More than 25 years ago, Saroo Brierley lived in rural（农村）India. One day, he played with his brother along the rail line and fell asleep. When he woke up and found himself alone, the 4-year-old decided his brother might be on the train he saw in front of him-so he got on.
That train took him a thousand miles across the country to a totally strange city. He lived on the streets, and then in an orphanage（孤儿院）. There, he was adopted by an Australian family and flown to Tasmania.
As he writes in his new book, A Long Way Home, Brierley couldn't help but wonder about his hometown back in India. He remembered landmarks, but since he didn't know his town's name, finding a small neighborhood in a vast country proved to be impossible.
Then he found a digital mapping program. He spent years searching for his hometown in the program's satellite pictures. In 2011, he came across something familiar. He studied it and realized he was looking at a town's central business district from a bird's-eye view. He thought, “On the right-hand side you should see the three-platform train station”—and there it was. "And on the left-hand side you should see a big fountain"-and there it was. Everything just started to match.
When he stood in front of the house where he grew up as a child, he saw a lady standing in the entrance. "There's something about me, " he thought—and it took him a few seconds but he finally remembered what she used to look like.
In an interview Brierley says, "My mother looked so much shorter than I remembered. But she came forth and walked forward, and I walked forward, and my feelings and tears and the chemical in my brain, you know, it was like a nuclear fusion（核聚变）. I just didn't know what to say, because I never thought seeing my mother would ever come true. And here I am, standing in front of her. ”
1. Why was Brierley separated from his family about 25 years ago?| A．He got on a train by mistake. |
| B．He got lost while playing in the street. |
| C．He was taken away by a foreigner. |
| D．He was adopted by an Australian family. |
| A．By analyzing old pictures. |
| B．By travelling all around India. |
| C．By studying digital maps. |
| D．By spreading his story via his book. |
| A．His love for his mother. |
| B．His reunion with his mother. |
| C．His long way back home. |
| D．His memory of his hometown. |
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【推荐1】Most parents don’t think about talking to their children. They just do it. They teach them to talk, what words to say and not to say and in time their children speak to them. As a parent, it is natural to have fears for your child, but one of them is not usually, “Will I be able to communicate with my child?”
I was no different. Even after confirming that Olivia had Down syndrome(唐氏综合征) at birth, it never crossed my mind that we wouldn’t be able to communicate with her. However, that is a very real struggle my family faces every single day.
Olivia is going to be 3 this year and although she is still very young, her ability to communicate verbally is not there. We as a family are learning how to talk to Olivia using sign language. It is new and challenging but interesting and exciting. We teach each other new words as they come up and learn to use them in everyday life, especially when communicating with Olivia.
My oldest daughter Haydenn, who is 11, was teaching Olivia how to sign “I love you” and I was amazed watching them. Olivia couldn’t do it correctly, which was not surprising because a lot of her signs are what we call “approximate”, which just means the sign she’s doing is close to the actual sign. I was inspired by their interaction to write a story about Olivia and her sign language.
I wanted to teach people, especially kids, that children with Down syndrome can and do struggle with the ability to talk, but that this doesn’t stop them from learning to communicate with their families. And in no time, “Outstanding Olivia” was born!
My Olivia is outstanding to say the least, and so the title came easy to me. I included my whole family because we are all in this together and we work hard to help Olivia. I have high hopes of writing more books someday soon and always including signs in the books to teach kids. For now, I want to share this book with as many people as I can to raise awareness for Olivia and kids just like her!
1. What do we know about Olivia?| A．She is a normal kid as others. | B．She suffers from hearing loss. |
| C．She can’t communicate verbally. | D．She fears to learn to say. |
| A．They teach Olivia new words to write a story. |
| B．They do approximate signs to talk to Olivia. |
| C．They take Olivia to attend a language course. |
| D．They learn to talk to Olivia using sign language. |
| A．To share his book with many people. |
| B．To share the story about Olivia. |
| C．To raise awareness for Olivia and kids like her. |
| D．To teach people how to communicate with kids. |
| A．How My Outstanding Olivia Was Born |
| B．What My “Outstanding Olivia” Can Teach Kids About Down Syndrome |
| C．The Way My Outstanding Olivia Communicate With Others |
| D．The Children With Down Syndrome |
【推荐2】Papa, as a son of a dirt-poor farmer, left school early and went to work in a factory,for education was for the rich then.So, the world became his school.With great interest, he read everything he could lay his hands on, listened to the town elders and learned about the world beyond his tiny hometown."There's so much to learn," he'd say.“Though we're born stupid, only the stupid remain that way.”He was determined that none of his children would be denied(拒绝)an education.
Thus, Papa insisted that we learn at least one new thing each day.And dinner time seemed perfect for sharing what we had learned.We would talk about the news of the day;no matter how insignificant, it was never taken lightly.Papa would listen carefully and was ready with some comment,always to the point.
Then came the moment-the time to share the day's new learning.
Papa, at the head of the table, would push back his chair and pour a glass of red wine,ready to listen.
Felice, “he'd say,”tell me what you learned today.“learned that the population of Nepal is...”
Silence.
Papa was thinking about what was said, as if the salvation(拯救)of the world would depend upon it.“The population of Nepal.Hmm.Well...”he'd say.“Get the map; let's see where Nepal is.” And the whole family went on a search for Nepal.
This same experience was repeated until each family member had a turn.Dinner ended only after we had a clear understanding of at least half a dozen such facts.
As children, we thought very.little about these educational wonders.Our family,however,was growing together,sharing experiences and participating in one another’s education And by looking at us,listening to us, respecting our input, affirming(肯定)our value; giving us a sense of dignity, Papa -was unquestionably our most influential teacher.
Later during my training as a future teacher studied with some of the most famous educators.They were imparting(传授)what Papa had known all along-the value of continual learning.His technique has served me well all my life.Not a single day has been wasted, though I can never tell when knowing the population,of Nepal might prove useful.
1. What do we know from the first paragraph?| A．Those born stupid could not change their life. |
| B．The poor could hardly afford school education. |
| C．The town elders wanted to learn about the world. |
| D．The author's father was born in a worker's family. |
| A．the news | B．the request | C．the comment | D．the point |
| A．enjoyed talking about news |
| B．knew very well about Nepal |
| C．felt regret about those wasted days |
| D．appreciated his father's educational technique |
| A．Showing talents. | B．Continual learning. |
| C．Family get-together. | D．Winning Papa's approval. |
| A．a wiseman willing to share his knowledge |
| B．a parent insistent on his children's education |
| C．an educator expert at training future teachers |
| D．a teacher strict about everything his students did |
【推荐3】How to Love Your Parents
Even if you think that your parents are mean at times, loving your parents is a normal and fulfilling part of life. You love them for the fact that they create you, raise you, and shape you into who you are.
Tell them you love them every morning. A gentle “Good Morning” or “I love you” will warm a coldest heart. Remember that they brought you into this world.
Obey their requests and try to understand them. It may feel bad when you don’t get what you want or you are misunderstood. However, you had better remember they keep a roof over your head to protect you and understand that parents are human beings and may make mistakes.
Keep company with them. Do things with your parents like watching TV, or going somewhere with them.
Some people simply may not be able to love their parents. There can be reasons for this, family violence (暴力) for example. Seek help if you are being abused (虐待) in any way.
| A．Forgiveness is the key. |
| B．Parents do not have a right to hurt you. |
| C．Here are some ways to love your parents. |
| D．Parents will express their love to you, too. |
| E．Respect them more and cherish the moments with them. |
| F．Anyway, spend as much time with them as you can. |
| G．Please remember parents are as important as friends. |
【推荐1】Last month, my husband and I completed what some of our friends considered a foolish task: a 32-day, 5, 232-mile camping trip with children in our Volkswagen van, without ''high-tech'' to occupy the children.
It was the screen less journey that showered me with doubts. But is ''boredom'' senseless? My friend Renee, who has driven cross-country with her three kids eight times, calls boredom the mother of creativity. She's not the only one who sees virtue in blank time. In a recently published paper, researchers at East Anglia University in England concluded that the trance like (发呆的) state helps recharge the mind and is ''central to learning and creativity''. I wasn't trying to make my kids smarter. Neither do I dislike high-tech. But I understand too well the power of mini screens to transform our kids into zombies (木讷的人) .
On Day 1, our 7-year-old son announced ''Texas is so boring!''. The next day, struggling against his seat belt, he yelled he couldn't take much more of this. His 5-year-old sister was better at the long hours playing make-believe with the stuffed animals. On Day 3, he began count mountains and see pandas and dolphins in distant clouds in the Texas sky. I often joined the kids in the back, where we did thumb-and-toe wrestle. With well-known mountains ahead, my husband told the children the past legends of them. ''Arizona is not as boring as Texas,'' our son declared.
I hope the trip gave kids some lazy, unstructured time to learn something about valuing the trip instead of looking for the fastest way to burn it up. I don't always make the right call as a parent but I know that in banning the small screen we made the right choice this time.
1. Why did the author choose a high-tech free journey?| A．Her friends are highly against it. |
| B．She disliked advanced technology. |
| C．She feared the passive influence of mini-screens. |
| D．The researchers proved the harm of modern technology. |
| A．Their son got worse at boredom. |
| B．Her kids had a tough time riding in the vehicle. |
| C．Their son relieved himself by watching animals outside. |
| D．The time spent without screens strengthened the family bond. |
| A．the speediest route to finish the journey |
| B．the ability to observe the surroundings |
| C．the interest of playing games with others |
| D．the choice of killing time by playing digital devices |
| A．Is Driving Long Distances Good for Children? |
| B．A Touching Cross-country Trip of My Family |
| C．What's Wrong with Boredom without High-tech? |
| D．Creative Kids out of Parents' Reasonable Choice |
【推荐2】Every morning at 5 am when most people are asleep, a single figure would be busy in the kitchen, cooking meals for the needy folks of Singapores until the rest of the volunteers and the four full-time cooks arrive. Day in and day out, Mr Tony Tay and his team prepare, cook, pack and deliver the food to various parts of the island. This team of caring volunteers from all walks of life work tirelessly to bring a smile to the less privileged, bringing warmth and kindness into their lives.
During one of his visits to collect vegetables and distribute them to a less-privileged neighbourhood, his wife noticed that the elderly folk did not take the vegetables. Upon asking for the reason, one replied that she could not cook and thus only ate the rice delivered to her. Mrs Tay then offered to cook for her, and that single meal initiated Willing Hearts, which has since served nearly 650,000 meals and counting.
Since the organisation’s early days, volunteers have learned how to cook, interact with people from all walks of life, pick up different languages, gain greater knowledge about social issues, and most importantly, build strong bonds with one another. Through Willing Hearts, Mr Tay hopes to expose the younger generation to the country’s backyard, to allow them to see and experience firsthand what goes on behind closed doors. This is to encourage them to become more compassionate individuals who understand the importance of taking care of the elderly, and be inspired to foster unity within their own families. His best gift during the course of this journey is seeing how younger volunteers help and feed the less privileged. One volunteer, he proudly tells us, has been inspired to start his own programme to help the needy.
As a non-profit organisation, Willing Hearts relies heavily on donations and food collections. Although the volunteers at Willing Hearts may be a small and irregular group, they are always on the lookout for the poor to extend their assistance to them.
1. What best describes Mr Tay’s job?| A．Professional. | B．Demanding. | C．Well-paid. | D．Urgent. |
| A．Visits to the neighbourhood. | B．Smiles from the less privileged. |
| C．Encouragement from his wife. | D．One service to the old lady. |
| A．Qualified. | B．Sympathetic. | C．Wealthy. | D．Dynamic. |
| A．To pick up different languages. |
| B．To enhance unity within society. |
| C．To encourage youths to assist the needy. |
| D．To strengthen solid relationship with people. |
【推荐3】Mother Teresa was born in Yugoslavia, on August 27, 1910. She attended the government school near her home until she was eighteen. At that time, some doctors and nurses from Yugoslavia were working in India, and they often wrote to the school about their work. She decided to join them one day.
When she left school, she went first to Britain. Then a year later she went to India, where she began to train to be a teacher. After training, she was sent to Calcutta, where she taught geography at a school and soon after became headmistress.
However, although she loved teaching, in 1946 Mother Teresa left the school and went to work in the poor parts of Calcutta. Later she trained to become a nurse in Patna, and then began her work helping the poor and comforting the dying in the streets of the city. Slowly, others came to help her, and her work spread to other parts of India.
Mother Teresa is now a well-known person. Many photos have been taken of her, as she travels the world to open new schools and hospitals in poor countries. In 1979,she was given the Nobel Peace Prize for the lifetime of love and service she has given to the poor.
1. Where did Mother Teresa receive her education?| A．In Yugoslavia and India. | B．In Yugoslavia and Britain. |
| C．In Britain and India. | D．In Yugoslavia, Britain and India. |
| A．Her visit to the poor parts of Calcutta. |
| B．Her visit to Britain after she finished school. |
| C．The medical workers' letters to her school. |
| D．The work of the nurse in the city of Patna. |
| A．to look after the poor | B．to travel to poor countries |
| C．to build hospitals for the poor | D．to train nurses to care for the poor |
| A．saved many poor people in India |
| B．helped to bring about world peace |
| C．helped to make India a more peaceful place |
| D．taken care of many poor people in the world |
| NAME: John FAVORITE SPORT: Basketball FAVORITE SNACK: Pizza HOBBY: Photography PET: Beagle named Max FUNNIEST MOMENT: “On Max’s birthday, we sang the ‘Happy Birthday’ song to him and he got a big treat, A month later, my family sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me. Max got so excited because he remembered the song. He whined (嘀咕) when he didn’t get a treat, so we gave him one.” |
| NAME: Sarah FAVORITE SPORT: Track and field FAVORITE SNACK: Granola HOBBY: Guitar PET: Cat named Lulu FUNNIEST MOMENT: “One day in my kindergarten, I opened my snack bag and found a tennis ball and a sock! My little brother had played his first practical joke. Thanks, Bryan!” |
| NAME: Paul FAVORITE SPORT: Baseball FAVORITE SNACK: Apple with peanut butter HOBBY: Making comics PET: Tropical fish FUNIEST MOMENT: “In a school play, I was supposed to say the line ‘Stop right there, cowboy!’ Devin was playing the cowboy, and I said, ‘Stop right there, Devin!’ It was supposed to be a serious part of the play, but Devin cracked up. Then everybody else laughed, too, including me.” |
| NAME: Scott FAVORITE SPORT: Soccer FAVORITE SNACK: Bananas HOBBY: Drawing dinosaurs PET: Hermit crab named Hermie FUNNIEST MOMENT: “One night, we were camping in a state park. I heard a loud thumping (砰砰作响) outside the tent. I was sure that it was a bear! I used my flashlight to look around the campsite and saw a little toad (蟾蜍) jumping away, going thump, thump, thump!” |
| A．Soccer. | B．Baseball. | C．Track and field. | D．Basketball. |
| A．Stop right there, man! | B．Stop right there, cowboy! | C．Stop right there, boy! | D．Stop right there, Devin! |
| A．A bear. | B．A cat. | C．A toad. | D．A fish. |
【推荐2】My neighbour Orlando is a paramedic (护理人员). He and his wife are some of the nicest people I have ever met. A few years back we started this sort of “favor war”, where one of us would do something for the other, such as shoveling (铲) his driveway or helping him build a shed, and next time the other would try to top it with another favor.
Yesterday morning there was maybe 2 or 3 feet of snow on the ground and I remembered he shoveled my driveway for me last snowfall. So I took out my shovel and took care of both our sidewalks and driveways because it was my turn to do a favor back. It took a while but I finished and got into my car for work. What I did not realize was that Orlando had to work that day too.
Fast forward to this morning I got a knock on my door. It was him. He immediately shook my hand and informed me that because I shoveled his driveway and sidewalk for him, he was able to get to work earlier. As soon as he started his shift, a call came through that a young boy was in a medical emergency. Luckily he and his partner were only about 2 minutes away, but the next closest ambulance was in 10 minutes. This kid didn’t have 10 minutes. He barely had 2 minutes. Because my neighbour got to work sooner, the young boy got to live his life.
This isn’t a brag (吹嘘). This is to inform others that even the smallest favors can have the biggest impacts. It wasn’t too much of trouble to shovel his driveway for him, but because I did, the young kid got to see his family again, go back to school again, talk to his friends again and live his life.
1. What can we know about the writer and Orlando?| A．They once had a conflict. | B．They signed a favorable agreement. |
| C．They favor shoveling snow together. | D．They are always ready to help each other. |
| A．The writer. | B．The boy’s parents. |
| C．Orlando and his partner. | D．Orlando and his wife. |
| A．To tell him to clear up the snow. | B．To tell him to do a favour back. |
| C．To express his thanks to him. | D．To say he started his shift. |
| A．Never ask for trouble. | B．No favor is too small. |
| C．One cannot always be lucky. | D．Don’t lose heart in an emergency. |
【推荐3】After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me, and it would mean a great deal to him. I agreed.
During the nine-mile drive to his home, I found out something about Matthew. He had muscular dystrophy(肌肉萎缩症). When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to see five, then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal power lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles and going for my dreams.
I spent over one hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain or ask, “Why me?” He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. Obviously, he knew what he was talking about. He didn’t mention that his classmates had made fun of him because he was different. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weight with me.
When we finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”
Last summer I received a letter from Matthew’s parents telling me that Matthew had passed away. They wanted me to have a letter he had written to me a few days before:
Dear Rick,
My mom said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. I also want to let you know that the doctors tell me that I don’t have long to live anymore. But I still smile as much as I can.
I told you someday I was going to the Olympics and win a gold medal. But I know now I will never get to do that. But I know I’m a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you. Thank you for loving me.
Yours,
Matthew
1. The boy wanted to meet the author because _______.| A．he was interested in weight lifting | B．he wanted to get a gold medal |
| C．he admired the author very much | D．he wanted the author to know him |
| A．Why do you come to see me? | B．Why do I have to stay at home? |
| C．Why does the disease fall on me | D．Why not give a gold medal to me |
| A．Matthew is a determined boy | B．Rick used to have the same disease |
| C．Matthew became a champion finally | D．Rick regarded Matthew as normal |
| A．he was not worthy of it | B．he would not be pitied by others |
| C．he knew he would die soon | D．he thought he himself could earn one in the future |
