When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I could make it home for the holidays. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have three-day passes (通行证) posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers.
It was Christmas Eve when I arrived, and a light snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, and ornaments (装饰物) shining against the green of a pine.
“Where did it come from？” I asked.
“I asked the Gates boy to cut it,” my mother said. “I wouldn’t have had one just for myself, but when you called--- oh, such a rush! He just brought it in this afternoon…”
The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the Tree Top Krystal Star was in its place. A few green branches reached about a little awkwardly (难看地) at the side, I thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with pleasant smell of Christmas.
“It’s not like the ones you used to find,” my mother went on. “Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn’t know where to look. But I couldn’t be picky.”
“Don’t worry, ” I told her. “It’s perfect.”
It wasn’t, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: all Christmas trees are perfect.When the writer got home, ________.
| A．it was December 23 |
| B．it was snowing heavily |
| C．he found a Christmas tree in the living room |
| D．the Gates boy was cutting a Christmas tree for his mother |
From the passage, we can conclude推断 that ________.
| A．the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees |
| B．his mother didn’t like perfect trees |
| C．his mother didn’t want to have a tree |
| D．the writer wouldn’t have a tree cut by someone else |
“All Christmas trees are perfect”, because they can remind you of ________.
| A．the wartime | B．the green of a pine | C．the pleasant smell | D．the sweet home |
The best title for this passage would be “________”.
| A．How to Choose a Christmas Tree | B．How Soldiers Spent Christmas |
| C．The Perfect Christmas Tree | D．The Christmas Without a Tree |
It's important to learn about protecting our environment. Here is a 5R rule for us:
1．Reduce
If you want to reduce waste, you should use things wisely. Millions of trees are being cut down to make paper. If everyone uses a little paper carelessly and throw it out, soon we would not have any trees left. Other things are also being wasted, and people don't know what to do with the waste in big cities. So it is necessary to reduce the waste
2．Reuse
You should always think of reusing the usable things before throwing them out. Give your clothes you do not use or the ones which are too small to the poor. With a family, you may pass on such clothes to younger brothers or sisters.
3. Recycle
Bottles, cans and paper can easily be recycled. By doing so, we save lots of time and money. For example, coke cans are sent to a factory, where they are smashed flat（压平）and melted（融化）and the melted things are made for new coke cans.
4．Recover
When you buy a box of apples, there may be a few rotten（腐烂的）apples, You have two choices: one is to throw the whole apple away, or you could cut off the rotten parts and eat the good parts. In this way, you are recovering the eatable parts of food.
5. Repair
If one of the legs of your table is broken, you can repair it instead of throwing it away. If you want to change for better ones, It is better for you to sell the old things or give them to other people who can use them after doing some repair. It is true that North America is a "throw－away" society(社会).But the time has come to change our way of life so that we can protect our environment. Every one of us should try our best._______can be recycled.
| A．Only hard things | B．Many things | C．Few soft things | D．A11 things |
The "recover' rule mainly requires us_______.
| A．to throw waste things away | B．to cover waste things with earth |
| C．to get back the useful parts | D．to throw the whole things away |
We can infer（推断）that the writer of this passage may live in_______．
| A．China | B．Japan | C．Australia | D．America |
Which of the following is true?
| A．We will have no resources（资源）of nature unless we can do with the waste. |
| B．Recycling is the best way to save resources. |
| C．If we waste less, we can save more resources of nature |
| D．More things are wasted in developed countries than in developing ones. |
Crazy is our new normal. With two teenage boys and three little boys, our family is restless- to the baseball field, track field (田径场) and piano lessons. Even though we've limited（限制） each boy's activities and try our best to spare some time for the family, it seems that we're always in a hurry.
"Accept it. Roll with it," my husband, Lonny, says, "It's going to be like this for a while."
He is right. It's likely that life will continue to go forward before it slows down. But I remembered the peaceful, quiet days that our family used to enjoy. I missed long walks through the park when we held the boys' little hands. I wished for lazy Saturday afternoons under the tree in our backyard. I wanted to go back a few years, when busyness was the exception and not the rule（惯例）．
One night, after a particularly ful day and evening games, our family gathered on the porch (门廊) for ice cream. Two parents, two teens, and three small boys sat on one old swing and a couple of rocking chairs. We were together, in one place, for a short period of time.
The moon was full. The Mississippi River, flowing past our home, was smooth as glass. I put my own arms around the son who sat on my lap and breathed in deeply his little-boy smell -dirt and sweat. My heart was peaceful and satisfied.
I realized that though crazy is our new normal, happiness is as usual. They may look different from before, but they are still there - even if they're in the form of a single moment on the porch. Maybe I just need the eyes to see.What does the writer mainly talk about?
| A．Her tiredness of her busy life. |
| B．Her family's struggle for a better life. |
| C．Her new feelings about the present life. |
| D．The pleasure of staying with her children. |
Which of the following could best describe the writer's present life?
| A．Busy and boring. | B．Busy but happy. |
| C．Crazy and terrible. | D．Normal but exciting. |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．The writer has five sons. |
| B．There is at least one child learning to play the piano. |
| C．The husband likes the present life. |
| D．The writer used to live a peaceful and quiet life. |
Which of the following might the writer agree to?
| A．Happiness is everywhere, but we have to discover it. |
| B．Life is nothing but sadness, busyness and hurry. |
| C．Parents should do more for their kids' better life. |
| D．Life in the countryside is attractive, wonderful, and sweet. |
Brownie and Spotty were neighbor dogs. They loved each other and played together so often that they had worn a path through the grass of the field between their houses.
One evening, Brownie’s family noticed that their dog hadn’t returned home. They went looking for him, but with no success. Brownie didn’t show up the next day, and by the next week he was still missing.
Curiously, Spotty showed up at Brownie’s house alone. He barked loudly. But busy with their own lives, Brownie’s family just ignored (忽略) their neighbor’s nervous little dog.
Finally, one morning Spotty refused to take “no” for an answer. He followed Ted, Brownie’s owner, everywhere he went. He barked, then rushed towards a nearby empty lot and back, as if to say, “ Follow me!”
Finally, Ted followed the dog across the empty lot. The dog led the man to a tree a half-mile from the house. There Ted found Brownie alive. One of his legs was crushed (夹住) in a trap. Ted wished he had taken Spotty’s earlier appeals (求助) seriously.
Then Ted noticed something amazing. In a circle around the injured dog, he saw a lot of dog food. They were the remains of lots of meals.
Spotty had been visiting Brownie every day. He had stayed with Brownie to protect him, snuggling(依偎) with him at night to keep him warm and nuzzling(用鼻子爱抚) him to keep his spirits up. What can we learn from the first three paragraphs?
| A．Brownie and Spotty didn’t like their owners. |
| B．Brownie was missing for three days. |
| C．Brownie’s family didn’t love him. |
| D．Spotty probably knew where Brownie was. |
According to the story, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Spotty barked loudly at Ted because he was scared. |
| B．Ted followed Spotty because Spotty asked him to. |
| C．Spotty succeeded in escaping from the trap. |
| D．Brownie had nothing to eat that whole week. |
The underlined phrase “keep his spirits up” in the last paragraph probably means______.
| A．feed him | B．praise him | C．comfort him | D．protect him |
What does the story aim to tell us?
| A．Dog is man’s best friend. | B．Even dogs can have strong friendship. |
| C．Dogs are one of the cleverest animals. | D．Dogs have a special way to look for help. |
When you are feeling unhappy or forget how great you are, these are six ways to make you feel good about yourself.
☆ Look in the mirror and say to yourself,“I am a special person and there's no one in the world like me. I can do anything!" It may not sound so good, but it really works!
☆ Do something nice for someone. Helping others always makes you feel good.
☆ Smile! Be friendly to people you meet. Look for the good things in your friends and family.
☆ Learn something new! Have you always wanted to decorate your own room or learn how to swim? Go for it! New challenges（挑战）are fun and give you a sense of accomplishment（成就）when you have finished.
☆ Read and start a diary, Turn off the TV and let your imagination fly! Write you’re your thoughts, dreams or anything you want! Writing always helps to express your feelings.
☆ Stay with your family. We all need our family time. Talk with your Mum or Dad or maybe even your cousin.This passage may be taken from_______.
| A．a science book | B．a story book | C．a magazine | D．school rules |
According to the passage, when you are helping others, you will________.
| A．feel nice | B．be sure |
| C．be special | D．be remembered |
According to the passage, which can't you do when you are feeling unhappy?
| A．Try to be kind to others. | B．Learn something new and challenge yourself. |
| C．Stay out alone. | D．Try to write down anything you want. |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．Do Your Best | B．Six Ways to Feel Good about Yourself |
| C．It's Never Too Late to Learn | D．Always Smile to Your Life |
Every day, life is made and lost. Every day, life goes on. Every day we experience some of the most important parts of life and may not even realize it: love, generosity, and perseverance. These values aren’t just important to us, they make the world what it is.
Scientists say that the gravity makes the world turn, but some people say that love makes it go around. Love can be found anywhere: in families, friends, even strangers. Even if you can’t see it, you know it’s there.
Love may connect people all over the world, but what would the world be without generosity? Whether after a national disaster or a school fund raiser, one thing is certain--- it is better to give than to receive. Generosity is found everywhere and whether it’s a large or small act, it makes a difference. Most of all, generosity is not something you need any qualifications（资格）for, and no matter what you do, it can make a difference. Sometimes, though, it takes effort to be generous, which leads us to perseverance.
Founding a country, riding a bike, or finishing a novel, these are all finished with perseverance. Perseverance is the one thing that can help us achieve whatever we want. It is what helps scientists discover cures for illnesses, and athletes become winners. You may fail, but every time you make a mistake, that’s one less to make the next time.
There is an infinite(无限的) number of things we value. But without love, generosity, and perseverance, we just don’t think that our lives or the world would be the way it is.The underlined word “it” in the second paragraph means .
| A．the world | B．the gravity | C．the value | D．the experience |
To be generous, the writer thinks .
| A．you needn’t make effort |
| B．you should be qualified(有资格的) |
| C．you should give all you have |
| D．you find it meaningful whatever you do |
The meaning of the word “perseverance” is .
| A．财富 | B．体力 | C．毅力 | D．机遇 |
Which of the following statement is TRUE?
| A．Perseverance is the only thing to help us achieve success. |
| B．People don’t understand life they experience at all. |
| C．Helping others is always better than receiving help. |
| D．What the world is like depends on the gravity and love. |
The best title for the passage may be .
| A．Success and failure | B．Three values | C．Endless love | D．Hard life |