It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The streams were long gone back into the earth. If we didn't see some rain soon we would lose everything.
I was in the kitchen making lunch for my husband and his brothers when I saw my six-year old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. He was obviously walking with a great effort... trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again, toward the house.
Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that slow purposeful long step toward the woods. This activity went on for over an hour: walking cautiously to the woods, then running back to the house. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me. I crept out of the house and followed him on his journey.
He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked; being very careful not to spill the water he held in them. Branches and thorns slapped his little face but he did not try to avoid them. He had a much greater purpose. As I leaned in to spy on him, I saw the most amazing site.
Several large deer appeared threatening in front of him. But Billy walked right up to them. I almost screamed for him to get away. And I saw a baby deer lying on the ground, obviously suffering from heavy loss of water and heat exhaustion, lift its head with great effort to lap up the water cupped in my beautiful boy's hand.
I stood on the edge of the woods watching the most beautiful heart I have ever known working so hard to save a life. As the tears that rolled down my face began to hit the ground, they were suddenly joined by other drops... and more drops... and more. I looked up at the sky. It was as if God, Himself, was weeping with pride.Why did the author follow her son?
A.Because there might be danger. |
B.Because her son was doing a good deed. |
C.Because she intended to help. |
D.Because she was curious. |
Which of the following statements is Not True according to the passage?
A.Rain was in great need. |
B.Billy carried water with his small hands. |
C.There were few trees in the woods. |
D.Billy walked into the woods and then returned over and over again. |
Which is the correct order of the development of the story?
①The author was moved to tears.
②Billy fed the water to the baby deer.
③Billy walked towards the large deer.
④It began to rain.
⑤The author followed Billy into the woods.
A.③②⑤①④ | B.⑤③②①④ |
C.④①③②⑤ | D.⑤②①③④ |
At the end of the story, the author might experience different feelings Except that _____
A.Billy was a pride. |
B.God was touched by Billy's activity. |
C.the rain should have dropped earlier. |
D.it was worthwhile to have given birth to Billy. |
How do successful people think? What drives them? Interviews and investigations indicate that there are several keys to success that successful people share.
First of all,successful people never blame someone or something outside of themselves for their failure to go ahead.They realize that their future lies in their own hands.They understand that
they cannot control things in life,such as nature,the past and other people.But in the meantime,
they are well aware that they can control their own thoughts and actions.They take responsibility for their life and regard this as one of the most empowering things they can do.Perhaps what most
separate successful people from others is that they live life “on purpose”——they are doing what they believe they are put here to do.In their opinion,having a purpose in their life is the most important element that enables them to become fully functioning people.They hold that when they live their life on purpose,their main concern is to do the job right.They love what they do—and it shows.People want to do business with them because of their commitment(投身;献身).To live their life on purpose,successful people find a cause they believe in and create a business around it.Besides,they never easily give up.Once they have set up goals in their life,they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.Rather than seeing it negative or depressing they use the knowledge to spur themselves on and go after what they want energetically and passionately.
45.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A.How People Live Their Life on, Purpose
B.How People Can Be Successful -
C.How People Can Do Their Own Things
D.How People Do Business
46.By living life “on purpose”,successful people can __________.
A.do a lot of work
B.concentrate on their jobs
C.do business with many people
D.do all of the above mentioned
47.The underlined word “it’’ in the second paragraph refers to __________.
A.the main concern of successful people
B.the job that successful people do
C.the commitment with which successful people do their job
D.the business that successful people do with other people
48.The underlined word “spur” in the last sentence most probably means“
A.encourage B.excite C.relieve D.force
第二部分:阅读理解(第一节20小题,第二节5小题;每小题2分,满分50分)
第一节:阅读下列短文,从每小题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。
It is Saturday afternoon.You and your friends are planning to go to the movies and then spend
the night together. Just as you start to get ready, your dad reminds you it is your aunt's birthday and the whole family is going out to dinner to celebrate.How can this possibly end without a huge argument?
One of the greatest sources of tension(紧张情绪)between teenagers and their families is the struggle to balance personal desires with family expectations.As you are getting older,you are becoming more independent and more interested in being with your friends.
However,at the same time,your family is trying to figure out how to deal with these changes. While you once spent most of your free time with your family,you are now often absent from home.Parents may get their feelings hurt.Or they might feel that they are losing control of their family during this period.You might feel angry that so many family demands are placed on you.
There are a few things you can try to make it a little easier to ease(缓解)the tension.
* Make your plans in advance.Ask your parents if there is anything else planned at that time.
* When something with your friends interferes(干扰;冲突)with a family event,try to figure
out if there is any way you can do both.
* Suggest something you would really like to do with your family.Sometimes parents feel better just knowing their teenager wants to spend time with them.
Some of the time you won’t be happy with the outcome(结果).You might either have to disappoint your parents or have to miss out being with your friends.However,if you show consideration(体谅)for the feelings of both your family and your friends,you can solve the problem in a tender way.
41.The purpose of the first paragraph is to _________.
A.show a disagreement of views
B.serve as a description of teenager trouble
C.serve as an introduction to the discussion
D.show the popularity of teenager problem
42.The tension between teenagers and their families is caused by the fact that____________.
A.teenagers don’t like to take family demands
B.parents want to keep their family under control
C.parents feel unhappy that their children make so many friends
D.both parents and teenagers don’t pay attention to each other’s feeling much
43.Which of the following is NOT the advice given in the passage?
A.Don’t feel angry if your parents ask you to do something.
B.Try to think of ways to balance family event with friend event.
C.Tell your parents before you decide to spend time with your friends.
D.Advise your parents to do something that you are interested in with you.
44.What’s the purpose of the passage?
A.To inform us of parent and teenager tension.
B.To tell us about a common teenager problem.
C.To persuade parents to show consideration for teenagers.
D.To advise teenagers how to deal with their tension with their family.
Abby Subark is a mother of two from Boston. “For my kids, I’m nervous. I don’t know if they’ll be able to achieve their American dream.” She may be right. More than hard work or education, the best way to get rich in America is to be born rich.
It is the case that somebody who is in the upper third of income, poor scores, in the bottom on tests when they are in eighth grade, is more likely to go to college and finish college than a poor kid with the top scores. That’s what the working persons’ children are faced with.
The Economic Policy Institute finds it would take a poor couple with 2 children 9 or 10 generations to achieve middle class status. That’s about 200 years. The typical feature of American opportunity has always been the ability to do better than your parents. But compared with similar developed countries, the United States ranks fifth out of six for so-called intergenerational mobility (变动).
If you look at the mechanisms (机制) for upward mobility that were so readily available 50 years ago, they are becoming out of reach, like plentiful factory jobs with good wages and affordable education and health care.
White families are twice as likely as blacks to be upwardly mobile. For most people in America today, where you end up depends on where you start.
If you started in the middle-income class, about 40 to 45 percent of what you are making right now is due to the fact that your parents were in the middle-income class. The rest is up to you.
But for the millions of people who find themselves below the poverty line and the millions more who are the working poor, their starting point for the American dream leaves them painfully far away from the middle class.
71. The main idea of the passage is _______.
A. How the middle class comes about in the U.S.
B. It’s hard to realize the American dream for the poor.
C. Wealth and social status depend on family background.
D. Upward mobility in America is never easy.
Which of the statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A. People used to have job opportunities and welfare for upward mobility.
B. A great many poor people can hardly realize their American dream.
C. You can make all your dreams come true in America if born rich.
D. Rich kids are more likely to go to college than poor kids.
73. The underlined sentence “where you end up depends on where you start” most probably means _______.
A. Your starting point cannot determine your destination.
B. Only a high goal can ensure success.
C. One’s birth has nothing to do with his fate.
D. One’s family lays solid foundation for his future achievements.
Why is Abby Subark nervous?
A. Her kids don’t want to compare with other rich kids in achievements.
B. Her kids don’t want to achieve success at all.
C. Her kids can achieve success through hard work and education.
D. Her kids can’t reach their goal without a rich family.
What can we infer after reading the passage?
A. Poverty causes people much pain.
B. People below the poverty line can never be in the middle class.
C. Lower starting point makes it hard for people to realize their dream.
D. Poor people’s starting point is too low.
It was the afternoon of December 24, the day before Christmas, and as the newest doctor in our office, I had to work. The only thing that brightened my day was the beautifully decorated Christmas tree in our waiting room and a gift sent to me by a fellow I was dating—a dozen long-stemmed red roses.
As I was cleaning my office, I was told a lady urgently needed to speak with me. As I stepped out, I noticed a young, tired-looking woman with a baby in her arms. Nervously, she explained that her husband—a prisoner in a nearby prison—was my next patient. She told me she wasn’t allowed to visit her husband in prison and that he had never seen his son. Her request was for me to let the boy’s father sit in the waiting room with her as long as possible before I called him for his appointment. Since my schedule wasn’t full, I agreed. After all, it was Christmas Eve.
A short time later, her husband arrived—with chains on his feet and hands, and two armed guards as bodyguards. The woman’s tired face lit up like our little Christmas tree when her husband took a seat beside her. I kept glancing out to watch them laugh, cry and share their child. After almost an hour, I called the prisoner back to my office. The patient seemed like a gentle and modest man. I wondered what he possibly could have done to be held under such conditions. I tried to make him as comfortable as possible.
At the end of the appointment, I wished him a Merry Christmas—a difficult thing to say to a man headed back to prison. He smiled and thanked me. He also said he felt saddened by the fact that he hadn’t been able to get his wife anything for Christmas. On hearing this, I was inspired with a wonderful idea.
I’ll never forget the look on both their faces as the prisoner gave his wife the beautiful, long-stemmed roses. I’m not sure who experienced the most joy—the husband in giving, the wife in receiving, or myself in having the opportunity to share in this special moment.
67.What can be inferred from the first paragraph?
A. The writer was a newcomer to her office.
B. A fellow sent her a dozen red roses as Christmas present.
C. She was in low spirits because she had to work before Christmas.
D. She was at work with a light heart.
68. The young woman came to the writer’s office for the purpose of .
A. having her baby examined
B. giving her husband a chance to make his escape
C. having her husband examined
D. getting a chance for her family to get together
69.The underlined part in Paragraph 3 most probably means .
A. to be sent to hospital B. to be separated from his family
C. to be comfortable D. to become a prisoner
70. What does the writer learn from the story?
A. The wife experienced the most joy in receiving.
B. An act of kindness can mean a lot.
C. The prisoner was treated with mercy.
D. Whoever breaks the law should be punished.
I’m a pig, and my son is a rabbit. I have snakes for daughters, and my wife, believe it or not, is a dragon! Do I live in a zoo? No, of course not! I am talking about Chinese zodiac signs. Depending on the year of your birth, each person has an animal for a sign. That’s why I am a pig and my wife is a dragon. If you, like me, were born in the year of the pig, then you are brave, thoughtful and loyal. The year of the pig is filled with good fortune.
Now let’s take a closer look at this interesting animal.
Pigs were first raised by man about 9,000 years ago, and are still a very common farm animal in many parts of the world. We don’t just use pigs for their meat — almost every part of the animal is used. The hair is used for artists’ brushes. The fat is used to make floor wax, rubber and plastics.
Pigs have also been important in the world of entertainment. In 1995 the film ‘Babe’ starred a loveable talking pig as its main character. The film won an Oscar and was nominated for 6 more. In England you can even go to watch pig racing. A farmer, Rob Shepherd, has been raising money for charity by holding pig races on his farm. The events have been very successful. People don’t just want to eat pigs, it seems!
Pigs also play an important role in the English language. For example, if someone says that he will travel to the sun one day, you can say “pigs might fly!” to him. Hungry? Well then, you can “pig out” and eat lots of food. And what if someone rescues you? Well, you can say that they “saved your bacon”.
63. The writer wrote the first paragraph in a ______ tone.
A. sad B. confused C. serious D. humorous
64. We may know from the passage that ______.
A. people in England like pigs more than other animals
B. pigs are more useful than ordinary people imagine
C. pigs are the first animals raised by man
D. more people don’t want to eat pigs now
65. The underlined sentence “pigs might fly! ” in the fifth paragraph means ______.
A. What you have just said is impossible
B. Pigs are great animals
C. I don’t understand your words
D. I can’t agree with you more
66. Which diagram shows the structure of the passage?
A B C D