Robby was 11 when his mother dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I prefer students begin at an earlier age. Robby insisted that it had always been his mother’s dream to hear him play the piano, so I took him in as a student.
Robby tried and tried while I listened and encouraged him and gave him more instructions (指导). But he just did not have any inborn ability.
I only saw his mother from a distance. She always waved and smiled but never came in. Then one day Robby stopped coming to our lessons. I thought about calling him but I guessed he had decided to try something else.
I was also glad that he stopped coming for the sake of my career. However, several weeks before the recital (演奏会) of my students, Robby came，telling me that he never stopped practicing and begged me to allow him to take part. I agreed but I made him perform last in the program, so I could always save his poor performance through my “curtain closer”.
I was surprised when he announced that he had chosen one piece of Mozart’s. Never had I heard a piece of Mozart’s played so well by someone at his age. When he finished, everyone was cheering.
I ran up and put my arms around Robby in joy. “I’ve never heard you play like that, Robby! How’d you do it?”
“Well, Miss Hondorf. Do you remember I told you my mom was sick? Actually she died this morning. She was born deaf so tonight was the first time she could hear me play. I wanted to make it special. I knew I could.” That night, Robby was the teacher and I was the student. He taught me so many important things about life.Why did Robby stop coming to the piano lessons suddenly?
| A．He lost heart and believed that he would never make it. |
| B．His mother was too sick to send him to the piano lessons. |
| C．He thought his teacher disliked him. |
| D．His mother died and he didn’t need to play any longer. |
Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．The writer thought playing the piano shouldn’t start too late. |
| B．The writer thought that Robby had given up the piano lesson. |
| C．The writer taught Robby carefully although he hadn’t a gift for music. |
| D．No one else could play the piece of Mozart’s well. |
From the underlined sentence we can infer that _______.
| A．the writer looked down upon Robby and disliked him |
| B．the writer thought Robby a bad advertisement for his teaching |
| C．with Robby present, the other children couldn’t play well |
| D．the writer couldn’t teach so many students at a time |
What did the writer learn from Robby?
| A．The meaning of true love. |
| B．The meaning of giving up necessarily. |
| C．The meaning of being kind to teachers. |
| D．The meaning of believing in teachers. |
It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The streams were long gone back into the earth. If we didn't see some rain soon we would lose everything.
I was in the kitchen making lunch for my husband and his brothers when I saw my six-year old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. He was obviously walking with a great effort... trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again, toward the house.
Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that slow purposeful long step toward the woods. This activity went on for over an hour: walking cautiously to the woods, then running back to the house. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me. I crept out of the house and followed him on his journey.
He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked; being very careful not to spill the water he held in them. Branches and thorns slapped his little face but he did not try to avoid them. He had a much greater purpose. As I leaned in to spy on him, I saw the most amazing site.
Several large deer appeared threatening in front of him. But Billy walked right up to them. I almost screamed for him to get away. And I saw a baby deer lying on the ground, obviously suffering from heavy loss of water and heat exhaustion, lift its head with great effort to lap up the water cupped in my beautiful boy's hand.
I stood on the edge of the woods watching the most beautiful heart I have ever known working so hard to save a life. As the tears that rolled down my face began to hit the ground, they were suddenly joined by other drops... and more drops... and more. I looked up at the sky. It was as if God, Himself, was weeping with pride.Why did the author follow her son?
| A．Because there might be danger. |
| B．Because her son was doing a good deed. |
| C．Because she was curious. |
| D．Because she intended to help. |
Which of the following statements is Not True according to the passage?
| A．Rain was in great need. |
| B．Billy carried water with his small hands. |
| C．Billy walked into the woods and then returned over and over again. |
| D．There were few trees in the woods. |
Which is the correct order of the development of the story?
① The author was moved to tears.
② Billy fed the water to the baby deer.
③ Billy walked towards the large deer.
④ It began to rain.
⑤ The author followed Billy into the woods.
| A．⑤③②①④ | B．③②⑤①④ |
| C．④①③②⑤ | D．⑤②①③④ |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．Importance of water | B．The water of life |
| C．How to save animals | D．Animals in danger |
Children’s lives have changed greatly over the last 50 years. But do they have a happier childhood than you or I did?
It’s difficult to look back on one’s own childhood without some element of nostalgia(怀旧的). I have four brothers and sisters, and my memories are all about being with them, playing board games on the living room floor, or spending days in the street with the other neighborhood children, racing up and down on our bikes, or exploring the nearby woods. My parents scarcely appear in these memories, except as providers either of meals or of severe blame after some particularly risky adventure.
These days, in the UK at least, the nature of childhood has changed dramatically. Firstly, families are smaller. It is common for both parents to work outside the home and there is the feeling that there just isn’t time to bring up a large family, or that no one could possibly afford to have more than one child. As a result, today’s boys and girls spend much of their time alone. Another major change is that youngsters today tend to spend a huge amount of their free time at home, inside. This is due to the fact that parents worry far more than they used to about real or imagined dangers, so they wouldn’t dream of letting their children play outside by themselves.
Finally, the kind of toys children have and the way they play is totally different. Computer and video games have replaced the board games and more interesting activities of my childhood. The irony(讽刺) is that so many ways of playing games are called “interactive”. The fact that you can play electronic games on your own further increases the sense of loneliness felt by many young people today.
Do these changes mean that children today have a less relaxing childhood than I had? I personally believe that they do, but perhaps every generation feels exactly the same.What is the purpose of the direct question given in the first paragraph?
| A．To get people’s attention and lead in the topic. |
| B．To gather people’s opinions on childhood. |
| C．To show who the passage is written for. |
| D．To compare the childhood lives of two generations. |
Which is NOT a reason for the changes?
| A．Families are smaller today. |
| B．Parents worried too much about their children. |
| C．Toys can be played by children alone at home. |
| D．It’s too dangerous to play outside. |
What has the writer focused on in the fourth paragraph?
| A．Young people today shouldn’t play electronic games. |
| B．Some games that young people play today aren’t really good. |
| C．Computer and video games have replaced the board games. |
| D．Board games are much more interesting than computer games. |
The writer’s attitude towards the childhood changing is ________ .
| A．approving | B．unconcerned |
| C．objective | D．optimistic |
“OK,” I said to my daughter as she bent over her afternoon bowl of rice. “What’s going on with you and your friend J.? ” J. is the leader of a group of third-graders at her camp—a position Lucy herself occupied the previous summer. Now she’s the one on the outs. and every day at snack time, she tells me all about it, while I offer the unhelpful advice all summer long.
“She’s fond of giving orders, “Lucy complained. “She’s turning everyone against me. She’s mean. And she’s fat.” “Excuse me,” I said, struggling for calm. “What did you just say?” “She’s fat.” Lucy mumbled (含糊地说). “We’re going upstairs,” I said, my voice cold. “We’re going to discuss this.” And up we went. I’d spent the nine years since her birth getting ready for this day, the day we’d have the conversation about this horrible word. I knew exactly what to say to the girl on the receiving end of the teasing, but in all of my imaginings, it never once occurred to me that my daughter would be the one who used the F word—Fat.
My daughter sat on her bed, and I sat beside her. “How would you feel if someone made fun of you for something that wasn’t your fault?” I began. “She could stop eating so much,” Lucy mumbled, mouthing the simple advice a thousand doctors have given overweight women for years.
“It’s not always that easy,” I said. “Everyone’s different in terms of how they treat food.” Lucy looked at me, waiting for me to go on. I opened my mouth, then closed it. Should I tell her that, in teasing a woman’s weight, she’s joined the long tradition of critics? Should I tell her I didn’t cry when someone posted my picture and commented, “I’m sorry, but aren’t authors who write books marketed to young women supposed to be pretty?”
Does she need to know, now, that life isn’t fair? I feel her eyes on me, waiting for an answer I don’t have. Words are my tools. Stories are my job. It’s possible she’ll remember what I say forever, and I have no idea what to say.
So I tell her the only thing I can come up with that is absolutely true. I say to my daughter, “I love you, and there is nothing you could ever do to make me not love you. But I’m disappointed in you right now. There are plenty of reasons for not liking someone. What she looks like isn’t one of them.”
Lucy nods, tears on her cheeks. “I won’t say that again,” she tells me, and I pull her close, pressing my nose against her hair. As we sit there together, I pray for her to be smart and strong. I pray for her to find friends, work she loves, a partner who loves her. And still, always, I pray that she will never struggle as I’ve struggled, that weight will never be her cross to bear. She may not be able to use the word in our home, but I can use in my head. I pray that she will never get fat.Why does the author want to discuss with Lucy?
| A．Because she wants to offer some other helpful advice. |
| B．Because she is really shocked at Lucy’s rudeness. |
| C．Because she has prepared the conversation for nine years. |
| D．Because she decides to tell Lucy a similar story of her own. |
What does the author want to tell her daughter?
| A．It is not easy to take the doctors’ advice to eat less. |
| B．People shouldn’t complain because life is unfair. |
| C．People shouldn’t be blamed for their appearance. |
| D．She herself was once laughed at for her appearance. |
It can be inferred from the passage that_______.
| A．the author earns a living by writing stories. |
| B．the author is a fat but good-looking woman. |
| C．the author will stop loving her daughter for what she said. |
| D．the author’s daughter agreed with her from the very beginning. |
The author’s attitude towards her daughter can be best described as _______.
| A．satisfied and friendly | B．indifferent but patient |
| C．loving but strict | D．unsatisfied and angry |
Death is natural, but do you have any idea of the process of dying? Modern scientists divide the process of dying into two stages---clinical or temporary death and biological death. Clinical death occurs when the vital organs, such as the heart or lungs, have ceased to function, but have not suffered permanent damage. The organism can still be revived(复活). Biological death occurs when changes in the organism lead to the “breaking up” of vital cells and tissues. Death is then unchangeable and final.
Scientists have been seeking a way to lengthen the period of clinical death so that the organism can remain alive before biological death occurs. The best method developed so far involves cooling of the organism, combined with narcotic（麻醉的) sleep. By slowing down the body’s metabolism(新陈代谢), cooling delays the processes leading to biological death.
To illustrate how this works, scientists performed an experiment on a six-year-old female monkey called Keta. The scientist put Keta to sleep with a narcotic. Then they surrounded her body with ice-bags and began checking her body temperature. When it had dropped to 28 degrees the scientists began draining（流光466） blood from an artery（动脉）. The monkey’s blood pressure decreased and an hour later both the heart and breathing stopped: clinical death set in. For twenty minutes Keta remained in this state. Her temperature dropped to 22 degrees. At this point the scientists pumped blood into an artery in the direction of the heart and started artificial breathing. After two minutes Keta’s heart became active once more. After fifteen minutes, spontaneous(自发的)breathing began, and after four hours Keta opened her eyes and lifted her head. After six hours, when the scientists tried to give her a penicillin injection, Keta seized the syringe（注射器）and ran with it around the room. Her behavior differed little from that of a healthy animal.For a person who suffers from the clinical death ___________.
| A．he still has the possibility of getting back to life |
| B．his most important organs are damaged. |
| C．he can not avoid final death. |
| D．he is still very much alive |
Scientists try to make the time of clinical death longer in order to___________.
| A．slow down the body’s metabolism. |
| B．bring vital cells and tissues back to active life. |
| C．delay the coming of biological death. |
| D．cool the organism. |
How did the scientists put Keta into clinical death?
| A．By surrounding her body with ice-bags and draining her blood. |
| B．By lowing her blood pressure and stopping her heart from beating. |
| C．By draining her blood, lowering her blood pressure and stopping her breathing. |
| D．By putting her to sleep, lowering her temperature and draining her blood. |
All of the following indicate that the monkey has almost restored to her original physical state except the fact that___________.
| A．her heart beat again. |
| B．she regained her normal breath. |
| C．she rejected a penicillin injection. |
| D．she acted as lively as a healthy monkey. |
A store that sells husbands has just opened in Ottawa where a woman may go to choose a husband from many men.
The store consisted of 6 floors and the men increase in positive attributes（品质，特点）as the shopper goes up the flights. There is, however, a catch（陷阱）. As you open the door to any floor you may choose a man from that floor, but if you go up a floor, you cannot go back down except to exit the building.
So a woman goes to the shopping center to find a husband. On the first floor the sign on the door reads: Floor 1— These men have jobs. The woman reads the sign and says to herself, “Well, that’s better than my last boyfriend, but I wonder what’s further up?”
So up she goes. The second floor sign reads: Floor 2 — These men have jobs and love kids. The woman remarks to herself, “That’s great, but I wonder what’s further up?”
And up she goes again. The third floor sign reads: Floor 3 — These men have jobs, love kids and are extremely good-looking. “Hmm, better.”
The fourth floor sign reads: Floor 4 — These men have jobs, love kids, are extremely good-looking and help with the housework. “Wow!” exclaims the woman, “Very tempting. But, there must be more, further up!”
And again she heads up another flight. The fifth floor sign reads: Floor 5 —These men have jobs, love kids, are extremely good-looking, help with the housework and have a strong romantic character. “ Oh, mercy me! But just think…what must be awaiting me further on?”
So up to the sixth floor she goes. The sixth floor sign reads: Floor 6 –You are visitor 3, 456, 789,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. Thank you for shopping Husband Mart and have a nice day.Women tend to go up the floor until they reach the top floor because _____.
| A．they think the husbands downstairs are not suitable |
| B．they are sure that the best husbands are on the top floor |
| C．they think even better husbands may be upstairs |
| D．they know the catch very well |
The writer intends us to believe that _____.
| A．husbands are hard to shop |
| B．women are hard to please |
| C．women think they are better than men |
| D．women can’t be too careful when choosing husbands |
We can infer from the passage that _____.
| A．women are not good at shopping husbands |
| B．more women will leave the shop alone |
| C．women are romantic |
| D．women are more kind than men |