【推荐1】Is there a magic cutoff period when children become responsible for their own actions? Is there a wonderful moment when parents can become spectators in the lives of their children and shrug, "It's their life, " and feel nothing?

When I was in my twenties, I stood in a hospital passage waiting for doctors to put a few stitches (缝线) in my son's head. I asked, "When do you stop worry?" The nurse said, "When they get out of the accident stage." My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing.

When I was in my thirties, I sat on a little chair in a classroom and heard how one of my children talked continually and disrupted the class. As if to read my mind, a teacher said. "Don't worry, they all go through this stage and then you can sit back, relax and enjoy them" My mother just smiled faintly faintly and said nothing.

When I was in my forties, I spent a lifetime waiting for the phone to ring, the cars to come home, the front door to open. A friend said, "They're trying to find themselves. Don't worry, in a few years, you can stop worrying. They'll adults. "My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing.

By the time I was 50, I was sick and tired of being weak. I was still worrying over my children, but there was a new wrinkle, there was nothing I could do about it. My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing.

I continued to suffer from their failures, an be absorbed in their disappointments. My friends said that when my kids got married I could stop worrying and lead my own life. I wanted to believe that, but I was haunted (萦绕心头) by my mother's warm smile and her occasional "You look pale. Are you all right? Call me the minute you get home. Are you depressed about something?" Can it be that parents are sentenced to a lifetime of worry?

One of my children telephoned me last month, saying, "Where were you? I've been calling for three days, and no one answered. I was worried."

I smiled a warm smile.

1. The author intends to tell us in the passage that________.

A．parents long for a period when they no longer worry about their children

B．there is no time when parents have no worry about their children

C．it's parents' duty to worry about their children

D．parents don't have to worry their children

2. We can infer from the sentence "My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing" that________.

A．her mother shared the same idea as the nurse

B．her mother wouldn't express her opinion upon the matter

C．her mother felt much relieved to know there was nothing serious about her grandson

D．her mother didn't agree with the nurse

3. The author mentioned her ages of twenties, thirties, forties and fifty in order to show________.

A．the hard times she experience in her life	B．the different stages of her children
C．she had been worrying about her children in her life	D．the support she received from her mother

4. What can we infer from the last sentence "I smiled a warm smile"?

A．Finally the mother didn't have to worry about her children.

B．The mother was pleased that her child began to worry about her, too.

C．At last the mother could live her own life without worry.

D．The mother felt satisfied that she had succeeded in turning her children into adults.

【推荐2】It’s not easy to grow up. Actually, it’s far from easy. Growing up can be a real “pain” for some of us. We are always doing things that someone else makes us do and aren’t allowed to do all the things we like. Sometimes we feel trapped, sometimes we are fearful, and sometimes we just don’t understand why we can’t stay young forever. When we look back on all the hardships in life with a positive attitude, we realize that all of our growing pains actually turn into growing gains!

As a young girl my parents forced my sisters and me to do so many things that I never liked.

They made me learn to play the violin and then the piano. At that time I hated music, just because it was what they wanted me to do. But looking back now, I am so glad that my parents encouraged me to take music lessons. Music has enriched my life in so many ways. I realize that my parents and teachers were always pushing me along, not because they wanted me to suffer but because they wanted me to succeed in life. They’ve always wanted me to have a better life than they did themselves.

Every moment of our lives we are either living or dying, so live life to its fullest! We are all going to experience growing pains, but they are just small pains in life. They might seem so huge at the time but we must be strong. Think about how we would feel if we had no fear and live life like that.

The future is ours! A little hard work and sweat never hurt anyone! If we realize that these pains are just small bumps(凸块) on our road to success, we will realize that our growing pains are actually growing gains!

1. According to Paragraph 1, we learn that when we are young ________.

A．life is full of joy.	B．we can’t do whatever we like.
C．we know we can stay young forever.	D．life is easier.

2. When the author was young, what did her parents push her to do?

A．take music lessons.	B．turn gains into pains.
C．look back on hardships.	D．live a successful life by suffering a lot.

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Growing pains are necessary for us to grow up.

B．We all have to experience growing pains.

C．A little hard work and sweat are harmful to us.

D．Life without fear is a better choice for us.

【推荐1】I didn't know how to say no, and was afraid to tell people what I wanted. Instead, I got myself tangled (纠结的) in a web of obligations, anxiety, and white lies.

The worst thing was that I didn't even realize what I was doing. I thought I knew how to say “no”-but couldn't remember the last time I had. Like a lot of people, I just wanted to be accepted, appreciated, loved-and that the only way to get those things was to put everyone else's needs before my own.

I never seemed to have time for things I really wanted to do. I'd like to learn Spanish, write more fiction, and travel. These aren't huge, unrealistic goals. And yet, my people-pleasing ways dramatically cut into my free time to pursue these desires.

But recently, I decided I'd had enough. As an experiment, I began standing up for myself, even at the risk of alienating (使疏远) myself from everyone and having my entire life come crashing down around me. Several days ago, a good friend asked me to go for coffee at 5 p.m. I was planning to hit the gym and then binge-watch Mad Men for the millionth time. I said, “Sorry, I've got things I want to do tonight.” She said, “That's fine. Maybe another time.” It was all so painfully simple that I wanted to cry.

Saying “no” is so much easier. If someone asks me to do something I have zero interest in, I'm polite but honest. “I'm sorry, I don't think that's really for me.” The words slip out my mouth faster than some other lame excuses.

Learning how to say “no” has added several extra hours to my days, days to my weeks, and what feels like months to my years. I no longer have to back-burner my plans to help friends with their job search, or set aside a weekend to read a book draft by someone I barely know. Saying “no” has set me free.

1. Why was the author afraid of saying “no”?

A．She didn't want to tell lies.	B．She wanted to make more friends.
C．She wanted to please every one.	D．She was always willing to help others.

2. What was the bad point of being afraid of saying “no”?

A．She alienated many friends.	B．She was kept busy all day long.
C．She felt depressed now and then.	D．She had no time for her own hobbies.

3. What was her friend's reaction when she said “no” to her?

A．Natural.

B．Painful.

C．Angry.

D．Disappointed.

4. How did the author feel after she had learnt to say “no”?

A．Lonely.

B．Relaxed.

C．Confident.

D．Lost.

【推荐2】I’ve never been the kind of person to say, “it’s the thought that counts” when it comes to gifts. That was until a couple of weeks ago, when my kids gave me a present that blew me away.

For years now, I’ve been wanting to sell our home, the place where my husband and I raised our kids. But to me, this house is much more than just a building.

In the front room, there’s a wall that has hundreds of pencil lines, marking the progress of my children’s growth.

Every growth stage is marked in grey, with each child’s name and the date they were measured. Of all the objects and all the memories, it’s this one thing in a home that’s the hardest to leave behind. Friends I know have returned home after work only to discover their wall of heights has been freshly painted over. A new paint job wouldn’t normally be greeted by tears, but erasing that evidence of motherhood hurts more than it should. Our kids grow in so many ways, but the wall is physical evidence of their progress, right there for everyone to see.

Over the years, I’ve talked about how much I would hate leaving that wall behind when I moved, even though the last marks were made 10 years ago when my kids stopped growing.

So one day, while I was at work, my children decided to do something about it.

They hired Jacquie Manning, a professional photographer whose work is about capturing (捕捉) the beautiful things in life, from clear lakes and skies to diamonds and ballgowns (舞会礼服).

She came to our house while I was at work, and over several hours, took photos of the hundreds of drawings and lines, little grey fingerprints (手印), and old marks. Somehow, she managed to photograph all those years of memories perfectly. Afterwards, she put all the photos together into one image, transforming them into a beautiful history of my family.

Three weeks later, my children’s wonderful gift made its way to me—a life-size photo of the pencil lines and fingerprints that represents entire lifetimes of love and growth.

1. The underlined phrase in Para. I “blew me away” probably means “________”.

A．attracted me	B．surprised me
C．accepted me	D．refused me

2. What does the house really mean to the author?

A．A house.	B．Buildings.
C．An object.	D．Memories.

3. What surprised the friends I know after work?

A．Finding the wall repainted.

B．Erasing the fingerprints.

C．Greeting them by tears.

D．Leaving the wall unfinished.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Gift Made with Love

B．Buildings Made by Children

C．A Very Wonderful Painting

D．A Family History

【推荐3】Growing up, I wanted to be just like my mom. She was kind. People always seemed to feel comfortable in her presence. For years, she was a volunteer in our community. I loved going to the local nursing home with her where she taught a ceramic class.

On one summer day, Mama told me to get changed and meet her at the car.

I had planned to spend the day at the lake with friends. Why did she have to ruin everything? I imagined the cool lake water. Annoyed, I climbed into the car and slammed the door shut. We sat in silence. I was too upset to make conversation.

“Tasha, would you like to know where we are going?” Mama asked calmly.

“No,” I said.

“We are going to volunteer at a children’s shelter today. I have been there before and I think it will benefit you,” she explained.

When we reached the shelter, Mama rang the doorbell. Moments later, we were greeted by a woman. She led us to the front room where all of the children were playing. I noticed a baby whose body was scarred with iron marks. I was told it was because she wouldn’t stop crying. The majority of the children had noticeable physical scars. Others hid their emotional wounds.

As I took in my surroundings, I felt a gentle tug on my shirt. I looked down to see a little girl looking up at me. “Hi. You want to play dolls with me?” she asked. I looked over at Mama for reinforcement. She smiled and nodded. I turned back and said, “Sure.” Her tiny hand reached up and held mine, as if to comfort me.

My mom taught me a worthy lesson that summer. I returned to the shelter with her several times. During those visits, some of the children shared their troubled pasts with me and I learned to be grateful for what I had. Today as I try to instill(逐渐灌输) these values in my own child, I reflect back to that experience. It was a time that I will never forget.

1. The author admired her mom for ________.

A．her kindness to others	B．her excellent teaching
C．her quality of honesty	D．her positive attitude to life

2. When she was asked to go out with her mom, the author was ________.

A．excited	B．surprised
C．angry	D．worried

3. From the passage we learn most children in the shelter ________.

A．were often punished by staff	B．weren’t allowed to go outside
C．were once treated badly	D．all suffered from mental illness

4. The underlined word “reinforcement” in the passage is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．truth	B．support
C．comfort	D．help

【推荐1】Alexandra Scott was born to Liz and Jay Scott in Manchester, Connecticut on January 18, 1996, the second of four children. Shortly before her first birthday, Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer.
On her first birthday, the doctors informed Alex’s parents that if she beat her cancer it was doubtful that she would ever walk again. Just two weeks later, Alex slightly moved her leg at her parents’ request to kick. This was the first indication that she would turn out to be a courageous and confident child with big dreams and big accomplishments.
By her second birthday, Alex was able to stand up with leg braces（支架）. She worked hard to gain strength and to learn how to walk. She appeared to be overcoming the difficul-ties, until the shocking discovery within the next year that her tumors （肿瘤）had started growing again. In the year 2000, the day after her fourth birthday, Alex received a stem cell transplant（干细胞移植）and informed her mother, “When I get out of the hospital I want to have a lemonade stand. ” She said she wanted to give the money to doctors to allow them to help other kids, like they helped me. True to her word, she held her first lemonade stand later that year with the help of her older brother and raised an amazing $ 2,000 for her hospital.
People from all over the world, moved by her story, held their own lemonade stands and donated the earnings to Alex and her cause. In August of 2004, Alex passed away at the age of 8, knowing that, with the help of others, she had raised more than $ 1 million to help find a cure for the disease that took her life. Alex’s family—including brothers Patrick, Eddie, and Joey—and supporters around the world are committed to continuing her inspiring cause through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
1. It can be learned from the text that Alex .

A．couldn’t walk until she was four

B．held her first lemonade stand in 2001

C．was the only daughter of the Scotts

D．was born with cancer

2. Why was Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation founded?

A．To promote her lemonade.

B．To attract public attention to her disease.

C．To set up a children’s hospital.

D．To collect money to help children with cancer.

3. What did the public do to support Alex and her cause?

A．They helped her sell lemonade.

B．They donated money to her foundation.

C．They provided free stands for her.

D．They donated stem cells for her operation.

4. Which of the following can best describe Alex?

A．Stubborn.

B．Determined.

C．Innocent.

D．Energetic.

【推荐2】Summer is coming. How will you spend your summer holidays? Will you go camping, do sports or go on with your studies? Why not try some part-time jobs during the summer?

When I was in senior high school, many of my friends held part-time jobs. The most common jobs for teenagers were restaurant jobs. Working in the kitchen, waiting tables and washing dishes were a few of the most typical ones. But my first part-time job was working at a bookstore. I went to the bookstore every day after school to look for new books and hang out with my friends, so I thought, why not work there and make some money?

One of the reasons why these jobs are often worked by teenagers is that they pay low wages. But the wage is still ok. When I worked at the bookstore, I spent my entire salary in the same store buying books. It was almost like my boss paid me in books instead of money. But at the time, that was perfectly fine by me. By doing the part-time job, I made some money, met different people and became independent and responsible.

1. What does the writer advise us to try in the summer holidays?

A．Studying.	B．Doing sports.
C．Going camping.	D．Doing part-time jobs.

2. What was the most common job for teenagers according to the second paragraph?

A．Selling books.	B．Washing dishes.
C．Paying wages.	D．Mending tables.

3. Where did the writer start working?

A．In a school.	B．In a library.
C．In a bookstore.	D．In a restaurant.

4. What can be inferred in the last paragraph?

A．Teenagers often got high pay.

B．The boss paid the writer in books.

C．The writer benefited a lot from the job.

D．People became independent by reading.

5. What is the main purpose of the text?

A．To persuade.	B．To amuse.
C．To compare.	D．To argue.

【推荐3】At the age of 14, James Harrison had a major chest operation and he required 13 units (3.4 gallons) of blood afterwards. The blood donations（捐赠） saved his life, and he decided that once he turned 18, he would begin donating blood as regularly as he could.

More than 60 years and almost 1,200 donations later, Harrison, whose blood contains an antibody (抗体) that has saved the lives of 2.4 million babies from miscarriages (流产), retired as a blood donor on May 11. Harrison’s blood is valuable because he naturally produces Rh-negative blood, which contains Rh-positive antibodies. His blood has been used to create anti-D in Australia since 1967.

“Every bottle of Anti-D ever made in Australia has James in it,” Robyn Barlow, the Rh program director told the Sydney Morning Herald. “It’s an amazing thing. He has saved millions of babies. I cry just thinking about it.” Since then, Harrison has donated between 500 and 800 milliliters of blood almost every week. He’s made 1,162 donations from his right arm and 10 from his left.

“I’d keep going if they let me,” Harrison told the Herald. His doctors said it was time to stop the donations — and they certainly don’t take them lightly. They had already enlarged the age limit for blood donations for him, and they’re cutting him off now to protect his health. He made his final donation, with some of the mothers and babies standing around who his blood helped save.

Harrison’s retirement is a blow to the Rh treatment program in Australia. Only 160 donors support the program, and finding new donors has proven to be difficult. But Harrison’s retirement from giving blood doesn’t mean he’s completely out of the game. Scientists are collecting and cataloging（列入目录） his DNA to create a library of antibodies and white blood cells that could be the future of the anti-D program in Australia.

1. What do we know about James Harrison?

A．He saved 2.4 million poor people.

B．He is to retire as a blood donor.

C．He is a very grateful blood donor.

D．He donates blood nearly every day.

2. What is the author’s purpose of writing Paragraph 4?

A．To state Harrison’s decision to continue donating blood.

B．To describe how Harrison’s donations come to an end.

C．To introduce some babies saved by Harrison’s blood.

D．To praise Harrison for his cooperation with the doctors.

3. What can we infer from the passage about Harrison?

A．After his retirement, the Rh program will fail.

B．New donors are easy to find in a short time.

C．He continues to contribute to the Rh program.

D．His DNA is kept in a library for future study.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．A Special Man with a Rare Blood Type

B．The Blood Saving Millions of Babies

C．A Special Blood Type Donor to Retire

D．The Man with the Golden Arms