The light from the campfire brightened the darkness, but it could not prevent the damp cold of Dennis’s Swamp (沼泽地) creeping into their bones. It was a strange place. Martin and Tom wished that they had not accepted Jack’s dare. They liked camping, but not near this swamp.
“So,” Martin asked as they sat watching the hot coals. “How did this place get its name ? ”
“Are you sure you want to hear it ? It’s a scary story,” warned Jack.
“Of course!” cried out Tom. “If there were anything to be scared of, you wouldn’t have chosen this place!”
“Ok, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” said Jack, and he began his tale.
“Way back in time, a man called Dennis tried to start a farm here. He built that cottage over there to live in . In those days, the area looked quite different ---- it was covered with tall trees and the swamp was a crystal-clear river. After three hard years, Dennis had cleared several fields and planted crops. He was so proud of his success that he refused to listen to advice.
“ ‘You are clearing too much land, ’ warned one old man. ‘ The land is a living thing. It will hit back at you if you abuse it. ’
“ ‘ Silly fool,’ said Dennis to himself. ‘If I clear more land, I can grow more crops. I’ll become wealthier. He’s just jealous!’
“Dennis continued to chop down trees. Small animals that relied on them for food and shelter were destroyed. He was so eager to expand his farm that he did not notice the river flowing slowly towards his door. He did not notice salt seeping to the surface of the land. He did not notice swamp plants choking all the native plants.
“What happened ? ” Martin asked. It was growing colder. He trembled, twisting his body closer to the fire.
“The land hit back ---- just as the old man warned, ” Jack shrugged. “Dennis disappeared. Old folks around here believe that swamp plants moved up from the river and dragged him underwater. His body was never found.”
“What a stupid story, ” laughed Tom. “Plants can’t …” Before he had finished speaking, he screamed and fainted (晕倒). The other two boys jumped up with fright, staring at Tom. Suddenly, they burst out laughing. Some green swamp ivy (常春藤) had covered Tom’s face. It was a while before Tom could appreciate the joke.The underlined word “dare” in Paragraph 1 is closed in meaning to ________.
| A．courage | B．assistance | C．instruction | D．challenge |
Why did Jack tell Tom and Martin the story ?
| A．To frighten them. | B．To satisfy their curiosity. |
| C．To warn them of the danger of the place. | D．To persuade them to camp in the swamp. |
Why did Dennis ignore the warning of the old man ?
| A．The old man envied him. | B．The old man was foolish |
| C．He was too busy to listen to others. | D．He was greedy for more crops. |
Why did Tom scream and faint ?
| A．He saw Dennis’s shadow | B．He was scared by a plant |
| C．His friends played a joke on him. | D．The weather became extremely cold. |
What lesson can we learn from the story of Dennis ?
| A．Grasp all, lose all. | B．No sweat, no sweet. |
| C．It is no use crying over spilt milk. | D．He who makes no mistakes makes nothing. |
Last year, around Labor Day, I read a “Happy Ad” in our local newspaper. There was a lady in a local nursing home, who was celebrating her 90th birthday and her family wanted everyone to know about it. It said that if you wanted to drop her a line, here was her address. So I did. I found a birthday card and dropped her a short note, wishing her a happy birthday.
A week or so later, someone knocked at my front door. I opened the door and found a middle-aged man standing on my doorstep. He introduced himself as the son of this woman to whom I had sent the card. He explained that he just wanted to drop by in person and thank me for sending such a nice card to his mom. Apparently, like many older folks, she did not receive much mail and was quite excited to receive mine. I just didn’t know what to say. I told him it was my pleasure and that I hoped his mom had enjoyed her birthday.
That year, I did not send out any Christmas cards, except to this lovely old lady in the nursing home. I just told her that I was thinking about her and hoped that she had a nice holiday. I sent her a Valentine and also a couple of notes in between. I just thought she might like to have someone write to her, to get some mail.
She passed away a couple of months ago. I never met this lady, but I did keep her and her family in my thoughts. I dropped them a line of sympathy. I hope that my few little notes were enough to brighten a couple of her days here on earth.The old lady’s address was given because ____________.
| A．her family wanted to make her well-known. |
| B．the old lady wanted to receive a birthday card. |
| C．the son of the old lady wanted to meet the author. |
| D．her family wanted to give her a happy birthday. |
Which of the following best describes the author?
| A．Brave | B．Polite | C．Caring | D．Faithful |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Kind Act | B．An Old Lady | C．A Happy Ad | D．A Considerate Son |
Mark had been scolded before for touching his father’s equipment. But his curiosity was difficult to control and this new computer really puzzled him.
It was a strange-looking machine — one his dad had brought home from the laboratory where he worked. “It’s an experimental model,” his father had explained, so don’t touch it under any circumstances.” But his father’s warning only served to make Mark more curious. Without any further thought, Mark turned on the power switch. The computer burst into life and seconds later, the screen turned into colours, shifting and changing, and then two big white words appeared in the centre of the screen: “SPACE TRANSPORTER.”
“Yes!” Mark cried excitedly, “It’s a computer game. I knew it! Dad’s only been pretending to work. He’s really been playing games instead!” A new message appeared on the screen:
“ENTER NAMES
VOYAGE １
VOYAGE ２
Mark’s finger flew across the keyboard as he typed in both of their names.
“INPUT ACCEPTED.
START TRANSPORT PROGRAM.
AUTO-RETRIEVE INITIATED(自动回收程序已启动).”
The screen turned even brighter and a noise suddenly rose in volume.
“I think we’d better shut it off, Mark,” Jason yelled out in terror, reaching for the power switch. A beam(光束) of dazzling white light burst out of the computer screen, wrapping the boys in its glow(光芒)，until they themselves seemed to be glowing. Then it died down just as suddenly as it had burst into life. And the boys were no longer there. On the screen, the letters changed：
“TRANSPORT SUCCESSFUL．
DESTINATION: MARS.
RETRIEVE DATE: 2025Why did Mark touch the computer against his father’s warning?
| A．He wanted to take a voyage. | B．He wanted to practice his skills. |
| C．He was so much attracted by it. | D．He was eager to do an experiment. |
Where did the boy’s father most likely work?
| A．In an electronic factory. | B．In a computer company. |
| C．In a scientific research center. | D．In an information processing center. |
Mark thought “SPACE TRANSPORTER” on the screen was the name of ________.
| A．a computer game | B．a company website |
| C．a software producer | D．an astronomy program |
Why did Jason want to shut off the computer?
| A．He was afraid of being scolded. |
| B．He didn’t like the loud noise and light. |
| C．He didn’t want to play games. |
| D．He was afraid something dangerous might happen. |
What happened to the boys at the end of the story?
| A．They were blown into the air. |
| B．They were sent to another planet. |
| C．They were hidden in the strong light. |
| D．They were carried away to another country. |
When I was young, I went looking for gold in California. I never found enough to make a rich strike. But I did discover a beautiful part of the country called Stanislau. Like Heaven on Earth, it had bright green hills and deep forests where soft winds touched the trees. By the time I arrived, the charming paradise had been deserted because miners’ good luck didn’t last.
Then, I realized I was not alone after all.
A man was smiling at me as he stood in front of his little house. Its front yard was full of blue and yellow flowers. White curtains hung from the windows and floated in the soft summer wind.
Still smiling, the man invited me inside. My spirit seemed to come to life again. I saw a bright rug on the shining wooden floor. And on little tables there were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers. A woman had made this house into a home. The delight in my heart showed on my face. The man read my thoughts. “All her work.” He said affectionately, “Nothing here hasn’t felt the touch of her hand.”
One picture on the wall was not hanging straight. He went to fix it. He stepped back several times to make sure the picture was straight. Then he gave it a gentle touch. “She always does that,” he explained, “It is like the finishing pat a mother gives her child’s hair after she has brushed it. I don’t know why I do it. I just do it.”
As he talked, I went to a little black-walnut shelf that held a small picture of the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. There was a sweetness and softness in the woman’s expression. The man stared at the picture. “Nineteen her last birthday. That was the day we married. When you see her...ah, just wait until you meet her!” “Where is she now?” I asked. “Oh, she is away visiting her parents. This is Wednesday,” he said slowly. “She will be back on Saturday, in the evening.”
That night, I stayed. The man told me his name was Henry.
Thursday evening we had two visitors, Tom and Joe. “We just drop over to ask when little madam is coming home. Any news from her?” “Oh yes,” the man replied. “A letter.” He took a yellowed letter out of his wallet and read it. It was full of loving messages. While reading, he glimpsed his friends and cried out, “Oh no, you are doing it again, Tom! Take your hands away and let me see your eyes. I’m going to tell her this time!” “No, you mustn’t do that, Henry,” the grey-haired miner said. “I am getting old. And any little sorrow makes me cry. Lord, we miss her so.”
Saturday finally came.
I was glad to see his two friends, Tom and Joe, with guitars, coming down the road as the sun began to set. They put the flowers they brought in vases and began to play some fast and lively songs.
Henry’s friends kept giving him glasses of whiskey. When I reached for one of the two remaining glasses, Tom stopped my arm. “Drop that! Take the other.” he whispered. I did so. Henry was served last. He had hardly swallowed his drink when the clock struck midnight. His face grew pale and paler. “Boys,” he said, “I am sick with fear. Help! I want to lie down.” Henry was asleep almost before the words were out of his mouth.
In a moment, those handy men had his clothes off and tucked him into his bed. They seemed to be getting ready to leave. So I said, “Please don’t go, gentlemen. She won’t know me. I am a stranger.” They glanced at each other. Then Joe said, “She? Poor thing, she’s been dead nineteen years!” “Dead?” I whispered. “That or worse.” he said.
“She went to see her folks half a year after she got married. On her way back, on a Saturday evening in June, when she was almost here, the Indians captured her. She’s never been heard of since. Henry went insane. But he only gets bad when that time of year comes round. Then we drop in here, three days before she’s due, to encourage him up and listen to him read the letter. Saturday we all come and get everything ready for a dance. We’ve done it for nineteen years. The first Saturday there were twenty-seven of us, but only two now. We drug him to sleep through the night. Then he’s all right for another year.”
The two old men opened the door and disappeared into the darkness of Stanislau.You can sense the existence of a woman from the following sentences EXCEPT “______”.
| A．Soft winds touched the trees in Stanislau. |
| B．There was a bright rug on the shining wooden floor. |
| C．There were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers. |
| D．A little black shelf held a small picture of a woman. |
Tom cried when Henry read the yellowed letter, because ______.
| A．he was getting older and older |
| B．he was moved by the loving messages in the letter |
| C．he felt sad at the thought of Henry’s wife |
| D．he was disappointed that Henry’s wife would arrive so late |
Tom stopped my reaching for whiskey because ______.
| A．there was not enough whiskey for Henry | B．he didn’t want me to get drunk |
| C．that glass of whiskey was drugged | D．it was for Henry’s wife |
The underlined word “insane” probably means “______”.
| A．depressed | B．disappointed | C．mad | D．sick |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
| A．Henry’s wife was 38 when she was last seen |
| B．Tom and Joe have heard the letter many times |
| C．the author stayed in Henry’s house because he was lost |
| D．the two miners came on Saturday to share past memories |
The story is mainly about ______.
| A．ever-lasting love | B．lifelong friendship |
| C．an unforgettable experience | D．charming Stanislau |
During the next several weeks I went completely to the wolves. I took a tiny tent and set it up on the shore of bay. The big telescope was set up in the mouth of the tent in such a way that I could observe the wolves by day or night.
Quite by accident I had pitched (set up) my tent within ten yards of one of the major paths used by the wolves. Shortly after I had taken up residence one of the wolves came back and discovered me and my tent, but he did not stop or hesitate in his pace. Later, one or more wolves used the track past my tent and never did they show the slightest interest in me. I felt uncomfortable at being so totally ignored. The next day I noticed a male wolf make boundary markers by passing water on the rounds of his family lands.
Once I had become aware of the strong feeling of property rights which existed among the wolves, I decided to use this knowledge to make them at least recognize my existence. One evening, after they had gone off for their regular nightly hunt I staked out a property of my own, including a long section of the wolves’ path. In order to ensure that my claim would not be overlooked, I made a property mark on stones, dumps of moss, and patches of vegetation with a lot of tea. Before the hunters came back, task was done, and I retired, somewhat exhausted, to observe results. A few minutes later, the leading male appeared. As usual he did not bother to glance at the tent, but when he reached the point where my property line intersected (cut across) the trail, he stopped as suddenly as if he had run into an invisible wall.
Cautiously, he extended his nose and sniffed at one of my marked bushes. After a minute of hesitation he backed away a few yards and sat down. Then, he looked directly at the tent and at me.
His glare seemed to become more fierce as I attempted to stare him down. The situation was becoming intolerable. To break the impasse I turned my back on the wolf. Then quickly and with an air of decision, he turned his attention away from me and began a systematic tour of the area I had staked out as my own. As he came to each boundary marker he sniffed it once or twice, then carefully placed his mark on the outside of mine. Why did the wolves manage to ignore the author’s presence?
| A．Because his tent was out of the wolves’ estate boundaries. |
| B．Because the author and the wolves were already good friends. |
| C．Because they did not know him at all. |
| D．Because the wolves were afraid of strangers. |
Which is TRUE according to the passage ?
| A．The author likes staring matches esp. with wolves. |
| B．Staking the land was very easy. |
| C．Wolves can see the estate boundaries clearly with their eyes. |
| D．The author managed to know why the wolves ignore his presence. |
What was the author’s discovery?
| A．Wolves were not settled beasts, as is almost universally believed. |
| B．Wolves were settled beasts and the possessors of an estate with definite boundaries. |
| C．Wolves were not interested with strangers. |
| D．Wolves’ family was dominated by a female. |
Why did the author stake out an area of his own?
| A．Because he thought it better to be stared at than to be ignored. |
| B．Because he didn’t want the wolves to use the track past his tent. |
| C．Because he wanted the wolves to take cognizance of his existence. |
| D．Because he wanted to find out how fierce the wolf’s glare was. |
Two years ago ,Hannah Mighall ,then 13, survived a great white shark attack on Tasmania’s north-east coast, but despite the terrible scars ,the shy yet courageous teenager is determined to get back into the water.
It’s been a long journey back for the brave girl, whose life was changed forever as she was on her surfboard 60 metres offshore at Binalong, Bay ,Tasmania.
Her cousin ,32-yeaf-old syb Mundy ,was surfing nearby, “Suddenly, everything went quiet ,”Hannah ,now15,recalls of the day she almost lost her life, “I look down into the water and noticed a dark shadow under my board I knew instantly it was a shark.”
As Syb watched in horror, the five-metre shark put hundreds of sharp teeth onto Hannah’s right leg,throwing her from her board, “I was attached to my leg-rope as the shark stared to pull me under the water”,She shakes, “I was lying on my back with one leg under the shark’s body and the other still in its jaws.”
Syb desperately punched (猛击)the shark’s nose and reached out to grab Hannah as the monster bit a huge chunk（大块）from the surfboard, “I was still attached to my board and was dragged back under the water again,”she says ,When she came up for air, Hannah dog paddled(爬泳)to Syb’s board and he dragged her from the water to lie on his back ,”We looked down and saw the shark circling beneath us,”Hannah says.
Hannah was rushed to the hospital by helicopter ,She needed more than 400 stitches(针)on her leg and spent two weeks in hospital.
Modest about her remarkable courage, Hannah owes her survival to Syb’s bravery and the fact that great whites,despite their reputation as man-eaters, typically don’t target humans ,After the attack ,Hannah earned the Sea Shepherd award for courage for speaking in defence of the shark “I was in his territory, she wasn’t in mine,”she smiles.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
| A．Courage Can Beat Any Difficulty |
| B．How to Escape from a Shark Attack |
| C．A Survival from a Shark Attack |
| D．Sharks Can Target Humans Sometimes |
What is the correct order of the following events happening to Hannah?
a、She was bit and pulled by the shark d、She was dragged from the water
b、She swam to Syb’s board e、She was pulled under the water again
c、She came up to take a breath f、She noticed the change of the things around her
| A．f,a,b,e,c,d | B．f,a,e,c,b,d | C．a,e,c,b,d,f | D．a,c,b,e,d,f |
From the passage, which statement is mentioned about Hanah?
| A．was so brave that this experience didn’t have any influence on her life |
| B．didn’t hesitate to get hack into the water to surf immediately she recovered |
| C．thought it is a common thing to be attacked by a shark in the ocean |
| D．didn’t blame the fact that sharks are known as man-eaters for her being attacked |
How was Hannah sent to the hospital.?
| A．She was went to the hospital by Syb |
| B．She was went to the hospital by local people |
| C．She was went to the hospital by helicopter |
| D．She was went to the hospital by the Sea Shepherb |
The reason why Hannah was awarded is that .
| A．She was brave to speak for the shark although she was severely injured by it |
| B．She successfully escaped from a dangerous situation because of her courage |
| C．She was courageous enough to go deep into sharks’territory and survived |
| D．She has been determined to go hack into the sea where there are sharks |
I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. While others had Cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different from the other kids’ too. But at least, I wasn’t alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.
My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we’d be gone an hour, then we should be gone one hour or less -- not one hour and one minute. And she always insisted upon us telling the truth. Now you can see how mean she was.
The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn’t sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept - my mother actually had the courage to break the Child Labor Law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, and learn to cook. We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath every day. The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of disgrace because she made our clothes herself, just to save money. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.
Through the years, things didn’t improve a bit. We could not lie in bed “sick” like our friends did, and miss school. Our marks in school had to live up to expectations. Our friends’ report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother, being as different as she was, would be satisfied with nothing less than ugly black marks.
As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us was put to shame. We graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a drop-out.
My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. None of us have ever been arrested or divorced. Each of my brothers served his time in the service of this country. She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults. I am now trying to raise my three children. I am filled with pride when my children call me mean. Why? Because now I thank God every day for giving me the meanest mother in the whole world.The author’s mother wanted her children to _________.
| A．do their best at school and be educated and respected citizens |
| B．be top students in school and graduate with honors |
| C．stop seeing her friends who pretended to be sick to skip classes |
| D．bring home colored report cards like her friends did |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
| A．The author has a deep hatred for her mother. |
| B．The author’s mother set timetables for her children whenever they went out. |
| C．Some of the children weren’t able to go to college because of their mean mother. |
| D．As a parent, the author is following her mother’s example. |
It can be inferred from the passage that________.
| A．All the other kids at school studied better than the author. |
| B．The author worked hard and usually got good grades in studies. |
| C．Mother was punished for breaking the Labor Law. |
| D．The author’s family lived a miserable life. |
Dear Mr. Watson,
CLAIM AL54323432–-STORM DAMAGE TO ROOF
I received a cheque for $623 dated 26 January in payment of my recent claim(索赔). However, I wish to tell you how upset I have been by the way your Claims Assessor, Mr. Michael Tan, handled this claim.
When Mr. Tan first called me, he specifically told me that he believed I had been overcharged, and he would expect to pay that price for work on a double garage, rather than a single garage like mine. Mr. Tan suggested that I neither use nor recommend this contractor again. He continued to tell me it was unlikely for me to receive full payment. Never during this conversation did he mention that the reason for not receiving full payment was because of the nature of my insurance policy.
Consequently, I wrote to Mr. Lance Ashe to complain about his pricing, stating that I was very upset thinking that he could have taken advantage by overcharging a 73-year-old woman. Mr. Ashe telephoned me immediately and explained his charges in detail. He later reported back to me that Mr. Tan explained that I would not receive full payment because of the type of policy I hold, which does not cover wear and tear. This was the first time this issue had been brought to my attention, so you can imagine my surprise.
When I received Mr. Tan’s letter of 2 February, this situation was explained. If this had been explained in the first place I would have accepted it and would not have questioned Mr. Ashe’s charges. Instead, by telling me initially that I had been overcharged for this work, he caused a great deal of upset, not only for me but also for Mr. Ashe.
I believed this claim was handled badly by Mr. Tan from the beginning. Therefore, a great deal of embarrassment has been caused over this issue.
I felt you should know how disappointed and upset I am. I trust you will look into this and ensure that such claims are handled more appropriately in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. RichardThe author writes this letter to ______.
| A．inform the manager of a payment |
| B．complain about a mishandled case |
| C．demand an apology from Mr. Watson |
| D．require the manager to fire Mr. Tan |
The underlined words “the contractor” in Para.2 refer to ______.
| A．Mr. Tan | B．Mrs. Richard | C．Mr. Ashe | D．Mr. Watson |
The author could not receive full payment because _______.
| A．her policy doesn’t cover some of the items |
| B．the contractor overcharged her for the work |
| C．Mr. Watson doesn’t take the matter seriously |
| D．she spent too much money fixing her garage |
We can learn from the passage that Mr. Tan works in a/an _______.
| A．welfare organization | B．nursing house |
| C．local affairs office | D．insurance company |
Norm Pethrick, a 36-year-old man in Australia’s northern city Darwin, was praised on Thursday for jumping onto a crocodile’s back to save his wife Wendy at Litchfield National Park, a popular tourist spot southwest of Darwin, a local newspaper reported.
Ms Pethrick was standing on a river bank Wednesday afternoon when the saltwater crocodile lunged (扑), locking its jaws (颌)on both her legs as it tried to drag her underwater.
Norm Pethrick, who with his wife had been collecting water, immediately went to help her. He jumped onto the back, poked (戳) the eyes of the crocodile and finally got his wife free.
Ms Pethrick was later taken to Royal Darwin Hospital for a medical treatment. The doctors said she was suffering eight puncture wounds (伤口) in her right leg, a puncture（穿刺） wound in her left leg and a serious cut to one of her fingers.
“This could have been a fatal and tragic situation,” said the general manager of Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH), Dr Len Notaras, according to a local report.
He said Ms Pethrick was saved by her husband’s “quick and diligent actions”.
Dr Notaras also said she would remain in hospital for three to four days and have an operation to clean the wounds, which are easy to get infected because of bacteria (细菌) on the teeth of the crocodile. This passage is most likely to be found in _____.
| A．a travel guide | B．a newspaper | C．a textbook | D．a novel |
The crocodile attacked Ms Pethrick when she was ______.
| A．swimming in the river |
| B．standing on the river bank |
| C．watching the crocodile |
| D．fishing in the water |
Which of the following statements is TRUE about Ms Pethrick?
| A．Her eyes were badly poked. |
| B．She had eight wounds altogether. |
| C．One of her fingers also got hurt. |
| D．One of the crocodile’s teeth was found in her leg. |
According to the passage, Norm Pethrick can be described as following EXCEPT ______.
| A．brave | B．diligent | C．quick | D．humorous |
As I was busy working on my work plan in my bedroom, I could hear my four children playing upstairs. Suddenly, I heard the children running down the stairs and shouting, “Freddie, Freddie.” I heard the word “window” and rushed outside, heart in mouth. My three-year old son Freddie was lying on his side on the ground. I cried for my husband Simon to dial 999 and within minutes the air ambulance arrived. They quickly took him in the helicopter. During the flight, Freddie was looking at me and I remember thinking was a good sign, but then his eyes began to roll. As the doctors tried to stabilize(稳定) him, I couldn’t believe what was happening.
When we arrived at the hospital in Portsmouth, there were some doctors and nurses waiting for us and they immediately set to work on Freddie. I was hopelessly wishing everything would be alright, but Freddie had broken his skull in two places and blood clots were forming in his brain. He needed surgery(外科手术), and only a surgeon at another hospital in Bristol could do it. This meant another helicopter ride, but we couldn’t go with Freddie because there was no enough space. Simon and I drove the long 130 miles from our home in north Devon in silence. Neither of us dared say what we were thinking, “What if we get there and he’s dead?” “Is he going to be brain-damaged?”
Freddie was just coming out of surgery when we arrived. The surgeon said it had gone well. When I finally saw him, I hardly recognize my child—he was covered in tubes and there were wires coming out of his head.
On the third day, Simon went home to see our three girls and to pick up some clean clothes for us. While he was gone, the pressure in Freddie’s brain suddenly increased. He was taken into theater again and this time I fell apart. Luckily, the surgery managed to stabilize Freddie. After almost a week, Freddie was finally woken up. When he opened his eyes, he looked at me. He didn’t say anything, but I knew straight away that it was my old Freddie, and that he was going to be alright. Over the next two weeks, his recovery went well. After help with learning to swallow again and encouragement with speaking, he was soon playing with his Gruffalo cards and eating meals by himself.
I still don’t know how the accident happened, but we got some idea from our girls. Clearly Freddie and Minnie had been sitting on the window ledge, and Freddie must have opened it to look out and fallen 20 feet onto the ground below.
The guilt I feel is awful— for weeks I was full of “ if onlys”, and we put window locks everywhere. Six months later, although the accident seems a lifetime ago, it has changed me. I feel differently about life now. I’ve left my job to put my children first. I want to spend every minute with them.The underlined sentence in paragraph 1 shows the author was ______________.
| A．hopeless | B．worried | C．curious | D．puzzled |
Why did the author’s son have to be moved to another hospital in Bristol?
| A．Because no surgeons were on duty in the first hospital that day. |
| B．Because the author wanted his son to stay in a hospital nearer her home. |
| C．Because no surgeons in the first hospital knew the injuries to the author’s son. |
| D．Because no surgeons in the first hospital could do surgery on the author’s son. |
When the author finally saw her son, she could hardly recognize him probably because his
face_____________.
| A．was seriously injured |
| B．was filled with small pipes |
| C．was too pale to be recognized |
| D．was covered by a piece of cloth |
On the third day after being taken to the hospital, _____________.
| A．the author’s son finally opened his eyes. |
| B．the situation of the author’s son suddenly worsened |
| C．the author’s son was finally out of danger |
| D．the author’s son did not need any more surgery |
After the accident, what did the author probably learn?
| A．Life is full of “if onlys”. |
| B．Being a single mother is not easy. |
| C．Children are more important than work. |
| D．Accidents can happen to every kid. |
Growing up, I wanted to be just like my mom. She was kind. People always seemed to feel comfortable in her presence. For years, she was a volunteer in our community. I loved going to the local nursing home with her where she taught a ceramic class.
On one summer day, Mama told me to get changed and meet her at the car.
I had planned to spend the day at the lake with friends. Why did she have to ruin everything? I imagined the cool lake water. Irritated, I climbed into the car and slammed the door shut. We sat in silence. I was too upset to make conversation.
“Tasha, would you like to know where we are going?” Mama asked calmly.
“No,” I said.
“We are going to volunteer at a children’s shelter today. I have been there before and I think it would benefit you,” she explained.
When we reached the shelter, Mama rang the doorbell. Moments later, we were greeted by a woman. She led us to the front room where all of the children were playing. I noticed a baby whose body was scarred with iron marks. I was told it was because she wouldn’t stop crying. The majority of the children had noticeable physical scars. Others hid their emotional wounds.
As I took in my surroundings, I felt a gentle tug on my shirt. I looked down to see a little girl looking up at me. “Hi. You want to play dolls with me?” she asked. I looked over at Mama for reinforcement. She smiled and nodded. I turned back and said, “Sure.” Her tiny hand reached up and held mine, as if to comfort me.
My mom taught me a valuable lesson that summer. I returned to the shelter with her several times. During those visits, some of the children shared their troubled pasts with me and I learned to be grateful for what I had. Today as I strive to instill (逐渐灌输) these values in my own child, I reflect back to that experience. It was a time that I will never forget. The author admired her mom for ________.
| A．her kindness to others | B．her excellent teaching |
| C．her quality of honesty | D．her positive attitude to life |
According to Paragraph 3, when she was asked to go out with her mom, the author was ________.
| A．excited | B．angry | C．surprised | D．worried |
From the passage we learn most children in the shelter ________.
| A．were often punished by staff | B．weren’t allowed to go outside |
| C．were once treated badly | D．all suffered from mental illness |
The underlined word “reinforcement” in the passage is closest in meaning to “________”.
| A．truth | B．help | C．comfort | D．support |
Once there was an old man in a town. He always forgot a lot of things. So his wife always had to say to him, “Don’t forget this!”
One day he went on a long trip alone. Before he left home, his wife said, “Now you have all these things. They are what you need for your trip. Take care of your things during the trip.” He went to the station, bought a ticket and got on the train with it.
About half an hour later, the conductor began to see the tickets. He came to the old man and said, “Will you please show me your ticket?” The old man looked for his ticket in all his pockets, but he could not find it. He was very worried. “I can’t find my ticket. I really bought a ticket before I got on the train.” said the old man.
“I believe you bought a ticket. All right, you don’t have to buy another one,” said the conductor kindly. “But how can I know where I’m going? I can’t remember my station!” the old man said sadly.The old man in the story was very ______.
| A．kind | B．poor | C．forgetful | D．sad |
Where is the ticket? _______
| A．The old man forgot to buy it. |
| B．The old man could not remember where it was. |
| C．The old man showed it to the conductor. |
| D．The old man’s wife took the ticket away. |
The old bought the ticket _____ he got on the train.
| A．after | B．before | C．as | D．when |
The conductor ______ the old man.
| A．didn’t believe | B．laughed at | C．believed | D．felt sorry for |
The old man was sad because _______
| A．he had to buy another ticket. |
| B．he lost all the things his wife gave him. |
| C．he did not know where he was. |
| D．he did not know where he should get off. |
A woman was waiting at an airport one night, with several long hours before her flight. She bought a book and a bag of cookies in the airport shop, and found a place to drop.
She was interested in her book, but the man sitting beside her grabbed a cookie or two from the bag in between, which she tried to ignore to avoid an argument.
So she ate the cookies noisily and watched the clock, as the cookie thief diminished (使……变少) her stock. She was getting angrier as the minutes passed, thinking,“Oh, brother, if I wasn’t so nice, I would blacken your eyes.”
With each cookie she took, he took one, too. When only one was left, she wondered what he would do. With a smile on his face, he took the last cookie and broke it in half. He offered her half, and he ate the other. She got it from him and thought, “ This guy has some nerve (胆量) and he’s also rude. Why didn’t he even show any gratitude?”
She had never known when she had been so angry. She gathered her bag and headed for the gate, refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate (忘恩负义者).
She boarded the plane and then she sought her book, which was almost complete. As she reached in her bag, she was shocked— there was her bag of cookies. “If mine are here,” she thought, “the others were his. It’s too late to apologize.”Why did the woman ignore it when she found the man eating the cookies?
| A．She didn’t want to get into an argument. |
| B．She was full of pity for the man. |
| C．The man was dangerous and brave. |
| D．She was too careless to notice it. |
When offered her half of the last cookie, the woman______.
| A．felt a bit disappointed. |
| B．felt deeply thankful. |
| C．considered the man unthankful. |
| D．saw the man as his brave brother. |
We can infer that the man________.
| A．might have returned the bag of cookies secretly. |
| B．tried to share his cookies with the woman. |
| C．was thankful for the woman’s kindness. |
| D．was really a thief. |
Hello! My name is Lisa, and I am a lioness. I live on the open grasslands of Africa with my family. Lions living in a group are called a pride.
My father is strong and powerful. He and his cousin are the leaders of our pride. The other members are my mother, her sisters, and their children.
The area where a pride lives is big! We roar (咆哮) to tell each other where we are and to warn strangers to stay away.
Meet my new baby brother. His name is Leon. See the spots on his fur? We lions are born spotted or striped (有条纹的). As we grow older, the spots gradually disappear.
Lionesses usually spend their entire lives with their birth pride, but Leon will leave when he is about three years old. He’ll run around with a male (雄性的) friend or relative for a few years until they take over a pride of their own.
But for now, we have lots of fun together. We often play and fight for hours, which can help us practice skills that we will need for hunting. )
We lions keep ourselves very clean. Just like a house cat, I clean my fur (毛with my tongue. We clean for each other, too, to show we’re friends.
Lions like to sleep for most of the day. We hunt in the cool evening. Female (雌性的) lions hunt more often than male lions. We work together as a team. At the right moment, we attack and kill our prey. Then we share it. Male lions usually eat first. Females eat next. Baby lions are the last to eat. The smallest one gets the least food.
Since we are full, it’s time to go to find a nice place for a sleep. Bye!Lisa in this passage is the name of _____.
| A．a girl | B．a male lion | C．a female lion | D．a pride |
According to the passage, Leon _____.
| A．hunts more often than his sisters |
| B．will have spots on his fur for the whole of his life |
| C．will leave his birth pride when he is about three |
| D．will take over his birth pride when his father dies |
The underlined word “prey” in the passage probably means _____.
| A．the animal that is hunted | B．the animal that is dangerous |
| C．the animal that is powerful | D．the animal that is ill |
The passage is written for _____.
| A．doctors | B．tourists | C．children | D．hunters |
One day a student was taking a walk with his teacher. As they went along, they saw a pair of old shoes lying in the path. They were a poor farmer’s, who was working in the nearby field.
The student turned to the teacher, saying: “we will hide his shoes, and hide ourselves behind those trees, and wait to see what he will do.”
“My young friend,” answered the teacher, “we should never make fun of the poor. Why not put a coin in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch?” The student did so and they both hid themselves behind the trees. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes.
After putting on his coat, he put his foot into one of his shoes, and felt something hard. Then he bent (弯腰) down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Surprised, he looked at the coin, turned it around and looked at it again. He then looked around, but no person was seen. He put the money into his pocket, and continued to put on the other shoe. His surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.
He couldn’t control his feelings and fell to his knees, looked up to the sky and expressed his thanks. Then he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread. He said the help would save them from dying.
The student stood there deeply moved, and his eyes filled with tears. “Now,” said the teacher, “are you not much happier than if you had hidden the shoes?”When the student saw the shoes, he wanted to _____.
| A．steal them | B．find their owner |
| C．play a joke on the owner | D．give the owner some money |
According to the passage, the teacher is _____.
| A．quiet and honest | B．kind and friendly |
| C．patient and clever | D．strict and careful |
At the end of the story, the student _____.
| A．was very proud of himself |
| B．was very pleased with his life |
| C．felt very sorry about his first idea |
| D．felt sad for not taking his teacher’s advice |
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