【推荐1】My mother, a nurse at Stony Brook University Hospital, worked at night so that she could come home in time to send me to school. She'd sleep during the day and be ready when we returned home before heading out again in the evening. This went on for 23 years. She never complained (抱怨). No matter how tired she was, she always had enough energy to be my mom.

She often had to work on Christmas, Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve, and sometimes Thanksgiving, which made me upset. However, before holidays she always decorated the inside and outside of our house. She'd also have cookies baking in the oven, a holiday-themed movie in the VCR, and music playing throughout our house for us. But when it was time to go to work, there was no room for debate. “Why do you have to work on this day of all days?" I'd ask sadly. "They need me, too, dear son," she'd respond, compassion (同情) in her tone.

For a long time I didn't understand why she should care so much about those sick strangers. Recently, as my grandmother became ill, I found myself spending more time in hospitals. The scenes I saw in the hospital made me see the different side of my mother. The nurses checked heart, blood and oxygen levels, made sure patients were comfortable. They lifted patients in and out of bed and helped them to the bathroom. Beyond their duties, the nurses displayed consideration for each patient.

What I saw helped me to understand why my mother was devoted to her occupation. I was filled with more admiration for my mother.

1. Why did the author's mother work in the evening?

A．To take him to school.	B．To enjoy a movie.
C．To decorate their house.	D．To sleep during the day.

2. What can be inferred from Paragraph 2?

A．The mother loved her patients more than her kids.

B．Nurses are paid double salary working on holidays.

C．The author wished his mother could stay home on holidays.

D．Only people with mercy on patients will make good nurses.

3. The author really understood his mother's work when___________.

A．he asked his mother to stay with him during holidays

B．he looked after his sick grandma in hospital

C．he saw how tired his mother was after work

D．he helped patients to the bathroom

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Children of nurses are often dissatisfied with their mothers.

B．Nurses are particularly busy at work during holidays.

C．The author gained a new appreciation of his mother.

D．The author's mother liked doing housework.

【推荐2】Flower Power

When her grandmother’s health began to worsen last autumn, Mary would make the drive from Washington, DC to Winchester, VA every few days.

She hated highway driving, finding it ugly and boring. She preferred to take winding country roads to her grandmother’s hospital. When she drove through the rocky town of Harpers Ferry, the beauty of the rough waters was always appealing to her.

Toward the end of her journey, Mary had to get on highway 81. It was here that she discovered a surprising bit of beauty during one of her trips. Along the shoulder of the highway, there was a long stretch of wild flowers. They were thin and delicate and purple, and moved back and forth in the wind as if whispering poems to each other.

The first time she saw the flowers, Mary was seized by an uncontrollable urge to pull over on the highway and pull a bunch from the soil. She carried them into her grandmother’s room when she arrived at the hospital and placed them in a vase by her bed.

For a moment her grandmother seemed more lucid（清醒的）than usual. She thanked Mary for the flowers, commented on their beauty and asked where she had gotten them. Mary was overjoyed by the ability of the flowers to wake something up inside her sick grandmother.

Afterwards, Mary began carrying scissors in the car during her trips to visit her grandmother. She would quickly glide onto the shoulder, jump out of the car, and clip a bunch of flowers. Each time Mary placed the flowers in the vase, her grandmother’s eyes would light up and they would have a splendid conversation.

One morning in late October, Mary got a call that her grandmother had taken a turn for the worse. Mary was in such a hurry to get to her grandmother that she sped past her flower spot. She decided to turn around, head several miles back, and cut a bunch.

Mary arrived at the hospital to find her grandmother very weak and unresponsive. She placed the flowers in the vase and sat down to hold her grandmother’s hand. She felt a squeeze on her fingers. It was the last conversation they had.

1. Mary preferred to take country roads to the hospital because she could ________.

A．get on highway 81 more easily	B．enjoy the natural view along the roads
C．pick wild flowers for her grandmother	D．spend less time driving to the destination

2. When Mary placed the flowers by her grandmother’s bed, her grandmother _________.

A．came alive at the sight of the flowers	B．commented on Mary’s beauty
C．was overjoyed by the flowers	D．was curious about the type of the flowers

3. From the passage, we know that ________.

A．Mary discovered the wild flowers along the country roads

B．Mary’s grandmother had passed away before she arrived at the hospital

C．Mary’s last conversation with her grandmother was a silent one

D．Mary headed several miles back because she sped past the hospital

4. What does the passage convey to us?

A．Beauty in nature can be powerful.	B．Love has no beginning or ending.
C．Life is as beautiful as summer flowers.	D．Flowers have the magic to cure diseases.

【推荐2】I grew up in Malaysia. Since we did not have many toys, we used rubber bands (橡皮筋) to make a jump rope. Three years ago, when my daughters Michelle and Theresa were 9 and 12 years old, they were making bracelets (手环) using rubber bands. It struck me that I knew how to do that. I like to impress my daughters and show them that their dad is cool, so I tried it too. To my surprise, I couldn’t work with the bands because my fingers were too big.
Since I studied engineering, I decided to come up with a solution (解决办法). I ran down to my basement and found a piece of wooden board, some pushpins and hooks (图钉和钩子). With the help of these things, I managed to make a bracelet. One of my daughters said, “Wow, that’s cool, but I can make it by hand.” So I started to put two, three, four, five rows together. I crossed the bands into diamond patterns using rainbow colors, which is how the Rainbow Loom (彩虹织机) got its name.
My daughters were so excited that they showed the bracelets to their friends. We started to get requests for them. But they were still difficult to make. I thought, “If I can make a small, easy-to-use loom, I’m onto something big.” It took six months and a lot of support from my kids to perfect the idea.
I tried to sell the loom by making videos about how to use it and taking my daughters to stores to show it. Many store owners thought it might be too difficult to use. For a year, we sold it only on our website. When it became popular with kids, it got noticed by toy stores.
It is so exciting that a simple idea my kids and I came up with together at our living-room table has become a nationwide fad.
1. The author tried to show his daughters how to make bracelets but _____.

A．was refused	B．regretted
C．failed	D．was misunderstood

2. The author made up his mind to find a method of _____.

A．making bracelets

B．using a jump rope

C．impressing his daughters

D．inventing the Rainbow Loom

3. The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 3 refers to _____.

A．looms	B．bracelets
C．friends	D．rainbows

4. What did store owners think of the author’s invention at first?

A．They thought highly of it.

B．They had a long wait for it.

C．They showed a great interest in it.

D．They thought there was no market for it.

【推荐3】When my father was getting ready for work, our house was ruled by knocks and words. He used to come downstairs to breakfast.

The morning paper lay beside his plate. He always read the “Deaths” first, and then he knocked once on the table. One of my sisters brought his bread, already buttered for him. Usually he said nothing, but once I heard him say, “I love you very much, Edith. I would love more if you buttered my bread on both sides.” He read the paper all through breakfast.

Two knocks on the table meant “I am ready for my tea. “If a single knock followed that meant, “More bread, please.”

After breakfast he said, “Boots.” The paper was spread for him over the back of an armchair. Yesterday’s paper was put on the chair for his feet, and his boots were brought to him, freshly cleaned. He read standing at the same time putting on his boots. With one boot finished he said, “Bus.” At that point one of the girls went outside to the garden gate and waited there. Her job was to stop a bus when it came. It came early sometimes and it had to wait for my father. “Overcoat, hat.” One of my sisters had already brushed his overcoat. Now she held it open for him. Another girl came with his hat, nicely brushed. “Handkerchief,pipe.” They were brought and put, with his tobacco, into his pocket. He looked out of the window and said either “Walking stick” or “Umbrella”. It was handed to him. Ready now, he was still reading the paper. He didn’t put it down until he heard the shout “Bus coming!” Then he kissed my mother and went out. The girls breathed freely.

How lucky a man was to have a wife and five daughters at home!

1. When the father made the first knock, he meant ________.

A．he had begun to read the morning newspaper.	B．he was made to feel sad by the “Deaths” news.
C．he would start to read the other parts of the paper.	D．his breakfast should begin.

2. What does “Edith” refer to?

A．A kind of bread.	B．One of the writer’s sisters.
C．The writer.	D．The writer’s mother.

3. All the daughters were quite busy in the morning because ________.

A．their father never helped them.

B．their father always gave different instructions at the same time.

C．each of them had to start and finish her job just on time.

D．they were not clever or quick enough to do their jobs.

4. From the story we may see that ________.

A．the father was so lazy that he hardly did anything.

B．the father was the “centre” of the family.

C．every girl in the family was afraid to do wrong because they didn’t know clearly enough what to do.

D．the father was hated by all his daughters.

【推荐1】

	Tsinghua University Library
HOME		FIND	SERVICE		E-RESOURCES	ABOUT THE LIRARY
	Library Card	Borrowing		Reference		Interlibrary Loan
	Visitors	Facilities		Training		Suggest a Purchase
Library Card 1. Cards for International Students International students can borrow books and access many library services with your valid IC Cards. However, you should open your library privilege online before the first borrowing from the library. You can click here for more details: http://tempcard.lib.tsinghua<edu.cn/dispatcher?classid=perApply 2. Visiting Scholars & Teachers taking Refresher Course in Continuing Education Office All the visiting scholars and teachers taking refresher course in Continuing Education Office can read books and periodicals in library reading rooms only with your valid IC Cards. If you need to borrow books, you must take your deposit and materials fee to the staff of Continuing Education Office, then the staff will help you to open your library privilege at Library Card Center. Deposit (押金)：¥ 1000.00: valid for 60 books both in Chinese and foreign language. Materials Fee: ¥ 100.00 /y (lump-sum payment, non-refundable) 3. Temporary Staff Without IC Cards Readers who have a temporary research cooperation with schools and departments of Tsinghua University can apply for a temporary CPU Card for reading or borrowing books in the library when taking academic research in our university. You should take your ID Card, electronic ID photo (jpg, send to bzhch@lib.tsinghua.edu.cn), your supervisor signed Introduction Letter from your work department which have an agreement with the library, and fees when applying for a CPU Card at Library Card Center. Deposits: ¥ 100.00: only valid to read in the library; ¥300.00: valid to borrow 5 Chinese books; ¥ 1000.00: valid for 5 books both Chinese and foreign language. Materials Fee: ¥ 10.00 / m (lump-sum payment, non-refundable) Card Fee: ¥ 20.00 4. Contact us Library Card Center Hall, West Library Tel: 6278-3067 Office Hours: Monday – Friday       8:00-12:00       13:00-17:00 Saturday - Sunday             9:00-12:00 13:00-17:00 (lost card reporting only)

1. How much should a visiting scholar deposit to borrow books?

A．¥1400.00.	B．¥1100.00.
C．¥300.00.	D．¥1000.00.

2. To get a library card, temporary staff without IC Cards should prepare the following things except ________.

A．his ID card	B．his CPU card
C．an Introduction Letter	D．an electronic ID photo

3. Where can you see this text?

A．On a university website.	B．In a university magazine.
C．On a board in the campus.	D．In a brochure sent to new students.

【推荐2】SHORTLIST OF LONDON'S BEST

If you have limited visiting time we recommend you follow this list.

1) Houses of Parliament. The guided tours of the Houses of Parliament are excellent, in any language you want, and get you to places that even normal Brits can't. However, when Parliament is sitting, they are not running, but you can still get in.

2) Hampton Court. We rate this as one of the best attractions in Europe. A whole succession of kings and queens have added to Henry VIII’s original palace. There lie a fantastic park (by Capability Brown) and gardens (including the famous maze), and Tudor kitchens and one of the last remaining Real Tennis courts. Lots of free (once you've paid the admission) guided tours, some in costume, by people who know and love the place. It's also surrounded by   a series of parks and makes a great destination for a bike trip — train out (30 minutes from Waterloo), bike back (12 miles) along the river. We prefer it to the Tower of London — you'll probably want to visit both, it knocks the spots off Buckingham Palace.

3) The River. Walk along the South Bank from Tower Bridge to Lambeth. The best of London is spread out for you: The Tower of London & Tower Bridge, The Houses of Parliament, Lambeth Palace (residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury), Shakespeare's Globe theatre, Both Tate Galleries, St Paul's Cathedral, The South Bank Centre, The Temple, The London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Somerset House. (A 2 hour walk if you don't stop for long). Or you can take a boat out to Greenwich, the Thames Barrier or the Dome.

4) Westminster Abbey. Where they crown Kings. An unreasonable admission charge (should really be free or voluntary donation), but a masterpiece anyway. If you get bored of waiting in the queue, or packed down by the crowds, hurry yourself off to the City where there's more square space of historic church, and empty.

5) The Theatre. It'd be a crime to visit London and not take in a show. Londoners have been passionate about theatre for centuries. Not only is the quality high, but the price is low - one third the price of Broadway. Classical Music and Opera is of a similarly high standard and low price.

1. A foreign student studying the history of British Royal Family would most probably prefer the tour of _______.

A．Westminster Abbey

B．Tower Bridge

C．Somerset House

D．Hampton Court

2. The underlined statement “when Parliament is sitting” in paragraph 2 refers to the time _______.

A．when the Parliament is not officially in session.

B．when the members of Parliament are debating over a hot issue.

C．when the Parliament is staying idle for repairs.

D．when the members of Parliament are taking a break after some exercise

3. Where do you think one can probably meet with a man as a guide wearing the eighteenth century royal clothing?

A．In Lambeth Palace.

B．In Buckingham Palace.

C．In Hampton Court.

D．St Paul’s Cathedral.

4. Part of the reasons why Londoners are fond of theatre is that they enjoy _______.

A．the criminal drama plots

B．the inexpensive admission

C．the Classical Music and Opera

D．the scene of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre

【推荐3】He must have been completely lost in something he was reading because I had to tap on the car window to get his attention. “Is your car available?” I asked when he finally looked up at me. He nodded, then said apologetically as I settled into the back seat, “I’m sorry, but I was reading a letter.” He sounded as if he had a cold. “I am not in a hurry,” I told him. “Go ahead and finish your letter.” He shook his head. “I’ve read it several times already. I guess I almost know it by heart.” “Letters from home always mean a lot,” I said.

“This isn’t family,” he replied. “Although it might just as well have been family, Old Ed was my oldest friend. In fact, we used to call each other ‘Old Friend’— when we’d meet. I’m not much good at writing.”

“I don’t think any of us keep up our correspondence (通信) very well,” I said. “I know I don’t, but I take it he’s someone you’ve known quite a while?”

“All my life. We were kids together, went to school together and all the way through high school.” “There are not too many people who’ve had such a long friendship,” I said. “Actually,” the driver went on, “I hadn’t seen him more than once or twice a year over the past 25 or 30 years because I moved away from the old neighborhood and you kind of lose touch even though you never forget.”

“You said ‘was’. Does that mean ?” he nodded. “A couple of weeks ago.” “I’m sorry.”

He didn’t say anything more, and we rode on in silence for a few minutes. But I realized that Old Ed was still on his mind when he spoke again, almost more to himself than to me. “I should have kept in contact with him.” “Well,” I agreed, “we should all keep in touch with old friends more than we do. But things come up and we just don’t seem to find the time.”

When I got to my hotel room I didn’t unpack right away. First I had to write a letter — and mail it.

1. The driver said sorry to the writer because ______ .

A．he didn’t want to take the passenger	B．he didn’t notice the writer
C．he had a cold and could not speak	D．he didn’t feel well

2. We can learn from Paragraph 2 that ______.

A．Old Ed was a member of the driver’s family

B．The driver never met Old Ed in the past

C．The driver seldom wrote to Old Ed

D．The driver often called Old Ed on the phone

3. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A．The driver had been a friend of the writer

B．The driver didn’t like to read the letter

C．The driver’s friend must have passed away

D．The driver’s friend must be angry with him

4. Why did the writer write a letter and mail it right away when he got to the hotel room?

A．He had the habit of writing letters.	B．His family asked him to do so.
C．He missed his friends very much.	D．The driver’s story touched him.

【推荐1】John was waiting for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn’t, the girl with the rose. Thirteen months ago, in a Florida library he took a book off the shelf and found himself attracted by the notes in the margin (页边). The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind.

In front of the book, he discovered the previous owner’s name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort, he located her address. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. During the next year and one month, the two grew to know each other through the mail. A romance was developing. John requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn’t matter what she looked like. Later they scheduled their first meeting - 7:00 p.m. at Grand Central Station in New York.

“You’ll recognize me,” she wrote, “by the red rose I’ll be wearing on my coat.” So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for the girl with the red rose.

A young woman in a green suit was coming towards him, her figure long and slim and her eyes were blue as flowers. Almost uncontrollably he made one step closer to her, and just at this moment he saw Hollis Maynell - a woman well past 40. The girl was walking quickly away. He felt as though he was at a loss, so eager was his desire to follow her, and yet so deep was his longing for the woman whose spirit had truly accompanied him and upheld his own.

He did not hesitate. He squared his shoulders and said, “I’m John, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?”

The woman smiled, “I don’t know what this is about, son,” she answered, “but the young lady in the green suit begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should tell you she is waiting for you in the restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!”

It’s not difficult to admire wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive.

1. What happened to John thirteen months ago?

A．He was touched by a girl’s notes in a book.

B．He was waiting for a girl outside a library.

C．He happened to read a thoughtful and insightful book.

D．He made acquaintance with Miss Hollis Maynell.

2. Which of the following is true about Hollis Maynell?

A．She was just the lady John was going to meet.

B．She was a middle-aged woman who was unattractive.

C．She happened to pass by the Grand Central Station.

D．She was required to wear a rose on her coat.

3. If John hadn’t walked up to the lady wearing a red rose, he would _______.

A．have had the dinner with a beautiful lady instead

B．have failed to meet the girl he fell in love with

C．have found that he was fooled by Miss Maynell

D．have followed the young woman in a green suit

4. In writing the passage, the author intends to _______.

A．tell us a romantic story between two young persons

B．show one’s spirit matters more than his appearance

C．show that one’s response to unattractive shows his heart

D．how a thoughtful soul and insightful mind can be reflected

【推荐2】Teen Party Venues in Nashville, TN

Nashville, Tennessee, known as “Music City,” is home to around 601,000 residents, where you will find a broad range of places to choose from when it comes to planning a birthday party.

Pools and Resorts

If you plan your teen’s party at Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort, your teen and her guests will have a variety of activities to choose from. In the waterpark, guests can float down the lazy river, zip down the slides and play in the humongous wave pool.

Dinner or Dance

Teens looking for something a little more sophisticated or grown up to do on their birthday can have their party at one of the area’s finest restaurants or party venues. Rocketown offers facility rentals for teen events, to help create a safe environment for teens. You can choose which building you would like to rent to plan your teen’s dinner, dance or whatever else you have in mind and be confident knowing your teen’s party will be spectacular.

Bowling and Skating

Jaymar Family Entertainment Center is another fantastic venue for holding a fun teen party. Party packages can help make the planning a bit easier and may include things like bowling for all your guests, a private party room, food and drinks, etc. Teens that enjoy roller skating can hold their party at one of the Skate Centers in Nashville.

Additional Venues

Parents who are looking for something a little different to plan for their teen’s party could take the group to Nashville Paintball for some paintball action. Whether your party guests are new to paintball or old pros, the entire group is sure to have a great time. Alternatively, you can take your teen and his buddies to Climb Nashville for some climbing fun, which offers birthday and private parties that may include climbing, instruction, snacks and drinks.

1. Which place offers a private party room?

A．Rocketown.

B．Jaymar Family Entertainment Center.

C．Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort.

D．Nashville Paintball.

2. What can teens do at Climb Nashville?

A．Have dinner.

B．Learn to climb.

C．Float down the river.

D．Enjoy roller skating.

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．You can rent facilities in Rocketown.

B．You cannot hold a party in the waterpark.

C．Jaymar Family Entertainment Center offers party packages.

D．You may enjoy yourselves at Nashville Paintball.

4. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．In a feature story.

B．In a geography textbook.

C．In a leisure magazine.

D．In a business website.

【推荐3】Welcome to Banff, Canada’s first, most famous and arguably most fascinating national park. If you’ve come to ski or snowboard, we’ll see you on the slopes. Skiing is a local favourite too.
While you’re here, try other recreational activities available in our mountains. Popular choices include a Banff Gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain, bathe in the natural mineral waters at the Upper Hot Spring, horse-drawn sleigh ride, drive-your-own-team dog sled excursion, and snowmobile tour to the highland（but not in the national park）.
We also recommend you make time to enjoy simple pleasures. After looking around Banff Ave shops, walk a couple of blocks west or south to the scenic Bow River.
True ice skating on frozen Lake Louise where Ice Magic International Ice Sculpture Competition Works are displayed after Jan 25. You can rent skates in Banff or at the sport shop in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel.
Banff’s backcountry paths access a wilderness world of silence and matchless beauty—cross country skis and snowshoes provide the means. Banff sport shops rent equipment and clothes, or join an organized tour. Although we’ve been many times, we still find the cliffs and icefalls of our frozen canyons worth visiting.
Wildlife watching also creates satisfying memories. We have seen hundreds of the elk and bighorn sheep that attract visitors, yet they still arouse a sense of wonder. And the rare spotting of a cougar, wolf or woodland caribou takes our breath away.
See if simple pleasure work for your Fight in the snow with your kids, walk beside a stream or climb to a high place and admire the view.
—Banff Resort Guide Editors
1. According to the passage, Banff’s backcountry is accessible by_______.

A．cross country skiing	B．horse-drawn sleigh riding
C．snowmobiling	D．dogsledding

2. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Dogsledding is the most popular sport among local people.

B．Watching wildlife is a memorable experience.

C．Travelers should bring their own sports equipment.

D．Shopping is too simple a pleasure to enjoy.

3. The purpose of the writing is to _______.

A．promote scenic spots in Canada

B．advertise for the sports in Banff

C．introduce tourist activities in Banff

D．describe breathtaking views in Banff