An action that had never been attempted before．
Even though Nik was wearing a harness（保护带），a safety measure provided by ABC，the television network that broadcast the event，his action to keep his balance against the strong winds made for some heart－stopping（令人担忧的） moments for the audience．
Nik，however，never slowed down for even one moment．Wearing special shoes made by his mother，he remained totally focused on the job at hand．It was only when he got to the last stretch near Canada's Table Rock that he knelt down on one knee and finally broke into a smile．Waving and blowing kisses to the cheering audience，he knew he had accomplished a great task，which most people had thought impossible．
While he described the whole experience as peaceful and relaxing，Nik said his biggest challenges came from a totally unexpected source－his 40 pound balancing pole．The balancing pole was so heavy that he could hardly carry it on the tightrope．
One would think that now that Nik has realized his lifelong dream he would be ready to hang up his “balancing pole”．However，the adventurer who already has seven Guinness World Records under his belt，is just getting started－Next up? A 5，000－foot tightrope walk across the Grand Canyon．While the one across the Niagara Falls took years of planning because he had to convince the US and Canadian officials，this one should happen in the very near future．That's because，the Florida resident has already been granted（授予） a permit by the Canyon officials．Why did so many people fix their attention on the event?
A．Because it was done by Nik Wallenda．
B．Because nobody had done it there before．
C．Because it was broadcast live by ABC．
D．Because it was impossible to do the event．What made the audience hold their breath during Nik's performance?
| A．How Nik managed to cross the Niagara Falls with safety measure． |
| B．What Nik would do when he lost his balance on the tightrope． |
| C．How Nik kept his balance against the strong winds． |
| D．How long Nik will take to finish the event． |
What was the greatest difficulty for him to face in Nik view?
| A．The supplied tightrope． | B．The safety belt． |
| C．The balancing pole． | D．The audience's noise． |
What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?
| A．Nik will go on with his dream． |
| B．Nik's life dream is changing． |
| C．Permission of governments is important． |
| D．The Grand Canyon is a dream for Nik． |
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