【推荐1】An old woman diverted (转移) attention from the book when I was sitting in my car. She walked slowly towards my parked car with a large shoulder bag. She stopped and put a hand out to rest against the car. She gently closed her eyes, took a deep breath and wiped the sweat off her forehead. Was there a way I could do anything to help her? But I wondered if the lady noticed me sitting inside the car, she would feel embarrassed and walk away.

I stilled my body while my mind searched for answers. I turned my head towards my driver, wanting him to ask the lady if we could give her a ride. Because of my head movement, she noticed me and moved her hand away from the car. Her calm expression changed to a cautious one. I grabbed the water bottle next to me, smile, gently opened the door and offered the bottle to her. She looked at me hesitatingly, shook her head with downcast (低垂的) eyes and walked away.

I was so annoyed with myself. I should have been more careful not to move. However, she was back I opened the door and patted the seat next to me. She sat down, opened her bag and offered me a banana. I took it and offered her the water bottle again. She took it. I ate, she drank and we smiled. She rested for a couple of minutes.

Those minutes brought such tranquility (宁静) to me. She took my head in both her hands and kissed my forehead, and then she left. I was trying to help someone in distress(不幸，苦恼). In turn, I became distressed and she took away my distress and replace it with tranquility.

1. What did the author want to do when the old woman rested against her car?

A．She wanted to communicate with the old woman

B．She wanted to let driver warn the old woman off.

C．She wanted to make the old woman notice her existence.

D．She wanted to help the old woman without bothering her.

2. Why did the old woman choose to rest against the author’s car?

A．Because she was too tired to walk further.

B．Because it was a comfortable place to stay.

C．Because she thought there was nobody in the car.

D．Because she could put her large shoulder bag on the car.

3. Why did the author feel blue?

A．The old woman refused her water.

B．The old woman left without saying a word.

C．The old woman suspected the author’s kindness.

D．She interrupted the old woman’s quiet moment of rest.

4. The old woman came back to ________.

A．drink some drink

B．accept and thank the author’s kindness

C．rest for another few minutes

D．offer a banana to the author

【推荐2】My family, my wife, Joan, our two teenagers Hannah and Joseph, and I, live in Atlanta with our two dogs.

Ten years ago, we moved into our dream house, a very big three-story home. It was a beautiful place, but as our children grew up, our sense of togetherness (团结) began to disappear slowly. In the big house, we sometimes seemed to be strangers to each other.

One day when Hannah was 14, she became upset about the difference between the world’s haves and the have-nots. She expected us to be “a family that makes a difference in the world, even if it’s a small difference. ” Joan asked her, “What are you willing to sacrifice? Your house? Your room? ” Hannah said yes to both. After talking it over as a family, we decided to sell our house and move to one that was half its size and price and donate (捐赠) the difference to those in need.

After a lot of research, we chose the Hunger Project, a US-based organization. It works with villagers in Africa, Asia and South America and helps them fight against poverty (贫穷). Our money went to pay for building two centers. Each has a meeting place, a bank and a health clinic (诊所). Together, the centers would serve more than 20 villages in eastern Ghana. We also traveled to meet the villagers and were blown away by their hard work and warmth.

To be honest, we were a little worried at first. Would we regard the new home as being too small for us? Or would we think we had given up too much? Two years later, I can tell you: It’s the best move we have ever made. While we worked together on our family project, we became much closer. As Hannah said the other day, “We learned how to really trust each other. ”

1. After they moved into a large house, the author’s family ______.

A．were not as close as before

B．wanted an even larger house

C．often went travelling together

D．often let strangers share their spare rooms

2. What does the underlined word “sacrifice” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Hope for.	B．Look for.
C．Give up.	D．Build up.

3. Why did the author’s family sell their big house?

A．To go abroad.

B．To help the poor.

C．To treat Hannah’s illness.

D．To save money for the future.

4. How did the author feel about his family’s move?

A．It was well worth it.	B．It was a bad decision.
C．It was a waste of money.	D．It wasn’t as satisfying as expected.

【推荐3】When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother’s Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.

My mother has realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on phone to pretend I was her. I was forced to ask for information or even to yell at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人). I said in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing, “This is Mrs. Tan”.

And my mother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, “Why he doesn’t send me check, already two weeks late.” And then, in perfect English I said: “I’m getting rather concerned. You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived.”

Then she talked more loudly. “What he want? I come to New York tell him front of his boss.” And so I turned to the stockbroker again, “I can’t tolerate any more excuse. If I don’t receive the check immediately, I am going to have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week.”

The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red­faced, my mother, the real Mrs. Tan, was shouting to his boss in her broken English.

When I was a teenager, my mother’s broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.

1. From Paragraph 2, we know that the author was ________.

A．good at pretending

B．rude to the stockbroker

C．ready to help her mother

D．unwilling to phone for her mother

2. After the author made the phone call, ________.

A．they forgave the stockbroker

B．they failed to get the check

C．they went to New York immediately

D．they spoke to their boss at once

3. What does the author think of her mother’s English now?

A．It confuses her.

B．It embarrasses her.

C．It helps her understand the world.

D．It helps her tolerate rude people.

4. Why was the author’s mother poorly served?

A．She was unable to speak good English.

B．She was often misunderstood.

C．She was not clearly heard.

D．She was not very polite.

【推荐3】Tom walked into a shop. It had a sign outside: “Second-hand (旧的) clothes bought and sold.” He was carrying an old pair of trousers and asked the owner of the shop, “How much will you give me for these?” The man looked at them and then said: “Two dollars.” “What!” said Tom, “I had guessed they were worth at least five dollars.” “No,” said the man, “they aren’t worth a cent more than two dollars.” “Well,” said Tom, taking two dollars out of his pocket. “Here’s your money. These trousers were hanging outside your shop. The list price (标价) of them was six dollars and a half. But I thought that was too much money, so I wanted to find out how much they were really worth.”

Then he walked out of the shop with the pair of trousers and disappeared before the shop owner could think of anything to say.

1. At first the owner of the shop thought that Tom __________ .

A．wanted to steal the trousers	B．wanted to sell the trousers
C．wanted to fool him	D．wanted to buy the trousers

2. The owner of the shop_______ for the old trousers .

A．would give Tom two dollars	B．would pay three dollars
C．would pay five dollars	D．would give Tom six dollars and a half

3. The shop owner insisted that the trousers were worth only two dollars because ____ .

A．he wanted to sell them cheaply	B．he wanted to buy them cheaply
C．he didn’t like the trousers	D．they were old and dirty

4. In fact, the trousers _________.

A．were hanging inside the shop	B．were stolen by Tom from the shop
C．had been the shop owner’s	D．had been Tom’s

5. From the story we know that _________ cheaper than the list price.

A．the owner sold the trousers two dollars

B．Tom sold the trousers one dollar and a half

C．the owner bought the trousers three dollars

D．Tom bought the trousers four dollars and a half