【推荐2】A shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness from the wisest man in the world. The boy walked a long way, and finally came upon the beautiful castle where the wise man lived.
On entering the main room of the castle, the boy was quite surprised: tradesmen coming and going, people chatting in the corners, and a small orchestra playing soft music. The wise man talked with everyone, and the boy had to wait for two hours before it was his turn.
The wise man listened carefully to the boy’s explanation of why he had come, but told him that he didn’t have time just then to explain the secret of happiness. He suggested that the boy look around the palace and return in two hours.
“Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something,” said the wise man, handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. “As you wander around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill.”
The boy began to walk up and down stairs of the palace, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he returned to the wise man.
“Well,” asked the wise man, “Did you see the Persian tapestries（挂毯）in the hall? Did you see the garden that took the master gardener ten years to create?” The boy was embarrassed, and replied that he had observed nothing. His only concern had been not to spill the oil.
“Then go back and observe the wonders of my world,” said the wise man. The boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of the palace. This time he observed all of the works of art on the ceilings and the walls. When he returned, he described in detail everything he had seen.
“But where are the drops of oil?” asked the wise man. Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was gone.
“Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you,” said the wise man. “The secret of happiness is to see all the wonders of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.”
1. When the boy arrived at the castle, he          .

A．received a warm welcome from the wise man

B．had already missed his chance to talk to the wise man

C．didn’t expect to see so many people around

D．was shown around the palace by the local people

2. The wise man gave the boy two tasks in order to             .

A．teach him the secret of happiness

B．show him how to observe the wonders in the world

C．make him learn from his mistakes

D．let the boy enjoy his palace and garden

3. We can infer from the article that “the drops of oil on the spoon” probably refer to ______

A．the beauty of nature

B．the fortune a person owns

C．the responsibilities of a person

D．the great opportunities in life

4. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?

A．The wise man was satisfied with the way the boy performed the second task

B．It took the wise man about 10 years to finish his garden.

C．The wise man wasn’t paying much attention to the boy at first.

D．The boy took no notice of the surroundings during his first task.

【推荐3】A couple of weeks ago, my grandfather was explaining his favorite expression, “Nothing is ever easy.” The following day, as I tried to complete my day’s work, I happened to notice a bumble-bee on the skylight (天窗). The skylight was particularly high up, but I thought removing the bee would take no more than five minutes. An hour later, the bee still remained. All that had changed was that the living room was a mess and that I was dizzy from looking up into the sunlight. I did not expect to waste an hour on an insect so tiny, but by doing so, I understood what my grandfather meant.

It is not only time that we tend to underestimate we don’t account for unexpected costs. We often imagine what can work in our favor, but we seldom think of all the negative things that could affect us. However, it is important to remember that your day or week or year might not go as planned, and that is completely normal. It is perfectly acceptable to feel challenged even at a task you thought was simple because that is part of life.

If you can accept that nothing will ever be easy, then 1ife might seem slightly more manageable. In middle school, I thought high school might be easier because I could choose the classes I wanted to take. In high school, I thought college might be easier because I could have a schedule best suited for myself. Yet each time, I was both wrong and disappointed. After accepting that school wouldn’t be easy, I found myself with a more positive attitude and improved results.

Of course, there should be preparations made to account for expenses or time. Doing so can only help you accomplish your goals in a better way. However, there is no need to beat ourselves up (过分自责)when something stands in our path. Maybe we cannot see a bee coming our way, but we can always give ourselves the extra time to catch it.

1. Why did the author mention his experience of removing a bee?

A．To share something unforgettable with us.

B．To lead us to what the author learned from of it.

C．To show the unexpected costs it caused.

D．To tell us how easy it is to waste our time.

2. Why do things often turn out to be different from what we expect?

A．We often don’t take time seriously.

B．We tend not to have enough money.

C．Unexpected things can happen.

D．It is easy to feel challenged.

3. Why did the author mention the “bee” again in the end?

A．To show how annoying it is.

B．To tell us we need to catch it.

C．To link back to the beginning.

D．To use it as a representative of luck.

4. What is the author’s purpose of writing this article?

A．To encourage people to make greater efforts.

B．To explain how to make preparations.

C．To tell us what to do when something gets in our way.

D．To persuade us not to expect things to be easy.

【推荐1】I remember that it was a fall morning when the orchestra (管弦乐队) teachers came into Miss Newell’s third-grade classroom. “You have hands for the viola(中提琴),” Miss Ciano told me. I was excited because my hands were finally good for something. I told my parents I wanted to play, and naturally, they agreed.

Since I first touched the viola, I haven’t been able to put it down. Ignoring the difficulty, I am pulled closer to it each day.

Classical music is truly my best friend. It is the trusted friend of every man, woman and child. Various feelings are expressed in classical music. I discovered that when I was eleven and played a cello concerto (大提琴协奏曲) of Bach in a competition, the first movement was joyful, but the second movement was mysterious and full of pain. From the piece, I learned that music expresses not only feelings, but also sudden mood changes. By listening to classical music, I know that someone else shares these feelings. Since I am lucky enough to be able to play classical music, I am comforted by it when I am upset. It gives me a way to escape from my problems for a short period. Classical music can express my joy, sadness and anger.

Now look back at that fall day in the third grade and think how gullible I was for believing that anyone, even music teachers, could tell whether hands were perfect for a certain instrument. I’m certain they told me I had “ viola hands” not because they were fortune-tellers(算命师), but because there was a lack of violists in our district. Classical music is one of the best things that ever happened to mankind. If you get introduced to it in the right way, it will become your friend for life.

1. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the first and second paragraphs?

A．To introduce an interesting musical class.

B．To show the importance of proper guide.

C．To offer the evidence of her gift for music.

D．To tell the power of support from parents.

2. According to the passage, in what way does classical music help the author?

A．By developing social skills.	B．By broadening life experience.
C．By improving mental health.	D．By building close relationship.

3. What does the underlined word “gullible” mean in the last paragraph?

A．Firmly opposed.	B．Easily tricked.
C．Greatly affected.	D．Secretly hidden.

4. Which could be the best title for the passage?

A．Lifetime dream, great effort.	B．Happy childhood, unforgotten experience.
C．Special event, sweet memory.	D．Classical music, endless friendship

【推荐2】A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said, “I am blind, please help me.” There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it over, and wrote some words on it. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat was filled up. More and more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man came to see how things were. The boy heard his footsteps and asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?”

The man said, “I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.”

The man had written, “Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it.”

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?

Of course, both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply told people to help by putting some money in the hat. The second sign told people that they were able to enjoy the beauty of the day, but the boy could not enjoy it because he was blind. We’re not only lucky to see the beautiful world but also can help others. So, enjoy what you have owned today!

1. A blind boy sat on the steps of a building in order to________.

A．get money from others	B．make the writer help him
C．wait for some people	D．hold up a sign

2. What happened to the blind boy after the man wrote the words on the sign?

A．The boy was taken away by the police	B．Nobody gave the blind boy money any more
C．The blind boy could see the beautiful day	D．More people dropped money into the boy’s hat

3. What can we learn from this passage?

A．It’s helpless of us to help people in need	B．We should treasure what we have
C．Give more money to the blind	D．It’s a good way to make money by holding a sign

4. The man ________when he saw the blind boy.

A．took away the blind boy’s money

B．gave the boy a new hat

C．brought the boy a sign

D．gave the boy some money and wrote some words on the sign

【推荐3】When we moved into our home in Maui, Hawaii, 16 years ago, one good thing about this house was the huge avocado tree (牛油果树) growing in the backyard.

This tree gave the most delicious avocados I have ever tasted. I lived on these avocados when musing my first child. Fresh avocado was the very first food for my kids. This tree was so huge that it cast a massive shadow over our backyard. It was truly our magical tree.

Until one day, someone from the Health Department came to tell us that our avocado tree was too large and needed trimming. In New York you get in trouble if you don’t clear the snow off your sidewalk. Here, it’s when your trees are too high. So along came the trimmer, leaving just the trunk and a few branches. I was sad. The kids were all sad. Some friends who knew it would say, “It’s going to grow back. Your next avocados will be crazy!” Yeah, whatever. The tree is gone, so stop doing that. It just didn’t work.

But a few days later, I noticed some unusual butterflies flying around the yard. And then, the, sun came in the kitchen, creating this pleasant warmth once blocked by the huge tree. After about a month, I started to notice some tiny green shoots coming out of the cut branches, which eventually turned into full-on bright green leaves.

I started to feel like all was going to be fine, kind of like life. Little do we know what seems really difficult is actually life’s way of making us stronger. It’s life’s way of bringing in the butterflies, the sunshine, and the delightful flowers. We all know that saying, “It will be OK in the end. If it’s pot, it’s not the end.”

1. What is mainly conveyed in paragraph 2 about the avocado tree?

A．Her kids’ love for it.	B．Its fruit’s good taste.
C．Its benefits for her family.	D．Her expectation of it.

2. Why did the author’s friends say the words in paragraph 3?

A．To cheer her up.	B．To tease her
C．To show their regret.	D．Tu express their excitement.

3. What happened to the avocado tree in the end?

A．It had no branches.	B．It blocked the sunshine.
C．It bore more avocados.	D．It was full of life again

4. What message does the author seem to convey in the text?

A．You harvest what you sow.

B．Success won’t come unless you go to it.

C．Luck and Misfortune comes in turn.

D．The important thing in life is to have a dream.

【推荐1】I cried the first time I saw Notre Dame(巴黎圣母院) years ago. I’d waited my entire life to see this great French structure, and experienced its full glory on a bright sunny day. Last night, I cried again for the centuries-old church while watching it burn.

I hadn't expected to spend my evening that way. My friend and I were having dinner at a cafe a block or so away from Notre Dame, choosing to skip going inside with the intention of going back the next day.

However, we heard that it caught fire, so we left the cafe and ran towards the church, following heavy smoke from it, and soon we joined a nearly silent crowd. Some were praying, some were crying, but most were staring in disbelief at the disaster happening before us. The fire continued to get worse. About 400 fire fighters were working to control the fire. We could see their flashlights shining as they inspected the front from a balcony.

Notre Dame is part of the heartbeat of Paris reflected on the experiences I’d had there, from attending a bread market out front to admiring the beautiful windows and architecture inside. It is a spot that helps make Paris magical. And here we were, watching it burn down. It was too much to handle it, but it was impossible to look away.

At about 9:30pm, the gathered crowd spontaneously(自发地) began to sing hymns(圣歌) to the church. We sang along with the group, feeling at once less like tourists but more like members of them. I hadn't imagined all that before.

For hundreds of years, Notre Dame has seen the most joyous and the most terrible moments in the lives of both France and her people. And when everyone was able to become one emotional force, it showed that even in her darkest hour, Notre Dame was still there to bring us all together.

1. What was the author doing when Notre Dame caught fire?

A．Heading for a faraway cafe.	B．Visiting a church with a friend.
C．Eating nearby with a friend.	D．Wandering along the street alone.

2. What can we know about the fire scene?

A．People expressed their sadness in different ways.

B．People were nervously rushing in different directions.

C．Hundreds of volunteers joined in putting out the fire.

D．Firefighters kept people away with shining flashlights.

3. What impressed the author most?

A．The church allowed visitors to gain great experiences.

B．Many foreign tourists became members of the church.

C．The church survived disasters for hundreds of years.

D．People gathered there to sing spontaneously to the church.

【推荐3】Let me tell you about a young boy who made a model car all on his own. The boy is me, six years ago when I was just 11.

The car was small and simple, but in my imagination it was a high-speed racing car, speeding along the race road. It was during the school summer holidays and workmen were building a new driveway and garage (车库) beside our house. It meant to add something new to our home. When I watched the workmen, I came up with an idea — I would build a car to drive into the garage in celebration of it. I told my mother and began with my plans. But I couldn’t find the right things for making the car, so I gave up and sadly spent several days doing nothing. My mother noticed that I had stopped working and asked me why. I explained and she suggested that maybe I should change my plan to fit the things I had, rather than give up.

And that’s just what I did. I found small pieces of wood in my father’s workshop and made my car from anything that was lying around the house. When I found a small engine (发动机) from one of my old model planes, I added that. The power came from a battery (电池) I found in a box.

By the time the garage was finished, so was my car. I called my family together outside the house, started the engine and put the car on the driveway. It was fast and I had to run to the garage to prevent it from hitting the new door. My family began to cheer and I smiled proudly. Thanks to my mother I learned the value of continuing to do things, especially, something difficult. Soon I was making plans for my next project: a robot!

1. What was the writer when he made the model car?

A．A student.

B．A driver.

C．A workman.

D．An engineer.

2. What did the mother do to help the writer?

A．Explained the plan to him.	B．Brought him to the workshop.
C．Gave him some suggestions.	D．Found him some pieces of wood.

3. What happened by the time the car was finished?

A．The writer thanked his father.	B．The family was called together.
C．The writer put it into the house.	D．The family began a new project.

4. What did the writer mainly tell us?

A．Keep on doing things to the end.	B．Think hard before doing something.
C．Always ask for help when in trouble.	D．Try the best to find the right things to do.