1 . I still remember that busy autumn evening as I hurried with my eldest daughter, Athena, to get to her classroom on time for the parent-teacher night. We walked in and all eyes were on me. A few adults quickly quieted their kids’ whispers. A classmate yelled to my daughter, “What’s wrong with your mom’s face?” Shocked, I started to explain my condition, but my six-year-old daughter looked at him and said, “It’s my mom’s birthmark! Don’t be rude!” I was extremely proud of how she handled that situation.
I was quite young when I realized I looked different because of my large facial birthmark. I always thought I would be alone because of it. Being compared to Batman’s evil Two-Face made me believe I could never find love. But I was lucky enough to meet my husband, who saw me for who I am inside. When I had my first daughter, I was overjoyed, but I began to worry if the world would judge my children. I always worried I might pass my condition onto my children; I didn’t want them to grow up feeling judged. Unfortunately, my facial difference has impacted my children. My daughters get disinvited from birthday parties or sleepovers, or I learn certain kids are no longer friends with mine after their parents saw me at school.
When my kids were young, I explained how my special purple skin was rare and we talked about acceptance and never judging others on how they look. When my girls kiss my purple-skinned cheek, I feel “normal” around them and their unconditional love. With time going by, both my daughters have become my strongest supporters. Thanks to them, I’ve begun to feel more self-confident as I try to be a good role model.
Their worldviews are similar to mine. We see the world a little differently and with a kinder, more accepting heart. As the saying goes, your daughters will grow up to be your best friends. I know that will be the case for me!
1. What happened when the author went to attend the parent-teacher night?| A．Athena was praised by others for her bravery and optimism. |
| B．Athena defended her mother against her classmate’s rudeness. |
| C．Some parents criticized their kids because of their misbehaviour. |
| D．The author felt shocked at her daughter’s response to her classmate. |
| A．Friendship needs to be watered by love. |
| B．We should treat our children as best friends. |
| C．We should accept other people’s differences. |
| D．Our ability to handle difficulties can be developed. |
| A．They have to drop out of school. |
| B．They have the same physical condition as me. |
| C．They have difficulty maintaining friendships. |
| D．They feel worried because they are often judged. |
| A．A birthmark to live with. | B．My strongest supporters. |
| C．A kind and accepting heart. | D．The confidence to be different. |
2 . I was born in Venice, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy, and studied designing at university here. Though I have also spent time away, I have always come back because it’s my home.
In Venice, there are no roads, only canals, so you have to get around on foot or by boat. I live on a canal in the Rialto area in a house that was built in 1588 for the Muti family, who were businessmen in the silk trade. In the mid-eighteenth century, it was home to the Vezzi family, who made things like plates and bowls in fine china and became rich by sending these around the world. These businessmen’s houses in Venice are like palaces. Their owners had to have space to show off their goods, but the building also had to be an office, a factory, a store and a home. My house came into our family in 1919, when it was bought by my grandfather. He died before I was born but he was the director of a museum where I often do research on old documents. On some of these, I’ve seen notes in his handwriting, so, in a way, I met him through these documents.
Sadly, the population of Venice has dropped from 120,000 in the 1950s to about 60,000 now. This doesn’t include the thousands of tourists who come to visit. I welcome the tourists but unless something is done to stop everyday shops like bakeries from disappearing, the city will die. I want people who love the city to come here to live and work and give Venice back a life that is not just about tourism.
1. What can we learn about the family who first owned the author’s home?| A．They were china dealers. | B．They made plates and bowls. |
| C．They used to buy and sell silk. | D．They helped to build the canals. |
| A．He met his grandfather in an unusual way. |
| B．His grandfather taught him how to write. |
| C．His grandfather turned his home into a museum. |
| D．He found his grandfather’s handwriting hard to read. |
| A．It faces a difficult situation. | B．It can’t feed its population. |
| C．It needs more modern shops. | D．It has fewer tourists than before. |
3 . “Have you checked the oil in the car, Ted?” my father used to say to me. Sometimes our phone calls would begin and end with an only inquiry(询问)about the oil, without asking anything else. Fathers have lots of love to give, but it’s often provided through useful advice. In my experience, it’s mostly about the car.
Why can’t fathers just say “I love you” or “It’s great to see you”? Why can’t the sentences “I care about you” and “You made my life better from the moment you were born” be heard? Because fathers tend to express their true feelings indirectly. You just have to understand the language—Fatherlish(父亲式语言).
When I was 17 years old, I went on my first road trip in that old car. My father stood on the corner on a cold early morning to say goodbye. “Roads are dangerous,” he said, “so don’t try driving faster than a horse. And remember to take a break every two hours. And every time you stop for gas, you really should check the oil. ” At the time I thought his speech was pretty funny and old.
Dad’s long gone now. But after all these years, I realize that if I had owned a copy of the Fatherlish-to-English dictionary, I would have understood that the speech that I always laughed at was simply Dad’s way to express love and care.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．The author wanted to buy a new car badly. |
| B．The author forgot to check the oil regularly. |
| C．The author’s father expressed his love differently. |
| D．The author’s father preferred to make phone calls. |
| A．To show the danger of the trip. | B．To present his father’s hidden love. |
| C．To explain the rules of driving. | D．To tell a very exciting experience. |
| A．Funny. | B．Traditional. | C．Caring. | D．Old. |
| A．Checking the Oil | B．Making Phone Calls |
| C．Taking Helpful Advice | D．Speaking Fatherlish |
4 . My father was 44 and knew he wasn’t going to make it to 45.He wrote me a letter and hoped that something in it would help me for the rest of my life.
Since the day I was 12 and first read his letter, some of his words have lived in my heart. One part always stands out. “Right now, you are pretending to be a timekiller. But I know that one day, you will do something great that will set you among the very best.” Knowing that my dad believed in me gave me permission to believe in myself. “You will do something great.” He didn’t know what that would be, and neither did I, but at times in my life when I’ve felt proud of myself. I remember his words and wish he were here so I could ask, “Is this what you were talking about, Dad? Should I keep going？”
A long way from 12 now, I realize he would have been proud when I made any progress. Lately, though, I’ve come to believe he’d want me to move on to what comes next: to be proud of, and believe in somebody else. It’s time to start writing my own letters to my children. Our children look to us with the same unanswered question we had. Our kids don’t hold back because they’re afraid to fail. They’re only afraid of failing us. They don’t worry about being disappointed. Their fear－as mine was until my father’s letter－is of being a disappointment. Give your children permission to succeed. They’re waiting for you to believe in them.
I always knew my parents loved me. But trust me: That belief will be more complete, that love will be more real, and their belief in themselves will be greater if you write the words on their hearts:“Don’t worry; you’ll do something great.” Not having that blessing from their parents may be the only thing holding them back.
1. We learn from the text that the author ________.| A．lost his father when he was young. |
| B．worked hard before he read his father’s letter. |
| C．asked his father’s permission to believe in himself. |
| D．knew exactly what great thing his father wanted him to do. |
| A．Children need their parents’ letters. |
| B．Children are afraid to be disappointed. |
| C．His children’s fear of failure held them back. |
| D．His father’s letter removed his fear of failing his parents. |
| A．He got no access to success. |
| B．He wrote back to his father at 12. |
| C．He was sure his parents loved him. |
| D．He once asked his father about the letter. |
I still remember my first day of second grade. I was led to a classroom. No teacher yet. Girls talking and laughing. Boys playing games.
I took some paper and a pencil, picked a desk, and went to work. Minutes later, a girl came over and sat on top of my desk.
"What are you doing?" she said.
"I am doing Fun with Number" I replied. Then I rose from my seat to get my pencil sharpener. I had no idea that when I stood, the desk would fall over and hurt her leg.
Her name was Lucy. From that day on we got to know each other, and she became my best friend. Now we have been close friends for more than 60 years. We often get together and recall the past.
Some TV advertisements try to tell us what children need for school, new shoes, clothes, and schoolbags. But really, children's needs are simple. Besides the basics—to be fed, cared for, and loved- they need the gift of friendship.
For years, I feared how people saw me. But one day, I finally understood I didn't need to be smart or pretty or popular, but just needed to be kind.
My grandson William recently finished his preschool and received a prize for "friendship". Even an Olympic medal wouldn't make me prouder! I think children need to know that they are loved. They need to know they have all they need and that the best way to win friends is to be kind.
1. When and where did the author meet Lucy for the first time?2. What was the author doing when Lucy came over?
3. How do Lucy and the author keep their friendship growing?
4. Besides the basics, what do children need for a happy school life?
5. In your opinion, what is the best way to win friends?
6 . The Friends of Charles Dickens
Dickens was born in 1812. His father, a clerk in the navy pay office, was thrown into debtors' prison. The miserable treatment of children and the institution of the debtors' jail became topics of several of Dickens, novels。.
Wilkie Collins (1824-1889)
Although twelve years younger than Dickens Wilkie Collins became one of Dickens best friends. Collins was a popular novelist who developed the mystery novel style. The Moonstone is one of his best. He and Dickens wrote The Frozen Deep . Wilkie was the son of the painter William Collins. He was born in London and lived in Italy and France as a child.
John Elliotson (1791-1868)
Elliotson was Dickens's family doctor for many years and thus they became good friends. Elliotson was an early advocate for the use of the stethoscope (听诊器). He also believed in the use of acupuncture (针灸).
Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)
Poe was an American author best known for his poems and short fiction. The Fall of the House of Usher and The Murders in the Rue Morgue are two of his most popular works Dickens and Poe's friendship began in Philadelphia while Dickens was on his first tour of the United States. They talked about literature and seemed to enjoy one another's company However，two years later Poe broke off the relationship because he was angry about an article on American poetry. The article was written by Thackeray, but Poe believed that Dickens was behind the article.
William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863)
William Makepeace Thackeray was a novelist His best known work is Vanity Fair. He was also a friend of Charles Dickens. While Dickens and Thackeray were friends, the relation ship wasn't always smooth. They had several serious quarrels. One quarrel involved Dickens siding with Edmund Yates after Yates insulted Thackeray.
1. Who had taken care of Dickens' health for years?| A．Collins. | B．Poe. | C．Elliotson. | D．Thackeray. |
| A．A traffic accident. | B．Their ideas on running companies. |
| C．A poem written by Dickens. | D．An article written by Thackeray. |
| A．Vanity Fair. | B．The Moonstone. |
| C．The Fall of the House of Usher. | D．The Murders in the Rue Morgue. |
7 . I arrived at my mother’s home for our Saturday family dinner. The smells of food flew over from the kitchen. Mother was pulling out quilt after quilt from the boxes proudly showing me their beauties. I knew they were all made herself. She was preparing for a quilt show on TV. When we began to fold and put them back into the boxes, I noticed something at the bottom of one box. I pulled it out. “What’s this？”I asked. “Oh？”Mom said，“That’s Mama’s quilt. ” I spread the quilt. It looked as if a group of school children had made the pieces together. “Grandmother made this？”I asked in surprise. My grandmother was a master at making quilts. This certainly didn’t look like any of the quilts she had made. “Yes, right before she died. I brought it home with me last year and made some changes，” Mom said，“I’m still working on it. See，this is what I’ve done so far. ”I looked at it more closely. She had made a line straight（直的）At the center of the quilt, she had stitched a piece of cloth with these words:“ My mother made many quilts. She didn’t get all lines straight. But I think this is beautiful. I want to see it finished. Her last quilt. ” “Oh，this is so nice，Mom. ”I said. I was sure now that by completing my grandmother’s quilt, my mother was honoring her own mother. I realized that I held in my hands a family treasure. It started with the loving hands of one woman，and continued with the loving hands of another.
1. When the writer got home，his mother________.| A．was cooking dinner |
| B．was preparing for a quilt show |
| C．was watching TV |
| D．was changing her mama’s quilt |
| A．She took it to a TV show. |
| B．She brought it home and made some changes. |
| C．She gave it to her daughter as a family treasure. |
| D．She made some changes with a group of children. |
| A．was highly thought of by her daughter |
| B．wasn’t good at making quilts |
| C．was dead many years ago |
| D．lived with the writer before she died |
| A．The writer wanted to know what their family treasure was. |
| B．The writer’s mother wanted to learn how to make a beautiful quilt. |
| C．The writer’s mother wanted to honor her own mama by finishing the quilt. |
| D．The writer’s mother wanted to take her mama’s quilts to the show. |
8 . When you choose a friend， you should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair-weather friends. They will be with you as long as you have money or luck， but when you are down， they will run away. How do I know when I have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities of character， especially understanding， honesty and reliability（可靠）.
Above all else， I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead， he tries to learn from others. He puts himself in the other person’s place， and he tries to think of ways to be helpful. He is also a good listener.
At the same time， however， a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults（过错）in others. He notices their good points. In short， good friends will be honest to each other and accept each other.
Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on a good friend. If he tells me he will meet me somewhere at a certain time， I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favor， he will do his best to help me. If I am in trouble， he will not run away from me.
There is fourth quality that makes a friend special. A special friend is someone with whom we can have fun. We should enjoy our lives， and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experience and learn from each other. A good friend has a good sense of humor， too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.
When I meet someone who is reliable， honest， and understanding， I know I’ve found a friend!
1. Which of the following qualities does the writer think is the most important in choosing a friend?| A．Honesty. | B．Understanding. |
| C．Reliability. | D．A sense of humor. |
| A．understand each other’s feelings | B．be helped with money |
| C．always point out each other’s mistakes | D．have money or luck |
| A．The importance of having a friend. | B．Where to choose friends. |
| C．How to get along with friends. | D．The qualities of a good friend. |
9 . We all long for friendship, but how to make a friend? "The best time to make a friend is before you need one," Joy Steven said. The following are some tips for you.
Friends are from strangers.
Friends usually begin with strangers. Getting in touch with other people is the first step to make a friend. Friends can’t be made in empty air. Best friends take time to make.
Friends understand friends.
Friends understand each other when talking. Many unpleasant personal quarrels can be avoided if you will take time to understand othersˈ feelings and points of view.
Friends touch friends.
Touching is a warm form of communication between friends. When you see best friends communicating, you will notice they stand close together, touch each other comfortably and listen to each other carefully. Sometimes a friendly touch is more powerful than words.
Friends praise friends.
Praise is a powerful tool to make a friend. Honest praise can affect your friendsˈ lives. So try to praise your friends, including your general ones.
Friends can be loyal and trustworthy.
Trust and loyalty go hand in hand for friends. Friends can share secrets with you, because good friends never break confidence and are loyal forever.
1. The first step to make a friend is _________.| A．touching other people. | B．standing close to other people. |
| C．getting in touch with other people. | D．sharing secrets with other people. |
| A．praising your friends. | B．understanding your friends. |
| C．getting in touch with people. | D．quarreling with your friends. |
| A．when to make a friend. | B．how to praise a friend. |
| C．how to develop friendship. | D．how to communicate with a friend. |
10 . Both of my parents worked fulltime when I was a little girl，so my grandmother would stay at our house during the day. We would watch game shows in the living room. Our favorite was The Price Is Right. We would call out our answers along with the contestants.
When I got older and started going to school，we couldn’t watch our game shows regularly. That was okay with me，though，because the one thing I liked better than watching game shows with my grandmother was helping her bake cakes. Watching her in the kitchen was amazing：she never seemed to need the recipes（食谱）but everything she made tasted delicious.
At first I would just sit in the kitchen and watch，even though I didn’t understand what she was doing. As I got older，she let me help with the easy parts，such as measuring the sugar. The day she let me separate the eggs，I felt like I had found complete pleasure.
At last，my parents decided that I could take care of myself，and my grandmother stopped coming over every day. The love of baking，however，stayed with me. I started baking by myself，and even if the cookies ended up burnt sometimes，more often they turned out pretty well. I tried out new recipes，and whenever I got to a thorny part，I would call my grandmother for advice. Sometimes I would call her just to talk too. I felt like I could talk to her about anything.
My grandmother passed away ten years ago，but I still think of her every day. Last week，I found a recipe book she made for me. It included her recipes for brownies，cookies，and my favorite，lemon pie. As I looked through the pages，I thought I could hear her voice. She was the one who taught me not just about baking，but about life.
1. The passage is mainly developed by .| A．analyzing causes | B．making comparisons |
| C．following the time order | D．examining differences |
| A．found it interesting | B．turned out to be a troublemaker |
| C．hoped to make a living by baking | D．regretted missing the game shows |
| A．Basic. | B．Common. |
| C．Special. | D．Difficult. |
| A．To describe her childhood memories. | B．To show her good baking skills. |
| C．To remember her grandmother. | D．To talk about her happy family life. |
