1 . For some years，my mother worked for a charity as President and Secretary.Selling raffle tickets(兑奖券) was her main means of bringing in the charity’s muchneeded funds.We girls would accompany her，selling tickets with great success.My father made and donated beautiful wooden toys，jewellery boxes and other lovely items as prizes.
Now my sister was always coming up with “good ideas”，most of which didn’t work out to plan.But that didn’t deter her.She had many just waiting to be tested.When she was eight and I was just five，we had a wonderful idea for a business adventure.We decided we would sell raffle tickets for charity，and that charity was us!
So one afternoon，we told our mother we were going to play in the park with our cousins as we did most days after school.But instead，we walked around the streets armed with a raffle book，a pen and a large cloth bag to carry the money.
We’d accompanied our mother many times when she sold tickets，so people were familiar with us when we appeared at their doors.Despite the blank looks they received when asking about the prizes on offer，they were very generous.Although there were no actual prizes，our mother’s previous track record enabled us to sell nearly the whole book of raffle tickets.
Like a little pair of lottery(彩票) winners，we walked home and proudly showed off our takings.But our enjoyment of this sudden wealth was shortlived，and our plans for spending it quickly failed.Our angry mother took us back to every ticket buyer，making us apologise and give the money back.Thankfully，our sweet neighbours didn’t make a big deal of our “clever” misbehavior and thus my mother’s
fundraising career could continue safely.We were taught a good lesson by our mother that day.Also I remember my sister’s entrepreneurial(企业家的) spirit dried up a bit after that.
1. What did the author’s father do?
| A．He got prizes ready. | B．He sold handmade items. |
| C．He was in charge of a charity. | D．He helped design raffle tickets. |
| A．Embarrass. | B．Shock. |
| C．Discourage. | D．Mislead. |
| A．They ran into their mother. |
| B．They met some generous strangers. |
| C．They got lost while walking around the streets. |
| D．They took advantage of people’s trust in their mother. |
| A．Honesty is the best policy. | B．What’s done can’t be undone. |
| C．Misfortune never comes alone. | D．Good advice is beyond all price. |
2 . Some of my fondest memories with my family are from when I was in middle school, when the three of us enjoyed trips that I remember vividly to this day. But during my younger days, like 4 or 5 years old, we vacationed in places like Cancun, Jamaica and Hawaii and I can’t tell whether I actually recall those memories or whether I’m filling in the gaps through photo albums.
A frequent discussion I have with my coworkers and friends, who are also in their 20s, is how we wish our parents had taken us on more vacations when we were much older. What I suggest is to hold off on those grand vacations until your kid is about 12, when they can begin to understand what a privilege is, and you can save the international travel until they’re in high school. Of course, I do understand that sometimes, it’s not the kids but the parents who just want to enjoy a vacation. But in other cases, when the main goal is to create family memories, you can still accomplish that in other ways.
It wasn’t until college that I realized how important travel is, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about wanting to redo those family trips now. Especially during a time in my life when an international trip is outside of my budget, I think about how much money my parents spent on our vacations that ended up being a complete blur.
I’m not telling you to deprive(剥夺) your children of fun family memories, either. I’m simply arguing that you should travel locally or within your state. Although your little ones might not care about the destination, they will remember that you are all together and have a great time. That’s the most important thing, anyway.
1. When recalling the previous trip to Hawaii, the author may feel _____________ .| A．disappointed | B．excited |
| C．touched | D．frightened |
| A．When they start to go to school. |
| B．When they are 4 or 5 years old. |
| C．When they study in high school. |
| D．When they are eager to have a trip. |
| A．Jokes that are made between families. |
| B．Efforts that are made to achieve a goal. |
| C．Memories that can’t be remembered clearly. |
| D．Expectations that may be reached in future. |
| A．Create Chances of Vacations with Children |
| B．My Memories of Previous Vacations |
| C．Older Children Hope to Travel with Their Parents |
| D．Take Children on Vacation until They Are Old |
3 . Once a circle missed a wedge (楔子). The circle wanted to be whole, so it went around looking for its missing piece. But because it was incomplete and therefore could roll only very slowly, it admired the flowers along the way. It chatted with worms. It enjoyed the sunshine. Finally it found a piece that fit perfectly. It was so happy. Now that it was a perfect circle, it could roll very fast, too fast to notice flowers or talk to the worms. When it realized how different the world seemed when it rolled so quickly, it stopped, left its found piece by the side of the road and rolled slowly away.
In some strange sense we are more whole when we are missing something. The man who has everything is in some ways a poor man. He will never know what it feels like to yearn, to hope, to nourish(滋润) his soul with the dream of something better. He will never know the experience of having someone who loves him give him something he has always wanted or never had.
There is wholeness about the person who has come to terms with his limitations, who has been brave enough to let go of his unrealistic dreams and does not feel like a failure for doing so. There is wholeness about the man or woman who has learned that he or she is strong enough to go through a tragedy(悲剧) and survive — he or she can lose someone and still feel like a complete person.
Life is more like a baseball season, when even the best team loses one third of its games and even the worst team has its days of brilliance. Our goal is to win more games than we lose. When we accept that imperfection is part of being human, and when we can continue rolling through life and appreciate it, we will have achieved wholeness that others can only long for.
1. Which may be an example of being whole?| A．A person has everything. |
| B．A person accepts his or her limitations. |
| C．A person loves someone and is loved. |
| D．A person feels blue for dropping unrealistic goals. |
| A．Easy come, easy go. |
| B．Failure is the mother of success. |
| C．Energy and persistence conquer all things. |
| D．Some battles you win and some battles you lose. |
| A．Mainly by comparing. |
| B．Mainly by reasoning. |
| C．Mainly by informing. |
| D．Mainly by arguing. |
| A．Pursue perfection in life |
| B．Be whole in life |
| C．Life without mistakes is whole |
| D．No pains, no gains |
4 . Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table, reading his book. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to copy him in every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read the book just like you, but I don’t understand it, and I forget what I understand as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the book do?”
The grandpa quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”
The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandpa laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned. Out of breath, he told his grandpa that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, so he went to get a bucket instead. The grandpa said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough.” The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandpa the basket was empty again. Out of breath, he said, “Grandpa, it’s useless!”
“So, you think it is useless?” the grandpa said, “Look at the basket.”
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean.
“Grandson, that’s what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you’ll be changed, inside and out.”
1. What puzzled the grandson most was _________.| A．why he forgot what he read soon | B．whether it was useful to read books |
| C．what kind of book he could understand | D．how he could read books like his grandpa |
| A．To get him to realize the use of reading books. | B．To punish him for not reading carefully. |
| C．To clean the dirty basket in the river. | D．To train him to run faster. |
| A．The old are always wiser than the young. | B．It is foolish to carry water with a basket. |
| C．You can’t expect to remember all you read. | D．Reading books can change a person gradually. |
| A．Grandpa and Grandson | B．Carrying Water in a Basket |
| C．Baskets and Books | D．Reading for Total Changing |
The guests arrived. I introduced my two daughters to each of them. The adults were nice and kind and said how lucky we were to have such good kids.
Each of the guests made a particular fuss over Kelly, the younger one, admiring her dress, her hair and her smile. They said she was a remarkable girl to be carrying coats upstairs at her age.
I thought to myself that we adults usually make a big "to do" over the younger one because she’s the one who seems more easily hurt. We do it with the best of intentions.
But we seldom think of how it might affect the other child. I was a little worried that Kristen would feel she was being outshined. I was about to serve dinner when I realized that she had been missing for twenty minutes. I ran upstairs and found her in the bedroom, crying.
I said, “What are you doing, my dear?”
She turned to me with a sad expression and said, “Mommy, why don’t people like me the way they like my sister? Is it because I’m not pretty? Is that why they don’t say nice things about me as much?”
I tried to explain to her, kissing and hugging her to make her feel better.
Now, whenever I visit a friend’s home, I make it a point to speak to the elder child first.
1. The underlined expression “make a big ‘to do’ over” (Paragraph 4) means __________.
| A．show much concern about | B．have a special effect on |
| C．list jobs to be done for | D．do good things for |
| A．beautiful hair | B．pretty clothes |
| C．lovely smile | D．young age |
| A．the guest gave her more coats to carry |
| B．she didn’t look as pretty as Kelly |
| C．the guests praised her sister more than her |
| D．her mother didn’t introduce her to the guests |
| A．parents should pay more attention to the elder children |
| B．the younger children are usually more easily hurt |
| C．people usually like the younger children more |
| D．adults should treat children equally |
6 . A warm drink of milk before bed has long been the best choice for those wanting a good night’s sleep. But now a study has found it really does help people nod off（打瞌睡）—if it is milked from a cow at night.
Researchers have discovered that “night milk” contains more melatonin(褪黑激素), which has been proven to help people feel sleepy and reduce anxiety（焦虑）.The study, by researchers from Seoul, South Korea, involved mice being fed with dried milk powder（奶粉） made from cows milked both during the day and at night. Those given night milk, which contained 10 times the amount of melatonin, were less active and less anxious than those fed with the milk collected during daytime, according to the study published in The Journal of Medicinal Food.
Night milk quickened the start of sleep and caused the mice to sleep longer.
While the effect of cow milk harvested at different time has not been tested on humans up to now, taking melatonin drugs has been suggested to those who have trouble falling asleep at night.
Previous （以前的）studies have also showed that milk can be excellent for helping sleep because of the calcium content, which helps people to relax.
1. According to the text, the mice fed with daytime milk_______.| A．started sleep more easily | B．were more anxious |
| C．were less active | D．woke up later |
| A．It’s been tested on mice for ten years. |
| B．It can make people more energetic. |
| C．It exists in milk in great amount. |
| D．It’s used in sleeping drugs. |
| A．Night Milk and Sleep | B．Fat Sugar and Health |
| C．An Experiment on Mice | D．Milk Drinking and Health |
| A．By giving examples. |
| B．By stating arguments. |
| C．By explaining statistical data. |
| D．By providing research results. |
7 . Your house may have an effect on your figure. Experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off. You can make your environment work for you instead of against you. Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan.
Open the curtains and turn up the lights. Dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating, for people are often less selfconscious (难为情) when they’re in poorly lit places—and so more likely to eat lots of food. If your home doesn’t have enough window light, get more lamps and flood the place with brightness.
Mind the colors. Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites. In one study, people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room. Warm colors like yellow make food appear more appetizing, while cold colors make us feel less hungry. So when it’s time to repaint, go blue.
Don’t forget the clock—or the radio. People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories (卡路里) per meal than those who rush through their meals. Begin keeping track of the time, and try to make dinner last at least 30 minutes. And while you’re at it, actually sit down to eat. If you need some help slowing down, turn on relaxing music. It makes you less likely to rush through a meal.
Downsize the dishes. Big serving bowls and plates can easily make us fat. We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12inch plate instead of a 10inch plate. When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one, total intake (摄入) jumps by 14 percent. And we’ll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short, wide glass than a tall, skinny glass.
1. The text is especially helpful for those who care about ____________.| A．their home comforts | B．their body shape |
| C．house buying | D．healthy diets |
| A．digest food better | B．reduce food intake |
| C．burn more calories | D．regain their appetites |
| A．Eat quickly. | B．Play fast music. |
| C．Use smaller spoons. | D．Turn down the lights. |
| A．Is Your House Making You Fat? | B．Ways of Serving Dinner |
| C．Effects of SelfConsciousness | D．Is Your Home Environment Relaxing? |
8 . Arriving in Sydney on his own from India, my husband, Rashid, stayed in a hotel for a short time while looking for a house for me and our children.
During the first week of his stay, he went out one day to do some shopping. He came back in the late afternoon to discover that his suitcase was gone. He was extremely worried as the suitcase had all his important papers, including his passport.
He reported the case to the police and then sat there, lost and lonely in a strange city, thinking of the terrible troubles of getting all the paperwork organized again from a distant country while trying to settle down in a new one.
Late in the evening, the phone rang. It was a stranger. He was trying to pronounce my husband’s name and was asking him a lot of questions. Then he said they had found a pile of papers in their trash can(垃圾桶) that had been left out on the footpath.
My husband rushed to their home to find a kind family holding all his papers and documents. Their young daughter had gone to the trash can and found a pile of unfamiliar papers. Her parents had carefully sorted them out, although they had found mainly foreign addresses on most of the documents. At last they had seen a half-written letter in the pile in which my husband had given his new telephone number to a friend.
That family not only restored the important documents to us that day but also restored our faith and trust in people. We still remember their kindness and often send a warm wish their way.
1. What did Rashid plan to do after his arrival in Sydney?| A．Go shopping | B．Find a house |
| C．Join his family | D．Take a vacation |
| A．a friend of his family | B．a Sydney policeman |
| C．a letter in his papers | D．a stranger in Sydney |
| A．Showed | B．Sent out |
| C．Delivered | D．Gave back |
| A．From India to Australia. | B．Living in a New Country |
| C．Turning Trash to Treasure. | D．In Search of New Friends. |
Proudly reading my words, I glanced around the room, only to find my classmates bearing big smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. Confused, I glanced toward my stone-faced teacher. Having no choice, I slowly raised the report I had slaved over, hoping to hide myself. “What could be causing everyone to act this way?”
Quickly, I flashed back to the day Miss Lancelot gave me the task. This was the first real task I received in my new school. It seemed simple: go on the Internet and find information about a man named George Washington. Since my idea of history came from an ancient teacher in my home country, I had never heard of that name before. As I searched the name of this fellow, it became evident that there were two people bearing the same name who looked completely different! One invented hundreds of uses for peanuts, while the other led some sort of army across America. I stared at the screen, wondering which one my teacher meant. I called my grandfather for a golden piece of advice; flip (掷) a coin. Heads—the commander, and tails—the peanuts guy. Ah! Tails, my report would be about the great man who invented peanut butter, George Washington Carver.
Weeks later, standing before this unfriendly mass, I was totally lost. Oh well, I lowered the paper and sat down at my desk, burning to find out what I had done wrong. As a classmate began his report, it all became clear, “My report is on George Washington, the man who started the American Revolution.” The whole world became quite! How could I know that she meant that George Washington?
Obviously, my grade was awful. Heartbroken but fearless, I decided to turn this around. I talked to Miss Lancelot, but she insisted: No re-dos; no new grade. I felt that the punishment was not justified, and I believed I deserved a second chance. Consequently, I threw myself heartily into my work for the rest of the school year. Ten months later, that chance unfolded as I found myself sitting in the headmaster’s office with my grandfather, now having an entirely different conversation. I smiled and flashed back to the embarrassing moment at the beginning of the year as the headmaster informed me of my option to skip the sixth grade. Justice is sweet!
1. What did the author’s classmates think about his report?
| A．Controversial. | B．Ridiculous. |
| C．Boring. | D．Puzzling. |
| A．He was unfamiliar with American history. |
| B．He followed the advice and flipped a coin. |
| C．He forgot his teacher’s instruction. |
| D．He was new at the school. |
| A．annoyed | B．ashamed |
| C．ready | D．eager |
| A．by redoing his task |
| B．through his own efforts |
| C．with the help of his grandfather |
| D．under the guidance of his headmaster |
10 . “Mama，when I grow up，I’m going to be one of those！” I said this after seeing the Capital Dancing Company perform when I was three.It was the first time that my
As I look back on that day now，it surely
Though I was absolutely thrilled with the change，it did not come without its fair share of
Today，when I look at the unbelievable company that I have the great
| A．hobby | B．plan | C．dream | D．word |
| A．connected | B．expanded | C．exposed | D．extended |
| A．rarely | B．certainly | C．probably | D．consistently |
| A．director | B．trainer | C．leader | D．dancer |
| A．symbol | B．memory | C．truth | D．reality |
| A．bouncing | B．dating | C．turning | D．tracking |
| A．lacks | B．adds | C．makes | D．brings |
| A．while | B．since | C．until | D．when |
| A．cared | B．expected | C．asked | D．decided |
| A．motivated | B．relaxed | C．convinced | D．astonished |
| A．challenges | B．profits | C．advantages | D．adventures |
| A．put | B．mix | C．build | D．pick |
| A．attention | B．association | C．attraction | D．adaptation |
| A．apart | B．aside | C．off | D．back |
| A．over | B．by | C．with | D．beyond |
| A．function | B．meaning | C．expression | D．usage |
| A．boundaries | B．problems | C．barriers | D．efforts |
| A．necessary | B．perfect | C．proper | D．possible |
| A．talent | B．honor | C．potential | D．responsibility |
| A．victory | B．trend | C．tradition | D．desire |
