An 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45-year-old son. Suddenly a crow (乌鸦) landed on their window. The father asked his son, “What is that?” The son replied, “That is a crow.” After a few minutes, the father asked his son for the second time, “What is this?”
The son said, “Father, I told you just now. It’s a crow.” After a little while, the father asked his son the same question for the third time, “What is this?” This time, the son said to his father in a low and cold tone, “It’s a crow, a crow.” After a moment, the father yet again asked his son for the fourth time, “What is this?” This time his son shouted at his father, “Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again? I have told you already, ‘IT IS A CROW’. Are you not able to understand this?” A minute later the father went to his room and came back with a diary, which he had kept since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son to read that page.
Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa when a crow suddenly landed on the window edge. My son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied him 23 times that it was a crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question. I didn’t at all feel angry, but instead felt affection for my son.
If your parents reach old age, do not look at them as a burden, but speak to them gently, and be kind to them. From today say this aloud, “I want to see my parents happy forever. They have cared for me ever since I was a little child. They have always showered me with love. I will take care of my old parents in the best way no matter how they behave.”The old man brought out the diary, which he had kept since his son was born, because ______.
| A．he forgot what had happened |
| B．he would like his son to read it |
| C．it could remind himself of the past |
| D．he wanted to find what a crow was |
The underlined word “affection” (last but one Para.) probably means______.
| A．puzzle | B．hatred(恨) | C．love | D．worry |
The writer mainly intends to ______ .
| A．tell us the function (作用) of a diary |
| B．call on us to love our parents |
| C．teach us what a crow is |
| D．introduce a pair of son and father |
As computers become all the more popular in China, Chinese people are increasingly depending on computer keyboards to input Chinese characters. But if they use the computer too much, they may forget the exact strokes of each Chinese character when writing on paper. Experts suggest people, especially students, write by hand more.
Do you write by hand more or type more? In Beijing, students start using a computer as early as primary school. And computer dependence is more wide-spread among university students. Almost all their homework and essays are typed on a computer.
All the students interviewed say they usually use a computer.
It's faster and easier to correct if using a computer. And that's why computers are being applied more and more often to modern education. But when people are taking stock in computers increasingly, problems appear.
"When I'm writing with a pen, I find I often can't remember how to write a character, though I feel I’m familiar with it."
"I'm not in the mood to write when faced with a pen and paper."
Many students don't feel this is something to worry about. Now that it's more convenient and quick to write on a computer, why bother to handwrite?
Many educators think differently. Shi Liwei, the headmaster of a famous primary school in the capital said, "Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic(审美的) value. But those characters typed with computer keyboards only have their practical value. All the artistic beauty of the characters is lost. And handwriting contains the writer's emotion(情绪). Through one's handwriting, people can get to know one's thinking and personality. Beautiful writing will give people a better first impression of them.”
To encourage students to handwrite more, many primary schools in Beijing have made writing classes compulsory(必修的) and in universities, some professors are asking students to turn in their homework and essays written by hand.The students interviewed prefer to write using a computer mainly because______.
| A．they are usually asked to e-mail their homework and essays |
| B．they find it not easy to remember how to write a character |
| C．they can correct the mistakes they make quickly and conveniently |
| D．computers have become popular in China. |
Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE of the advantages of handwriting?
| A．Handwriting can impress people well and build up one’s self-confidence. |
| B．The writer’s thinking and personality are shown in his or her handwriting. |
| C．Handwriting contains the writer's emotion. |
| D．Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic value. |
The underlined expression “taking stock in”(Paragraph 4) probably means_____.
| A．getting bored with | B．becoming excited about |
| C．becoming crazy about | D．getting dependent on |
We can infer from the passage that_______.
| A．more and more students will give up writing on a computer |
| B．more and more students will pay attention to handwriting |
| C．writing by hand will give way to typing by computer one day |
| D．the typing article better shows one’s emotion and character |
★Help Wanted
PAINTER Must have at least 3 years painting experience. Commercial and new construction work. $10/hr. Immediate opening. Call 435-9201 with work history.
SECRETARY Part time position available in friendly, busy office. Good typing and general office skills. Some weekends required. High pay. Various duties. Apply (申请) at East Side Management, 500 Park Drive, Dewitt, NY. 13214.
★Help wanted
VET ASSISTENT Person needed for busy animal hospital. Some nights and weekends. Apply in person to Johnson Marks Animal Hospital, 404 Snow Road, Syracuse, NY 13224. After 4 p.m. only please.
NURSES' ASSISTANTS
Fulltime and part time positions available for modern nursing home. High pay. Call Mrs. Downes, R.N. at 543 7618.
★Help Wanted
COOK NEEDED
Immediately. Busy downtown restaurant. Must be good and dependable. Experience preferred. Weekends required. Call 324-9817.
SALESPERSON
Experienced. Must have some knowledge of men's clothing industry. Available to work evenings and some Saturdays. Send resume(简历) to: Martin Apparel, 237 Rockledge St., Syracuse, NY. 13224.
★Help Wanted
TEACHER Small private school needs English and maths teachers. Must have BS degree and at least 4 years teaching experience. Send resume to: Wales Charter School 19 South 8th St. NY. 13214.
HOTEL needs part time FRONT DESK CLERK No experience necessary. Excellent people and phone skills a must. Some computer skills helpful. $13/hr.
Call: Mr. Jones 357-2897.If you want to get a job as a maths teacher, send your resume to ____ .
| A．237 Rockledge St.,Syracuse, NY.13224 |
| B．404 Snow Road Syracuse, NY. 13224， |
| C．500 Park Drive, DeWitt, NY. 13214 |
| D．19 South 8th St. NY. 13214 |
If you dislike working on Sundays, being a ______ should be your best choice.
| A．cook | B．secretary |
| C．salesperson | D．vet assistant |
If you want to get a job at _________ , you must have office skills.
| A．Martin Apparel |
| B．East Side Management |
| C．Wales Charter School |
| D．Johnson Marks Animal Hospital |
A couple had a son eleven years after they married. They were a loving couple and the boy was the apple of their eye. When the boy was around four years old, one day the father was very tired after work so he asked his wife to pick up their son. The mother, who was very busy in the kitchen, totally forgot about it.
Later the boy lost his way on the street. When the son was found missing, the mother hurried to look for him, but she didn’t find him. The mother felt very sad and didn’t know how to face her husband.
When the father went to the police station after hearing that the son was missing, he looked at his wife and said just four words. What do you think the four words were? The husband just said "I love you, darling."
The son was missing. If he had picked him up earlier, this would not have happened. There is no point in blaming (责备) anyone. His wife had also lost her only child. What his wife needed at that moment was comfort and understanding from her husband. That is what the husband gave his wife. Several weeks later, with the help of the police, the couple finally found their lost son. The family’s relationship became stronger over that time.
Sometimes we spend lots of time asking who is to blame. We miss many chances to give each other support and let each other feel the warmth of human relationships. Get rid of all your unwillingness to forgive, selfishness and fears, and you will find the world is much more wonderful.Why didn’t the father pick the boy up himself?
| A．He was a bit lazy. |
| B．He thought the mother had picked him up. |
| C．He forgot to pick him up |
| D．He was too tired to do it. |
How did the father react when he knew his son was missing?
| A．He felt quite shocked at the news. |
| B．He comforted his wife. |
| C．He blamed his wife for her carelessness. |
| D．He lost his temper. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Everyone can make mistakes in life. |
| B．Love is the most important thing. |
| C．One needs to be careful in everything he does. |
| D．Learning to forgive others matters. |
What do you think of the husband?
| A．Warm-hearted | B．Careful |
| C．Broad-minded | D．Hard-working |
As I grew older, my dad and I grew further apart．We always had totally different opinions．He thought that college was a waste of time，but for me it was important to finish college．He wanted me to work my way to the top as he had done in his field，but I wanted a different life．There was a time when we did not talk with each other．
A few months ago, I heard that my 84-year-old dad was in poor health．When he called and asked whether I could move from Colorado back to Tennessee to help him，I knew he was seriously ill．I am his only child and so it was time to meet my father’s requirement．
Two weeks after moving back，we bought a boat and started fishing again．Fishing was one of the few things that we did while I was young and that we both enjoyed．It is strange but true that as we are fishing we are able to put things that have kept us apart for so many years behind us. We are able to talk about things that we have never talked about before．Fishing has been healing the old wounds that have kept us apart．
It is not important how many fish we catch．It is about enjoying the relationship that we have not had for years．I’m 62 and he is 84．When we are on the lake fishing，it is like two kids enjoying life．It is far better to find a way to put the unhappy past behind．I am so lucky to spend the happy time with my father in his last years．Now my heart is filled with love．A smile always graces my lips．The author and his father became further apart because______________．
| A．they lived very far from each other |
| B．they had different views on things |
| C．they only communicated by phone |
| D．they seldom went to see each other |
Why did the author come back to Tennessee?
| A．Because his father invited him to go fishing． |
| B．Because he decided to live in a different city． |
| C．Because his father is ill and needs caring． |
| D．Because he regretted being rude to his father． |
For the author，fishing with his old father___________ ．
| A．helps cure his father’s disease |
| B．is a good way to get close to nature |
| C．makes him realize the importance of relaxation |
| D．provides a chance for them to communicate |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Fishing Brings Us Together | B．Forgiving Is Difficult |
| C．Memories of Old Days | D．My Beloved Father |
St paul’s Cathedral
Ludgate Hill, EC4
Underground: St Paul’s; Bus: 6,7,11,15,22,25
Open: Daily 8:00-19:00(17:00 from Oct. to Mar.)
Entrance free
Designed by the great architect, Sir Christopher Wren, St Paul’s Cathedral was built following the Great Fire of London of 1666, which destroyed the gothic cathedral on the site at that time. It is crowned by a magnificent dome and its choir(唱诗班)is internationally famous. Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married here in 1981.
Buckingham Palace
South end of the Mall(SW1)
Underground: St. James’s Park, Victoria, Hyde Park Comer, Green Park Bus:2,11,14,16,19,22,24,29,30,38,52,73,74,137
Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the monarch(君主) for much of the year. (When the monarch is in residence, a flag flies over the palace.) The Mall is a very impressive wide street, leading from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square.
Note: As the palace is the monarch’s official residence, it is not open to the public during most of the year.
The Tower of London
Tower Hill, EC3
Underground: Tower Hill; Bus: 42, 78
Open: Mon. – Sat.9:00—18:00. 8:00—19:00
Parts of the Tower of London are over nine centuries old, as building began under William the Conqueror in 1078. Famous as a prison in the distant past, the Tower has also been a royal residence, a zoo and an observatory (瞭望台), among other things. It is now a museum and many thousands of people visit it every year in particular to see the Crown Jewels.
Westminster Abbey
Broad Sanctuary, SW1
Underground: Westminster, St James’s Park; Bus: 3, 11, 12, 24, 29, 39, 53, 59, 76, 77, 88, 109, 155, 168, 170, 172, 184, 503
Open: Daily 8:00—19:00(Mar.-DEC., Tuesday till 20:00)
Entrance free
A Benedictine abbey(本笃会修道院) which already existed on the site was rebuilt by Edward the Confessor and consecrated(奉为神圣) in 1065. On the way to its present form, the abbey was extended in the 13th-16th centuries, with the two west towers being added in the 18th. There are many famous tombs in the abbey, including that of the unknown Warrior and those of many poets and writers. Where is the text most probably taken from?
| A．A history book about London. |
| B．A guidebook for visitors to London |
| C．A book describing London’s development. |
| D．A book about London’s churches and cathedrals. |
No.11 bus can take you to all three of these places: _______.
| A．St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London |
| B．St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace |
| C．St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace |
| D．Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace |
You can see the inside of all the buildings all the year round except _____.
| A．St Paul’s Cathedral | B．The Tower of London |
| C．Westminster Abbey | D．Buckingham Palace |
The two places that you can visit by getting off at the same underground station are _____.
| A．Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey |
| B．Buckingham Palace and St Paul’s Cathedral |
| C．Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London |
| D．The Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral |