When I was a kid, I really looked forward to all holidays.
| A．I knew what they meant for me. |
| B．It’s more about bringing back good memories. |
| C．I think the feeling of surprise never seems to disappear. |
| D．Food has always been the center part of many holidays. |
| E．Holidays are perfect occasions to enjoy some easy time with our family. |
| F．The most important part of any holiday is the gathering of the whole family. |
| G．The longer you prepare it, the more satisfied you will be later when it’s done. |
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【推荐1】What makes a gift special? Is it the price you see on the gift receipt？Or is it the look on the recipient's face when they receive it that determines the true value? What gift is worth the most?
This Christmas I was debating what to give my father. My dad is a hard person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked. The message was from my father. My eyes fell on a photo of a flower taken in Wyoming, and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lone dandelion (蒲公英) standing against the bright blue sky, inspired me. My dad had been reciting those words to me since I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my gift to my father.
I called back. I told my mom to go without me and that I already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-colored flower to my computer and typed the poem on top of it. As I was arranging the details another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe; my dad recited it as much as he did the other. I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it. The poem was focused around dreaming, and after searching I found the perfect picture. The image was painted with blues and greens and purples, twisting together to create the theme and wonder of a dream. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the white paper coloring with words that shaped my childhood, I felt that this was a gift that my father would truly appreciate.
Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dad’s face as he unwrapped those black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given the perfect gift.
1. The author’s inspiration for the gift came from _________.| A．a photo of a flower | B．a story about a kid |
| C．a call from the mother | D．a text about Christmas |
| A．searching for the poems online | B．drawing the background by hand |
| C．painting the letters in three colors | D．matching the words with pictures |
| A．To show how to design images for gifts | B．To suggest making gifts from one’s heart |
| C．To explain how computers help create gifts | D．To describe the gifts the author has received |
【推荐2】My grandma whom we all called Nanny was a solid, first-generation, Italian immigrant. She came to this country with her family on a tiny ship during World War I when she was only 8 years old. During the trip she survived stormy seas, little food, and an attack by a German U-boat. After getting here, her large family worked hard to build a new life in America. They never had much money but were rich in love.
One day, when I was about 5 or 6 years old, my parents and brothers went on a trip. It was just me and Nanny in the house for the weekend. Nanny seemed so happy to be taking care of me all by herself. She made me a special breakfast that first morning. However, all I could do was to complain about how the food was not how Mom always made it. Nanny quietly put down the plate and went into the living room. I followed a minute later and saw that she had tears in her eyes. It was the first time I had ever seen my strong and proud grandmother cry and I was the one who had caused it.
I walked over to Nanny, climbed on her lap, and for the first time in my short life I did something else too. I apologized without being told to and asked Nanny to forgive me. She smiled, rubbed my head, and told me I was a good boy even though I didn’t feel like one then.
That memory just like my Nanny’s love will stay in my heart forever. It is a sign of both strength and wisdom. Asking for forgiveness helps us to learn, to grow, and to love.
1. Nanny’s family immigrated to America mainly because _____.| A．they suffered starvation in their homeland |
| B．they wanted to start a rich life in the new land |
| C．they tried to get away from the terrible climate |
| D．their country was in war and they needed peace |
| A．wasn't cooked the way his mom did | B．was served a bit later than usual |
| C．was prepared in a special way | D．was just to his parents’ taste |
| A．surprised | B．ashamed |
| C．shocked | D．annoyed |
| A．forgiveness can be beneficial to people asking for it |
| B．hardships can make children more indifferent |
| C．grandparents are more tolerant than their grandchildren |
| D．family ties can sometimes be misused |
| A．Joyous and jealous. |
| B．Hardworking and careful. |
| C．Strong-willed and wise. |
| D．Kind and sensitive. |
【推荐3】From the deserts of Southern California to the forests of Alaska, the U. S. possesses a diversity (多样性) of nature. For most of her life, Joy Ryan never saw the scenery beyond her home state of Ohio. Then, when she was in her mid-eighties, her grandson Brad Ryan decided to take her on a journey to all of the U. S. National Parks, which took eight years to complete. At the age of 93, Grandma Joy has finally seen all 63 parks, ending her journey in the National Park of American Samoa.
“When I learned she had never seen the great wildernesses of America-deserts, mountains, oceans, I decided to intervene (干预) in some way,” Brad says. This idea inspired their first trip to the Great Smoky Mountains. However, once they were on the road, Brad realized that they could visit more parks that were nearby. Over the years, they managed to see all of the famous sights at Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, the Redwoods, and so on. But Brad values the time spent with his grandmother just as much as the amazing places they were able to visit.
Despite Grandma Joy’s older age, she was able to hike mountains. Brad regards her love for life as the key to her good health. She is grateful for each new day and is always excited for the next journey. Finally, their long journey across the U.S. came to an end with American Samoa.
“I am thankful every morning for giving me another day,” Grandma Joy shares. “And you’re your choice whether you’re going to have a rainy day or a sunny day. So, smile at everybody, and let everybody know you’re having a whale of a time.” While her tour of the U. S. has come to a close, she and her grandson are not done traveling. Next up, they have their sights set on Kenya.
1. Why did Brad decide to intervene in some way?| A．To celebrate Grandma Joy’s 93rd birthday. |
| B．To complete a task he promised Grandma Joy. |
| C．To enrich Grandma Joy’s travelling experiences. |
| D．To realize Grandma Joy’s dream of visiting parks. |
| A．Tough and challenging. | B．Tiring but educational. |
| C．Stressful but eye-opening. | D．Amazing and worthwhile. |
| A．Her grandson’s inspiration. | B．Her positive attitude. |
| C．Her regular exercise. | D．Her adventurous spirit. |
| A．Stay Curious, Stay Young | B．Never too Old to Hit the Road |
| C．Laughter, the Best Medicine | D．Travelling Contributes to Long Life |
【推荐1】How Can You Plan a Birthday Party on a Budget?
You want to plan a birthday party on a budget, but you don’t want to be cheap. Don’t worry. There is nothing wrong with setting a budget and then spending only the amount you decided on.
If someone you know can do magic tricks, perhaps he or she will be willing to perform. Since the plan is to keep the birthday party within a limited budget, try bartering (以物换物) with your friends.
Limit the amount you will have to spend on food.
Whenever you plan a birthday party on a budget, it can become difficult to incorporate (包含) themed items. You can spend a lot of money in purchasing all of them.
| A．Themed items are bought online. |
| B．But don’t give up on that theme party yet. |
| C．It’s not a bad idea to make use of leftovers. |
| D．Don’t try to outdo your friends’ birthday parties. |
| E．This is not difficult to accomplish if you plan carefully. |
| F．In fact, it’s one of the best ways to keep from going overboard. |
| G．Offer to help out when it comes time for your friend to give a party. |
【推荐2】If you are a fruit grower — or would like to become one — take advantage of Apple Day to see what’s around. It’s called Apple Day but in practice it’s more like Apple Month. The day itself is on October 21, but since it has caught on, events now spread out over most of October around Britain.
Visiting an apple event is a good chance to see, and often taste, a wide variety of apples. To people who are used to the limited choice of apples such as Golden Delicious and Royal Gala in supermarkets, it can be quite an eye opener to see the range of classical apples still in existence, such as Decio which was grown by the Romans. Although it doesn’t taste of anything special, it’s still worth a try, as is the knobbly(多疙瘩的) Cat’s Head which is more of a curiosity than anything else.
There are also varieties developed to suit specific local conditions. One of the very best varieties for eating quality is Orleans Reinette, but you’ll need a warm, sheltered place with perfect soil to grow it, so it’s a pipe dream for most apple lovers who fall for it.
At the events, you can meet expert growers and discuss which ones will best suit your conditions, and because these are family affairs, children are well catered for with apple-themed fun and games.
Apple Days are being held at all sorts of places with an interest in fruit, including stately gardens and commercial orchards(果园). If you want to have a real orchard experience, try visiting the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale, near Faversham in Kent.
1. What can people do at the apple events?| A．Attend experts’ lectures. |
| B．Visit fruit-loving families. |
| C．Plant fruit trees in an orchard. |
| D．Taste many kinds of apples. |
| A．It is a new variety. |
| B．It has a strange look. |
| C．It is rarely seen now. |
| D．It has a special taste. |
| A．A practical idea. |
| B．A vain hope. |
| C．A brilliant plan. |
| D．A selfish desire. |
| A．To show how to grow apples. |
| B．To introduce an apple festival. |
| C．To help people select apples. |
| D．To promote apple research. |
【推荐3】Halloween is a holiday for all ages, but trick-or-treating is something traditionally done by kids. But, it’s a fun activity that anyone can experience. And at 91 years old, Mary “Baba” Spaeth was able to experience trick-or-treating for the very first time.
On October 28, Spaeth’s daughter Christine Spaeth Richardson noticed that her mom seemed to be sad on the day. Richardson knew how much her mother loves to see her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and knew Halloween was coming up, so she decided to use the opportunity to take her mom trick-or-treating, too.
The experience was new for Baba. She came to the United States in the 1940s from Croatia as a teenager, where trick-or-treating wasn’t a tradition. Her family participated in American holidays, such as Halloween, but the great-grandma never had the chance to go trick-or-treating herself until now. This time, she went around to friends’ and family’s houses for an early trick-or-treating period. It wasn’t a totally traditional trick-or-treating experience. Besides not taking place on October 31, Baba actually brought the treats. She gave out candy to the kids, and pizza and wine to the grown-ups. It took a couple of houses before Baba remembered to start off the conversation with “trick-or-treat.”
She had a blast! She got so many hugs and kisses and pictures, too! She just couldn’t stop talking about tricking all her great grand babies! All the hugs and kisses from all her grandkids and great grandbabies made her so warm and happy! Never underestimate the power of a hug, a smile, a kiss. Most of all, a big tight feeling from a family group hug now is a TREAT! She’ll talk about it for a long time.
1. What was Christine’s purpose of taking Baba trick-or-treating?| A．To meet Christine’s wish of trick-or-treating. |
| B．To help Baba know the tradition. |
| C．To cheer her mother up. |
| D．To satisfy Baba’s grandchildren’s requirement. |
| A．Her motherland had no such a holiday. |
| B．She left the U. S. at an early age. |
| C．She hated the U. S. holidays like Halloween. |
| D．She spent her adulthood without Halloween. |
| A．It was just a joke to her families and friends. |
| B．It was not a real trick-or-treating in strict sense. |
| C．Baba completely obeyed the game rules of trick-or-treating. |
| D．Trick-or-treating was too boring for an old woman like Baba. |
| A．Sweet risk. | B．Tiring time. |
| C．Big shock. | D．Happy experience. |
