I made a pledge (发誓) to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving . No ifs, ands or buts.
The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting (引用) a Biblical (圣经的) passage about husbands being thoughtful（体贴的） of their wives. Then he went on to say," Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love." To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well , for two weeks that would change.
And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said," That new yellow sweater looks great on you."
"Oh, Tom, you noticed," she said, surprised and pleased, maybe a little puzzled.
After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, "Evelyn's been alone here with the kids all the week and now she wants to stay with me. " We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed
and happy, that's how the whole vacation passed, I made a new pledge to keep on remembering to choose love. There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. Last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
“What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“ Tom ,” se said in a voice filled with distress, “ do you know something I don’t?”
"What do you mean?"
"Well...that checkup(体检) I had several weeks ago...our doctor...did he tell you something about me? Tom , you've been so good to me..
. am I dying?"
It took a moment for it all to sink in. Then I bur
st out laughing.
"No, honey," I said, wrapping her in my arms. "You're not dying; I'm just staring to
live."In the first paragraph, "No ifs, ands or buts" probably means___.
| A．unnecessarily | B．unexpectedly | C． impossibly | D．unconditionally |
From the story we may infer that Tom went to the beach cottage___.
| A．with his family | B．with Evelyn | C．alone | D．with his children |
During the two weeks on the beach, Tom showed more love to his wife because___.
| A．she looked lovely in her new clothes |
B．he had made a lot of money in Wall Street |
| C．he was determined to be a good husband |
| D．she was seriously ill |
The underlined words "one thing" in the passage refer to the fact that___.
| A．he praised her sweater, which puzzled her |
B．she insisted on visiting a museum, which he  hated |
| C．he knew something about her illness but didn't tell her |
| D．he was so good to her that she thought she must be dying |
By saying "I'm just starting to live", Tom means that___.
| A．he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life |
| B．he is just beginning to enjoy his life as a loving husband |
| C．he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change |
| D．he is beginning to feel regretful for what he did to his wife |
AAAGH! The Generation 90s is coming!
Wearing earphones, using complex Net language and constantly text messaging friends, the Gen-90s following the Gen-80s begin to make their world debut (初次登台).
Each generation or age group has its own symbols and lifestyle. Read on and judge for yourselves if you fit the Gen-90s group.
Earphones
These little devices seem to grow on the heads of the Gen-90s. They might lead to MP3, MP4 or MP101 players, giving these young people a plugged-in, cool and perhaps self-addicted look, of course, life is not always music to the ears.
Martian language
They have created their own code-like online language. It’s a mixture of English, Japanese and Chinese that perhaps only Martians can understand. This is an imaginative generation, though they need to be careful to keep it out of their term papers.
Self-Portrait
Saying “cheese” to their own digital cameras is usual for this generation. A little bit of narcissism (自恋) never hurts anyone. It helps them reflect a little on their own lives．But be aware of the risks of posting private photos online.
Text-messaging
They can type their mobile phones as fast as they can speak. This is a generation that respects efficiency. However, oral communication is important and will never go out of style.According to the passage, if you belong to the Gen-90s , you will _______ .
| A．just appreciate yourself and ignore others’ strengths. |
| B．have your own symbols and lifestyle. |
| C．have the same symbols and lifestyle of the Gen-80s． |
| D．like music and dance very much. |
According to the text, the writer will choose ______ as a good example to the Gen-90.
| A．Li Hua likes music and always wearing iPod |
| B．Zhang Chao is not only an imaginative boy but do everything efficiently. |
| C．Lily is a shy girl and she doesn’t like making friends. |
| D．Fangfang likes being taken photos and often posting them on line. |
According to this passage, which is FALSE?
| A．Not all teens are cautious about posting photos． |
| B．They type their mobile phones so fast that it can catch the speed of speaking. |
| C．The Gen-90s have a preference for some music players, and even regard them as a necessary part of life. |
| D．They don’t use the cool and complex online language in formal writing. |
The main idea of the passage is about________.
| A．the Gen-90s’ happy life |
| B．the difference between the Gen-80s and the Gen-90s |
| C．the Gen-90s’ unique lifestyle and some practical warnings |
| D．the similarities between the Gen-80s and the Gen-90s |
We have been providing performing arts information for over 14 years. Here you can search for plays, musicals, concerts and operas across the UK.
| Bob the Builder—Spud’s Big Mess at Apollo Theatre Children will be happy to see and sing along with their favorite characters. Bob, with his hard-working team, builds a new eco-centered wind farm in Sunflower Valley. This show is full of fun, and provides an educational message to help children learn about caring about the environment, recycling and, of course, teamwork. [Kids show] Dates: From 1st November, 2009 to 8th May, 2010, at 19:00. Price information:￡20.00 to ￡40.00 |
| The Lion King at Sunny Theatre It is taken from an African story. A young lion grows up and learns that taking over the pride requires wisdom. [Musical] Dates: From 24th September, 1999 to now. Tuesday to Saturday at 14:00. Sunday at 15:00. Not on show on Monday. Price information:￡22.5 to￡65.00 |
| Mother Courage and Her Children at National Theatre Mother Courage sells food and clothing to soldiers and tries to keep her business and children alive at all costs during the war. Her encouraging story is told through humor and song. [Play] Dates: From 9th September, 2009 to 8th December, 2009 Price information:￡10.00 |
| Duke Bluebeard’s Castleat Coliseum Theatre Full of curiosity, Judith persuades her husband to give her the keys only to discover a glowing jewel house, a garden of flowers, a kingdom, and a lake of tears. But what is behind them? [Opera] Dates: From 6th November, 2009 to 28th November, 2009 Nov 6, 10, 12, 20, 25 at19:30. Nov 14, 28 at 18:30 Price information: ￡22.00 to ￡50.00 |
The main purpose of the text is to inform readers of____.
| A．film posters |
| B．performance information |
| C．the theatre’s advice |
| D．picture exhibitions |
Which performance will be on show for the shortest period of time?
| A．Bob the Builder—Spud’s Big Mess |
| B．The Lion King |
| C．Mother Courage and Her Children |
| D．Duke Bluebeard’s Castle |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．The first three shows are inspiring. |
| B．The shows are intended for children. |
| C．All of them have won many awards. |
| D．The characters in the shows are brave. |
A quarrel at home may result in your falling ill. Don’t laugh, it’s true. Family matters including living habits and even the way we speak have a big effect on our health, doctors say.
Wang Xiaoyu, a Senior 2 girl from Xichang, Sichuan Province, fainted (晕倒) in class when she heard her classmates quarrel at the top of their voices. Quarrels between her parents also put the girl into a coma. It is because she is suffering from depression (抑郁症), caused by bad relations at home, doctors explained.
“We don’t get sick or stay well by ourselves,” says Dr Robert Ferrer from the US. Ferrer shows that family forces may explain up to a quarter of health problems, in his recent research. The genes you get from your family may cause illness. If one of your parents has a heart attack, your risk of being affected may double. But effects on health are not only written in our DNA.
Unrelated people who live under the same roof also get similar problems. Diet, lifestyle and environment affect our health, too. Ferrer’s research also found that if teenagers feel they are ignored or unimportant at home they are more likely to get sick.
We may never fully understand all the effects that families have on our health. But just as individual (个别的) problems can have effects on others, a small improvement can have big benefits, Ferrer said. Which of the following can best explain why Wang Xiaoyu fainted in class?
| A．Because her classmates often quarreled in class. |
| B．Because her parents used to quarrel. |
| C．Because of her depression caused by bad family relations. |
| D．Because her classmates shouted loudly at her. |
According to Dr Ferrer, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．We get sick or stay well by ourselves. |
| B．Only the genes we get from our family have a big effect on our health. |
| C．Our health has nothing to do with diet, lifestyle and environment. |
| D．Teenagers who are ignored at home get sick more easily than those who are not. |
The underlined word “coma” in Paragraph2 probably means ________.
| A．surprise | B．faint | C．tiredness | D．sadness |
The best title for this passage is ________.
| A．Family relations. | B．The reasons why we get sick. |
| C．Family---- another cause to health | D．A research about health. |
When I was fifteen months old．I fell on a glass rabbit which cut my eye badly enough to blind it．And as I grew，this sightless eye , in so many ways controlled me that I walked with my face looking at the floor so people would not see the ugly me．
Yet Mama would hold me in her arms and stroke my hair and say，“If you hold your head up high，it will be OK．And people will see your beautiful soul．”She continued this message whenever I wanted to hide．
As a little child，I thought Mama meant，“Be careful or you will fall down or bump into something because you are not looking．”As a teenager, I found that my mama’s words helped me begin to realize that by letting people look at my face，I let them recognize the intelligence and beauty behind my eyes．
In high school I was successful both academically and socially．I was even elected class president，but inside me I still felt like a freak(畸形人)．When things got really bad，I would cry to my mama and she would look at me with loving eyes and say, “Hold your head up high and face the world．Let them see the beauty that is inside．”
When I met the man who became my partner for life，we looked each other straight in the eye，and he told me I was beautiful inside and out．Mama’s love and encouragement were the spark that gave me the confidence to overcome my own doubt．
“Hold your head up high” has been heard many times in my home．Each of my children has felt its invitation．The gift my mama gave me lives on in another generation．What is TRUE of the writer’s eyes?
| A．She was blind in one eye when she was born． |
| B．Her blindness was caused by a traffic accident． |
| C．She became blind in one eye because of a fall． |
| D．She lives unhappily because of her blindness． |
When the writer was a high school student，she ________ ．
| A．was proud of her beauty that was inside |
| B．was active in taking part in social activities |
| C．was filled with doubts and worries about her sightless eye |
| D．was good at her study but sometimes lacked confidence |
What does the underlined word “invitation” mean?
| A．encouragement | B．advantage | C．warmth | D．weight |
What’s the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
| A．To show the power of confidence． |
| B．To express her attitude to her mom． |
| C．To explain how to build confidence． |
| D．To inspire people to face difficulties |
阅读下面短文，根据短文内容用完整的句子回答问题。（答案写在答题卷相应番号后的横线上）
Walking is a popular form of exercise. It is an easy activity and offers a good way to improve physical fitness.
Regular, brisk walks help a person’s body work better. Walking builds a stronger heart and lungs. Walking also seems to help protect the heart from heart disease. The lungs work better because they take in and use oxygen more effectively. Walking can help in weight control, too. A quick fifteen- minute walk burns as many calories as jogging the same distance in half the time. Walking causes very few injuries. So there is also a lower “dropout” rate among walkers than among runners. People are more likely to continue a walking program.
Walking offers some mental benefits, too. It seems to make people feel better. Many walkers say they sleep better at night when they take regular walks. Others say they have a better attitude about life.
Walking offers many of the same physical and mental benefits as other forms of exercise, but walking offers some special advantages, too.
Almost everyone can walk. There are no special lessons or coaching. To become a serious walker, a person only needs to walk faster, farther, and more often.
People can walk almost anywhere. There are no special playing fields or courts for walking. Sidewalks, streets, parks, fields, and malls are excellent places for walking.
People can walk almost anytime. A person doesn’t need a team or a partner for walking. There is no “season” for walking. Most walkers walk in all kinds of weather.
Walking doesn’t cost anything. There are no special fees for walking. Good walking shoes and comfortable clothes are the only equipment that a walker needs.
Walking offers a form of exercise within the reach of nearly everyone. With a little time and effort, people can rediscover a valuable form of exercise and improve their fitness.What may be the best tile of the passage? Please think of one within 10 words.
____________________________________________________________________________Which sentence in the passage can be replaced by this one: “Compared to running, more people can continue walking as a form of exercise.”?
____________________________________________________________________________ Which word in the passage means the same as the underlined word “benefits”? (Please answer in a complete sentence.)
____________________________________________________________________________ Among the special advantages of walking, which one do you think is the most important? (Please answer in a complete sentence.)
____________________________________________________________________________Translate the underlined sentence into Chinese.
____________________________________________________________________________