I had not hugged a friend or a family member since the pandemic until recently when my sister-in-law flew in for a brief visit. For everyone’s safety, we met outside. Despite the wintry weather, her hug warmed me from the inside out. It’s strange, but only now do I truly realize how much I’ve missed embracing loved ones.
Growing up through war in my hometown of Sarajevo, Bosnia, every moment was full of danger. On one peaceful morning, I had begged my mom to let me go outside after spending weeks indoors. She finally agreed. I was outside for only 10 minutes when I was caught in an explosion. I ran to my neighbor’s house for safety and threw my arms around her neck just as my legs collapsed underneath me. She hugged me with both arms and dragged me into her house.
Thankfully, I made a full physical recovery, but the emotional scars never left me. Years later there was another explosion near my house. I was safe inside, but my father had left to buy a loaf of bread. He had only just missed the blast. When he came back inside, I gave him the biggest hug imaginable.
It is yet another sad aspect of our pandemic lives that hugging a stranger is the last thing on our minds. For many of us, even hugging a relative or a friend comes with stress and anxiety. Perhaps we have undervalued the impact of a simple hug. As I look back on my past, I count myself truly lucky to have been held, shielded and encouraged at some of the most key moments of my life by the almost super power of a hug. I pray that in the not-so-distant future we can safely hold one another again - a friend, a relative, or even a stranger.
1. Why did the author mention her sister-in-law’s visit at the beginning?| A．It reminded the author of her past hugs. |
| B．It encouraged the author to hug strangers. |
| C．It made the author think of her large family. |
| D．It made the author forget the pandemic temporarily. |
| A．Her mother never allowed her to go out. |
| B．One of her legs collapsed in an explosion. |
| C．She was saved by her neighbor’s timely hug. |
| D．She recovered quickly from the wounds of the war. |
| A．Frightened. | B．Relieved. |
| C．Embarrassed. | D．Astonished. |
| A．To express how she feels about war. |
| B．To share how important hugs are to her. |
| C．To introduce the ups and downs in her life. |
| D．To complain about the impact of the pandemic. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】I entered a cabinetmaking(家具制造)program. I didn’t think I would be good at making furniture. I’m not handy. Nobody in my family is.
I had great teachers, but making furniture is hard. There are so many steps and something can go wrong at each one. I couldn’t even get organized. My toolbox always looked as if a hurricane had gone through it.
I didn’t fully know what I was committed to in the beginning, but I kept attending class. I tried to be wrapped up in math. The projects forced me to solve new kinds of problems. My brain started to build new connections. Working in this new physical manner and giving it 100 percent of my effort had huge benefits for my mental health. I got over my fear of embarrassment and asked for help at every opportunity.
I spent that year truly learning. True learning is the most challenging experience, especially for those of us who are learning a new set of skills. I could understand exactly what was wrong with the furniture I made, but I couldn’t fix those problems. And yet, I kept trying. I failed again and again, until I learned to fail better.
In the end, I finished the program—with honors, no less! My grades were helped by my good written work. I also learned how to use tools. Having to constantly push myself to step outside my comfort zone has made me a more well-rounded person.
Maybe most importantly, the school gave me a more realistic idea of my strengths and limitations. I’m stronger than I thought!
1. What can we know about the author from the first two paragraphs?| A．She had a gift for making furniture. | B．She lacked practical skills. |
| C．She disliked making everything in a mess. | D．She went to the program to surprise her family. |
| A．Physical condition. | B．Psychological preparation. |
| C．To know how to correct mistakes. | D．Not being good at math. |
| A．Hard-working and determined. | B．Confident and efficient. |
| C．Cooperative and creative. | D．Modest and talented. |
| A．She won an award for good writing. | B．She became stronger both mentally and physically. |
| C．She became skillful at making furniture. | D．She had a better understanding of herself. |
One day a student was taking a walk with his teacher. As they went along, they saw a pair of old shoes lying in the path. They were a poor farmer’s, who was working in the nearby field.
The student turned to the teacher, saying: “We will hide his shoes, and hide ourselves behind those trees, and wait to see what he will do.”
“My young friend,” answered the teacher, “we should never make fun of the poor. Why not put a coin in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch?” The student did so and they both hid themselves behind the trees. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes.
After putting on his coat, he put his foot into one of his shoes, and felt something hard. Then he bent (弯腰) down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Surprised, he looked at the coin, turned it around and looked at it again. He then looked around, but no person was seen. He put the money into his pocket, and continued to put on the other shoe. His surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.
He couldn’t control his feelings and fell to his knees, looked up to the sky and expressed his thanks. Then he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread. He said the help would save them from dying.
The student stood there deeply moved, and his eyes filled with tears. “Now,” said the teacher, “are you not much happier than if you had hidden the shoes?”
1. Why did the student want to hide the farmer’s shoes? (no more than 10 words)2. What do you think of the teacher? (no more than 5 words)
3. How did the farmer find the coins? (no more than 15 words)
4. At the end of the story, what was the student’s feeling? (no more than 10 words)
5. What can we learn from the passage?
【推荐3】When I ( Country singer Clint Black ) was 14, I was hired for an after-school job selling subscriptions to my hometown paper, the Houston Post. I was sent to some of the city's worst neighborhoods to ask door-to-door. Even though I was often struggling around after dark in bad areas searching for some place for the night, I was thankful for the work.
It was a hard job because people didn't like a stranger knocking on their door, especially a boy trying to get them to buy something. One time, a man shut his door heavily in my face and shouted, "I don't want any paper." I forced myself to knock again and was able to tell him how great the paper was. I ended up selling him a subscription. I was soon among the top sellers and, like other successful salesmen, was asked to train newcomers.
Around this time I started playing some musical instruments. Before long I was playing in a band at some and other events. When I turned 18, I fixed my attention on becoming a professional musician. I never give up this dream. I'm sure my perseverance came from what I learned knocking on strangers' doors.
That experience helped me in many ways. Early in my music job I was locked in a lawful quarrel with a former manager. He forced me to give in, but I refused.
Having all those doors closed in my face as a boy gave me the strength to stand up to this frightening person. Except this time there was one difference: I was the one saying no. And I won.
1. Which of the following statements is untrue according to paragraph 1 ?| A．He sold subscriptions in his spare time. |
| B．The places he went to was not good. |
| C．He found it hard to look for a place for the night. |
| D．He was not satisfied with the work. |
| A．he began to do the job much earlier than newcomers. |
| B．he had been asking door to door. |
| C．he was refused many times. |
| D．he was one of the best sellers. |
| A．devote his life to music. |
| B．knock on strangers’ doors. |
| C．play some musical instruments very well. |
| D．be the head of a famous band. |
| A．Because he thought he was stronger than the manager. |
| B．Because he used to knock strangers’ doors. |
| C．Because he became brave while working. |
| D．Because the manager was much older than he. |
【推荐1】“Have you checked the oil in the car?” my father used to say to me, his version of “Hello, hope you are well.” Sometimes our phone calls would begin with an inquiry about the oil and end with one about the oil.
Fathers have a lot of love to give, but it’s often supplied through the medium of practical advice. In my experience: it’s mostly about my motor vehicle. My student car — an old green Toyota bought for $500 — was the vehicle for which my father carved his paternal (父亲的) affections. I bet it’s always been so.
Why can’t fathers just say “I love you” or “It’s great to see you”? The point is: You just have to translate from the language that is Fatherlish. Listen closely enough and the phrase “love you” can be heard in the slightly lengthier “I could come around Saturday and replace the seal around the base of your toilet because I assume that thing is getting really smelly.” The affectionate phrase “You made my life better from the moment you were born” may be rarely heard, but there is the more common “I’ll hold the ladder while you get the leaves off the roof.”
When I was 17, I went on my first road trip in that Toyota. My father stood on the corner. “Highways are dangerous,” he said, “so don’t try overtaking anything faster than a horse and carriage. And take a break every two hours. And every time you stop for gas, you really should check the oil.” At that time we thought his speech was pretty funny and would repeat “horse-and-carriage” every time I sped up to overtake some other speeding vehicles.
Dad’s long gone now. But after all these years, I realize that had I owned a copy of the Fatherlish-to-English dictionary, I’d have understood that the speech my friend and I so laughed at was simply dad’s attempt at affection.
1. According to the passage, how do fathers usually show their love?| A．By inquiring their kids’ cars. |
| B．By doing rather than saying. |
| C．By offering helpful advice. |
| D．By accompanying their kids. |
| A．To show the father’s influence on kids. |
| B．To show a dad’s loving concern for kids. |
| C．To prove the usefulness of a dad’s advice. |
| D．To compare different versions of fathers. |
| A．Funny. | B．Pleasing. | C．Annoying. | D．Caring. |
| A．Love in Fatherlish |
| B．Remembering Very Moments |
| C．Father’s Advice |
| D．My First Road Trip In Toyota |
【推荐2】When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went at once to a shop where they sold toys for children. Being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I had seen by the way, in the hands of another boy, I handed over all my money for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers and sisters and cousins, when I told of the bargain I had made, said I had given four times as much as the whistle was worth. They put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money, and laughed at me so much for my folly that I cried with vexation(烦恼). Thinking about the matter gave me more disappointment than the whistle gave me pleasure.
This, however, was afterwards of use to me, for the impression continued on my mind, so that often, when I was tempted to buy something I did not need, I said to myself, “Don’t give too much for the whistle,” and I saved my money. As I grew up, came into the world, and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who “gave too much for the whistle.” When I saw some men too eager for court favor, wasting his time at court gatherings, giving up his rest, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, for royal favor, I said to myself---“This man gives too much for the whistle.” When I saw another fond of popularity, constantly taking part in political affairs, neglecting his own business, and ruining it by neglect, “He says, indeed,” said I, “too dear for his whistle.”
If I knew a miser who gave up every kind of comfortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow citizens and the joys of friendship, for the sake of gathering and keeping wealth--- “Poor man,” said I, “ you pay too dear for your whistle.” When I met a man of pleasure, who did not try to improve his mind or his fortune but merely devoted himself to having a good time, perhaps neglecting his health, “ Mistaken man, you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure; you are paying too dear for your whistle.” If I saw someone fond of appearance who has fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine earrings, all above his fortune, and for which he had run into debt, and ends his career in a prison. “Alas,” said I, “he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle.” In short the miseries of mankind are largely due to their puffing a false value on things --- to giving “too much for their whistle.”
1. The author’s brothers and sisters and cousins laughed at him because ________.| A．the sound of whistle was disturbing |
| B．he was cheated a lot of money |
| C．the whistle wasn’t good value for the money |
| D．the whistle was of poor quality |
| A．it impressed him deeply |
| B．he saved a lot of money |
| C．he turned into an activist |
| D．he became self-controlled |
| A．Great wealth can ensure a comfortable life. |
| B．Health and mind improvement should be put above pleasure. |
| C．Deep devotion to polities will ruin our own business. |
| D．Living beyond one’s income will put you in prison. |
【推荐3】A few years ago I had an “aha!” moment regarding handwriting.
I had in my hand a sheet of paper with handwritten instructions on it for some sort of editorial task. It occurred at first that I did not recognize the handwriting, and then I realized whose it must be. I finally became aware of the fact that I had been working with this colleague for at least a year, maybe two, and yet I did not recognize her handwriting at that point.
It was a very important event in the computerization of life—a sign that the informal, friendly communication of people working together in an office had changed from notes in pen to instant messages and emails. There was a time when our workdays were filled with little letters, and we recognized one another’s handwriting the way we knew voices or faces.
As a child visiting my father’s office, I was pleased to recognize, in little notes on the desks of his staff, the same handwriting I would see at home in the notes he would leave on the fridge—except that those notes were signed “dad” instead of “RFW”.
All this has been on my mind because of the talk about The Rise and Fall of Handwriting, a book by Florey. Sire shows in her book a deep concern about the fall of handwriting and the failure of schools to teach children to write well, but many others argue that people in a digital age can’t be expected to learn to hold a pen.
I don’t buy it.
I don’t want to see anyone cut off from the expressive, personal associations that a pen still promotes better than a digital keyboard does. For many a biographer, part of really getting to know their subjects is learning to read their handwriting.
What some people advocate is teaching one of the many attractive handwritings based on the handwriting of 16th-century Italy. That may sound impossibly grand—as if they want kids to learn to draw by copying classical paintings. However，they have worked in many school systems.
1. Why was the author surprised at not recognizing his colleague’s handwriting?| A．He had worked with his colleague long enough. |
| B．His colleague’s handwriting was SO beautiful. |
| C．His colleague’s handwriting was SO terrible. |
| D．He still had a lot of Work to do. |
| A．talk more about handwriting |
| B．take more notes on workdays |
| C．know better one another's handwriting |
| D．communicate better with one another |
| A．to both his family and his staff |
| B．to his family in small letters |
| C．to his family on the fridge |
| D．to his staff on the desk |
| A．are harder to teach in schools |
| B．attract more attention |
| C．are used only between friends |
| D．carry more message |
| A．thinks it impossible to teach handwriting |
| B．does not want to lose handwriting |
| C．puts the blame on the computer |
| D．does not agree with Florey |
【推荐1】There’s a phrase in Australia that is still widely in use today, “you’ve got Buckley’s”. It relates to a man named William Buckley.
Born in Cheshire, England, Buckley had served in the Napoleonic Wars where he was wounded in action, before being accused of receiving stolen goods (a roll of cloth) and sentenced to transportation (流放) for life in 1802. Buckley arrived at Port Phillip Bay with more than 300 soldiers, settlers and prisoners in 1803, aged 23.
However, the settlers failed to settle at Port Phillip Bay and they gave up the site they chose for their settlement. As the settlers prepared to leave for Tasmania, Buckley escaped with 2 other men. But after reaching the other side of Port Phillip Bay the two tired, hungry and frightened men turned back for Sullivan Bay.
Buckley would not give up and he wandered on alone, eating shellfish and fruits for several weeks before he was befriended by the Wathaurong people. Over the next 32 years Buckley lived with the Wathaurong and learnt their language and customs.
When John Batman, a leading member of the Port Phillip Association, arrived with new settlers in 1835, Buckley finally decided to meet them. At first he couldn’t remember his own language or name but managed to identify himself by the letters “WB” on his arm. He tried to work for the settlers and was employed as an interpreter between the settlers and the aborigines (土著人). But he felt he wasn’t trusted by either side. After less than 2 years he left for Hobart where he died after an accident in January 1856.
Buckley’s story has been reinterpreted many times over the years. His name lives on in Australian English with the saying “you’ve got Buckley’s”. It means very little chance—despite the fact that the real Buckley took his impossible chance for freedom and survived.
1. Why did William Buckley leave England?| A．He was found guilty. | B．He tried to escape war. |
| C．He was caught stealing. | D．He hoped for a better life. |
| A．They suffered many hardships. | B．Two of them died of starvation. |
| C．They met the Wathaurong people. | D．Buckley gave up on the other two. |
| A．He worked as an interpreter. |
| B．He earned his living in Hobart. |
| C．He got on well with Batman’s settlers. |
| D．He stayed with the Wathaurong people. |
| A．When a person survived a disaster. |
| B．When a person isn’t trusted by people. |
| C．When a person tries to do something interesting. |
| D．When a person wants to take a flight on a stormy night. |
I decided to look for information on the local rugby team after the tourism office could not help me. I searched for the club office online and decided to look into it. The following day I went back to the club after speaking with them and decided to get a season ticket for the rest of my stay here. I will now be going to each home game as well as travelling to the away games with the team and the fans. I am sure that it is going to be a great experience during my time abroad here. I will also be travelling through various regions of France so I will be visiting new places throughout the season. There is another team in a town called Brive not so far away who play in the top league in France, but I decided to stay local. I may go and see them with other assistants if possible during our stay.
I witnessed a friendly match on Saturday when they played Stade Dijon in the division below them. The match finished 70-12. After the match, both teams went to the club house to see the Rugby World Cup semi-final between New Zealand and Australia. Both teams respected each others which is something you don’t always see in other sports. I spoke to the president of the club after the game and he told me, “This is a family club.” Hopefully this year will be a good year for Limoges.
1. How did the writer try to combine into Limoges' community?
| A．By taking part in the local rugby team. |
| B．By watching the rugby matches in Limoges, |
| C．By playing often with the people in Limoges. |
| D．By paying close attention to the local rugby team. |
| A．the club office | B．the local rugby team |
| C．the tourism office | D．the local community |
| A．To show respect to each other. |
| B．To watch the Rugby World Cup semi-final. |
| C．To clean the club together. |
| D．To exchange experience with each other. |
| A．The writer must be a top rugby player. |
| B．The writer is likely to be a boss of a rugby club.C The writer is likely to come from Australia. |
| C．The writer probably works as an assistant in France. |
【推荐3】It was the summer of 2005, in the small town of Plano, Texas. Our family was new to town, and we knew no one. This was our third move since leaving eastern Ohio three years before. I wasn’t into sports and I was out of most social dealings of a small-town seventh grader, and thus had to prove myself over and over.
But things changed in my third period on the second day, I didn’t know Mom had signed me up for a choir (合唱团), but it was OK because I liked music. Our teacher, Richard J. Winters, was also new to town and to teaching He was in his 40s, just starting his choir directing career.
He was a former soldier, and l immediately recognized he loved both kids and music. On our first day, he told us what he wanted for us and from us. We each took turns in making music beside the piano, I was nervous to sing in front of the class, but I did it well. When all the students finished singing, he declared, “You are going to be a great choir!” Through many competitions, our choir proved not just good, but among the best in Texas.
Mr. Winters encouraged us to take part in many competitions and to be proud of our musical talents. He allowed us to be human and make mistakes. “If you are going to make a mistake, make it a good one,” he once said. With his encouragement, I found my home and my passion: music.
He was like a father to us in so many ways. With his encouragement, I gained the confidence to follow my careers, as a passionate singer and songwriter in the studio. When we had a gathering for Mr. Winters, “his” kids came from around the world to honor him. We told him what an impact he had had on each of us. Mr. Winters, you taught us how to be champions.
1. How did the author probably feel when he moved to Plano?| A．Bored. | B．Excited. | C．Lonely. | D．Curious |
| A．Try hard to avoid mistakes. | B．Go after his passion confidently |
| C．Focus on music wholeheartedly. | D．Get along well with other members |
| A．Patient and strict. | B．Strong and brave. |
| C．Caring and honest. | D．Encouraging and forgiving. |
| A．Specialists only master their own field. |
| B．Students need well-rounded development. |
| C．A teacher makes a difference to students’ life |
| D．Strict masters produce outstanding students |
