Our house was across the street from a hospital. We rented the upstairs rooms to outpatients at the clinic. One summer evening as I was preparing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man hardly taller than my eight-year-old daughter.
But the frightening thing was his swollen face. He told me that he’d been hunting for a room since noon but no one seemed to have a room. For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: “I could sleep on the porch (门廊). My bus leaves early in the morning.”
I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked him to join us. “No, thank you. I have plenty.” And he held up a brown paper bag. When I had finished the dishes, I went out to talk with him for a few minutes.
He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, who was hopelessly disabled, and her five children. He didn’t tell it by way of complaint; in fact, he was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease. He thanked life for giving him the strength to keep going.
At bedtime, we put a small camp bed in the children’s room for him. When I got up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and the little man was out on the porch. He refused breakfast, but just before he left, he smiled, “Your children made me feel at home. Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don’t seem to mind.” I told him he was welcome to come again.
In the years he came to stay overnight with us there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or vegetables. Other times we received packages. Knowing that he must walk three miles to mail these, and knowing how little money he had made the gifts more precious. I know our family always will be grateful to have known him; from him we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude.
1. What led to the old man’s failure to get a room before?| A．His ugly appearance. | B．His fishing job. |
| C．His disabled daughter. | D．His lack of money. |
| A．He often took his daughter to hospital. |
| B．He suffered great pain due to his disease. |
| C．He took great trouble to send the author gifts. |
| D．He often came to offer the author help from then on. |
| A．A precious gift. | B．A caring family. |
| C．A generous fisherman. | D．An unspoken complaint. |
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【推荐1】My dad doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would bake great bread, but he is and he does. Every Saturday he produces homemade bread. When he’s done, the whole house smells delicious.
The shop where Dad works doesn’t have enough work, so he’s under pressure. I think Dad bakes bread to help him relax.
Now I’ve been feeling kind of stressed out myself since I found out I didn’t make the school swim team. I think Dad knew I was feeling bad. Last Saturday he asked me how things were going. I said OK, even though I didn’t feel OK at all. He looked at me for a moment, and then he said it was time for me to help. Then he headed to the kitchen.
I followed right behind him. Once we were there, Dad took out his big mixing bowl, handed me a large wooden spoon, and told me to mix while he added the ingredients (烹饪原料). Dad isn’t big on measuring, but he knows how much of each ingredient to use, and the bread always turns out great.
Dad showed me how to knead the dough (揉面团). Next came the most difficult part — doing nothing. We put the dough back into the bowl and then we waited for more than an hour for the dough to slowly rise and double in size. Next, we divided it into two and waited for it to rise again.
Dad said the waiting is always the hardest part. “It’s hard to resist (抵制) putting the dough directly into the oven (烤箱), but if you do, the bread will be hard. The most important lesson of all is learning to be patient.” Dad taught me more than how to bake bread.
1. What can we learn about the author’s father?| A．He is living a relaxing life. | B．He tries his best to support his family. |
| C．He has his own way to reduce pressure. | D．He is more like a baker than a worker. |
| A．School isn’t going well. | B．She dislikes making bread. |
| C．She feels sorry for her father. | D．Some classes aren’t worth it. |
| A．Dad is skilled at measuring. | B．Dad dislikes measuring. |
| C．Dad is crazy for measuring. | D．Dad is careless about measuring. |
| A．Never give up. | B．Enjoy time with family. |
| C．Believe in yourself. | D．Take life easily. |
【推荐2】A few years ago, a friend sent me a restaurant gift card for Christmas, and I picked a pretty, sunny Sunday afternoon to use it. It felt good taking my two grown sons and daughter to a nice sit-down restaurant instead of the fast food places we usually ate at. The meal was delicious, and we all had a good time just being together. The gift card covered almost all of the check. I reached into my wallet to get enough cash to cover the rest. I saw two bills in the front of it. The first would cover the rest of the check. The second would cover the check and give the waitress a nice tip. I reached down to pick out the first one.
At that moment, my mind flashed back to 30 years ago. I was working as a busboy (餐厅勤杂工) in a restaurant much like the one we were in. It was long hours of hard work for low pay. I went home just barely making enough to feed my young family. I also remembered how more than once I saw the waitresses counting their small tips while worrying about how they were going to pay the rent and buy their kids the things they needed. I remembered the pain in their eyes and saw the sadness in their faces at the end of the day.
I blinked (眨眼睛) and was back in the present again, with my fingers touching the smaller bill in my wallet. I smiled, pushed it back down and picked out the larger bill. I folded it around the gift card and covered both of them with the check. As we all got up from the table, I handed them to the hardworking waitress. “You keep the change,” I said with a smile and a happy heart.
We are all one family in this world. We live together and suffer together. Do your best to be kind. Do your best to be a good person and replace the suffering with joy.
1. What do we know from the first paragraph?| A．The author’s family had a hard life. |
| B．The gift card was enough to pay the check. |
| C．The author seldom ate together with his family. |
| D．The author values spending time with his children. |
| A．describe struggles he faced in the past | B．complain about his job at the restaurant |
| C．explain why he chose the larger bill | D．show how hard waiters work |
| A．Moved. | B．Pleased. | C．Puzzled. | D．Concerned. |
| A．To tell people to be kind. |
| B．To remind us not to forget our hard days. |
| C．To stress the importance of tipping servers. |
| D．To show that we should thank friends and family. |
| A．Tipping: a kind tradition |
| B．Helping hand for servers |
| C．Working as a busboy |
| D．Kindness makes the world go around |
【推荐3】There were once two brothers who lived on the 80th level. On coming home one day, they realized that the lift wasn’t working and that the only choice was the stairway.
By the time they reached the 20th floor, they were breathing quickly and tired, so they decided to abandon their bags and come back for them the next day. When they struggled to the 40th floor, the younger brother started to complain and both of them began to quarrel all the way to the 60th floor. They then realized that they had only 20 more floors to climb, and decided to stop quarreling and continued climbing in peace. They silently climbed on and arrived home at last. Both of them stood calmly in front of the door. After a short rest, they suddenly realized that the key was in their bags which were left on the 20th floor.
This story is a reflection of our lives. Many of us live under the high expectations of our parents, teachers, and friends. We seldom get to the things we really like and love and we are under so much pressure and stress that by the age of 20, we get tired and decide to lighten the load.
Being free of the pressure and stress, we work enthusiastically and have high hopes. But by the time we’re 40 years old, we start to lose our dreams. We begin to feel unsatisfied and start to complain and criticize. Reaching 60, we realize that we have little left for complaining any more and we began to walk the final stage in peace and calmness. We think that there is nothing left to disappoint us, only to realize that we could not rest in peace because we still have unrealized dream—a dream we gave up 60 years ago.
1. What happened to the two brothers that day?| A．They were trapped in the lift. | B．They lost their bags in the lift. |
| C．They locked their key in the room. | D．They had to climb the stairs home. |
| A．Upset. | B．Inspired. | C．Pleased. | D．Anxious. |
| A．the expectations of people around us |
| B．the heavy burden of our social responsibility |
| C．our great desire for success |
| D．our anxieties about getting older |
| A．Make careful plans, avoid getting into trouble. |
| B．Follow your dreams, and never live with regrets. |
| C．Calm down and live a peaceful life. |
| D．Be free of stress and pressure, enjoy life. |
【推荐1】The first time I went for a walk around my father-in-law’s neighbourhood in America was Garbage Day, and I was shocked to see what people were throwing out.
It was back in 1981, and I saw many people gather in someone’s front yard. As I went nearer to see what was happening, I got my first introduction to yard sales. For the few dollars I had in my wallet, I was able to buy a seven-inch black-and-white portable TV. I also bought a flashlight.
The following weekend, at another yard sale, I saw a 14-inch colour TV being sold for almost nothing. I felt I could not miss the offer and bought it. Now I had two sets and couldn’t wait to see what else I could afford the next weekend.
Spring ended, and by then I had accumulated almost every type of electronic equipment I had always wished to have back home.
Then this new idea came to mind. I had heard about a man who travelled back home every few months. He drove a truck filled with boxes of new and used stuff that people were sending to relatives. So I told my father that I would send as many types of items as I could so that he could start his resale business.
Every few months I would gather several boxes of American “junk” televisions, toasters, fans, hair dryers, etc. and sent them home. As word got out about my father’s “trash” market, people all came to buy these things.
Three years later, when I visited my family for the first time since leaving home, I learned that many of the families in our neighborhood had a piece of “trash”. It proved that I had the responsibility to keep people back home in Guatemala up to date with the latest technology you no longer need.
1. According to the text, a yard sale is a place where people ________.| A．sell their front yards at a low price |
| B．sell unwanted things in their own yards |
| C．gather in someone’s yard to enjoy things |
| D．throw away their trash in someone’s yard |
| A．the second TV set was bigger |
| B．the second TV set was a colour TV |
| C．the second TV set was very cheap |
| D．he wanted two TV sets very much |
| A．He thought they were valuable. |
| B．He thought they were not worth buying. |
| C．He was not surprised to see them thrown away. |
| D．He thought he could sell them for a good price. |
| A．the author comes from a poor place |
| B．the author often goes home to sell the “junk” |
| C．the author buys the “junk” only to make profits |
| D．the “junk” is not welcomed in the author’s hometown |
【推荐2】At a building in the Havana informal settlement(定居点)of Windhoek, capital of Namibia, children are drawing images of perfect scenes of society that reflect their wishes.“This is a poster of a lady. I used an old magazine and a used box, and then colored it.I like drawing beautiful ladies, imagining a world where society protects women,”13-year-old Lavinia Tobias says as she explains her drawing.
Tobias is one of the 40 children at the Frans Nambinga Art Training School in Windhoek. The school, which started in 2018, teaches art techniques.“We offer performing and visual arts classes to people in the community to develop talent and avoid kids being pushed into illegal activities on the streets,”says Frans Nambinga, the school founder.
The school combines art education with culture in the form of history, dance and food to spread traditions across generations. It has given a chance to feed the dreams of young people, with many keen to make art their life-long career.
Tobias, who started the program at age 6, says it had become her escape.“I feel safer here rather than being on the street. Art allows me to dream and share my artistic passion with friends and neighbours. I hope to go far with it, even to China or America, to show my art works and learn from others,”Tobias says.
What is more,the activities at the art school have an effect on improved academic performance in formal schools,especially in art subjects.“We received feedback that school-going children develop a different way of thinking and exhibit more confidence in presentation,”Nambinga says.
1. What do the drawings by the children in the settlement show?| A．Their activities in the school. |
| B．Their difficulties in learning. |
| C．Their expectations of the world. |
| D．Their realistic view about women. |
| A．To encourage kids to be masters in art. |
| B．To provide solutions to illegal activities. |
| C．To create a better future for the children. |
| D．To teach children to appreciate art works. |
| A．They make a living by creating art. |
| B．They get significant personal growth. |
| C．They like to show off in front of others. |
| D．They have many chances to study abroad. |
【推荐3】LaKeicee was trying to plan a party, but Jaxson hadn’t made up his mind on how he wanted to celebrate. “Tell me what you want to do for your birthday,” LaKeicee said as his son’s birthday approached. She remembered her son looking at her for a moment before saying, “Let’s feed the homeless.” She thought he meant that he wanted to donate cans, or spend a day volunteering at a soup kitchen. But Jaxson had something bigger in mind.
“They need a full Easter meal like we do,” he said. LaKeicee asked him how many people he wanted to feed. “As many as possible,” Jaxson replied. “That’s how it all began,” LaKeicee recalled. “He’s been going ever since.”
Jaxson Turner, now 13, is the founder of his own charity—N2Y2C, a nonprofit he has been running with his mother’s help for three years. He has four main projects: feeding the homeless, domestic violence awareness, back to school supplies for classmates in need, and a Christmas project in partnership with Samaritan Inn.
Jaxson’s inspiration came from seeing people on corners begging for food. He saw it throughout the city and realized that people in need were everywhere. He also grew up cooking with his mother, who made a big Sunday dinner every week, and he wanted to give that experience to other people.
Jaxson raised money through grassroots efforts like lemonade stands and GoFundMe pages. Some of it was used to buy school supplies for over 100 kids a year, and some was used for a Christmas party he threw for the kids staying at Samaritan Inn, a homeless shelter in McKinney.
In total, he has raised $72,444 for N2Y2C project. N2Y2C doesn’t have a website, but it’s coming. Most of the words are spread over social media, but Jaxson has big plans for the future. As LaKeicee says, there’s always someone out there who needs help, and she is honored to help her son do it.
1. What did Jaxson want for his 10th birthday?| A．Holding a party |
| B．Supplying the homeless with food |
| C．Donating cans |
| D．Volunteering at a soup kitchen |
| A．The desire to care for the beggars |
| B．The need to set up a website |
| C．The demand for raising money |
| D．The thirst for partners |
| A．It makes great profits |
| B．It is intended for stay-at-home children |
| C．It turns out to be a success |
| D．It gains popularity among the young |
| A．Hard Work Pays Off |
| B．Never Too Young to Care |
| C．One Good Turn Deserves Another |
| D．A Good Heart Is Better Than a Noble Position |
【推荐1】Over the summer, one of my teenage son’s high school classmates lived in a remote country place where she lacked reliable Internet and phone service. Because it was hard to call or text his friend or reach her on social media, Will tried to sit down and write a letter once a week.
When Will asked for materials to get started, I struggled to remember where we stored the paper and envelopes. Once we fished the essentials from a shelf and Will hiked to the post office for stamps, which required us to recall just where the nearest post office was, he settled into a spot near the living room window. That was his letter corner, where I’d routinely spot a 21st-century adolescent with a sheet of paper on his lap, writing away.
Later, I asked him if writing a letter felt any different from writing an email, text, or post. “What I’m learning,” he said, “is that you don’t want to write about the news in a letter. By the time the letter gets where it’s going, the news has moved on.”
Given the endless change of current events, a letter about the latest political mistakes or Hollywood news would become outdated. To really succeed, a proper letter must push both the writer and the reader beneath the current of the headlines, into the depth of life, personal thoughts and private dreams.
Virginia Woolf, who died in 1941, worried in her own time that “as communication became cheaper and easier, people would think less about what they were trying to say, giving up the ideal(典范) of letters that were encouragements to careful composition, to the finishing of sentences and the arts of the writing master”.
I’m not giving up my smartphone and laptop, and I’d be lost without the convenience of connecting with others each day with them. But my 17-year-old reminded me that in an age of instant communication, mail still has its good values.
1. Why did Will write a letter once a week?| A．To experience the joy of writing. | B．To improve his writing skills. |
| C．To keep in touch with his friend. | D．To spread news to others secretly. |
| A．The writer helped mail the letters. | B．The writer does little letter writing. |
| C．The writer got everything ready for Will. | D．The writer made a letter corner for Will. |
| A．Current events happen every day. | B．Writing letters is really out of date. |
| C．News spreads slowly through letters. | D．Something thoughtful should be written. |
| A．People would communicate causally. | B．People would quit their pursuit of ideals. |
| C．People would lose the art of writing. | D．People would treat writing as an easy thing. |
【推荐2】Spending roughly a decade preparing for her 2023 book Alive: Like Light and Salt, writer Liao Zhi has taken a creative journey with her memories of surviving the disastrous Wenchuan earthquake. The then 23-year-old dance teacher was rescued from a collapsed building, but suffered the loss of her legs and her child.
Selected from Liao’s diary entries, the six-chapter book touches upon topics like “finding one’s true self” and “relationships”, revealing how the writer dealt with pain to set career goals and find the courage to become a parent once again.
The writer said her desire for life seemed to have been strengthened by the near-death experience and that may be why she took only less than a year to get back on track again. Swimming, running marathon and taking part in charity dance performances were only a part of Liao’s daily agenda that helped her see the light again.
Alive: Like Light and Salt is not all about dealing with difficulties. Liao has devoted several chapters to topics like “becoming a communication expert in close relationships” and sharing her thoughts on love.
Liao met Charles Wang, a prosthesis(假肢) engineer, when she was getting her new artificial legs. Although she was hesitant about getting remarried, Wang assured her that she was the one, even telling his parents that “I’ll never again meet such a good girl.”
“Her life-loving nature, her health y mind-set toward her disability and also her willingness to speak up for people with the same experiences as herself, such things let me see a different side of life. I’ve been deeply touched by her,” said Liao’s mother-in-law.
Liao set up the Home of Chenxing, a rehabilitation(康复) studio in Chongqing for disabled people in 2019, and has now helped over 100 people walk again with artificial limbs(肢). She’s also a leader of a charity group called “Seeing and Change”. “Society needs to be educated to see this particular group of people. We represent a part of society’s value,” Liao noted.
1. What do we know about the book Alive: Like Light and Salt?| A．It’s mainly intended for earthquake survivors. | B．It’s inspired by her husband encouragement. |
| C．It’s focused on ways to handle difficulties. | D．It’s based on the author’s life experiences. |
| A．It helped her see the hope of life. | B．It pushed her to start a studio. |
| C．It urged her to write many books. | D．It enabled her to walk again. |
| A．To introduce Liao’s achievements. | B．To confirm Liao’s good qualities. |
| C．To think highly of Liao’s marriage. | D．To ask people to experience life. |
| A．Charity should be made international. |
| B．The disabled create more social values. |
| C．Liao is devoted to helping the physically disabled. |
| D．Society owes an apology to the particular group. |
【推荐3】That summer I turned 16, my father gave me a car, which permitted Hannah and me to drive around Tucson whenever we wanted to.
Hannah was my best friend. "Hannah's amazing," my mother would always say. And sure enough, that summer she signed with a modeling agency. She was already doing runway work.
One day, Hannah and I went to the movies. On the way home, we stopped at the McDonald's drive-through, putting the fries on the seat between us to share. "Let's ride around for a while," I said. It was a clear night and moonlight shone over the desert. Taking a turn too fast, I hit a patch of dirt and fishtailed.
French fries on the floor. An impossible amount of blood on Hannah's face. People took us in separate ambulances. In the emergency room, my parents spoke quietly: Best plastic surgeon in the city. End of her modeling career.
We'd been wearing lap belts, but the car didn't have shoulder hamesses. I'd cracked my cheekbone; Hannah's forehead had split wide open. What would I say to her?
When her mother, Sharon, came into my hospital room, I started to cry, bracing myself for her anger. She sat beside me and took my hand. "I almost ended my best friend when I was at your age," she said. "I totaled her car and mine."
"I'm so sorry," I said.
"You're both alive," she said. "The rest is window dressing." I started to protest, and Sharon stopped me. "I forgive you. Hannah will too."
"Sharon's forgiveness allowed Hannah and me to stay friends throughout our life. I think of her gift of forgiveness every time I want to resent someone for a perceived wrong. And whenever I see Hannah, the scars are a symbol of grace for me.
1. What caused the car accident?| A．Poor visibility. | B．Driving too fast. |
| C．Hitting a patch of dirt. | D．Not staying focused. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Generous. |
| C．Optimistic. | D．Helpful. |
| A．It worsened Hannah and the author's friendship . |
| B．It made both of Hannah and the author disabled. |
| C．It changed Hannah's working career . |
| D．It ruined the author's confidence in driving. |
| A．Lucky Survival | B．Lifelong Friendship |
| C．My Best Friend Hannah | D．Learning to Forgive |
