Each morning, opening the door to the factory, I was struck by the strong smell of oil and the noises of machines. My college internship at this large plant involved walking through the factory to get to the engineering offices. I tried to get to my office without slipping or getting my high heels stuck in the old wood flooring.
The head of this crowd would shout and blow the whistle so loudly that everyone would hear and laugh. When this type of thing happened, it was just considered “boys will be boys”, so managers did nothing though they were aware of all this. This whole situation was humiliating, and I began to hate going to the offices.
After a while, I realized that the man with the whistle delighted in embarrassing the ladies. Out of necessity, my idea was born. One morning, as I walked through the factory door and made my way around the machines, he began to blow his whistle. I stopped and turned to face him, looking him directly in the eyes. Surprised, he stopped the whistle.
Breathing deeply, I said aloud, “I just wanted to tell you that I wish you wouldn’t do that. It’s very embarrassing. How would you like it if someone did that to you or one of your family members?”
I think I shocked him, and he looked down. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. We were just having fun. My name is Tom,” he said.
I met his gaze but smiled this time. “Let’s be friends from now on.”
Sure enough, the next morning, Tom smiled and waved. I smiled and waved back. We continued to have this happy exchange for the rest of my internship.
1. What struck the author when she went to work?| A．The noises of the machines. | B．The shouting of the crowd. |
| C．The chance of being stuck. | D．The worry of the internship. |
| A．They tried but couldn’t stop the men. | B．They thought it unnecessary to stop it. |
| C．They felt it helpful for the author’s growth. | D．They knew nothing about the situation. |
| A．The work wasn’t productive. | B．She hated the noisy machines. |
| C．The managers didn’t support her. | D．She disliked being laughed at. |
| A．They continued to be unfriendly. | B．They shared their work experience. |
| C．They exchanged greetings at work. | D．They developed good partnership. |
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【推荐1】One winter night over 20 years ago, as most of the people were asleep in bed, there came a baby’s cry, which seemed to be somewhere around an old granny’s cottage. The old woman, who had been living alone in the wooden house, got up and listened carefully; the crying grew harder. So she decided to go and have a closer look. A new-born baby was found crying by the roadside not far from her house. But there was nobody around. Obviously someone had abandoned the baby to the care of one of the families here.
Picking it up in her arms, the kind granny hurried home. When she unwrapped the baby, a small bag dropped to the ground. Within it was a slip of paper reading: December 21. Obviously it was the exact time the baby girl arrived in the world.
For days after being brought to the old granny’s, the baby was taken good care of by feeding on milk powder. At the time the baby girl came into her house, the old granny was over 70 years old. “Oh, dear! I couldn’t keep the girl like this. What if I died? I might not live that long to see the girl fully grow up. I must find someone to have this baby attended to.” thought the old granny.
News got round quickly and it was not long before Mrs King heard about it.
“What a lovely little beggar! I like it and will take it over,” said Mrs King. Mr King expressed no disagreement. Instead, he thought the girl would add to their happiness. But he expressed his disgust to such behavior as to have the baby deserted in so terrible a way. Had nobody happened to hear the baby’s cry that night, it would not have survived. Or, if nobody was willing to take it, she would be left to the tender mercies of social service.
“Who but a cruel father and mother would have left their own baby lying in the cold without care!” “but it was the gift that God gave me. We must take it home to be brought up.” said Mr King, more happy than angry now. And everyone could see that the small baby had become the delight of the family. However, as a person who had been retired for 2 years, bringing up a girl of so young an age was a challenge.
Now, more than twenty years have passed. The girl has been in college majoring in infantile(幼儿) education in a normal university. She has already known things about herself but thought she was lucky and happy and determined to study harder to express her gratitude to her adopted parents and all the others who have been contributing to her life.
1. According to the passage, who was the first to take care of the deserted baby girl?| A．Mr King | B．Mrs King |
| C．The old granny | D．A retired old man |
| A．she believed she was going to die |
| B．she was over 70 years old |
| C．she had to find someone to take care of the baby |
| D．she was afraid that she might not live long enough to bring the baby up |
| A．it was cruel of people to have their own babies deserted. |
| B．a cruel father and mother usually deserted their own baby. |
| C．Mr King wanted to know who were the parents that deserted their own baby |
| D．nobody but a cruel father and mother was allowed to desert a baby |
| A．The girl chose infantile education as her major in college because she was once deserted |
| B．If the baby girl hadn’t met the granny, she would have become a little beggar |
| C．Mr King was glad to adopt the small baby because he needed more children to add to theirhappiness. |
| D．Mr King is most probably over 80 years old now |
【推荐2】Police work is often a thankless job, so when a community member goes out of their way to show thanks, officers certainly take notice. For many years, the Medford Police Department in Massachusetts frequently found plates of pizzelles（Italian cookies）waiting for them in the hall. Nobody knew who made these delicious pizzelles, but that didn't keep them from feeling the love!
It wasn't until the sweet treats stopped coming that they learned the story behind the unknown "Pizzelle Lady". Antonietta Manganiello, a local woman, had done the baking until she fell ill. But she wasn't going to let that stop her from showing the police her appreciation! So she called her daughter and insisted that she take a bag of her garden tomatoes to the station instead of the usual cookies.
When her daughter arrived, the officers finally learned Antonietta's identity! Naturally, they wanted to thank her for everything she had given them over the years, so Chief Jack Buckley arranged a special surprise.
One Saturday morning, dozens of Medford police officers volunteered to show up outside Antonietta's home in uniform. When they did, they lined the streets to show their appreciation for the woman who went out of her way to revere them for so long. When Antonietta saw them, her face lit up. "Are you coming to get me?" she joked. Holding the flowers, Chief Buckley explained what her kindness meant to the men and women in blue. He said, "We are so thankful for everything you've ever done." As if that gesture wasn't enough, Buckley then presented Antonietta with a special plaque（匾牌）made out to "The Pizzelle Lady".
It might not seem like much, but it clearly meant a lot to Manganiello. It's evidence that it's the little things that really matter in life. Sometimes, it only takes one small gesture to make someone feel truly loved.
1. Manganiello's daughter went to the police station to ________.| A．ask the police to see her mother | B．give the police their ordered pizzelles |
| C．offer some garden vegetables to the police | D．provide the police with information on a case |
| A．honor | B．impress | C．observe | D．challenge |
| A．Thoughtful and humorous. | B．Brave and determined. |
| C．Wise and outgoing. | D．Strict and hard-working. |
| A．Facts speak louder than words. |
| B．Love is all about the little things. |
| C．Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. |
| D．When you get used to it, you forget to be thankful. |
【推荐3】Holiday was over. The school bus was due to pick up my daughters in four minutes, and they were doing their last minute gathering of shoes, water bottles, lunches, and backpacks.
“Don’t forget it’s Tuesday,” I called to my eight-year-old daughter as she headed for the boots lying next to the door. “Tennis shoes for P.E.,” I added.
My child suddenly stopped and turned to face me, grasping her right arm with her left. “Mama, my arm hurts today. Could you write me a note that says my arm is sore?”
“You want me to write a note now? You should have thought of it sooner.”
“Sore arm? Let me guess — too much Nintendo Wii (一种电子游戏)?”
“You will be fine. Come on, we need to go. The bus is coming.”
I thought of those responses.
But I didn’t say them.
From past experiences, I could see how this situation would play out if I chose sarcasm (讽刺), unfriendliness, and annoyance over understanding, responsiveness, and respect.
Choosing unfriendliness in a moment of conflict had once resulted in breaking into pieces my husband’s coffee pot in the kitchen sink.
And then came regret.
Anger was the reason I lost all control one day when I was unable to locate my car in a sea of vehicles.
And then came regret.
Despite the years that have passed since those incidents, I can still see my children’s faces, staring at me in horror wondering what had become of me in those moments.
I disliked myself in those moments. I wanted to run away and hide. But most of all, I didn’t want to be that changeable person anymore.
Facing one of those situations, I knew my response could either make or break the situation. So I took a 3-second pause before opening my mouth.
I noticed there were real tears welling in my daughter’s eyes…real tears she didn’t want to fall… real tears she was actually pushing back with her fingers.
That 3-second pause was just long enough for me to realize this sadness, this pain, this worry of my child’s was real. And a note to the P.E. teacher was very important to her.
I wrote the quick note, and handed it to my child. I never knew I had the power to hand someone a little bit of peace, comfort…
“Thank you, Mama,” she said quietly, color coming back to her face.
I thought of my child’s sore arm throughout the day. And although I don’t always make the right choice with my words, I knew I had that time.
“When I got to P. E., I saw they were doing something I could do, even with a sore arm. So I kept the note in my pocket and played,” my daughter told me later.
Thank goodness, things are different now. The goal of each tough situation is to speak in a way I can be heard … to listen in a way that the other person can be heard … and to walk away feeling at peace with the way the situation was handled.
I’ve started a new list — a list of thoughtful responses that I’ve offered. This list inspired me to write a hopeful reminder — 3-second pauses have the power to save a morning, spare some pain, and prevent regret from being a lifelong companion. May it bring someone else hope too!
1. Why did the author’s daughter want a note?| A．She wanted to ask for a one-day sick leave. |
| B．She was unable to exercise for a sore arm. |
| C．She didn’t feel like attending a P.E. lesson. |
| D．She wanted to be informed of the schedule. |
| A．she was wondering how the arm was hurt |
| B．she doubted if her daughter was telling a lie |
| C．she was angry for her daughter’s skipping P.E. |
| D．she was seeking a better solution to the situation |
| A．Disappointed and frightened. | B．Confused and scared. |
| C．Painful and regretful. | D．Unfriendly and annoyed. |
| A．She wanted to make up for her past overreactions. |
| B．She didn’t want to make her daughter disappointed. |
| C．She thought it was proper to do so after consideration. |
| D．She didn’t want to start a conflict with her daughter. |
| A．A powerful motivator — regret. | B．Regret never goes away easily. |
| C．A single error can bring a lifelong regret. | D．Regret, it’s nice to see you go. |
【推荐1】At the airport, one of my partners greeted me with a broad smile. “Welcome to Cuba!” he exclaimed in perfect English, giving me a strong handshake and a hug. The next day, we drove to the research center where he worked. In the conference room, each of us gave a presentation about science and what we hoped to learn from the study of Cuban rivers.
Then, we toured every lab in the building. I met scientists, technicians, secretaries, students, and the cook. Some spoke English, and others communicated with me in Spanish while my cooperator translated. I was introduced to each person in their center, and that was what I remembered most.
Then we met again to brainstorm. Together, we studied maps carefully to plan how we were going to collect samples. Had it not been for the Cubans, I would have been unaware that the maps I had were outdated and wrong. They left out reservoirs, which was a problem because had we sampled downstream of them, our results would have been misled.
On the last night of the trip, we searched for a restaurant that could seat all 14 of us at one table because that’s what teams do--sitting together. When a restaurant couldn’t seat the team without splitting us up, my partners insisted that we move on and find another restaurant with a large enough table.
In 26 years as a professor, I’ve always tried my best to treat my students as valued partners. I have never been a fan of the grade system in the academic world. I urge everyone working with me to feel as though they are part of a team. But my Cuban partners take teamwork to another level entirely. They make it clear--through actions, both big and small--that all team members are valued, that everyone is equal, and that true team work contributes to better science.
I returned to the United States as a changed scientist. Now, I spend more time listening and making sure that everyone’s voice is heard.
1. What impressed the author most when he visited the research center?| A．He was led to see everyone. | B．There were no many people there. |
| C．Everybody gave a great presentation. | D．The cooperator spoke perfect English. |
| A．They wanted a smaller one. | B．They wanted to save money. |
| C．They didn’t want a crowded one. | D．They didn’t want to be separated. |
| A．Honesty. | B．Perseverance. |
| C．Cooperation spirit. | D．Scientific theory. |
| A．He used to treat his students unfairly. |
| B．He used to be misled by other scientists. |
| C．He focuses on the opinions of the masses now. |
| D．He speaks highly of the grade system in science now. |
【推荐2】When I was ten, my family moved to the other side of town. I was forced to leave the familiarity of St Paul’s and become “the new kid” at St Teresa’s:a one-hallway school with no gym, where the other kids in my class had been together since kindergarten. I struggled to break into the crowd and spent lunchtime playing alone.
One school day, when I headed to the kitchen table, I heard the radio, “It’s a sad day in the music world. Mr Roy Orbison has died.” Oh no, how sad, Roy Orbison has died. Wait. . . who is Roy Orbison?
I didn’t have a chance to ask. I had to get to school before the bell.
It was Mr Hutchison’s class. Every day, he would ask if there was anyone we wanted to pray(祈祷) for. That day, Johnny prayed for his sick grandfather, and Emily for her grandmother who had a surgery.
This was my chance! Before I had time to fully think it through, my hand shot into the air. “I’d like to pray for Roy Orbison!”
Silence fell over the room. The other kids looked confused, but Mr Hutchison could see the eagerness in my eyes. No one else had ever been so excited to pray for anyone in his class.
“OK, Roy Orbison has been added to the prayer list.” He winked(眨眼)。
I did it! This must be another way we kids make new friends:you just pray for someone.
I had never met Roy Orbison, nor did I have his album. But because of Roy, a little girl named Christine came up to me and said, “I’m really sorry for your loss. If you’re not busy with the funeral(葬礼), maybe you can come over and play after school.”
Thanks to Roy and Christine, I was lonely no more.
1. Why did I pray for Roy Orbison?| A．Because I was a true fan of him. |
| B．Because I felt sorry for his death |
| C．Because I needed a reason to be noticed |
| D．Because I wanted to impress Mr Hutchison. |
| A．The whole class felt sad as I did. |
| B．I made new friends at St Teresa’s. |
| C．Mr Hutchison turned a blind eye to me. |
| D．Christine offered to enjoy Roy’s music with me. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Serious. | C．Excited. | D．Cold. |
| A．Chances favor a prepared mind. | B．Life is full of unexpected wonders. |
| C．A friend in need is a friend indeed. | D．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
【推荐3】I still remember the last Christmas Granny spent with us. It began in the middle of November on a cold, windy day. I remember the wind because Granny’s grey hair was a mess when she arrived. That was also the day Granny moved in. Somehow, at the time, I didn’t know she was sick. Maybe I was too young, maybe she hid it too well, or maybe I was just too excited that Christmas was on the way.
After Granny moved in, she spent most of her time on the brown sofa by the fire. Sometimes she was quiet, but she seemed happy. When I wrote a letter to Father Christmas telling him about the presents I wanted, Granny made an effort to help me. Her hand was slightly shaky, but she wrote “Father Christmas, the North Pole” on the envelope.
After breakfast, Auntie Kath and my cousin David arrived. While Mum, Dad and Auntie Kath got lunch ready. David and I played outside. We raced around the garden and rolled a big snow ball to make a lovely snowman. Granny stayed inside by the fire. I remember catching her eye through the window.
“Come outside. Granny,” I called, but she just waved.
Lunch was late, but it was a loud and exciting affair.
A few weeks after that Christmas, Granny passed away. I think of her often though, especially at Christmas. Each year, I take out the music box she gave me. Inside I keep Granny’s paper hat and the letter she helped me write that Christmas. Mum gave the letter back to me some years ago when I no longer believed in Father Christmas. When I think about what makes Christmas so magical, it’s not just gifts and Father Christmas that come to mind. It’s also my memory of Granny. Now I’m the one who makes sugar biscuits each year, and I always make one in a G-shape — G for Granny.
1. Why didn’t the author know her granny was ill?| A．Because she was too young to care it. |
| B．Because her granny didn’t want to tell her about it. |
| C．Because she was so excited about the Christmas that she ignored it. |
| D．All of the above. |
| A．Excited but tired. | B．Nervous but excited. | C．Quiet but happy. | D．Lonely but calm. |
| A．mild. | B．trembly. | C．gentle. | D．blunt. |
| A．To show her love to her parents. |
| B．To remember Christmas well. |
| C．To show her memories of Christmas to remember her granny. |
| D．To write something interesting about Christmas. |
