I’m lying on my back in my grandfather’s orchard (果园), looking up at the branches above me. It is one of the last days of summer. Already the days are shorter and the nights are cooler. Some kinds of apples are already ripe(成熟的). Others will be ready to pick soon. I think of my grandmother’s apple pie, and how I used to make it with her. She died last year, before the apple harvest, and I have not had her pie since then. I really miss her. I hear bees busily humming about, visiting the late summer flowers. The gentle hum of their wings nearly sends me to sleep.
The sky is as blue as my grandfather’s eyes. Above me, big white clouds ran across the sky like pieces of cotton blowing in the wind. School starts in another week, and time seems to have slowed down.
“Sophie!” calls my grandfather. “Is that you?” I stand up, take his hand, and tell him all about my day as we walk through the orchard. We talk about apples, and bees and Grandma. He tells me that he misses her too.
He puts his rough, brown farmer’s hand around my shoulder and pulls me close. “ You know, Sophie,” he says, “ I spent the morning in the attic (阁楼), and you’ll never guess what I found. It’s the recipe(烹饪法) for Grandma’s apple pie. I used to help her make it sometimes. I can’t do it all alone, but you used to help her too. Maybe between the two of us, we can work it out. Want to try?”
“ But it won’t be the same without Grandma,” I tell him.
“That’s true,” he says, “but nothing is the same without Grandma. Still, I don’t think that she would want us never to have another apple pie. What do you say?” I nod yes, and we walk towards home…toward an afternoon in the farmhouse kitchen, making Grandma’s famous apple pie.We learn from the passage that Sophie .
A.likes to watch clouds in the attic |
B.comes to the orchard after school |
C.enjoys Grandma’s apple pie very much |
D.picks many apples in the orchard |
Both Sophie and her grandfather used to ______.
A.help Grandma make apple pies |
B.spend summer afternoons in the orchard |
C.enjoy fresh fruit in the farmhouse kitchen |
D.walk alone among the apple trees |
The underlined part in the last paragraph shows .
A.how much Sophie’s grandmother loved Sophie |
B.how much Sophie’s grandfather likes apple pies |
C.how much Sophie loves her grandfather’s orchard |
D.how much Sophie’s grandfather misses Grandma |
Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A.My grandfather’s orchard | B.My grandmother’s apple pie |
C.A morning in the attic | D.The last days of summer |
I never saw my father home from work late or ill, nor did I ever see my father take a “night out with the boys”. He had no bobbies but just took care of his family.
For 22 years, since I left home for college, my father called me every Sunday at 9:00 am. He was always interested in my life-how my family was doing. The calls even came when he and my mother were in Australia, England or Florida.
Nine years ago when I bought me first house, my father, 67 years old, spent eight hours a day for three days, painting my house. He would not allow me to pay someone to have it done. All he asked, was a glass of iced tea, and that I hold a paintbrush for him and talk to him. But I was too busy, for I had a law practice to run, and I could not take the time to hold the paintbrush, or talk to my father.
Five years ago, my 71-year-old father spent five hours putting together a swing set(秋千)for my daughter. Again, all he asked was that I get him a glass of iced tea, and talk to him, But again, I had laundry to do, and the house to clean.
The morning on Sunday, January 16, 1995, my father telephoned me as usual, this time he had seemed to have forgotten some things we had discussed the week before. I had to get to church, and I cut the conversation short.
The call came at 4:40 am. That day my father was sent to hospital in Florida. I got on a plane immediately, and I vowed(发誓)that when I arrived, I would make up for the lost time, and have a nice long talk with him ad really get to know him.
I arrived in Florida at 1:00 am, but my father had passed away at 9:12 pm. This time it was he who did not have time to talk, or time to wait for me.
In the years since his death I have learnt much about my father, and even more about every single day. We know from the reading that the father_____.
A.liked to paint houses |
B.had no friends around him |
C.was not healthy in his youth |
D.thought of his family as his all |
When her father painted her first house, the daughter_____.
A.could only afford a glass of iced tea |
B.was too busy to talk to her father |
C.could do nothing but hold a paintbrush |
D.spent eight hours a day working with her father |
On January 16, 1996, the daughter felt that her father_____.
A.seemed to be a little different |
B.had no time to phone her as usual |
C.became interested in church |
D.had forgotten to discuss some things with her |
In the reading the underlined phrase ‘get to know him’ most probably means_____.
A.get him to know her | B.know more about him |
C.get him to know himself | D.make him well-known |
Which is the best title of the reading?
A.Painting Houses | B.Daughter’s Family |
C.Father and I | D.Father’s phone calls |
Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some way. Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar.
In Western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on December 31st-January 1st. People may go to parties, sometimes dressed in formal(正式的)clothes, and the may drink champagne(香槟)at midnight. During the first minutes of the new year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the new year by waking up early to watch the sun rise. They welcome the new wear with the first light of the sunrise.
Many cultures also do special things to get rid of(摆脱)bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh(重新). Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on the first day of the new year.
Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck in the new year. One widespread Spanish tradition for good luck is to eat grapes on New Year’s Day. The more grapes a person eats, the more good luck the person will have in the tear. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some people eat black-eyed peas for good luck-but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them! The reading is mainly about_____.
A.the meaning of “Happy New Year!” |
B.several different New Year traditions |
C.what to eat on New Year’s Day |
D.why people dress up nicely on New Year’s Day |
It’s clear that_____.
A.some cultures celebrate New Year in the morning |
B.the Western people celebrate New Year only on New Year’s Day |
C.people in Ecuador go to parties on December 31st-January 1st |
D.no cultures do special things to celebrate New Year |
In some cultures, people throw things into rivers or oceans to_____.
A.bring good luck | B.keep away bad luck |
C.forget everything | D.plan for the next year |
To have a happy new year,_____.
A.friends talk to each other in special ways |
B.families make big dolls filled with old clothes |
C.some people get up early to watch the sunrise |
D.Europeans eat 365 grapes on New Year’s Day |
When eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day, people think_____.
A.one pea brings one day of luck |
B.black-eyed peas are the best medicine |
C.the peas are too black and taste bad |
D.the peas are helpful to count numbers |
A
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The Christmas Sales
SUTTSWhat is the reading about?
A.An advertisement of the sales. |
B.A list of suits and sweaters |
C.A photo of a handsome boy |
D.A picture of a UK |
How much can we save at most for a suit or a sweater?
A.£ 15 | B.£ 20 | C.£ 30 | D.£ 45 |
“The Christmas Sales’ ends _________.
A.next weekend | B.this week |
C.in 24 hours | D.in 14 days |
In the reading “HOBSONS” refers to (指)________.
A.the name of the street |
B.the boss of the clothes shop |
C.the name of the clothes shop |
D.the sales for Chris tmas |
According to the reading, we can ________.
A.have a picture taken with a model |
B.take a free truck to the clothes shop |
C.do shopping either online or at the shop |
D.get £100 back for any order |
You are going to high school, aren’t you? Maybe you don’t know what to do. Well, here’s a list of the top six things to do when you are in high school. These things will give you ideas of what your high school life could be like. Here you go!
①Find your passion(激情) and what kind of person you are: Whether it’s dance, basketball, or drawing, the important thing is that you have found something you are interested in.
②Talk to people you wouldn’t usually talk to: meet new people, find new friends and even talk to people you don’t like. It will show what a great person you are. You never know what will happen after high school.
③Take part in at least one contest(竞赛): This will give you tears of laughter, happiness and memories.
④Get a job: This will help you see what it’s like to have responsibility(责任). It can also help you make a little money to spend on yourself.
⑤Take a trip with your friends: It doesn’t matter where you go or what you do, the memories will happen on the way and go on till the final place.
⑥Do your best at school: Don’t ever get lazy; working hard now will help you in the future.The writer mainly tells you six things you should do _____.
A.in your high school years |
B.at the beginning of your high school years |
C.before your high school begins |
D.after finish your high school |
The writer gives you advice that you should talk to people you don’t like because _____.
A.you will feel sorry if not |
B.it will show how great you are |
C.it will show how clever you are |
D.you can make your study better |
Which of the following you’d better not do according to the passage?
A.Find your interest | B.Get a Job |
C.take a trip with your friends | D.Get lazy |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.Have a happy school life |
B.How to get along with your schoolmates |
C.Ideas of successful high school life |
D.Make sure your school life easy |
If we want to deal with the association(社交) between boys and girls properly, here are some “dos and don’ts” for you to follow.
Keep a normal and healthy state of mind. Our schools and classes are made up of boys and girls. It is very nature for the boys and girls to make friends with each other. We should make as many friends as possible. We should keep touch with the other sex(性别) in public instead of in secret.
Don’t be too nervous or too shy. If you are a shy person, you can also find a way out. First of all, you can make friends with the students who have the same interest and hobby as you. As both of you have much in common, you may have much to talk about. If you keep doing like that, little by little, you will gladly find you are also as free to express yourself as others.
Don’t fall into the ditch of early love. The boys and girls at a adolescence (青春期) are rich in feeling. They are easy to regard the friendship as a sign of love and fall in love with each other at an early age. In my opinion, early love is a green apple that can’t be eaten. An apple won’t taste sweet until it is full ripe. Boys and girls at middle school are too young to carry the heavy duty of love. Do keep out of early love.We should keep touch with the other sex in following ways EXCEPT _______.
A.with a good state of mind | B.in real friendship |
C.in public | D.in secret |
What does the underlined word “ditch” mean?
A.波浪 | B.泥潭 | C.圈套 | D.迷惑 |
The main idea of the passage is to _______.
A.tell students to keep away from early love |
B.tell students how to make friends |
C.teach boys how to talk with girls |
D.give some advice on how to associate between boys and girls |