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I can remember the day my father came home from the war. As he walked up the front path of our home, he saw Mum and me and he dropped the suitcase.
I was only five years old so Dad made a fuss of me, then began making an even bigger fuss of my mother. This left me free to examine all the stuff lying around the broken suitcase, and I was quick to notice a newspaper advertisement displaying a new piano. When Dad saw me holding up the newspaper cutting, he smiled.
“Yes, that’s right,” he said. “I bought your mum a piano for ten pounds down and two pounds a week.”
A few moments later, a horse pulled a cart with a piano on top. Soon we all stared at it in our small lounger room. Mum had never been close to a piano before, except at the kindergarten I attended, and she used to say how wonderful it would be if the teachers could teach her to play.
After tea that night, Mum began to teach herself to play. She plinked the keys for about two hours and drove everybody in the street mad, until Dad gently said, “Enough is enough.”
From that day on, she would plink between doing the cooking and housework. Three months went by and Mum was now a skilled pianist, holding parties with all the neighbors gathering around to sing.
Although we were poor, Mum felt like a princess and was delighted at all the attention she was receiving.
At the height of Mum’s happiness, I began to notice that Dad was looking increasingly worried. It turned out that since returning from the war, he’d been unable to find a job. Then, a few weeks later, I observed two men taking Mum’s piano away. Mum sobbed in the kitchen. Suddenly, it all became clear to me: no job, no money, no piano.
Dad finally got a job. Mum was happy again as if he’d just win the lottery(彩票). Dad had to study to qualify as an account. Every night after dinner he’d place a stack of books on the kitchen table and study late into the night. Mum didn’t say much but I could tell she was proud of Dad.
Two years later, Dad bought Mum another piano. This time he paid cash for it.
How did the author’s Dad buy the piano for his mum?

A.He paid part of the bill regularly.
B.He earned it by winning a bet.
C.He paid cash for it.
D.He bought it as a big bargain.

By saying “Enough is enough”, the author’s dad meant_______.

A.practice makes perfect
B.it was time to stop practicing
C.he couldn’t bear being troubled
D.his wife played the piano well enough

What happened to the author’s mum’s first piano?

A.It was lost.
B.It was broken by one neighbor.
C.It was sold by his dad.
D.It was taken away.

What made the author’s mum proud of his dad?

A.His dad’s willingness to help cook.
B.His dad’s winning the lottery luckily.
C.His dad’s loyalty to his motherland.
D.His dad’s determination to rebuild his life.
科目 英语   题型 阅读理解   难度 中等
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Argentina in the late nineteenth century was an exciting place. Around 1870, it was experiencing an economic boom, and the capital, Buenos Aires, attracted many people. Farmers, as well as a flood of foreigners from Spain and Italy, came to Buenos Aires seeking jobs. These jobs didn’t pay well, and the people felt lonely and disappointed with their new life in the city. As the unhappy newcomers mixed together in the poor parts of the city, the dance known as the tango (探戈舞) came into being
At the beginning the tango was a dance of the lower classes. It was danced in the bars and streets. At that time there were many fewer women than men, so if a man didn’t want to be left out, his only choice was to dance with another man so that he could attract the attention of the few available women. Gradually, the dance spread into the upper classes of Argentinean society and became more respectable.
In Europe at this time, strong interest in dance from around the world was beginning. The interest in international dance was especially evident in Paris. Every kind of dance from ballet to belly dancing could be found on the stages of the Paris theaters. After tango dances from Argentina arrive in Europe, they began to draw the interest of the public as they performed their exiting dance in cafes. Though not everyone approved of the new dance, saying it was a little too shocking, the dance did find enough supporters to make it popular.
The popularity of the tango continued to grow in many other parts of the world. Soldiers who returned to the United States from World War I brought the tango to North America. It reached Japan in 1926, and in 2003 the Argentinean embassy in Seoul hired a local tango dancer to act as a kind of dance ambassador, and promote tango dancing throughout South Korea.
The origin of the tango is associated with _________.
A Belly dances B. American soldiers
C. the capital of Argentina D. Spanish city
Which of the following is true about the tango?

A.It was created by foreigners from Spain and Italy.
B.People of the upper classes loved the tango most
C.A dancer in Seoul became the Argentinean ambassador.
D.It was often danced by two male in the beginning

Before World War I, the tango spread to __________.

A.America B.Japan
C.France D.South Korea

What can be the best title for the text?

A.How to Dance the Tango
B.The History of the Tango
C.How to Promote the Tango
D.The Modern Tango Boom

Café en Seine
The wildly luxury (奢华) new art style of this huge bar has been a huge hit since it first opened in 1995, and while it may not be the “in” place it once was, it is still very popular with the after-work crowd and out-of-towners. Maybe it’s the glass frames, or the real 12m-high trees; but most likely it’s the beautiful people supporting the wood-and-marble bar.
Good for: decoration, cocktails, amazing food and service
Address: 40 Dawson St
Transport: all city centre
Phone: 01 677 4369
Gravediggers (aka Kavanagh’s)
The gravediggers from the neighboring Glasnevin Cemetery had a secret serving hatch (舱口) so that they could drink on the job – therefore the pub’s nickname. Founded in 1833 by one John Kavanagh and still in the family, this pub is one of the best in Ireland, almost unchanged in 150 years. In summer time the green of the square is full of drinkers bathing in the sun, while inside the hardened locals ensure that never a hint of sunshine disturbs some of the best Guinness in town. An absolute classic.
Good for: Guinness, traditional pub, pub food
Address: 1 Prospect Sq Glasnevin
Transport: 13 from city centre
Phone: 830 7978
Davy Byrne’s
James Joyce, an Irish author and a poet (1882-1941), would hardly recognize the bar that Leopold Bloom rushed into for a gorgonzola sandwich and a glass of wine in Ulysses. It doesn’t stop Davy Byrne’s from making the most of its Joyce’s connections, even though today's version is strictly for out-of-towners and the rugby crowd.
Good for: socializing with the locals, tasty Irish food, watching TV
Address: 21 Duke St
Transport: all city centre
Website: www.davybyrnes.com
Phone: 01 677 5217


People choose Café en Seine most probably because they enjoy _____as well as its cocktails and service.

A.its location B.its decoration
C.its history D.its environment

“Guinness” in Gravediggers probably refers to ________.

A.a kind of tea B.the name of the boss
C.a kind of beer D.the name of the town

We can infer that Davy Byrne’s is ________.

A.a newly-opened bar
B.an old-fashioned bar
C.a bar with a long history
D.a bar popular with foreigners

What do Café en Seine and Davy Byrne’s have in common?

A.Their represent the same architecture style.
B.They give the same description about transport.
C.They both serve cocktails and tasty Irish food
D.They are both popular with the rugby crowd.

Four years ago my sweet mom went to be with her Lord. She did it her way.
I got the call at work, and I headed home quickly. Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven. I hated going there every weekend. There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception.
My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land. The place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat. We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me.
In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen. I sang the melody and Mom harmonized. Her favorite song was "Moon River" and we sang it over and over. Mom told me stories about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk.
As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit them every week or two. The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad. Me, well, I still hated the silence of the farm. While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle(喧闹)of my life at home. But I sat there listening quietly as she reminisced.
Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio. Music always comforted me.
My heart skipped a beat. "Moon River" was playing on the radio. I sat there stunned, with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note.
From the first paragraph, we know that the writer’s mother ________.

A.left the small farm with Lord
B.passed away four years ago
C.left for Lord to live her own way
D.preferred to be with Lord

The underlined word reminisced in the fifth paragraph probably means ________.

A.shouted B.comforted
C.recalled D.sighed

The writer didn’t like staying in the farm for the following reasons except that ________.

A.she could only sing one song in the small farm
B.it was too cold and quiet
C.there was nothing more that could make her excited
D.the place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat

Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? _______

A.Cherish(珍惜) life B.My happy childhood
C.Our small farmhouse D.Mom’s music

Only after the straight-talking repairman handed me the bill and waved goodbye did I finally acknowledge the painful truth: Our 20-year-old clothes dryer was not going to last.
I turned to my husband. “He says we’re throwing good money after bad,” I sighed. “I think he’s right.”
“When do you want to go shopping for a new one?” my husband asked.
I glanced out the window, admiring the sunlight dancing on the big-leaf maples(枫叶) in our backyard. Perfect drying weather. Suddenly, I recalled my mother hanging laundry on a clothesline during my childhood. My sister and I had played hide-and-seek among the sweet-smelling sheets waving in the wind.
I suddenly had a plan. After the wash cycle, we covered the maples with damp blue jeans, shirts, socks and towels. The only things that didn’t go outside were my underpants. And I persuaded my shameless husband to let his big boxer shorts(男式平角短裤) stay indoors, too.
There is a secret pleasure to hanging laundry outdoors. It is the perfect excuse to get up from the computer. While checking on the laundry in the backyard, I could commune(亲近) not only with cotton T-shirts, but also my cats. I could watch cautious deer run through the yard with their young, listen to nervous squirrels in trees and observe a family of wild turkeys by the road. I returned to my desk refreshed.
And, except for the sandpaper feel of sun-dried bath towels, the drying method was a complete success. When autumn came, I’d scan the horizon each day to evaluate the chances of sun-drying. One morning I saw rain clouds. I had a load of wet clothes in my arms and no place to put them.
I found my husband. Together we hung laundry throughout the house.
Then my husband gave me a hug and a smile. “I think it’s time to buy a dryer…” he said, “… like, today.”
“Good idea,” I said, just as the infamous Oregon rain started.
Our sun-dried laundry habit was finished for the season.
Why did the author want to try sun-drying?
a. Her husband insisted.
b. She wanted to cut expenses.
c. Their dryer wasn’t working.
d. She had good childhood memories of using a clothesline.

A.b c B.c d C.a c d D.b c d

What could the straight-talking repairman have said to the author?

A.“Continue to use it even if it is old.”
B.“You should have taken better care of your dryer.”
C.“You shouldn’t have wasted money on repairing your dryer.”
D.“Just buy a new dryer even if it’s very expensive.”

What was the biggest benefit that sun-drying brought to the author besides dry clothes?

A.She loves sun-dried bath towels.
B.She felt healthier and closer to nature.
C.She could bathe in the sunshine, too.
D.It gave her a break from her housework.

Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?

A.The author has stopped sun-drying since autumn started.
B.The author later became fed up with the trouble of hanging up her clothes.
C.The author listened to weather reports every day when autumn came.
D.The author realized sun-drying was seasonal and thus had its disadvantages

The World Health Organization has for the first time expressed “cautious optimism” that the growth in new Ebola cases in West Africa may be slowing down.
Bruce Aylward, who is in charge of the WHO response to Ebola, said in Geneva that he was particularly encouraged by evidence of a downward trend in Liberia, one of the three worst-affected countries.
The WHO’s official total number of Ebola cases has reached 13,703 – a big jump from the10,141 cases it reported four days ago. But Dr Aylward said that was mainly the result of the data being updated with old cases, rather than new cases arising.
“Do we feel confident that the response is now getting an upper hand on the virus? Yes, we are seeing a slowing rate of new cases, very definitely,” Dr Aylward said.
However, Dr Aylward also urged people not to celebrate pre-maturely over any apparent downturn in the epidemic (传染病). “I’m terrified that the information will be misunderstood and people will think Ebola is under control,” he said.
Any reduction in the battle against the virus might lead to “an oscillating(震荡的) pattern where the disease moves up and down”.
The improvement in Liberia seems to be due to a combination of more treatment facilities, better contact tracing and safer burial practices, together leading to fewer new infections from Ebola patients.
In Sierra Leone the number of cases continues to increase in some areas. “We’re still seeing this thing burning quite hot in parts of Sierra Leone,” Dr Aylward said
Tracing the progress of individual patients, the WHO estimates an overall death rate of 70 percent, though people who receive treatment in a well-equipped clinic are slightly less likely to die. The WHO plans to set up 56 Ebola clinics with 4,700 beds in West Africa. Of these 15 clinics with 1,050 beds are already operational and another 22 clinics are expected to open during November.
Meanwhile, two former NATO(北约) secretaries-general and dozens of leading European politicians have urged the alliance(盟国) to send troops, aircraft and ships to west Africa to help contain the Ebola crisis.
In the first paragraph, “cautious optimism” probably refers to ______

A.Ebola under control thanks to WHO’s caution
B.the decline of new Ebola cases though not defeated
C.celebrations on the downturn in Ebola in Liberia
D.More treatment and relief supplies to West Africa

Why did Dr Aylward urge people not to celebrate prematurely?

A.Because celebrations may increases infections.
B.Because the pattern of the disease is up and down.
C.Because people may be misled to stop the battle.
D.Because we are getting an upper hand on the virus.

Which of the following didn’t contribute to the improvement in Liberia?

A.better contact tracing
B.more treatment facilities
C.safer burial practices
D.data updated with old cases

According to the text, “burning quite hot” means ______ .

A.very severe B.extremely hot
C.on fire D.well received

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