It is really a happy thing to look back on the days I spent with Jennie. We met in night school. After Jennie and I had completed the required courses, we started teaching in the same school. For a time we were just casual friends, but one day, when I was telling Jennie about my problem son, we discovered we were kindred (同类的) spirits. "He’s a difficult little character," I explained. Jennie looked thoughtful. "Maybe you’re only seeing him with your eyes." She was silent for a moment and then added softly, "It is only with the heart that one sees rightly." I stared at her. "You’re quoting (引用) that! It’s from The Little Prince, Saint-Exupery’s book for children, one of my favorites. You know it, too?" Jennie nodded. "I love it. I’ve read it so often. I’ve practically memorized it."
Now, when I think of Jennie, I recall that book because Jennie —more than anyone I know —possessed the gift of seeing with the heart.
From that moment of a treasured book shared, our friendship grew steadily. It wasn’t that I didn’t have an excellent relationship with my husband and son, but my mother had died shortly after my marriage, and I had neither sisters nor daughters. I realize, now, how I needed someone to share those little, seemingly unimportant things that add so much to life —things that must be shared to be fully appreciated.
And it was Jennie who helped me with my fourth-grade problem child. One day I was at my wit’s end. "What he needs is a good beating!" I exploded.
"He’s probably had plenty of those," Jennie said. "Maybe he just needs sincere praise for anything he does right, and a hug or two each day." I followed this suggestion, and eventually, because of Jennie, I discovered a lovable little boy.
Looking back, I have to admit that she taught me so much. The days I spent with her has become one of my happiest memories.What does the underlined part mean in the fourth paragraph?
| A．I was unsure of how to treat my son. |
| B．I decided to give up my job. |
| C．I faced financial difficulties. |
| D．I was very disappointed with myself. |
How did the author and Jennie’s friendship grow?
| A．They both were interested in children’s education. |
| B．They both liked a novel, The Little Prince. |
| C．They often chatted together about their families. |
| D．They both worked in the same school. |
We learn from the text that __________.
| A．the author has the gift of seeing with the heart |
| B．the author had no friends before meeting Jennie |
| C．the author had lost her mother before her marriage |
| D．the author seldom praised her son in the past |
How does the author feel about her family?
| A．No one listened to her seemingly unimportant things. |
| B．She didn’t get along well with her husband and son. |
| C．She once seldom spoke to her mother. |
| D．She felt quite lonely in her family. |
The text is mainly about _________.
| A．how to educate children properly |
| B．the fact that we should see nature differently |
| C．the influence of friendship in life |
| D．how friendship begins and develops |
Every one of us gets so used to punctuation marks that not many of us give them a second thought．Actually, the ancient Greeks wrote this way．The lack of punctuation marks probably didn’t bother good readers, though．As they read, they just put pauses where they fit best．Also at this time, sentences switched directions．A sentence read from left to right．The next one read right to left, and then left to right again, etc． The ancient Romans sometimes punctuated like this: They put something that can separate words in a sentence．The word punctuation actually comes from this idea and the Latin word punctum, which means a dot.
When the 5thcentury arrived, there were just two punctuation marks: spaces and points．The spaces separated words while the points showed pauses in reading．Then in the 13thcentury, a printer named Aldus Manutius tried to standardize punctuation．He always used a period for a complete stop at the end of a sentence．He used a slash (/) to indicate a short pause．Over time, that slash was shortened and curled, and it became the modern comma (逗号).
Since that time, other marks have enlarged the punctuation family．The exclamation mark (感叹号) comes from the Latin word io．It means “exclamation of joy.” The question mark originally started out as the Latin word questio, meaning question．Eventually, scholars put it at the end of a sentence to show a question.
Punctuation even keeps changing nowadays．New marks are coming into existence, and old punctuation marks are used in new ways．Take for example the “interrobang”．This 1962 invention combines the question mark and exclamation mark for times when writers want both．For example, “She did what?” or “How much did you pay for that dress?” Obviously, the interrobang is not widely used or recognized yet, but its invention shows that English is not yet finished with its punctuation.From the first paragraph, we can know that _______.
| A．good readers had trouble reading without punctuation marks |
| B．a sentence always read from left to right in ancient Greece |
| C．ancient Greeks switched the direction of punctuation marks |
| D．the use of punctuation marks can date back to ancient times |
The passage is developed _______.
| A．by time | B．by space |
| C．by comparison | D．by importance |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
| A．ancient Romans didn’t use any punctuation marks |
| B．exclamation and question marks came from Latin |
| C．spaces and slashes were already used before the 5thcentury |
| D．Aldus Manutius first started to use commas |
What can be concluded from the last paragraph?
| A．The combination of two marks will not work. |
| B．It takes time for people to accept new punctuation marks. |
| C．Old punctuation marks need to be standardized. |
| D．Punctuation marks are still changing today. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
To most people, noise pollution is a jet flying over their head． For one Spanish woman, it is a neighbor playing the piano．The woman has taken her neighbor to court．Now she wants to send her neighbor to prison for over seven years on the charges of psychological damage and noise pollution.
In a country known for its noisiness, the case has raised eyebrowsNeighbors often complain about street noise in Spain, but people seeking prison time for someone practicing the piano is unheard of．At the trial, Sonia Bosom says she has been suffering noise pollution up to now due to the practice sessions of Laia Martin, who lives below her．Martin, 27, didn’t admit that she played at home that often, saying she took regular classes in other towns and mostly practiced at home on the weekends.
On the first day of the trial, the newspaper reported that Bosom told the court she now hated pianos so much that she couldn’t even stand seeing them in a film.
Bosom says years of hearing constant playing has caused her “psychological injury”．Medical reports show she has suffered from a variety of problems, including insomnia (失眠), anxiety, and panic attacks.
She says tests by local authorities have found that the sound levels made by the piano are up to 10 decibels (分贝) higher than the limit．City authorities have asked the family several times to either stop the piano playing or soundproof (隔音) the room．The family told the court they carried out soundproofing work twice but the complaints continued.
The court hasn’t made a final decision．A spokeswoman says the trial will end before May.Bosom wants to send Martin to prison because _______.
| A．Martin’s playing the piano damaged her health |
| B．Bosom suffered from heart attack |
| C．Martin refused to take regular classes in other towns |
| D．Martin flew a jet over her head |
How did Laia Martin respond to the complaints?
| A．She stopped playing the piano. |
| B．She soundproofed the room. |
| C．She didn’t admit she played at home. |
| D．She took her neighbor to court. |
Which of the following may probably be the best title for the passage?
| A．A 7-year Sentence Caused by the Piano |
| B．Pianist Charged with Noise Pollution |
| C．Health Problems of a Spanish Woman |
| D．Actions Against Noise by Local Authority |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
I am a vegetarian（素食主义者）．Many people are quick to think of vegetarianism as strange behavior．I treasure our Earth, and since we only have one, we should protect it and the wildlife that lives on it．But that’s only one of the reasons to be a vegetarian．
Vegetarians may live longer, healthier lives．There is a connection between red meat consumption and various diseases．From an economic standpoint, it requires less land, money and energy to produce foods for a vegetarian diet．While there are many benefits to being a vegetarian, only a handful of those who attempt to adopt this lifestyle succeed．
The most important quality required to be a vegetarian is firmness since surrounded by the temptation of meat, we tend to give up vegetarianism easily．Creativity is almost as important as commitment．It’s easy to tire of eating nothing but salad． But with a little creativity and some soy products, almost any meal can become vegetarian-friendly．
Not everyone wants to be vegetarian．Accepting this is part of being a vegetarian with style．Forcing your beliefs on others is disrespectful．Stylish vegetarians should also be able to turn down a meaty dish politely without annoying their hosts．
Being a successful vegetarian has been easy for me, but it may not be so for others．acommon mistake is quitting before your body has adjusted to the change．It can be difficult to keep the lifestyle in the beginning because of temptation．However, it fades over time．Another common mistake is quitting because you’ve been misinformed about the nutritional wisdom of being a vegetarian．That’s why it is vital to be educateD． Countless people will tell you that it’s impossible to obtain the nutrients and protein（蛋白质）your body requires without meat, but they are incorrect．People actually need only 44-55 grams of protein a day, and that is easily found in a vegetarian diet．Many meat eaters are consuming three times that amount, which is not beneficial．It leads to diseases．Vegetables can also supply all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs．However, if you’re still not convinced, you can take a multi-vitamin．According to the passage, being a vegetarian helps ______．
| A．protect the wildlife |
| B．free people from diseases |
| C．rid people from strange behaviors |
| D．develop a better economy |
What’s the underlined word temptation in Paragraph 3 closest in meaning to?
| A．Unpleasant taste | B．Extreme attraction |
| C．Great consumption | D．Significant importance |
Stylish vegetarians do not ______．
| A．force others to be vegetarians |
| B．respect other people’s beliefs |
| C．turn down hosts gracefully |
| D．refuse an offer of meat |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Many people give up before their bodies can adjust to the transition． |
| B．Many people quit because they’re poorly educated about nutrition． |
| C．Consuming 150 grams protein a day can be harmful． |
| D．Vegetarians need multi-vitamins to keep healthy． |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Reasons why the author became a vegetarian． |
| B．Important qualities required to be a vegetarian． |
| C．Advantages and disadvantages of being a vegetarian． |
| D．Common mistakes on the way to being a vegetarian． |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
When people think of Hollywood, they think of the city where dreams come true．This did not apply to F．Scott Fitzgerald, a screenwriter who had his share of ups and downs in this land． Fitzgerald was not a successful Hollywood writer because he was not good at the career path he chose．He was an amazing novelist, but his efforts of turning them into screenplays ended in disappointment and confusion．It was because of a lack of potential for screenwriting as well as his addiction and desire to be famous．
Growing up as a boy, Fitzgerald went to movies a lot．He wanted to write stories that would eventually turn into movies．The problem was: just because Fitzgerald wanted to do something didn’t necessarily mean that he was good at it．He made his attempts, but most of these efforts ended in disappointment because he thought about the change from script（剧本）to screen too much．His plot was too detailed and complicated; his tone was too serious or his dialogue too sentimental（感伤的）．
Fitzgerald’s quick rise to fame also led to his fall．In life, things are not meant to happen all at once, all that the same time but it did for Fitzgerald． At his best time, three of his early stories were made into short films, including The Great Gatsby and Babylon Revisited． As the twenties approached, he was gradually forgotten by the reading public． He became drunk and constantly took pills both to sleep and wake up．His marriage was destroyed and his wife broke down mentally．He seemed unsure about his life．
Fitzgerald had another chance at success when many opportunities came his way, including revisions of Emlyn William’s play The Light of Heart and production of one of his own scripts, Cosmopolitan．However, these were all put aside and he was right back where he started, left behind and called a “ruined man”．Fitzgerald simply wanted too much in his life．He wanted “to be both a great novelist and a Hollywood success, to write songs like Cole Porter and poetry like John Keats”．His addiction to fame held him back and led to his failure as a Hollywood writer．Which is a reason that Fitzgerald failed in screenwriting?
| A．He was not talented in screenwriting． |
| B．He had a miserable family life． |
| C．He spent too much time watching movies． |
| D．He was greedy for money in his life． |
Fitzgerald’s screenwriting was _____．
| A．disappointing in ending |
| B．complex in plot |
| C．playful in tone |
| D．simple in dialogue |
Which of the following was NOT written by Fitzgerald?
| A．The Great Gatsby | B．Babylon Revisited |
| C．The Light of Heart | D．Cosmopolitan |
When Fitzgerald had another chance at success, he ______．
| A．took full advantage of it |
| B．went back home to start business |
| C．refused to make changes |
| D．started to write songs and poems |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Fallen for Fame Addiction: F．Scott Fitzgerald |
| B．An Inch into Fame: F．Scott Fitzgerald |
| C．F．Scott Fitzgerald: A Great Novelist |
| D．F．Scott Fitzgerald: A Great Screenwriter |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
I was going to Paris, which I’d always wanted to see．But now I was frightened to travel alone．I arrived at the train station in Paris．I hadn’t spoken my college French for twenty years．On my first metro ride, I came across an incompetent（不胜任的）thief．I just stared at him, and he stopped his hand from my purse and disappeared into the crowd． Somewhere in this confusing city was my hotel hidden, but the directions suddenly weren’t easy to find． When I finally found the hotel, my heart was beating heavily, and I was sweating like a basketball player．I couldn’t stay．Could I? The wallpaper looked like it had been through a fire．The bathroom was downstairs, and the window looked out onto the brick wall of another building．Welcome to Paris．I sincerely wanted to die．I missed my friends．I was entering my third week away from home and my kids, and I had arrived in the most romantic city in the world, alone, lonely and frightened．
The most important thing I did in Paris happened at that moment．I knew that if I didn’t go out, right then, and find a place to have dinner, I would hide in this small room my entire time in Paris．I might never learn to enjoy the world as a single individual．So I went out．Evening in Paris was light and pleasant．I walked along a path, listening to birds sing, watching children float toy boats in a huge fountain．No one seemed to be in a hurry．Paris was beautiful．And I was here alone and suddenly not lonely．My sense of accomplishment overcoming my fear and weakness had left me feeling free．I wore out two pairs of shoes during my week’s stay in Paris．I did everything there was to do, and it was the greatest week of my European vacation．I returned home, becoming a believer in the power of traveling alone．Now when I meet difficulties I just say to myself, “If I can go to Paris, I can go anywhere．”What happened on my first metro ride?
| A．I came across a skillful thief． |
| B．I bravely caught a thief trying to steal |
| C．The thief successfully stole my purse |
| D．I scared away a thief trying to steal |
The room in the hotel where I lived ______．
| A．had just gone through a big fire |
| B．was in very poor conditions |
| C．had a good sight through the window |
| D．was very small and untidy |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．I was not lonely when I got to Paris． |
| B．I felt frightened travelling alone in Paris at first． |
| C．I then felt not lonely for the people around me in Paris． |
| D．I had a lot of walking during my stay in Paris． |
The lifestyle of French people can be considered as ________．
| A．hasty | B．relaxed | C．anxious | D．aggressive |
As to the writer, the power of traveling alone is _______．
| A．the power of being independent |
| B．the power of feeling free |
| C．the power of becoming optimistic |
| D．the power of overcoming difficulties |