There was once a man who had a donkey and a beautiful lapdog. The donkey was kept in a barn and had plenty of corn and hay to eat. Indeed, he was just as lucky as any donkey could be. The little dog stayed in the house and was well liked by the master. He was always playing and jumping about in an funny way and was allowed to lie in his master’s lap(膝盖). Meanwhile, the donkey had plenty to do. He pulled wood all day long and had to take his turn at the mill during the night. He often complained about his problems, and it bored him to see the lapdog living such an easy life, while he had to work so hard. Finally he thought to himself that if he acted the same way as the lapdog to his master, he would be treated the same way. So, one day he ran out of his barn and went fast into the house, where he began to kick about in a very strange way. Then, swaying his tail and imitating the funny behavior of the pet lapdog, he knocked over the table where his master was eating. He also broke all the dishes into very small pieces and did not stop until he jumped onto his master, trying to lick and paw him with his rough feet.
Seeing their master in great danger, the servants thought it was time to help him. They beat the foolish donkey with sticks until he could not get up again. As he was about to die, he cried, “Why couldn’t I have remained satisfied the way I was? Why did I try to imitate a creature who was nothing but a lazy puppy after all?”
1. The underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably means ________.| A．the donkey was treated well by his master |
| B．the donkey was treated badly and cruelly |
| C．other donkeys were satisfied with their life |
| D．the donkey was not satisfied with his life |
| A．the dog turned around the mill |
| B．the donkey jumped in the house |
| C．the donkey imitated the dog |
| D．the dog accompanied the master |
| A．he had to do a lot of boring work |
| B．he envied the easy life the dog lived |
| C．he was often beaten by the servants |
| D．he was tied and couldn’t move freely |
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【推荐1】With a satisfied smile, Keisha finished the last sentence of her English essay about one of her heroes, Rosa Parks, an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement.
“Keisha,” her mother shouted from downstairs. “It’s almost 4:15.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t be late. ” Keisha pulled down a storybook from her bookshelf， as she always read to the nursing home’s residents. And on an impulse（一时心血来潮）, she added her English notebook as well.
As Keisha came running in the door, the manager told her, “We have a new resident this week, Mrs. Ruby Watson. She’s still adjusting to her new surroundings. You’ll find her in Room 28. And by the way, Keisha, good luck.”
Keisha walked down the hallway at a quick pace. As she entered Room 28, she met two sharp brown eyes staring at her doubtfully.
“I’m Keisha Jackson, a volunteer,” Keisha explained. “I come here to help pass the time with residents, or read to them, or, . . .” Keisha started stammering（结巴）as Mrs.
Watson continued to stare at her.
“I didn’t request anyone to keep me company,” Mrs. Watson interrupted. “I’m alone most of the time, and that’s how I prefer it.”
“I brought along some funny stories,” Keisha said hesitantly.
“I’m not in the mood for funny stories,” Mrs. Watson replied angrily. “What else do you have?”
Nervously, Keisha opened her notebook to her essay. She read the title aloud, “Rosa
Parks: A Woman of Courage and Conviction（信念）.” She glanced at Mrs. Watson to see how she might react, but to her surprise, Mrs. Watson’s face relaxed and her eyes shone.
“Read to me about Rosa,” Mrs. Watson said.
Keisha read how Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in 1955 inspired the protest that became a turning point in the struggle for civil rights.
“I walked with Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King,” Mrs. Watson said with pride. “That was the greatest moment of my life because…” She paused.
“Because… you were a woman of courage and conviction too.”
Sitting up straighter, Mrs. Watson said, “Yes, I was and I still am. Thank you for reminding me, Keisha. Next Thursday, I will tell you my story.”
1. Why did Keisha take her English notebook along?| A．Her mother asked her to take it. | B．She would hand it in on her way. |
| C．She might read her essay to someone. | D．The manager wanted to read her essay. |
| A．Mrs. Watson could be difficult. | B．Mrs. Watson was in poor health. |
| C．Keisha was feeling nervous. | D．Keisha was a shy person. |
| A．amused | B．puzzled |
| C．annoyed | D．interested |
| A．It aroused her curiosity in volunteer work. |
| B．It built up her expectation for more visitors. |
| C．It awoke her pride in her struggle for civil rights. |
| D．It changed her attitude to the Civil Rights Movement. |
| A．a girl enjoys learning about her heroes | B．a girl helps someone feel appreciated |
| C．a woman overcomes hardship by herself | D．a woman gathers the courage for life |
【推荐2】A one-armed 13-year-old basketball player in a video moves China. He is Zhang Jiacheng, from Guangdong Province. In the video, facing a taller, stronger, and older opponent （对手），he isn't afraid at all.
Attracted by his good skills in the video, many people even fail to know that Zhang Jiacheng has only one arm. Although the young boy lost one of his arms in an accident, he became crazy about playing basketball at 12. "Work hard or just give up," he always says. Thus, he spent all of his free time on it without considering his body condition.
People's attention has encouraged him to work harder towards his goal---to become a top basketball player "I just keep practising every day to improve myself whether at home or in the playground, he says, "My biggest challenge is to control the ball much better." After only a year of hard practising, Zhang Jiacheng has improved his skills greatly. Through patience, confidence and determination, the young basketball player is getting closer to his life goal.
His effort and courage finally caught the attention of Yi Jianlian, a Chinese professional （MR 业的）basketball player, who shared the video on his own Weibo.
1. Why do people fail to know the boy has only one arm?| A．Because his good skills attract people. |
| B．Because his life goal encourages people. |
| C．Because he jumps to an amazing height. |
| D．Because he hides the other arm carefully. |
| A．Controlling the ball better. | B．Keeping his balance. |
| C．Making some more friends. | D．Getting closer to his family. |
| A．To live a comfortable life. | B．To become a top basketball player. |
| C．To set up a basketball team. | D．To build a large gym for his school. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Confident. | C．Careless. | D．Noisy. |
| A．Yi Jianlian's cute pets. | B．Yi Jianlian's courage. |
| C．The video's influence. | D．The video's quality. |
【推荐3】Waiting for the bus every morning and going to school has never been better for Ryder Killam, a 5-year-old boy in a wheelchair. He no longer has to wait for the school bus in the open air thanks to Westerly High School students
The goal of the boy’s father, Tim Killam, was to keep his little kid protected from the bad weather while waiting for the bus every morning. He asked for an unused bus shelter on Facebook. After not being able to find a suitable one, he decided to contact the high school which had already performed several building projects for the community.
The students from Westerly High School construction class quickly put their hands to work. The bus stop was designed by pupil Mason Heald. The construction class, led by Dan McKenna, teaches its members basic building skills and is part of the high school Career and Technical Education program. More people from the local community helped make the project happen. Dillon Helbig transported the shelter from the high school to the Killams’address with his truck. And another neighbor lent his backhoe (反铲挖机) to properly position the shelter by the bus stop.
Not only did Ryder’s daily life improve, but the students also learnt an unforgettable life lesson. They saw that with their skills and knowledge they can make a real difference in someone else’s life
1. What once made Tim Killam concerned?| A．Ryder's disability. | B．Transportation. | C．Bad weather. |
| A．A pupil. | B．A teacher. | C．A neighbor. |
| A．Kind-hearted. | B．Easy-going. | C．Hard-working. |
| A．A Cosy Bus Stop | B．An Amazing Shelter | C．A Dream Comes True |
【推荐1】A few weeks ago, I called an Uber to take me to the Boston airport for a flight home for the holidays. As I slid into the back seat of the car, the warm intonations (语调) of the driver’s accent washed over me in a familiar way.
I learned that he was a recent West African immigrant with a few young children, working hard to provide for his family. I could relate: I am the daughter of two Ethiopian immigrants who made their share of sacrifices to ensure my success. I told him I was on a college break and headed home to visit my parents. That’s how he found out I go to Harvard. An approving eye glinted at me in the rearview window, and quickly, we crossed the boundaries of rider and driver. I became his daughter, all grown up — the product of his sacrifice.
And then came the fateful question: “What do you study?” I answered “history and literature” and the pride in his voice faded, as I knew it might. I didn’t even get to add “and African-American studies” before he cut in, his voice thick with disappointment, “All that work to get into Harvard, and you study history?”
Here I was, his daughter, squandering the biggest opportunity of her life. He went on to deliver the age-old lecture that all immigrant kids know. We are to become doctors (or lawyers, if our parents are being generous) — to make money and send money back home. The unspoken demand, made across generations, which my Uber driver laid out plainly, is simple: Fulfill your role in the narrative (故事) of upward mobility so your children can do the same.
I used to feel anxious and backed into a corner by the questioning, but now as a junior in college, I’m grateful for their support more than anything. This holiday season, I’ve promised myself I won’t get annoyed at their inquiries. I won’t defensively respond with “but I plan to go to law school!” when I get unrequested advice. I’ll just smile and nod, and enjoy the warmth of the occasion.
1. What disappointed the driver?| A．The author’s attitude towards him. |
| B．The school that the author is attending. |
| C．The author’s majors in history and literature. |
| D．The author’s interests in African American studies. |
| A．wasting | B．creating |
| C．valuing | D．seizing |
| A．They have more opportunities. |
| B．They are very smart in general. |
| C．Their parents are high achieving as well. |
| D．Their parents want them to move upward in society. |
| A．Getting upset. | B．Feeling satisfied. |
| C．Defending herself. | D．Appreciating his concern. |
【推荐2】Many times, the small things in life, which we often ignore, are more important than the ones that we consider far more valuable.
In his song, Kenny Rogers tells the story of a wife whose husband loves her very much.
His wife, however, argues that this is not what she wants. All she wants for him is to show her more affection by giving her more of his time, caring for her and by expressing his feelings for her.
Although her husband loves her very much, his way of showing his love for her is creating distances between the two.
The main idea of “Buy Me A Rose” is that people who are closer to us deserve more sincere expression of our love, which may be found in smaller things in life.
| A．These are the things that she longs for in her life. |
| B．And as time passes by, the distance keeps increasing. |
| C．These are the big, flashy things that he has given her. |
| D．Spending time with them is a better way of expressing our love. |
| E．This theme is highlighted in Kenny Roger’s song Buy Me a Rose. |
| F．Spending more money on them is a better way of expressing our love. |
| G．However, she thinks that the way her husband shows her his love is not appropriate. |
This is Life, all right, but we do treat it like a rehearsal (排演) and, unhappily, we do miss so many of its best moments.
We take jobs to stay alive and provide homes for our families, always making ourselves believe that this style of life is merely a temporary state of affairs along the road to what we really want to do. Then, at 60 or 65, we are suddenly presented with a clock and several grandchildren and we look back and realize that all those years waiting for Real Life to come along were in fact real life.
In America they have a saying much laughed at by the English：“Have a nice day!” They speak slowly and seriously in their shops, hotels and sandwich bars. I think it is a wonderful phrase, reminding us, in effect, to enjoy the moment: to value this very day.
How often do we say to ourselves, "I'll take up horse-riding (or golf, or sailing) as soon as I get a higher position," only to do none of those things when I do get the higher position.
When I first became a reporter, I knew a man who gave up a very well paid respectable job at the Daily Telegraph to go and edit a small weekly newspaper. At the time I was astonished by what appeared to me to be his completely abnormal (反常的) mental state. How could anyone turn his back on Fleet Street in central London for a small local area？I wanted to know.
Now I am a little older and possibly wiser, I see the sense in it. In Fleet Street the man was under continual pressure. He lived in an unattractive London suburb and he spent much of his life sitting on Southern Region trains.
1. The first paragraph of the passage tells us that____________.
| A．we always try to find some time to write a book |
| B．we always make plans but seldom fulfill them |
| C．we always enjoy many of life's best moments |
| D．we always do what we really want to do |
| A．leave for | B．return to | C．give up | D．rely on |
| A．in an abnormal state | B．under too much pressure |
| C．not well paid | D．not respected |
| A．Provide Homes For Our Family | B．Take Up Horse-riding |
| C．Value This Very Day | D．Stay Alive |
