They were going to Fort Lauderdale — three boys and three girls — and when they boarded the bus, they were carrying sandwiches and wine in paper bags, dreaming of golden beaches and sea tides as the gray, cold spring of New York went behind them.
As the bus passed through New Jersey, they began to notice Vingo. He sat in front of them, completely in silence.
Deep into the night, outside Washington, the bus pulled into Howard Johnson’s, and everybody got off except Vingo. The young people began to wonder about him. When they went back to the bus, one of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself.
“Want some wine?” she said. He smiled and took a swig from the bottle. He thanked her and became silent again. After a while, she went back to the others, and Vingo nodded in sleep.
In the morning, they awoke outside another Howard Johnson’s, and this time Vingo went in. The girl insisted that he join them. He ordered black coffee and some cookies as the young people talked about sleeping on beaches. When they returned to the bus, the girl sat with Vingo again, and after a while, slowly and painfully, he began to tell his story. He had been in prison in New York for the past four years, and now he was going home.
“Are you married?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” she said.
“Well, when I was in prison I wrote to my wife,” he said, “I told her that I was going to be away for a long time, and that if she couldn’t stand it, if the kids kept asking questions, and if it hurt her too much, well, she could jus forget me. I’d understand. Get a new man, I said — she’s a wonderful woman. I told her she didn’t have to write me. And she didn’t. Not for three and a half years.”
“And you’re going home now, not knowing?”
“Yeah. Well, last week, when I was sure the parole (假释) was coming through, I wrote her again. We used to live in Brunswick, just before Jacksonville, and there’s a big oak (橡树) just as you come into town. I told her that if she didn’t have a new man and if she’d take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and I’d get off and come home. If she didn’t want me, forget it — no handkerchief and I’d go on through.”
“Wow,” the girl exclaimed, “Wow.”
She told the others, and soon all of them were in it, looking at the pictures Vingo showed them of his wife and three children.
Now they were 20 miles from Brunswick, and the young people took over window seats on the right side, waiting for the approach of the great oak. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face, as if protecting himself against still another disappointment.
Then Brunswick was ten miles, and then five. Then, suddenly, all of the young people were up out of their seats, shouting and crying.
Vingo sat there astonished, looking at the oak. It was covered with yellow handkerchiefs — 20 of them, 30 of them, maybe hundreds, flying in the wind. As the young people shouted, Vingo slowly rose from his seat and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.At the beginning of the story, the young boys and girls ______.
| A．showed a great interest in Vingo | B．didn’t notice Vingo at all |
| C．wanted to offer help to Vingo | D．didn’t like Vingo at all |
The underlined part “Howard Johnson’s” is most probably a(n) ______.
| A．bus station | B．apartment | C．hospital | D．restaurant |
How did Vingo feel on the way home?
| A．Ashamed. | B．Relaxed. | C．Nervous. | D．Disappointed. |
The paragraphs following this passage would most probably talk about ______.
| A．Vingo’s experience in prison |
| B．the young people’s travel to Fort Lauderdale |
| C．Vingo’s three lovely children |
| D．the dialogue between Vingo and his family |
Beaches are not only great for lying on and doing water sports, and in fact one of the best ways of enjoying them is a classic beach walk．Here at iWantSun．Co．Uk, we’ve been searching the globe to find you the world’s best and most glorious beach walks, and here’s our pick of the top．
The Footpath of the Gods, Amalfi Coast, Italy
The name says it all really and you truly do feel up there to walking along this wonderful mountain coastal path, which offers some of the most striking views on the planet．The path begins at town of Bomerano to charming Positano along the UNESCO World Heritage area of the Amalfi Coast．The whole walk will take you approximately four and a half hours to complete and pass over narrow rocky paths, past sheer cliffs and shining blue bays．
Sydney’s Great Coastal Walk, Australia
Sydney’s coastline is one of the most beautiful and diverse in the worlD． Here you have national parks, historic sites, steep cliffs, sparkling beaches and quiet bays all in one place．Sydney’s Great Walk runs all the way from Barrenjoey in the north to Royal National Park in the south and takes an incredible seven days to complete．However, if you’re not up to doing the full walk, then there are many different parts of the walk that you can do right in the city．Walking from the city’s famous Bondi Beach to the sweeping curve of Bronte Beach takes just an hour, which takes in some top scenery．
Great Ocean Walk, Australia
The Great Ocean Walk stretches 104 km along Victoria’s famous Great Ocean Road, located on the southern coast of Australia, from the resort town Apollo Bay to the magnificent Twelve Apostles．The Twelve Apostles are the area’s famous stone landmarks which stand out like giants from the seA． The walk passes through a range of landscapes and sights, from national parks, famous surfing spots and deserted beaches, to wild coastlines, cascading waterfalls, lush forests, historic lighthouses and ghostly shipwrecks．Day walks and shorter three-hour walks such as the Wreck Beach Walk or the Lighthouse Cemetery and Lookout Walk can also be enjoyeD．
So next time when you’re looking for a beach holiday don’t just think about the resorts and the sand, but consider a more active sun holiday, discovering some of the best beaches in the worlD．The author intends to tell us ____________．
| A．the wonderful beaches in the world |
| B．the world’s best places for beach walks |
| C．the beautiful beaches in Australia |
| D．the ideal tourism resort for health |
When you arrive at the Amalfi Coast _______________．
| A．you will be fascinated by the scenery |
| B．you must be fed up with the footpath |
| C．you can start walking from Positano |
| D．you may be trapped in narrow rocky paths |
What is special about Sydney’s Great Coastal Walk?
A． It starts from Royal National Park in the south．
B． It takes about more than five hours to complete．
C． It really has the longest coastline in the worlD．
D． It provides visitors a variety of great landscapes．According to the fourth paragraph we can know that __________________．
| A．the Twelve Apostles exists below the surface of the sea |
| B．most visitors can finish the 104 km walk in three hours |
| C．Apollo Bay is at the end of the Great Ocean Walk |
| D．the Wreck Beach Walk can also give visitors pleasure |
As we enjoy the summer ocean waves along the beaches, we may think nervously about Steven Spielberg's Jaws and the great fear that sharks inspire in us．Yet we are happy to see global efforts to protect the declining number of sharks．The world has realized that we need the species, like sharks, to keep a balanced ecosystem．
Sharks, in particular, are “in” these days．Thanks to good public policy and famous stars such as Jackie Chan and Ang Lee, killing sharks for fin soup is no longer cool．
The demand for shark fins has been rising for decades, threatening sharks with extinction -- up to 100 million sharks are killed each year just for their fins．But we have started to reverse the trend, particularly in many areas of the United States and overseas where restaurants once proudly provided delicious shark fins on the menu．
In California, a ban on the sale and possession of shark fin soup has gone into effect this year through the efforts of Wild Aid and other organizations．
Overseas marketing and public efforts featuring posters on public transportation systems and TV ads have been underway for the past few years．These efforts all show signs of success, on both the supply side and the demand side of trade in shark fins．
Actually, stopping the killing of sharks is part of a broader movement to stop the killing of wild animals and the buying and selling of wildlife products．These products come from hunting elephants, tigers and rhinos, besides killing marine life．
Whether it is shark fin soup or ivory piano keys, killing animals is big business．The hunting of elephants in search of ivory tusks for luxury（奢侈的）goods has become a full-scale war．The decrease of African elephant populations is alarming．Together with international partners, the United States is leading the worldwide effort to reduce demand for high-end products that rely on killing animals．The underlined word “reverse” in Paragraph 3 probably means _______．
| A．follow |
| B．keep |
| C．change |
| D．show |
From the passage, we know _______．
| A．a lot of wild animals have been killed for products |
| B．Jackie Chan and Ang Lee make fin soup popular |
| C．Steven Spielberg's Jaws inspires us to protect sharks |
| D．the number of African elephants has been increased |
What can we infer from the passage?
A． People have kicked the habit of having shark fin soup．
B． Shark fins will not be available any more in restaurants．
C． Global efforts have succeeded in stopping killing wild animals．
D． More animals for high-end products will be saveD．
Many people rush into the commitment of bringing home a four-legged family member, only to find out that they are not ready for a pet．This often results in the dog being turned over to a shelter where it may not find another home．This can be avoided if potential pet owners take the time to figure out if they are truly ready for the responsibilities of pet ownership．
Being a responsible pet owner involves a financial commitment that goes beyond buying dog fooD． There are also parasite (寄生虫) prevention, boarding costs while traveling and the cost to care for the pet should it become ill or injureD． That is not to say that one must be rich in order to have a dog, but it is important to be prepared for the expenses that come with being a pet owner．
Another consideration is the time commitment．An owner away from home for 14 hours every day is not an ideal situation for a dog．A potential dog owner must also consider the time it takes to care for his or her pet, the time it takes to feed, walk, play with, bathe and clean up．Also, dogs require attention．Be prepared to spend time each day petting and playing with it．
Dogs are dogs, and will act like dogs．This includes barking, digging, having accidents in the house and, possibly, destroying some of the owner’s prized possessions, such as furniture, shoes and cell phones．If the above would cause an owner to want to get rid of the dog, then he or she is not yet ready to be a pet owner．Many wonderful pets end up in shelters simply because they acted like dogs!Who might be qualified to be a dog owner, according to the text?
| A．Jim, who has a daughter sensitive to dog’s smell． |
| B．Dick, a jobless teenager who can hardly pay his rent． |
| C．Kari, a teacher who works eight hours a day． |
| D．Steven, a business man who travels a lot on business． |
To be a responsible dog owner you need to do all the following EXCEPT _________．
| A．finding a shelter for it when you are bored with it |
| B．buying dog food and feeding it |
| C．taking it to hospital when necessary |
| D．spending time each day playing with it |
What does the underlined part in the first paragraph probably mean?
| A．Rush to adopt a dog formally． |
| B．Decide to be a pet owner without thinking about it carefully． |
| C．Run into a pet shelter and take one home so quickly． |
| D．Commit to buy a dog and take it home． |
What might be the best title for the text?
| A．Dogs Are Dogs |
| B．Pets Are Family Members |
| C．Have Time for a Dog? |
| D．Ready for a Pet? |
I will never forget the day--- September 10th2009, when my class went on a field trip to the beach and I had so much fun．When we returned to school, my teacher told me to go to the headmaster’s office．When I got into the office, I saw a police officer．Suddenly, I realized something was wrong．The police officer told me what had happened and we went to pick my sister up．After that, we went to the hospital and waiteD． Time went slowly．Finally, we got to see our mother．It was terrible．
On the next day, the headmaster came and told my two teachers what had happeneD． I was taking a test that day．I knew it had something to do with my mother．I kept thinking that she either died or had gotten better．How I wished that she had gotten better．When my teacher took me outside, my sister ran up to me．She started crying, “She’s gone, Terresa, mommy’s gone．She’s deaD． ” I couldn’t believe it．We jumped into the car and drove straight to the hospital．Most of my family were there．The silence was terrible．I knew I had to say goodbye．
Today when I look back, I still miss my mother very much, but I know that I will live．My mother was a strong mother, who had the biggest heart．She was an angel walking on the earth．I will always remember her as a living．When someone is asked who their hero is, they usually say someone famous, like Michael Jordan or Britney Spears．When someone asks me who my hero is, I tell them, my mother．My mother lives everyday．That is what makes her a true hero．Where was the writer when she learned her mother was sick?
| A．On the beach． |
| B．At the hospital． |
| C．At school． |
| D．At home． |
Who brought the writer the bad news that her mother was ill?
| A．Her sister． |
| B．The headmaster． |
| C．The police officer |
| D．Her teacher． |
What did the headmaster tell the two teachers on the next day?
A． Her father had been very ill．
B． Her mother had gotten better．
C． Her mother came to see her．
D． Her mother had been deaD．From the last paragraph of the passage we know that _____________．
| A．the writer is afraid of her mother． |
| B．the writer feels sad about her mother． |
| C．the writer feels sorry for her mother． |
| D．the writer is proud of her mother． |
London’s newest skyscraper(摩天大楼) is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres，it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However，not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.
The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London，Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire(尖顶)．He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin，sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name：the Shard.Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts(桅杆) of the ships that were once on the river Thames.
The Shard has 87 floors. At the top，there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty，but eventually there will be a fivestar hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants，apartments and offices.
Before building work began，a lot of people didn’t want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York，but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration，only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.
Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.
The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain，however，that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.London’s newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of .
| A．its cost |
| B．its size |
| C．its shape |
| D．its height |
When he designed the Shard，Piano wanted it to .
| A．change London’s skyline |
| B．inherit London’s tradition |
| C．imitate the Egyptian style |
| D．attract potential visitors |
The critics who refer to social division think the Shard .
| A．is only preferred by the rich |
| B．is intended for wealthy people |
| C．is far away from the poor area |
| D．is popular only with Londoners |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Shard：Cheers and Claps |
| B．The Shard：Work of a Great Architect |
| C．The Shard：New Symbol of London? |
| D．The Shard：A Change for the Better? |