I wonder about my Mom sometimes, and all the other black mothers who got up at 6 a. m. to go to the white man's house with sacks over their shoes because it was so wet and cold. I wonder how they made it. They worked very hard for the man. They made his breakfast and they swept his floors and they took care of his babies. They didn' t have too much time for the three of us.
I wonder about my Mom, who walked out of a white woman's clean house at midnight and came back to her own where the lights had been out for three months, and the pipes were frozen and the wind came in through the holes in the wall. She'd have to deal with the rats(老鼠): leave some food out for them so they wouldn't bite the doors or the babies. Oh, they were just like part of the family!
I wonder how she felt telling those white kids she took care of to brush their teeth after they ate, to wash their hands after they finished bathing. She could never tell her own kids because there wasn't soap or water back home.
I wonder how my Mom felt when we came home from school with a list of vitamins and pills (药片)the school nurse said we had to have. Mom would cry all night, and then go out and spend most of the rent money for pills. A week later, the white man would come for his eighteen dollars' rent and Mom would beg him to wait until tomorrow. She had to lie to him that she had lost her wallet or the relief check was coming soon or the white people had some money for her. Tomorrow I'd be hiding in the closet because there was only supposed to be two kids in the flat, and I could hear the rent man shout at my Mom and call her a cheat. And when he finally went away, Mom put the sacks on her shoes and went off to the rich white man's house to dress the rich white kids so that their mother could take them to a special baby doctor.Mother got up at 6 a. m. every day, because_____________.
| A．she had to cook breakfast for her children |
| B．she had to catch the first bus to the factory |
| C．she had to work in the white man' s house |
| D．she had to go to see a special baby doctor |
Mother never told us to brush our teeth or to wash our hands because______________.
| A．she thought we didn't need to |
| B．we didn't like washing hands |
| C．we had done everything very well |
| D．there was no soap or water in our home |
Why did the writer hide in a closet when the landowner came for rent?
| A．The closet could only hold two kids. |
| B．Only two kids were allowed to live in the house. |
| C．They should pay more rent for two kids. |
| D．There was only one bedroom for the two kids. |
What does the writer mainly tell us?
| A．Black people lead a hard life. |
| B．Black people don't have enough rent money. |
| C．White people lead an expensive life. |
| D．White people have special baby doctors. |
Once upon a time, there was a scholar who wanted to gain more knowledge each day even though he had already gained enough knowledge. One day, he came to visit a saint and wanted to be his student. The saint provided some tea. He slowly filled the scholar’s cup: the cup was full, yet he kept pouring and pouring. The scholar burst out, “Stop! You can’t add anything to something that’s already full!” The saint set down the teapot and replied, “Exactly.”
Whether it’s the silence between notes in music, or some open time in your schedule, you need space to act effectively. Yet most of us, myself included, tend to stuff as much as possible into whatever room is available－closets, schedules, budgets, relationships, and even the mind itself.
However, some people know how to avoid overstuffing their life. For example, in Australia, it seemed that most people there operated at about 85% of their capacity（能力），unlike Americans pushing as close to 100% as possible. So when you run into Australians you know in the street, they have time to hang out and talk with you.
Remember the cup: its value is in the space, the emptiness it holds. How to empty your “cup”?
Be mindful of the element of space, openness , and emptiness in your life. This includes room in a drawer, the volume of air in a kitchen, and open-mindedness in a friend. Sometimes you’re just stuck with a big bucket of tasks yet to do. But at least empty the bucket faster than you fill it with new tasks. Put some space between finishing one thing and staring another. For example, after sending one email, take a breath before replying to another one. Drop the stuff you can no longer afford to lug around. At sea level, you can run with a brick in your backpack, but if you’re hiking on a mountain, that brick has got to go.By pouring water into the cup, the saint most probably wanted the scholar to know that.
| A．he should pay attention to details |
| B．he should keep learning every day |
| C．he had already gained enough knowledge |
| D．he should be very careful in order to succeed |
We learn that compared to Americans, Australians.
| A．work much harder |
| B．know less about their capacity |
| C．spare more time for themselves |
| D．spend less time with their friends |
The underlined word“lug”in the last paragraph probably means“”.
| A．reach | B．carry | C．see | D．show |
What’s the structure of the passage?
| A．Example →advice→ conclusion →story. |
| B．Topic→ example →advice→ story. |
| C．Story→topic →example→advice. |
| D．Reason →topic →advice →example. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The art of life. | B．Value every minute |
| C．The art of drinking tea | D．Empty your“cup”at times |
British English and American English are almost the same. But there are slight differences between British and American English in vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling and grammar.
The first difference between British and American English is in vocabulary. Almost all of the words used in British English and American English are exactly the same. Only a very small number of words are used disparately. For example, Americans would say “apartment”, but the British would say “flat” to talk about the place where they live. In addition to some common words, many idiomatic（惯用的）expressions are different. In England people might say “I’ll ring you up tonight”, but in the US, people might say “I’ll call you up tonight”.
The second difference between British and American English is in Pronunciation. The main difference in pronunciation concerns the vowels（元音）. Some American dialects and some British dialects use vowels in different ways. Sometimes, Americans and the British don’t understand each other’s pronunciation. But most of the time, the British and Americans do understand each other’s pronunciation because most of the sounds of the two dialects are the same.
The third difference is very small. This is the difference in spelling. A few types of words are spelled differently in British and American English. The most common example is in a word like “center”. In British English, this word would be spelled C-E-N-T-R-E, while in American English the same word would be spelled C-E-N-T-E-R. Another example is “or” vs “our”. The word “color”is spelled C-O-L-O-U-R in Britain but C-O-L-O-R in the US.
There are a few differences in grammar, too. The British may say “Have you got..?” while Americans prefer “Do you have..?” An American might say “my friend just arrived”, but a British would say “my friend has just arrived”. Sometimes function words are used differently: the British may say “at the weekend”, but Americans would say “on the weekend”.What is this passage mainly about?
| A．The development of American English |
| B．Differences between British and American English |
| C．The influences of British English on American English |
| D．The causes of the differences between British and American English |
What does the underlined word “disparately” in Paragraph 2 mean?
| A．Frequently | B．Regularly | C．Eventually | D．Differently |
According to Paragraph 3, Americans and the British may find it hard to understand each other because of .
| A．the different ways of using vowels |
| B．the different idiomatic expressions they use |
| C．the differences in grammar |
| D．the differences in spelling |
Which of the following words probably belong to the American English vocabulary?
a. flavour b. theater c. humor d. centre e. kilometer f. honour g. color
| A．abce | B．bcde | C．bceg | D．defg |
Which of the following sentences is most probably used by Americans?
| A．I’ll learn with you at the weekend |
| B．Have you got a dictionary? |
| C．I’ll ring her up tonight. |
| D．Do you have a pen? |
Hidden in a small street in the south end of Springfield, not far from buildings torn apart by the tornado（龙卷风） earlier this year, Frigo’s is an Italian restaurant right in our own backyard.
Frigo’s is not a tiny place. It provides different kinds of Italian food. There are refrigerator cases full of prepared foods and desserts, and shelves filled with olives and various pasta.
There’s some traditional Italian music and the smell is of olive oil and garlic（大蒜）. Above the largest refrigerator case, there’s a chalk board covered with desriptions of more Italian sandwiches than I could remember.
I stepped into Frigo’s almost by accident when I had to stay in Springfield into the evening for an open house at the school where I work. Frigo’s is the perfect place to find something quick to go. There are no tables, so all food is taken out. I also thought it would be a great place to pick up some already-prepared food to bring home for dinner.
I ordered the easiest meal possible: a chicken sandwich and a salad. It cost＄4.75 for the sandwich. The salad was＄4.99 and didn’t have salad dressing on it. I must have missed the choice of salad dressing on the way out. The sandwich was great—great chicken, excellent tomato sauce and not too much cheese.
I wish I had tried one of the many other sandwiches which include Joe’s Favorite (＄5.25-＄6.75) and the Dante (King) which is made of turkey breast, roasted red peppers, asiago cheese and choice of dressing.
I have a feeling that I’ll be picking up dinner for me and the kids at Frigo’s soon. Who would be most likely to go to eat at Frigo’s?
| A．People who want to eat quietly in a nice restaurant. |
| B．People who want to enjoy home-made food |
| C．People who like traditional American food |
| D．People who are fond of Italian food |
Which of the following cannot be seen at Frigo’s?
| A．A chalk board covered with descriptions of sandwiches |
| B．Refrigerator cases full of prepared foods and desserts |
| C．Shelves filled with olives and different kinds of pasta |
| D．Customers eating happily around tables |
How much did the writer pay for his first meal at Frigo’s?
| A．＄4.75 | B．＄5.25 | C．＄9.74 | D．＄4.99 |
We can infer that “Joe’s Favorite” and “Dante” are the names of .
| A．sandwiches | B．salads | C．cheese | D．peppers |
We can infer from the passage that the writer .
| A．seldom eats out in a restaurant with his family |
| B．feels very happy that be has found Frigo’s |
| C．dislikes eating sandwiches |
| D．lives a very relaxing life |
The Board Meeting had come to an end. Bob started to stand up and knocked into the table, spilling his coffee over his notes. “How embarrassing! I am getting so clumsy(笨拙的) in my old age.”
Everyone had a good laugh, and soon we were all telling stories of our most embarrassing moments. It came around to Frank, who sat quietly listening to the others. Someone said, “Come on, Frank. Tell us your most embarrassing moment.”
Frank laughed and began to tell us of his childhood. “I grew up in San Pedro. My Dad was a fisherman, and he loved the sea. He had his own boat, but it was hard making a living on the sea. He worked hard and would stay out until he caught enough to feed the family. Not just enough for our family, but also for his Mom and Dad and the other kids that were still at home.”
He looked at us and said, “I wish you could have met my Dad. He was a big man, and he was strong from pulling the nets and fighting the seas for his catch. When you got close to him, he smelled like the ocean. He would wear his old canvas, foul-weather coat and his bibbed overalls. His rain hat would be pulled down over his brow. No matter how much my mother washed them, they would still smell of the sea and of fish.”
Frank’s voice dropped a bit. “When the weather was bad he would drive me to school. He had this old truck that he used in his fishing business. That truck was older than he was. It would wheeze and rattle down the road. You could hear it coming for blocks. As he would drive toward the school, I would shrink (畏缩) down into the seat hoping to disappear. Half the time, he would slam to a stop and the old truck would belch (喷出) a cloud of smoke. He would pull right up in front, and it seemed like everybody would be standing around and watching. Then he would lean over and give me a big kiss on the cheek and tell me to be a good boy. It was so embarrassing for me. Here, I was twelve years old, and my Dad would lean over and kiss me goodbye!”
He paused and then went on, “I remember the day I decided I was too old for a goodbye kiss. When we got to the school and came to a stop, he had his usual big smile. He started to lean toward me, but I put my hand up and said, “No, Dad.” It was the first time I had ever talked to him that way, and he had this surprised look on his face. I said, “Dad, I’m too old for a goodbye kiss. I’m too old for any kind of kiss.” My Dad looked at me for the longest time, and his eyes started to tear up. Then he turned and looked out of the windshield(挡风玻璃). “You’re right,” he said. “ You are a big boy....a man. I won’t kiss you anymore.”
Frank got a funny look on his face, and the tears began to well up in his eyes, as he spoke. “It wasn’t long after that when my Dad went to sea and never came back. It was a day when most of the fleet (船队) stayed in, but not Dad. He had a big family to feed. They found his boat adrift with its nets half in and half out. He must have gotten into a strong wind and was trying to save the nets and the floats.”
I looked at Frank and saw that tears were running down his cheeks. Frank spoke again. “Guys, you don’t know what I would give to have my Dad give me just one more kiss on the cheek…to feel his rough old face… to smell the ocean on him… to feel his arm around my neck. I wish I had been a man then. If I had been a man, I would never have told my Dad I was too old for a goodbye kiss.”When his father drove him to the school, Frank would shrink down into the seat hoping to disappear because ________.
| A．he was ashamed of his father’s old truck |
| B．he didn’t want his schoolmates to see his father |
| C．he thought he was old enough to go to school alone |
| D．he hated the way his schoolmates stared at his father |
According to the story we can conclude that Frank’s father ________.
| A．was quite confident in his skills in fishing |
| B．loved his children but hardly expressed it |
| C．seldom gave up faced with challenges |
| D．was full of devotion to his family |
By saying the sentence “I wish I had been a man then…”, Frank meant ________.
| A．he was tired of his father kissing him goodbye |
| B．he deeply regretted what he had done to his father |
| C．he was then too young to refuse a goodbye kiss |
| D．he hoped that his father would forgive him |
Which of the following may be the best title for this passage?
| A．The Smell of the Ocean | B．We All Need Love |
| C．A Goodbye Kiss | D．Father’s Embarrassment |
A gentle breeze blew through Jennifer’s hair. The golden red sun was setting. She was on the beach, looking up at the fiery (火红的) ball. She was amazed by its color, deep red in the middle, softly fading into yellow. She could hear nothing but the waves and the seagulls flying up above in the sky.
The atmosphere relaxed her. After all she had been through, this was what she needed. “It’s getting late,” she thought, “I must go home. My parents will be wondering where I am.”
She wondered how her parents would react, when she got home after the three days she was missing. She kept on walking, directing herself where she spent every summer holiday. The road was deserted. She walked slowly and silently. Just in a few hundred meters she would have been safe in her house.
It was really getting dark now. The sun had set a few minutes before and it was getting cold too. She wished she had her favorite sweater on: it kept her really warm. She imagined having it with her. This thought disappeared when she finally saw her front door. It seemed different. Nobody had taken care of the outside garden for a few days. She was shocked: her father was usually so strict about keeping everything clean and tidy, and now... It all seemed deserted. She couldn’t understand what was going on.
She entered the house. First, she went into the kitchen where she saw a note written by her father. It said: “Dear Ellen, there is some coffee ready. I went looking.” Ellen was her mother but — where was she? On the right side of the hallway was her parents’ room. She went in. Then she saw her. Her mother, lying on the bed, was sleeping. Her face looked so tired, as if she hadn’t slept for days. She was really pale. Jennifer would have wanted to wake her up but she looked too tired. So Jennifer just fell asleep beside her. When Jennifer woke up, something was different... she wasn’t in her mother’s room and she wasn’t wearing the old clothes she ran away in. She was in her cozy bed in her pajamas (睡衣).
It felt so good being back home. Suddenly she heard a voice, “Are you feeling better now, dear? You know you got us very, very scared.”The writer describes the beautiful sunset to show Jennifer’s ______.
| A．love of the natural beauty |
| B．desire of getting back home |
| C．intention of becoming independent |
| D．depression of being alone |
What does the underlined phrase “This thought” most probably mean?
| A．The idea of going back home. |
| B．Her anxiety about her parents. |
| C．The feeling of getting back home safely. |
| D．The feeling of being warm in her favorite sweater. |
Her father didn’t take care of the garden because ______.
| A．he was busy looking for her |
| B．he had to look after his wife |
| C．he was not strict with his job |
| D．he no longer enjoyed working in the garden |
What can we infer from this passage?
| A．In fact Jennifer’s mother had been sick for several days. |
| B．When she found the garden deserted, she realized she was wrong. |
| C．As Jennifer walked towards home, she became increasingly scared. |
| D．Having experienced a lot outside, Jennifer felt home was the safest for her. |