During the years that passed from I was born until my siblings (兄弟姐妹) and myself moved away from home, my mother didn’t have a job. If she had been asked to fill out a questionnaire about her personal data, she would have left the question ‘Employment’ empty. She believed that her job was to be our mother- full time. That was the way she had chosen it to be.
There is an old yellowed photograph of my mother and father, taken in 1942, when they were on their honeymoon. They are sitting at a table in a restaurant. In the photo my mother looks very beautiful, I think. She was 23 years old then.
When I look at the photo, I see a woman who would have had an unlimited number of opportunities in life. She is more than just pretty; it is clear to see that she is both intelligent and vivid. I know that if she had put her mind to getting a career, the whole world would have been at her feet. The story of her youth confirms this. She got a brilliant exam in one of the finest schools in the country. In fact, she is the most intelligent person I know.
Yet she has always considered herself as house wife and mother. Everyone in the town admired her for the great effort she put into charity work, but if someone asked her what she did for a living or who she was, she answered that she was Robert Greene’s wife, and Robert’s, Deborah’s and Timothy’s mother.
Today there are probably many women who will see what she did as a waste of my mother’s good abilities. Why should an intelligent and determined woman be content with making soup and sandwiches?
We all go through our adult life with the conception that we have never been anything but fully developed grown-ups. But any of us have been small children once, who hurried home from school completely assured that someone was waiting for us at home. It meant something then and it means something today. And I am eternally (永恒地) grateful that the woman in the yellowed photograph was waiting for me.
1. Why did Mom leave the question “Employment” empty?| A．Because she couldn’t write. | B．Because she was a full time mother. |
| C．Because she couldn’t find a job. | D．Because she was angry at this question. |
| A．Diligent and stubborn. | B．Beautiful and strict. |
| C．Intelligent and selfless. | D．Ambitious and clever |
| A．The author has two siblings. |
| B．The author thinks highly of Mom’s devotion. |
| C．Being a full time mother is a waste of ability. |
| D．An intelligent woman shouldn’t be content with cooking. |
| A．An Old Yellowed Photograph |
| B．The Memories of My Family |
| C．The Importance of Siblings’ love |
| D．The Standard of Being a Good Mother |
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【推荐1】I keep remembering odd things: the way she loved daffodils, jokes she told at the dinner table, the look in her eyes when she talked about my future. I knew about college before I’d never heard of high school was Mom’s second chance at the degree she never had.
Her parents pushed her too much, too hard, and she always wished she hadn’t let the pressure defeat her. She dropped out of college after one term for marriage and a secretarial job. While she never regretted marrying my father, she always regretted giving up her dream of becoming an accountant. She was determined her eldest daughter would never miss an opportunity.
One of the most extremely special times of my life was Christmas in my second school year, when I played Tiny Tim in a local community theater production of “A Christmas Carol.” Mom delighted in my endless rehearsal stories and spent hours helping me work out ways of disguising my long hair. There’s a line in the show: “And it was always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.” Change the pronouns and that sentence describes Mom perfectly.
She was the one person I could talk to about anything. She was right about so much, so often—much more than I gave her credit for at the time.
I never imagined she wouldn’t be here now. I never thought cancer could strike so quickly, could kill someone so strong and determined in only a year. She’s the one person I couldn’t imagine living without; now, since last January, I’ve had to. Suddenly, I have no one to talk to about meaningless little things, no one whose advice I trust completely to help me with decisions. When I come home from school, I come home to an empty house, troubled by memories of the year she spent here dying. I remember the disastrous Thanksgiving when she was feeling terrible, and our wonderful last Christmas Eve together.
What I feel cheated of is the future we’ll never have.
1. What can be learned about the author’s mother in Paragraph 2?| A．She gave in to her parents. | B．She had an obedient daughter. |
| C．She fell in love with her husband in college. | D．She wished her kids to follow her example. |
| A．Her rehearsal stories. | B．Her mother’s company. |
| C．Her favorite line from the show. | D．Her mother’s skills in doing hair. |
| A．Clever and passionate. | B．Caring and humorous. |
| C．Supportive and reliable. | D．Talented and hard-working. |
| A．To show her mother’s great sadness. | B．To tell anecdotes about her mother. |
| C．To talk about the cruelty of the disease. | D．To share fond memories of her mother. |
【推荐2】One day, my wife and I were listening to Disney songs with our two little girls when the romantic love song I See the Light came on. I walked over to my wife, who was in the kitchen, took her in my arms and started dancing with her slowly. I could tell it caught her off-guard and embarrassed her a little. Thankfully, she stayed in my arms and danced with me anyway. As the song approached the final chorus, I suddenly realized we weren’t alone. Our daughters were standing there watching us in silence.
The song approached the end and as the strings played the last notes, I decided to give the girls a Hollywood ending. I took my wife’s face in my hands and kissed her. After I pulled away, I looked over and saw my elder daughter’s face lit up with admiration, and her eyes filled with tears. Then she came over, buried her face in my wife’s legs. and cried.
“Why are you crying?” my wife asked.
My daughter was at a loss for words, so I tried a different angle.
“Can you at least give me one word to describe how you’re feeling?” I asked.
My daughter paused, looked up at us and said,“Loved.”
It reminded me of seeing my dad kiss my mom, leaving me feeling pleasantly embarrassed as a child. I wanted to watch them kiss each other and hide my face at the same time. And while there were no words to describe how I felt at the time, looking back, I know what it was: I felt loved.
Never overlook the power of your love for your spouse (配偶). Your kids are watching as you smile and give each other a kiss when you say goodbye to each other in the morning. They’re listening when you praise one another. Showing marital love in front of our children is a unique chance to be both a good parent and a good spouse.
1. What were the author’s daughters doing while he was dancing with his wife?| A．Cooking in the kitchen. | B．Watching a Disney film. |
| C．Looking at them silently. | D．Exchanging loving kisses. |
| A．She was desperate to be kissed by her mom. | B．She hated it when her dad kissed her mom. |
| C．She felt deeply touched by her parents’ love. | D．She thought her dad completely ignored her. |
| A．Proud and calm. | B．Sad and ashamed. | C．Interested but annoyed. | D．Embarrassed but pleased. |
| A．Remember to praise their children in public. | B．Avoid close contact in front of their children. |
| C．Set a good example in terms of good manners. | D．Show their love for each other to their children. |
【推荐3】There was a boy in India who was sent by his parents to a boarding school. Before being sent away this boy was the brightest student in his class. He was at the top in every competition. He was a champion. But the boy changed after leaving home and attending the boarding school. His grades started dropping. He hated being in a group. He was lonely all the time. All of these changes were because he felt worthless and that no one loved him.
His parents started worrying about the boy. So his dad decided to go to the boarding school and talk with him.
They sat on the bank of the lake near the school. The father started asking him some questions about his classes, teachers and sports.
After some time his dad said, “Do you know, son, why I am here today?” The boy answered, “To check my grades?” “No, no,” his dad replied, “I am here to tell you that you are the most important person for me. I want to see you happy. I don’t care about grades. I care about you. I care about your happiness. YOU ARE MY LIFE.” These words caused the boy’s eyes to be filled with tears, He hugged his dad. They didn’t say anything to each other for a long time.
Now the boy had everything he wanted. He knew there was someone on this earth who cared about him deeply. And today this young man is at the top of his class in college and no one has ever seen him sad!
1. What was the boy like before going to the boarding school?| A．Honest and humorous. | B．Lonely and helpless. |
| C．Active and outstanding. | D．Sad and careless. |
| A．He felt a lack of love. | B．His classmates hated him. |
| C．He missed home very much. | D．He lost his best friend. |
| A．High grades in the exams. | B．The help from his teachers. |
| C．The deep love from his father. | D．Tears in his father’s eyes. |
| A．Scores are everything. | B．Don’t go to a boarding school. |
| C．Love me, love my dog. | D．Love is silent power. |
【推荐1】I was on the phone with a friend when she said that she had not been hugged for months. She believed that it was better to die than to live without love. Sensing her sadness, I drove 12 hours to give her a hug. I could feel this hug restored (恢复) her trust in humanity. She was ready to live again. This simple act of kindness had the ability to restore life. How many others out there wanted love in the form of a hug? Thus, the hugs campaign was born.
I printed leaflets (传单) with words of inspiration and passed them out while giving hugs at the Santa Monica Promenade. Every Saturday and Sunday, I stood holding a sign, inviting people with a smile. At first, 1 was frightened of offering strangers hugs, and it was a personal challenge for me to overcome my own fear But once I overcame it, the rest was magic.
I have learned a lot about people through my hugs campaign. I have learned to read people in much the same way as you would read a book. I started to find out who would be most likely to receive a hug, who would need some time to warm up before accepting a hug, and who would look at me with disgust while they hurriedly walked away as if I were giving them poison.
There was a gentleman who walked back and forth, looking at me first with disgust, then with interest, and then with fear. Upon the fifth time he passed my station, he finally walked slowly in my direction and stood waiting for me to meet him the rest of the way. I went slowly not to scare him off, and I stretched (张开) my arms out hoping he would meet mine. He did. We stood in an awkward (笨拙的) hug, and then he rushed off never looking backwards.
There was a homeless man in a wheelchair who asked for a leaflet but said I did not have to hug him, as he had not showered for some time. I told him it didn't matter. He looked at me amazedly as if to say, "Really?" The world had been cruel, and he was used to being walked away from. I bent down and held him close and told him he was loved.
People want human touch, yet many do not get enough of it. Some are afraid of hugs, but I have learned that given the chance, many will seize the chance to be hugged.
1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．Why people need hugs |
| B．Who wanted to be hugged. |
| C．Where the hugs campaign was started. |
| D．How the hugs campaign was started |
| A．gave out leaflets | B．taught people to dance |
| C．offered food to the homeless | D．invited strangers to her house |
| A．delight. | B．curiosity. | C．dislike. | D．doubt. |
| A．He lived near where the author gave hugs. |
| B．He wanted to be hugged but was afraid of a hug |
| C．He walked slowly because he was disabled. |
| D．He was interested when he saw the author at first. |
Chuquicamata, my host community, is a mining camp. When I arrived there, I was scared. It was so different from what I was used to. There were lots of dogs on the streets, and there was no downtown, few smoothly paved streets, and little to do for entertainment. Rain was not seen very often, earthquakes and windstorms were frequent.
I had studied Spanish for two and a half years and was always one of the best students in my class. But in my first week in Chile I was only able to communicate and needed one person to whom I could explain my shock. I couldn’t speak the thoughts in my head and there were so many.
Most exchange students experience this like me. Culture shock presents itself in everything from increased aggression (敌对心理) towards the people to lack of appetite. I was required to overcome all difficulties.
As time passed, everything changed. I began to forget words in English and to dream in Spanish and love Chilean food. I got used to not depending on expensive things for fun. Fun in Chuquicamata was being with people. And I took math, physics, chemistry, biology, Spanish, art, and philosophy.
But the sacrifices were nothing compared to the gain. I learned how to accept and to succeed in another culture. I now have a deeper understanding of both myself and others.
1. The author came to Chile last year with the purpose of ________.| A．paying a visit to Chile as a tourist |
| B．experiencing Chilean life as a teacher |
| C．studying Chilean culture as a college student |
| D．studying knowledge as an exchange student |
| A．Because he did not know how to get along with the local people. |
| B．Because it was full of dangers like earthquakes and windstorms. |
| C．Because its living conditions were worse than what he was used to. |
| D．Because it was not convenient for him to shop there. |
| A．was not used to eating Chilean food |
| B．had some friends to have a chat with |
| C．couldn’t communicate with people |
| D．couldn’t express his thoughts in English |
| A．Wonderful and worthwhile | B．Difficult but meaningful |
| C．Difficult and meaningless | D．Boring and disappointing |
| A．its official language is Spanish and English. |
| B．It is a developing country without foreign students. |
| C．It seldom rains and natural disasters often happen. |
| D．Most Chileans are not friendly to foreigners. |
【推荐3】It has been four years since Grandma Joy told her grandson that she had never seen the most beautiful views of America. Since then, they have gone on many cross-country trips.
Brad Ryan had been feeling tired of studying in a vet school when he visited his 85-year-old grandma in 2015. He hoped that spending some quality family time would make him cheerful.
As he was telling his grandma stories of his travels, however, he was heartbroken to hear that she had never seen the ocean or mountains. Ryan then asked his grandmother if she would like to go hiking with him. Needless to say, she was more than happy to agree.
They have since visited 29 different national parks across America—from the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado to the Acadia National Park in Maine. Over the four years, Ryan and his grandma have driven 25,000 miles through 38 states. And it has greatly affected his quality of life. “Seeing it through my grandmother’s eyes, who every morning wakes up and is thankful to be alive, has taught me how to live,” Ryan said. “With her, I’ve had to slow down and see life in a different way, which has made it a lot richer.”
“I love my grandma so much, and it’s just really giving me a lot of peace when she passed away. I can go back to these places, feel her spirit, and feel connected to her,” he added.
Ryan posted all of their trips on Facebook. He hopes more young people will spare time to be with their elders. “I want young people to know that hanging out with your grandparents is cool. And there’s so much we can learn from our elders,” Ryan said.
1. Why did Brad Ryan visit his grandma in 2015?| A．To cheer himself up. | B．To please his grandma. |
| C．To take his grandma to travel. | D．To share his travelling experiences. |
| A．She made him live a richer life. | B．She helped him find his life goal. |
| C．She told him to have peace of mind. | D．She gave him a lot of encouragement. |
| A．To advise young people to take a trip. |
| B．To share his joy of travelling with his grandma. |
| C．To show young people what they can learn from their elders. |
| D．To encourage the young to spend time with their elders. |
【推荐1】A few years ago, I moved to Aurora, Ont. with my boyfriend and I longed to make friends in my new neighborhood.
Where we lived, the houses were jammed together so tightly. But the irony of living so close was that no one actually talked to each other; as in an open-concept office, they pretend they can't hear or see each other to maintain at least an illusion of privacy.
It was not so easy to make friends as an adult. I was about to give up when I caught sight of a beautiful, tall blonde taking out her recycling. She walked with confidence—even her ponytail bounced. I thought, “I recycle too! We have so much in common!”
The question was, how would we meet? What would I say? So I thought, “What if I just happened to be jogging by?” I put on my running shoes, but after a few times around the block, sweating, I didn't see her. I decided to seize on the one thing I already knew about her—she takes out her blue bin.
The following day, I woke up a little earlier than usual. A little after 8 a.m., the garbage truck appeared and the blonde appeared. I grabbed a bin and made my way to the end of my driveway. “Just act natural, Megan,” I told myself. “Good morning. How are ya?” I said, cool as a cucumber. “Good. And you?” she replied. “Doing well...I am a new comer, just a broadcaster. I talk for a living. Clearly!” “Interesting,” she said.
As we both walked away, I turned and called out, “Oh, and by the way, I'm Megan.” “Michelle,” she replied. I walked back inside, wearing a giant smile.
Our “coincidental” recycling meet-ups continued for a few weeks until I finally gathered my courage to ask her to watch The Bachelor with me and she said yes.
That night, after we got everything ready, we settled on the couch and proceeded to drink wine, have our buffet, analyze television relationships, tell stories about our own and laugh our faces off. We “found what we'd been looking for": a new friend to fall spiritually in love with.
1. What can be learned from Paragraph 2?| A．The author lived in a small house. |
| B．The author lived in a very noisy neighborhood. |
| C．The neighbors were closely connected to each other. |
| D．The neighbors had little communication with each other. |
| A．The tall blonde pretended to be very cool. |
| B．The tall blonde wore a big smile when talking. |
| C．The author was quite satisfied with their first talk. |
| D．The two friends met accidentally when the truck ca me. |
| A．hesitant but kind-hearted. | B．shy but insistent. |
| C．warm-hearted and generous. | D．Caring and modest. |
| A．A broadcaster talking for a living began to recycle. |
| B．A blonde watched The Bachelor with a broadcaster. |
| C．A new comer finally made friends with a neighbor. |
| D．Two women recycled together in the neighborhood. |
【推荐2】Nicole Ihus’s son John Henry was born last month with a life-threatening disease. Nicole and her husband, who live in Kansas City, contacted doctors from Minnesota and Missouri in hopes of finding a doctor who could treat John Henry for the condition, but to no avail. Luckily, Nicole managed to get in contact with the “best doctor in the world for this condition” at Johns Hopkins All Children’s in St. Petersburg, Florida, so she traveled all the way to the Sunshine State to give her newborn son a fighting chance.
After John Henry was into the ICU, Nicole felt alone in the new state, although she knew that she had to leave her son’s side in order to buy him some new clothes. Upon ordering an Uber ride to the nearby Rhea Lana children’s clothing store, she was picked up by a woman named Belinda.
Shortly after Nicole got into Belinda’s car, the new mother couldn’t help talking about her heartbreaking circumstances.
“She told me her story,” Belinda said. “She was in tears a couple of times and I really felt for her.” Rather than simply dropping Nicole off at the store, however, Belinda parked the car and insisted on accompanying her passenger into the store so she could treat John Henry to new clothes. Needless to say, Nicole was filled with gratitude.
Nicole said, “For this stranger to go completely out of her way - stop what she was doing and stop making money- to come be with me for a couple of hours while we shopped together, that was just incredible.” As Nicole cares for her newborn son and raises money for his medical conditions, she hopes to introduce the Uber driver to her son as a thank you for her compassionate gesture.
1. Why did the new mother have to travel to Florida?| A．Her husband worked there. |
| B．She wanted to have a baby there. |
| C．Her sick son might get cured there. |
| D．She wanted to find a cheap hospital there. |
| A．Drop her off at the hospital. |
| B．Accompany her while shopping. |
| C．Make friends with her son. |
| D．Buy new clothes for her. |
| A．Grateful and astonished. |
| B．Shocked and disappointed. |
| C．Worried and embarrassed. |
| D．Puzzled and regretful. |
| A．An unforgettable experience. |
| B．A heroic helper around you. |
| C．A special shopping experience. |
| D．An unexpected kindness. |
【推荐3】A famous person once said, “We live much happier lives when we are generous(慷慨的) in as many ways as possible.”
I love persimmons (柿子). A few years ago, ready to fly from San Francisco to Boston, I packed two persimmons, one of which I ate in the waiting room. A lady asked me from which store in the airport the fruit was bought. She looked a bit disappointed hearing that it couldn’t be bought from any store in this airport. I thought to myself, “I can give the second persimmon away.” When I offered her the fruit, at first she refused, but when I insisted (坚持), she became glad and accepted. I felt happy to make someone else happy, and I thought it was the end of the story.
Sometime during the flight, the lady met me in the aisle (过道) and thanked me again. She shared that she had grown up in Russia, where there was a persimmon tree in the yard of her childhood home. She now lived in Boston, where she hadn’t been able to find the fruit. The taste of the persimmon was valuable to her, reconnecting her with memories of her family.
Only then did the tiny act make a difference to me. As a famous saying goes, “______” The taste of the persimmon that I offered to the lady gives me more joy than all the ones I have eaten.
1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?| A．The persimmons are very expensive. |
| B．The persimmons can be bought everywhere. |
| C．The lady can hardly find persimmons in Boston. |
| D．The lady knew where to buy persimmons at the airport. |
| A．the persimmon was very delicious |
| B．she could eat a persimmon for free |
| C．the persimmon reminded her of her childhood memories |
| D．she wanted to have a talk with the writer about her family |
| A．Giving is receiving. | B．Use it or lose it. |
| C．One tree can’t make a forest. | D．It’s a piece of cake. |
