When I was a child,I stayed with my grandmother a lot of the time while my mother was at work. One day some money problems started to arise for my grandmother and the family. They needed a little more income so she decided to sing at the nearby retirement home(养老院).
So I had to go with her. I wasn't sure about it at first,but as soon as my grandmother actually persuade me to get on stage and start singing,I loved it. I just loved seeing that sparkle(光亮)in those people's eyes. They would stand up and dance and clap to the beat of the music. Eventually,we were singing at many of the homes in the surrounding area 5 out of 7 days a week.
Making other people happy has always made me happy. And during that experience I even discovered my gift,singing. My grandma still sings to those people 15 years later,only for no charge now. I moved to North Carolina when I was 13,leaving my grandma in Florida,but I still carry on her effort and try and go out of my way to do something kind,even if very small,for at least one person every day. There is no better feeling in the world than the one you get when you hear appreciation in someone's voice.
1. The author stayed with her grandmother as a child because ________.A.her mother was busy working |
B.her mother had no ability to care for her |
C.her grandmother liked her more |
D.her grandmother was richer |
A.bring joy to the old people there |
B.start a new career |
C.make some money |
D.satisfy her husband |
A.the author had great confidence when she started to sing |
B.the audience were surprised that the author could sing at such an early age |
C.the audience didn't like the author at first |
D.the author was loved by the audience |
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【推荐1】A long time ago, there lived a very old man. He was so old that he could not see or hear very well. He also could not walk very well, or eat very well for his hand shook. The old man’s son and daughter-in-law thought he might make trouble at table. So, they had him eat his meals in the corner of the kitchen without a table.
They gave him very little to eat. The old man would have a sad look on his face as he looked at his son and daughter-in-law’s dinner table. One day the old man’s hand shook so terribly that he dropped his dish on the floor. The daughter- in-law became angry and shouted at the old man. And after that, his meals were served in a broken dish.
Not long afterwards, the family was sitting having their dinner while the four-year-old grandson was sitting on the floor carefully checking pieces of wood. The father asked “What are you doing?” “I am making a small bowl.”
“Why are you making it?" The son answered. “So that I can fill it with your and mother’s food when I grow up.”
The old man’s son and daughter-in-law looked at one another and without saying a word and started crying. They quickly brought their old father to their dinner table. From that day on, the old man sat with the family when they had their meals. Even when the old man’s food fell here and there, the son and the daughter-in-law did not say anything.
1. The son and his wife made their father eat in the kitchen to______.A.teach their son a good lesson |
B.stay away from trouble |
C.give him peace and comfort |
A.because of hand-shaking | B.to ask for a new one | C.on purpose |
A.Because he realized his mistakes |
B.Because the old man didn’t drop rice on the floor any more |
C.Because a gentleman led him back to the family table |
A.An Old Man and His Son |
B.A Couple and Their Son |
C.A Wooden Bowl |
【推荐2】When Spring cleaning season rived this year I decided that it was time to get rid of more than just a Winter’s worth of dust and dirt. It was the time to get rid of years worth of accumulated (累积的) stuff as well. This stuff was lining my walls, filling my shelves, and crowding my closets. This stuff was filling my home and my mind and not bringing me one bit of happiness. I couldn’t even remember how I got some of it, but I knew I wanted it gone.
It turned out to be an even bigger job than I thought. Twenty-year-old bills and receipts were thrown in the trash. Piles of papers were no longer necessary or needed. Broken bowls, dented pans, and cracked knickknacks were finally thrown away. Unworn clothes were taken out of the closet and packed to be given away to the local charity. Old books were boxed up to be passed on for others to read and enjoy.
It took several days to get it all done, but in the end I was able to walk through a home that seemed a little less messed. My heart was a lot lighter too. It felt so good to be able to get rid of all the junk and to just focus on the essential stuff in life again.
What is the essential stuff? What is the stuff that brings meaning to our days? A loving heart is essential. A joyful spirit is essential. A soul full of goodness and God is essential. And a life full of sharing all of these things is absolutely essential. The essential stuff can’t be bought, sold, or stored. It can only be chosen, created, and given away. The essential stuff is the stuff we all really want. It is the stuff we all really need.
1. Which word can describe the author’s feeling towards accumulated stuff?A.Satisfied. | B.Curious. | C.Bored. | D.Disappointed. |
A.It is a pity that 1 should store so much stuff. |
B.I really don’t want to throw away such stuff. |
C.The essential stuff is actually everywhere. |
D.There is more unnecessary stuff than I think. |
A.Lifestyle. | B.Technology. | C.Health. | D.Education. |
A.It’s Time To Move On | B.What Matters Most |
C.How To Get Rid Of Junk | D.What Is Junk |
【推荐3】About five weeks ago, I noticed the skin of our pet lizard (蜥蜴) was growing dusty. It worried me. I reported the strange surface on the skin of the lizard to my husband and children the next morning. Seconds later, our lizard emerged from its tank with its old skin flowing behind it.
I didn't think about it much until a morning last week when I knocked my favorite teapot off the table. It burst into hundreds of pieces. As I swept up the mess, I wondered why we had been breaking so many things over the months.
The destruction started three months ago. It was my husband's birthday. He had just lost his job. The uncertainty was starting to wear on us, so I wanted to do something special.
"Let's make a cake for Dad!" I cried.
My kids screamed with joy. We baked, iced and sprinkled for most of the day. Candles on the cake! Balloons on the walls! Flowers on the table!
Two hours before my husband came back home from another job interview, my daughter climbed up to grab a glass vase from a high shelf. It fell and crashed beside the cake. Tiny pieces of glass were everywhere. She sobbed loudly as I threw the cake away. My husband had banana pudding for his birthday.
Three days ago, the light in our living room suddenly went out. After several frustrating hours of unsuccessful attempts to fix it, my husband suggested watching the Michael Jordan documentary (纪录片) series The Last Dance.
The poignancy (酸楚) of Jordan retiring from his beloved basketball to play baseball and what had pushed him to make such a tough decision took me by surprise. As I watched him take off his basketball uniform and replace it with a baseball uniform, I saw him leaving behind the layer that no longer served him, just as our lizard had. Neither of them chose the moment that had transformed them. But they had to live with who they were after everything was different. Just like us. I realized that we have to learn to leave the past behind.
Humans do not shed skin (脱皮) as easily as other animals. The beginning of change is upsetting. The process is tiring. Damage changes us before we are ready. I see our lizard, raw and nearly new.
Jordan said that no matter how it ends, it starts with hope. With our tender, hopeful skin, that is where we begin.
1. What can we learn about the pet lizard from Paragraph 1?A.Its tank grew dirty. | B.Its old skin came off. |
C.It got a skin disease. | D.It went missing. |
A.The birthday cake was ruined. | B.The author made good puddings. |
C.Pudding was his favorite dessert. | D.They couldn't afford a birthday cake. |
A.letting go of the past | B.looking for a new job |
C.getting rid of a bad habit | D.giving up an opportunity |
A.Love of family helps us survive great hardships. |
B.It's not the end of the world if we break things. |
C.We should move on no matter what happens. |
D.Past experiences should be treasured. |
【推荐1】When was the last time you went to your local library? Last week? A month ago? A year ago?
For many reasons, borrowing books from libraries seems to be in decline. With advances in technology, it is now possible for people to download and read whatever they like on electronic devices such as Kindles.
Call me old-fashioned, but I've never got into the e-book: I like to have printed books lining my bookshelves; I love the smell of a new book; and I enjoy leafing through paper pages—as long as I avoid the paper cuts! Also, what would I do with my vast bookmark collection if everything I read was electronic?
I prefer paper books to e-books, and I also prefer to own them myself. Libraries only lend books, so of what use are they to someone like me, or to someone who prefers e-books?
Personally, I still love libraries. They offer a quiet space to sit, read, think, do research…a real escape from the outside world. When I was at university, I frequently spent hours at the school library and borrowed numerous printed materials, as it was just too expensive to buy brand new books every week to read for seminars and lectures. Libraries are free!
Libraries often organize interesting activities as well. At home, my local library hosted actors, historians and other speakers during the town's annual art and literature festival. Well-known authors are also invited to libraries to give speeches or lead discussions about their work. Events such as these are a great way to appeal to people of all ages in the community and encourage the use of libraries.
Since moving abroad to work in Quebec for a year, the importance of libraries has become clear to me on an even more personal level. The school I work in has an incredible library, which is proving invaluable when I want a good book to read but am feeling conscious that everything I would want to read during the year is unlikely to fit in my suitcase by the time l go home!
There are still many fantastic ways to use libraries—maybe we just need to be more awake to them!
1. What does the second paragraph mainly talk about?A.The reason why people like reading books on Kindles. |
B.The reason why people seldom borrow books from libraries. |
C.The advantages of modern technology. |
D.How to download electronic books. |
A.To tell her personal story. | B.To introduce a special book. |
C.To explain how to read books. | D.To show she loves printed books. |
A.read many e-books | B.bought many new books |
C.often visited the school library | D.gave a speech at the school library |
A.To take part in interesting activities. |
B.To lead discussions about her work. |
C.Because she couldn't afford to buy new books. |
D.Because she couldn't bring many books back home. |
A.To give some advice on reading. | B.To stress the advantages of libraries. |
C.To compare different kinds of books. | D.To share the author's reading experience. |
【推荐2】On the first day of my new high school, I almost had a nervous breakdown. Everything about the school seemed so difficult. When I got home, my parents said, “You're nervous and that’s okay. Everyone is afraid of high school.” I denied(否认)it. I wanted to be strong, so I refused to let anyone know about my fear, even my closest friends.
On the first day I was late for every class and was constantly lost. The school seemed like a puzzle that I couldn’t figure out. Was this how the whole year was going to be? I didn’t think I could rise to this challenge, especially carrying a huge backpack that I could hardly lift. It was so big that I could knock someone out with it! The schoolmates seemed to regard me as a fool, and they were probably right.
Despite my fears, after the first week I finally had my schedule figured out. With the exception of falling up and down the stairs a couple of times and getting laughed at, high school was turning out to be not so bad. It was actually much better than middle school and much more challenging.
Since then, I’ve been elected vice monitor of my class, which wasn’t much of a victory since only three people ran for the four positions.
It is normal to be scared about a new school. Take a deep breath and relax. High school is something that any student can overcome. Make sure you take part in some out-of-class activities because you’ll find it easier to make friends. Try to do your best, even if it isn’t straight A’s.
Most important of all, be who you are, whether you’re a “fool”, an athlete, or a lower grader. Don’t try to pretend(假装)to be someone you’re not. Now you know the true secrets of high school.
1. From the author’s first day experience we can infer that ______.A.his home was far from the school |
B.he got to school before classes began |
C.he was fond of the school immediately. |
D.he didn't know the right way to class |
A.was still not used to the schedule |
B.gradually adapted(适应)himself to the new school |
C.found high school not so challenging as he had imagined |
D.ran for monitor of his class against three other students |
A.making more friends |
B.getting more A’s at school |
C.being who he really is |
D.joining in out-of-class activities |
【推荐3】I grew up in a home with a mother who believes that vaccines cause brain damage, and do not contribute to the health and safety of a society. The only shot I received was for tetanus (破伤风) when I was two months old. After that, nothing.
At the beginning of each school year, I was very anxious. Delayed term paper? Mischievous (捣蛋的) behaviour? Late for school? None of them. I’d be pulled out of class and brought to the headmaster’s office. The school doctor would tell me I haven’t received any of the necessary shots to attend school. But the same thing occurred each time: my mom would exempt (免除) me from the shots and nothing would happen.
After doing a lot of research, I found although people who don’t vaccinate their children make up only a relatively small group, they can cause major consequences. People who, for health or age reasons, cannot receive vaccines are at a higher risk of catching a preventable disease.
Eventually, I turned 18. In Ohio, where I live, I had to wait until I became a legal adult to make the decision to receive vaccine shots. A huge factor in taking the step to ensure my health was the message board website Reddit. Last year, I asked Reddit users for advice about what vaccines to ask for and how to go about getting them from a doctor. After my post received more than 1,000 comments, I made an appointment with my family physician. Despite how strongly my mother felt, I went through with it anyway.
I did something every person should do. It wasn’t special in any way. Vaccines protect the health and safety of not only yourself but also other people. Vaccination is important because someone could die if you don’t get vaccinated. This was the biggest reason I got vaccinated despite the opposition.
1. What can we know about the author from Paragraph 1?A.He was born disabled. | B.He suffered from tetanus. |
C.He was hardly vaccinated. | D.He was spoiled by his mother. |
A.Because he would never behave himself. |
B.Because he couldn’t go to school on time. |
C.Because he often forgot to do his term paper. |
D.Because he would be called to meet headmaster. |
A.Grateful | B.Annoyed | C.Excited | D.Guilty |
A.Obeying the old pays off. | B.Keeping fit is the best policy. |
C.Doing the right thing matters. | D.Following advice is beneficial. |
【推荐1】Steve is James and John's big brother. One day, when their mum left for work, James and John started crying. They didn't want her to leave. Steve tried to stop them crying and said, “Let’s play hide-and-seek (捉迷藏). You hide and I'll count to ten. Then I’ll try to find you.” Steve found James under a chair and John behind a door. They played over and over again. Each time, the two boys hid in the same places. Finally, Steve felt too bored with the game. “Let’s take the dog for a walk,” he said.
When Steve walked the dog, he found James and John were running in the street. He thought it was so dangerous. Then he had an idea. “Anyone who walks back to the house with me can have some snacks!” Steve shouted.
At home, the boys ate some cookies and got ready for a sleep. James and John wanted a story. Steve told them the story about the little red hen. When their mum returned home, she was pleased to find the three sleeping boys.
1. James and John started ________ when their mum left home.A.crying | B.running | C.reading | D.sleeping |
A.Under a table. | B.Under a chair. | C.Behind a door. | D.Behind a box. |
A.Because he was not good at it. |
B.Because he didn't know where to hide. |
C.Because his brothers made the room dirty. |
D.Because his brothers always hid in the same places. |
A.Staying in the house | B.Shouting at Steve |
C.Running in the street | D.Eating some snacks |
A.Angry | B.Pleased | C.Afraid | D.Sad. |
【推荐2】The bride is 97. The groom is 98. The couple has been married for 77 years, and thanks to some very special people, they were finally treated to some very special wedding memories they missed out on all those years ago.
The Kings are just like family to the staff of the St. Croix Hospice who serve as caretakers for the elderly pair in their Oelwein, Idaho home. With a big anniversary coming up, their caregivers wanted to do something special to celebrate the occasion — and knowing something of the couple’s history, they came up with a perfect plan.
When Frankie and Royce King took their vows (誓言) on September 16, 1944, the world was a very different place. The simple church ceremony was small and short. Rather than a lace gown (蕾丝长裙), Frankie wore a suit. There was no photographer on hand to record the vows.
While Frankie and Royce’s wedding lacked splendor (壮观), their life together has more than made up for it. Two kids, four grandkids, and several great-grandkids later, the Kings’ marriage is still going strong.
On their anniversary, as one staff member played Big-Band era tunes on his saxophone and another took photos, Frankie, dressed in a lovely 1940s-era wedding gown, was led through a flower-covered archway to where Royce was waiting for her. By the time the big wedding cake was served, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Photographer Hilary Michelson said, “I work for St. Croix Hospice full-time while doing photography in my spare time. I am passionate about both of my jobs and it made my heart so incredibly full to see them embracing each other.”
The Kings’ daughter, Sue Bilodeau, is now putting together a photo album of cherished memories for them. “It was definitely one of the most special things ever,” she said. “When Mom mentioned she didn’t have time to plan a big wedding and didn’t have a photographer, the St. Croix staff members worked together to make sure they could get their special day.”
1. What did the staff of the St. Croix Hospice decide to do for the Kings?A.Help them recall their wedding memories. |
B.Take good care of them as family members. |
C.Write something about the couple’s history. |
D.Celebrate their wedding anniversary like a real wedding. |
A.It seemed to be the perfect plan. |
B.It was simple and held in a small church. |
C.It was followed by the couple’s long separation. |
D.It had only one photographer to record their vows. |
A.They were all in tears. |
B.They applauded loudly. |
C.They were busy taking pictures of the couple. |
D.They stopped doing everything and watched. |
A.It made her feel ashamed of herself. |
B.They set a good example for people. |
C.It was meaningful and she was thankful. |
D.She was passionate about doing the same work. |
【推荐3】People sometimes like to read stories of dogs very much. They think that dogs are much cleverer than cats, sheep, cows or other animals in their homes.
One of my close friends, Bob, has a very large police dog named Jack. Every Sunday afternoon, Bob and Jack have a walkin the park nearby. Jack likes these walks very much. One Sunday afternoon, I paid a visit to my friend. I stayed there for a long time and my friend and I had much more talk with each other than ever before. Soon it was time for them to take a walkin the park. We forgot that. Jack became worried about it. He walked around the room several times and then sat down in front of me and looked at me. But I still paid no attention (注意) to him. I went on talking with my friend. At last, Jack could not wait any longer. He went out of the room and came back a few minutes later. He sat down in front of me again. But this time, he held my hat in his mouth. Suddenly, I understood what Jack meant and so did my friend.
1. How many people are there in this story?A.One | B.Two | C.Three | D.Four |
A.is a close friend of mine |
B.has many close friends |
C.enjoys long walks in the park every Sunday afternoon |
D.enjoys talks in the room |
A.it was Sunday afternoon again |
B.he wanted to eat something |
C.he was not feeling well |
D.he wanted his master (主人) to take him for a walk |
A.I should leave the house at once |
B.he liked my hat very much |
C.he was hungry and he tried to eat it |
D.he wanted to have a rest |
A.When Jack and I were talking, my friend didn’t pay any attention to us |
B.When my friend and I were talking, we didn’t pay any attention to Jack |
C.When I was talking to my friend, Jack didn’t pay any attention to us |
D.When my friend was talking to Jack, I paid attention to them |