One night,after dinner,an argument broke out between my parents again. I felt greatly depressed about it. However,I had no idea who I should talk with about how I was feeling. So I asked Mom to allow me to stay the night at my best friend’s house. Though I knew I wouldn’t tell her about my parents’ situation, I was looking forward to getting out of the house. I was in the middle of packing up my things when suddenly the power went out in the neighborhood. Mom came to tell me that I should stay with my grandpa until the power came back on.
I was really disappointed because I felt that we did not have much to talk about. But I knew he would be frightened alone in the dark. I went to his room and told him that I’d stay with him until the power was restored. He was quite happy and said, “Great opportunity.”
“What is?” I asked.
“To talk, you and I,” he said. “To hold a private little meeting about what we’re going to do with your mom and dad, and what we’re going to do with ourselves now that we’re in the situation we are in.”
“But we can’t do anything about it, Grandpa,” I said, surprised that here was someone with whom I could share my feelings and someone who was in the same“boat”as I was.
And that’s how the most unbelievable friendship between my grandfather and me started. Sitting there in the dark, we talked about our feeling and fears of life---from how fast things change, to how they sometimes don’t change fast enough. That night, because the power went out, I found a new friend, with whom I could safely talk about all my fears and pains, whatever they may be.
Suddenly, the lights all came back on.“Well,” he said, “I guess that means you’ll want to go now. I really like our talk. I hope the power will go out every few nights!”
1. From the first paragraph,we can know that________.| A．The author’s parents always lived in harmony. |
| B．The author didn’t care about the quarrel between his father and mother. |
| C．In the author’s neighborhood,the power constantly went out. |
| D．The author’s parents’ argument impacted greatly on his feelings. |
| A．I was angry about my parents’ quarrel |
| B．I found nobody to share my feelings with |
| C．I wanted to escape from the dark house |
| D．I planned to tell my friend about my trouble |
| A．he could discuss the problem with me | B．he had not seen me for a long time |
| C．he was afraid of darkness | D．he felt quite lonely |
| A．The grandchild was eager to leave. | B．They would have more chats. |
| C．The lights would go out again. | D．It would no longer be dark. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Dad’s comb was jade green. I heard he bought it when he married Mum, which made the comb two years older than I was. Every night, he would smile, hand me the comb and say, “Be a good girl and help Daddy clean it, OK?”
I was more than happy to do it. At age five this ordinary task brought me such joy. I would excitedly turn the tap on, then brush the comb with a used toothbrush as hard as I could. Satisfied that I’d done a good job, I would proudly return the comb to Dad. He would smile at me and place the comb on top of his wallet.
About two years later, Dad left his sales job and started his own wholesale business. I started primary school. That was when things started to change. He didn’t come home as much as he used to—just a couple of times a week. And when he did come home, it was always late and I’d already be in bed. I started to get mad. I stopped waiting for him to come home, and stopped going downstairs to check on him.
Today, I’m no longer a kid. I’ve graduated from college and got a job. Dad’s business has got back on track. Things are better now. Yet the uncomfortable silence between Dad and me continued.
Two days before my birthday last year, Dad came home early. As usual, I helped him carry his bags into his study. When I turned to leave, he said, “Hey, would you like to help me clean my comb?” I looked at him a while, then took the comb and headed to the sink.
I passed the clean comb back to Dad. He looked at it and smiled. But this time, I noticed something different. My dad has aged. He has wrinkles next to his eyes when he smiles, yet his smile is still as heartwarming as before. The smile of a father who just wants a good life for his family. Dad carefully placed his comb on top of his wallet.
After so many years, he still organizes his personal items in the same careful way. I guess some things never change. And for that, I’m glad.
1. What caused the uncomfortable silence between Dad and me?| A．Generation gap. | B．Dad’s failure in business. |
| C．My ignorance of Dad. | D．Dad’s absence from the family. |
| A．Careful and modest. | B．Gentle but strict. |
| C．Devoted and caring. | D．Demanding but patient. |
| A．To give me a lesson. | B．To praise my help. |
| C．To fix our relationship. | D．To follow his old habit. |
| A．Yesterday once more. | B．Some things never change. |
| C．Let go of the past memories. | D．Like father, like daughter. |
【推荐2】It is natural that young people are often uncomfortable when they are with their parents.
It is time that parents often find it difficult to win their children’s trust and they always forget how they themselves felt when young. For example, young people like to act on the spot without much thinking. It is one of their ways to show that they have grown up and they can face any difficult situation.
Young people make their parents angry with their choices in clothes, in entertainment and in music. But they do not mean to cause any trouble: It just shows that they feel cut off from the adult’s world, and they have not yet been accepted into their world.
Sometimes you are so proud of yourself that you do not want your parents to say “yes” to what you do.
| A．While adults worry more easily. |
| B．If you plan to control your life, you’d better win your parents. |
| C．Young people like to live with their parents. |
| D．All you want is to be left alone and do what you like. |
| E．They say that their parents don’t understand them. |
| F．Parents should understand young people |
| G．That’s why young people want to make a new culture of their own |
【推荐3】Jenny was a bright-eyed, pretty five-year-old girl. One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50. How she wanted that necklace! When she asked her mother if she would buy it for her, her mother said," Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money. I'll tell you what. I'll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make up a list of housework that you can do to pay for the necklace. And don't forget that for your birthday, Grandma just might give you a whole dollar bill, too. Okay?" Jenny agreed, and her mother bought the pearl necklace for her.
Jenny worked on her housework very hard every day, and sure enough, her grandma gave her a brand-new dollar bill for her birthday. Soon Jenny had paid off the pearls. How Jenny loved those pearls. She wore them everywhere to kindergarten, bed and when she went out with her mother to run errands(跑腿).The only time she didn't wear them was in the shower. Her mother had told her that they would turn her neck green!
Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny her favorite story.
One night when he finished the story, he said," Jenny, do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you," the little girl said.
"Well, then, give me your pearls."
"Oh! Daddy, not my pearls!" Jenny said. "But you can have Rosy, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. And you can have her tea party outfit, too. Okay?"
"Oh no, darling, that's okay." Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss. "Good night, little one."
A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story, and Jenny gave the same reply.
Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling. "Here, Daddy," she said, and held out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father's hand.
With one hand her father held the plastic pearls and the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue box. Inside of the box were real, genuine, beautiful pearls. He had had them all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so that he could give her the real thing.
1. Why did the mother tell Jenny the plastic pearl necklace "cost an awful lot of money"？| A．She was discouraging Jenny from buying it. |
| B．She was telling Jenny to ask her grandma for help. |
| C．She was reminding Jenny of its true value. |
| D．She was encouraging Jenny to get it by her hard work. |
| A．She promised to work on the housework hard. |
| B．She was lucky to have her birthday coming near. |
| C．She went out with her mother to run errands. |
| D．She got supported from her grandma with a dollar bill. |
| A．She was disappointed that her father always asked for her necklace. |
| B．She was struggling in her mind about the decision to make. |
| C．She was pleased to give the necklace to her father. |
| D．She was unwilling to exchange her necklace for the real one. |
| A．Her father's request. | B．Her father's tolerance. |
| C．Her father's real necklace. | D．Her father's love. |
【推荐1】I recently received a statement regarding a credit card I never use. I opened the statement and noticed a charge for $1,175. As I have never had the pleasure of visiting Saskatchewan, Canada, I called the bank to report it.
“We are experiencing more calls than usual. Please stay on the line ...” What then followed was about an hour of repetitive music. I decided to call again from my mobile phone and chose the “lost or stolen card” department, while keeping my place for the fraud (欺诈) department open on my landline (座机). After half an hour, I got through to a customer service clerk (职员) called Marlene. She told me she had to ask me some verifying (验证性的) questions. My date of birth. I passed. Next, she asked how many accounts I had in this bank. I guessed one and passed. Then came the kicker, “When did you last use it?” I said, “Ages ago.” She replied, “The system does not accept this answer. You are locked out.”
I continued to wait on my other line for almost three hours until a clerk called John came on. I told him about the charge, and he asked whether anybody else had access to my credit card. I told him not to my knowledge. In addition to never having set foot in Saskatchewan, I was not even sure how to spell it. After a brief post- midnight chat, he noted the charge would be removed.
Two days later, I received a survey asking me how I enjoyed this telephone experience, whether I was okay with a bank clerk getting in touch with me and whether I would recommend this bank to my friends. I answered of course. I was just dying to say to them, “Your call is important to me. Here’s some music you can listen to while I cycle around my neighborhood.”
1. What happened to the author recently?
| A．He lost something on a flight to Moose Jaw. | B．He was informed of an unrecognized charge. |
| C．He spent much money on his Saskatchewan tour. | D．He slept badly during his stay in the Antler Motel. |
| A．He refused to provide his personal information. |
| B．He couldn’t answer one question to prove himself. |
| C．He made too many mistakes when using the system. |
| D．He couldn’t enter the right password for his credit card. |
| A．He was moved by John’s words. | B．He got a chance to visit Saskatchewan. |
| C．His complaint was properly dealt with. | D．His lost credit card was found eventually. |
| A．It was valuable. | B．It was enjoyable. |
| C．It tested his patience. | D．It helped him get a new skill. |
【推荐2】Hummingbirds (蜂鸟) are a very important part of Mexico’s ecosystem, but because of the ever-spreading city landscape, they face all sorts of serious dangers. That’s where 73-year-old Catia Lattouf de Arida comes in. As a self-taught hummingbird care-taker, she devotes most of her free time and resources to nursing the tiny birds back to health. Her home in Mexico City has become known as a hummingbird hospital.
Catia’s story as a hummingbird nurse began in 2011, at a very difficult moment in her life. At that time, she focused on her battle with cancer and fell into a depression (抑郁). She was walking on the street one day when she noticed a hummingbird that had suffered a serious eye injury. The kindhearted woman took it home and named it Gucci. She managed to nurse Gucci back to health, but she said it was Gucci that saved her. Why? Because the hummingbird managed to pull her out of the sadness and loneliness that had taken over her life.
Word of her success spread among Catia’s friends, and before long some of them began bringing her injured hummingbirds. She didn’t repulse them at all. She began to study the bird and their habits in order to better take care of them, and after 11 years of experience, the 73-year-old woman is considered an expert on hummingbirds.
In order to raise awareness of the difficult situation of hummingbirds in Mexico, Catia Lattouf de Arida started posting videos of the patients in her Mexico City apartment on social media, and many of them became popular. That’s when the need for her nursing services really blew up. She has cared for hundreds of hummingbirds in her 11-year career, when she has had as many as 50 of them in her apartment at any one time. She spends pretty much all her time looking after the tiny birds.
1. What does Catia do with hummingbirds?| A．She comes in the ever-spreading city landscape. |
| B．She takes up a nurse to treat hummingbirds. |
| C．She is busy looking after the hummingbirds. |
| D．She sets up a hummingbird hospital in Mexico City. |
| A．It is better to give than to take. |
| B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．Helping others is helping ourselves. |
| D．A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. |
| A．Refuse. | B．Expect. | C．Accept. | D．Recognize. |
| A．When her friends heard about her success. |
| B．When she was considered as a bird expert. |
| C．After she looked after a large number of the birds. |
| D．After she shared the birds’ videos on the media. |
| A．honest and kind | B．caring and responsible |
| C．devoted and strict | D．generous and creative |
Henry was always interested in machines. He enjoyed fixing clocks.And he helped repair farm equipment. When Henry was sixteen years old, he left the family farm and went to Detroit to learn more about machines. Henry used what he learned from work to develop engines. In 1903, he was ready to start building cars for the public. On July 15th, 1903, a man named Doctor Pfenning bought the first car from the Ford Motor Company.
The sale to Doctor Pfenning was the beginning of a huge number of requests for Ford cars.By the end of March, 1904, almost 600 Ford cars had been sold. At the start of 1905, the Ford Motor Company was producing 25 cars each day.
Henry Ford was sure the future of the automobile industry was in a low-priced car for the general public. He said then, and many times after,“I want to make a car that anybody can buy.”
In 1907, Henry Ford said: "I will build a motor car for the great mass of people. 1t will be large enough for the family, but small enough for one person to operate and care for. It will be built of the best materials. It will be built by the best men to be employed. And it will be built with the simplest plans that modern engineering can produce. It will be so low in price that no man making good money will be unable to own one.
1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Henry Ford was born in the city of Detroit. |
| B．Doctor Pfenning developed the first car. |
| C．The Ford Motor Company was founded in 1905. |
| D．Ford aimed to build cars for the general public. |
| A．No one was making good money in the 1900s. |
| B．The Ford cars will be at low prices. |
| C．Henry Ford had made much money. |
| D．Nobody will own a Ford car in the future. |
【推荐1】A thief entered the bedroom of the 30th President of the United States, who met him and helped him escape punishment.
The event happened in the early rooming hours in one of the first days when Calvin Coolidge came into power, late in August, 1923. He and his family were living in the same thirdfloor suite (套房) at the Willard Hotel in Washington that they had occupied several years before. The former President's wife was still living in the White House.
Coolidge awoke to see a stranger go through his clothes, remove a wallet and a watch chain.
Coolidge spoke, “I wish you wouldn't take that.”
The thief, gaining his voice, said, “Why？”
“I don't mean the watch and chain, only the charm (表坠). Take it near the window and read what is impressed on its back.” the President said.
The thief read, “Presented to Calvin Coolidge.”
“Are you President Coolidge？” he asked.
The President answered, “Yes, and the House of Representatives (众议院) gave me that watch charm. I'm fond of it. It would do you no good. You want money. Let's talk this over.”
Holding up the wallet, the young man said in a low voice, “I'll take this and leave everything else.”
Coolidge, knowing there was $80 in it, persuaded the young man to sit down and talk. He told the President he and his college roommate had overspent during their holiday and did not have enough money to pay their hotel bill.
Coolidge decided to offer the man and his roommate two rail tickets back to the college. Then he counted out $32 and said it was a loan (借款)．
He then told the young man, “There is a guard in the corridor.” The young man nodded and left through the same window as he had entered.
1. Why did Calvin Coolidge live at the Willard Hotel in those days?| A．Because the former President was still living in the White House. |
| B．Because the former First Lady hadn't left the White House. |
| C．Because the First Lady liked to live there. |
| D．Because he liked there. |
| A．by air | B．by water |
| C．by bus | D．by train |
| A．Considerate. | B．Kind. |
| C．Generous. | D．Selfish. |
| A．The young student repaid the $32. |
| B．The thief was put into prison. |
| C．The President told many reporters the thief's name. |
| D．The President ordered the young man to repay the money. |
This year, my boys will be in two different states on Mother's Day. My mom and dad will be away together, and I'll be driving home from a writer's workshop in Massachusetts. Thinking of the fact that many friends have already lost their mothers and that a few have lost children, I am deeply grateful that what separates us, for now at least, is only distance. It won't always be so, and there is no way to prepare for that fact other than to appreciate the moment that is. My sons know that they can please me on Sunday with a phone call or an e-mail, and that is enough as I love their words. The very best gift they can possibly give me is their own happiness, the very fact of their busy, full and well-lived lives.
Still, knowing that my years of staying with my sons are over, I do feel doleful. The truth is, I miss being the center of the universe to two little boys. And this holiday can be a bit painful.
I wonder if my own mother ever felt nostalgic (怀旧的，乡愁的) for the passing of my childhood. I wonder if she realizes that she is still at the center of my universe and always has been. I don't often pause to think about it, but of course she is the one who has been right there, at my side from the moment I drew my very first breath. How to ever fully appreciate the woman whose presence and love and example have shaped me into the adult I am? How to describe even a small part of the sharing, sacrificing, and support she has given me over the years?
1. The author mainly wants to tell us through the first paragraph that_______.
| A．she hopes to get her son's letters very much |
| B．her sons don't often write to her on Mother's Day |
| C．Mother's Day is the very date that she looks forward to most |
| D．Children are often careless about their parents’ request (请求). |
| A．her sons don't live far away from her home |
| B．her parents and children are still alive |
| C．her parents are coming to her house to spend Mother's Day |
| D．her sons can please her on Sunday with a phone call |
| A．sad | B．disappointed |
| C．exhausted | D．amused |
| A．She'll tell the reader about her mother's present situation. |
| B．She'll describe the reunion of her family on Mother's Day. |
| C．She'll talk about how her mother educated and cared for her. |
| D．She'll tell the reader about her mother's achievements in her career. |
【推荐3】Nikenson's dad died when he was 3, and his mom often couldn't afford his school fees, so he got kicked out of school sometimes. But Nickenson would steal back onto the school grounds and stand outside the open classroom windows to listen, day after day. He studied on his own, keeping pace so that when his mom earned a rew aoliars, he cloud enter the classroom again.
Against all difficulties，Nikenson graduated from high school this year, first in his class, with straight A's,and was electea class president. Nikenson is a reminder of the basic saying of life today:gift is universal, but opportunity is not.
Luckily, with the help of some American people Nikenson is now receiving a university education.He 's benefiting from a program started by Bohan, a young American who is teaching in a Haitian high school. Bohan asked his family and friends to help other Haitians go to college. The progran grew and became the Haitian Education and Leadership Program,HELP, sending hundreds of young men andwomen to Haitian universities.
"Education works." Bohan said simply."Good education works for everybody, everywhere. Itworks for you, for me, and it works for Haitians. Over time, I've concluded that education may be thesingle best way to help themselves, whether in America or abroad. Yet, we don't put enough money ineducation. So we shall express our thanks to those who spread the gift of education."
One clever new high school graduate, Eric, was working as a worker in a village and earning just $50 a month. HELP sent him to college to study industrial engineering, and he just graduated and found a job at a European company as an engineer for $1, 500 a month."The only difference is his access to education." said Bohan.
1. Why was Nikenson not allowed to enter the classroom sometimes?| A．Because his father died at an early age. |
| B．Because he often stole something in the school. |
| C．Because his family was too poor to afford school fees. |
| D．Because he liked standing outside the classroom windows. |
| A．To collect money for poor Americans. |
| B．To build more high schools in Haiti. |
| C．To send poor students to study abroad. |
| D．To help Haitians receive university education. |
| A．Everyone should work for good education. |
| B．Education can make a big difference to one's life. |
| C．More people willspreadsthe gift of education soon. |
| D．Eric ought to be one of the HELP's members. |
