1 . Mildred Webinga Freeman was an English teacher at the new middle school I attended in the ninth grade. She wasn’t my teacher, she was the adviser to the safety patrol (巡逻队) on which I served. I loved being around her and enjoyed her sense of humor and kind personality. She was also a good listener.
At the end of the year, she announced that she was moving to Florida, and I was very shocked and sad. We exchanged addresses and became pen pals. I could tell her anything, and she treated me with respect even though I was a teenager.
In Florida, Mrs. Freeman became a businesswoman, but she managed to find time to write letters and amusing stories and always took my concerns seriously. She had given me an open invitation to visit, and I missed her so much. When I wrote to take her up on the offer, she answered, “Get your shoes on and your bags packed! You are welcome anytime!”
I spent three weeks with her in Miami, thrilled to do anything from washing dishes to touring houses with her. Her love of poetry, music, and creative writing encouraged me. One day while hanging sheets on the clothesline, she looked up and said, “You know, the sky is fuel for the soul.” I have never looked at the clouds since without hearing those words. Two years later when I visited her house I had hoped to talk to her about school, but instead she was in a hospital bed in the guest room. She had cancer on the liver, and her family members were caring for her. I was in shock.
To this day, more than 50 years later, I still see her smile and think about the advice she gave me. Now and then I reread her letters, and I remember the importance of her smile and her friendship.
1. Which of the following can best describe Mrs. Freeman.| A．Humorous and kind-hearted. |
| B．Respectful and amusing. |
| C．Serious but patient. |
| D．Creative but fun. |
| A．English teacher. | B．class adviser. | C．safety guard. | D．pen pal. |
| A．One day. | B．Three weeks. | C．One year. | D．Nine years. |
| A．She had a liver cancer. |
| B．She was doing housework. |
| C．She showed little interest in school. |
| D．She was not looked after by her family members. |
| A．She wrote stories for Mrs. Freeman. |
| B．She often visited Mrs. Freeman in Florida. |
| C．She once went mountain-climbing with Mrs. Freeman. |
| D．She kept Mrs. Freeman’s letters for more than 50 years. |
2 . Some people think only school children do not agree with their parents. However, it is not true.
Try to reach a compromise (和解).
Talk about your values. The values of your parents are probably different from those of your own.
A good relationship with your parents can make you a better and happier person. It is worth having a try.
| A．Don’t argue with your parents. |
| B．Tell your parents what you care about, and why. |
| C．Make sure you understand why you are unhappy. |
| D．Showing respect will keep your relationship strong. |
| E．Perhaps you and your parents disagree on something. |
| F．Communication is a problem for parents and children of all ages. |
| G．If you don’t think you can speak to them at the moment, try writing. |
How are you? It has been several weeks since I heard from you. I have been missing you a lot these days, so I think I should find out how you are doing. Hope this letter finds you in the best of health. Things here are fine, though they seem to be a little boring now without you.
Since school started, I have made some new friends who are great company（陪伴）. But I keep remembering what a great time we had during our summer vacations. Those long rides in the woods, often shopping at the mall and our video game matches were all so much fun. Things here are a little different, and it is going to take me some time to get used to them.
I have some great professors who make classes very interesting. I actually look forward to doing my homework for these classes. However, there are some really boring science classes that I just don’t seem to enjoy. They all sound so difficult, but I have to learn them. A few years later, I am going to drop these subjects forever! The good thing is that all the friends I’ve made feel just the same way about these science classes.
How have things been with you? How about your school and all those great friends you keep talking about? Did you join that guitar class you wanted to so badly? Look forward to hearing from you.
By the way, Dad has bought me the latest video game controller. It is really amazing! Waiting for you to come back here so that we can have some more video game matches!
Yours truly,
Aaron
1. What does Aaron probably think of his life in the school?| A．Rather terrible. | B．A little bit dull. |
| C．Quite hard. | D．Fairly exciting. |
| A．He didn’t get along with his new friends. |
| B．He enjoyed a great summer vacation with Laura. |
| C．He has already got used to his new school life. |
| D．He enjoyed all of his new classes. |
| A．does not like the science professors |
| B．has too much homework for these classes |
| C．finds these classes very hard to understand |
| D．finds they are of no use in the future |
| A．Her school life and friendship. | B．Her science classes and the professors. |
| C．Her summer vacation. | D．Her video game matches. |
| A．They are in the same school now. | B．They write to each other every week. |
| C．They both like playing video games. | D．They will take the guitar class together. |
4 . I will always remember my mother's last few days in this world.
On February 14th, 2000 my class went on a field trip to the beach. I had so much fun. When we returned to school, my teacher told me to go to the headmaster's office. When I got into the office, I saw a police office. Suddenly I realized something was wrong. The police office told me what had happened and we went to pick my sister up. After that, we went to the hospital and waited. Time went slowly. Finally, we got to see our mother. It was terrible.
On the next day, the headmaster came and told my two teachers what had happened. I was taking a rest that day. I knew it had something to do with my mother. I kept thinking that she either died or had gotten better. How I wished that she had gotten better. When my teacher took me outside, my sister ran up to me. She started crying, “She's gone. Teresa, mommy's gone. She's dead.” I couldn't believe it. We jumped into the car and drove straight to the hospital. Most of my family were there. The silence was terrible. I knew I had to say goodbye.
Today when I look back, I still miss my mother very much, but I know that I will live. My mother was a strong mother, who had the biggest heart. My mother was an angel walking on the earth. I will always remember her as living. When someone is asked who their hero (英雄) is, they usually say someone famous, like Michael Jordan or Britney Spears, When someone asks me who my hero is, I tell them, my mother. My mother lives every day. That is what makes her a true hero.
1. Who brought the writer the bad news that her mother was ill?| A．Her sister. | B．The headmaster. |
| C．Her teacher. | D．The police officers. |
| A．Her mother had been very ill. | B．Her mother had been dead. |
| C．Her mother had gotten better, | D．Her sister came to see her. |
| A．the writer is afraid of her mother | B．the writer is proud of her mother |
| C．the writer feels sad about her mother | D．the writer feels sorry for her mother |
| A．famous | B．free |
| C．rich | D．great |
5 . When I was a kid, I was close to my dad, but as I grew older, my dad and I grew further apart. We always had totally different opinions. He thought that college was a waste of time, but for me it was important to finish college. He wanted me to work my way to the top as he had done in his field, but I wanted a different life. There was a time when we did no talk with each other.
A few months ago, I heard that my 84-year-old dad was in poor health. When he called and asked whether I could move from Colorado back to Tennessee to help him, I knew he was seriously ill. I am his only child and so it was time to meet my father’s requirement.
Two weeks after moving back, we bought a boat and started fishing again. Fisting was one of the few things that we did while I was young and that we both enjoyed. It is strange but true that as we are fishing we are able to put things that have kept us apart for so many years behind us. We are able to talk about things that we have never talked about before. Fishing has been healing the old wounds that have kept us apart.
It is not important how many fish we catch. It is about enjoying the relationship that we have not had for years. I’m 62 and he is 84. When we are on the lake fishing, it is like two kids enjoying life. It is far better to find a way to put the unhappy past behind. I am so lucky to spend the happy time with my father in his last years. Now my heart is filled with love. A smile always graces my lips.
1. Why did the author and his father become further apart?| A．They had different views on things | B．They lived very far from each other |
| C．They only communicated by phone | D．They seldom went to see each other |
| A．Because his father invited him to go fishing. | B．Because he decided to live in a different city |
| C．Because his father was ill and needed caring | D．Because he regretted being rude to his father. |
| A．The author’s car broke down |
| B．The author’s father intended him to be a fisherman |
| C．The author was unwilling to come back |
| D．The author’s father used to think it was useless to attend college. |
| A．Forgiving Is Difficult | B．Fishing Bring Us Together |
| C．Memories of Old Days | D．My Beloved Father |
6 . Friendship makes life colorful. A teenager who has some good friends is surely more popular than one with few. So people all want others to be their friends, but they don't give friendship back. That is why some friendships don't last very long. To have a friend, you must learn to be one. You must learn to treat your friend the way you want your friend to treat you. Learning to be a good friend means learning three rules: be honest; be generous; be understanding.
Honesty is where a good friendship starts. Friends must be able to trust one another. If you don't tell the truth, people usually find out. If a friend finds out that you haven't been honest, you may lose your friend's trust. Good friends always count on one another to speak and act honestly.
Generosity means sharing and makes a friendship grow. You should share your ideas and feelings with your friends. These can be very valuable to them. They tell your friends what is important to you. By sharing then you help your friend know you better.
Sooner or later everyone needs understanding and help with problems. Something may go wrong at school. Talking about the problem can make it easier to solve. Turning to a friend can be the first step in solving the problem. So to be a friend you must listen and understand. You must try to put yourself in your friend's place so you can understand the problem better.
No two friendships are ever exactly alike. But all true friendships have three things in common. If you plan to keep your friends, you must practice honesty, generosity and understanding.
1. According to the passage honesty is ________.| A．something countable | B．more important than anything else |
| C．as important as money | D．the base of friendship |
| A．A friend who gives you his lunch money is a true friend. |
| B．Sharing your mind with your friend is of great value. |
| C．Discussing your problem with your friend often helps to solve the problem. |
| D．Always tell your friend the truth. |
| A．Honesty Is the Best Policy | B．A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed |
| C．How to Be Friends | D．Three Important Points in Life: |
7 . Senior citizens are permitted to travel cheaply on a bus if they have a special card. Women may get cards when they are sixty.
Mrs. Matthews lives in the country but she went into town once a week to buy food and other things for the house, and she usually went by bus. She always had to pay the full price for her ride.
Then she reached the age of sixty and got her senior citizen's card, but when she used it for the first time on the bus, it made her feel very old.
The bus driver had often seen her traveling on the bus before, and he notices that she was feeling unhappy, so after she had paid her money, he winked (眨眼) at her and whispered, “Don't forget to give your mother's card back to her when you see her again.”
Mrs. Matthews was very happy when she heard this.
1. Senior citizens in the story refer to ________.| A．those who have special cards | B．those who want to travel cheaply |
| C．old people with special cards | D．people holding high positions |
| A．They have to pay their special card. |
| B．They don't have to pay for taking buses. |
| C．They have to pay the full price for their ride. |
| D．They pay less for their ride i£ they have a special card. |
| A．Twice a week. | B．Once a year. |
| C．Every other week. | D．Once a week. |
| A．Because he knew her mother was still alive. |
| B．Because he hoped to make her feel younger. |
| C．Because she did not pay money for taking the bus. |
| D．Because she shouldn't have used her mother's card. |
8 . “Everything happens for the best,” my mother said whenever I faced disappointment. “If you can carry on, one day something good will happen.”
After graduating from college in 1932, I decided to find a job as a sports announcer (播音员) on the radio. I took the bus to Chicago and knocked on the door o£ every radio station. But I was refused every time. In one studio a nice lady told me that big radio stations didn’t want to accept inexperienced persons. “Go to the countryside and find a small station that might give you a chance,” she said.
I returned home, Dixon in Illinois. My father said Smith Ward had opened a store and wanted a local sportsman to manage its sports department. Since I had played football at Dixon in high school, I applied. The job sounded just right for me, but I still failed in the interview. As I left his office, I felt sad. I asked aloud, “How can a man become a sports announcer if he can’t get a job in a radio station?”
I was waiting for the lift when I heard Smith Ward calling, “What did you say about sports? Do you know anything about football?” Then he made me stand before a microphone and asked me to broadcast an imaginary (虚构的) game. As a result, I did a wonderful job and was told to broadcast Saturday’s game!
On my way home, I thought of my mother’s words again: Everything happens for the best if you carry on. One day something good will happen.
1. When did the writer graduate from college?| A．In 1931. | B．In 1932. | C．In 1933. | D．In 1934. |
| A．The writer. | B．Smith Marx. |
| C．The writer’s father. | D．Smith Ward. |
| A．Thursday’s game | B．Friday’s game |
| C．Saturday’s game | D．Sunday’s game |
| A．you will fail if you keep on trying |
| B．you will succeed if you keep on trying |
| C．you will lose money if you keep on trying |
| D．you will make money if you keep on trying |
9 . 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. |
10 . 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(展开) 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(烟斗).”They were brought and put,with his tobacco(烟草),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 thepaper | D．his breakfast should begin |
| A．A kind of bread. | B．One of the writer’s sisters. |
| C．The writer. | D．The writer’s mother. |
| 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 |
| A．Reading newspapers. | B．Having bread buttered on both sides. |
| C．Giving instructions. | D．Being clean and tidy. |
| 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 |
