Last week my youngest son and I visited my father at his new home in Tucson, Arizona. He moved there a few years ago, and I was eager to see his now place and meet his friends.
My earliest memories of my father are of a tall, handsome, successful man devoted to his work and family but uncomfortable with his children. As a child I loved him; as a school girl and young adult(成年人)I feared(害怕) him and felt bitter about him He seemed unhappy with me unless I got straight A’s and unhappy with my boy friends if their fathers were not as “successful” as he was. Whenever I went out with him on weekends, I used to struggle to think up things to say, feeling worried.
On the first day of my visit, we went out with one of my father’s friends for lunch at an outdoor cafe. We walked along that afternoon, did some shopping, ate on the street table, and laughed over my son’s funny facial expressions. Gone was my father’s critical(挑剔的)air and strict rules. Who was this person I knew as my father, who seemed so friendly and interesting to be around? What had held him back before?
The next day my dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me quite a few stories about his own childhood. Although our times together became easier over the years, I never felt closer to him at that moment. After so many years, I’m at last seeing another side of my father. And in so doing, I’m delighted with my new friend. My dad in his new home in Arizona is back to me from where he was.
1. Why did the author feel bitter about her father as a young adult?
A. He was silent most of the time B. He was too proud of himself
C. He did not love his children D. He expected too much of her
2. When the author went out with her father on weekends, she would feel_______.
A. nervous B. sorry C. tired D. safe
3. What does the author think of her father after her visit to Tucson?
A. More critical B. More talkative C. Gentle and friendly D. Strict and hard-working
4. The underlined words “my new friend” in the last paragraph refer to ________.
A. the author’s son B. the author’s father C. the friend of the author’s father D. the cafe owner
“Everybody loves a bargain.” One person's useless, ugly, or broken object can be another person's bargain. That is why so many Americans do not throw things away. They put them outside their houses. They put on a “For Sale” sign. And, as simple as that, they have a yard sale.
The sellers put a paid announcement(付费通告) in a local newspaper. It tells when and where the yard sale will take place. These sales are very popular during weekends in spring, summer, and autumn. Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house. Then they sit all day in the sunlight----like tired guests at a party----waiting for someone to take them home.
Just about anything can be sold at a yard sale. Sometimes, there are more clothes than anything else. Cooking equipment is also popular. So are old toys, tools, books, tables and chairs. Then there are objects called “white elephants”. A white elephant is something you think is extremely ugly or useless. It may be an electric light shaped like a fish. You feel a sharp pain whenever you look at it. To someone else, however, it might be a thing of beauty and joy.
Some people go to yard sales to find a special thing that they collect. It may be old toy trains, for example, or painting of dogs. Experts say more Americans are collecting old things now than ever before. Most people who go to yard sales, however, are not looking for anything special. They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy negotiating(谈判) over prices, even if they really do not need the object. Later, they may hold their own yard to sell all the things they have bought.What kind of things will go to a yard sale?
| A．Cheap and ugly things. |
| B．Things people no longer use. |
| C．Things out of season. |
| D．Things of great value. |
A white elephant refers to _________.
| A．something that can cause a feeling of pain |
| B．something disliked by the owners while appreciated by others |
| C．something sold at the lowest prices |
| D．a toy shaped like a fish |
Most people go to yard sales to________.
| A．find valuable paintings |
| B．look for something special |
| C．find a bargain |
| D．kill their time |
We can infer from the last paragraph that__________.
| A．people may find something of great value on a yard sale |
| B．yard sales only attract those who have a low income |
| C．things on a yard sale can cost people a lot |
| D．most people don’t want to go to yard sales. |
阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分, 满分40分）
阅读下列短文, 从每篇短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中, 选出最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
It was a cold night in Washington, D.C., and I was heading back to the hotel when a man approached me. He asked if I would give him some money so he could get something to eat. I'd read the signs: "Don't give money to beggars as most of them are swindlers." So I shook my head and kept walking.
I wasn't prepared for a reply, but with no hesitation, he followed me and said, "I really am homeless and I really am hungry! You can come with me and watch me eat!" But I kept on walking.
The incident kept bothering me for the rest of the week. I had money in my pocket and it wouldn't have killed me to hand over a dollar or two even if he hadn’t been a real beggar. On a freezing cold night, no less, I assumed the worst of a fellow human being.
Flying back to Anchorage, I couldn't help thinking of him. I tried to reason my failure to help by supposing government agencies, churches and charities were there to feed him. Besides, you're not supposed to give money to beggars.
Somewhere over Seattle, I started to write my weekly garden column for The Anchorage Daily News. Out of the blue, I came up with an idea. Bean's Cafe, a local charity service kitchen, feeds hundreds of hungry local people every day. Why not try to get all my readers to plant one row of vegetables or flowers in their gardens for Bean's? Plant a row for Bean's. It’s clean and simple.
We didn't keep records back then, but the idea began to take off. Folks would fax me or call when they took something in. It’s food for the spirit and comfort for my conscience.
In April 1995, the Garden Writers Association of America(GWAA) held their annual meeting in Anchorage and after learning our program, Plant a Row for Bean's became Plant a Row For The Hungry. The idea then was to have every member write or talk about planting a row for the hungry, which brought the program to national attention.
As more and more people participated, new variations cropped up. Many companies gave free seeds to customers and displayed the logo for the program. Donations poured in. It was then that I could really stop feeling guilty.The underlined word “swindlers” in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to ______.
| A．policemen | B．writers | C．cheaters | D．beggars |
Why did the author think he assumed the worst of a fellow human being?
| A．Because he didn’t show fair respect to a beggar treating him badly. |
| B．Because he could have helped a hungry man but he passed by. |
| C．Because he believed that no people begged because of real hunger. |
| D．Because he thought that charity work was the government’s duty. |
How did the author make up for what he had done?
| A．He set up a local kitchen to help the poor. |
| B．He planted a row of vegetables for charity. |
| C．He called on people to donate money to the Bean’s. |
| D．He initiated the idea of Plant a row for Bean’s. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The beggar gave up the first time he was turned down by the author. |
| B．The author invented the program inspired by the Anchorage Daily News. |
| C．GWAA expanded the program concept and made it nationwide in 1995. |
| D．The program was later taken over by some seeding companies. |
In Britain in the 1890s there was a postcard “craze(热潮)”. People formed clubs and collected and exchanged postcards. Even Queen Victoria had her own private collection.
When Edward was the king, the British had a cheap and good postal system. If anyone wanted to tell a friend that they were coming for tea in the afternoon, they would send a postcard in the morning. “Drop me a card” was as common then as “give me a ring” as now.
In 1902 an important step was taken. The government said that half of the side that was used for the address on the postcard could be used for messages, and the whole of the other side could be used for a picture. It was then that the simple postcard, as we know now, was created.In Britain in the 1890s, _______.
| A．people were interested in sending cards |
| B．people were interested in playing cards |
| C．people were interested in collecting postcards |
| D．people were interested in buying postcards |
Which statement is TRUE?
| A．Postcards were not used in the 19th century. |
| B．It was not until 1902 that the simple postcard as we know was created. |
| C．Postcards were used only for collection in the 1890s. |
| D．There was no message on the old postcard. |
Choose the best title for the passage.
| A．Postcards Old and New |
| B．Postcard Clubs in the 1890s |
| C．Creation of the Present Postcard |
| D．Postal System in Britain |
Read the following time table and then answer the following question.
Train Time Table
lv. (Leave) Boston Ar. (Arrive) Midway Ar. New York
5:10 AM EX.(Except)Sun. 7:00 AM10:45 AM
7:10 AM Daily9:00 AM12:45 PM
9:10 AM Ex. Sat. & Sun. 11:00 AM2:45 PM
10:00 AM Ex. Hol.(Holiday) 11:45 AM2:55 PM
1:15 PM Daily3:15 PM5:45 PM
3:40 PM Ex. Hol.5:40 PM8:15 PM
5:20 PM Daily7:20 PM9:55 PMWhat is the shortest time between Boston and New York by train?
| A．5 hours 35 minutes |
| B．5 hours 5 minutes |
| C．4 hours 30 minutes |
| D．4 hours 25 minutes |
How many trains have to spend over five hours on the way from Boston to New York?
| A．5 | B．3 | C．7 | D．2 |
On Christmas Day, how many trains can you certainly take from Boston to New York?
| A．2 | B．4 | C．5 | D．3 |
I Don’t Think I Wrote Wrong
Lao Yang was born in a small town. He liked reading when he studied at school. He thought the writers were respected(尊敬) and could get a lot of money. He wrote a lot of stories and posted them to the editorial departments (编辑部) but didn’t receive any answers.
Now he works in a factory. He’s busy at work. When he’s free, he always reads something. He always remembers he hoped to be a writer when he was young. One day, Xiao Ping, his ten-year-old daughter, came back. She looked worried and didn’t eat anything. She said Miss Gao, her Chinese teacher, told them to write a solicit article(征文) “My Father” that evening. But she did not know what to write.
“That’s easy,” said Lao Yang. “Let me help you.”
Then he sat down to write the solicit article at once. He easily finished it on time. He was sure Miss Gao would like it. But one afternoon he asked his daughter if the article had been chosen to post to the editorial department.
“My teacher said your article digressed from the subject(离题),” said the girl.
“I don’t think so,” Lao Yang shouted angrily. “I described(描写) just my father!”Lao Yang wrote a lot of stories because _______.
| A．he likes reading |
| B．he learned much at school |
| C．he wanted to be a writer |
| D．he wanted to help others |
Lao Yang posted the stories to the editorial departments, _______.
| A．and he got a lot of money |
| B．and he became a famous man |
| C．and he was respected |
| D．but he failed |
As _______, Lao Yang decided to help his daughter.
| A．he was a writer |
| B．he was free |
| C．he wanted to realize his ideal(理想) |
| D．he wanted to make his daughter happy |
Lao Yang’s solicit article digressed from the subject _______.
| A．because he couldn’t write it at all |
| B．because he didn’t know his father well |
| C．because it was too bad to be chosen |
| D．just because he described his father |