I didn’t realize it, but during that short walk home I had lost a whole lot of weight and my eyes had grown dull and colorless. When my mom saw me she screamed out in surprise. Staring at me in disbelief, she asked, “Are you Fugui?”
Looking at my mom, I forced a smile and nodded my head. Shocked, she uttered something else, but I was no longer paying attention to her. I pushed the door open and went into my room. Jiazhen, in the middle of combing her hair, was also taken back when she saw me. She gazed at me with her mouth gaping. As soon as I thought of how I had beaten her when she came to persuade me to go home the night before, I fell to the ground and, kneeling before her, muttered, “Jiazhen, I’m finished.”
After speaking those words I began to cry out loud. Jiazhen rushed over to help me up, but being pregnant with Youqing, how could she support me? She called my mom over, and the two of them pulled me onto the bed. I looked like a corpse. They were scared to death and began patting me on the shoulder and rocking my head.
My mother appeared dumbstruck; she stared at me with a look of intensity and asked, “What did you say?”
“I’ve lost everything,” I repeated.
The look on my face convinced her. My mother sat down on the floor and, wiping her tears, said, “If the upper beam is no straight, the lower ones will not go straight either.”
Even then my mother still loved me. She didn’t blame me. Instead she blamed my father.
Jiazhen also cried. She patted me on the shoulder and tried to console me. “As long as you don’t gamble anymore, everything will be all right.”
I had nothing left. Even if I had wanted to gamble, I wouldn’t have had any money to stake a bet. I heard Dad in the next room shooting off his foul mouth. He still didn’t know that he was penniless — he was simply annoyed at being disturbed by the two women crying. As soon as she heard my father’s voice, Mom stopped crying. She stood up and walked out, with Jiazhen following her. I knew that they were going into my father’s room, and after a while I heard my dad begin screaming, “Bastard!”
It was just then that my daughter, Fengxia, pushed the door open and came in. She closed the door and in a shrill voice said, “Dad, hurry up and hide! Grandpa’s going to beat you.”
I just stared at her without moving a muscle. She then came over and tried pulling me away by the hand; when I wouldn’t budge she began to cry. Seeing Fengxia cry was like having a knife pierce my heart. Even at such a young age, Fengxia was trying to protect her dad. Just looking at her made me feel like I deserved to be cut to pieces.
Quoted from Yu Hua’s To Live
1. The underlined phrase “taken back” in paragraph 2 means ______.| A．regretful | B．astonished | C．shameful | D．concerned |
| A．wanted to gradually process the strong emotion and beg for their forgiveness |
| B．pretended to lose his mind and go crazy so as to get away with the punishment. |
| C．was afraid to face his father and wanted them to break the bad news to him |
| D．believed that they might still lend him some money to gamble again |
| A．Hard-work. | B．Bravery. | C．Self-discipline. | D．Compassion |
| A．Fugui’s father was also addicted to gambling when he was young. |
| B．Jiazhen would ask for a divorce from Fugui since he was penniless. |
| C．Fugui’s mother and his wife decided to hide the truth from his father. |
| D．Fengxia had more affection towards her father than her mother. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】One evening last summer, when I asked my 14-year-old son, Ray, for help with dinner, his response shocked me. “What’s a colander (漏勺)?” he asked.
I could only blame myself. In the family, nobody else helped me in the kitchen. But that night, as I explained with a touch of panic that a colander is the thing with holes in it, I wondered what else I hadn’t prepared Ray for.
As parents, while we focus on our sons’ confidence and character, we perhaps don’t always consider that we are also raising someone’s future roommates, boyfriends, husbands, or fathers. I wanted to know that Pd raised a boy who would never ask the woman in his life, “What’s for dinner?” So I came up with a plan: I would offer Ray a private home course. I was delighted to find that he didn’t say no. For two hours, three days a week, Ray was all mine.
I knew that he would rather have been playing in the driveway than learning to mend socks with his mother-he tried to beg not to have sewing lessons, even though I insisted that one day, someone would find the sight of him fixing his own shirt very attractive- but it couldn’t be denied that he was learning, and more than just housekeeping. “I appreciate what you do as a mom,” he told me one day. Ray now understands the finer points of cooking, and more importantly, he realizes there’s nothing good about being helpless.
Now, not only can he make his own dinner, but also he can make a big meal for his family. That’s what I call a man. I’m glad that I prepared so great a present for my future daughter-in-law.
1. Why was the author shocked at her son’s response?| A．Because he was not well behaved. |
| B．Because he refused to help with dinner. |
| C．Because he didn’t know the common kitchen tools. |
| D．Because he was very curious about kitchen tools. |
| A．building up children’s confidence |
| B．telling kids what is right and wrong |
| C．preparing children for their future life |
| D．making children live a hard life |
| A．fell in love with sewing |
| B．did other work in the house |
| C．began to be more hardworking |
| D．acknowledged his mother’s efforts |
| A．made great progress in cooking |
| B．always thought housework interesting |
| C．preferred sewing to cooking |
| D．was unwilling to learn cooking at first |
【推荐2】While most parents likely have heard about the benefits of eating dinner with kids，family meals aren’t the only way to bond with a teen. Here are some ways to start strengthening your relationship with your teen today.
Plan an experience together. The best way to grow closer is to spend time together.
Ask your teen to teach you something. Whether your teen wants to show you how to play the latest video game, or he wants to show you how to play a modern toy, allowing your teen to be the teacher can do wonders for your relationship.
Start a family business.
Communicate via social media.
| A．Volunteer to do things as a family. |
| B．Do something unexpected together. |
| C．Have heart - to - heart conversations with your teen. |
| D．A small business doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. |
| E．And the planning process can be a major part of the bonding process. |
| F．You should show a sincere interest in learning and practice being a good student. |
| G．Electronics can sometimes bring a barrier to having a healthy relationship with your teen. |
【推荐3】When parents consider the work they do around the house, it can be fairly easy to construe lists of chores (家务) for kids.
Chores for pre-schoolers should probably be overseen by parents. Kids aged two to six maybe eager to help. Remember to make chores easy to complete and give lots of praise to them.
Preteens and teens can help prepare meals, like a simple breakfast or lunch, wash dishes, and do laundry. Other chores include changing bed sheets, folding laundry, and taking care of pets.
| A．School-age kids can do more complicated chores |
| B．On this last chore, parents may want to follow up |
| C．In this way, they associate good feelings with housework |
| D．They can prepare almost any meal and do intensive cleaning |
| E．Each family member should find some time to get things done |
| F．However, remember to make sure that chores are age appropriate |
| G．Chores for kids of this age include helping dust with a cloth and set the table |
【推荐1】A well-dressed man entered a famous jewelry shop. He explained that he wished to buy a pearl（珍珠）for his wife’s birthday. The price didn’t matter, since business had been very good for him that year. After examining a nice black one that cost $5, 000, he paid for the pearl in cash, shook hands with the jeweler and left.
A few days later the man returned and said that his wife liked the pearl so much that she wanted another one just like this. It had to be exactly the same size and quality, as she wanted a pair of earrings made. “Can you give me any advice on how to get such a pearl?” said the man. The jeweler regretfully replied “I would say it’s absolutely impossible to find one exactly like that pearl”.
The rich man insisted that the jeweler advertise in the newspapers, offering $25,000 for the matching pearl. Many people answered the advertisement but nobody had a pearl that was just right.
Just when the jeweler had given up hope, a little old lady came into his store. To his great surprise, she pulled the perfect pearl from her purse.” “I don’t like to part with it”, she said sadly. “I got it from my mother, and my mother got it from hers. But I really need the money”.
The jeweler was quick to pay her before she changed her mind. Then he called the rich man’s hotel to tell him the good news. The man however was nowhere to be found.
1. Who did the man pretend to buy a pearl for?| A．His wife. | B．His mother-in-law. |
| C．His own mother. | D．No one. |
| A．Because he was very rich. |
| B．Because he wanted to make the jeweler believe him. |
| C．Because his wife was anxious to get it. |
| D．Because his business had been successful. |
| A．Because they wanted to see the perfect pearl. |
| B．Because they wanted to buy some beautiful pearl too. |
| C．Because they wanted to get in touch with the rich man. |
| D．Because they wanted to sell their own pearl at a high price. |
| A．he died suddenly |
| B．he happened to be out |
| C．he got $20,000 by cheating and had run away with the money |
| D．he wouldn’t show up until the jeweler called him a second time Ramadan |
【推荐2】Next week, Pushpa Nagaraj will appear for her 720th exam. But she won’t be taking the exam for herself. Since 2007, she has helped hundreds of visually challenged students take exams by acting as their scribe (抄写员), reading them the questions and then writing down the answers they give.
When Ms. Nagaraj was growing up in Bangalore, the IT capital of India, her father lost his job after a back injury. The family suddenly found itself struggling. She thought she’d have to drop out of school. Luckily, her mother managed to raise enough money to educate her through high school. Today, she’s a project coordinator for an IT firm.
One day, as she was helping a few visually damaged children cross the road, it struck her how difficult even everyday tasks could be for them, let alone finishing their education. Ms. Nagaraj wanted to help those children.
In India, most children with sight challenges do not have access to specialized schooling. Even for those who attend mainstream classes, timed exams — key for Indian educational institutions, where scores are especially important — present additional difficulties. “Many of them balk at the thought of writing exams and drop out,” says Ms. Sundararaman, a local education expert. “And so, their education comes to a sudden stop, midway.” Having a scribe can be the difference between passing and failing.
Over the past 12 years, word about Ms. Nagaraj’s work has spread — so much that she now gets requests from people from all over India. She has also set up a network of volunteers that posts requests through a WhatsApp group.
Ms. Nagaraj is keenly aware of ongoing challenges, chief of which is that, every once in a while, she has to refuse requests from students to give them the answers during exams. Another challenge is to expand the circle of scribes. Despite these, she is very grateful for having the opportunity to help others. “I have no complaints. Actually, I feel very blessed,” she says.
1. What do we know about Ms. Nagaraj from paragraph 2?| A．She suffered from a back injury. | B．She struggled to finish her high school. |
| C．She raised enough money from an IT firm. | D．She had to work to help support her family. |
| A．Become hesitant. | B．Feel unsatisfied. |
| C．Are hopeful. | D．Are surprised. |
| A．The limited number of scribes. | B．The large quantity of exams to take. |
| C．The request to copy answers in the exam. | D．The building of a network of volunteers. |
| A．An Indian woman breaking the record in taking exams. |
| B．The importance of setting up an organization for scribes. |
| C．The problems of students dropping out of school in India. |
| D．An Indian woman helping disabled children by being a scribe. |
Jack has married twice. His first wife died when she was 32. He met his second wife Maria while he was cycling round France. They have been married for 50 years，and they have lived happily in a small village since they got married.
Jack says that he has never been ill in his life. The secret of good health, according to my grandfather, is exercise. He goes swimming every morning. He has done this since he was a boy. He also has a glass of wine every night！Perhaps that is his secret!
1. Which of the following does Jack think is the most beautiful place?
| A．Kathmandu. | B．The Pyramids. |
| C．The Sahara Desert. | D．Taj Mahal. |
| A．India | B．In Nepal. |
| C．In France. | D．In Egypt. |
| A．He has a glass of wine. |
| B．He goes swimming. |
| C．He hunts lions. |
| D．He rides a camel. |
A lot of books have flashes of insight, but only few of them can open the readers’ mind and make them realize something new. Your book, Out of My Mind, filled me with those sparks. I enjoyed getting to know Melody. Despite the fact that she had cerebral palsy(脑瘫)，Melody had an amazing character that shone brightly. Out of My Mind helped me learn a life-long lesson.
Your book has changed my point of view. I never teased those who had special needs, but I never really felt comfortable around them either. When I started reading your novel, I saw how Melody was a smart and talented girl. At the beginning of the book, I asked myself, “Would I be Melody’s friend?” The voice in my stomach told me the sad truth: no. I carried on with your book from start to finish, and when I closed it, I asked myself the same question, “Would I be Melody’s friend?” I realized, with a smile, that the answer was right in front of me. Throughout Out of My Mind, I had become Melody’s friend.
Last year, there was a boy in my class who had Asperger’s syndrome(阿斯伯格综合症). I didn’t really know him; he just seemed different to me. This was around the time that I read your novel. Melody showed me how she was just as good as anyone else in her classroom and how the same goes for anyone else with disabilities. The boy in my class amazed me by what he was capable of doing. As the days went by, I started helping him instead of avoiding him.
Melody opened my eyes and cleared the world around me. She showed me how a girl with cerebral palsy was the same as a girl like me. Now it is time for me to thank you for writing this amazing novel. I will never forget your fantastic book.
Sincerely,
Margaret Lim
1. Before Margaret Lim read Out of My Mind, she ________.| A．often laughed at those who are disabled |
| B．liked to help those who had special needs |
| C．wouldn’t make friends with the disabled |
| D．looked down upon those who are different |
| A．beautiful in words | B．influential to readers |
| C．skillful at writing | D．successful in sales |
| A．The characters of a disabled girl. |
| B．The change of Margaret’s attitude toward the disabled. |
| C．The friendship between Margaret and Melody. |
| D．The main content of Out of My Mind . |
| A．Melody became Margaret Lim’s classmate and they became good friends. |
| B．The boy who had Asperger’s syndrome was different from his classmates. |
| C．The disabled can deal with many things as well as the healthy people. |
| D．Margaret Lim often helped the disabled boy since they became classmates. |
| A．editor | B．doctor |
| C．teacher | D．writer |
【推荐2】The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1939- ), Canadian
Because of pollution, many women are infertile(不育的). New laws create the job of handmaid, a woman who can have babies for rich families. This is the story of Offred, a handmaid. Offred works for Fred and his family. She wonders if she can get away, and she has to hurry.
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (1903-1950), English
The novel is set in the future, but it is the year 1984. Winston Smith lives in London, part of the English country Oceania. There are three countries in the world: Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia. Big Brother is the leader of Oceania. The government controls everything, even people’s thoughts.
Winston, a government worker, meets Julia, another worker, and they fall in love—a crime in Oceania. The government discovers their secret, and Winston and Julia must go to the Ministry of Love, a centre for enemies of Big Brother.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), English
London, 600 years in the future. The Controllers are the rulers of the world. People don’t know war, disease or pain. They enjoy sports and spare time, but they are not free. The Controllers create babies in factories. Adults are divided into five social classes. When a man from a wild area of the world gets to London, he criticises the society. In the end, he has to choose between joining them or dying.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1920-2012), American
It is 24th century America. People can’t read or own books, as books are against the law. The population gets all their information from the television. Guy Montag is a fireman. Firemen don’t stop fires; they start them. They burn books at a temperature of 451 degrees. One day Montag meets young Clarisse, who makes him question the society he lives in. Soon Montag gets interested in the books he is supposed to destroy.
1. Which book describes Winston and Julia’s love?| A．The Handmaid’s Tale. |
| B．Nineteen Eighty-Four. |
| C．Brave New World. |
| D．Fahrenheit 451. |
| A．It was written in 1894. |
| B．It is set in 24th century America. |
| C．It describes a society without freedom. |
| D．It predicts people’s perfect life in the future. |
| A．They are well-known historical novels. |
| B．They were all written by American authors. |
| C．They centre on the future government of America. |
| D．They are about imaginary places where life is hard. |
【推荐3】Here are some works of writers who got famous by writing just one book.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
It was written in just 3 weeks and released in 1890 in Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine and it brought an enormous amount of reputation to the author instantly. After the publication of the novel, a huge popular anger erupted in society. People called it immoral and tried to ban it. But the book turned out to be the most successful novel of the playwright (剧作家) Oscar Wilde.
Winnie-the-Pooh
Alan Milne was quite a famous playwright before releasing the stories about Winnie-the-Pooh. But the success of the books became so famous that all of his other works went far into the shadows. Milne didn’t like that he was considered a children’s writer. As sad a sit might sound, his works for kids tuned out to be like Frankenstein’s monster the creature that swallowed its creator.
The Catcher in the Rye
In the 1940s, Salinger gained a reputation of a skillful novelist. However, the author faced real success after he released his novel The Catcher in the Rye in 1951. The book, written about a 17-year-old teenager, experienced popularity and earned the love of readers all around the world. Surprisingly, the author forbade any adaptations of the book into movies or theatrical performances.
Wuthering Heights
Unlike her sister, Charlotte, poet Emily Bronte only wrote one novel. It was published in 1847 and stayed almost unnoticed during the author’s life. The novel got universal recognition in the late 19th century and took a strong place in English literature. The novel has been screened many times in the 20th century.
1. What did Oscar Wilde and Alan Milne have in common?| A．They were playwrights. | B．They got famous for kids’ books. |
| C．They were not recognized at first. | D．Their works aroused people’s anger. |
| A．It was Salinger’s only one novel. | B．It was written specially for teenagers. |
| C．It hasn’t been made into films or plays. | D．It enjoyed popularity mainly in the US. |
| A．The Picture of Dorian Gray. | B．Winnie-the-Pooh. | C．The Catcher in the Rye. | D．Wuthering Heights. |
