As Christmas drew near, Ursula was faced with just that problem. She had come to live in an American home and learn English. 31 , she would mind the children and do anything she was asked.
One of her tasks was to keep track of arriving Christmas presents. Ursula did this faithfully, but she became increasingly worried. What could she buy for her 32 with the little money she had that would compare with the gifts she was recording daily? 33 , even without any of the gifts , her employer seems to have everything.
Ursula 34 long and hard. On Christmas Eve, she went to a store. She moved slowly through crowds of shoppers, 35 things in her mind. Finally she bought a baby dress. She immediately called a taxi. “Excuse me, please, can you help me find a poor family with a baby?” “A poor family?” said the 36 driver. “Yes, a very poor family.” Ursula told the man what she was trying to do. He listened in silence, and then said, “I know a family who needs just about everything.”
When they reached a building, the driver said, “They live on the third floor.” Ursula shook her head, “Would you take this dress to them and tell them it’s from someone …someone who has everything.”
Early the next day, Ursula 37 everyone for the presents she received. Then, she began to 38 why there seemed to be none from her. She told about what she did the night before. When she finished, there was a long 39 . “You see,” she added, “I try to do a kindness in your 40 . And this is my Christmas present to you.”
A．In return B．As a result C．By the way D．In a sense
A．own family B．classmates C．friend D．American family
A．Otherwise B．Therefore C．Besides D．But
A．talked B．thought C．waited D．worked
A．selecting B．matching C．remembering D．organizing
A．delighted B．anxious C．surprised D．respectful
A．thanked B．encouraged C．praised D．admired
A．settle B．repeat C．argue D．explain
A．delay B．silence C．time D．break
A．case B．opinion C．memory D．name
In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what “keeping up with the Joneses” is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbours.
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighbourhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired(雇佣) a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbours. It was like a race, but one could never finish this race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbours. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.
Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they _____.
A．want to be as rich as their neighbours B．want others to know or to think that they are rich C．don’t want others to know they are rich D．want to be good friends with their neighbours
A．live outside New York City B．live in New York City C．live in apartments D．have many neighbours
A．an important name B．a popular name in the United States C．his neighbour’s name D．a name often used by the rich
A．correct B．interesting C．impossible D．Good
I made up my mind to drive to South Carolina to meet my friends in my used car. Though I had only been there once 1 and did not know the 2 very well. I was on the 3 after I had made some enquires.
At Ashville, there was a crossroad where I could go on along the main road or I could take a short cut. The short cut was to 4 several hills and was dangerous. I hesitated for a little while and then chose the main road, for I wanted to be 5 .
Something strange happened after I drove a long 6 and found it was not the correct road that I wanted to 7 , but the hilly road I decided to avoid. I realized that it was at the 8 that I had made the 9 mistake. “What shall I do?” I asked myself. If I went back to take that road again, it would be very late by the time I got to Columbia. Thinking it 10 , I decided to go on. “If 11 people can go along this road, why can’t I?” I 12 myself.
The short cut, to my surprise, was not that 13 . In fact, it was only a very peaceful country road, 14 up and down two low 15 . There was 16 traffic. On both sides of the road, you could see trees, wild flowers, and 17 with cows and horses. My fear was 18 with the wind. Listening to the beautiful country music over my car stereo (立体声), I drove on and 19 the scenery which was so quiet and so natural. Even my used car forgot to give me 20 . It was just in this light-heartedness that I arrived at my destination. My friends, after they heard what had happened to me, all said it sounded like an adventure.
A．before B．ago C．already D．still
A．town B．country C．friends D．way
A．train B．car C．highway D．phone
A．have B．go C．ride D．cross
A．safe B．dangerous C．fast D．slow
A．moment B．way C．land D．day
A．come B．leave C．take D．drive
A．crossroad B．beginning C．station D．corner
A．direction B．interesting C．disappointed D．road
A．about B．over C．of D．up
A．another B．the other C．other D．others
A．advised B．cheated C．encouraged D．forced
A．far B．safe C．dangerous D．dirty
A．walking B．coming C．driving D．going
A．lands B．cars C．farms D．hills
A．heavy B．little C．crowded D．few
A．villages B．trucks C．houses D．farms
A．together B．gone C．covered D．shared
A．looked B．liked C．enjoyed D．found
A．advances B．warnings C．problems D．joys
My grandfather Jack is 96 years old, and he has had an interesting life. He has traveled a lot in his life in the Far East. He visited the Taj Mahal（泰姬陵） in India and the Pyramids in Egypt. He hunted lions in Africa, and rode a camel in the Sahara Desert（撒哈拉沙漠）. He says the most beautiful place he has traveled to is Kathmandu in Nepal（尼泊尔）.
Jack has married twice. His first wife died when she was 32. He met his second wife Maria while he was cycling round France. They have been married for 50 years, and they have lived happily in a small village since they got married.
Jack says that he has never been ill in his life. The secret of good health, according to my grandfather, is exercise. He goes swimming every morning. He has done this since he was a boy. He also has a glass of wine every night! Perhaps that is his secret!
What kind of life has Jack lived?
A．A short life. B．An interesting life C．A lonely life. D．A poor life.
A．Kathmandu. B．The Pyramids C．The Sahara Desert. D．Taj Mahal.
A．Once. B．Twice. C．Three times. D．Four times.
A．In India. B．In Nepal. C．In France. D．In Egypt.
A．He has a glass of wine. B．He goes swimming C．He hunts lions. D．He rides a camel
Dear Jenny,
How’s it going? Are you busy with your study these days?
I’ve been back at school 1 nearly four weeks. I am very glad to tell you that great 2 have taken place in our school this term. First of all, we’re asked to “clear our plates（餐盘）” when having our meals and say 3 to wasting. Some of us used to order more than what we could eat. That was a big waste of food. Now we need to __4 the food we order. We should also stop wasting in some other ways. For example, we should turn off the lights when we 5 the classroom. And our school has opened up （开辟） some fields for us to learn how to grow vegetables. Each class is given a small garden and our class has decided to grow some tomatoes and beans（豆类）in our 6 time. I think that’ll be very interesting. Maybe I will be able to 7 you some beans we’ve grown by ourselves next time! What’s more, we have only two classes in the afternoon 8 we have more time for after-school activities. I’m one of the traffic safety（交通安全） volunteers in our school. After school, we take turns to go to the streets near school and ask people to __9 the traffic rules.
I think we are having a different school life now!
Please write back soon and tell 10 more about your school.
Yours,
Wang Wei
A．in B．for C．on D．at
A．changes B．things C．interests D．lessons
A．yes B．hello C．no D．thanks
A．clean B．pay C．cook D．finish
A．leave B．reach C．open D．build
A．busy B．free C．happy D．sad
A．plant B．buy C．post D．lend
A．because B．when C．before D．so
A．follow B．make C．break D．think
A．him B．her C．you D．me
There once was a farmer who lost his watch in his barn（谷仓）. The watch was very cheap but it was very 1 to him because it was a gift from his father.
After 2 the barn for a long time, he gave up and asked for 3 from a group of children playing nearby.
He 4 them that the person who found the watch would be rewarded（报偿）.
Hearing this, the children hurried inside the barn 5 . They searched everywhere but still could not find the 6 . Just when the farmer was going to give up, a little boy went up to him and asked to be given another 7 .
The farmer looked at him and thought, “Why not? After all, this kid looks honest.”
So the farmer 8 the little boy back into the barn. After a while the little boy came out with the watch in his hand! The surprised farmer asked the boy how he 9__ where others had failed.
The boy replied, “I did nothing but sit quietly and listen for the sound of the watch.”
This shows us that sometimes a 10 mind can think better than an excited one.
A．important B．expensive C．useless D．interesting
A．finding B．searching C．watching D．studying
A．money B．danger C．work D．help
A．promised B．taught C．warned D．believed
A．angrily B．slowly C．quickly D．hardly
A．rule B．book C．child D．watch
A．way B．chance C．lesson D．smile
A．threw B．sent C．gave D．caught
A．came B．knew C．succeeded D．suggested
A．beautiful B．smart C．peaceful D．quick