Like most couples, my husband and I dreamed of becoming homeowners. Sure, apartment living comes with its own set of advantages—less housework, shared comfort, less to clean up and care for, and usually cheaper rent. As a result, we decided to downgrade from our neat five-bedroom, 2,700-square-foot house on the water to a three-bedroom, 1,369-square-foot apartment, with two kids.
Once we arrived in our new apartment, we were surprised to find that things flowed relatively smoothly. There was so much less to keep up with—fewer floors to mop, fewer windows to clean, fewer walls to wipe, etc. Now I think of our home as our little playhouse, since it's much smaller and everything is closer together. That also makes it so much easier for me to keep up with as a mom. I collect laundry all on one floor comparing with having to climb stairs to the house's second floor!
In our new home, we use lots of shoe organizers inside of every closet door for more than just shoes—baby items, office items, and medicines. We also have a functional room that serves as an office and gym. Since both my husband and I work from home, we require at least one room to share as an office with fitness equipment fitted into a corner.
While many people choose to downsize for financial reasons, that actually wasn't a factor in our decision. We wanted to be in a lively area with like-minded young families. That was our first priority. Though we may still buy another house in this area at some point down the line, for now, we're thrilled with the concept of renting an apartment. Let me put it this way: We’re not really the “handy” types, so being able to call maintenance(维修)for any repairs is worth every rent coin!
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?| A．Our old house was upgraded. | B．Living in a house has advantages. |
| C．Our new apartment was downsized. | D．Smaller size means more housework. |
| A．Confused. | B．Amazed. | C．Tired. | D．Challenged. |
| A．To build up their body. | B．To create a home office. |
| C．To enlarge all the rooms. | D．To make full use of space. |
| A．Transportation. | B．Neighbourhood. |
| C．Repair work. | D．Money. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A bird went to seek (寻找) its happiness in the distance.
It flew and flew when it suddenly saw a little wilting (枯萎的) flower, whose face was full of smile. Not knowing why, the bird asked the little flower, “You are going to die. Why are you still so happy?”
“I am going to bear fruit and my dream will come true,” said the little flower.
Then the little bird saw it: happiness is a hope in the heart.
The little bird kept flying; it flew and flew when it suddenly saw a lame (瘸的) duck, which was singing a song. Not knowing why, it asked the duck, “You are so unlucky. Why are you still so happy?”
“Because I saw a little duck fall. And I helped it stand up again!”
Then the little bird saw it: happiness is a love in the heart.
The bird kept flying; it flew and flew when it suddenly saw a spider climbing a slippery wall. It fell off the wall for several times, but it went on climbing over and over again. Not knowing why, the little bird asked the spider, “You failed again and again. Why don’t you have pain but happiness on your face?”
“I am sure to climb up the wall if I try my best.”
Because it had seen the truth: happiness is not in the distance but in your own heart.
1. Where did the bird go to seek its happiness at first?| A．In a far place. | B．In the forest. |
| C．On the top of a wall. | D．Near a river. |
| A．To become beautiful. | B．To bear fruit. |
| C．To become strong. | D．To get hope. |
| A．Clever. | B．Helpful. | C．Hopeful. | D．Faithful. |
| A．The bird. | B．The little flower. |
| C．The lame duck. | D．The spider. |
| A．Happiness is in the heart. | B．Learn from the bird. |
| C．How to be happy. | D．Happiness is in the distance. |
【推荐2】Jon Hoffman was sitting at a red light when he saw a man run out of a store carrying a plastic donation jar full of cash.Dressed in plain clothes，Jon Hoffman caught the man and pressed him against the hood(引擎盖) of his car. But Hoffman had trouble controlling the thief，and they got into a struggle.
“The detective has a military background，and he said he thought the suspect must have a military background，too，because he was able to break away so easily，” a local police spokesperson said.
The detective called out for help as a crowd gathered. Among those watching were Harvey and Kirby，two day laborers.
Harvey did what has become common these days—he took out his phone to shoot the video. “I hate to say it，but I thought that this policeman was doing something stupid，”Harvey said. “But when he asked for help，I thought，well，there wouldn’t be shooting if I got over there in time.” Harvey jumped into action，while he was still recording the video. So did Kirby.
“Harvey caught hold of the suspect’s arms，while Kirby seized his legs，and they were able to get the suspect to the ground to help Detective Hoffman put the handcuffs(手铐) on，”said the police spokesperson. The 27yearold suspect was charged with resisting arrest and other offenses. The charity jar he stole held less than$50.
“I’ve been on the wrong side of the law several times in my life，”Harvey said. “It feels good to be on the right side and do something positive.”
After the arrest，the three men got to know each other at a local steak house—Hoffman’s treat，as a thank you.
1. What made Hoffman call for help when arresting the suspect?| A．He was not on duty. | B．He couldn’t control the suspect. |
| C．He needed witnesses to support him. | D．He wanted to push the thief into the car. |
| A．He was ready to break the law. | B．He was out of work at that time. |
| C．He had a good military background. | D．He might have had some illegal deeds. |
| A．Grateful. | B．Prejudiced. |
| C．Skeptical. | D．Admirable. |
【推荐3】Gabby Goodwin and her mother, Rozalynn, had a problem: Even after careful styling, barrettes (发夹) kept slipping out of the 5-year-old’s hair. Gabby hated losing bows, and her mom was tired of buying replacements. As Rozalynn shared her frustration with other parents on social media, someone suggested that the Goodwins try creating their own barrettes.
“I was super excited,” said Gabby, now l4. “I was nagging (唠叨) my mom every single day about these barrettes.” Gabby’s persistence persuaded her mother, and they began to deal with the problem.
First they examined Gabby’s hair bows to see why they were falling out. Then they came up with a design for a double-face, double-snap barrette that attaches securely to hair.
When the Goodwins first showed their design to business investors, it was rejected. The product wasn’t the right fit or the business plan wasn’t good, companies told them. The setbacks made Gabby more determined.
Gabby and her mother didn’t give up, and in 2014 they began selling the bows online. The barrettes were so popular that the Goodwins received a patent. Today Gabby is chief of Confidence by GaBBY Goodwin, and the barrettes-called GaBBY Bows-are available online and in 74 Target stores across the country. In 2018 Black Enterprise selected Gabbyas its Teenpreneur of the year. The following year, Gabby and Rozalynn set up a virtual academy to help girls learn business skills.
If you watch Gabby deliver a speech on a Facebook video, it’s hard to imagine the South Carolina eighth-grader as anything other than confident. But learning to be the public face of her company was “really hard at first,” she said.
Over the years, with a lot of practice speaking to audiences, Gabby grew more comfortable in her role. She offers this advice to kids: “Keep doing what you’re passionate about, then you’ll be able to grow in confidence.”
1. What did the Goodwins do after listening to someone’s suggestion?| A．They asked for help online. | B．They designed a new barrette. |
| C．They looked for stylish barrettes. | D．They bought more replacements. |
| A．She sold her products online. | B．She gave up working on barrettes. |
| C．She decided to redesign her barrettes. | D．She told her business plan to a virtual academy. |
| A．It has suffered a downturn. | B．It is expanding fast. |
| C．It has failed to get a patent. | D．It hardly makes ends meet. |
| A．Every dog has its day. | B．Never be ashamed to fail. |
| C．Confidence is important in public speaking. | D．Interest and hard work lead to success. |
【推荐1】Food will become healthier and the food choices will become smarter and promote healthy eating once your kitchen is well organized.
Keep fresh spices and herbs within reachable distance. When you add fresh herbs to your food, you can make it not only healthy but also delicious, which will help you in actively avoiding unhealthy foods like salt, butter, etc. These foods are known to raise the deliciousness. This is why it is hard for us to let it go initially.
Keep all your healthy items close at hand. Place all the low-calorie snacks easy to reach so that your first response is to grab something healthy when you have a hunger pang.
Keep all your small appliances (电器) handy.
| A．Keep your fridge organized |
| B．Make your fridge easy to clean |
| C．You can also add an iPad station in the kitchen |
| D．These ideas will be helpful in better organizing your kitchen |
| E．But once there are tastier and healthier alternatives within reach |
| F．When you have to put in far too much effort to locate the small items |
| G．You can also hide all your chocolates in a place where they are not visible to you |
【推荐2】Look for cheap student accommodation in London? Why not start your search via our website, sign up for a free account and book it today?
Arch View House
Located next to the Wembley Stadium, it is home to 687 students. It has a range of private and shared studios, which come with their own kitchen, bathroom and living facilities. Away from your room, you’ll have access to public areas where you can relax. A fully equipped gym is available for you to use in your spare time. Prices start from £160 per week.
The Cube Ealing
It is a student accommodation located in Zone 3. It is only a 3 minute walk from the University of West London and a 25-minute tube ride to the city center as well as the University of Westminster. Prices start from £150 per week.
Sunlight Apartments
With Sunlight Apartment’s perfect location, it’s not just studying that’s convenient to enjoy shops and restaurants in London. It is a small and friendly community situated in the heart of Bethnal Green, which is a desirable location for students looking to live on the surrounding districts of Brick Lane and Whitechapel. Prices start from £110 per week.
Helen Graham House
Located in the center of Bloomsbury, it is perfect for students on a tight budget (预算) but want to be at the heart of the city. An eight minute walk to Birbeck and seven minutes from University of Law London, it’s not only the wonderful west of the city on your doorstep. Prices start from £130 per week.
1. What may Arch View House attract students most?| A．Its quiet surroundings. | B．Its convenient facilities. |
| C．Its public transportation. | D．Its friendly community. |
| A．£150. | B．£160. | C．£480. | D．£600. |
| A．Helen Graham House. | B．Arch View House. |
| C．The Cube Ealing. | D．Sunlight Apartments. |
【推荐3】Best houses on the market
Sorrento, Maine
It was built in 1989 on a hillside on Treasure Island. The three-bedroom house has a chef’s kitchen; a great room with dining area; a room with private deck(平台)， walk-in closet, and spa bathroom; two guest bedrooms with shared deck; and a glass-walled tower with ocean and island views. Acadia National Park are minutes away. $888, 500. LandVest International Company, (207)
299-8732
Santa Fe
This 1981 five-bedroom house features wooden ceilings, several fireplaces, hardwood floors, and carved-wood details. The 20-acre house has courtyards, a spa, a two-bedroom guesthouse, an art studio; the community offers tennis, allows horses, and is 20 minutes from the supermarket. $2, 195, 000. Sotheby’s International Company, (505)988-2533
San Anselmo, Calif
Set on a hill above the Mount Tamalpais, this 1988 home offers city, mountain, and water views from wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows. The five-bedroom house also has high ceilings, a step-down living room with fireplace, a dining room, an eat-in kitchen, a wet bar, a room with fireplace and walk-in closet. $3, 495, 000. Sotheby’s International Company, (415)717-1056
Portland, Ore zksg
This three-bedroom home was built in 1988. The house features large windows, skylights, French doors, and includes a chef’s kitchen; a main bedroom with fireplace, walk-in closet, and bathroom; a separate live-and-work space with kitchen. The house sits on a hill in Kings Heights overlooking the city and the mountains, minutes away from hiking trails and the Alphabet District. $1, 525, 000. Windermere International Company, (503)706-238521.
1. Which house is the most expensive?| A．Sorrento, Maine. | B．Santa Fe. | C．San Anselmo, Calif. | D．Portland, Ore. |
| A．It is located on a hill. | B．It has a separate space with kitchen. |
| C．It offers views of ocean and island. | D．It is convenient to do sports in its community. |
| A．They are close to parks. | B．They were built in the 1980s. |
| C．They are equipped with fireplaces. | D．There are five bedrooms in the houses. |
【推荐1】Avi Wortis, known simply as Avi, writes historical novels. Historical novels mix historical facts with storytelling skills. These stories take place in the past. The main characters are not always real; they exist only in stories.
Avi decided to become a writer when he was a student in senior high school. This was quite a decision because he did not write well in school. He had a problem called dysgraphia, a writing disability. The problem caused people to spell words wrongly. Avi always enjoyed reading. He read many types of books as a child. Avi believes that reading is the most important activity for a person who wants to be a writer.
Avi also believes that strong characters make strong stories. He creates characters that can help to bring his ideas to life. His books often deal with questions about life. Writing stories lets him explore many sides of a subject. His favorite part is to make improvements in his writing. For him the hardest part is writing the first draft (草稿).
Avi’s first book was published in 1970. He has written more than 45 books ever since. Most of them are for young adult readers. Besides historical novels, he writes comedies and short stories about adventures, animals and so on. Fighting Ground, which was published in 1984, is an example of Avi’s historical novels. This attractive story takes place during the American Revolutionary War.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?| A．How Avi developed characters. | B．Why Avi liked reading. |
| C．How Avi became a writer. | D．Why Avi decided to become a writer. |
| A．Making improvements. | B．Writing the first draft. |
| C．Finding an attractive character. | D．Writing the first part of a novel. |
| A．seldom changes his first drafts when writing | B．published his first story in 1984 |
| C．believes in the importance of good characters | D．thinks reading is not important for writers |
| A．To discuss how to become a writer. | B．To introduce a writer of historical novels. |
| C．To describe an important historical novel. | D．To show how a historical novel is written. |
【推荐2】David, a French priest (牧师) of thirty-six, was sent to China by the church in 1872. He did well in the natural and social science besides his religious activities (宗教活动).He was also very interested in the rare wild animals and plants in China.
On May 4th, 1879, after searching half a month in the western part of Baoxing, Sichuan the hunters hired (雇用) by David succeeded in bringing him a “black-and-white bear”. “The bear is extremely lovely”, he wrote in his diary excitedly. Meanwhile, he felt it might be a new species (物种) never discovered by scientists.
He then decided to send it to Paris for a further study. Unfortunately the poor “black-and white” bear died of Jolts (颠簸) of the mountain roads and the climatic (气候) change. He had to send its pelt(皮毛) to the National Museum in Paris for display (展览).In fact, the so-called “black-and white” bear was neither a bear nor a cat. After a complete study, Milla Edwards, head of the museum, judged that it was a new species. He gave the “giant panda”.
The discovery made the world excited and Baoxing was also made famous for “home of the giant panda”.
1. From the passage we can see that David mainly came to China to ____.| A．learn Chinese science and history | B．look for a panda for church |
| C．do something on religion (宗教) | D．study the wild animals and plants in China |
| A．very hard to find | B．worth no money |
| C．easy to find | D．running very fast |
| A．by David, a French priest | B．quite by accident |
| C．with a lot of difficulty | D．after the hunters followed it for half a month |
| A．The giant panda died when it was on display. |
| B．David had never seen a giant panda before. |
| C．Milla was sure the animal was neither a bear nor a cat. |
| D．The discovery made the world excited with interest |
【推荐3】When Chip heard the mail truck arriving on his sixth birthday, he rushed out — not knowing that he’d come back with a treasure.
Outside the house, which was decorated with birthday balloons, postwoman Shelley held a pile of boxes. One was marked with Chip’s name and a greeting for his Special day, November 5.
“So,” when he came running out the door, she said, “You must be Chip!” And he said,“Yes.” She said, “Today’s your birthday?” And he started smiling. Shelley said, “So, let me see if I can find you something for your birthday.”She checked her pocket and surprised him with a gift: a dollar bill and four quarters.
On this day, the 42-year-old postwoman made one little boy very happy. “He was very excited,” said his mom, Bonnie. “He came running back in the house just waving his money.” Chip is saving up to buy a Spider-man action figure.
“Our family has had money problems since I lost my job. Gestures like that are valuable memories.” Her hope is that Chip and his eight-year-old sister, Bennett, will remember this when they grow up. “Not the ugly that is out there right now, but the good and the kind and the giving.”
A photo of a smiling Chip and Shelley next to the mail truck has been shared widely on social media. Shelley said she was just trying to give back, because people are often nice to her eight-year-old son, Joshua.
On a recent day, Chip heard the mail truck and rushed out again, this time to deliver an envelope with a thank-you card for his favorite mail carrier. Since that day, the families have kept in contact. Shelley has struggled to find someone who can take care of her son, and Bonnie has agreed to watch him at her home while his mom is on her mail route.
1. Why did Chip rush out when he heard the mail truck the first time?| A．To thank the postwoman. | B．To get a gift box mailed to him. |
| C．To receive birthday wishes from the driver. | D．To watch the mail truck. |
| A．She gave him some pocket money. |
| B．She sent him some birthday balloons. |
| C．She presented him with a greeting card. |
| D．She bought him a Spider-man action figure. |
| A．Grateful. | B．Curious. | C．Doubtful. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．She offers to deliver the mails for her. |
| B．She often helps drive her mail truck. |
| C．She looks after her son when she is at work. |
| D．She posts pictures of her mail truck on social media. |
【推荐1】One day, when my family was leaving a restaurant, I heard a man's voice from a car in the car-park. After a quick look at the car, I noticed the Washington license plate (牌照) at once, so I knew they had come from far away. The young man had his head partly out of the window and spoke to me as I moved closer, "Excuse me, my wife and I are trying to find a room for the night and every place in the area seems to be filled up. Do you have any suggestions for us where we might find a room?"
Well, that didn't surprise me. After all, it was the busy time of the year for tourism. As he spoke, I noticed that his wife was pregnant (怀孕的). I told them that they should just keep searching and wished them good luck in their search. The young husband didn't say any other words and backed out of the car-park and headed off. We also got into our car and drove home.
After a short time, I couldn't get this young couple out of my mind. Here they were, traveling in a different state, tired, the wife pregnant. It was at that moment that my wife told me we needed to go back and find that couple. We went back and looked for them. We even went as far as the mountain. I'm happy that this story had a happy ending. We found them in the end, gave them a room, and now we are close friends.
1. The main problem the young couple had was that they couldn't ________.| A．find a place for the night | B．find a doctor |
| C．find their way | D．afford to stay at a hotel |
| A．was very happy | B．continued to ask other questions |
| C．thanked him and drove away | D．said nothing and drove away |
| A．the writer didn't agree with his wife |
| B．the writer's wife was a kind person |
| C．the writer had no trouble finding the young couple |
| D．the young couple found a room in a hotel in the end |
| A．The couple was not familiar with the state. |
| B．The couple became tired out. |
| C．The driver’s wife was pregnant. |
| D．It was getting dark outside. |
| A．leading them to a hotel | B．searching together with them |
| C．sparing a room for them | D．renting a room for them |
【推荐2】I speak Spanish, because I was born in Spain. But then at primary school I had to learn Russian, and at high school, I was taught how to speak German. But I always wanted to speak English.
At last I came to America. Everywhere there was English! But even if I heard and felt its presence, it was hard for me to understand it and express myself in it. The few lessons of English that I had taken in Spain gave me only a chance to introduce myself, and I didn’t even know how to buy things and ask directions.
To talk to somebody, I went to a high school to take a course in English for foreigners. Disappointingly, it took almost an hour to get through the process of introducing ourselves. Everyone had to learn something that I had already known from my books – the English alphabet (字母表) and numbers. I thought it was a waste of time, so I quit.
After a month, I tried again, but this time at college. After 15 minutes of introducing ourselves, a teacher gave us a lecture about the history of English. Then we were told that it was very important to know English in an English-speaking country. It took three hours for the teacher to tell us this. Again, I quit.
But I didn’t stop looking for something or someone that would help me to achieve my goal, and I found a tutor from Literacy Volunteers of America. But I still wasn’t happy with the classes. And when it was my turn to give a speech, I was happy to use all the long, complicated words that I had learned from one of my English books. When I had finished, my tutor said “Well, I think I have to learn English before coming to teach you!” This time, the tutor quit!
1. How many languages has the writer learned?| A．Two. | B．Four. |
| C．Three. | D．Five. |
| A．Because no one wanted to talk to him. |
| B．Because everyone had to learn the English alphabet and numbers. |
| C．Because the lessons were too easy. |
| D．Because the courses were prepared for the natives. |
| A．happy. | B．crazy. |
| C．serious. | D．friendly. |
| A．The writer learnt many foreign languages. |
| B．The writer tested the teachers’ English abilities. |
| C．The writer researched different ways of learning English. |
| D．The writer tried to look for a proper way to learn English. |
【推荐3】Have you ever happened to have a stranger looking at you with eyes full of anger unexpectedly? It was painful and confusing, but sure a great lesson. The first thing that passed through my mind was that it must be a misunderstanding. Such a look was not meant for me, but later I saw the old lady’s face changing every time she saw me, at least seven times, no more doubt that she was very angry with me.
I was confused, shocked, and near anger. My brains were spinning (快速旋转), trying to figure out how’s and why’s but somehow managed not to show it on my face. I went home, slept a night over it and decided that I had to find a way to make peace with this lady.
The very next day I bought some nice chocolates going to see her again and when I caught sight of her, I went straight to her and apologized telling her “I am so very sorry, but if I angered you, I had no such intention; please accept my apologizes”, and handled her the chocolates. Surprised, she told me not to mind her, and apologized too. It was an awkward moment, but we made peace and the grimaces (苦相) are replaced by smiles now.
I am very grateful for this experience. It shows me I still have plenty of work to do with my mind. I learned how it is not easy to take knowledge of, accept and forgive acts that we may feel as unfair, and it taught me of possibilities about fixing a conflict. Best advice to keep for myself.
Do not react, do not be quick to judge, sleep it over, and throw in a little of empathy for self as well as others.
1. What was the matter with the old woman?| A．She was misunderstood by the author. | B．She was wronged by the author. |
| C．She taught the author a lesson. | D．She was mad with the author. |
| A．She tried to ignore it. | B．She managed to keep calm. |
| C．She pretended to be kind to her. | D．She turned away and went home. |
| A．By explaining. | B．By begging. |
| C．By persuading. | D．By apologizing. |
| A．Sad. | B．Disappointing. |
| C．Valuable. | D．Exciting. |
