One day, I noticed the most beautiful Cadillac pull in the lot while waiting for my husband. A pretty woman driver pulled into the spot beside our car. There was a striking resemblance to Liz Taylor. Her eyes were as blue as the sea, and teeth like an even row of pearls. A few minutes later, a nice looking man entered her car, learned over and kissed her and she drove away. Sitting there, I wanted to cry. My envy continued to exist long after she drove away.
A couple of weeks later, sitting in our usual parking lot, I was holding a book, watching her over the top of it. Her husband came to the car, took her arm and helped her out of the car. I could see very well as she moved to get out. She unsteadily walked around to the passenger side very slowly, learning on a walking cane. Sitting sideways, she lifted one leg with her hands and then the other. The beautiful lady had a prosthesis on the left leg and a brace on the right leg.
Tears were blinding me. I told my husband about the beautiful lady. He said he knew her husband and their story. The lady and her parents were in a car that got caught on the railroad tracks and was hit by a train. Both parents were killed and she was severely injured. She was only 12 years old. The railroad made a large settlement with her because the crossing had no signals. He explained her car was specially built for her needs as well as the home.
I prayed for forgiveness all the way home. I realized how lucky I was to have my parents, the ability to walk, run or dance through life and many wonderful things money can’t buy. I would not have exchanged anything with the beautiful lady.
When you meet a person who seems to be better off then you, don’t be fooled.
1. Why did the authorwant to cry when noticing the beautiful lady?| A．She thought of Liz Taylor. | B．She had no such expensive car. |
| C．She envied what the lady owned. | D．She disliked her own eyes and teeth. |
| A．Argument. | B．Plan. | C．Appointment. | D．Payment. |
| A．Regretting her marriage. | B．Knowing the lady’s sufferings. |
| C．Admiring the lady’s appearance. | D．Leaving without waving to the lady. |
| A．Never judge a book by its cover. | B．To see is to believe. |
| C．Everything happens for the best. | D．Happiness consists in beauty. |
相似题推荐
A young lady was standing on the corner with a map in her hand. She looked puzzled. Several people passed by, looked at her but did not stop. I wondered why. Maybe it was because of the way she was dressed. She wore a dirty dress and looked pale.
As I crossed the street and came closer to her I asked if she wanted help. She thanked me and smiled in relief. As it turned out, she was looking for the hospital. I felt wonderful just reaching out, and taking that extra moment to help.
Many times in these situations I end up walking a person to where he or she is going when giving directions would be too complicated. I like helping people this way due to my own experience. Many years ago, we travelled in Japan and needed directions. A kind Japanese who saw our problem came to us and helped us out. This man just took my heavy bags and guided us to where we needed to be. We could not speak any Japanese while the man could not speak any English. Although we could not communicate through words, we communicated through the heart.
Sometimes when I do a special favour for a stranger, the person will say, “I hope I can do something for you one day to return the favour.” They already have done something for me by giving me the opportunity to help them. But I hope that when they come across a situation where someone needs their help, they will be willing to reach out as well.
1. Why didn’t those passers-by give a helping hand to the young lady?(no more than 10 words)2. What was the young lady’s problem?(no more than 10 words)
3. What does the underlined sentence mean?(no more than 20 words)
4. What does the writer want to tell us in the last paragraph?(no more than 15 words)
【推荐2】For the past two years I have been travelling and living abroad. Home has become more of a feeling than a place. I feel at home when I am with my family in London, but I also feel at home in Italy with friends I love. Home is no longer a picture of a house with a front door and some windows. It is more complicated than that.
This is one of the reasons that celebrating the new year has become very important for me. I do not care about "New Year’s resolutions(愿望)” - living abroad has made me constantly reconsider what kind of person I want to be and how I will live my life, so I don't feel the need to plan for change: I live for change.
New Year’s Eve has become my time to reconnect with the friends that makes me feel at home. Every year we try to reunite wherever we are and remember the time when we knew each other so well that we felt like a family. It is a moment to reconnect and get to know each other again. Last year, we travelled to a cottage in Ireland where we had no internet and no neighbours. In the middle of the countryside, away from our big and constantly changing lives, we were able to become like a little family again.
This year, we went to Barcelona. It was a very big change. We were surrounded by culture and life and joy. There were bars and parties. It was different, but one thing stayed very much the same-I felt at home again and we felt like a family again.
A lot of people feel that New Year’s Eve cannot live up to expectations. Ideas such as the "New Year's kiss" and "resolutions" create a lot of pressure for people to have a night to remember, a night that will change their lives and perhaps make the next year one worth living. I think those people are missing the point. If Christmas is about family, why can't New Year be about friends?
1. What does the underlined word "It" in Paragraph I probably mean?| A．Family. | B．Living abroad. |
| C．Home. | D．Staying with friends. |
| A．New Year’s resolutions cannot be reached. |
| B．His lifestyle makes him always ready for change. |
| C．It's meaningless to make any big changes in life. |
| D．Making New Year's resolutions creates much pressure. |
| A．Life is peaceful and enjoyable. |
| B．Living abroad is a happy experience. |
| C．Staying with friends makes one feel at home. |
| D．Travelling abroad enriches one's life experience. |
| A．New Year's Celebration:How? | B．True Friendship: What? |
| C．Living Abroad: Comfortable or Complicated? | D．Change:Plan it or Make it? |
【推荐3】Reasons Why Literature Is So Important?
Today, there are too many people who believe that literature is simply not important or undervalue its ability to stand the test of time and give us great knowledge. There is a stigma (耻辱) in society that implies one who is more drawn to science and math will somehow be more successful in life, and that one who is more excited about literature and other art forms will be bound to live a life of low-paid jobs and unsatisfying careers.
To me, however, literature serves as a gateway to learning of the past and increasing my knowledge and understanding of the world. Here are just a few reasons why literature is important.
Expanding horizons.
First and foremost, literature opens our eyes and makes us see more than just what the front door shows.
Appreciation of other cultures and beliefs.
Reading about history, anthropology (人类学) or religious studies provides a method of learning about cultures and beliefs other than our own. It allows us to understand and experience other living systems in other worlds.
All kinds of literature, poems, essays, novels, or short stories, help us address human nature and conditions that affect all people. We learn that imperfection is not always bad and that normal can be boring. We learn that life must be lived to the fullest. We need literature in order to connect with our own mankind.
| A．Addressing mankind. |
| B．Better writing skills. |
| C．Literature is important and necessary. |
| D．It helps us understand the wide world surrounding us. |
| E．Many of us learn what critical thinking (批判性思维) is in our language arts classes. |
| F．We get personal views and understanding into the minds from the inside looking out. |
| G．Somewhere along the line, the world has come to think that literature is insignificant. |
【推荐1】It all started this morning just before noon. Mrs. White was returning from the supermarket with her daughter and a friend, their neighbor. They stopped on the stairway of their building a their fifth-floor apartment. The neighbor opened her door first, and little Lily ran past her. She knew the apartment well, since she had visited it many times. The friend put down her keys and shopping bags, and turned back a moment to Mrs. White.
At that moment, there was a sudden gust of wind and the door to the apartment was closed. Lily was inside, alone.
Then the friend remembered that she had left her kitchen window open. She and Mrs. White rushed to Mrs. White's apartment and telephoned the police. But there was no time to get help in opening the neighboring apartment. They could see that Lily was already leaning out of the kitchen window. She had climbed onto a chair. and soon she was climbing out onto the window sill.
Mrs. White called to Lily to go back inside. But the little girl did not understand the danger and did not want to go back. She only waved to her mother.
Then she lost her balance and her feet slipped off the window sill. She managed to hold on for a while with her hands, but then she became weak and she began to be afraid. Her mother screamed for help, and now Lily was crying loudly.
And then she could hold on go longer Fortunately, several people had run out into the street on hearing all the screaming. They saw the child hanging onto the window sill and got ready to catch her. Down she fell five long stories and landed safe and sound in the arms of three strong men. They were Luis, Augusto, and Alfonso Nunes, father and sons, who live in the next building in her community. When they heard the screams, they rushed out of their home. “I never thought we’d do it” said Alfonso afterwards. “But I kept thinking, if we don’t catch her, she’ll die and I’ll feel sad and guilty all my life.”
1. Who saved Lily eventually?| A．Lily's parents. | B．The nearby policemen. |
| C．Mrs. White's friends. | D．Neighbors in her community. |
| A．Lily couldn't hold on the window sill because she was frightened and weak. |
| B．Lily was left alone in the apartment due to her father's mistake. |
| C．Lily was rescued before she was falling from the window sill. |
| D．Lily waved to her mother because her mother smiled at her. |
| A．intelligent | B．humorous | C．responsible | D．strong-willed |
| A．A Naughty Girl | B．An Amazing Rescue |
| C．A careless Mother | D．An Unexpected Danger |
【推荐2】You’d think that being the president of a country would be the top of anyone’s life. For Jimmy Carter, it was just one stop on a very long train ride, filled with powerful, good deeds and gentle influence.
Former President Jimmy Carter is almost as wellknown for his volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity as he was for being the 39th president of the United States (1977－1981).His relationship with Habitat for Humanity, a global nonprofit housing organization devoted to providing comfortable and affordable homes for families, started in 1984.
Jonathan Reckford is Habitat for Humanity’s chief officer. He said, “The group was started by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1976. The Fullers asked Jimmy Carter to help with one of Habitat’s building projects in 1984. Jimmy Carter agreed. Since that time, the former president’s beloved wife Rosalynn has worked by his side.They now continue to lend their names and muscle to this international aid group. They have worked on thousands of homes across many countries.”
Not surprisingly, volunteering is in Carter’s DNA. Jimmy Carter said, “My mother served as a doctor for many poor African American patients. She refused to acknowledge most racial distinctions.” In 1966, at the age of 68, Miss Lillian became a Peace Corps volunteer. She stayed in India for 20 months, where she taught women about birth control and treated people with disease.
Through the years, to help the unfortunate families, Jimmy Carter has worked alongside thousands of everyday volunteers. When we say work, we mean those related to getting his hands dirty, wearing jeans, and picking up tools. He slept in all manner of accommodations, and dealt with all types of weather around the world. And Carter hasn’t let his worsening health hold him back either. In early October, the former president, now 95 years old, didn’t let a severe fall hold him back from kicking off the 36th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity in Nashville.
1. What’s Jimmy Carter’s volunteer work mainly about?| A．Curing people of bad diseases. |
| B．Making America a greater country. |
| C．Improving the techniques of construction. |
| D．Offering accommodations for less fortunate families. |
| A．Jimmy Carter’s volunteer work was supported by his wife. |
| B．Jimmy Carter founded Habitat for Humanity 44 years ago. |
| C．Jimmy Carter inspired others to join in his volunteer work. |
| D．Jimmy Carter’s work as the president was very excellent. |
| A．To express Carter’s love for his mother. |
| B．To emphasize her influence on Carter. |
| C．To explain her devotion to Peace Corps. |
| D．To show the readers the job of her. |
| A．Energetic and smart. |
| B．Selfless and honest. |
| C．Sympathetic and tough. |
| D．Ambitious and strict. |
【推荐3】The lights from the cottage windows disappear, as we follow a dark footpath through a field into the open countryside. Thick clouds prevent the moonlight from lighting up the way ahead. Yet, as my eyes begin to get used to the darkness, the landscape around me reveals itself in a new light.
The outlines of Mount Caburn are like shadows against the sky. On the horizon is a tree bent by the wind. The rocky outcrop at the top of the field turns out to be a flock of sleeping sheep. A fox cries, a catbird crows, and the air is full of a strong earthy scent.
"For most of human history, man lived in close contact with the land," says Nigel Berman, my guide. "Only in the past few hundred years have we shut ourselves off from our natural surroundings. Walking at night is a powerful way of reconnecting. When your vision is reduced, your other senses are sharpened."
Nigel and I walk from the village of Glynde towards the town of Lewes. It is a walk I know well by day, but at night everything is different, and a familiar stroll becomes a mini adventure. When Nigel told me not to bring a torch, I was alarmed. I can't remember the last time I used my night vision and I'm not even sure how it works.
Normally, at this time of night, I would be having a glass of wine in front of the television, but being out in the countryside is a purer form of relaxation. I forget about work and family tensions, and become part of the surroundings.
As we reach the top, Lewes appears below as a twinkly mass of lights, a sight I would generally consider as inviting. In just a few hours, however, I have gone over to the dark side and find myself reluctant to walk back down.
1. What figure of speech is used in Paragraph 1?| A．Personification. | B．Symbolism. | C．Metaphor. | D．Parallelism. |
| A．Tolerant. | B．Favorable. | C．Doubtful. | D．Objective. |
| A．To attract readers to visit Lewes. | B．To convey his love for the adventure. |
| C．To seek inspiration from night walks. | D．To encourage reconnection with nature. |
| A．Into the Night | B．Night and Moonlight |
| C．Under the Lights | D．Lewes in the Moonlight |
