The old camera Brownie picked up in a charity shop was a splendid find .But the undeveloped film still inside turned out to be even more of a treasure.
New owner Don Roccoforte had it developed and saw in it an attractive dark haired woman in her thirties with two young boys. He immediately determined to try to find out who they were.
A few weeks later the California-based camera collector received the news that left him stunned. The woman was his wife Jaqueline’s aunt in a picture taken around 50 years ago, and one of the boys, her cousin.
The couple have now unraveled(揭开)the astonishing coincidence ,which leads back to Mrs. Roccoforte’s native Lancashire, where many of her family still live. The camera was bought from a shop in Preston by Brownie, a friend of Mr. Roccoforte, who knew of his interest in photography and thought it would be an unusual gift.
Back in California, the contents of his new possession inspired Mr. Roccoforte’s curiosity. Recognizing the water in the background of the photo as a lake in Lancashire; he sent a copy to the local paper in Preston to see if any readers could help.
Another relative recognized the group as Winnie Bamber, still living in the area at the age of 81, her son Tony, Mrs. Roccoforte’s cousin, and Tony’s childhood friend, Mick Murphy.
Yesterday Mrs. Bamber was still gasping(惊讶地吸气)at the turn of events which has reunited two strands(分支)of her family.
She said she remembered taking the boys to the lake and losing the camera. The two boys, both now 58, still live near Preston.
Mrs. Roccoforte’s father is Winnie Bamber’s brother, Billy Charnley.
He and his wife moved to America in the 1960s. Their daughter met Mr. Roccoforte there and they married and moved to Preston for two years before returning to America.
1 Which of the following is the right order of what happened?
a. Don Roccoforte received a special present from his friend.
b. Another relative recognized Winnie Bamber and the two boys.
c. Winnie Bamber ,together with two boys ,went to take pictures at a lake.
d. Don Roccoforte sent a copy of the picture to a paper in Preston.
e. The film was developed.
f. The camera was lost.
g. Brownie bought an old camera in a shop.
A. c→f→b→a→d→g→e B. b→c→a→f→d→e→g
C. c→f→g→a→e→d→b D. a→c→b→f→e→g→d
2. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Tony is the son of Winnie Bamber.
B. Billy Charnley’s daughter was married to Don Roccoforte.
C. Brownie married Winnie Bamber.
D. Mrs. Roccoforte is Winnie Bamber’s niece.
3. The underlined word “stunned” is closest in meaning to ________.
A. disappointed B. shocked C. worried D. satisfied
4. The best title for this passage would be ________.
A. The Film that Waited 50 Years to Be Developed
B. An Unusual Reunion after about Half a Century
C. A Special Present to a Special Friend
D. An Old Camera and the Beautiful Pictures Inside
It happened to me recently. I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father and how it had changed my views of our President. A friend I was talking to agreed with me that it was, in his words, “a brilliantly (精彩地)written book”. However, he then went on to talk about Mr. Obama in a way which suggested he had no idea of his background at all. I sensed that I was talking to a book liar.
And it seems that my friend is not the only one. Approximately two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven’t. In the World Book Day’s “Report on Guilty Secrets”, Dreams From My Father is at number 9. The report lists ten books, and various authors, which people have lied about reading, and as I’m not one to lie too often (I’d hate to be caught out), I’ll admit here and now that I haven’t read the entire top ten. But I am pleased to say that, unlike 42 percent of people, I have read the book at number one, George Orwell’s 1984. I think it’s really brilliant.
The World Book Day report also has some other interesting information in it. It says that many people lie about having read Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky (I haven’t read him, but haven’t lied about it either) and Herman Melville.
Asked why they lied, the most common reason was to “impress” someone they were speaking to. This could be tricky if the conversation became more in–depth!
But when asked which authors they actually enjoy, people named J. K. Rowling, John Grisham, Sophie Kinsella (ah, the big sellers, in other words). Forty-two percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story (I’ll come clean: I do this and am astonished that 58 percent said they had never done so).How did the author find his friend a book liar?
| A.By judging his manner of speaking. |
| B.By looking into his background. |
| C.By mentioning a famous name. |
| D.By discussing the book itself. |
Which of the following is a “guilty secret” according to the World Book Day report?
| A.Charles Dickens is very low on the top-ten list. |
| B.42% of people pretended to have read 1984. |
| C.The author admitted having read 9 books. |
| D.Dreams From My Father is hardly read. |
By lying about reading, a person hopes to.
| A.control the conversation | B.appear knowledgeable |
| C.learn about the book | D.make more friends |
What is the author’s attitude to 58% of readers?
| A.Favorable. | B.Uncaring |
| C.Doubtful | D.Friendly |
I suddenly heard an elephant crying as though frightened. Looking down, I immediately recognized that something was wrong, and ran down to the edge of the near bank. There I saw Ma Shwe with her three-month-old calf struggling in the fast-rising water, and it was a life-and-death struggle. Her calf was floating and screaming with fear. Ma Shwe was as near to the far bank as she could get, holding her whole body against the rushing water, and keeping the calf pressed against her huge body. Every now and then the rushing water would sweep the calf away.
There was a sudden rise in the water and the calf was washed clean over the mother’s body and was gone. Ma Shwe turned quickly to reach it and pressed the calf with her head and trunk(象鼻) against the rocky bank. Then with a huge effort, she picked it up in her trunk and tried until she was able to place it on a narrow shelf of rock.
Just at this moment she fell back into the river. If she were carried down, it would be certain death. I knew, as well as she did, that there was one spot(地点) where she could get up the bank, but it was on the other side from where she had put her calf.
While I was wondering what I could do next, I heard the sound of a mother’s love. Ma Shwe had crossed the river and got up the bank and was making her way back as fast as she could, roaring (吼叫) all the time, but to her calf it was music.The moment the author got down to the river bank he saw _____,
| A.the calf was about to fall into the river |
| B.Ma Shwe was placing the calf on the rock |
| C.the calf was washed away by the rising water |
| D.Ma Shwe was holding the calf against the rushing water |
How did Ma Shwe manage to save her calf from the fast-flowing water?
| A.By putting it on a safe spot. |
| B.By pressing it against her body. |
| C.By taking it away with her. |
| D.By carrying it on her back. |
How did the calf feel about the mother elephant’s roaring?
| A.It was a great comfort. | B.It was a sign of danger. |
| C.It was a call for help. | D.It was a musical note. |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A.A Mother’s Love | B.A Brave Act |
| C.A Deadly River | D.A Matter of Life and Death |
When I was six, Dad brought home a dog one day, who was called “Brownie”, My brothers and I all loved Brownie and did different things with her. One of us would walk her, another would feed her, then there were baths, playing catch and many other games. Brownie, in return, loved each and every one of us. One thing that most touched my heart was that she would go to whoever was sick and just be with them. We always felt better when she was around.
One days, as I was getting her food, she chewed up(咬破) one of Dad’s shoes, which had to be thrown away in the end. I knew Dad would be mad and I had to let her know what she did was wrong. When I looked at her and said, “Bad girl.” She looked down at the ground and then went and hid. I saw a tear in her eyes.
Brownie turned out to be more than just our family pet. She went everywhere with us. People would stop and ask if they could pet her. Of course she'd let anyone pet her. She was just the most lovable dog. There were many dines when we'd be out walking and a small child would come over and pull on her hair. She never barked (吠) or tried to get away. Funny thing is she would smile. This frightened people because they thought she was showing her teeth. Far from the truth, she loved everyone.
Now many years have passed since Brownie died of old age. I still miss the days when she was with us.What would Brownie do when someone was ill in the family?
| A.Look at them sadly. | B.Keep them company. |
| C.Play games with them. | D.Touch them gently. |
We can infer from Paragraph 2 that Brownie ___________
| A.would eat anything when hungry | B.felt sorry for her mistake |
| C.loved playing hide-and-seek | D.disliked the author's dad |
Why does the author say that Browrnie was more than just a family pet?
A. She was treated as a member of the family.
B She played games with anyone she liked.
C. She was loved by everybody she met.
D. She went everywhere with the family.Which of the following best describes Brownie?
| A.Shy. | B.Polite. |
| C.Brave. | D.Caring. |
People in the United States honor their parents with two special days:Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June.These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible(有责任感的) citizens. They give love and care. These two days make us think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home. More fathers must help with child care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery(墓地).On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants.They often have outdoor barbecues for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries, telephone companies, and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays.Which is not a reason for children to show love and respect for parents?
| A.Parents bring up children. |
| B.Parents give love and care to children. |
| C.Parents pass away before children grow up. |
| D.Parents educate children to be good persons. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A.Fewer women worked outside the home in the past. |
| B.Both festivals are in May. |
| C.Not all the children respect their parents. |
| D.Fathers are not as important as mothers at home. |
What do you know about “carnation” in the paragraph 2? _________.
| A.It only has two kinds of color. |
| B.It refers to the special clothes people wear on Mother’s Day. |
| C.It's a kind of flower showing love and best wishes. |
| D.People can wear them only on the second Sunday in May. |
On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day ________.
| A.everyone goes to the cemetery |
| B.people usually have family parties |
| C.children always go to parents' home |
| D.hand-made cards are the most valuable gifts |
What do you think “florists” do? _________.
| A.They sell flowers. |
| B.They make bread or pastry. |
| C.They offer enough room for having family parties. |
| D.They sell special clothes for Mother’s Day and Father's Day. |
Stay in the magic with your friends and family and book a hotel stay at either Disney’s Hollywood Hotel or Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.As a hotel guest, you can enjoy an extra day at Hong Kong Disneyland Park during your stay when you buy a one-day ticket!
How It Works
Hotel guests staying at either the Disney’s Hollywood Hotel or Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel who buy a Hong Kong Disneyland Park ticket will receive an extra park admission for the following day.Guests can buy Stay and Play for 2 Days tickets as soon as you check in at the Front Desk.Ticket price will be based on the first day a guest visits the Park.If the first visit day is a Regular Day, guests can buy Regular Day tickets even though the following day may be a Peak or Special Day.If the first visit day is a Peak(峰) Day, Guests should buy Peak Day tickets even though the following day may be a Regular Day.
This offer is available 13 May through 30 September 2006.Guests who have bought their Hong Kong Disneyland Park tickets before 13 May 2006 can exchange their unused and not expired(过期的)tickets to Stay and Play for 2 Days tickets at the Hotel Front Desk.
Where to Buy
Guests can book their hotel stay through the following:
Call Hong Kong Disneyland Reservation Center at +852 1-830-830, opens daily 9 am-6 pm.
OR
Get in touch with your travel agent.
Dates to Remember
Offer Period 13 May 2006 – 30 September 2006
Last Day to buy Stay and Play for 2 days tickets 29 September 2006
Last Visit Date 30 September 2006
For more information, please click here.As a guest at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, you can enjoy an extra day in ______ .
| A.Hong Kong Disneyland Park | B.a Hong Kong family |
| C.Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel | D.Disney’s Hollywood Hotel |
You can get a Stay and Play for 2 Days ticket ________ .
| A.from 13 May 2006 to 30 September 2006 |
| B.by getting in touch with your travel agent |
| C.by calling 852 1-830-830 any time of the day |
| D.with your used Hong Kong Disneyland Park ticket |
This advertisement is probably taken from ________ .
| A.a newspaper | B.a magazine |
| C.the website | D.a travel handbook |