As you know, for years I’ve planned to write up the memories. Now that you are grown, I’ve signed up for a memoir writing class. You know what? It’s such a struggle!
Sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night with just the right thought in my mind. Grabbing notepaper and pen, I go in the bathroom and write it down. Great! I don’t want to lose that, and in the morning it may be gone. But I’m having trouble getting back to sleep these days and find myself nodding off in my chair after dinner.
Instead of writing “I remember,” we are encouraged to be creative. The right expression came -during the night. Naturally I jumped up and got it written just the way I wanted. It’s all sort of a torture (拆磨). I’m walking around with dark circles underneath my eyes.
I spend a great deal of time staring out the window, deep in thoughts. I’ve noticed I’m having a little bit of trouble sometimes getting my eyes to focus again. I also carry around a notebook in my purse to seize the thoughts when I’m driving around or at the grocery store. The notebook takes up so much space in my purse!
It’s great to have pictures to illustrate the writings. But in finding just the right ones, I have to search around through all the boxes, and the house is in a mess. in fact, I’m becoming absent-minded, I have to admit. I forgot to turn on the coffee pot the other morning, and yesterday the potatoes burned when I was writing down this great description.
So, my dears, I’ve decided it’s fun to write all the memorable times in my life and to share the happy days of your growing up years. But I think at my age, I need my rest. Enjoy the ones I’ve written because I’ve decided not to write any more memoirs.
Love, Mom
1. What happened to the author after taking part in the memoir writing class?| A．Her memoir was soon accomplished. |
| B．Her sleeping quality was greatly affected. |
| C．She formed a habit of sleeping after dinner. |
| D．She became a creative writer after struggle. |
| A．To help her driving. |
| B．To communicate with people. |
| C．To write down her thoughts. |
| D．To take up the space of her purse. |
| A．Her memory became poor. |
| B．She was not good at cooking. |
| C．She liked drawing pictures. |
| D．Her house was always in a mess. |
| A．Optimistic but confused. |
| B．Pessimistic but tolerant. |
| C．Sorrowful and frustrated. |
| D．Objective and sensible. |
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【推荐1】I travel a lot in my work, and what I dislike about my job is eating alone. It always makes me feel lonely to see others laughing and talking. So, room service for several nights was a better choice for me.
After having room service three nights at a hotel in Houston, however, I needed to get out of my room. Although the restaurant opened at 6:30, I arrived at 6:25. The waiter at the front desk made a comment about my “being there really early”. I explained my dislike of eating alone in restaurants. He then seated me at a lovely table and asked me whether I would mind if he sat down with me for a while.
I was glad! He sat and talked with me about his career goals and the difficulty of being at work on nights, weekends and holidays. He said he hadn’t enough time to be with his family. After 15 minutes, he saw some customers at the front desk and excused himself. I noticed that before he went to the front desk, he stopped in the kitchen for a moment.
Then another waiter came out of the kitchen and had a wonderful chat with me. Before I left that night, some other waiters, even the cook, had come out of the kitchen and sat with me!
When I asked for my bill about one hour later, all the people who had sat down with me came over in a big group to my table, and presented me with a red rose. And I cried! What had begun as a lonely night ended as a beautiful experience.
1. The reason why the author hated to eat in the hotel restaurant is that the author didn’t like ____________.| A．the discomfort caused by eating alone |
| B．being disturbed by the noises around |
| C．meeting strangers in the restaurant |
| D．being pointed at or laughed at |
| A．Dissatisfied. | B．Pleased. | C．Surprised. | D．Angry. |
| A．knew how to attract more customers to his restaurant |
| B．found it hard to balance his work and his family |
| C．was getting tired of his present job |
| D．had never had such a chance to talk about his worries |
| A．people can get help for their loneliness |
| B．restaurants should put the need of customers first |
| C．the kindness of strangers can make you less lonely |
| D．restaurants are full of surprises |
Last week when I was on the train and over an hour into the train ride，there was a man sitting by himself in the back of the train carrying on a mobile phone conversation－in another language. It was loud and disturbed most of the people on the train. I think it was annoying.
Fortunately I sat next to a wonderful old lady who was taking a two－day trip by train. She said her two daughters were distraught at the thought of her driving for three days to reach her home，although she had no trouble driving. The train ride was the only choice for her. She loved to look out of the window and watch the world go by on the train.
She was fun to talk to and asked me when my children started being parents. That is a very good question. Both of us are old and have children. She asked that same question from time to time.
There are always many people on the train from all walks of life，different countries，and many languages. Riding the train is a great way to increase your knowledge and take in all kinds of cultures. If you get hungry，you can buy food in the food car at any time. If you need to use the restroom there is always one available.
It sure beats driving the car，which has to stop for food and restrooms. And it is better than taking the bus.
1. According to the passage，the purpose of the author’s train ride was .
| A．to do business | B．to see her children |
| C．to visit places of interest | D．to see her old friends |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Satisfied. | C．Worried. | D．Pleased. |
| A．She is too old to drive now. |
| B．She does not like to take trains. |
| C．Although she is old，she has a good memory. |
| D．Her daughters live far away from her home. |
| A．Train ride－a cultural experience | B．A painful experience on the train |
| C．The history of Amtrak | D．A wonderful lady |
【推荐3】Tall people are seen as life’s winners, the ones you want to be, the ones who get everything their own way. But it just isn’t the case. Rosamund Beattie (6ft 4in), a member of the Tall Persons Club—not a joke, they really do find life difficult—says it’s like being famous but without the money.
I’m not actually that tall—6ft 1in—but even I meet problems. Hotel beds are too short, train seats don’t have enough leg room, and I regularly have to bend at the knees to use mirrors. Clothing can be troublesome too. “Most shirts expose my navel(肚脐) when I stretch(伸展).” Trousers are a nightmare. “You’re desperately hoping you’ll find a pair of trousers that go all the way down to your shoes.” Then there’s the matter of relationships. How often do you see a woman with a man shorter than her? There’s exception but for most people it seems to be a no-no. Some tall women bend their shoulders in an attempt to hide their height. The habit never goes away, no matter how successful they become.
Yes, I know all this is going to sound admirable to someone of below average height. “I’ll swap places with you,” they’ll be saying. Fair enough. On balance I’d rather be 6ft 1 than 5ft 5. But it’s still true that, as so often, a supposedly desirable outcome in life is slightly less desirable than you might think. Before you look at a tall person and say you wish you were them, walk a mile in their shoes.
(Notes: 1ft≈0.3m; 1in ≈ 0.25m)
1. According to the text, what is tall people’s life like?| A．A life which is not always easy. |
| B．A fancy but less wealthy life. |
| C．A life of personal accomplishments. |
| D．A life suffering prejudice by short people. |
| A．short people may buy clothing as they like. |
| B．short people may find train seats not enjoyable. |
| C．tall men usually feel comfortable sleeping in a hotel. |
| D．tall women usually prefer taller men to be their boyfriends. |
| A．To compare the life of tall people with that of short people. |
| B．To reveal that being tall is not always seemingly desirable. |
| C．To convey his wish to swap places with a short person. |
| D．To urge other people to stand in tall people’s shoes. |
【推荐1】Welcome to our school. You can do a lot of things here. Come and join us.
Timetable
| Sunday 8:30-11:30 Personal Inventions. You can see many inventions by the students; you may also bring your own inventions. | Monday 19:00-21:00 Space and Man Dr. Thomas West If you want to know more about the universe. |
| Wednesday 19:30-21:00 Modern Medicine Mrs. Lucy Green Would you like to know medical science? | Friday 18:30-21:00 Computer Science Mr. Harry Morison from Harvard University, US Learn to use Linux. |
| A．Sunday | B．Monday |
| C．Wednesday | D．Friday |
| A．8:30 to 11:30 on Sunday | B．19:00 to 21:00 on Monday |
| C．19:30 to 21:00 on Wednesday | D．18:30 to 21:00 on Friday |
| A．Canada | B．Australia |
| C．New Zealand | D．America |
【推荐2】The library is the heart of a university——its collections, services, and study spaces are central to every student’s educational journey. Let’s take a look at some famous university libraries around the world.
Magdalen College Old Library
Oxford University is famous for its academic programs, but it’s also known for its outstanding libraries that are said to include more than 11 million books. The Old Library at Magdalen College is the crown jewel of the university’s library system. It contains more than 20,000 rare books and manuscripts. Nearly all of these volumes were published before 1800.
TU Delft Library
The library at the Delft University of Technology was constructed in 1997, which has more than 862,000 books, 16,000 magazine subscriptions and its own museum. But it will only take a glance to be attracted, as it is a sight to remember. The building itself exists beneath the ground, so you can’t really see the actual library. What makes it interesting is the roof, which is a grassy hill.
Trinity College Library
The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. It contains more than 200,000 of the library’s oldest books. Treasures of the library’s extensive collection include a rare copy of the 1916 proclamation of the Irish Republic and a beautiful 15th century harp (竖琴).
Joe and Rika Mansueto Library
Opened in 2011, the Joe and Rika Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago is designed with a grand glass roof, perfect for staring out when you are tired. The library can hold around 3.5 million volumes through its underground automatic storage and retrieval system. If you are not already impressed, the librarians, robotic cranes, will knock your socks off. They can locate and bring you any book within an average time of 3 minutes.
1. What do Magdalen College Old Library & Trinity College Library have in common?| A．Both house stringed instruments. | B．Both feature attractive designs. |
| C．Both boast numerous ancient books. | D．Both gain recognition as crown jewels. |
| A．TU Delft Library. | B．Trinity College Library. |
| C．Magdalen College Old Library. | D．Joe and Rika Mansueto Library. |
| A．The glass roof. | B．The volume of books. |
| C．The storage system. | D．The robotic librarians. |
【推荐3】In the coming months, we are bringing together artists from all over the globe, to enjoy speaking Shakespeare’s plays in their language, in our Globe, within the architecture Shakespeare wrote for. Please come and join us.
National Theatre Of China Beijing｜Chinese
This great occasion (盛会) will be the National Theatre of China’s first visit to the UK. The company’s productions show the new face of 21st century Chinese theatre. This production of Shakespeare’s Richard III will be directed by the National’s Associate Director, Wang Xiaoying.
Date & Time: Saturday 28 April, 2.30 p.m. & Sunday 29 April, 1.30 p.m. & 6.30 p.m.
“Deafinitely” Theatre London｜British Sign Language (BSL)
By translating the rich and humorous text of Love’s Labour’s Lost as well as As You Like It into the physical language of BSL, “Deafinitely” Theatre creates a new interpretation of Shakespeare’s comedy and aims to build a bridge between deaf and hearing worlds by performing to both groups as one audience.
Date & Time: Tuesday 22 May, 2.30 p.m. & Wednesday 23 May, 7.30 p.m.
Habima National Theatre Tel Aviv｜Hebrew
The Habima is the centre of Hebrew-language theatre worldwide. Founded in Moscow after the 1905 revolution, the company eventually settled in Tel Aviv in the late 1920s. Since 1958, they have been recognized as the national theatre of Israel. This production of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice marks their first visit to the UK.
Date & Time: Monday 28 May, 7.30 p.m. & Tuesday 29 May, 7.30 p.m.
1. Which play will be performed by the National Theatre of China?| A．Richard Ⅲ | B．As You Like It |
| C．Love’s Labour’s Lost | D．The Merchant of Venice |
| A．It is the leading theatre in London. | B．It is good at producing comedies. |
| C．It performs plays in BSL. | D．It has two groups of actors. |
| A．On Tuesday 22 May. | B．On Sunday 29 April. |
| C．On Saturday 28 April. | D．On Tuesday 29 May. |
【推荐1】I’m Louis. The first ten years of my life was perfect — until my parents told me a piece of news. Before I tell you, let me describe a great day mine before.
Every morning, my mom woke me up by kissing me and my great day started. My dad was only better. When I got up, the good smell of breakfast reached my nose. To make me happy, he even make Micky Mouse pancakes for me every day just to make me love my breakfast.
Then, during the drive to school, three of us sang along the way. After school, Dad usually played chess with me, waiting for my mom to cook dinner. We ate and told each other stories about our days. After dinner, Mom never forget her special — an enormous piece of chocolate cake.
Everything was great. And then, she told me that very soon I’d have a little sister. Ugh! For ten years, I was the center of my family and I didn’t share my parents with anyone.
Later, I found I’d also have to share my bedroom with the baby. That was silly! Don’t even think about using my Disneyland glass. No way! I told my mom I didn’t want a sister. I said I was happy with the way things were. I even told them to take the baby back to hospital and gave her back.
But now, here they are, in front of the door. Dad is carrying the pink blankets, now grandma is going out, too. I know it’s time for me to meet her. Before I know it. Dad put the baby in my arms and I can’t believe the baby is smiling to me! Maybe she knows I’m her brother and she already likes me! Hey, maybe having a little sister isn’t such a bad thing. For me, I think she looks kind of cute and I want to keep her in our family! Who can turn away such a cute girl?
1. In the family, ________ usually makes breakfast every morning.| A．Louis | B．Louis’s father | C．Louis’s mother | D．Louis’s grandma |
| A．his mother always woke him up by kissing him |
| B．they enjoyed telling each other stories about their days |
| C．his parents drove him to school and sang with him along the way |
| D．his mother usually played chess with him after school |
| A．关闭 | B．出现 | C．拒绝 | D．翻转 |
| A．Louis’s Sister | B．Louis’s Happy Family |
| C．A piece of Bad News | D．The Coming of a New Baby |
【推荐2】I studied speech therapy at university, though I had no idea what it was about at first. Later, I got pregnant with my son, Dani. He was born with a cleft (唇腭裂). I studied clefts at university so I knew a little bit about clefts. Still, when you see your own newborn child looking up at you with a cleft, it is very different. I was not ready to face that.
After the delivery. Dani had his cleft surgery when he was just seven days old! It was an awful experience. I gave that doctor three chances to prove he was the right specialist for my baby, and he didn’t manage to convince me at all. But something very positive did come out of that experience — it was how I first met Dr. Youri Anastassov, who would bring Smile Train-sponsored cleft care to Bulgaria starting the next year.
Dr. Anastassov was my inspiration from the moment we met. He helped me realize how important, valuable, and meaningful it is to treat children with clefts and made me want to help them just like he does.
Though I stopped working with them directly for several years after having Dani, the idea of working with children with clefts was always percolating in my mind. Then it hit me: why not work with Smile Train?
Now, babies, children, and adults with clefts come to me, and I share my experience with them. I’m happy to work here and make change for the better every single day.
Smile Train gives Dani his wings. You want to know what a difference this makes? Look at my son. Dani wanted to be a pilot his whole life; he first flew when he was 16 years old! When he began his formal training, the medical exam was very difficult for him. The training team knew he was different. Instead of just showing pity, they worked him harder than the others. And now he is living his dreams as a pilot!
1. How did the author feel when Dani was born with a cleft?| A．Calm. | B．Grateful. | C．Angry. | D．Unprepared. |
| A．They were successful. | B．They were far from satisfactory. |
| C．They were done by Dr. Youri Anastassoy. | D．They were government-sponsored. |
| A．Stuck. | B．Removed. | C．Weak. | D．Practical. |
| A．It is a waste of time to be angry about clefts. |
| B．When you admit your weakness, you become stronger. |
| C．Just find something you’re good at and make it your life. |
| D．Smile Train plays a positive role in realizing Dani’s dream. |
【推荐3】Hua Sheng and Lu Sheng, a retired Tibetan couple, have become trailblazers (开拓者) of grape growing and winemaking in their old ages.
Lu Sheng learned grape planting and winemaking from her grandmother’s sister. Since they retired, the couple have moved to Lhasa from the village of Yakhadi. Though the fact that the region’s capital, which is 3,600 meters above sea level, is considered unfit for growing grapes, Lu Sheng and Hua Sheng began an ambitious project in 2015, planting grapes in Tsalna, a town in the suburb of Lhasa.
They received support from the local government, which is committed to developing business and the economy. The couple’s project provides jobs for rural residents, and, as a result, the government has considered the project part of its poverty relief program.
“Lhasa is an ideal place for planting French grape varieties that are resistant to cold, drought and disease, and adaptable to high-altitude and open-air planting,” Lu Sheng said.
“Thanks to the plateau’s sunshine and organic planting, our grapes grow very well here in Lhasa. The grapes are a bit sour and sweet, and they have a high anthocyanin (花青素) content,” she said. Anthocyanins, which accumulate (积累) in grape cells and contribute rich color to wine, are water-soluble(水溶性的).
In 2018, Hua Sheng and Lu Sheng expanded their project, planting on nearly 6.67 hectares. In order to familiarize Tibetan farmers with grape planting and winemaking, they taught the skills to local villagers.
“We have successfully taught the local farmers how to grow grapes and make wine over the three years. They now have a new source of income besides traditional farming and herding,” Hua Sheng said.
Yudron, a resident of Nam, said she was grateful to the grape planting project in her village, which has contributed to her income and quality of life. “After working in the vine-yards for years, now we know how to make wine. We drink both barley and grape wine now. We love grape wine more, though, as it is healthier.”
1. What did the couple do after their retirement?| A．They grew grapes and made wine in Lhasa. |
| B．They made friends with a French expert. |
| C．They moved to another city from Lhasa. |
| D．They learned grape planting from Hua Sheng’s grandmother. |
| A．They donated grapes to local schools. |
| B．They employed local residents as workers. |
| C．They provided free wine for villagers. |
| D．They expanded the project with the local government. |
| A．They make grapes more delicious. |
| B．They provide adequate colors for wine. |
| C．They make grapes a bit sour and sweet. |
| D．They can accelerate the growth of grapes. |
| A．indifferent | B．cautious |
| C．appreciative | D．concerned |
