I used to see a guy on my train to work every morning. He always sat alone, never spoke to anyone and never listened to music.
About eight days ago, I noticed he was doing a video call with a friend and using sign language (手语). After he ended the call, he looked so sad. I thought I should say something to comfort him or just ask if he was okay, but we wouldn’t be able to understand each other. The only thing I could do was put my hand on his shoulder and smile. I felt so helpless. It started eating away at me how alone and isolated (孤立的) he must feel.
From then on, I started staying up a few hours a night after work learning American Sign Language from some videos I found online.
This morning, I said hello to him for the first time and asked him how he was by using sign language.
The shocked smile he had on his face made all the late nights and tired days worthwhile. Needless to say, it wasn’t much of a big deal, but he nervously got his phone out, typed in a message and handed me the phone. It just said “thank you”.
It was the last meeting we had on the train and I haven’t met another person who uses sign language since. However, I really appreciate (感谢) how he helped me become a better person.
根据短文内容，选择最佳答案。
1. The writer started learning sign language because _______.
| A．he wanted to communicate with more people |
| B．he wanted to help the man he met |
| C．he wondered what the man said to his friend |
| D．he thought sign language was an important skill |
| A．to have a fight with somebody |
| B．to make somebody feel relaxed and comfortable |
| C．to say hello to somebody |
| D．to force somebody to finish a difficult task |
| A．Shocked and thankful. | B．Sad and helpless. |
| C．Shocked and angry. | D．Angry and sad. |
①The writer started learning sign language.
②The guy always took the train without talking to anyone.
③The guy typed to thank for my kindness.
④The writer haven’t met him since the last meeting.
| A．①②③④ | B．②①④③ | C．②①③④ | D．①②④③ |
| A．We’d better not help people who we don’t know. |
| B．The author used sign language a lot in his daily life. |
| C．The author thought the experience was meaningful. |
| D．We can always learn useful skills while helping others. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】One day Mr. Smith went to a dinner party. He was wearing very old clothes. He came into the room, but people in the room didn’t look at him. They didn’t ask him to sit at the table. He wasn’t happy. But he said nothing.
Mr. Smith went home quickly and put on his best clothes. He went back to the party. Everyone in the room stood up and looked at him. They gave him good food to eat.
Mr. Smith took off his coat, put it on the food and said, “Eat, coat!”
The other people were surprised and asked, “What are you doing? Why do you do that?”
Mr. Smith answered, “I am asking my coat to eat food. When I wore old clothes, you didn’t look at me. You didn’t ask me to sit down. Now I am wearing these nice clothes. And you give me good food. Now I see, not to me.”
1. Mr. Smith was wearing new clothes to the party at first.2. Mr. Smith became very angry when nobody asked him to sit at the table.
3. Everyone became friendly to him when Mr. Smith wore his best clothes to the party.
4. Mr. Smith had some good food at the party.
5. People in old clothes couldn’t come to the party.
【推荐2】Debby Tewa comes from Arizona, USA. When she was very young, her home had no electricity. She couldn’t read at night. And her family cooked over a fire. When she was ten, she moved to a new home with electricity! She could turn on a light and use a phone. She liked it!
As she grew, Debby realized she wanted to learn about solar energy. Solar energy is made when people put solar panels (电池板) on top of buildings. The sunlight hits these panels and is turned into electricity.
Debby went to work for a company that provides solar energy for people’s homes. She believed it would be a good solution (解决方案) for people who had no electricity.
Debby thought of people in villages like the one she had lived in as a child. People there didn’t have any electricity. Solar energy would work well there because there’s a lot of sunlight in Arizona. Debby decided to help those families.
To get a family started, Debby helped them borrow money from a bank to buy the panels. And the good news is that there’s no cost for using the sun’s power!
Debby now often travels to other cities in Arizona and New Mexico to help people get solar energy. Debby loves her work very much and teaches people about solar energy.
Debby drives her truck from place to place. She feels lonely with no one riding along. But when she thinks about how exciting it’s for people to use electricity, she’s happy. Debby says she’s “lighting up people’s lives”.
1. Which paragraph shows Debby’s hard living conditions before she was ten?| A．Paragraph l. | B．Paragraph 2. | C．Paragraph 4. | D．Paragraph 5. |
| A．Learning about solar energy. |
| B．Putting solar panels on top of buildings. |
| C．Providing solar energy for people’s homes. |
| D．Turning the sunlight into solar energy. |
| A．people there need it most |
| B．it has a lot of sunlight |
| C．there are many solar energy companies there |
| D．the government takes action to support solar energy |
| A．Polite. | B．Honest. | C．Strict. | D．Helpful. |
| A．Developing solar energy. | B．Being different. |
| C．Lighting up lives. | D．Walking in sunlight. |
【推荐3】Beau Jessup is just like other British teenagers except for one thing- she’s making hundreds of thousands of dollars and supporting her studies at college by naming Chinese babies. The 19-year-old girl has made a name for herself as the CEO of Special Name, a website providing Chinese parents with suitable English names for their babies.
Jessup got the idea of starting the business in 2015 when she was just 15. At that time, she was travelling with her father in China when a Chinese woman in her father’s company asked for help in naming her 3-year-old daughter. Jessup was surprised to find naming babies seemed like a really important thing to do.
With the help of her father and a web developer, Jessup built the Chinese-language website with a database (数据库) of more than 4,000 names, listing five characteristics that she felt best described the name.
The website works by asking users to choose 5 characteristics from a list of 12 that they would most like their child to have, such as friendly and brave. Then a computer program picks three names that match the five characteristics and the sex of the baby. Next, users are encouraged to share the three suggestions with their friends and family to decide on their favourite. All these take just three minutes.
“I still update (更新) the database each month, but the website runs by itself, allowing me to work full-time on my studies at College,” said Jessup.
1. What do we know about Special Name?| A．Jessup got her name with its help. |
| B．It provides English names for Chinese users. |
| C．Some British teenagers created it by themselves. |
| D．It helps Chinese users learn about British culture. |
| A．Because she hoped to become well-known in China. |
| B．Because the English names for Chinese babies weren’t good. |
| C．Because the Chinese woman advised her to make money from it. |
| D．Because she realized Chinese parents’need for their babies’ English names. |
| A．How the website works.. | B．What Jessup is going to do next. |
| C．Who helped Jessup build the website. | D．How Jessup had the idea of starting the business. |
| A．FASHION. | B．NEWS. | C．SPORTS. | D．TRAVEL. |
Britney is in a store now and she wants to buy something. She sees a note that says “BIGOFF!”. She asks a shop assistant (店员) what it means. The shop assistant says to her, “It means ‘buy one, get one free (免费)’.” What a good deal! She finds a shirt for $30. She also sees a skirt she likes. It is only $5. That means it isn’t worth it.
Britney wants to buy two things that are similar (相似的) in price, but she can’t find anything. She finds a beautiful dress at last. It is $80. She thinks it’s too expensive. She can’t afford (买得起) it. At last, she buys a shirt and a skirt.
1. Where is Britney now?| A．In a library. | B．In the school. | C．At home. | D．In a store. |
| A．let it go | B．don’t go | C．lost and found | D．buy one, get one free |
| A．$5. | B．$30. | C．$50. | D．$80. |
| A．难看的 | B．较大的 | C．便宜的 | D．昂贵的 |
【推荐2】There was once a spider that lived in a cornfield. She liked this home and planned to stay there for the rest of her life.
One day, the spider caught a little bug in her web. Just as the spider was about to eat him, the bug said, “If you let me go, I will tell you something important that can save your life.”
The spider thought for a little while and listened. “You’d better get out of this cornfield.” the little bug said, “The harvest is coming!”
“I think you are just telling me a story.” the spider said with a smile.
“Oh no, it is true.” the little bug said, “All the stalks(杆) will be knocked down, and the corn will be gathered up. You will be killed by the great machines if you stay here.”
“I don’t believe you.” the spider said as she ate the little bug for lunch.
A few days later, the spider was laughing about the story the little bug had told her. She thought to herself. “A harvest! What a silly idea! I have lived here all of my life, and nothing has ever disturbed(打扰) me.”
The next day was a beautiful sunny day. The sky above was clear, and there was no wind at all. That afternoon, as the spider was about to take a nap(小睡), she noticed some thick dusty clouds moving towards her. She could hear the noise of a great engine(发动机), and she said to herself, “I wonder what that could be? Is the bug right?”
1. The little bug tried to get free by ________.| A．destroying the web | B．turning to his friends for help |
| C．telling the spider some important news | D．fighting with the spider |
| A．she had got other news | B．she thought the little bug was her enemy |
| C．the little bug told a lie | D．nothing had happened before |
| A．She might be killed by the great machines. |
| B．She might escape from the cornfield. |
| C．She might still live in the cornfield. |
| D．She might be saved by another bug. |
| A．Don’t do something bad to small animals. |
| B．Working hard is very important. |
| C．It can be helpful to follow others’ advice. |
| D．Nothing is difficult in the world. |
I’m Nuan Yangyang. I write a letter to my friend at one o’clock in the afternoon. Then I do my homework.
I’m Fei Yangyang. I want to be strong（强壮的），so I go to the sports club to play sports in the morning. I go home at three ten in the afternoon.
I’m Lan Yangyang. I like eating. I have breakfast at home. I have lunch in a restaurant（餐馆）But the food isn’t good, I don’t like it.
I’m Mei Yangyang. I go to a clothes store at nine in the morning. The clothes there are on sale, so I buy a nice skirt.
I’m Xi Yangyang. I take the bus to the English club at ten sixteen in the morning. There I help two kids learn to speak English.
1. Nuan Yangyang writes to a friend at___________.
| A．3:10 a.m. | B．10:16 a.m. | C．1:00 p.m. |
| A．Fei Yangyang. | B．Lan Yangyang. | C．Mei Yangyang. |
| A．at home |
| B．in a sports club |
| C．In a clothes store |
| A．sing. | B．speak English | C．swim |
| A．Nuan Yangyang doesn’t do homework on Sunday afternoon. |
| B．Lan Yangyang eats lunch at home on April 15th. |
| C．Mei Yangyang has a nice skirt. |
【推荐1】Instruments Brought Back to Life!
Richard Blackson, the director of an US art gallery, visited 23 schools in Philadelphia. He found a room full of broken musical instruments (乐器) at each school. The schools said the instruments had been there for a long time. But Blackson also found that 1,000 of the broken instruments could be repaired.
In fact, many public schools in the United States don’t have enough musical instruments because of budget cuts (预算削减). Several students often have to share one instrument. Blackson started a project called “Symphony (交响乐) for a Broken Orchestra (管弦乐团)”, aiming to repair broken instruments for students.
To raise money, he reached out to David Lang, a Pulitzer Prize-winning US musician. The musician Lang came up with the idea of writing a symphony for the broken instruments. On November 23,400 students and professional musicians held a concert. They performed Lang’s Symphony for a Broken Orchestra, which shares its name with the repair project.
People can now go online to see profiles (简介) of all of the broken instruments and donate money to “adopt (领养)” one or more instruments. The project has raised over $237,000 (1.5 million yuan) so far, The New York Times reported. In the fall semester of this year, Philadelphia students will receive the repaired instruments.
High school student Evelyn Mitka, 16, played a violin that was missing a string (弦) during the concert. She told Dogo News that the performance taught her a lesson. “You can learn music in an untraditional way.”
1. Why didn’t the schools repair the broken instruments?| A．Because they didn’t have enough money. | B．Because the students will break them again. |
| C．Because they planned to buy new instruments. | D．Because the students didn’t use them at all. |
| A．To help repair broken instruments for students. |
| B．To figure out which instruments are broken. |
| C．To organize a new school symphony orchestra. |
| D．To raise money to buy new instruments for students. |
| A．Each person can only adopt one instrument. |
| B．Much money has been donated to the project. |
| C．People can’t find any information about the project online. |
| D．The project failed because they couldn’t raise enough money. |
| A．Her violin was not broken. | B．She thinks broken instruments are still useful. |
| C．She likes broken instruments. | D．She learned that there are other ways to learn music. |
【推荐2】Tom saw an ad(广告) in a newspaper for a beautiful, modern bicycle. It cost $169, so he went to the shop to see the bicycle.
The shopkeeper was very happy to show it to him. He watched it carefully and then turned to the shopkeeper and said, “There isn’t a light on the bicycle. But there was one on the bicycle in your ad.”
“Yes, sir,” answered the shopkeeper, “but the light isn’t in the price. It is an extra.”
“Not in the price?” Tom said angrily, “but that is not honest(诚实的). If the light was in the ad, it should be in the price.”
“Well, sir,” answered the shopkeeper quietly, “there is also a girl on the bicycle in the ad, but we don’t offer(提供) her with the bicycle, either.”
1. Tom went to the shop because he ________.| A．was interested in the bicycle in the ad | B．wanted to see a beautiful girl |
| C．was interested in writing an ad | D．wanted to see the lights |
| A．he would give Tom a light | B．the light was not useful |
| C．the newspaper made a mistake | D．Tom had to pay more money for the light |
| A．careless | B．careful | C．happy | D．worried |
| A．A bicycle. | B．A light. | C．A bag. | D．A girl. |
| A．Tom didn’t like this bicycle at all. | B．The shopkeeper was not honest. |
| C．The ad was bad and ugly. | D．The shop gave a light to Tom. |
【推荐3】They went into the caves. Then he and Huckleberry went to where he had seen Injun Joe. He held up his candle, and they saw a big cross on the wall.
“Number two, under the cross!” said Tom. “That’s what he said.”
Huckleberry was afraid. “Tom, let’s get out. What if Injun Joe’s ghost comes?”
“No, ghosts don’t want money! Anyway, Injun Joe died five miles from here. It’s too far.”
Huckleberry agreed. They got to the cross and began to look under it. It didn’t take long for them to find the wooden box with the money. It was very heavy. They couldn’t lift it. They took all the money out of the box and put it into the bags. The bags were easier to carry. They got out of the caves and back into the boat. Soon they were back in St. Petersburg.
When the Welahman saw them, he made them go to Widow Douglas’s house. There were many people there. Widow Douglas gave both boys new clothes to change into. Huckleberry didn’t like being with so many people and wanted to leave, but Tom made him stay. The Welahman made a speech and told everybody how Huckleberry had helped to catch Injun Joe. Widow Douglas said she was going to give Huckleberry some money when he was older so that he could start a business. Then Tom said Huckleberry didn’t need any money because he already had a lot.
1. Why did Tom and Huckleberry go into the cave?| A．They wanted to see Becky. | B．They wanted to find Injun Joe. |
| C．They wanted to get the money. | D．They wanted to find the grow. |
| A．In their pockets. | B．In the box. | C．Through the bank. | D．In the bags. |
| A．He was shy but honest. | B．He was brave and helpful. |
| C．He was silly and selfish. | D．He was polite and humorous. |
| A．Because she hated him. | B．Because she wanted to thank him. |
| C．Because she was mad at him. | D．Because she was interested in business. |
【推荐1】Every morning, I am always exercising in a sports center. At the same time, there is another man taking exercise, too. A few weeks ago, I watched him do chin-ups. I had never tried a chin-up before, but he made it look so easy, so I came up to him and asked if I could try it. He agreed and let me have a try on the bar (棒).
I pulled (拉) myself up without thinking. Once...and then twice. Then I told him I couldn’t do it any more, so he stood up behind me and pushed me up for a third and fourth “pull”. It felt so good.
The next day I asked him to let me try again. Again, I did two. And I couldn’t do more than that on Day 3 and Day 4. I thought it was a great pity. When I came to the sports center at the end of the week, he told me he was amazed at my chin-ups. He said when they were training firefighters, the man had to do five chin-ups, and the woman should do one or two. Most people couldn’t do them at all, so he was surprised that I could. Then, he told me that if I practiced every day, I would be able to do five or six very soon.
In fact, I am already 50 years old...and a woman. If he had told me how difficult it was at the very beginning, I would probably not try at all. Or I might try, but I would not try my best, because it would surely end up with failure (失败).
I thanked him for letting me believe that success was not only a possible thing but also a dream that could really come true one day.
1. Which picture shows a “chin-up” ? ________A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．Bored. | B．Excited. | C．Upset. | D．Happy. |
| A．The man was the writer’s teacher. |
| B．Most people find it difficult to do chin-ups. |
| C．The man felt sorry about the writer’s chin-ups. |
| D．The writer did more chin-ups than men. |
| A．He is a firefighter. |
| B．He hardly ever helps others. |
| C．He is kind and enjoys life. |
| D．He asks the writer to give up. |
| A．My Personal Trainer. |
| B．He Can Do It Well. |
| C．Because I Was Told I Can. |
| D．Try Something New. |
【推荐2】My name is Sam. I joined a club called “passing help” last month. Now let me tell you why I joined it.
One evening this May, on my way home my old car broke down. It was 25 miles from my home. I wanted to get a ride, but there was no car. It was also hard to take a taxi. I decided to take a bus home. I went to a bus stop nearby. After a while, a bus came, but it did not go to my town. And the bus driver was a young woman. She was kind and she told me which bus I should take. I waited there for about thirty minutes, but no bus came. At last, a car came to me and a woman came out of the car. She was just the bus driver.
“When I reached the bus station, I got to know that the bus to your town couldn’t come, so I returned here. I just can’t leave you here,” she said, “Get in my car and I will take you back to your home.”
“It is a long way.” I said.
“Come on, sir,” she said, “Let’s go.”
On the way she told me a story. A few days ago, there wasn’t gas (汽油) in her car. An old man drove her up to a gas station and then back to her car.
When we got to my home, I wanted to give her some money to thank her, but she didn’t accept it. “I only want to help others and do something nice for somebody. Pass it along.” She said.
1. What did Sam do last month?| A．He bought a car. | B．He joined a club. |
| C．He had a car accident. | D．He lost his way. |
| A．She did nothing for Sam. | B．She took Sam back to his home. |
| C．She gave Sam much money. | D．She asked others to help Sam. |
| A．a club boss | B．a taxi driver | C．a bus driver | D．a gas station worker |
| A．give her some money | B．get on her bus |
| C．take her to her house | D．help others just as she did |
| A．A kind old man | B．Getting a ride | C．Passing help | D．A broken car |
【推荐3】I used to be very shy and hardly ever communicated to anyone in school days. I was excellent in taking exams, but I had many sad, lonely days in school. I had no friends until I developed self-confidence (自信) one day.
In the first few years of my school life, I had problems making friends. When I looked at the mirror, I saw a fat and shy girl. I spent most of my time on study and I hardly communicate with my classmates.
One day, as I looked at a picture of a lovely bird in my book, I decided to draw it. The bird I drew was similar to the one in the book. It wasn’t a perfect copy but the closeness was good enough for me to think that I could draw. I turned from one page (页) to another, drawing animals such as birds, sheep, and bears. I found that I could be good at something. When my classmates noticed, some of them talked to me. For the first time, I replied to them as I talked about my drawing. Then, I made a few good friends who enjoyed drawing, too.
I wasn’t good at getting on with people, but I handled this problem through drawing.
1. Why did the writer hardly talk to anyone in school?| A．Because she wanted to work hard on study. |
| B．Because her classmates said bad words about her. |
| C．Because she did poorly in exams and felt bad. |
| D．Because she was shy and less self-confident. |
| A．By finding her talent for drawing and making friends. |
| B．By communicating with her classmates in class. |
| C．By getting good words from her friends. |
| D．By learning some useful skills from books. |
| A．Accepted. | B．Competed. | C．Solved. | D．Deleted. |
| A．My Lonely Childhood | B．My Biggest Problem in School |
| C．Drawing—My Lifelong Hobby | D．My School Day Memories |
