I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she said again, “is for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional(易动感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer, none came.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace. It seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told me that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work though she’d never been able to. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside--a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded(折叠) and refolded many times.
Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.The writer began to love her mother’s desk _______.
| A.after Mother died |
| B.before she became a writer |
| C.when she was a child |
| D.when mother gave it to her |
The passage shows that _______.
| A.Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter |
| B.Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done |
| C.Mother cared much about her daughter in words |
| D.Mother wrote to her daughter in careful words. |
The world “gulf” in the passage means _______.
| A.deep understanding between the old and the young. |
| B.different ideas between the mother and the daughter. |
| C.free talks between mother and daughter. |
| D.part of the sea going far in land. |
What did Mother do with her daughter’s letter asking for forgiveness?
She had never received the letter.
B. For years, she often talked about the letter.
C. She didn’t forgive her daughter at all in all her life.
D. She read the letter again and again till she died.What’s the best title of the passage?
| A.My letter to Mother | B.Mother and Children |
| C.My Mother’s Desk | D.Talks between Mother and me. |
In a world with limited land, water and other natural resources, the harm from the traditional business model is on the rise. Actually, the past decades has seen more and more forests disappearing and globe becoming increasingly warm. People now realize that this unhealthy situation must be changed, and that we must be able to develop in sustainable (可持续的) ways. That means growth with low carbon or development of sustainable products. In other words, we should keep the earth healthy while using its supply of natural resources.
Today, sustainable development is a proper trend in many countries. According to a recent study, the global market for low carbon energy will become three times bigger over the next decades. China, for example, has set its mind on leading that market, hoping to seize chances in the new round of the global energy revolution. It is now trying hard to make full use of wind and solar energy, and is spending a huge amount of money making electric cars and high speed trains. In addition, we are also seeing great growth in the global markets for sustainable products such as palm oil, which is produced without cutting down valuable rainforest. In recent years the markets for sustainable products have grown by more than 50%.
Governments can fully develop the potential of these new markets. First, they can set high targets for reducing carbon emission (排放) and targets for saving and reusing energy. Besides, stronger arrangement of public resources like forests can also help to speed up the development. Finally, governments can avoid the huge expenses that are taking us in the wrong direction, and redirecting some of those expenses can accelerate (加速) the change from traditional model to a sustainable one.
The major challenge of this century is to find ways to meet the needs of growing population within the limits of this single planet. That is no small task, but it offers abundant new chances for sustainable product industries. The traditional business model is harmful because of all the following EXCEPT that ______.
| A.it makes the world warmer |
| B.it consumes natural resources |
| C.it brings severe damage to forests |
| D.it makes growth hard to continue |
What can we infer from Paragraph 2?
| A.China lacks wind and solar energy. |
| B.China is the leader of the low carbon market. |
| C.High speed trains are a low carbon development. |
| D.Palm oil is made at the cost of valuable forests. |
To fully develop the low carbon markets, government can ______.
| A.cut public expenses | B.forbid carbon emission |
| C.develop public resources | D.encourage energy conservation |
We can learn from the last paragraph that businesses have many chances to ______.
| A.develop sustainable products |
| B.explore new natural resources |
| C.make full use of natural resources |
| D.deal with the major challenge |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A.To introduce a new business model. |
| B.To compare two business models. |
| C.To predict a change of the global market. |
| D.To advocate (提倡) sustainable development. |
Dear Betty,
My roommate’s family wants me to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with them in their home. I accepted the invitation, and I’m excited about going, but I’m a little nervous about it, too. The social customs in my country are different from those here, so I’m a little worried about making mistakes.
Should I bring a gift, such as candy or flowers? Should I arrive on time or a little late? At the dinner table, how can I know which fork or knife to use? How can I let the family know that I’m thankful for their kindness?
Yours,
Knowing Nothing
Dear Knowing Nothing,
It’s a good idea to bring a gift when you go to a dinner party. Flowers are always welcome, or you can bring a bottle of wine if you know the family drink it.
You should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late. Don’t get there early. If you are going to be more than fifteen minutes late, you should call and tell them.
Try to relax at the dinner table. If you don’t know how to use the right fork, knife or spoon, just watch the other guests, and follow them. If you still have no idea of what to do, don’t be shy about asking the person next to you; it’s better to ask them than to be silently uncomfortable and nervous.
If you like the food, say so. Of course, you’ll thank the host and hostess for the meal and for their kindness. It’s also a good idea to send a card to thank them the day after.
Yours,
BettyKnowing Nothing wrote a letter to Betty to _____.
| A.tell Betty some good news | B.ask for some advice |
| C.answer some questions | D.invite her to dinner |
According to Betty, Knowing Nothing ______ when going to a dinner party.
| A.can only bring some flowers |
| B.can’t bring wine |
| C.should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late |
| D.should arrive twenty minutes late |
Betty does NOT advise Knowing Nothing to _____.
| A.relax at the dinner table | B.watch the other guests |
| C.ask the person beside him | D.keep silent at table |
① On Friday, January 14, 2005, my cousin, Kara Rose, came into the world. ② She looked perfectly healthy from the outside, but on the inside, the doctors had failed to discover a serious problem. ③ She often had trouble breathing and then turned blue. ④ The doctors found that Kara had been born without part of her heart. ⑤ They didn’t think she would live long enough to leave the hospital. ⑥ When she was four days old, she had her first operation. ⑦ My family stayed together during this hard time, hoping everything would turn out for the best.
Kara’s strength and determination to live were strong. Eventually, she could go home. We all waited patiently for new technology that could give Kara a new heart. When she was eighteen months old, her parents took her to a famous surgeon who performed a series of operations. There was no guarantee she would make it through the operation, but she succeeded.
Kara grew stronger every day, and it was not long before she was well enough to be around people. She had an amazing character and always wore a sweet smile. When she fell asleep against my body, happy and content, I realized how valuable life really is. As I took her in my arms with her warm breath against my neck, I decided to live every day of my life to the fullest.
This child, who is 15 years younger than I, has gone through more suffering and pain than I ever have. I admire her strength and determination. Kara has taught me that no matter how bad things seem, they can work out in the end. Knowing this small, beautiful child has made me a stronger person, I now believe that difficulty can be beaten. Kara often had trouble breathing because ________.
| A.she didn’t stay long enough in the hospital |
| B.the doctors failed to discover the problem |
| C.she was born with an incomplete heart |
| D.her first operation was not successful |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A.Kara’s determination helped her get through. |
| B.The new technology gave the family the hope to live on. |
| C.Kara eventually recovered at the age of 15. |
| D.Doctors were confident in the success of her operation. |
The writer wants to tell us that _______.
| A.younger people often suffer more pain |
| B.strong-will helps defeat difficulties |
| C.experienced doctors can make miracles |
| D.medical technology is developing fast |
Where should the sentence in the box be added in Paragraph 1?
| I was also anxiously hoping the doctors would be able to make her life longer. |
A. After Sentence ①. B. After Sentence ③.
C. After Sentence ⑤. D. After Sentence ⑦.
Consumers are being confused and misled by the hodge-podge(大杂烩) of environmental claims made by household products, according to a “green labeling” study published by Consumers International Friday.
Among the report’s more unacceptalbe findings – a German fertilizer described itself as “earthworm friendly”; a brand of flour said it was “non-polluting” and a British toilet paper claimed to be “environmentally friendlier”.
The study was written and researched by Britain’s National Consumer Council (NCC) for lobby group Consumers International. It was funded by the German and Dutch governments and the European Commission.
“While many good and useful claims are being made, it is clear that there is a long way to go in ensuring shoppers are adequately informed about the environmental impacts they buy,” said Consumers International director, Anna Fielder.
The 10-country study surveyed product packaging in Britain, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United States. It found that products sold in Germany and the United Kingdom made the most environmental claims on average.
The report focused on claims made by specific products, such as detergent (洗涤剂), insect sprays and some garden products. It did not test claims, but compared them to labeling guidelines set by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in September, 1999. Researchers documented claims of environmental friendliness made by about 2,000 products and found many too vague or too misleading to meet ISO standards.
“Many products had specially designed labels to make them seem environmentally friendly, but in fact many of these symbols mean nothing,” said report researcher Philip Page.
“Laundry detergents made the most number of claims with 158. Household cleaners were second with 145 separate claims, while paints were third on our list with 73. The high numbers show how confusing it must be for consumers to sort the true from the misleading,” he said.
The ISO labeling standards ban vague or misleading claims on product packaging, because terms such as “environmentally friendly” and “non-polluting” cannot be verified. “What we are now pushing for is to have multinational corporations meet the standards set by the ISO,” said Page.According to the passage, the NCC found it unacceptable that _______.
| A.all the products surveyed claim to meet ISO standards |
| B.the claims made by products are often unclear and deceiving |
| C.consumers would believe many of the manufacturers’ claims |
| D.few products actually prove to be environment friendly |
As indicated in this passage, with so many good claims, the consumers _______.
| A.are becoming more cautious about the products they are going to buy |
| B.are still not willing to pay more for products with green labeling |
| C.are becoming more aware of the effects different products have on the environment |
| D.still do not know the exact impact of different products on the environment |
It can be inferred from the passage that the lobby group Consumer International wants to _______.
| A.make product labeling satisfy ISO requirements |
| B.see all household products meet environmental standards |
| C.warn consumers of the danger of so-called green products |
| D.verify the effects of non-polluting products |
Humans have sewn by hand for thousands of years. It was said that the first thread was made from animal muscle and sinew (肌腱). And the earliest needles were made from bones. Since those early days, many people have been involved in the process of developing a machine that could do the same thing more quickly and with greater efficiency.
Charles Wiesenthal, who was born in Germany, designed and received a patent on a double-pointed needle that eliminated the need to turn the needle around with each stitch (缝合) in England in 1755. Other inventors of that time tried to develop a functional sewing machine, but each design had at least one serious imperfection.
Frenchman Barthelemy Thimonnier finally engineered a machine that really worked. However, he was nearly killed by a group of angry tailors when they burned down his garment factory. They feared that they would lose their jobs to the machine.
American inventor Elias Howe, born on July 9, 1819, was awarded a patent for a method of sewing that used thread from two different sources. Howe’s machine had a needle with an eye at the point, and it used the two threads to make a special stitch called a lockstitch. However, Howe faced difficulty in finding buyers for his machines in America. In frustration, he traveled to England to try to sell his invention there. When he finally returned home, he found that dozens of manufacturers were adapting his discovery for use in their own sewing machines.
Isaac Singer, another American inventor, was also a manufacturer who made improvements to the design of sewing machines. He invented an up-and-down-motion mechanism that replaced the side-to-side machines. He also developed a foot treadle (脚踏板) to power his machine. This improvement left the sewer’s hands free. Undoubtedly, it was a huge improvement of the hand-cranked machine of the past. Soon the Singer sewing machine achieved more fame than the others for it was more practical. It could be adapted to home use and it could be bought on hire-purchase. The Singer sewing machine became the first home appliance, and the Singer company became one of the first American multinationals.
However, Singer used the same method to create a lockstitch that Howe had already patented. As a result, Howe accused him of patent infringement (侵犯). Of course, Elias Howe won the court case, and Singer was ordered to pay Howe royalties (版税). In the end, Howe became a millionaire, not by manufacturing the sewing machine, but by receiving royalty payments for his invention. Barthelemy Thimonnier’s garment factory was burned down because __________.
| A.people did not know how to put out the fire |
| B.Elias Howe thought Thimonnier had stolen his invention |
| C.the sewing machines couldn’t work finally |
| D.workers who feared the loss of their jobs to a machine set fire |
Why did the court force Isaac Singer to pay Elias Howe a lifetime of royalties?
| A.Because the judge was against Singer for his unfriendly attitude. |
| B.Because Howe had already patented the lockstitch used by Singer. |
| C.Because Singer had borrowed money from Howe and never repaid it. |
| D.Because Singer and Howe had both invented the same machine. |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A.A Stitch in Time Saves Nine |
| B.The Case between Howe and Singer |
| C.Patent Laws on the Sewing Machine |
| D.The Early History of the Sewing Machine |