“I was only thirteen when four of my team members and I were chosen by my swim coach to train with the Chinese National Team. The following piece shows how that experience has influenced me.”
The night before I left for China, my mother called me into her room. I entered not knowing what to expect. I sat down at the end of her very neatly-made bed, opposite the bedroom table on which she kept a Ming-style vase illustrated in great detail. She told me that my great-grandmother was still living in the surroundings of Beijing. Her name was Ren Li Ling and she was 97 years old. This was the first time I had ever heard of her.
The dragon on the vase snaked through the flowers and vines(藤蔓)as my mother said, “Pu Pu, look at me. You need to hear this so that when you go to China you will understand. You must keep this knowledge in your heart.”
She told me a story about my grandfather, Ren Li Ling's son, who left Beijing to go to college in Taiwan. She told me how the Chinese civil war kept him away from his mother for fifty years, so neither of them even knew that the other was alive. No one from Taiwan could visit, write, or call anyone in mainland. All lines of communication were cut off.
She told me of my grandfather's devotion to his own children, and how difficult it was for him to send his daughter to America for her education, fearing that same separation. He gave my mother all that he could give — nineteen years of love and fifty years of savings. I learned how my mother, through means only available in this country, would finally be able to unite my great-grandmother with my grandfather again. The dragon curled around the vase, connecting the separate vines. For a fleeting second, I felt it was present in my mother's room. It was all very strange, yet very clear. I began to understand that this trip to China was not just for me; it was for my mother, and her father, and his mother. Now, I had not only a future, but more significantly, a past. I saw the world with new eyes.
And so I went to China and met my great-grandmother. My great-aunt picked me up at the training center, and we rode in a taxi through the crowded city. The noise of the taxi and the city united into a deep roar. We finally stopped in front of a narrow street lined on either side with small one-level houses. As we made our way to a house like all the others, I drew the stares of many people in the street. My great-aunt led me through a rotting(朽烂的)doorway into a room with a furnace(炉子), table, and a rocking chair where an old woman wearing gloves sat facing the doorway, covered with a worn brown blanket. I walked over and immediately embraced this frail woman as if I had known her all my life. My limited, broken Chinese wasn't up to expressing my complicated feelings. And even though I couldn't completely understand what she was saying in her thick Beijing accent, I knew — the same way I knew what my mother had been trying to tell me before I left. Her joy shone through her toothless smile. She wouldn't let go of my hand. I haltingly(结结巴巴地)asked her how she had managed to live such a long life. She answered in words I will never forget, “Hope has kept me alive. I have lived this long because I wanted to see my son before I died.”
My fellow team members must have wondered how two people separated by three generations could be so close. Before this trip, I would have wondered the same thing. And even now, I can't quite explain it. We were as different as two people can be; some 85 years and 8,000 miles apart. We came from two entirely different cultures; yet we were connected by a common heritage(传统).
I stayed for dinner which was cooked in a black iron wok(锅)over the furnace. The meal was lavish(过分丰盛的), prepared in my honor. As I began to eat, with my great-grandmother beside me, I felt the dragon was present. But this time, the feeling didn't pass; the dragon had become a part of me.
My great-grandmother passed away last year at the age of 100. With her highest hopes and wildest dreams fulfilled, I know she died happy. The writer’s mother called him into her room to ___________________.
| A.prepare him for the trip and warn him against possible problems |
| B.remind him of his origin |
| C.ask him to look for his great-grandmother |
| D.share with him the story of her childhood |
The dragon is mentioned several times in the passage because __________________.
| A.the vase with the dragon on it is very valuable and beautiful |
| B.it stands for the blood running in every Chinese |
| C.it is a sign of the writer’s devotion to his birthplace |
| D.the writer’s mother hoped the writer would be as strong as a dragon |
How old was the writer’s mother when she was sent to America for her education.
| A.13 | B.16 | C.19 | D.20 |
Which of the following can be inferred from the text?
| A.The writer’s grandfather was afraid of a war when sending his daughter to America. |
| B.The hope to see her son again kept the writer’s great-grandmother alive for this long. |
| C.It was within the writer’s expectation that he could be so close to his great-grandmother. |
| D.The writer’s great-grandmother was reunited with her son before she died. |
Which is the best title for the text?
| A.We Share the Same Heritage. |
| B.Love from My Great-grandmother. |
| C.A Story from My Mother. |
| D.An Unforgettable Training Trip. |
Do you love music? I’d like to introduce you to a band today. The Lumineers is a band based in Denver, Colorado. The group released its first album The Lumineers in April, 2012. Recently, the record went gold, meaning 500, 000 copies had been sold. That is really a large number. Critics have mostly praised the album The Lumineers. Some have called the album’s sound “expansive”, and its songs “creative”.
The most popular song from the album is Ho, Hey. It is Number One on three Billboard singles charts: rock, adult Pop and alternative. A lot of people think of Ho, Hey as a love song. And The Lumineers say it is. But lead singer and guitarist (吉它手) Wesley Schultz says it is also about his personal struggles when he was living and working in New York City.
The three members of The Lumineers were excited when asked to perform at the Grammy nominations (提名) concert. But they were also very surprised when they were named as Grammy nominees. The band is up for(被提名) Grammy awards as Best New Artist and Best Americana Album. Drummer Jeremiah Fraites told reporters, “We had no idea. ”
Jeremiah Fraites and Wesley Schultz grew up in New Jersey and have been playing music together for about eight years. They found cellist (大提琴手) Neyla Pekarek, a native of Denver, after they moved to that city. Neyla Pekarek told one reporter that the band’s style developed naturally. She said it came from a lot of writing, experimenting and making changes to let the lyrics tell the stories they were meant to tell.
We leave you with one of those stories. This is Stubborn Love from the album The Lumineers. Hope you’ll enjoy their staging.
What do we know about the album The Lumineers from Paragraph 1?
| A.It includes some old songs. |
| B.It didn’t sell well at first. |
| C.It was released recently. |
| D.It is a great success. |
By listening to Ho, Hey, we can learn something about ________.
| A.Wesley Schultz’s struggles in New York City |
| B.the happy times of Wesley Schultz as a singer |
| C.three Billboard singles charts in New York City |
| D.a touching love story that happened in New York City |
What is implied about The Lumineers in Paragraph 3?
| A.They didn’t expect they would be nominated Grammy awards. |
| B.They didn’t want to perform at the Grammy nominations concert. |
| C.They were very calm when told they were nominated Grammy awards. |
| D.They were surely to win the Grammy award for Best Americana Album. |
What is this passage mainly about?
| A.People’s opinions on the album The Lumineers. |
| B.The struggles of a band named The Lumineers. |
| C.A song from a famous band in the United States. |
| D.A band that has been nominated Grammy awards. |
Where is this passage probably taken from?
| A.A newspaper. | B.A radio program. |
| C.A magazine. | D.A textbook |
When I was ten my dad helped me buy my first ten-speed bicycle from Allen. I put up $60 of my grass cutting and snow shoveling (铲) money and my dad put up the other half I would pay him back over the next six months. Although it was not in the latest style, it was my ticket to the adult world.
I spent that summer and autumn riding happily. My sister Liz, a prisoner(囚犯,俘虏) of her five-speed bicycle, never had a chance to keep up. Just before the Christmas deadline to pay my dad back, we were hit with several snowstorms. This allowed me to shovel enough driveways (车道) to pay off my debt. I was now officially a bike owner; it was a feeling unlike any other.
On that Christmas morning, my dad gave me a used portable (便携式的) record player. I was excited. However, my joy was short-lived after my dad called my sister to the kitchen. “We have one more gift for you. ” he said as he opened the door that led to the garage. There, on the steps, stood a new ten-speed bicycle.
“It’s not fair,” I complained. “I worked so hard for my bike, and it’s not even new. Then Liz gets a new bike. She didn’t have to do anything for it. ” My dad smiled. “She didn’t have to do anything for it because it’s not really for her,” he said. What did that mean? I didn’t want her bike.
By spring Liz and I were tiding all over town together now that she could keep up. As we grew, Liz and I became true friends.
Still I wasn’t smart enough to figure out what my dad meant until years later. That new bike was not a gift for Liz — it was a gift for me. He’d given me the gift of my sister’s company, the ability to stay together rather than drift apart (逐渐疏远) in the face of my ability to travel. He gave me my best friend.
What do we know about the author’s bike?
| A.It was worth $120. |
| B.Allen bought it for him. |
| C.It was very fashionable. |
| D.He didn’t like it actually. |
Why did the author think he was officially a bike owner?
| A.He had paid off his debt. |
| B.He had learned to ride a bike. |
| C.He could also own Liz’s bike. |
| D.He could sell his bike to Liz. |
Why was the author’s Christmas joy short-lived?
| A.His sister got a new record player. |
| B.His father didn’t care about him. |
| C.The record player wasn’t new. |
| D.His sister got a better gift. |
Hearing his father say “it’s not really for her (Paragraph 4)”, the author probably felt ________.
| A.moved | B.satisfied |
| C.puzzled | D.disappointed |
The author finally realized that ________.
| A.the new bike actually belonged to him |
| B.the new bike wasn’t bought by his father |
| C.his father actually gave him a more valuable gift |
| D.his father loved his sister more as a matter of fact |
You may have seen a lot of frogs, but if you haven't, you must have heard about frogs. However, have you heard about a frog that can kill a person?
These smallbrightly colored amphibians (两栖动物)live in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America. They are best known for their ability to kill persons even though they are no more than 2 inches long. If we touch their poisonous skin without proper protection (such as gloves), we may die! For animals of this size that can be so deadly, they are certainly one of the world's most poisonous animals! Who are they? They are poison arrow frogs or, simply, poison frogs.
Poison frogs acquired their name from the Indians. The Indians catch and kill many of these frogs before hanging them upside down over a campfire. As the frogs get hot, the poison drips out of their skin. The Indians collect the poisonous liquid in a bottle and dip(蘸) the tips of their arrows into the bottle. Once the tips are dried, they are ready to be used for their arrows for hunting.
There are about 170 different types of poison arrow frogs in the world. Though most species have bright markings, either in stripes or patches, on their black bodies, some just wear noticeable single-colored coats. Their shocking skin colors-usually in yellow, red, green, blue or orange-serve as a warning sign to other animals. The sign simply says,” Stay away or pay with your life!” Theycertainly do not bluff.We can infer that the Indians may kill poison frogs in order to______.
| A.treat diseases | B.avoid being bitten |
| C.hunt animals | D.eat their meat |
According to the passage, poison frogs______.
A can grow to several meters long
B. like to change colors on the back
C. have bright-colored skin or markings
D. are on the edge of dying outWhich of the following best explains the last sentence of the passage?
| A.Poison frogs don't want to kill others. |
| B.Poison frogs do not just scare others. |
| C.Poison frogs want to stop others from coming near. |
| D.Poison frogs just pretend to be dangerous animals. |
Like lots of small-business owners, Lola Gonzalez had to decide to cut down her company’s nine-person staff (员工) when the economic recovery began to fail last spring. Unlike other companies, she picked an unlikely employee to lay off (解雇): herself.
Her business began to have problems in 2008 after going through her books (账簿)
One day, her husband, Marcos, told her she had to reduce her payroll(薪金总额)by one person. Gonzalez said at a meeting, “I want you all to know that I have to lay somebody off and it’s been a very difficult decision. And that person is me.” Employees first froze in amazement and then burst into laughter until they realized she was serious. Gonzalez ’s employees said they were grateful for her kindness.
Her reason was simple. Although she ran the business and her employees did the legwork (跑腿), she thought she could find work more easily than her staff. Sure enough, she soon got a job as a social worker for a non-profit organization called Devereux Kids. She enjoys her social-worker job now, but the salary (薪水) cut has required some lifestyle changes. She and Marcos no longer eat out daily; they no longer pay for their son’s car and mobile phone, and they changed their car to a smaller one to save $300 a month.
Her business has picked up a bit recently and Marcos has begun to work part-time at Gonzalez’s company. Gonzalez says she has no plan to return to work at her company until the economic situation becomes better, perhaps in a year. Her employees, however, will get Christmas bonuses (奖金) this year.How many workers are there in Gonzalez’s company at present?
| A.8. | B.9. | C.10. | D.11. |
How did her employees feel at first when they heard Gonzalez’s decision?
| A.Happy. | B.Grateful. |
| C.Surprised. | D.Unbelievable. |
After leaving her company, _____________.
| A.Gonzalez sold her car and went to work by bus |
| B.Gonzalez always had meals in a restaurant |
| C.Gonzalez’s son helped her a lot |
| D.Gonzalez changed her lifestyle a lot |
From the text, we can learn that ___________.
| A.Gonzalez will not return to her company in future |
| B.Gonzalez’s business has improved a little lately |
| C.Gonzalez got her social-worker job with great difficulty |
| D.Marcos lost his job and had to work at Gonzalez’s company |
Ireland has had a very difficult history. The problems started in the 16th century when English ruler tried to conquer Ireland. For hundreds of years, the Irish people fought against the English, Finally, in 1921, the British government was forced to give independence to the south of Ireland. The result is that today there are two "Irelands". Northern Ireland, in the north, is part of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland, in the south, is an independent country.
In the 1840s the main crop, potatoes, was affected by disease and about 750,000 people died of hunger. This, and a shortage (短缺) of work, forced many people to leave Ireland and live in the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada. As a result of these problems, the population fell from 8.2 million in 1841 to 6.6 million in 1851.
For many years, the majority of Irish people earned their living as farmers. Today, many people will work on the land but more and more people are moving to the cities to work in factories and offices. Life in the cities is very different from life in the countryside, where things move at a quieter and slower pace.
The Irish are famous for being warm-hearted and friendly. Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish writer, once said that the Irish were "the greatest talkers since the Creeks". Since independence, Ireland has revived (复兴) its own culture of music, language, literature and singing. Different areas have different styles of old Irish songs which are sung without instruments. Other kinds of Irish music use many different instruments such as the violin, whistles, etc. What does the author tell us in paragraph 1?
| A.How the Irish fought against the English. |
| B.How Ireland gained independence. |
| C.How English rulers tried to conquer Ireland. |
| D.How two “Irelands” came into being. |
We learn from the text that in Ireland________.
| A.food shortages in the 1840s led to a decline in population |
| B.people are moving to the cities for lack of work in the countryside |
| C.it is harder to make a living as a farmer than as a factory worker |
| D.different kinds of old Irish songs are all sung with instruments |
The last paragraph is mainly about________.
| A.the Irish character |
| B.Irish culture |
| C.Irish musical instruments |
| D.a famous Irish writer |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A.Life in Ireland | B.A very difficult history |
| C.Ireland, past and present | D.the independence of Ireland |