My friend got married. His mother carried two bags of cotton from the countryside by bus and train to his city. After arriving at the city, there was still a long way to his house without any bus passing by the house. His mother walked to his home breathlessly for 40 minutes without taking a taxi in order to save money.
My friend felt bitter as well as funny at his mother’s deeds. He pointed to the cashmere and silk quilts and said, “So long as you have money, you can buy anything in the supermarket. There is no need for you to carry so much cotton here in such a long way.”
But his mother insisted and said, “The cotton of this year is light and warmth-keeping. Have a try and you will know!”
Maybe every parent is the same, caring for their children with stubborn love without caring about whether they know or like it.
This early spring, I went to visit my grandmother. We had dry beans stew （炖菜）, eggplant salad bar, sauce radish （酱萝卜条）for our dinner, all of which were dried by my grandmother last autumn and tasted wonderful. I loved the dishes to my heart’s content and could not help praising them again and again.
After a few days, my grandmother, who seldom visited us, came to my home and unpacked her bag, smilingly taking out bags of dried eggplants, dried beans and dried vegetable. She told me that I left so hastily last time that she forgot to give me some of these foods, so she took this chance to bring me what I liked.
I was speechless at that time. Due to my casual complimentary her food, my grandmother, a nearly 70-year-old lady, by taking three buses from the west of the city to the east, came to my home with the food I liked. But she was bus-sick in life and even seldom went strolling in the street.
My pretty girlfriend had a failed marriage in the past. After divorce, her parents shed the deepest protection and care to her by helping her attend to the child and offering financial aids. Her parents’ love made her pull herself together and forgot the man who had hurt her before.
Nonetheless, her father, an honest and upright old man, after hearing his ex-son-in-law got promoted in his company, felt terrifically irritated and went to his company to question his boss why a philandering man with corrupt conducts could get promoted. The whole office fell into a mess immediately and many staff just watched on the sidelines. Some people even whispered lightly, "It is a new era now and the relationship between men and women is very open. No one would care about that anymore!"
The old man stood silently in the office with his hands shivering and eyes tearing.
That night, my girlfriend cried heavily in front of me. I asked her whether it was her father’s stupid deeds that made her feel humiliated. But she said that she felt guilty for her dad and that though the rest of the whole world betrayed her, her old father would still back her up and help her get the justice she deserved, just as when she was young and the neighboring boy grabbed her ball, her father would get it back for her. However, this changed world was no longer the stage for her old father and his deeds became funnily obsolete. No one managed to see the real and ever-lasting love to his daughter behind his seemingly rude behaviors.
Now we have grown up so much so that we could support our family and have our own children. But in our parents’ heart, they are still worried that we do not have sufficient quilts and dried vegetables. They would not feel troubled to bring all these to us regardless of long tough journey. They even would not like us to suffer a bit and try all means to protect us without caring about whether what they do is awkward and stupid or not.
Who in the world would love us so deeply and relentlessly without asking for any repay? Only our parents!What does the author want to tell us?
| A．The love from our parents is real and deep though sometimes it doesn't appear so. |
| B．The love from our parents is awkward sometimes, which is rather annoying. |
| C．Children should appreciate parents' love because their life is so hard. |
| D．The world is changing so the love of parents should change too. |
The underlined world "humiliate" in the eleventh paragraph means ________.
| A．guilty | B．moved | C．happy | D．ashamed |
How many examples of older generation’s love are mentioned in the passage?
| A．One | B．Two | C．Three | D．four |
After the author's girlfriend's former husband got promoted, her father _____.
| A．congratulated him |
| B．made his daughter marry him again |
| C．had a quarrel with him |
| D．argued with his boss |
From the passage we can learn the author's grandmother is ___________.
| A．upright and honest | B．loving and troublesome |
| C．thoughtful and careful | D．generous and active |
Former South African President Nelson Mandela who was treated for a recurring (复发的) lung infection, dies on Dec. 5th, 2013, at the age of 95.
People around the world are mourning the loss of the country's first black president. He was often called humble, charming, loyal person and a man who cared about others.
“He seemed to have that special charismatic(有魅力的) personality,” said Herman Cohen, U.S. assistant secretary of state for Africa from 1989 to 1993. “He became the symbol in the fight against apartheid.”
Mandela was born on July 18, 1918. As a young man he became active in the anti-apartheid movement and joined the African National Congress, or ANC, in the 1940s.
The white-led government banned the ANC in 1960, but the group continued to operate secretly. Mandela became head of the group's new military wing, coordinating a sabotage campaign against South African military and government targets.
In 1962, he was arrested and put on trial for his actions and sentenced to life in prison on Robben Island off the coast of Cape Town. He spent 18 years there, refusing a government offer to release him if he would renounce the ANC's armed struggle. But he was freed in 1990 after South African President Frederik de Klerk legalized all political parties and discharged most political prisoners.
Shortly after his release, Mandela was elected president of the African National Congress. And in 1994, when the ANC won South Africa's first all-race elections, he was inaugurated (就职) as the county's first black president at age 75.
“Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another,” he said.
President Mandela said he would stay for only one five-year term. Cohen says Mandela earned international respect for South Africa's national reconciliation.
“Mandela devoted himself mainly to rallying the Africans to this new era to work on economic development, having good education, also he was very much of a spokesman on the international scene.” he said.
In 1993, Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize with his once bitter enemy F.W. de Klerk for their contribution to the peace process in South Africa. After receiving the award, Mandela praised the South African people.
“All have created a society which recognizes that all people are born equal,” he said. In a country torn apart by years of racial conflict, Nelson Mandela is considered a remarkable leader -- a man who turned South Africa away from violence and hatred into a country of greater peace and understanding.The underlined word “apartheid” in the 3rd paragraph probably means______.
| A．racial separation | B．financial aid |
| C．infectious illness | D．fulfilling life |
How long was Nelson Mandela sent to prison?
| A．18 years | B．28 years |
| C．6 years | D．19 years |
What is the author’s attitude in the passage?
| A．negative | B．positive |
| C．subjective | D．neutral |
Why was his bitter enemy F.W. de Klerk awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela?
| A．F.W. de Klerk did not kill Mandela during his presidency. |
| B．F.W. de Klerk was one of Mandela’s friends in the early years. |
| C．F.W. de Klerk made his own contribution to the process peacefully as well. |
| D．F.W. de Klerk was considered a remarkable leader turning South Africa away from violence. |
It was about 11:15 pm on the passenger ship California. The night was freezing cold and the water was filled with ice from the North Pole, making it difficult for the ship to sail on.
In the radio room, ship California’s operator Cyril Evans listened to the radio-talk between a nearby passenger ship and the telegraph station on the Canadian island of Newfoundland. Evans interrupted it and said, “We’re stopped and surrounded by ice. Be careful as you pass through these waters.” The radio operator on the nearby ship replied, “I’m too busy to talk now. I have many messages to send to the telegraph station. ” Twenty minutes later, as he turned off his radio and went to bed, Evans could still hear the ship sending its passengers’ telegrams.
Earlier in the evening the California’s captain, Stanley Lord, had seen another ship approaching. It looked about the size of his own, but attempts to contact the ship failed. It lay dark and mysterious about 10 miles away. At 00:40 am there appeared a sudden flash of light just over the mystery ship. Captain Lord, thinking the ship might need help, ordered his officers to signal the ship by lamp. There was no reply. Three more rockets then exploded, none appeared to go higher than halfway up the mast(桅杆）of the mystery ship. Then at about 2:00 am it turned and slipped into the darkness.
In the light of the dawn there was no mystery ship, but 20 miles away was the scene of a great disaster. Unfortunately, the mystery ship had stopped directly in front of the California, preventing people on board from seeing clearly. If this ship had not been there, Captain Lord would have recognized that the rockets were SOS rockets that came not from the mystery ship but from a more distant ship which the California could not see. If Cyril Evans had kept his radio on for just 30 minutes more he would have heard SOS signals coming from that distant ship he spoke with the night before. That ship was the Titanic which was sinking fast, leaving 1,500 of its passengers dead. It was April 14, 1912.Why were the rockets really fired?
| A．To celebrate the journey. |
| B．To signal for help. |
| C．To contact the Titanic. |
| D．To warn other ships. |
What is the main function of the last paragraph of this passage?
| A．It shows how unlucky the Titanic was. |
| B．It describes how the Titanic sank. |
| C．It indicates that the people on the California were careless. |
| D．It lists how many people died in the disaster. |
How many ships are mentioned in the passage?
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
From the passage we know that .
| A．the rockets were fired from the mystery ship |
| B．Cyril Evans worked on the mystery ship that night |
| C．the Titanic started sinking at dawn the next day |
| D．the Titanic sent out many telegrams that night |
The Swiss army knife is a popular device that is recognized all over the world. In Switzerland, there is a saying that every good Swiss citizen has one in his or her pocket. But the knife had poor beginnings.
In the late nineteenth century, the Swiss army issued (发给) its soldiers a gun that required a special screwdriver (螺丝刀) to take it apart and clean it. At the same time, canned food was becoming common in the army. Swiss generals decided to issue each soldier a standard knife to serve both as a screwdriver and a can opener.
It was a lifesaver for Swiss knife makers, who were struggling to ask for cheaper German imports. In 1884, Carl Elsener, head of the Swiss knife manufacturer (maker) Victorinox, seized that opportunity with both hands, and designed a soldier’s knife that the army loved .It was a simple knife with one big blade (刀片), a can opener, and a screwdriver.
A few years after the soldier’s knife was issued, the “Schweizer Offizer Messer,” or Swiss Officer’s Knife, came on the market, Interestingly, the Officer’s Knife was never given to those serving in the army. The Swiss army purchasers considered the new model with a corkscrew (瓶塞钻) for opening wine not “essential for survival,” so officers had to buy this new model by themselves. But its special multi-functional design later launched(发行)the knife as a global brand. After the Second World War, a great number of American soldiers were stationed in Europe. And as they could buy the Swiss army knife at shops on army bases, they bought huge quantities of them. However, it seems that “Schweizer Offizer Messer” was too difficult for them to say, so they just called it the Swiss army knife, and that is the name it is now known by all over the world.What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To emphasize the importance of the Swiss army knife. |
| B．To introduce the functions of the Swiss army knife. |
| C．To explain the origin of Swiss army knife. |
| D．To tell a story about the designer of the Swiss army knife. |
What does “It” in the third paragraph refer to?
| A．Canned food was becoming popular in Swiss army. |
| B．Every good Swiss citizen had a knife in his pocket. |
| C．The Swiss army needed a knife for every soldier. |
| D．Swiss knives were competing with imported knives. |
Why didn’t the Swiss army purchase the Swiss Officer’s Knife?
| A．The new design was not considered necessary for officers to own. |
| B．The army had no budge to the purchase. |
| C．The knife was sold out to American soldiers. |
| D．The design of the knife was too simple. |
Who gave the name “ the Swiss army knife” to the knife discussed in the passage?
| A．Swiss generals | B．Carl Elsener |
| C．German businessman | D．American soldiers. |
The day of my holiday arrived, but I wasn’t looking forward to it. I had little money and had only been able to afford to stay with my Aunt Rosa in Spain. So, I wasn’t really excited as I knew exactly what it was going to be like; Lots of noisy cousins and Aunt Rosa begged me to take her for a ride.
After I had checked in, I made my way slowly to the departure gate. As I was waiting to board the plan, I kept thinking about my ideal holiday destination; Jamaica, with its long, sandy beaches and crystal clear water.
As soon as the plane took off, I fell fast asleep and only woke to the sound of the announcement; “Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts, as we will shortly be landing in Kingston.” I froze in my seat. Was I dreaming? Kingston? Jamaica? I had boarded the wrong plane!
Immediately after the plane landed, I explained the situation to the authorities. It seems there were also three of other passengers heading for Spain. Apparently it had been the airline’s fault, since the flight numbers for Spain and Jamaica were exactly the same! Therefore, with no flight to London for a week, the airline had no choice except to pay for our stay.
So there I was, lying on the beach, enjoying the music and marvelous food of Jamaica! As for Aunt Rosa, I suppose she just had to live without me!Why did the waiter choose to spend her holiday with her aunt in Spain?
| A．She could hardly afford any better trip. |
| B．Her aunt begged her to go there. |
| C．She missed her cousins very much. |
| D．Spain was her ideal destination. |
In the story, the writer ended up _____.
| A．heading for Spain from Jamaica |
| B．flying to London immediately |
| C．enjoying a free beach holiday |
| D．complaining to the authorities |
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
| A．Terrible Adventure | B．Nice Dream |
| C．A Well-Planned | D．A Lucky Mistake |
When asked to point out one or two things that are most important to themselves, many put friends ahead of homes, jobs, cloth and cars．
A true friendship carries-a-long history of experience that determines who we are and keeps us connected．It is a treasure we should protect．Unfortunately, the better friends you are, the more probably you’ll have disagreements．And the result can be what you don’t want an end to the relationship．
The good news is that most troubled friendships can be mended First, don’t let your pride get in your way．Most of us can forgive each other when differences are brought out in the open ．second, apologize when you’re wrong – even if you’ve been wronged．Over the course of a friendship, even the best people make mistakes．Sometimes, it may be best if the wronged person takes the lead and apologizes．When you apologize, give your friend a chance to admit that he has been wrong．Third, see things from your friend’s point of view．And finally, accept that friendships change as our needs and lifestyle change．Making friends can sometimes seem easy．The hard part is keeping the connections strong during the natural ups and downs that have an effect on all relationships ．My suggestion: Consider friendship an honor and a gift , and worth the effort to treasure and nurture ．What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Easy Ways to Make Friends |
| B．Ups and Downs in Friendship |
| C．How to Mend a Troubled Friendship |
| D．How to Take the Lead in Making Friends |
The “wronged person” underlined in the text refers to a person
| A．who has been mistaken for another |
| B．who has been blamed unfairly |
| C．who has treated friends badly |
| D．who has admitted his mistakes |
According to the text a friendship can last long only if
| A．we have much in common |
| B．we know our friends’ mistakes |
| C．we treat our disagreements wisely |
| D．we have know one another for long |
What should we do if we follow the author’s second suggestion?
| A．Stick to our own prints of view |
| B．Avoid making mistakes |
| C．Make an apology first |
| D．Change our lifestyles |