It was New Year time, but I wasn’t looking forward to it. That winter, my mother and my stepfather moved our family to Southern California. My brother and I were leaving our rural Alabama behind. This would be our first New Year away from Alabama. My mother took to California like a swan to a royal lake. My athletic little brother, Paul, was thrilled at a climate that allowed him to go to the beach whenever he wanted.
I, however, was a fat child with heavy southern pronunciation. My first day in the new class, I introduced myself in a low voice. The instant I opened my mouth to speak, the whole class burst into laughter, “He talks funny.” It was so frustrating that I went to place a call to Granny Smith after school, who was my biggest support. But I didn’t get through.
On Sunday evening, the phone rang. It was Granny. She often took advantage of the discounted long-distance rates (长途电话费) on Sundays. She said she’d shipped a New Year package. Sure enough, it arrived. Surprised at the box, large enough to hold a small refrigerator, we eagerly tore it open. The smell of Granny’s house filled the room: a combination of fried meat, sausages, furniture polish and decorations. Her house was tiny and always filled with cheap holiday decorations and homemade food before New Year. But in my childhood eyes, it was precious and fantastic.
There were countless tins and containers. We open them to discover piles of holiday treats. She even included our traditional candy bats. The box was as bottomless as a magical box. There, beneath all these, was familiar holiday.
Every New Year that we spent in California, the postal service would call and say our package arrived. Over the years, many treasures arrived in the box. For me, it’s always been the best part of the holiday.
1. How did the author’s brother feel when they were moving to California?| A．distant. | B．Appreciative. | C．Joyful. | D．anxious. |
| A．He had a strong accent. | B．He had a humorous tone. |
| C．He looked overweight. | D．He lowered his voice. |
| A．conventional and determined | B．lonely and grateful. |
| C．committed and confident. | D．economical and caring |
| A．Granny’s Care Package | B．An Unforgettable Holiday |
| C．Our Move to California | D．A Telephone Call from Granny |
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It was my dad’s disease that began to change things．The year 1998 was the beginning of a remarkable transformation for my family．My father, Jim Dineen, the always healthy, weightlifting, never-missed-a-day-of-work kind of dad, discovered he had kidney (肾) disease.
The decision to go ahead with a transplant for my father was a long and tough one, mostly because he had liver damage too．One physician’s assistant told him, “According to your file, you’re supposed to be dead.” And for a while, doctors mistakenly thought that he would need not just a kidney transplant, but a liver transplant too．
When the donor testing process finally began in the spring of 2003, numerous people, including me, my uncle Tom, and my mom, came back as matches of varying degree．But Mom was the one who insisted on going further．She decided to donate a kidney to my father．She said she was not scared, and it was the right thing to do．We all stepped back in amazement.
At last a date was chosen – November 11, 2003．All of a sudden, the only thing that seemed to matter Dad was telling the world what a wonderful thing Mom was doing for him．A month before the surgery, he sent her birthday flowers with a note that read, “I love you and I love your kidney! Thank you!”
Financially, the disease was upsetting to them．So my sister and I were humbled and surprised when, shortly before his surgery day, Dad handed us a diamond jewelry that we were to give to Mom after the operation．He’d accumulated(积累) his spare dollars to buy it.
At the hospital on the day of the transplant, all our relatives and friends gathered in the waiting room and became involved in a mean euchre (尤克牌游戏) tournament．My family has always handled things with a lot of laughter, and even though we were all tense, everybody was taking bets on how long this “change of conduct” would last in my parents.
We would inform Dad that if he chose to act like a real pain on any particular day after the operation, he wasn’t allowed to blame it on PMS just because he’d now have a female kidney.
The surgeries went well, and not long afterward, my sister and I were allowed to go in to visit．Dad was in a great deal of pain but again, all he could talk about was Mom．Was she okay? How was she feeling? Then the nurses let us do something unconventional．As they were wheeling Mom out of recovery room, they rolled her into a separate position to visit Dad．It was strange to see both my parents hooked up to IVs and machines and trying to talk to each other through tears．The nurses allowed us to present the diamond jewelry to Mom so that Dad could watch her open it．Everyone was crying, even the nurses.
As I stood with digital camera in hand, I tried to keep the presence of mind to document the moment．My dad was having a hard time fighting back emotion, and suddenly my parents unexpectedly reached out to hold each other’s hands.
In my nearly 35 years of existence, I’d never seen my parents do that, and I was spellbound．I snapped a picture and later rushed home to make sure I’d captured that enormous, life-defining moment．After so many years of disagreement, it was apparent to me that they finally understood how much each loved the other.
1. From the first paragraph we can learn that _________.
| A．Dad was fond of drinking |
| B．My parents got along well |
| C．Dad often beat Mom |
| D．Mom never obeyed Dad |
| A．Dad's life journey was on half way |
| B．Dad came to a critical moment in his life |
| C．Dad’s future was decided by doctors |
| D．Dad faced a tough decision in his life |
| A．Worried and negative. |
| B．Anxious and helpless. |
| C．Nervous but optimistic. |
| D．Relaxed and positive. |
| A．Dad bought a diamond jewelry to Mom for their wedding anniversary. |
| B．Dad asked the nurse to visit Mom soon after the operation. |
| C．Despite a lot of pain, Dad was eager to know Mom’s condition soon after the operation. |
| D．On the day of the transplant, the families involved in a mean euchre tournament to relax themselves. |
| A．Everyone was crying, even the nurses. |
| B．His parents were trying to talk to each other. |
| C．Dad watched Mom opening the gift. |
| D．His parents were holding each other’s hands. |
| A．Dad’s disease | B．Mom’s decision |
| C．The Gift of Life | D．The photo of hands |
【推荐2】Ice formed in the small pool. Then I would go to the hockey rink (冰球场). I picked up my hockey stick, holding it in the way I formed a big “T”, stepped onto the ice, and moved closely toward the middle. Should I go through, the stick would hopefully keep me from going completely under.
The next day it rained. Rain can do one of two things to a backyard hockey rink. It can either make it the smoothest surface, or it can turn it into those terrible rumble strips (减速带) on the highways. More often it is the latter. On Saturday morning my brother discovered that was what had happened to our ice. “Let’s go and see Dad.”
Taking an old iron box from the backyard, my father taught us to fill it with wood. He then tied a line to a hole at one end of it — the homemade Zamboni (磨冰机) machine, “Once the fire really gets going, the box will get really hot,” he said. “Then we just move it around and it will smooth down the bumpy (不平的) surface.” Finally, Dad began to move it across the pool. After about twenty yards, still moving forward, he said to us over his shoulder, “Well?” “Nothing,” I answered.
For many people this might have been the sign to end the project. But not our father. As we skated off the ice and returned to the kitchen for hot chocolate, he kept going, patiently walking line after line. He stayed out there, until afternoon turned into early evening. The pool would have to wait for warmer weather.
There’s a lesson in the Zamboni about fatherhood, I think: that it is not about being perfect in your actions but perfect in your intention. Love is not smooth as glass, but bumpy as ice with rumble strips, and holes, and places to fall down. Sometimes no one will be watching you walk line after line, but they’ll remember that you were out there.
Perhaps the Zamboni really did work.
1. Why did the author form a “T” with the hockey stick?| A．To ensure safety. | B．To keep calm. |
| C．To measure the ice. | D．To play the sport better. |
| A．Making holes in the ice. | B．Filling the gaps with wood. |
| C．Smoothing the lines with heat. | D．Applying pressure to the bumpy surface. |
| A．Fruitless. | B．Dangerous. | C．Practical. | D．Successful. |
| A．It’s a family tradition. | B．It’s a symbol of love. |
| C．It’s a special invention. | D．It’s a challenge to fatherhood. |
【推荐3】Produced by Hunan Satellite TV, Where Are We Going, Dad? invites five male celebrities from different fields and their children to spend quality time together in new environments while accomplishing various survival tasks.
Since it first aired in January, 2013, Where Are We Going, Dad? has been sweeping the whole nation and has become Chinas most popular show averaging more than 600 million viewers each week and 640 million downloads online. Even the China Daily, the official mouthpiece of the Chinese government praised its success, “The deep affection on display in the show is heart-warming. But what accounts for the show’s popularity?
Part of the appeal is the chance to peek into the lives of popular Chinese celebrities and their children. Audiences are delighted to watch the failed attempts of celebrity dads making dinner, combing hair, and disciplining children. At the same time, the cute kids themselves and their authentic and entertaining behaviors are very impressive and attractive.
“Another reason for the success of the show lies in the fact that it is a reexamination of the father’s role in traditional Chinese culture,” said the general director of the show. In a society. Still influenced by the concept that “men rule outside and women inside”, many Chinese fathers are poor at expressing their feelings toward their children. Usually they appear strict and distant. But on the show, we see fathers are much gentler on their kids and more involved in their upbringing. This show raises an important question for modern Chinese society — what is the role of fathers in today’s China?
A fascinating part of the show is that you can see many parenting styles. The five fathers on the show all have very diverse parenting styles, which is great because it shows people there isn’t just one way to raise a child. But Chinese parents increasingly realize that discussing and respecting their children’s choices may be a more appropriate way to prepare them for modern society. Meanwhile, the show can remind adults of their own childhood and the love of father. For those parents, they will rethink their own responsibility as parents and understand their kids better.
1. The chief function of the underlined sentence (in Paragraph 2) is ________.| A．to sum up the main idea of the paragraph |
| B．to introduce a new topic |
| C．to arouse reader’s interest |
| D．to express strong feelings |
| A．Traditionally children are not to be brought up by mothers alone in China. |
| B．Modern Chinese fathers wonder how to treat their children. |
| C．The role of fathers is changing in China. |
| D．More and more mothers go out to work. |
| A．People are curious about the celebrities’ life and their kids. |
| B．The show makes people reconsider father’s role in today’s China. |
| C．The show displays various parenting styles. |
| D．The audience think highly of the celebrities parenting styles on the show. |
| A．Why Is Where Are We Going, Dad? So Popular? |
| B．The Celebrities in Where Are We Going, Dad. |
| C．What Is the Role of Fathers in Today’s China? |
| D．Various Parenting Styles in China |
【推荐1】As the lyrics to Taylor Swif's hit song “Bad Blood” go: “Cause, baby, now we got bad blood. You know it used to be mad love.” It'’s a song about falling out of friendship, but to 14-year-old Hallie Barnard, who was born with a rare blood disorder, the song holds a much deeper meaning.
At just 15 months old, Barnard was diagnosed with Diamon Blackfin Anemia, or DBA, and she spent most of her life in and out of the hospital. The Swiftie said she relied on the singer to bring her joy.
The only way to survive DBA is with a bone marrow transplant (骨髓移植)and Barnard was desperate for one. But she knew thousands of other patients are, too. So, a few years ago, she decided to do something about it, creating her own foundation: Hallie’s Heroes. “It started selfishly as just trying to save my life, but then we realized there were so many other children out there that needed a bone marrow transplant,” she said. “So, so far we've tested 8,000 people and found over 300 matches.”
After a 9-year wait, Bamard got her own match —through her own foundation. But more obstacles stood between her and normal life as a kid. The blood disorder led to a cancer diagnosis: osteosarcoma. She received surgery to cut the cancer out of her leg at MD Anderson in Houston.
The recovery was difficult, but Hallie said she stayed hopeful. “My survival instinct just kicked in. I was trying to do anything that I could to survive. So, of course, it was scary but in my mind, I was just thinking that I wanted to be at my sister's future weddings. I wanted to play games and run again,” she said.
Her survival instinct-combined with Taylor Swift helped her through her operation, where doctors cut her cancer out, and reattached her foot and ankle to her upper leg to work as a knee.
1. Why does the author mention Taylor Swift's song “Bad Blood”?| A．To stress the power of music. |
| B．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| C．To show Taylor Swift’s popularity. |
| D．To state Taylor Swift’s song is a hit. |
| A．To raise money for her heroes. |
| B．To treat her rare blood disorder. |
| C．To help other children with DBA. |
| D．To have an operation for her cancer. |
| A．begin to play a role | B．disappear |
| C．speed up | D．break down |
| A．Strong-minded and selfish | B．Hard-working and patient. |
| C．Kind and optimistic. | D．Outgoing and helpful. |
| A．‘Bad Blood’ Inspired More People |
| B．Hallie's Heroes: a Useful Foundation |
| C．Taylor Swift: a Popular Singer with Teens |
| D．A Cancer Survivor Helped Others Find Matches |
【推荐2】In February, Dr. Robert Lefkowitz published a memoir (回忆录) called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm: The Adrenaline-Fueled Adventures of an Accidental Scientist. As a physician and biochemist, Lefkowitz is a professor of biochemistry and chemistry at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.
In a recent conversation via video, Lefkowitz said that he wanted his memoir to be “funny, interesting, and easy to understand”. In the book, Lefkowitz humorously describes his Journey from a cardiologist (or a heart doctor) to a biochemist.
Lefkowitz’s dream of becoming a doctor began when he was eight years old and growing up in the Bronx of New York City. After his father died of a heart attack, Lefkowitz made up his mind to be a cardiologist. He earned his medical degree at Columbia University.
Lefkowitz is no stranger to conducting experiments and making discoveries. He was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Brian Kobilka. The two scientists were honored for their discoveries that could help unlock the secrets of many diseases.
When asked what played the most important role in his success, Lefkowitz mentioned about himself and he described himself as “reasonably intelligent and creative, hardworking, and not easily disturbed”. He added that being funny could also be very good for you and the people around you.
Before winning the Nobel Prize, Lefkowitz did countless experiments, and only 1 out of 50 turned out OK. “With difficult decisions I’ve had to make, I tend to make them with my heart rather than my head.” Lefkowitz said. “However, I don’t mean that deciding with your heart is always right.”
At age 78, the scientist has no plans for slowing down. “My body and mind are still working,” he said. “I want to continue running my lab at Duke University and writing and publishing research papers.”
1. What directly motivated Lefkowitz to be a doctor?| A．His conversation with a cardiologist. |
| B．His father’s death from a heart attack. |
| C．His enthusiasm for a doctor’s memoir. |
| D．His poor physical health in childhood. |
| A．has an interest in. | B．falls in love with. |
| C．shows a gift for. | D．is acquainted with. |
| A．His good teamwork. | B．His family’s support. |
| C．His positive qualities. | D．His interest in research. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. | B．Bad luck brings good luck. |
| C．Experience is the best teacher. | D．You are never too old to work. |
【推荐3】Roger Rolls was the first black governor in the history of New York State, USA. He was born in one of New York’s dishonorable slums (贫民窟). The children born here rarely did good work after they grew up. However, Roger Rolls was an exception, for he was not only admitted to the university, but also he became a governor.
At one of the press conferences, a reporter asked him, “What made you become the governor?” Faced with more than 300 journalists, Rolls did not mention his struggle but only spoke of his primary school schoolmaster---Pierre Paul.
In 1961, Pierre Paul was engaged as the director and principle of Nobita Primary School. When he entered this school, he found the children here didn’t cooperate with the teachers. Pierre thought up many ways to guide them, but none was effective. Later, he found these children were very superstitious(迷信的), so when he gave lectures, he added a program of palm reading as a means of fortune-telling, with which he encouraged the students.
When Rolls jumped to the platform with his small hands stretched out, Pierre Paul said, “As soon as I see your slim little fingers, I know you will be the governor of New York State in future.” At that moment, Rolls was shocked because only his grandmother inspired him once, saying that he could become captain of a five-ton ship. This time, Pierre Paul said he could become governor of New York State, so he remembered that remark and believed him.
From that day on, the “New York State Governor” was like a banner (旗帜) that constantly inspired him to study energetically and make progress. Rolls no longer stained his clothes with mud, nor did he speak in foul language. He began to straighten his back when he was walking. In the next more than 40 years, he demanded himself according to the identity of a governor. At the age of 51, he finally became the governor of New York State.
Put up a banner of faith for yourself and you will have the drive to struggle and the dynamism of life!
1. Pierre Paul read palms for the kids to __________.| A．practice his fortune-telling skills | B．find a governor for the future. |
| C．get them to cooperate with him. | D．inspire them with clever tricks |
| A．He put up a banner in one of the slums. |
| B．He had more faith in his grandmother. |
| C．He became captain of a five-ton ship. |
| D．He started to pay attention to his own image. |
| A．encouragement and faith make for success. |
| B．education plays an important role in life. |
| C．superstitious people are easy to persuade. |
| D．it is not necessary to get an acceptable job. |
| A．foreign | B．professional |
| C．unpleasant | D．local |
【推荐1】Albert was mad about computer games. He could spend hours in front of the computer. When people encouraged him to leave the screen to have a normal life, he would respond “this is my window to the world. There is much more here than you realize.”
Among all his games, he especially liked a rabbit-catching game. He was a real expert at it. He once even won the champion of an online rabbit-catching competition.
One day, as usual, as soon as he got home, he ran to his room to play computer games. But this time he found the computer was not there. Yet in its place there was a box, on which a card said, “Gift for Game Winner.” When he opened the box, he found a real rabbit in it. His parents then came in to tell him that they bought him the rabbit in place of the rabbit game because his computer was sent for repair.
Albert loved the little rabbit immediately. He liked playing with it and even gave it a name. He studied its diet and habits. Days later, he actually began to enjoy the company of the rabbit. And he also enjoyed sharing his stories and his growing knowledge about rabbits with his parents, friends and teachers.
Now, Albert is no longer mad about computer games. He prefers learning and discovering new things about animals. He also uses the computer to do that. When someone asks him why he stops playing computer games, he points to his pet and says,“This is my window to the world. There is more than you realize.”
1. Albert was an expert at ________.| A．catching rabbits in the woods | B．keeping different kinds of pets |
| C．online computer game competitions | D．computer game of rabbit-catching |
| A．They gave him a real rabbit as a gift. |
| B．They bought him a new rabbit game. |
| C．They replaced his computer with a box. |
| D．They told him to stop playing computer games |
| A．He starts to like the shop that sold the rabbit. |
| B．He prefers discovering new things about animals. |
| C．He likes playing computer games with the rabbit. |
| D．He is no longer good at playing computer games |
| A．His parents | B．Computer games | C．His pet rabbit | D．Knowledge about nature |
【推荐2】Callie Rogers says she is much happier now after her $1.87 million fortune has gone. And she has called for an increase in the age for playing the game.
She said it was hard to know which relationships were real after her big win.
Callie said that lottery organisers Camelot tried to help her after her win, but she didn’t listen.
Culture minister Tracey Crouch has already confirmed the Government is reviewing the age limit of 16, which may be raised.
| A．I just wish I’d been older. |
| B．Callie was just 16 when she own the lottery. |
| C．She wanted to go back to having an exciting life. |
| D．She became so sad by being “used” by some people. |
| E．I try to forget what I’ve been through and just feel like a normal person. |
| F．Callie unfortunately didn’t take the independent financial and legal advice. |
| G．She was too young to comprehend how much her life would change. |
Last year, however, I took my husband with me to the sales at the large shop in the center of London. We both needed some new clothes and were hoping to find a television set. When we got to Oxford Street, it was so crowded that we decided to split up and meet again at the underground station. So I left my husband and started looking around the shops. Unfortunately all the clothes were in very large sizes and so were not suitable for me. But I did buy a television at a very low price, so I felt quite pleased with myself.
When I arrived at the station, my husband was not there. So I sat down in a nearby cafe to have a cup of tea. I quickly finished my tea when I saw my husband and went out to meet him. He looked very happy. Then I saw he was carrying a large and heavy cardboard box. “Oh, dear!” I thought. Yes, we had no new clothes but two televisions. We shall not go to the sales again.
1. In January ________.
| A．lots of people go shopping for something cheaper |
| B．people have a lot of money to spend after Christmas |
| C．all the shops close for a two-week Christmas holiday |
| D．people don’t have enough money to buy new clothes |
| A．wished to buy a TV |
| B．went to the sales the year before |
| C．often went to the sales to buy clothes |
| D．were usually not short of money after Christmas |
| A．break apart | B．cause to break |
| C．break into pieces | D．go in different directions |
| A．were happy with their bargains |
| B．had got everything they wanted |
| C．got more than they had hoped for |
| D．had to go back to the sales the next day |
