Two years ago my grandmother was going to turn 75. My family discussed what was the best way to celebrate. Should we throw her a party? Should we take her on a trip? We remembered that she had touched so many people’s lives, and there were so many people for her to consider. Then someone got the idea that we should include everyone in the celebration by turning it into a tribute（献礼）to my grandmother.
We secretly sent out letters to the people in Grandmother’s address book and asked them to send a letter with a memory that they had shared with her. People sent us letters with poems, stories and pictures. The deep feeling that was shared through the response（回应）surprised us. We compiled（编辑）these letters into a memory book and amazed her with it on the morning of her birthday.
The unusual thing about my grandmother’s friends was not the number that she had, but the connection they shared. In many ways this book of friendship was the greatest achievement of my grandmother’s life.
I believe that developing true friendships is one of the most important things that anyone can do in one’s lifetime. It is not a matter of the number of friends one has, but the quality of the connection. If one has had at least one true friendship before dying, then one can say one has lived a successful life. I have made many friends and I believe I have begun to develop the same types of friendships my grandmother kept up over her lifetime. I only hope that I will be as successful as she has been.How did the author’s family celebrate Grandmother’s birthday ?
| A．They took her on a trip across the country. |
| B．They gave her a memory book of friendship. |
| C．They invited all her friends to her birthday party. |
| D．They asked all her friends to send her cards. |
When receiving her birthday gift, the author’s grandmother probably felt _____.
| A．disappointed and lonely | B．sorry and sad |
| C．surprised and pleased | D．nervous and excited |
According to the passage, the author probably agrees that _____.
| A．the more friends you have, the better |
| B．friends are more important than family |
| C．understanding leads to greater success |
| D．true friendship is very important to us |
Which of the following words can best describe the author’s grandmother?
| A．Kind. | B．Great. | C．Graceful | D．Pleasant |
The Coalition for the Homeless is an organization that seeks to address the needs of the homeless population in the United States. It is a network of offices, some of which provide food and houses for the homeless population, and some of which fight for the passing of laws that would give every American the right to a place to call home. According to the Coalition’s studies, of over two hundred million people living in the United States, up to three million are homeless—and the number is still growing. Since the late 1970s, fast-rising house prices, large cuts in government supported housing programs, and economic recession(经济衰退) have make it impossible for many Americans to meet housing costs. Sadly, this has resulted in a number of persons being forced to leave their homes and/or unable to find new affordable homes. According to another research, families with children appear to be the fastest-growing part of the homeless population, making up 39% of it. The old idea of a homeless person, that of the single man who gets drunk all the time, is no longer true. A much larger part of the population now finds itself homeless. Even worse, once a person becomes homeless, he often finds it impossible to find a job, since most employers require anyone who wants a job from them to provide a home address on a job application.The word “ address” in the first line probably means “ ________”.
| A．talk about | B．write to | C．fight for | D．deal with |
How many people are homeless in the U.S according to the Coalition studies?
| A．About 3 million people | B．200 million people |
| C．39% of the population | D．About one-fifth of the population |
Homeless people often have difficulty finding a job because_______.
| A．they often don’t have enough work experience |
| B．they mostly have a drinking problem |
| C．they aren’t supported by government programs |
| D．they have no home address |
What’s the main cause of the rising number of the homeless in the U.S.?
| A．The passing of new housing laws. |
| B．The ever-rising price of housing. |
| C．The slow construction of houses. |
| D．The fast growth of family size |
Singing had always been an important part of Gloria Estefan’s life. “ Since I was three years old, I sang. I sang everything,” Gloria said. “Gubans,” she added, “are a musical people.”
Gloria was born in Cuba in 1957. Her family left the country just before Fidel Castro came to power. In Miami, where the family settled, many people did not accept Cuban immigrants. In first grade, she spoke little English, but she worked hard to learn the language. Six months after she entered school, she won an award for reading in English!
When Gloria was ten , her father returned from the Vietnam War. Soon, the family realized he wasn’t well. They soon found out that he was badly ill. Her mother went back to teaching at school to support the family. Gloria cared for her father and her younger sister.
She still made the honor roll, and she still had her music, but Gloria was lonely. However, when the band leader Emilio Estefan came to speak at her high school, Gloria sang for him. He asked her to join his band. It was the beginning of the Miami Sound Machine. Within a few months, the Miami Sound Machine was the top band in Miami. In 1978, Gloria and Emilio married.
At first, the Miami Sound Machine was known only in Miami. Then the band signed with CBS Records. Estefan and his band became stars.
Since then, the Miami Sound Machine has sold millions of records. Estefan has done more than just singing when Hurricane Andrew hit central Florida in 1992. She used only two weeks to organize an all-star concert that raised $ 2 million for the people who suffered in the hurricane. “We needed a party after that disaster,” she said.
Estefan said, “You have to stay true to the music you really love to do. There will always be people who will tell you, ‘that won’t work.’ You’ve got to be firm in spite of difficulties. Stick to it——that’s the main thing.”Estefan’s father was ill ______.
| A．after he returned from Vietnam War |
| B．before they left their home country |
| C．when they settled down in Miami |
| D．as soon as she finished high school |
According to the passage, probably Estefan did the following except________.
| A．organizing an all-star concert for Hurricane victims |
| B．teaching at school to support the family |
| C．winning an award for reading in English |
| D．taking care of her father and sister |
The underlined word “disaster” in this passage refers to _______.
| A．the concert | B．the celebration | C．the hurricane | D．the victims |
This passage mainly tells about Estefan’s ______.
| A．Cuban background | B．happy marriage | C．music style | D．life story |
My Best Enemy
Once again, I was in a new school. So was a girl in my class named Lisa. That’s where the similarities ended.
I was tall and she was small. My thick black hair had been recently cut short into an untidy style. Her natural blonde hair flowed to her waist and looked great. I was 12 and one of the oldest in the class while she was 11 and the youngest. I was awkward and shy. She wasn’t. I couldn’t stand her, considering her my enemy. But she liked me and wanted to be friends.
One day, she invited me over and I said yes—I was too shocked to answer any other way. My family had moved six times in six years, and I had never managed to develop any friendships. But this girl who wore the latest fashions wanted me to go home with her after school.
She lived in a fun part of town that had two pizza places, an all-night bookstore, a movie theater and a park. As we walked from the school bus stop through her neighborhood, I tried to guess which house might be hers. Was it the white one with the perfect lawn or the three-story house with a front porch? I got very surprised when she led me into an old apartment building. She lived on the fourth floor in a two-room place with her mother,her stepfather, her two brothers and her sister.
When we got into the room she shared with her sister, she took out a big case of Babies, which was my next surprise. I had never played with them. We sat on the floor,laughing as we made up crazy stories about the Babies. We found out that we both wanted to be writers when we were older and both had wild imaginations. We had a great day that afternoon.
Lisa was loved by the whole neighborhood. The bookstore owners lent her fashion magazines; the movie theater gave her free tickets… Soon I was included in her magic world. We slept over at each other’s houses and spent every free moment together.
Lisa, my first real friend since childhood, helped me get through the rough year of early adolescence(青春期) and taught me an amazing and very surprising thing about making friends: that your worst enemy can turn out to be your best friend.The writer and Lisa were similar in the way that_____.
| A．they were of the same age | B．they had the same hair styles |
| C．they were both tall | D．they were both new students |
One day Lisa invited the writer______ .
| A．to go to her home | B．to go to the movie |
| C．to go to a park | D．to go to a pizza place |
In the passage the writer described Lisa as a girl who was ______
| A．awkward and shy | B．rich and happy |
| C．friendly and lovely | D．quiet and lonely |
Which of the following did the writer learn from Lisa?
| A．How to make up stories. | B．How to deal with enemies. |
| C．How to live a better life. | D．How to make friends. |
Ad.1
West High School Bake Sale
Come and support our band and buy some delicious baked goods!
Friday, September 20th, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
In the hall by the office after school
Cookies: 25 cents each or 5 for $1
Brownies: 50 cents each or 3 for $1.25
Cake by the slice: $1
Whole cakes: $8
Proceeds go toward sending our band to Nationals.
Ad.2
SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES
Ups or U.S. Parcel Post are the standard methods for continental U.S. shipments.
ORDER TOTAL GROUND EXPEDITED GROUND
9-12 working days 4-5 working days
$0.00 to $30.00 $4.50 $5.50
$30.01 to $60.00 $7.25 $8.25
$60.01 to $100.00 $9.50 $10.50
$100.01 to $200.00 $11.50 $12.50
Add $7.00 to Ground Rates for 3 Days.How much money can you save if you buy 3 brownies?
| A．25 cents. | B．50 cents. | C．75 cents. | D．1.25 dollars. |
Which of the following gives you the most for your money if you buy the baked goods?
| A．4 cookies. | B．2 brownies. | C．5 cookies. | D．One slice of cake. |
If you wish to receive an order totaling $90.00 within 3 days, how much would the shipping cost?
| A．$10.50. | B．$16.50. | C．$15.00. | D．$26.50. |
How much should you pay for an order totaling $50 for the expedited ground?
| A．$1 | B．$7.25 | C．$8.25 | D．$15.5 |
Many people like to eat at a favorite restaurant on their birthday. 71Here are the tips about how to eat for free on your birthday.
Notice promotional (促销的) cards or signs at restaurants for their e-club or online notification of special offers. Sometimes it is called a birthday club. In some cases they ask for your email address and at other times, you register online from your own computer. 72
If you don’t know whether your favorite restaurant has an e-club, look them up online. Just search their name if it’s a chain. Look over the webpage for anything that says SIGN UP or JOIN. It may call it an e-club.
You will receive e-mail advertisements from them. 73if it asks for birthday and anniversary dates when you sign up, then the restaurant usually will send you a personal coupon and invitation for that event.
Check your e-mail the week leading up to your birthday. All the e-clubs that you signed up for will be sending their invitations.
Read the fine print on all the offers before deciding where to eat on your birthday. Some are only on the exact date. 74There may be other requirements, like free dessert when you buy an entree (主菜).
Choose the most inviting offer or over several days, take advantage of free dining opportunities. __75
| A．Anyway, look around for these offers and get signed up. |
| B．However, others may be for any time over a two-week period. |
| C．But how can we eat better in a free restaurant? |
| D．It would be an even greater treat if the meal or part of the meal were free. |
E.Why not celebrate your birthday for a whole week, not just one day?
F.Often the advertisements will include discount coupons(优惠券).
G.So don’t go to such restaurant.