1 . When I was first married to my wife, I lived and worked in Ontario, moving from small town to big city as I pursued my career as a radio broadcaster. We have two sons, both of whom were born in Toronto, but they moved, with us, to Ottawa when they were quite young. They grew up there, and then, chasing their own careers, they also moved. One went to Canada’s east coast near a city called Halifax and the other headed to the west coast to Vancouver. We had a dilemma; we were left in the middle.
At the time I was still working and my job was in Ottawa. However, as we began to consider retirement we wondered where we should spend our final years. We couldn’t be close to both of our children and there was no telling when they might again relocate. For several reasons we settled on a small town on Vancouver Island. At least we were close to one of them. However, he had his sights set on Hollywood and, when an opportunity presented itself, he left Canada and headed south. I helped him move.
So, there we were, and still are, in our little west coast town. We love our little corner of paradise but we have paid a price. We have not been there for some important events such as the births of two of our grandchildren. We have missed watching each of them grow up; we have missed the normal, noisy households that have young people in them. Our home, while very comfortable, is also very quiet.
Every fall we travel to see the children. We usually fly, first to California to see our son Scott and spend a week or more with him trying to catch up on everything we’ve missed. Then, usually in November, we make the even longer trip east across Canada to see Travis and our grandchildren, who are now teenagers, actually into their twenties. They seldom come to visit us. The distances are just too great and it is costly.
Fortunately, both our boys are doing well and our grandchildren are growing up straight and tall. We love all of them and we are secure in the knowledge that they love us but the reality is that they don’t need us. We have done our jobs and, at least in theory, we can sit back, relax and enjoy the time remaining to us. They have also missed having a set of parents and grandparents around.
Life has been good for our family but we have all paid a price.
1. What does the author mean by saying “We had a dilemma.”?| A．They were not happy about their sons’ absence. |
| B．They were unwilling to separate from their sons. |
| C．They were not yet prepared for retirement at that time. |
| D．They couldn’t decide which son to live close to. |
| A．They have lost lots of money because of his retirement. |
| B．They have to give a large sum of money to their sons. |
| C．They have been absent from their children’s life. |
| D．They have to afford very expensive fare to visit their sons. |
| A．They are quite occupied with their homework. |
| B．It’s not easy for the kids to visit their grandparents. |
| C．They don’t need their grandparents any more. |
| D．The weather of winter in Canada is very awful. |
| A．Grandparents’ Love | B．Suffering Separation |
| C．A Price to Pay | D．Hidden Emotions |
2 . I made a promise to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts.
The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a Biblical passage about husbands and their wives. Then he went on to say, “Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love.” To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would change.
And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said, “That new yellow sweater looks great on you.” “Oh, Tom, you noticed”, she said, surprised and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled. After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, “Evelyn’s been alone here with the kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me.” We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole vacation passed. I made a new promise to keep on remembering to choose love.
There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
“What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“Tom,” she said in a voice filled with sadness, “ I don’t?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…that checkup I had several weeks ago…our doctor…did he tell you something about me? Tom, you’ve been so good to me…am I dying?”
It took a moment for it all to be understood. Then I burst out laughing.
“No, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “You’re not dying; I’m just starting to live.”
1. From the story we may infer that Tom drove to the beach cottage______.| A．with his family | B．with Evelyn | C．alone | D．with his children |
| A．the doctor said his wife was seriously ill |
| B．he had made a lot of money in his Wall Street firm |
| C．she looked lovely in her new clothes |
| D．he was determined to be a good husband |
| A．He praised her sweater, which puzzled her. |
| B．He was so good to her that she thought she must be dying. |
| C．He knew something about her illness but didn’t tell her. |
| D．She insisted on visiting a museum, which he hated. |
| A．he is just beginning to enjoy life as a loving husband |
| B．he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life |
| C．he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change |
| D．he is beginning to feel regret for what he did to his wife before |
3 . After attending another parent meeting regarding my 7-year-old child’s behaviour, I didn’t know what to do. It was the second school we had tried for Nathan and, as always, everything was being done for my child’s needs. It was also having bad effects on Nathan. He would come home and say, “ Mom , I hate my life. I do not want to live anymore.” I was afraid that my son was beginning to suffer from depression and that I was losing him. We needed help.
By the age of seven, Nathan had already had three surgeries for his ears. He was in great pain, regardless of pain medication, which made it difficult for him to learn or pay attention. Despite Nathan’s bad condition, staff at two previous schools seemed as though they didn’t care. They often forgot to deal with his medication. As a result of many times of ear infections, Nathan had hearing loss. To make things worse, Nathan’s speech was not very good. Children would play a trick on him and Nathan began to fall behind in study.
When I first set foot into Ripley House Charter School, I knew this was the school for my son. It felt positive from the moment I entered. From the start, Mrs. Elsen and her staff heard my concern over Nathan. Mrs. Elsen addressed my concern, not with empty words but with action.
That day, Nathan came home from his first day of school saying, “ Mom, I love school !” By the end of the week he was saying “ Mom, I like my life. I have a good life.” Ripley House Charter School gave me my son back and saved our lives. Thank you for giving me back what we had lost ----HOPE.
1. From the beginning, we can learn that ___________.| A．the author felt helpless about his son |
| B．B. the author often attended the class meeting |
| C．Nathan had been in great depression |
| D．no school would like to accept Nathan |
| A．Nathan’s lessons |
| B．what Nathan suffered |
| C．Nathan’s performance in study |
| D．Nathan’s two previous schools |
| A．Thankful | B．Concerned. |
| C．Doubtful | D．Negative. |
| A．spoke out | B．dealt with |
| C．listened to | D．believed in |
4 . When Lina was awoken by the sound of thunder, she was alone on the island. The air was cool and bullfrogs croaked. It was that brief moment when the summer sun had set but the stars hadn’t yet appeared. Lina rubbed her eyes and looked around. “Hello?” she called. “Celia? Marie?” There was no response.
The moon was rising now, shedding light on the island. They had always called it “Forgotten Island” because no one but they seemed to remember its existence. It wasn’t on any of the maps they could find, and even the forest rangers didn’t know about it. Lina loved that the island, hidden in a heavily-wooded side stream of the river, was a secret between the three friends---her, Celia, and Marie. But now Lina was here alone, and it was night. Worse still, it was her own fault.
“Come on, Lina, let Marie row the boat.” Celia had said. Marie was two years older than Lina, but she was a hopeless rower. That’s why Lina refused and rowed the boat to the island. The argument that followed the refusal took the usual form. Celia took Marie’s side, as she always did. Lina exploded and yelled at them to just leave. So they got back in the boat and left.
A bolt of lightning crossed the darkened sky, accompanied by a deafening thunder clap. The storm was here. As the first cold raindrop slid down her neck, Lina’s mind returned to her current problem. She was stuck here by herself. She just hoped she didn’t become as forgotten as the island. The thought of it sent a chill down her back.
Suddenly, Lina spotted something in the water. It was a boat, and inside it were Marie, Celia, and Marie’s dad, who was steering through the fast flowing waters. As the boat approached, they saw Lina waving and the worried expressions on their faces turned to relief.
In her excitement Lina jumped into the river. Only once she was in the icy water did she remember how fast the water was moving. Luckily a strong arm reached into the water and pulled her out. She smiled weakly at Marie’s dad and, without a word, hugged Celia and Marie. They didn’t seem to mind becoming wet.
1. What is special about the island?| A．It is very near the ocean. | B．It is a popular place for boating. |
| C．It is surrounded by thick forest. | D．It has never been reached by others. |
| A．Lina was left alone on the island. | B．Marie would not help row the boat. |
| C．Marie didn’t know how to row the boat. | D．Celia supported Marie in the disagreement. |
| A．Her shame about the unnecessary argument. |
| B．The first raindrop of the approaching storm. |
| C．The idea that no one would come to save her. |
| D．The drop in temperature as the sun went down. |
| A．All of them could swim well. | B．They had an adventurous spirit. |
| C．They lived far away from the island. | D．They didn’t make up in the end. |
5 . When I was a little girl, I remember that when my dad was repairing something, he would ask me to hold the hammer, so we would have time for a conversation with each other. I never saw my dad drinking or taking a night out. All he did after work was taking care of his family.
I grew up and left home for college and since then, my dad had been calling me every Sunday morning. And when I bought a house several years later, my dad painted it by himself in the fierce summer heat. All he asked was to talk to him, but I was too busy in those days.
Four years ago, my dad visited me. He spent many hours putting together a swing for my daughter. He asked me to have a talk with him, but I had to prepare for a trip that weekend.
One Sunday morning we had a telephone talk as usual. I noticed that my dad had forgotten some things that we discussed lately. I was in a hurry, so our conversation was short. Several hours later that day I received a call. My father was in the hospital. Immediately I bought a plane ticket and on my way I was thinking about all the occasions I missed to have a talk with my dad. By the time I arrived at the hospital, my father had passed away. Now it was he who did not have time for a conversation with me. I realized how little I knew about my dad, his deepest thoughts and his dreams.
After his death I learned much more about him and even more about myself. All he ever wanted was my time. And now he has all my attention every single day.
1. When the author was a little girl, she .| A．was good at repairing things | B．liked playing with the hammer |
| C．often talked with her father | D．learned to take care of her family |
| A．She phoned her father every Sunday morning. |
| B．She received a call from her father every Sunday morning. |
| C．Her father bought her a house. |
| D．She often asked her father to talk with her. |
| A．Because her father was busy putting up a swing for her daughter. |
| B．Because she had got tired of talking with him. |
| C．Because she was busy planning a trip. |
| D．Because her father often forgot what they had once talked about. |
| A．The author found an excuse to forgive herself. |
| B．The author and her father were both busy. |
| C．The author complained about her father’s leave without saying goodbye. |
| D．The author regretted missing the talks with her father. |
6 . Tricks（窍门）to make friends at a new school
Starting with a new school can be difficult. Everything seems to be difficult, and you don't even know where to go for your own classes. Making new friends can be hard, too.
Be yourself.
Never change who you are to try to fit in. If some people don't accept you, they're not the kind of friends you need.
Be friendly to others.
A smile goes a long way. When you walk in the halls, don't keep your eyes on the floor. Raise your head and make eye contact with other people. If you see someone you know, smile or say “Hi". Introduce yourself. Tell them your name and where you’re from.
Remember people’s names.
You like it when people use your name, and so do other people.
| A．People may become angry if you just begin by saying “Hey” each time. |
| B．Remember to be nice to the people you meet at your new school. |
| C．Join in after-school activities you like. |
| D．These tricks can help you quickly turn some strangers into friends. |
| E．People often stay together because they have similar interests. |
| F．Don't sit at the back of the classroom where other people don't notice you! |
| G．Believe in yourself. |
7 . High school was a hard time for Me in the beginning because I had just moved to a small town and knew basically no one. I loved to play basketball but was afraid to go to tryout (选拔)for the school's team because I didn't know anyone. One day all that changed when I missed the bus home and decided to shoot baskets on the school playground to kill time. The coach Mr Colbath had been watching me make various baskets and was pretty impressed with my moves.
He came up to me and asked me who had taught me to play like that. I told him that my dad had taught me how to play basketball. He asked me if he would see me at the tryout on Friday. but I said no and told him why. He told me to have a try because I played very well and would maybe make some friends on the court. After thinking for a few minutes. I finally decided to have a try.
On the day of the tryout, the coach came, found me and helped me practice before the tryout. He helped me a lot and I did very well at the tryout and many members of the team were quite impressed. I did make the team and over the next few years the coach helped me both on and off the court. He helped me do my math which I had such a difficult time with and he even taught me how to live independently.
I will never forget Mr Colbath. He really inspired me and changed my life. I would not be the person that I am today if he had not taken such an interest in me when I was in high school.
1. Why did the writer shoot baskets on the school playground?| A．Because he was preparing for the tryout for the school's team. |
| B．Because he wanted to show off his moves to the coach. |
| C．Because he missed the bus and had nothing to do. |
| D．Because he wanted to make new friends while playing. |
| A．He should study very hard. | B．He didn’t think he played well. |
| C．He knew no one in the school. | D．His class teacher told him not to. |
| A．Join the team. | B．Leave the team. |
| C．Organize the team | D．Lead the team |
| A．His tryout at school. | B．His present life. |
| C．His basketball coach. | D．His high school life. |
8 . As Simon Kindleysides, 34, took his first step in the London Marathon in April, he felt as if magic was in the air.
"As we were walking toward the first mile, we actually started joining all the runners," he said. "Everyone was on the streets, cheering, and that was a magical moment." As time went on, the crowds and other racers spread around. Kindleysides and his team of eight supporters continued walking.
Kindleysides, who is paralyzed(瘫痪的)from the waist down and typically uses a wheelchair, was equipped with an exoskeleton(体外骨骼)to help him walk. His supporters walked with him to change the batteries in his exoskeleton so he could keep moving.
In 2013, Kindleysides was diagnosed with a brain tumor (肿瘤) that was growing in a way that pressed on certain nerves, leading to him losing feeling in his legs. He was told he would never walk again. Before his paralysis, the London-based singer and dancer had "always wanted to run a marathon," he said, but he never made the plan to do so--until this year.
During the London Marathon, the last two miles were the hardest. "At that point, I was exhausted. It was freezing cold, and I was hurting emotionally," Kindleysides said. But he kept going. "I didn't want to let people down. I had a team of eight, and I was raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity," he said. "I didn't want to let them down, myself down, and I thought if I would get this far, I would have to continue."So he continued and made history as the first paralyzed man to complete the London Marathon on foot.
Then, recovering at home, he shared his accomplishment with his three children. "They used to say I'm the only dad in their whole school who's in a wheelchair, and now they say I'm their dad, the only one who has walked a marathon," he said.
Kindleysides is training to complete three more marathons next year, including the London Marathon again.
1. Why did Kindleysides' supporters accompany him all the way?| A．To help change the batteries. | B．To inspire him as a team. |
| C．To guide him along the road. | D．To assist him with the wheelchair. |
| A．An operation on his brain for the tumor. |
| B．An accident in the previous marathon. |
| C．Some nerves produced out of the tumor. |
| D．The pressure from the brain tumor on the nerves. |
| A．The prize money for the winner. | B．The strong desire to recover. |
| C．The kindness to help the charity. | D．The belief to beat others. |
| A．He was once a successful actor. |
| B．He is ambitious for joining in London marathons once more. |
| C．His children feel a pity for him in the wheelchair now. |
| D．He was the first disabled man to complete the London Marathon. |
9 . When the telephone rings late at night，most women guess it must be one of only four or five people calling. A sister? Maybe. An emergency? Possibly. A mother? Probably not at that time of night. Much more probably it is a close female friend calling to tell you that she is heartbroken because she has split up with her boyfriend again or perhaps simply that a good movie has just started on TV.
At a time when families are spread far and wide and marriages often end in divorce, friendships are becoming more and more important. Erika, a 32-year-old lawyer, is strengthened by her ten year friendship with her married friend Jane. “I was very sick one night, so I called Jane at about 3：00 a．m. to talk about it,” she says. “She was very supportive and even came over to take me to the doctor's.”
As American TV shows like Friends have become more popular, many of us are beginning to see the value of such friendships.TV shows like this tell us that our romantic relationships may not last, but we need to keep in touch with our close friends if we want to survive.
With Erika's family 200 miles away, it is Jane who keeps a spare set of keys to Erika's apartment and waters her plants whenever she is away. “Having Jane around gives me a certain amount of freedom. It is not the kind of thing that you could ask anyone to do, but she knows I would do the same for her.” Jane, who may move to a different city soon, is worried about leaving such a support system of friends. “My friends have more to do with my life than my parents and, therefore, I don't have to spend a lot of time explaining things to them. Friends are more up to date with what is happening.”
1. A late night phone call for most women is probably from________.| A．a friend | B．a relative |
| C．a doctor | D．a stranger |
| A．shown up. | B．picked up. |
| C．taken up. | D．broken up. |
| A．is Jane's male friend |
| B．treasures Jane's friendship |
| C．has been married for 10 years |
| D．lives far away from Jane |
| A．Friendship Counts |
| B．Friendship Demands Freedom |
| C．Friendship Needs Understanding |
| D．Friendship Strengthens Romance |
10 . Whether you' re a child, teenager, young adult or are middle-aged, respect for your parents is an important value. Your parents are the people who raised you, devoting time, energy and money to your development.
●Respect their belongings.
One important way to show respect is to show regard for the things important to your parents. For younger children, this may mean not touching jewelry or other valuable things. For grown children, respect may mean returning a borrowed tool in good condition and on time. Lack of respect for a parent's belongings is a violation of personal boundaries.
●Punctuality .
●
Remembering birthdays, anniversaries and other special days is a sign that you honor your parents. Make plans to take them to lunch or dinner or bake a cake or cookies. Most parents don't expect expensive gifts, but a handmade gift is always appreciated .A phone call from a grown child who lives too far for a visit is a welcome sign of respect.
●Be kind.
Kind words and affection are simple ways to show respect. Tell your parents you love them. Listen and allow your parents to speak without interruption. Show a sincere interest in what your parents have to say. Be patient with your parents and don't rush them. Never talk back or be rude or disrespectful. Acknowledge your parents' achievements.
| A．Celebrate with them. |
| B．Be a good listener. |
| C．Don't take advantage of your parents' kindness and generosity. |
| D．Treat your parents the way you would like to be treated. |
| E．Being respectful helps build positive relationships with others. |
| F．And they love you unconditionally throughout your life. |
| G．Lateness indicates a lack of respect. |
