I never saw my father back home from work late or ill, nor did I ever see my father take a night out with the boys. He had no hobbies but just took care of his family.
For 22 years, since I left home for college, my father called me every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. He was always interested in my life — how my family was doing. The calls even came when he and my mother were in Australia, England or Florida.
Nine years ago when I bought my first house, my father, 67 years old, spent eight hours a day for three days, painting my house. He would not allow me to pay someone to have it done. All he asked was a glass of iced tea, and that I hold a paintbrush for him and talk to him. But I was too busy, for I had a law practice to run, and I could not take the time to hold the paintbrush, or talk to my father.
Five years ago, my 71-year-old father spent five hours putting together a swing set (秋千) for my daughter. Again, all he asked was that I get him a glass of iced tea, and talk to him. But again, I had the laundry to do, and the house to clean.
The morning on Sunday, January 15, 1995, my father telephoned me as usual, this time he had seemed to have forgotten some things we had discussed the week before. I had to go to church, and I cut the conversation short.
The call came at 4:40 p.m. That day my father was sent to hospital in Florida. I got on a plane immediately, and I vowed (发誓) that when I arrived, I would make up for the lost time, and have a nice long talk with him and really get to know him.
I arrived in Florida at 1:00 a.m., but my father had passed away at 9:12 p.m. This time it was he who did not have time to talk, or time to wait for me.
In the years since his death I have learnt much about my father, and even more about every single day.
1. We know from the reading that the father ________.| A．liked to paint houses |
| B．had no friends around him |
| C．was not healthy in his youth |
| D．thought of his family as his all |
| A．could only afford a glass of iced tea |
| B．was too busy to talk to her father |
| C．could do nothing but hold a paintbrush |
| D．spent eight hours a day working with her father |
| A．Painting Houses | B．Daughter’s Family |
| C．Father and I | D．Father’s phone calls |
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【推荐1】June 18 is the birthday of my late sister, Tanya. She would have been 49 years old this year, but that’s increasingly difficult for me to imagine. She is frozen in time at 37.
Tanya died more than a decade ago and the wound left by her loss has healed into a scar (伤疤). It's a big scar. You can’t know me for very long without discovering my scar. Trust me; if you haven’t found it on your own, I will point it out to you. I want you all to know that she existed, and that she mattered.
When we first lose a loved one, we ask, “How will I live without you?” and wounds are open and weeping. We don’t know how we’ll cope with the pain. But then the wounds form scars, and we learn to live with our new skins. “How can I remember you?” we ask.
So many people are hesitant to talk about my sister. It is as though mentioning her will remind me that she is dead, and upset my balance when I am so happy. But I never forget my sister, not for a moment.
And so I love it when people mention Tanya’s name. Sometimes I come across one of her friends, and they casually bring up a memory, and it is like a gift.
So if you have friends who have lost loved ones, please don’t avoid talking about their loved one.
You won’t remind them of their loss, because it is always there. They haven’t forgotten their scar. They just don’t point it out to you.
Instead, try to reassure (使安心) them that their loved one is not forgotten. Ask questions about the deceased (逝去的) person’s life. Keep them alive in the only way you can after a person is gone, with your words and your memories.
I love hearing from friends on my sister’s birthday. It makes her present, despite her absence. It reminds us all that she was here. She walked this earth. She was loved, and she mattered. And on June 18, I embrace (欣然接受) my scar.
1. What does “it” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．The death of the author’s sister. |
| B．The birthday of the author’s sister. |
| C．The “scar” in the author’s heart. |
| D．The author’s love for her sister. |
| A．She becomes upset about it. |
| B．She worries that she must defend her sister. |
| C．She doesn’t know how to deal with it. |
| D．She is happy to be reminded of her sister. |
| A．Avoid talking about the person who died. |
| B．Keep them company as long as you can. |
| C．Help them to forget their painful scars. |
| D．Talk with them about the person who died. |
| A．Forget Your Loved One |
| B．Embrace Your Scar |
| C．Avoid Talking About Your Scar |
| D．Accept the Truth |
【推荐2】It was not turning out to be the great fishing trip we had imagined. It certainly was not the one Father had promised. All day the rain beat against the roof of our cabin.
Father sat at the window, looking out over the lake. My older brother Jeremy, who had recently turned sixteen years old, lay on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. I paced the room, occasionally glancing toward Father to see if there was any sign that the rain would let up.
“I wish we’d never come out to this boring place,” Jeremy said.
I stopped pacing and looked at Father. He gave no sign that he had heard, and I hoped he hadn’t. This trip meant a lot to him. He used to come out here with own father.
I started pacing again.
“I mean, if we’d stayed home, at least I could watch TV, go out with my friends or play my guitar,” Jeremy continued.
Silence continued for some time. I kept pacing, imagining the trip I had dreamed of before the bad weather had set in. I saw us in the boat, anchor dropped in a calm bay casting our lines toward shore, the way Father had described it when he was trying to convince Jeremy to come along.
Father stood up and turned to face us. He smiled at me. “Come on, get up, Jeremy,” he said. “Let’s go fishing, boys.” He picked up his fishing rod and the tool box, opened the door, and walked out into the rain.
Jeremy and I watched Father walk down the pathway toward the dock (码头)，the wind whipping (打) at his hair,the rain wetting his clothes. Jeremy shook his head. “He's crazy if he thinks I’m going with him,” he said. “Maybe I would have when I was a little kid, but not now,” he said.
I waited for a while, unsure of what to do, looking out the open door at Father, who was walking onto the dock, facing against the storm. Jeremy couldn’t believe I picked up my rod and walked out into the storm after Father. I couldn’t quite hear what Jeremy said because of the wind in my ears, but I heard his footsteps behind me as he began to follow me out to the boat.
1. What does the underlined phrase “let up” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Stop. | B．Continue. | C．Hit. | D．Arrive. |
| A．He had never fished in the rain. |
| B．It’s his son Jeremy’s first fishing trip. |
| C．He and his own father usually went fishing there. |
| D．He wanted to have a better relationship with his sons. |
| A．He doesn’t enjoy fishing. |
| B．He dislikes outdoor activities. |
| C．He is addicted to playing the guitar. |
| D．He showed no interest in the fishing trip. |
| A．To express the fondness for a particular day. |
| B．To describe a fishing experience in the rain. |
| C．To reflect on the old family tradition of fishing. |
| D．To recall the generation gap between father and brother. |
【推荐3】Following Christmas dinner, my family was relaxing around the table. We had all enjoyed traditional turkey and sweet potatoes lightly shining with brown sugar. The good cooking smells still filled the air; and the oven remained warm. My sister, our chef, was enjoying the admiration.
My nephew, never one to sit still for long, began dribbling (运球) his basketball around the table. Upon nearing Dad, he stopped — almost uncertainly. With shaking wrinkled hands, Dad had reached out for the ball. The boy, confused, looked up and over at us.
I watched my father closely to see what he would do. The twinkle in his eyes shone brighter than any Christmas lights. Holding the ball and reaching forward with a playful smile, Dad bounced it and then caught it.
This action was repeated. Gently throwing the ball away, Dad began a game of catch. The ball continued to be passed through eager pairs of outstretched hands. Cries of “Over here!” rang through the warm kitchen. Dad’s active participation was remarkable to me, for he had advanced Alzheimer’s disease, which had robbed him of many memories and the recognition ability. Despite this, Dad clearly recognized the ball and what you could do with it.
In my younger years, playing with Dad was rare. To his credit, Dad worked hard and provided for us. He was very private and never showed nor shared much emotion; his game of choice was chess, which he did eventually teach me how to play. As an adult, I had become a caregiver as Dad declined. Connecting moments between father and son had been few and far between before he took the basketball.
I’m not sure how long we played catch. What I do know is that our game ended all too soon, and it was time to face the reality of dirty dishes piled high on countertops. The moment, though, will certainly last forever.
1. What can we know about the family’s Christmas dinner?| A．Dishes were cleaned up. | B．All food was sugar-free. |
| C．It was a sweet moment. | D．It was disturbed by the game. |
| A．He rarely played basketball. | B．He had severe Alzheimer’s disease. |
| C．He had astonishing skills. | D．He played with family members. |
| A．He often accompanied kids. | B．He was willing to share feelings. |
| C．He forced kids to learn chess. | D．He seldom interacted with kids. |
| A．A game of catch | B．A devoted father |
| C．A dinner of reunion | D．A bond between father and son |
【推荐1】I was deeply moved by the kindness of an elderly flower seller at Sydney’s Central Station one evening.
I was feeling as cold as the winter winds quickening the steps of the people who buried chins (下巴) in scarves and hands deep into coat pockets. In many ways, 2018 had proven an arduous year. My teenage daughter had left home for university, my job of 23 years was no more, and a creative project I’d given my all to for years had also been suddenly called off. I also found out a person I considered a friend was far from it.
A year earlier, I’d dreamt about an earthquake. In the dream, a red light flashed inside a building and then the earth began to rock. Walls fell down on me as I ran into the open, feeling sorry for the people I hadn’t loved enough. Before I was buried completely by the falling world, I shouted, “Abuelo, ayúdame!” in my native Spanish, “Grandfather, help me!”
Now, with the very real aftershocks of a series of unexpected endings, I walked into a little flower shop to buy a gift for a friend. The gentleman at the shop looked at me and turned away for a moment, returning with a fragrant flower. “For you. You need to smile today,” he said in a rich and beautiful accent, offering me the flower with eyes full of care. It took all my strength not to cry. Then he gave me a grandfatherly hug that made me want to tell him everything.
Instead, I thanked him and headed for the train. “How did he know?” I wondered. For the first time in weeks, I felt hope.
1. The underlined word in the second paragraph means “________”.| A．puzzled | B．mixed | C．meaningful | D．hard |
| A．An earthquake that the author came across before. |
| B．The help that the author got from his grandfather. |
| C．A detailed description of the author’s dream. |
| D．The author’s sorry thoughts for the people he hadn’t loved enough. |
| A．A series of unexpected things. |
| B．The idea of sending a gift to a friend. |
| C．The gentleman in the flower shop. |
| D．The fragrant flowers in the shop. |
| A．Because the gentleman gave the author a grandfatherly hug. |
| B．Because the gentleman showed his concern for the author. |
| C．Because the gentleman at the shop sent him a fragrant flower. |
| D．Because the gentleman said some words in a rich and beautiful accent. |
【推荐2】On 17 September 2023, Senior 1 student Charlie Robson was enjoying his dinner at the stand when there came a sudden scream from the boy next to his table, who accidentally swallowed the plastic wrapper stuck to the bottom of his food.
Seeing him unable to cough it up, the boy’s mother was immediately filled with fear as she stood there, patting his son’s back anxiously. “Somebody help! My son is going to choke with the wrapper in his throat.”
Charlie noticed that the boy’s face had turned complete purple. He knew he must take action immediately. Otherwise, the boy’s life was in great danger. Charlie quickly ran behind the boy and started doing the Heimlich maneuver (海姆立克急救法) whose theory is to push air through the airway to force whatever is in there out. Minutes later, the plastic wrapper was eventually forced out and the boy began to breathe again.
Seeing the boy was safe, Charlie rushed to the school without knowing his act of kindness went viral after someone in the scene posted the video on Tik Tok. Charlie’s father said, “I’m so proud of my son. He is a brave boy with great responsibility. He didn’t tell me what had happened until I saw the video on Tik Tok.”
Plus, the boy’s mother wrote to the headmaster, saying “The student who saved my son’s life the other day is really a hero. We’re so grateful that he stepped in to help when my son was faced with such a dangerous situation. Thanks so much for educating such well-rounded students with good moral virtues.” In response to the letter, Jimmy Mehwish, the headmaster of the school, said, “At the very beginning of the semester, Charlie has set a great example for all the students. His kindness really sets a tone for everyone else.”
1. How did the boy’s mother feel after he ate the plastic wrapper?| A．Concerned. | B．Scared. | C．Upset. | D．Embarrassed. |
| A．Be attacked by viruses on social media. |
| B．Be sold to make a profit on social media. |
| C．Became familiar with fans on social media. |
| D．Spread quickly and widely on social media. |
| A．He is afraid of his father. |
| B．He is a brave boy of few words. |
| C．He dislikes the attention from Tik Tok. |
| D．He thought little about his act of kindness. |
| A．Charlie is a well-rounded student. |
| B．The boy’s mother is grateful to Charlie. |
| C．Other students should learn from Charlie. |
| D．Charlie is responsible for the boy’s safety. |
【推荐3】Wang Yaping went into space aboard the Shenzhou Ⅷ on October 16th, 2021. She became the first Chinese female astronaut (女航天员) to enter Tiangong space station.
Wang’s space dream started in 2003, when China sent its first astronaut Yang Liwei into space. After having safe flights for 1,600 hours over nine years, Wang was a strong candidate (候选人) to become an astronaut in 2010. She pushed herself hard, getting the same training as men. “The space environment won’t change because you are a woman,” she told Xinhua.
The hardest part is the high-G training. Sitting in a spinning (旋转的) machine, Wang would become blind for a while because her brain was short of blood. But she didn’t give in. That strong spirit finally made her dream come true in 2013.
Wang said that as astronauts, women have their own advantages (优势). “Women may be more patient and can better deal with loneliness. Women’s hearts are also easier to adapt to the weightless environment, making them more suitable for long-term missions.”
Wang Yaping sets a good example for all women who dream of going to space.
1. When did Wang dreamed of being an astronaut?| A．In 2010. | B．In 2003. | C．In 2013. | D．In 2021. |
| A．the space environment is easy to change |
| B．only men can go to space station in the world |
| C．both male and female astronauts can go to space |
| D．men and women will face the same difficulties in space |
| A．Relaxed. | B．Interested. | C．Uncomfortable. | D．Strong. |
| A．More patience. | B．Less weight. |
| C．More problem-solving skills. | D．Stronger. |
“Your request is out of the question,” the FC said. Robert had difficulty in controlling himself, but he managed somehow. He explained that he wanted the money in order to make more programmes.
“And why do you want to do that?” the FC asked sharply. Again, Robert almost lost his temper. “Because more and more people are listening to my department’s programmes. There’s great demand for them,” he answered.
The FC did not seem to believe him. But Robert had a report on the numbers of listeners to all EBC programmes. The FC became less confident. Robert threw the report down on the table and told him to read it.
The FC looked at it in silence. The figures (数字) proved that he had been wrong, but he did not want to admit it. “Well,” he finally said, “I may have made a small mistake.” Robert noticed the word “may.” He got up to leave. But he had the feeling that he would get the money after all.
1. In the story the Financial Controller was a person who was in charge of
| A．Robert’s department’s programmes | B．EBC programmes |
| C．EBC money | D．both B and C |
| A．without any question | B．with some question |
| C．impossible | D．possible |
| A．he wanted to meet the needs of the listeners |
| B．“the FC” disliked him |
| C．the members of his department wanted him to do so |
| D．he wanted to show himself off |
| A．Because he always lost his temper (脾气) |
| B．Because he disliked “the FC” |
| C．Because the programmes were rich and to the taste of the listeners |
| D．We don’t know |
| A．The Financial Controller | B．Robert | C．Nobody | D．The listeners |
【推荐2】Mr. Black and Mr. White were two very famous artists in the city. Their drawings were also very popular in the city. But they tried to see who could draw the best picture.
One day they asked an old man to be the judge. Mr. Black drew an apple tree. He put his picture in the field. Soon the birds came and tried to eat the apples. The old man saw it and said, “You have certainly won. Mr. White cannot draw so good a picture as yours. But we will go to see his picture.”
They went to Mr. White’s house. There were nothing but red beautiful curtains on the wall. The old man asked, “Where is your picture, Mr. White?” He said, “Lift the curtains, and you will find my picture.” The old man tried to lift the curtains but found that they were drawn there. They were Mr. White’s picture. The old man said, “Birds thought the apples were real. Men thought the curtains were real. So Mr. White won. His picture is the best one.”
1. Mr. Black drew .| A．an apple tree | B．the best picture | C．curtains | D．birds |
| A．it was in the field | B．it was an apple tree |
| C．the birds liked it | D．the birds thought it was real |
| A．an apple tree | B．curtains | C．nothing | D．an old man |
| A．The birds came and ate the apples up. |
| B．The old man said Mr. White’s picture was the best one at last. |
| C．The two pictures were not so good. |
| D．The curtains on the wall were real. |
【推荐3】I’m a commercial diver for Global Divers in Louisiana. I perform underwater repairs on offshore drilling equipment.
My office lies at the bottom of the sea. I wear a suit to the office. It’s a wet suit.
This time of year the water is quite cool. So what we do to keep warm is this: We have a diesel-powered industrial water heater. This equipment sucks the water out of the sea, heating it to a delightful temperature. It then pumps it down to the diver through a garden tube, which is tied to the air tube.
I’ve used it several times with no complaints. What I do when I get to the bottom and start working is take the tube and stuff it down the back of my wet suit. This floods my whole suit with warm water. It’s fantastic because it’s like working in a bathtub.
Last week, I had a bad day at the office. When I started working, everything was going well until all of a sudden, my bottom started to itch（痒）. So, of course, I scratched it. This, of course, only made things worse. Within a few seconds，my bottom started to feel a burning sensation. I pulled the tube out from my back, thinking that maybe the water was too hot, but the damage was done.
In severe pain, I realized what had happened. The hot water machine had sucked up a jellyfish（水母）and pumped it directly into my suit. When I had scratched what I thought was an itch, I was actually touching the jellyfish, and its poisonous tentacles（触角）stung me on the crack of my bottom.
I immediately informed the dive supervisor of my problem over the communicator. His instructions were unclear due to the fact that he and five other divers were all laughing loudly. 35 minutes later, I arrived at the surface. I was wearing nothing but my helmet. And my bottom was swollen.
1. What did the author think of the water heater before the incident?| A．It was useless. | B．It was dangerous. |
| C．It was satisfying. | D．It needed to be improved. |
| A．A jellyfish. | B．A bathtub. |
| C．The hot water. | D．The wet suit. |
| A．Excited. | B．Delighted. | C．Calm. | D．Embarrassed. |
| A．My Daily Work | B．A Bad Day at Work |
| C．The Hardships of My Job | D．An Office under Water |
