1 . My 10-year-old Donna said, "Mom, I made a new friend at school today. Can she come over tomorrow?" Donna was a shy girl and I wanted her to make some friends to bring her out of her shell.
"Sure, honey, that sounds great." I said, thinking back to my own best friend, Lillian. We lived across the street from each other in Washington Heights, New York. We met at the age of 10, too. Like my daughter, I was shy, but Lillian drew me out. She was one of the friendliest people in school, with shiny black hair and a mile-wide smile. I knew we would be best friends forever.
In senior high school, Lillian went on a trip to Florida. This was the first time we had to be away from each other for a few days. "I'll be back soon." she told me. But three days later, Lillian's sister told me that she had fallen into a river and hadn't come out any more. Soon, my family moved to New Jersey. Whenever I thought of her, tears came into my eyes.
The next day Donna brought her new friend home. "Hi, Mrs. Loggia." the little girl said. Her hair was so shiny and black and she shot me a big smile. "My name is Laura."
My daughter's new friend was so much like Lillian. I was still puzzled when Laura's mom came to pick her up later that afternoon. I opened the door to let her in. "Judy!" she cried. "It's me, Lillian's sister, from Washington Heights." Yes, my daughter's friend looked familiar. She was Lillian's niece.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined words in paragraph 2?| A．Invited me to go shopping. | B．Drew pictures with me outside. |
| C．Helped me out of a locked room. | D．Made me more outgoing than before. |
| A．Her best friend traveled to Florida. | B．They shared no interests in common. |
| C．Lillian lost her life on a trip to Florida. | D．Her friend's family moved to New Jersey. |
| A．She always missed Lillian. | B．She met Laura in Washington Heights. |
| C．She preferred Laura to her own daughter. | D．She moved to New Jersey because of Lillian's death. |
| A．A Terrible Trip | B．A Shy Daughter |
| C．A Best Friend | D．A Familiar Niece |
2 . Alice was very worried about her dad. For some time now she had noticed he was losing his hair. One day, she asked him, "Daddy, every day you have less hair. Why is that?" Her father smiled and said, "It's the hair thief. He visits my head during the night when I'm asleep. One by one he pulls out my hair as much as he likes. And there's no way to catch him."
This worried Alice. She decided to help her dad. That very night she stayed awake as long as she could. When she was sure her dad and mom had fallen asleep, she took a hammer and went straight to their bedroom. She walked carefully in order not to make any noise. She didn't want the hair thief to hear her. When she arrived at her father's side, she began looking at his head, trying to catch the hair thief as soon as he appeared. Before long, she saw a shadow on it and she hit it with the hammer.
Her father let out a loud cry. Trembling with shock, he turned the light on and saw Alice waving her hammer in the air with her hands. "Daddy, I nearly got him. I thought I hit him, but it looks like he escaped!” said Alice. Meanwhile, all the noise had woken Alice's mother up. She burst out laughing when she knew what had happened.
''Well, that's what happens when you tell silly stories," she said, highly amused.
1. How did Alice's father respond to her question?| A．He got very angry. | B．He told her the truth. |
| C．He told her a lie. | D．He was at a loss. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Careless. | C．Warm-hearted. | D．Hard-working. |
| A．Alice's father was deeply worried about his hair loss |
| B．the thief escaped after being badly injured by Alice |
| C．a thief did enter Alice's parents' bedroom at midnight |
| D．Alice's mother didn't notice her entering the room |
| A．felt afraid because of her mistake |
| B．was both excite and disappointed |
| C．wondered what had happened to him |
| D．told him about the strange dream she had |
3 . Many parents have had challenging conversations with their children．There's one more to add to the list- climate change．
Start by listening．
Connect with nature．Encouraging kids to play outside helps them appreciate the outdoors．A study conducted a few years ago found that kids who play outdoors are more likely to be interested in protecting nature．
Encourage kids to act．Most kids know that climate change is happening，but they might not know what they can do to fix it．Often，what holds them back from acting is a lack of efficacy（效力）：they are not convinced that they can make a difference．So build children's efficacy by looking for examples of people，especially kids who are making a difference．
| A．Keep learning． |
| B．It isn't only about the future． |
| C．Improve their learning efficiency． |
| D．Climate change is real and the threat of it is serious． |
| E．Tell them that kids' actions are already incredibly effective． |
| F．Many children are already aware that the climate is changing． |
| G．Parents should know what children have learned in the school. |
4 . Friends play a very important part in everyone’s life. Friendship usually develops during childhood. New friends are made when you progress through school. Those friends that you make as a student can usually last long. Friends influence your development, maturity( 成熟) and sense of responsibility (责任). A familiar opinion is “You can tell a lot about a person by knowing who his friends are.” Friendship is based on common interests. If you like sports, most of your friends are likely to be active. If you enjoy reading and shopping, most of your friends do the same.
Some people call you their friends for the wrong reasons. These people are not really friends. They are superficial (表面的) only “ friends” on the outside, not the inside where it counts. Superficial friends only want to be your friends if it is to their advantage. True friends are there whether you are rich or poor. It is easy to have many so-called “friends” if you are rich. By this time you should be able to recognize your friends as the real or the “phoney”.
True friends are most special. Sometimes they might not easy to find, so you can consider yourself very lucky if you have one true friend. This friend is eager to help you whenever necessary. He or she knows you would do the same for them. A true friend is someone you can talk to about any subject or problem. You and your true friend have good understanding of each other. True friends support you, take your side, and build up your confidence.
1. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?| A．How to make true friends. |
| B．What is friendship based on. |
| C．We should make friends in our childhood. |
| D．Friends play a very important role in our life. |
| A．Friends in need. |
| B．Superficial (表面的) friends. |
| C．Those who can help you. |
| D．Those who often gives you money. |
| A．It is easy to have many true friends if you are rich. |
| B．If you like music, all of your friends will be a music lover. |
| C．The friendship developing during your school days can usually be with you for a long time. |
| D．Superficial friends are true friends. |
| A．True friends are too difficult to find. |
| B．You can only share sadness with a true friend. |
| C．You can only share happiness with a true friend. |
| D．True friends will support you whatever happens. |
5 . How to Love Your Parents
Even if you think that your parents are mean-spirited at times , loving your parents is a normal and fulfilling part of life. You love them for the fact that they created you, raised you, and are in part, a source of who you are.
A gentle “good morning” and “I love you” will warm a coldest heart. Remember that they brought you into this world. Without your parents, we might still wander at an unknown corner in an unknown world.
Respect them more and cherish these moments. You can use these moments to learn from them when you're off on your own. It's OK to get angry but angry actions don't help you or your parents. Act calmly, cool off, write down your feelings, or talk to a friend.
Obey their requests. It will make your attitude better and earn you more respect from them. It may seem like you are going through hell when you don't get what you want or you have to clean. However, you had better remember they keep a roof over your head when it's cold, raining, snowing, or too hot. Understand that parents are human beings and make mistakes.
Keep company with them. Do things with your parents like watching TV, or go somewhere with them.
Some people simply may not be able to love their parents.
| A．Parents will in turn express their love to you. |
| B．Forgiveness is the key. |
| C．Here are some ways to love your parents. |
| D．There can be realistic reasons for this, family violence for example. |
| E．Anyway, spend as much time with them as you can. |
| F．After this, share your feelings with your parents. |
| G．Please remember parents are as important as friends. |
6 . When I was a little girl, you and I loved decorating the living room and tree to make it look festive. We loved Christmas. After decorating, we would bake cakes. “Make enough mince pies (肉末馅饼), because Santa likes them,” you would tell me.
Christmas Eve came, I was totally excited at the thought of Santa coming. I’d get into my neatly made bed and fall asleep until Christmas morning.
I’d wake up and thrill at the sight before me. At the bottom of my bed would be loads of presents that Santa had brought during the night. I’d scream in delight, excitedly tearing the paper open. Running downstairs, I would discover there were also lots of presents around the Christmas tree.
Many years later, the tradition continued and we’d bake the mince pies and cakes. The only thing that stopped was the presents at the end of the bed I grew out of them.
One afternoon, we were making extra mince pies as usual when I casually commented that you really loved them, “Those extra mince pies were actually never for Santa, They were for you!” You never said a word a silly smile was your only reply.
Christmas changed in 1986, when you suffered a serious brain haemorrhage ( 脑出血 ) . After suffering throughout Christmas, you passed away on the 29 December.
Only now am I starting to enjoy Christmas again, and while I don t do the baking any more, I do have mince pies in the house. I leave one out just for you, as if you were still a part of my Christmas. And I make sure I put up the decorations in memory of you, and us. At the end of the letter, thanks for the wonderful memories of Christmas, Mum.
1. Why was the author excited at Christmas Eve?| A．She would dream of Santa. |
| B．She would receive a lot of presents. |
| C．She would have enough mince pies. |
| D．She would decorate the Christmas tree. |
| A．Mum no longer baked the mince pies. |
| B．Santa no longer brought presents to the author. |
| C．The author was old enough not to receive presents. |
| D．The author got tired of the same presents every year. |
| A．The author told the truth. | B．Santa didn’t like mince pies. |
| C．She ate the extra mince pies. | D．The author couldn’t understand her yet. |
| A．To remember her mother. | B．To express thanks to Santa. |
| C．To reflect on the past old days. | D．To record memories of Christmas. |
7 . A 99-year-old woman and a high school student in British Columbia have formed a wonderful friendship through a program that connects seniors with young people.
Myrtle MacDonald, 99, says she signed up for the local program after feeling lonely because her daughter and son couldn’t keep her company. She was paired (结对子) with Jaelyn Brown,17, based on their common interest — nursing. “I just found her more interested and less in a hurry than I expected. It has filled an empty spot,” said MacDonald.
For the high school students taking part, the time spent with seniors can be used toward volunteer hours needed for graduation. They’re supposed to speak for 30 minutes each week, but many go far beyond that. “I love and look forward to getting to talk to her every week. We talk about an hour and 15 minutes, and the time just goes by so quickly,” said Brown.
MacDonald, a former nurse, spent much of her life teaching and living in other parts of the world helping people in need. The stories are inspiring to Brown, who also wants to become a nurse. “In high school they kind of say you go to school, you get a job, you have kids. It's are gular practice but talking to her has made me realize I don't have to limit myself to one thing. I can have it all,” she said.
The program has been a good fortune to both seniors and high school students. Due to various reasons, seniors can't meet with their families and students are having trouble getting their volunteer hours. “Therefore, there's been a huge positive response from them,” said the program’s organizer Connie Stam.
1. How do the high school students help the seniors?| A．By contacting their relatives. | B．By communicating with them. |
| C．By doing housework for them. | D．By setting up the volunteer program. |
| A．It improves the seniors' health. |
| B．It collects some data for research. |
| C．It calls for some practical nursing skills. |
| D．It goes beyond the requirement for graduation. |
| A．Grateful. | B．Graceful. |
| C．Helpful. | D．Powerful. |
| A．A Good Friend Is A Close Relative | B．True Friendship Bridges Age Gaps |
| C．Friendship Is The Basis Of Morality | D．Old Friends And Old wine Are Best |
8 . A teenager in Georgia will no longer have to walk 7 miles to work after school thanks to one woman’s act of kindness.
Jayden Sutton, a high school senior, went on foot each day from school to his job at a restaurant and then back home. Sutton was determined to work and make enough money to eventually buy his own vehicle.
Sutton said he’d leave school at 3:30 pm, then walk miles to his job at the restaurant. After his work, which usually lasted six to eight hours, he walked home, sometimes not arriving back until almost midnight.
That all changed when Myers saw him walking down the road in the rain in December. “The young man was insistently in a rush walking to work, saying ‘I can’t be late,’” Myers said. “He begged me to give him a ride. I told him I could take him as far as I was going. I began to create small talk along the way. It was revealed to me that his name was Jayden, 12th grader, worked 40 hours a week, walked 5 miles to work immediately after school, got off at 10:30 pm at night and walked back home another 5 miles if co-workers didn’t offer a ride.”
After dropping Sutton off, Myers said his heart and determination filled her with tears. “He was smiling in good spirits and that’s a child worth blessing,” she told Fox News. So, Myers shared Sutton’s story on the GoFundMe page, which raised more than $ 9, 000 from 186 donors.
She surprised Sutton with a new car after she managed to convince the general manager to drop the price of the vehicle to meet the budget.
1. Why did Sutton work so hard in his spare time?| A．To gain working experience. | B．To pay for his education. |
| C．To own a car. | D．To support his family. |
| A．He worked longer than other workers. | B．His work was too tiring. |
| C．His job was much less paid. | D．He had to walk to work. |
| A．Known. | B．Attached. | C．Believed. | D．Limited. |
| A．It could buy more than a new car. |
| B．It was not enough to buy a new car. |
| C．It was given to Myers to buy herself a new car. |
| D．It mainly came from a car sales manager. |
9 . It was the day after Christmas 33 years ago. My wife gave birth to our first child. We were full of appreciation to have Joseph John Mazzella II , also called JJ, sleeping peacefully in the cradle(摇篮)next to our bed.
We had been on the road showing off our little baby to all of the grandparents and great—grandparents. It had been a busy Christmas and hard on my wife who was still recovering from her operation. Now we were back in our tiny flat trying to get a few extra hours of sleep before starting the day.
Just then I heard JJ stirring in his cradle. I leaned over and picked him up before he started to cry and then carefully stole out into the living room so that my wife could keep sleeping. I picked up a bottle and sat in our rocking chair with JJ in my arms. I rocked quietly and fed him in the living room while he looked up at me with his loving eyes. I spoke softly to him but also felt a little nervous and scared as I watched him. How was I going to take care of him? I was a new father and had no idea what the future had in store for us. I rocked and rocked. But luckily, I had so many elders to help me.
After a few minutes I saw the sun slowly rising in the sky outside my window. The bright light was shining down from the heavens making the freshly fallen snow shine with beauty that touched my soul. As I watched it, my fear escaped and I felt such a sense of peace, harmony, love and joy. The Christmas spirit had entered my heart and I smiled. I knew then that whatever the future would hold, it would be smooth as long as I kept love in my heart. New life is precious and I believed my child would be grateful, too and bring us new sunshine in the future.
1. How did the couple feel about the birth of JJ?| A．Appreciative. | B．Calm. | C．Helpless. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．To look for a bottle. |
| B．To appreciate the sun. |
| C．To make him sleep again. |
| D．To avoid disturbing his wife. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. | C．Uncertain. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．The family's difficulty. |
| B．The mother's pain and fear. |
| C．The baby's life experiences. |
| D．The father's love and responsibility. |
10 . I was sitting at my kitchen table the other day with a pen, notebook, calculator and a pile of bills. I was doing my monthly budget. There were bills for electric water, rent, insurance, the car payment, the phone bill, and the cable bill. Plus money needed to be set aside for food, gas, clothes and hopefully a little left over to save for those unexpected bills that always seemed to show up. When I was done, I shook my head, closed my eyes and thought of a time long ago when I would regularly get treasures.
When I was a boy, we lived across the road from Camp Caesar. It held week long camps all through the summer and my grandma who I lovingly called “Nanny” worked in her big kitchen. I remember slipping there getting a smile, a hug, a kiss and a hot roll from Nanny. Then she would always take deep in her pockets and pull out a treasure, a shiny quarter. She would give it to me and I would run down the hill to either get an ice cold can of coke from the pop machine or I would head to the camp’s swimming pool where I could buy a warm cup of cherry coke for 15 cents and a tiny 10 cent bag of chips from a stand. I took my time because it was always a big decision. It was nice too feeling so rich for a few minutes.
Looking back now I can see that the real treasure was not the quarter at all. It was the love with which Nanny gave it to me. I would have still visited her at work every day if I had never gotten a single quarter. It was her smile, hugs, and kisses that were priceless in my heart then and now.
The old saying is true, “With your work you can make a living, but it is with your love that you make a life.” You can always welcome love into your heart, soul and mind. And you can always share your love with others. It is that one treasure that lasts forever.
1. According to Paragraph 1, what was the author trying to figure out?| A．Where to get treasures. | B．What food and supplies to buy. |
| C．How to sort out these bills at hand. | D．How to balance the money available. |
| A．A kind of bread | B．A kind of act. |
| C．A sound. | D．A greeting. |
| A．Considerate. | B．Generous. |
| C．Affectionate. | D．Enthusiastic. |
| A．To change people’s heart and soul. |
| B．To show what we should value in life. |
| C．To explain work and love can make a life. |
| D．To advise more love and sharing in childhood. |
