(2013·天津，C)
Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours(绕行路)in life than by the narrow road toward goals. I like this image. But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.
For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents' home in Boise in nine hours. We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest, easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hates confinement(限制)and have strong opinions about everything.
Road trips felt risky, so I would drive fast, stopping only when I had to. We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.
But then Banner, our lamb was born. He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise. I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me. My husband made the decision for me.
That is how I found myself on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through. We took the country roads out of necessity. We had to stop every hour, let Banner shake out his legs and feed him. The kids chased him and one another. They'd get back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.
We explored side roads, catching grasshoppers in waisthigh grass. Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway. Here was life. And new horizons(见识)．
We eventually arrived at my parents' doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.
I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique. On an empty section of road, everyone started quarreling. I stopped the car, ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead. I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.
Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight. But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey—and the best part of yourself.
Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents' home?
| A．It was less tiring. |
| B．It would be faster and safer. |
| C．Her kids would feel less confined. |
| D．She felt better with other drivers nearby. |
The author stopped regularly on the country roads to ______.
| A．relax in the fresh air |
| B．take a deep breath |
| C．take care of the lamb |
| D．let the kids play with Banner |
What does the author discover from the trip according to Paragraph 6?
| A．Freeways are where beauty hides. |
| B．Getting close to nature adds to the joy of life. |
| C．Enjoying the beauty of nature benefits one's health. |
| D．One should follow side roads to watch wild animals. |
Why did the author ask the kids to get out of the car on their way back home?
| A．To give herself some time to read. |
| B．To order some food for them. |
| C．To play a game with them. |
| D．To let them cool down. |
What could be the best title for the passage?
| A．Charm of the Detour. |
| B．The Road to Bravery. |
| C．Creativity out of Necessity. |
| D．Road Trip and Country Life. |
O。Henry wasa pen name used by an America writer of short stories.His real namewas WilliamSydney
People enjoyed reading O. Henry’s stories because
| A．they had surprise endings | B．they were easy to understand |
| C．they showed his love for the poor | D．they were about New York City |
O. Henry went to prison because .
| A．people thought he had stolen money from the newspaper |
| B．he broke the law by not using his own name |
C．he wanted to write stories about prisoners |
| D．people thought he had taken money that was not his |
What do we know about O. Henry before he began writing?
| A．He was well-educated. | B．He was not serious about his work. |
| C．He was devoted to the poor. | D．He was very good at learning. |
Where did O. Henry get most material for his short stories?
| A．His life inside the prison. | B．The newspaper articles he wrote. |
| C．The city and people of New York. | D．His exciting early life as a boy. |
When Dean Arnold got his first job, he was miserable (痛苦的), Each time he went to work, he coughed and he couldn’t breathe. Working in a bakery(面包房) when you are allergic to (对…过敏) flour can be painful.
But Arnold stayed with the National Biscuit Company for ten years. He was a businessman and he helped them improve production. At last his health problems became too serious. He left and formed his own company.
With his wife and mother, he founded Arnold Bakery. They tried new recipes (配方), changing the kind and amount of flour used. This enabled Arnold to work there without too much pain. The bread, made with unbleached flour (标准粉), was baked in a brick oven (烘炉).
They began by baking two dozen loaves. The bread was sold door to door for fifteen cents a loaf. Winning customers to his unusual, ol
d-fashioned bread took time. But Arnold, struggling against his allergy, built his bakery into one of the largest in the United States.A good title for this passage would be ______.
| A．A Sick Baker | B．A Brick-oven Bread Baker |
| C．An Old-fashioned Baker | D．How to Overcome Allergy |
Dean left the National Biscuit Company because he ______.
| A．suffered from allergy to flour | B．didn’t like the job |
| C．wanted to make more money | D．wanted to form his own company |
During his stay in the National Biscuit Company, ______.
| A．he founded Arnold Bakery |
| B．he tried a new method of baking |
| C．he helped the company improve their production |
| D．he became successful in his business |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Arnold’s bread was baked in a brick oven. |
| B．Arnold’s bread was made with unbleached flour. |
| C．Arnold’s bread was sold at a low price. |
| D．Arnold’s bread was of poor quality. |
On the evening of June 21, 1992, a tall man with brown hair and blue eyes entered the beautiful hall of the Bell Tower Hotel in Xi’an with his bicycle. The hotel workers received him and telephoned the manager, for they had never seen a bicycle in the hotel ball before, though they lived in “the kingdom of bicycles.”
The hotel workers told the manager about Friedlander coming to the hotel because.
| A．he asked to see the manager |
| B．he entered the hall with a bike |
| C．the manager had to know about all foreign guests |
| D．the manager knew about his trip and was expecting him |
Friedlander is visiting the three countries in the following order, .
| A．China, India, and Pakistan | B．India, China, and Pakistan |
| C．Pakistan, China, and India | D．China, Pakistan, and India |
What made Friedlander want to come to China?
| A．The stories about Marco Polo. | B．The famous sights in Xi’an . |
C．His interest  in Chinese silk. |
D．His childhood dreams about bicycles .、 |
Friedlander can be said to be .
| A．clever | B．friendly | C．hardworking | D．strong—minded |
In order to know a foreign language thoroughly (完全地)，four things are necessary. First, we must understand the language when we hear it spoken. Secondly, we must be able to speak it ourselves, correctly with confidence(自信) and without hesitation (犹豫). Thirdly, we must be able to write it. We must be able to make sentences that are correct in grammar.
There is no short way to succeed in language learning. A good memory is a great help, but it is not enough only to memorize the rules from a grammar book. It is no much use learning by heart long lists of words and their meanings, studying the dictionary and so on. We must learn by using the language. If we are pleased with a few rules we have memorized, we are not really learning the language. We must “Learn through use”. Practice is important. We must practise speaking and writing the language whenever we can.The most important things to learn a foreign language are .
| A．understanding and speaking | B．hearing, speaking, reading and writing |
| C．writing and understanding | D．memorizing and listening |
Which of the following is the most important in learning a foreign language?
| A．A good memory. | B．Speaking. | C．Practice. | D．Writing. |
“Learn through use” means .
| A．we use a language in order to learn it |
| B．we learn foreign language in order to use it |
| C．we can learn a language well while we are using it |
| D．both B and C |
Brighton is in the county of East Sussex, on the South coast of England. Situated between the English Channel and the South Downs, Brighton is 90 km from London. Brighton’s nearby neighbor, Hove, is seen by some as a more desirable location than Brighton and it is often referred to by locals as "Hove, actually".
Brighton is a small city but there’s probably as much going on here as anywhere in the country except London. Brighton has numerous entertainment facilities, which additionally serve a considerable business conference industry. There’s a huge range of entertainment venues, including comedy at the Brighton Komedia, world music, opera and ballet at the Brighton Dome, jazz at the Joogleberry, top stars at the Brighton Centre and pre-West End shows at the Theatre Royal. The live music scene is also alive and well with several bands originating from the Brighton area going on to have commercial success in recent years.
Every year in May, Brighton hosts the "Brighton Festival" ------ the largest arts festival in England. Brighton’s theatres, concert halls, streets and some of the city’s most extraordinary venues host an array of art, entertainment and extravaganza (盛大表演). The earliest feature of the festival, "Open Houses" ------ homes of artists and crafts people, opened up to the public as galleries and usually sell the works of the inhabitants and their friends.
Students at the two universities in the area give the city a youthful vitality (活力), and in the summer, thousands of young students from all over Europe gather in the city to attend language courses. In addition to the usual coastal attractions, vacationers are drawn to the city’s Georgian architecture, trendy shops, and fine restaurants. Points of interest also include the Edwardian Preston Manor, the ornate Royal Pavilion, the engaging Sea Life Center, and a variety of museums and art galleries. What’s the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
| A．To introduce Brighton to the readers. |
| B．To attract foreign students to study in Brighton. |
| C．To show his admiration for the city of Brighton. |
| D．To list entertainments in Brighton. |
What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?
| A．The term of "Hove" | B．The situation of Brighton. |
| C．The county of East Sussex. | D．The distance between Brighton and London. |
According to the passage，where can you go if you enjoy watching opera?
| A．Brighton Komedia. | B．Joogleberry. |
| C．Theatre Royal. | D．Brighton Dome. |
Why do people in Brighton have a good time in May every year?
| A．Because they can enjoy all kinds of music played by top artists. |
| B．Because top stars from the world will go to Perform there. |
| C．Because the largest arts festival in England is held there. |
| D．Because the local people can appreciate works in the Open Houses. |
How many of the followings that attract people to Brighton are mentioned?
a. two universities b. the summer language courses
c. the coastal attractions d. the city’s Georgian architecture
e. the fine restaurants
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |