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Three boys and three girls were going to Fort Lauderdale and when they boarded the bus,they were carrying sandwiches and wine in paper bags,dreaming of golden beaches as the gray cold of New York vanished behind them.
As the bus passed through New Jersey,they began to notice Vingo, He sat in front of them,dressed in a plain,ill-fitting suit,never moving,his dusty face masking his age. He kept chewing the inside of his lip a lot,frozen into some personal cocoon of silence.
Deep into the night,outside Washington,the bus pulled into Howard Johnson's,and everybody got off except Vingo. He sat rooted in his seat,and the young people began to wonder about him,trying to imagine his life:perhaps he was a sea captain,a runaway from his wife,an old soldier going home. When they went back to the bus,one of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself.
"We're going to Florida,” she said brightly, “I hear it's really beautiful.”
“It is,”he said quietly,as if remembering something he had tried to forget.
"Want some wine?" she said. He smiled and took a swig.  He thanked her and once again returned to his silence. After a while,she went back to the others,and Vingo nodded in his 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 seemed very shy, and ordered black coffee and smoked nervously as the young people chattered about sleeping on beaches. When they returned to the bus,the girl sat with Vingo again,and after a while, slowly and painfully,he told his story. He had been in jail 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 jail I wrote to my wife,”he said. “I told her that I was going to be away a long time,and that if she couldn't stand it.if the kids kept asking questions,if it hurt too much,well she could just forget me, I'd understand. Get a new guy,I said she's a wonderful woman,really something and forget about me. I told her she didn't have to write me for nothing.  And she didn't.  Not for three and a half years.”
"And you’re going home now,not knowing?”
“Yeah,”he said shyly. “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) tree just as you came into town. I told her that 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.”
"Vow,” the girl exclaimed. "Wow.”
She told the others,and noon all of them were in it, caught up in the approach of Brunswick,looking at the pictures Vingo showed them of his wife and three children. The woman was handsome in a plain way,the children still unformed in the much-handled snapshots.
Now they were 20 miles from Brunswick, and the young people took over window seat on the right side,waiting for the approach of the great oak tree. The bus acquired a dark,hushed mood,full of the silence of absence and lost years. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face into the ex-con's mask, as if fortifying 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,screaming and shouting and crying,doing small dances of joy. All except Vingo.
Vingo sat there stunned,looking at the oak tree. It was covered with yellow handkerchiefs,20 of them,30 of them,maybe hundreds,a tree that stood like a banner of welcome billowing in the wind. As the young people shouted,the old rose and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.
Which is right about Vingo?

A.He was a sea captain.
B.He was a runaway from his wife,
C.He was an old soldier going home.
D.He was a prisoner.

The underlined word "`exclaimed" probably indicates that the girl was“______”
A. surprised        B:  angry         C:  embarrassed     D.  puzzled
From the story,we know that

A.the young people and Vingo loved New York
B.Vingo dressed himself decently
C.Vingo's Wife didn't write to him because she didn't miss him
D.the young people were happy for Vingo because he could went home

What is the best title for the story?

A.An Unexpected Return B.Forgiving My Absence
C.Going Home D.The Old Oak Tree
科目 英语   题型 阅读理解   难度 中等
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It was an autumn morning shortly after my husband and I moved into our first house. Our children were upstairs unpacking, and I was looking out of the window at my father moving around mysteriously on the front lawn. My parents lived nearby, and Dad had visited us several times already. “What are you doing out there?” I called to him.
He looked up, smiling. “I’m making you a surprise.” Knowing my father, I thought it could be just about anything. A self-employed jobber, he was always building things out of odds and ends. When we were kids, he always created something surprising for us.
Today, however, Dad would say no more, and caught ups in the busyness of our new life, I eventually forgot about his surprise.
Until one gloomy day the following March when I glanced out of the window. Any yet… I saw a dot of blue across the yard. I headed outside for a closer look. They were crocuses (番红花), throughout the front lawn. Lavender, blue, yellow and my favorite pink --- little faces moved up and down in the cold wind.
Dad! I smiled, remembering the things he had secretly planted last autumn. He knew how the darkness and dullness of winter always got me down. What could have been more perfectly timely to my needs?
My father’s crocuses bloomed each spring for the next four or five seasons, bringing the same assurance every time they arrived: hard times was almost over. Hold on, keep going, light is coming soon.
Then a spring came with only half the usual blooms. The next spring there were none. I missed the crocuses. I would ask Dad to come over and plant new bulbs. But I never did.
He died suddenly one October day. My family was in deep sorrow, leaning on our faith. I missed him terribly.
Four years passed, and on a dismal spring afternoon I was driving back when I found myself feeling depressed. “You’ve got the winter depression again and you get them every year.” I told myself.
It was Dad’s birthday, and I found myself thinking about him. This was not unusual --- my family often talked about him, remembering how he lived his faith. Once I saw him give his coat to a homeless man.
Suddenly I slowed as I turned into our driveway. I stopped and stared at the lawn. And there on the muddy grass and small gray piles of melting snow, bravely waving in the wind, was one pink crocus.
How could a flower bloom from a bulb more than 18 years old, one that had not blossomed in over a decade? But there was the crocus. Tears filled my eyes as I realized its significance.
Hold on, keep going, light is coming soon. The pink crocus bloomed for only a day. But it built my faith for a lifetime.
According to the first three paragraphs, we learn that _________.

A.the writer was unpacking when her father was making the surprise
B.the writer knew what the surprise was because she knew her father
C.it was not the first time that the writer’s father had made a surprise
D.it kept bothering the writer not knowing what the surprise was

Which of the following would most probably be the worst time of the year as seen by the writer?

A.Spring. B.Summer.
C.Autumn. D.Winter.

The writer’s father should be best described as_________.

A.a full-time gardener with skillful hands
B.a part-time jobber who loved flowers
C.a kind-hearted man who lived with faith
D.an ordinary man with doubts in his life

At the end of the passage, crocus was viewed as the symbol of _________ by the writer.

A.belief B.family C.love D.friendship

WHAT’S ON

STAGE
Russian dances: The famous “Little White Birth” Dance Troupe will travel from Russia to present performances in Beijing.
The troupe, founded in 1948, is famous for their combination of Russian folk dances and classical dancing art.
It has been invited by the Beijing Foreign Culture Exchange Co. in order to give four performances in Beijing.
Tickets are available through ticket hotlines and website such as www. paio. com. cn, www. Chinaticket. com and www. ticket. elong. com.
* Time: 7: 30 pm, January 18 - 21
* Place: Beizhan Theatre, 135, Xiwai Dajie,
Xicheng District
* Tel: 6606-4258
EXHIBITIONS
Kite show: All together 81 kites collected by the China National Art Museum is on show in the Yanhuang Art Museum.
Kong Xiangze, an expert on Chinese kites, published a book on kites, explaining the origins of the kite-making process. The exhibited kites are made in a traditional Chinese style.
* Time: 9 am-5 pm until February 11
* Place: 9 Huizhong Lu
* Tel: 6491-2902
CONCERTS
Folk music: A concert of classics of Chinese folk music will greet audiences on the first day of the Year of Snake at the Beijing Concert Hall.
The China Song and Dance Ensemble will perform dozens of traditional instrumental pieces, such as “Full of Joy”, “Colourful Cloud Chasing the Moon” and “Spring Festival Suite”.
* Time: 7: 30 pm, January 24
* Place: 1, Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District
* Tel: 6559-8285
EVENTS
Flower festival: The Beijing Botanical Garden is bringing people a blooming festival with the beautiful flowers in its tropical plants greenhouse.
The garden has introduced nearly 80 kinds of flowers abroad for the exhibition.
There is also an exhibition of potted narcissus (水仙) landscapes (盆景). More than 300 mini landscapes involving imported narcissus will be displayed, people can get a preview of the show by visiting www.beijingbd.com, the garden’s website.
* Time: 8:30 am-5 pm until January 28
* Place: Wofosi Lu near the Fragant Hills
* Tel: 8259-5547

Suppose you are too far away from Beijing or you can’t spare time to go there in person, which of the following shows can you enjoy all the same?

A.Russian dances. B.Kite show
C.Folk music D.Flower festival

The phrase “get a preview of” used in the passage means ______.

A.watch in advance B.see more clearly
C.get good position of D.get a general idea of

If you and your classmates have a free evening to spend on the 19th of January, which is a useful number to call?

A.6606-4258 B.6491-2902
C.6559-8285 D.8259-5547

When something goes wrong,it can be very satisfying to say,”Well, it’s so-and-so’s fault.” or “I know I’m late,but it’s not my fault;the car broke down.” It is probably not your fault,but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation,you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner’s key to success.
Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague(同事) causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don’t rely on the person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.
This is what being a winner is all about—creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don’t have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on “whose fault it is.” Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stop on for success.
According to the passage, winners.

A.deal with problems rather than blame others
B.meet with fewer difficulties in their lives
C.have responsible and able colleagues
D.blame themselves rather that others

The underlined word remedy in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to.

A.avoid B.accept
C.improve D.consider

When your colleague brings about a problem, you should.

A.find a better way to handle the problem
B.blame him for his lack of responsibility
C.tell him to find the cause of the problem
D.ask a more able colleague for help

Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A.A Winner’s Problem
B.A Winner’s Secret
C.A Winner’s Opportunity
D.A Winner’s Achievemen

Decision-making under Stress
A new review based on a research shows that acute stress affects the way the brain considers the advantages and disadvantages, causing it to focus on pleasure and ignore the possible negative (负面的) consequences of a decision.
The research suggests that stress may change the way people make choices in predictable ways.
“Stress affects how people learn,” says Professor Mara Mather. “People learn better about positive than negative outcomes under stress.”
For example, two recent studies looked at how people learned to connect images(影像) with either rewards or punishments. In one experiment, some of the participants were first stressed by having to give a speech and do difficult math problems in front of an audience; in the other, some were stressed by having to keep their hands in ice water. In both cases, the stressed participants remembered the rewarded material more accurately and the punished material less accurately than those who hadn’t gone through the stress.
This phenomenon is likely not surprising to anyone who has tried to resist eating cookies or smoking a cigarette while under stress –at those moments, only the pleasure associated with such activities comes to mind. But the findings further suggest that stress may bring about a double effect. Not only are rewarding experiences remembered better, but negative consequences are also easily recalled.
The research also found that stress appears to affect decision-making differently in men and women. While both men and women tend to focus on rewards and less on consequences under stress, their responses to risk turn out to be different.
Men who had been stressed by the cold-water task tended to take more risks in the experiment while women responded in the opposite way. In stressful situations in which risk-taking can pay off big, men may tend to do better, when caution weighs more, however, women will win.
This tendency to slow down and become more cautious when decisions are risky might also help explain why women are less likely to become addicted than men: they may more often avoid making the risky choices that eventually harden into addiction.
We can learn from the passage that people under pressure tend to ______.

A.keep rewards better in their memory
B.recall consequences more effortlessly
C.make risky decisions more frequently
D.learn a subject more effectively

According to the research, stress affects people most probably in their ______.

A.preference for pleasure B.ways of making choices
C.tolerance of punishments D.responses to suggestions

The research has proved that in a stressful situation, ______.

A.women find it easier to fall into certain habits
B.men have a greater tendency to slow down
C.women focus more on outcomes
D.men are more likely to take risks

“Have a nice day!” may be a pleasant gesture or a meaningless. When my friend Maxie says “Have a nice day” with a smile, I know she sincerely cares about what happens to me. I feel loved and secure since another person cares about me and wishes me well.
“Have a nice day. Next!” This version of the expression is spoken by a salesgirl at the supermarket who is rushing me and my groceries out the door. The words come out in the same tone (腔调) with a fixed procedure. They are spoken at me, not to me. Obviously, the concern for my day and everyone else’s is the management’s attempt to increase business.
The expression is one of those behaviors that help people get along with each other. Sometimes it indicates the end of a meeting. As soon as you hear it, you know the meeting is at an end. Sometimes the expression saves us when we don’t know what to say “oh, you may have a tooth out? I’m terribly sorry, but have a nice day.”
The expression can be pleasant. If a stranger says “Have a nice day” to you, you may find it heart-warming because someone you don’t know has tried to be nice to you.
Although the use of the expression is an insincere, meaningless social custom at times, there is nothing wrong with the sentence except that it is a little uninteresting. The salesgirl, the waitress, the teacher, and all the countless others who speak it without thinking may not really care about my day. But in a strange and comfortable way, it’s nice to know they care enough to pretend they care when they really don’t care all that much. While the expression may not often be sincere, it is always spoken. The point is that people say it all the time when they like.
How does the author understand Maxie’s words?

A.Maxie shows her anxiety to the author.
B.Maxie really wishes the author a good day.
C.Maxie encourages the author to stay happy.
D.Maxie really worries about the author’s security.

By saying “Have a nice day,” a stranger may _____.

A.try to be polite to you
B.express respect to you
C.give his blessing to you
D.share his pleasure with you

According to the last paragraph, people say “Have a nice day”_______.

A.sincerely B.as thanks
C.as a habit D.encouragingly

What is the best title of the passage?

A.Have a Nice Day—a Social Custom.
B.Have a Nice Day—a Pleasant Gesture.
C.Have a Nice Day—a Heart-warming Greeting.
D.Have a Nice Day—a Polite Ending of a Conversation.

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