Mum, it’s me. Hopefully, this Mothering Sunday you will get to hear those three words. I will, of course, try to phone you. I hope we will be able to speak for the allowed 10 minutes. But I suspect many inmates will be using the phone, so if I don’t call and if we don’t speak, then this is what I would have said:
It’s not your fault that I am here. I know that deep in your heart you have questioned whether my current circumstance is somehow your fault, if the reckless stupidity of my past is somehow a failure on your part. It is not. Only one person is to blame, only one person should hurt — me. You have always taught me that when the room goes dark, you can wait for the lights to be switched back on or you can search in the dark and turn the light on yourself. You are my light. You always have been and always will be. There is nobody I admire more, nobody I have strived harder to please in my life, which is why my current failure hurts me so much.
I am so sorry that I will not be there to see you, but I want you to know that now, as always, you are here with me. In my darkest hours, and in the coldest loneliness of my past few months, my mind has so often wandered to the past, to when it was you and me — and I have been able to smile. Yours is the strength that I draw upon.
A parent’s job is to make sure that they pass on the best of themselves to their children. You have done that. It is the inner you in me that will get me through this.
I have failed you so epically, but you have never failed me. If I think back to the tears I shed when Dad left, all those years ago, I see you through their misty glaze. You holding me and you telling me we’d be OK, and we will be. We are and always will be the best team.
Childhood heroes such as footballers, actors and rock stars are clichéd. If the job’s done right, a child’s heroes should be their parents — you are mine. The strength you showed after the divorce from Dad to find your biological parents, to go to university and get your teaching qualifications, to begin your life again, is the strength that I draw on now. It is the belief in myself, it is the belief you have in me, that tells me that once I am released I can and will rebuild my life. I will make you proud again. I will make you happy to have me as your son. Yours is the will that gets me through every day.
I don’t believe you can judge a person for the mistakes they make, as we all make them, but you can judge them for what they do afterwards. And after this, when it is all over, you will still have a son with the same hopes and dreams. They have not diminished. If you can dream it, then you have to believe it can happen — right?
So this Mothering Sunday, please think back to that morning in the 80s, the first Mother’s Day without Dad, when a six-year-old me got up early and made breakfast for you. Do you remember it? Could you ever forget? A slice of bread a doorstep thick and a wedge of cheese equally dense. You didn’t have to eat it, but you did, chewing every dry mouthful. I know now why you forced yourself — because it had been made with love. Well, things don’t change this year — this letter is that bread and cheese (it sure has plenty of the cheese!).
I love you so much. I am sorry I have let you down, but you have taught me that we will always pick ourselves up and become better than we were before. Thank you for everything and this year, more than ever:
Happy Mothering Sunday.
Love, your sonAccording to the passage, what made the author most upset at present?
| A．Losing his freedom temporarily. |
| B．Being unable to phone his mother. |
| C．Failing to live up to his mother’s expectations. |
| D．Having no chance to spend the weekend with mother. |
What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
| A．Mothering Sunday. | B．Dark time. |
| C．His mistake. | D．Near future. |
What did the author do in the loneliness of his past months？
| A．He summed up the causes of the failure in his life. |
| B．He planned to help his mother find her birth parents. |
| C．He recalled the fond memories of being with his mother. |
| D．He prepared himself to go to university for further studies. |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “clichéd” in Paragraph 6?
| A．Ridiculous. | B．Liberal. |
| C．Explicit. | D．Common. |
Which of the following can best describe the author’s mother?
| A．Selfless but stubborn. | B．Guilty but determined. |
| C．Selfish but responsible. | D．Caring but envious. |
At one time no one could travel on an English road faster than four miles an hour. That was the law until 1896. A man had to walk in front of a car which could not go faster than the man. At night the man had to carry a red lamp.
Once Charles Rolls brought a car from France to England, but he wanted to drive faster than four miles an hour .In order to have no trouble with the police, he had a talk with some of the police officers, who ordered their policemen to look the other way when the car came along the road. This was a good plan in the country, but not so easy to follow in the busy streets of London.
One night Rolls and some friends started from London on their journey to Cambridge. One of the men walked in front with the red lamp, but he walked as fast as he could. The police became very interested in walls and shop-fronts when they heard the car, and not one of them saw it.
They reached a hill; but what a waste of time it was to drive down the hill at four miles an hour! Rolls was getting ready to jump into the car; but then he noticed a policeman who was not looking the other way. The slow car reached him.
“Good evening,” said the policeman, looking at the car.
“Good evening,” said Rolls, holding the lamp.
“One of these horseless things,” said the policeman, looking at it with interest.
“Yes,” said Rolls, and waited.
“I’ve often wanted a ride in one; but of course policemen can’t buy things like that.” He turned and looked hopefully in Rolls’s face.
“Jump in,” said Rolls.
“Thanks,” said the policeman, and did so. “Now,” he said, sitting down, “you can let it go just as you like down this hill. There isn’t another policeman on this road for a mile and a half.”
60．The policemen were told “to look the other way” (the underlined part in Paragraph 2) so that .
A．they could watch the car coming from the other direction
B．the car could go faster than four miles an hour
C．they could make sure no one was in the way
D．the car would not hit them on the road
61．In what way did the policemen carry out the order from their officers?
A．They greeted Rolls when the car came along.
B．They walked in front of the car with a red lamp.
C．They pretended to be attracted by something else.
D．They stood on duty every 1.5 miles along the road.
62．The policeman who said “Good evening” to Rolls wanted to .
A．teach Rolls a lesson B．take a free ride home
C．have a talk with Rolls D．have a car ride experience
63．After the policeman jumped into the car, Rolls .
A．dared not drive the car faster than he was allowed to
B．could drive as fast as he wished within a certain distance
C．could drive on any road he liked for the rest of the journey
D．drove his car as fast as he could down the hill to Cambridge
“Come in, Kim. Have a seat, please,” said Bill Williams, the manager. This was Kim's first experience with an assessment. After only six months he was due for a raise if this assessment was satisfactory.
“Kim,” began Bill Williams, “I am very pleased with the quality of your work. I have nothing but praise for your devotion and your hard work. My only concern is that you are not active enough in putting forward your suggestions.”
“But,” replied Kim, “I have always completed every assignment you have given me. Mr. Williams.”
“I know that, Kim. And please, call me Bill. But what I expect is for you to think independently and introduce new ideas. I need more input from you—more feedback on how things are going. I don’t need a “yes man”. You never tell me what you think. You just smile as though everything is fine.”
“But,” said Kim, “I feel that since you are my superior, it would be presumptuous of me to tell you what to do.”
“I’m not asking you to tell me what to do, but what you think we could do. To make suggestions, I employed you because I respect your experience in this field, but you are not communicating your thoughts to me.”
“Yes. I see. I’m not accustomed to this, but I will try to do as you say…Bill.”
“Good, then, I expect to hear more from you at staff meetings or at any other time you want to discuss an idea with me.”
“Yes, of course. Thank you, Mr. Will…Bill.”
69. Kim is the sort of employee who_______.
A. does not speak out his own ideas B. is not devoted to the job
C. laughs too much over work D. can not finish his work on time
70. The word “presumptuous” in the middle of the passage is closest in meaning to “_____”.
A. full of respect B. too confident and rude
C. lacking in experience D. too shy and quiet
71.From the passage we can learn that______________.
A.Kim has been invited to take charge of the staff meetings
B.the manager appreciates those who just do that he tells them to do
C.the manager is pleased with Kim’s hard word and his suggestions
D.Kim is likely to have a higher salary if he can pass the assessment
The house was quiet at 5 a.m.and Tim' s mother was asleep. Only the sound of the big freezer broke the quiet. He' d dreamt of the cave last night. The purring (轻微颤动声) of the freezer had been the sea.
Tim pulled on a sweater and put some apples into his schoolbag. It was too early for breakfast. He' d eat after he' d been through the cave, sitting on the rocks and staring at the sea.
He wished he had a proper pack. His schoolbag would have to do. What else? Sandwiches-but his mother might wake up if he started pulling out bread for sandwiches, she' d want to know why he had to leave so early. He settled for some biscuits, and left a note stuck to the table:
Gone to Michael' s. Back tonight, Tim.
The sky was high and soft and light outside, though the sun still wasn't up. Even the highway up the hill was quiet as he made his way down the street. The wind from the sea was fresh and sweet.
The sandhills still breathed heat from yesterday' s sun, though the top of the sand was cool. He ran down to the beach impatiently, but there was no one, just dry sand dancing in the early wind and seabirds marching up and down watching the waves.
The light changed suddenly. The first rays of sunlight stretched (延伸) across the sea. The sun was pushing its way over the edge of the world.
Over the first rocks, along to the point. Tim glanced back. The beach was still empty. The sun sailed higher in the sky.
He could see the cave now, even darker in the morning light. The sand turned silver then dark gold as the water flowed away from it. He had to force himself to go closer. Why was it so much more mysterious (神秘的) now? But it would be silly to go back now after so much trouble. He needn't go in all the way...
43. What did Tim do at the beginning of the story?
A. He left the house quietly. B. He had breakfast at home.
C. He left a note on the freezer. D. He put a sweater in his schoolbag.
44. "He settled for some biscuits” ( in Paragraph 3 ) means that Tim_______.
A. had to leave the biscuits on the table B. liked biscuits better than sandwiches
C. had to take biscuits instead of sandwiches D. could only find some biscuits in the kitchen
45. What made it possible for Tim to see the entry to the cave?
A. The height of the first rocks. B. The ups and downs of the waves.
C. The change in the position of the sun. D. The vast stretch of the sunlit beach.
46. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the story?
A. The sea looked like a piece of gold. B. Seabirds flew away when Tim arrived.
C. Tim was the only person on the beach. D. The sky got dark as Tim reached the cave.
47.In the story, Tim' s mood (心情) changed from_________.
A. loneliness to craziness B. anxiousness to excitement
C. helplessness to happiness D. eagerness to nervousness
Last year my sixth-grader daughter ,Elizabeth ,was forced to put up with science .Her education week after week ,contained mindless memorization of big words like “batholith” and “saprophyte” She learned by heart the achievements of famous scientists who did things like “improved nuclear fu-sion（核聚变） “—never mind that she hasn’t the least idea of what nuclear fusion means .Eliza—beth did very well (she’s good at memorizing things ). And now she hates science .My eighth-grader son ,Ben ,also suffered from science education . Week after week he had to perform lab experiments with answers already known .Ben figured out how to guess the right answers ,so he got good grades .Now he hates science ,too.
Science can provide an exciting way to develop children’s curiosity .Science education should teach ways to ask questions and week answers .But my children got the mistaken idea in school than science is difficult dull and has no relation to their everyday interests .
As a physicist ,I am saddened and angered to see “the great science turnoff” I know that science is important in our lives .Yet studies prove that our schools are turning out millions of graduates who know almost nothing about and have almost no interest in science .What’s gone wrong ?Who is to blame ?
58．We learn from paragraph 1 that .
A．the writer was proud of Elizabeth and Ben
B．both Elizabeth and Ben could become scientists
C．Elizabeth had to learn much about great scientists
D．Ben was good at trying new ideas in lab experiments
59．The writer thinks that in science education we should first .
A．get students interested in the subject B．answer students’ questions in delightful ways.
C．smooth out difficulties in lab experiments D．explain the special terms clearly
60．By writing the text ,the author questions .
A．the difficulty level of the science texts B．the way science is taught in school
C．the achievements of famous scientists D．students’ poor records in science classes
Every year on my birthday, from the time I turned 12, a white gardenia was delivered to my house. No card came with it Calls to the flower-shop were not helpful at all. After a while I stopped trying to discover the sender’s name and just delighted in the beautiful white flower in soft pink paper.
But I never stopped imagining who the giver might be. Some of my happiest moments were spent daydreaming about the sender. My mother encouraged these imaginings. She’d ask me if there was someone for whom I had done special kindness. Perhaps it was the old man across the street whose mail I’d delivered during the winter. As a girl, though, I had more fun imagining that it might be a boy I had run into.
One month before my graduation, my father died. I felt so sad that I became completely uninterested in my upcoming graduation dance, and I didn’t care if I had a new dress or not. But my mother, in her own sadness, would not let me miss any of those things. She wanted her children to feel loved and lovable. In truth, my mother wanted her children to see themselves much like the gar-denia-lovely, strong and perfect with perhaps a bit of mystery(神秘).My mother died ten days after I was married. I was 22. That was the year the gardenia stopped coming.
41． Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A．A childhood Dream. B．A Mother’s Love.
C．A Graduation Party. D．A Special Birthday.
42．The mother insisted that her daughter go to the graduation dance because _________.
A．she could take care of things herself B．she hoped she would find a boyfriend
C．she wanted her to be happy and strong D．she thought education was most important
43．Who was the sender of the flower?
A．A boy the writer had run into.B．One of the writer’s neighbors.
C．One of the writer’s classmates. D．The writer’s mother.