When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother's Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.
My mother has long realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she. I was forced to ask for information or even to shout at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人). I said in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing (令人相信的)，“This is Mrs. Tan. "
And my mother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, “Why he don't send me check already two week late. "
And then, in perfect English I said: "I'm getting rather concerned. You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn't arrived. "
Then she talked more loudly. "What he want? I come to New York tell him front of his boss. "And so I turned to the stockbroker again, "I can't tolerate (容忍) any more excuse. If I don't receive the check immediately, I am going to have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week. "
The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother, the real, was shouting to his boss in her broken English.
When I was a teenager, my mother’ s broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.
1. Why was the author's mother poorly served?| A．She was unable to speak good English. | B．She was often misunderstood. |
| C．She was not clearly heard. | D．She was not very polite. |
| A．good at pretending | B．rude to the stockbroker |
| C．ready to help her mother | D．unwilling to phone for her mother |
| A．they forgave the stockbroker · | B．they failed to get the check |
| C．they went to New York immediately | D．they spoke to their boss at once |
| A．It confuses her. | B．It embarrasses her |
| C．It helps her understand the world. | D．It helps her tolerate rude people. |
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【推荐1】A man came home from work late, tired and unhappy, to find his 5-year-old son waiting for him at the door.
The boy asked, “Daddy, how much do you make per hour?” The father was furious at his son's question.
When he said $20 an hour, the little boy asked his father to lend $10 to him. The father was even angrier because he thought the boy just wanted some money to buy a toy. So he didn't answer his son.
The little boy quietly went to his room. After about an hour or so, the man calmed down and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.
“Maybe I was too hard on you just now,” the man went into the room and said. “Here's the $10 you asked for.”
“Oh, thank you, Daddy!” He said. Then, he reached under his pillow, pulled out some crumpled coins and said, “Daddy, I have $20 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.”
1. How much does the man make if he works 1 hour?| A．10. | B．$20. | C．$30. | D．40. |
| A．very angry | B．quite happy |
| C．too excited | D．a little nervous |
| A．he thought the boy wanted to keep the money for himself |
| B．he did not have enough money at that moment |
| C．he thought the boy would buy something of no use |
| D．the boy always borrowed money from him |
| A．often played with his son |
| B．spent little time with his son |
| C．didn’t love his son at all |
| D．often came back home early |
【推荐2】It feels like every time my mother and I start to have a conversation, it turns into an argument. We talk about something as simple as dinner plans and suddenly my mother will push the conversation into the Third World War. She’ll talk about my lack of (缺乏) bright future because I don’t plan to be a doctor. And much to her disappointment, I don’t want to do any job related to science, either. In fact, when I was pushed to say that I planned to major (主修) in English, she nearly had a heart attack.
“Why can’t you be like my co-worker’s son?” she shouts all the time. Her co-worker’s son received a four-year scholarship and is now earning 70,000 dollars a year as an engineer. I don’t know what to say except that I simply can’t be like Mr. Perfect as I’ve called the unnamed co-worker’s son. I can’t be like him. I am the type of the person who loves to help out in the community, write until the sun goes down, and most of all, wants to achieve something because of loving it, not because of fame or salary.
I understand why my mother is worried about my future major. I’ve seen my mother struggle to raise me on her small salary and work long hours. She leaves the house around 6:30 am and usually comes back home around 5: 00 pm or even 6:00 pm.
However, I want her to know that by becoming a doctor, it doesn’t mean I’ll be successful. I’d rather follow my dreams and create my own future.
1. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．The author’s mother argued about something angrily with him. |
| B．The author’s mother expressed different opinions on the war. |
| C．The author’s mother liked talking with him but got angry easily. |
| D．The author’s mother quite disagreed about what to eat for dinner. |
| A．To persuade the author to become a doctor. |
| B．To tell the author to learn as hard as he can. |
| C．To encourage the author to receive a scholarship. |
| D．To ask the author to earn much more money. |
| A．The author will become an engineer as his mother wishes. |
| B．Being a scientist is sure to earn high fame and salary. |
| C．The author may choose major according to his interest. |
| D．The author shows little interest in learning English. |
【推荐3】The men of influence in our lives are our fathers, brothers, grandfathers, uncles, and friends and they play an important role in our lives. They lead by example, teaching us how to move physically through our world, how to be strong in the face of adversity, how to be wise, and how to provide for ourselves and our families.
My dad taught me how to have natural fun, playing baseball in the middle of the street, in his stocking feet. Today my dad continues to influence me in positive ways. He has faced a challenging health problem over the past few months and has carried on with his life in much the same way as he did before his illness, going about his daily business a bit slower and needing to take more rests but still living his life the way he wishes to.
My grandfather taught me the value of being trusted. My father-in-law influenced my life in a different way. He was quiet, loving and a man of power. When he spoke, I listened, as he did not speak unless he had something to say.
My loving husband has encouraged me to be strong and independent, to think for myself, and not to look to him for permission. My husband has also taught me to adapt with him to the ever-changing reality of his journey with illness, and he has met each one with courage and dignity. I have learned much from the men who have had an influence on my life. For all that I have learned and for the role they played and continue to play in my life I am forever thankful.
1. What can be learned about the author’s father?| A．His life has completely changed. | B．His business has faced difficulties. |
| C．He needs to rest most of the day. | D．Something is wrong with his body. |
| A．Her brother. | B．Her husband. | C．Her grandfather. | D．Her father-in-law. |
| A．Lonely. | B．Brave. | C．Talkative. | D．Quiet. |
| A．The influence of men. | B．The advantages of men. |
| C．Holiday greetings. | D．Women’s source of support. |
【推荐1】Mrs. Smith had a small garden, and in spring she planted some vegetables in it. She looked after them very carefully, and when summer came, they looked very nice.
One evening Mrs. Smith looked at her vegetables and said, “Tomorrow I am going to pick them, and then we can eat them.”
But early the next morning, her son ran into the kitchen and shouted, “Mother, Mother! Come quickly! Our neighbor’s ducks are in the garden and they are eating our vegetables!” Mrs. Smith ran out, but it was too late! All the vegetables were finished ! Mrs. Smith cried and made her neighbor very sorry, but that was the end of the vegetables.
Then a few days before Christmas, the neighbor gave Mrs. Smith a parcel. In it was a beautiful, fat duck, and on it was a piece of paper with the words “Enjoy your vegetables!”
1. Mrs. Smith planted _____in her small garden in spring.| A．some flowers | B．some trees |
| C．some fruits | D．some vegetables |
| A．Mrs. Smith’s daughter | B．Mrs. Smith’s neighbor |
| C．Mrs. Smith | D．Her neighbor’s ducks |
| A．She wants to feed the duck. | B．She wants to reserve them. |
| C．She wants to eat them. | D．She wants to give them to her friends. |
| A．sorry | B．interesting | C．proud | D．sad |
| A．Some vegetables. | B．A duck. |
| C．A card. | D．A person. |
【推荐2】A Powerful Team
This is a story of two friends — one is blind, the other has no arms. Although the two are “disabled”, they are a powerful team together. They have changed part of their village in North China’s Hebei Province into a rich, green forest. Their story began in 2000. Haixia was blind in his right eye. Wenqi lost his arms in an accident.
Neither could find a job, so they decided to team up. They rented (租) some poor land and began to plant trees.
Haixia and Wenqi never imagined that they would create an environmental paradise (天堂). Their forest now has over 10,000 trees, hundreds of birds and many other wild animals. It also saves the village from river flooding during the rainy season.
When the friends work together, they focus on their strengths not their disabilities. Their day begins at 7 a.m. Haixia carries Wenqi across the river to get to their work place. Since they cannot afford to buy young trees to plant, the two use branches (树枝) from trees. Haixia climbs to the tree-top and picks up the perfect branch. He then digs a hole and plants it carefully. Finally Wenqi waters the tree.
The two men don’t make much money but they are proud of themselves and they still work hard. As Wenqi says, “We stand on our own feet, so the fruits of our work taste sweeter.”
Neither Haixia nor Wenqi cares about money. As a team, they already have everything they need - a perfect pair of eyes, two strong hands, and the best friendship in the world!
1. Haixia and Wenqi decided to team up because ______.| A．Haixia wanted to help Wenqi | B．neither could find a job |
| C．they had the same interest | D．Wenqi asked Haixia to do that |
| A．makes the villagers become richer | B．increases the number of the tourists |
| C．saves the village from river flooding | D．provides more farmland for the village |
| A．unhealthy bodies | B．weaknesses | C．things they lack | D．sadness in life |
| A．they hope to make the forest even better | B．the fruits from their trees are very sweet |
| C．they are proud to depend on their own | D．they are able to do any difficult work |
【推荐3】As a well-known Chinese TV hostess, Dong Qing is now hosting two cultural shows, Chinese Poetry Conference and Readers. The two shows are encouraging people to love traditional culture and find the beauty of life.
Dong was born in a highly educated family in 1973. She had a great love for traditional literature from an early age. In 2015 when she was about to study in the U.S, Dong received an invitation from the director of Chinese Poetry Conference asking her to be the hostess. Because of her passion for traditional literature, Dong accepted the job.
“The contest interests me very much. Hosting it is a process of learning about poetry and performing, ”said Dong. To her great joy, the show has become more and more popular.
Under the slogan ”Reading touches people’s hearts”, the new TV show Readers has become a success. It invites famous guests from all walks of life to read something. Dong works as both hostess and producer.
Readers became a turning point in Dong’ s 21 years of hosting She said it brought her “quite a huge challenge”.
”There is no shortcut in this world. If you want to be a good host, you need to make thorough preparations, said the beautiful hostess. “The charm of life lies in its unknown, so we just have to try and keep going.
1. What show is Dong Qing hosting now?| A．Readers. |
| B．Chinese Poetry Conference. |
| C．Chinese poetry Conference and Readers. |
| D．The Voice of China. |
| A．In France | B．In England | C．In Japan | D．In America |
| A．An actress | B．A singer |
| C．A hostess | D．A hostess and producer |
| A．love | B．joy | C．surprise | D．pride |
【推荐1】It was a rainy, damp December day. I was headed to the store to pick up another week’s worth of food. I had put off shopping for Christmas presents until later in the month but wasn’t looking forward to the crowd of Christmas shoppers while I grabbed my groceries. I kept the CD player on while I drove to avoid the radio news. It only spoke of the world’s huge problems and how divided we all still were. And it usually just left me feeling helpless.
Still, I gave my son a dollar to put in the bell-ringer’s pot at the door to the store. We went in and soon filled our cart with food. Then we walked towards the self-checkout machines. I hated using them. I much preferred to chat with the friendly cashiers, but the line at them was five deep and I just didn’t have the time. As I pulled my cart up, I heard an old man at the machine next to mine grumbling (嘟囔) under his breath, trying his hardest not to curse. He only had a few items but every time he put his wrinkled, well-worn, twenty-dollar bill into the machine, the money was returned.
I quickly grabbed a newer twenty out of my purse and gave it to him. He thanked me with a warm smile and paid for his goods. I told him to keep his money but he insisted that I take his old, torn twenty. I nodded, put it in my coat pocket, and wished him a Merry Christmas.
After checking out, I remembered something Mother Teresa had once said about how we all can change the world. “Help one person at a time,” she said, “and always start with the person nearest you.” I reached into my pocket, smiled, and went outside. Then I dropped that torn twenty into the bell-ringer’s pot and walked to my car with my son happily.
1. Why did the author feel helpless?| A．Radio provided unreliable news. | B．There was always a Christmas rush. |
| C．People were disconnected from each other. | D．Christmas was ruined by the terrible weather. |
| A．By paying for his shopping items. | B．By exchanging a newer note with him. |
| C．By teaching him how to use the machine. | D．By calling out the friendly cashier in time. |
| A．She wanted to pursue Mother Teresa’s ideas. |
| B．She desired to spread Mother Teresa’s words. |
| C．She expected to set a good example to her son. |
| D．She hoped to have a meaningful day with her son. |
【推荐2】My father told me a family story about his mother, my grandmother.
In 1949, my father had just returned home from the war. On every American highway you could see soldiers in uniform hitchhiking (搭便车) home to their families, as was the custom at that time in America.
Sadly, the excitement of this reunion with his family soon disappeared. My grandmother became very ill and had to be in hospital. The doctors told my father that she needed a blood transfusion immediately or she wouldn’t live through the night. The problem was that Grandmother’s blood types was AB-, a very rare type even today, but even harder to get then because there were no blood banks or air flights to ship blood. All the family members had their blood tested, but not one member was a match. So the doctors gave the family no hope; my grandmother was dying.
My father left the hospital in tears to gather up all the family members, so that everyone would get a chance to tell Grandmother good-bye. As my father was driving down the highway, he passed a soldier in uniform hitchhiking home to his family. Deep in sadness, my father had no inclination at that moment to do a good deed. Yet it was almost as if something outside himself pulled him to a stop, and he waited as the stranger climbed into the car.
My father was too upset to even ask the soldier his name, but the soldier noticed my father’s tears right away and asked why. My father told this total stranger everything.
It got very quiet in the car. Then this soldier reached his hand out to my father, in which rested the dog tags from around his neck. The blood type on the tags was AB-. The soldier told my father to turn the car around and get him to the hospital.
My grandmother lived until 1996, and to this day no one in our family knows the soldier’s name. But my father has often wondered, was he a soldier or an angel in uniform?
1. Why did the author’s father leave the hospital?| A．To buy something necessary for Grandmother. |
| B．To ask the family members to have their blood tested. |
| C．To pickup a soldier whose blood type was the same as Grandmother’s. |
| D．To gather the family members to pay their last respects to Grandmother. |
| A．After her serious illness, Grandmother lived 47 years. |
| B．Grandmother’s children refused to help her. |
| C．My father has forgotten the soldier. |
| D．The doctors didn’t try to save Grandmother. |
| A．The author’s father intended to offer his help. |
| B．The author’s father was willing to help the soldier. |
| C．The author’s father was scheduled to do a good deed. |
| D．The author’s father was too sad to help others. |
| A．A Strange Soldier | B．An Unexpected Git |
| C．An Angel in Uniform | D．An Unknown Soldier |
【推荐3】After their 15-year-old dog Bailey died in 2007, Ron and his wife, Ann, looked for months to find the right new pet. “I love dogs,” says Ron, a worker at a health club in Waukesha, Wisconsin. “I can’t imagine not having one.”
Finally, the couple spotted a young dog at the Humane Society in Milwaukee. His name was Oscar. “He was very attractive,” says Ron, 65. Oscar quickly made himself at home, sleeping on his new owners’ bed at night.
A diabetic(糖尿病人) for 25 years, Ron faithfully took his medicine four times a day and generally had no problems. But on March 17, at about 3 a.m., he got out of bed to use the bathroom. Suddenly, he fell down to the floor. “I must have taken the wrong amount of medicine before I went to sleep, because my blood sugar was dangerously low,” he says.
“Normally, Oscar is very quiet and well-behaved,” says Ron. “But when I hit the floor, he let out sounds like a wild animal.”
“Honestly, it sounded like the dog from hell,” says Ann, who was awakened by the sound.“I didn’t know what the sound was. Then I saw my husband lying on the bathroom floor. He was cold.” She ran for the phone and called an ambulance.
Ron spent several hours in the hospital. By 6:30a.m., he was well enough to go home. “You would never suspect Oscar of any heroism.” says his grateful owner. “He’s a wonderful little guy. We are lucky enough to own him.”
Even before Oscar’s heroic action, the couple had given their pet a new nickname(昵称). “We felt the name Oscar wasn’t good enough,” says Ron, “so sometimes we call him Eduardo”—more suitable, they think, for their dog.
1. What was Ann doing when Ron went to the bathroom?| A．She was sleeping. |
| B．She was watching TV. |
| C．She was taking care of Oscar. |
| D．She was talking with someone on the phone. |
2. Why did Ron fell onto the floor in the bathroom?
| A．He forgot to take his medicine. |
| B．The floor in the bathroom was too wet. |
| C．He took the wrong amount of medicine. |
| D．He is a diabetic and accidentally ate some sugar. |
| A．Oscar was 15 years old when he was found. |
| B．The sound of Oscar was usually like a wild animal. |
| C．Ron got diabetes when he was 40 years old. |
| D．Ron had to take his medicine three times a day. |
| A．is a little noisy at home |
| B．sleeps with his owners at night |
| C．got his new nickname after the story |
| D．was found at a health club in Waukesha |
