Every year, I tell my sons what I'd like for Mother's Day: a letter, something written from the heart and offered freely rather than bought from a store and wrapped neatly. I don't always get my wish, nor do I always take the time to write to my own mother.
This year, my boys will be in two different states on Mother's Day. My mom and dad will be away together, and I'll be driving home from a writer's workshop in Massachusetts. Thinking of the fact that many friends have already lost their mothers and that a few have lost children, I am deeply grateful that what separates us, for now at least, is merely distance. It won't always be so, and there is no way to prepare for that fact other than to appreciate the moment that is. My sons know that they can please me on Sunday with a phone call or an e-mail, and that is enough as I love their words. The very best gift they can possibly give me is their own happiness, the very fact of their busy, full and well-lived lives.
Still, knowing that my years of staying with my sons are over, I do feel doleful. The truth is, I miss being the center of the universe to two little boys. And this holiday can be a bit painful.
I wonder if my own mother ever felt nostalgic (怀旧的，乡愁的) for the passing of my childhood. I wonder if she realizes that she is still at the center of my universe and always has been. I don't often pause to think about it, but of course she is the one who has been right there, at my side from the moment I drew my very first breath. How to ever fully appreciate the woman whose presence and love and example have shaped me into the adult I am? How to describe even a small part of the sharing, sacrificing, and support she has given me over the years?The author mainly wants to tell us through the first paragraph that_______.
| A．she hopes to get her son's letters very much |
| B．her sons don't often write to her on Mother's Day |
| C．Mother's Day is the very date that she longs for most |
| D．Children are often careless about their parents’ s request. |
The author is deeply grateful for the present life because_______.
| A．her sons don't live far away from her home |
| B．her parents and children are still alive |
| C．her parents are coming to her house to spend Mother's Day |
| D．her sons can please her on Sunday with a phone call |
According to the author，_____________________.
| A．young people nowadays tend to ignore their parents |
| B．parents should not give their children too much freedom |
| C．children's happiness and success are the biggest comfort to parents |
| D．parents are not the center of their children's universe when children grow up |
What does the underlined word "doleful" in Paragraph 3 mean?
| A．sad | B．excited | C．guilty | D．uncomfortable |
What will the author probably tell about after the last paragraph?
| A．She'll tell the reader about her mother's present situation. |
| B．She'll talk about how her mother educated and cared for her. |
| C．She'll describe the reunion of her family on Mother's Day. |
| D．She'll tell the reader about her mother's achievements in her career. |
Extracts (摘录) From Information Booklet For Car Ferry Passengers
CAR DECKS
Car drivers are advised to use the handbrake before leaving their cars, to lock all doors and to take with them all belongings that may be needed during the crossing.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
We regret that there are no facilities aboard for the exchange of cheques of any kind but most European currencies together with Euro cards and various types of international credit cards are accepted for payment in restaurants, shops, cinemas, etc. and to carry out other transactions (交易) on board.
PASSENGER FACILITIES ON BOARD
The following are a small selection of those available.
PROMENADE DECK(散步甲板): Here you can enjoy a pleasant stroll, go for a jog, or sit or lie back in the sunshine in adaptable reclining seats(躺椅). We would however suggest passengers that decks may be slippery in wet or freezing weather.
VIEWING BRIDGE: This is situated below the Captain's Bridge and offers a view over the bow of the ship. The viewing bridge is reached from the promenade deck via the foremost stairway.
A LA CARTE RESTAURANT: This serves the same breakfast buffet as the main dining room. Scandinavian and international specialties are available at lunch and dinner times. No reservations required.
DUTY-FREE SHOP: This is a supermarket offering Scandinavian and international goods, foodstuffs, spirits, tobacco goods, sweets etc.
OPENING TIMES: The opening times of the various shops, restaurants and other facilities are shown on the relevant entrance doors as well as on the boards in the main halls on Decks 4.Passengers to the A La Carte restaurant _______.
| A．can enjoy a buffet free of charge |
| B．cannot reserve a place for lunch or dinner |
| C．can have the full menu whenever they like |
| D．can sit wherever they like when they come in |
According to the information given, the promenade deck can be used for _____.
| A．exercise and relaxation |
| B．enjoying the view over the sea |
| C．taking exercise in all kinds of weather |
| D．spending the night |
Which of the following car ferry passengers might have trouble or difficulty on the ferry?
| A．A British standing on the viewing bridge below Captain's Bridge. |
| B．An Australian taking with him all his belongings in the car. |
| C．A Canadian with only banknotes from his own country. |
| D．A German going for a walk on promenade deck. |
The trouble with school is that you can’t choose the people you get to see every day. If you’re unlucky enough to be stuck with classmates who don’t really “get” you, you’ve just got to try to make the best of it.
But that doesn’t mean you need to “fit in”, or at least in the way that people think. If you try to transform yourself into a clone of everyone else, it won’t help you make friends. It’ll just make you feel like a fake.
You also shouldn’t shut down or refuse to be friends with everyone who doesn’t like you. If you do that, you’ll just make yourself miserable. Instead, you’ve got to work on being comfortable and confident with whom you are while ignoring all the haters. Keep on speaking up, asking questions and getting to know people better. If you send out positive energy, then people will generally send some back to you. A couple of them will stay the same, and you’re allowed to forget about them.
If you feel like you’re doing all that but still not getting anywhere, then don’t give up. Just expand your circle. Get a part-time job at a cool-looking place, join an after-school art class or youth group—do whatever it takes to find a couple of like-minded people to connect with. Even if you don’t find anyone right away, you’ll still be getting some more social experiences under your belt, and that’s always a good thing.
A fun book called Uncool, by Erin Elisabeth Conley, has some tips for folks like you who want to stay positive at school while being true to your personality:
·Throw caution to the wind.
·Don’t tolerate others’ mistakes.
·Have patience with people who are different from you.
·Don’t change just because someone else thinks you should.
·Know that even though you may be a misfit, there’s always some place where you will be welcomed in the world.According to the author, what should you do if you meet people who don’t appreciate you?
| A．Just give up. |
| B．Ask someone else for help. |
| C．Show positive attitude toward them. |
| D．Try your best to fit in with them. |
The author agrees that you should take part in more activities in order to __________.
| A．get more chances of making friends |
| B．lay a better foundation for your future jobs |
| C．transform yourself into a clone. |
| D．make you feel like a fake. |
In the book Uncool, Erin Elisabeth Conley thinks you should _________.
| A．always be kind to your friends |
| B．keep your own personality |
| C．tolerate others’ mistakes |
| D．help improve characters of others |
This passage was written mainly for _______.
| A．doctors | B．scientists |
| C．students | D．Teachers |
Ernest Hemingway was born in Oak Park, Illinois, on July 21st, 1899. Influenced by his father, he enjoyed camping, fishing and hunting at his early age. In 1917, after graduation from high school, Hemingway began his writing career with The Kansas City Star. And then, after being rejected for army service in World War I because of poor vision, he volunteered to serve as a driver for an American ambulance unit in France. In 1918, he transferred to duty on the Italian front, where he was seriously wounded in an explosion. After his recovery, he returned home. He worked for The Toronto star, covered the Greco-Turkish war as a foreign reporter, and then returned to Paris, which was a city full of intellectual life, creativity, and genius after the war. In Paris, where he accomplished a revolution in literary style and language, his first book, Three Stories and Ten Poems, appeared in 1923, and was followed by a short story collection In Our Time, which marked his entry to American literature in 1925.
Hemingway’s status as a remarkable writer of his time was confirmed with the publication of A Farewell to Arms in 1929. The novel represented a farewell both for war and for love. In 1937, he became a foreign reporter covering the Spanish Civil war. Three years later, he published For Whom the Bell Tolls. Set in Spain during the Civil war, the novel restated his view of love found and lost and described the tough spirit of the common people. In 1912, the same judgment was reflected in his portrait of fisherman, Santiago, with an indomitable spirit in defeat, in The Old Man and the Sea, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1953. Hemingway won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. With one of the most important influences on the development of the American short story and novel, Hemingway has seized the imagination of the American public like no other twentieth-century author. He died by suicide, in Ketchum, Idaho, in 1961.Hemingway was turned down for army service in World war I because ______ .
| A．he was unlearned | B．he was in poor condition |
| C．he was inexperienced | D．he had bad eyesight |
The publication of _______ proved Hemingway one of the greatest literary lights of the 20th century.
| A．Three Stories and Ten Poems |
| B．A Farewell to Arms |
| C．The Old Man and the Sea |
| D．In Our Time |
Which is the correct order of the following events given in this passage?
a. Hemingway’s work For Whom the Bell tolls came out.
b. Hemingway won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
c. Hemingway’s first book was published in Paris.
d. Hemingway got wounded on the Italian front.
e. Hemingway covered the Greco-Turkish war as a foreign reporter.
| A．d, e, c, a, b | B．e, c, d, a, b |
| C．a, c, e, b, d | D．c, e, a, b, d |
The underlined word “indomitable” in the last paragraph probably means ______.
| A．unending | B．unselfish | C．unbending | D．Unchanging |
High school graduation—the bittersweet feelings are as much a part of me now as they were twenty-one years ago.
As graduation day approached, excitement increased. Being out of high school meant I was finally coming of age. Soon I would be on my own, making my own decisions, doing what I wanted without someone looking over my shoulder and it meant going to school with boys—a welcome change coming from an all-girl high school. There was never any question in my mind that I would go to a college away from home. My mother’s idea, on the other hand, was just the opposite. Trying her best not to force her preferences on me, she would mildly ask whether I had considered particular schools—all of which happened to be located in or near my hometown of Chicago. Once it was established(建立) that, as long as the expenses would not be too heavy a burden on the family budget, I would be going away anyway, my family’s viewpoint changed. Their concern switched from whether I was going away to how far. The schools I was considering on the East Coast suddenly looked much more attractive than those in California. But which college I would attend was just one of what seemed like a never-ending list of unknowns: What would college be like? Would I be unbearably lonely not knowing anyone else who was going to the same school? Would the other students like me? Would I make friends easily? Would I miss my family so much that I wouldn’t be able to stand it? And what about the work—would I be able to keep up? (Being an A student in high school seemed to offer little hope I would be able to survive college.) What if the college I chose turned out to be a terrible mistake? Would I be able to switch to another school?
Then panic set in. My feelings took a 180-degree turn. I really didn’t want to leave high school at all, and it was questionable whether I wanted to grow up after all. It had been nice being respected as a senior by the underclass students for the past year; I didn’t enjoy the idea of being on the bottom rung of the ladder again.
Despite months of expectation, nothing could have prepared me for the impact of the actual day. As the familiar melody (旋律) of “Pomp and Circumstance” echoed in the background, I looked around at the other students in white caps and gowns as we seriously lined into the hall. Tears welled up uncontrollably in my eyes, and I was overcome by a rush of sadness. As if in a daze (恍惚), I rose from my seat when I heard my name called and slowly crossed the stage to receive my diploma(毕业文凭). As I reached out my hand, I knew that I was reaching not just for a piece of paper but for a brand-new life. Exciting as the future of a new life seemed, it wasn’t easy saying good-bye to the old one—the familiar faces, the familiar routine. I would even miss that chemistry class I wasn’t particularly fond of and the long travel each day between home and school that I hated. Good or bad, it was what I knew.
That September, I was fortunate to attend a wonderful university in Providence, Rhode Island. I needn’t have worried about liking it. My years there turned out to be some of the best years of my life. And as for friends, some of the friendships I formed there I still treasure today. Years later, financial difficulties forced my high school to close its doors forever. Although going back is impossible, it’s comforting to know I can revisit my special memories any time. In this article the author mainly describes ________.
| A．the great excitement before the graduation ceremony |
| B．her mixed feelings before graduation and on the actual graduation day |
| C．her happiness to be admitted to a wonderful university |
| D．her eagerness to go to a wonderful university far away from home |
The author’s mother ________.
| A．did not care very much which college her daughter went to |
| B．was greatly disappointed at her decision to go to a college on the East Coast |
| C．willingly allowed her to go to a college of her own choice |
| D．wished that she would study at a college or university close to home |
Expectation and excitement suddenly changed into anxiety and fear. Which of the following did the author NOT mention as a reason for that change?
| A．Growing homesick might seriously affect her physical health. |
| B．She might make a wrong choice and enter a university she did not like at all. |
| C．Her being a top student at high school did not mean she could be successful at college. |
| D．It might be hard for her to make friends in the new environment. |
On the actual graduation day, ________.
| A．she sang a song “Pomp and Circumstance” |
| B．she went through the whole ceremony in a daze |
| C．she came to realize that she was the only one who had a passion for her old school |
| D．reaching out for diploma, she was aware of a new stage in life ahead of her |
The author adopts a(n)________ tone in writing this article.
| A．negative | B．serious |
| C．emotional | D．cold-blooded |
Depression is the second most common cause of disability worldwide after back pain, according to a review of research. The disease must be treated as a global public health priority (优先考虑的事), experts report in the journal PLOS Medicine. The study compared depression with more than 200 other diseases and injuries as a cause of disability. “Globally, only a small part of patients have opportunities to be treated,” the World Health Organization (WHO) says.
Depression was ranked at number two as a global cause of disability, but its effects varied in different countries and regions. For example, rates of major depression were highest in Afghanistan and lowest in Japan. In the UK, depression was ranked number three in terms of years when people lived with a disability.
Dr Alize Ferrari from the University of Queensland’s School of Population Health led the study. “Depression is a big problem and we definitely need to pay more attention to it than we do now,” she told BBC News. “There’s still more work to be done in terms of awareness of the disease and also successful ways of treating it. The burden is different between countries, so the rate of depression tends to be higher in low and middle income countries and lower in high income countries.” Policy-makers have made an effort to bring depression to the forefront, but there is still a lot more work to be done.”
“There’re lots of confusions we know related to mental health,” Prof. Alize Ferrari explained. “What one person recognizes as disabling might be different to another person and might be different across countries as well, there are lots of cultural effects and explanations that are related to depression, which makes it more important to raise awareness of the size of the problem and also signs and how to find depression.”
The data—for the year 2010—follows similar studies in 1990 and 2000 looking at the global burden of depression. Commenting on the study, Dr Daniel Chisholm, a health economist at the department of mental health and substance abuse (药物滥用) at the WHO said depression was a very disabling condition.
“It's a big public health challenge and a big problem to be thought about but not enough is being done. Around the world only a tiny part of people get any sort of treatment or diagnosis.” Dr Daniel Chisholm said.
The WHO recently started a global mental health action plan to raise awareness of depression among policy-makers. According to the passage, which of the following ranks NO. 1 among the causes of disability?
| A．Cancer. | B．Depression. |
| C．Back pain | D．Heart disease. |
What can we learn from the first paragraph?
| A．Depression has been treated as a global public health priority. |
| B．PLOS Medicine is a website dealing with medical problems. |
| C．The study only analyzes depression all over the world. |
| D．Most patients with depression haven’t been treated. |
Who is Alize Ferrari?
| A．She is a doctor working in a hospital. |
| B．She is a professor at a university leading the study. |
| C．She is an official from the government. |
| D．She is a common teacher taking part in the study. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to Paragraph 4?
| A．There is a common standard of recognizing disability worldwide. |
| B．Most reasons for disability are similar. |
| C．Mental health has raised much attention among people. |
| D．How to find patients suffering from depression is not easy. |
Why did the WHO start a global mental health action plan?
| A．To make policy-makers of all countries pay attention to the problem of depression. |
| B．To help patients become healthier. |
| C．To raise the status of doctors in the world. |
| D．To help build more colleges that study mental health. |