1 . How to Recognize a True Friend
Sometimes it can be hard to recognize a true friend. Hopefully this article will help you recognize which friends are the keepers.
Be able to trust your friends. You should be able to trust true friends and they should return this trust. Do your friends tell you secrets that no one else knows? Ask you for advice?
Think about loyalty(忠诚).
Think about nicknames. A lot of true friends love to give each other nicknames！ If your friend is giving you nicknames, then this is a great sign. Think of the nickname your friend has given you, does it suit you well?
Look at how you fight. Nearly all best friends fight.
| A．Consider comfort. |
| B．Choose your friends carefully. |
| C．True friends are always there for one another. |
| D．Both are sure signs that your friend trusts you. |
| E．If so, this shows your friend must know you quite well. |
| F．So if you and your friend have a little argument, don’t worry! |
| G．An inside joke shows that you share a special connection with your friend. |
2 . Flower Power
When her grandmother’s health began to worsen last autumn, Mary would make the drive from Washington, DC to Winchester, VA every few days.
She hated highway driving, finding it ugly and boring. She preferred to take winding country roads to her grandmother’s hospital. When she drove through the rocky town of Harpers Ferry, the beauty of the rough waters was always appealing to her.
Toward the end of her journey, Mary had to get on highway 81. It was here that she discovered a surprising bit of beauty during one of her trips. Along the shoulder of the highway, there was a long stretch of wild flowers. They were thin and delicate and purple, and moved back and forth in the wind as if whispering poems to each other.
The first time she saw the flowers, Mary was seized by an uncontrollable urge to pull over on the highway and pull a bunch from the soil. She carried them into her grandmother’s room when she arrived at the hospital and placed them in a vase by her bed.
For a moment her grandmother seemed more lucid（清醒的）than usual. She thanked Mary for the flowers, commented on their beauty and asked where she had gotten them. Mary was overjoyed by the ability of the flowers to wake something up inside her sick grandmother.
Afterwards, Mary began carrying scissors in the car during her trips to visit her grandmother. She would quickly glide onto the shoulder, jump out of the car, and clip a bunch of flowers. Each time Mary placed the flowers in the vase, her grandmother’s eyes would light up and they would have a splendid conversation.
One morning in late October, Mary got a call that her grandmother had taken a turn for the worse. Mary was in such a hurry to get to her grandmother that she sped past her flower spot. She decided to turn around, head several miles back, and cut a bunch.
Mary arrived at the hospital to find her grandmother very weak and unresponsive. She placed the flowers in the vase and sat down to hold her grandmother’s hand. She felt a squeeze on her fingers. It was the last conversation they had.
1. Mary preferred to take country roads to the hospital because she could ________.| A．get on highway 81 more easily | B．enjoy the natural view along the roads |
| C．pick wild flowers for her grandmother | D．spend less time driving to the destination |
| A．came alive at the sight of the flowers | B．commented on Mary’s beauty |
| C．was overjoyed by the flowers | D．was curious about the type of the flowers |
| A．Mary discovered the wild flowers along the country roads |
| B．Mary’s grandmother had passed away before she arrived at the hospital |
| C．Mary’s last conversation with her grandmother was a silent one |
| D．Mary headed several miles back because she sped past the hospital |
| A．Beauty in nature can be powerful. | B．Love has no beginning or ending. |
| C．Life is as beautiful as summer flowers. | D．Flowers have the magic to cure diseases. |
3 . You are from a middle-class family, and live in a normal-size home without any showy possessions, but you are surrounded by surprising consumption (消费). This contrast is beginning to bother your 6-year-old son. You are worried that he will want to live as they do, and wonder if you should move.
Sometimes big pocket money, joyful birthday parties, special playrooms and super-big houses tell you that your neighbors probably have more money than you do, and that they’re not as careful as often as you do, talk with them as freely and read to them every night.
Or you may find that some of these parents stay in one wing of their big house while their child plays by himself, way off in a wing of his own. In that unfortunate case, he is basically growing up alone without being looked after properly, but this can happen to a child who lives in normal-size house, too, if he has a TV, a computer and a few video games in his room. Even the most caring parent doesn’t walk in and out of it to see what show her child is watching, what Internet site he has found and if he’s still playing that video game.
Too much uncontrolled screen time may lead to a certain loss of innocence (天真), but mostly this child will lose the sense of unity and satisfaction that comes from being in a family.
A neighborhood should also provide you wit, a sense of unity and satisfaction, and if it doesn’t, you might decide to move. Don’t judge your neighborhood too demandingly, though. There are some things that are right with almost any neighborhood and some things that are wrong with the best of them --- like those super-big houses. The wealth of their owners --- and the way they throw money around --- may make you son feel sorry for himself, unless you help him understand that you and his dad save some of the money, give some to people who don’t have enough and use the rest to pay for whatever the family needs.
Children want---should be provided with --- explanations when their parents don’t give them what they want.
1. What is the problem with the worried parents in the text?| A．Her house isn’t as big as her rich neighbor’s. |
| B．Her son is left alone without anyone in charge. |
| C．She cannot provide her son with a special playroom. |
| D．She worries about the effect of her neighbors on her son. |
| A．spend more time with their children | B．give their children more freedom |
| C．work hard to lead a richer life | D．set an example for their children to follow |
| A．spend money carelessly | B．save money for their children |
| C．help the poor people willingly | D．leave money all round the house |
| A．Children are unfortunate to have poor parents. |
| B．Children should enjoy their comfortable life. |
| C．Children need proper guidance from their parents. |
| D．Children feel ashamed of themselves in a rich neighborhood. |
4 . I go out of my way to say “thank you” to my partner frequently, and he’s the same way.We were both raised by parents who valued politeness, and more than that, I want to do all those little things that psychologists say help couples stay together. Expressing gratitude (感谢) is one of those things, so a quick “thanks” seems like an easy one.
But according to a recent study, we’re not at all typical. The study looked at over l,000 recordings of casual conversations among families and close friends.In only about one out of 20 times were expressions of thanks observed. Phrases that meant “thanks” but weren’t a direct translation of the word were counted, including physical gestures of thanks.
The researchers looked at a wide variety of people from different places, representing eight languages: Polish, Russian, Italy, English, Murrinh-patha (an Aboriginal language), Cha’palaa, Lao and Siwu.
The Brits thanked people close to them the most, about 14.5 percent of the time, and close behind them were the Italians at 13.5 percent. The Murrinh-patha came next at 4.5 percent and following them were the Russians, the Polish, the Laotians and the Siwu speakers.The lowest? Well, the Cha’palaa speakers of Ecuador don’t have a word for “thank you” at all.
As the linguists explained, “Expressing thanks, in some cultures, is more of a linguistic tradition than a true expression of feelings.In cultures where thanks are less often said, it’s because social cooperation is taken for granted, and ‘thank you’ isn’t really needed or necessary.”
The idea that you don’t need to thank others because it’s assumed that you’re appreciative is beautiful. But it is a bit hard for me to accept. So I’ll keep saying “thanks” as frequently as I do. But as a frequent traveler, I’ll keep in mind to watch the local custom and follow suit.
1. What might be psychologists’ opinion about expressing thank?| A．It can show a person’s values. |
| B．It is passed down from parents. |
| C．It is a little and unnecessary thing. |
| D．It can contribute to close relationship. |
| A．They say thanks at any time. |
| B．They seldom express thanks. |
| C．They often show thanks using gestures. |
| D．They often use indirect translation of thanks. |
| A．The Cha’palaa. | B．The Polish. |
| C．The Italians. | D．The Russians. |
| A．People thank close friends and family less. |
| B．Family members don’t need to thank each other. |
| C．Close friends have different ways to express thanks. |
| D．Different cultures have different ways to express thanks. |
5 . Kids love to go online. There is so much to explore and learn.
Of course when you are trying to determine if you can let him or her go online, your child has probably already said, “I’m ready; I can handle it.” But are they?
Does your child question other people’s actions? Do they easily believe anything that is presented to them? It is an important question to ask to determine if your child is ready to go online alone.
Have you taught them what the dangers are?
| A．You may be thinking this is a strange question to ask yourself. |
| B．Is your child easy to cheat? |
| C．There are a lot of dangers online. |
| D．Are they ready to go online by themselves? |
| E．Is your child skilled in using a computer? |
| F．Unfortunately there is a lot of unpleasant material online. |
| G．At what age should you allow your child to go online alone? |
6 . It seemed like a typical November day, a month after my grandmother had passed away. I was frustrated by everything that was going on around me.
I was mad and confused about everyone especially when I saw a young girl walking through the store holding her grandmother’s hand. The little girl was begging her grandmother for ice cream just like I used to when I was young. I was jealous of the little girl, because she had something I didn’t have anymore — a grandmother by her side.
I had to force myself to ignore the little girl. She was just too happy for me and that was unacceptable at that time in my world.
I went to the cash register to pay for my things. It was then that my anger quickly shifted from the little girl to the cashier. She took my things to another register. When the cashier gave me my change I didn’t say thank you. I simply took my change and left.
Feeling tired and hopeless, I began walking to my car. As I stood in a public parking lot a million questions formed in my mind. Why did this happen to me? Aren’t we supposed to get signs from the people that passed on? Why didn’t I feel her presence anymore?
Suddenly, a woman driving right by my side rolled down her window. “Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me,” she said loudly. Thinking she was going to ask for my parking spot, I simply pointed to my car. “No, excuse me,” she said again.
Then I felt I had no choice but to see what this annoying lady wanted. She reached to the very bottom of her bag and handed me a three-page booklet. “It looks like that you need this,” she said calmly with a smile on her face.
I looked down at the used booklet and there were some big bold letters on the front cover reading, “What Hope for Dead Loved Ones?” By the time I looked up she had gone.
I felt a sense of relaxation as I read the first page. It explained how people pass on and that their spirit remains with us. It was the first time since my grandmother passed away that I had felt her with me. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but I knew that I finally felt happiness from a stranger.
1. Why was the author jealous of the little girl?| A．She had her grandmother by her side. |
| B．She could ask her grandmother for some flowers. |
| C．She was walking with her grandfather. |
| D．She gave the booklets to the woman. |
| A．some flowers | B．a notebook |
| C．a letter | D．a booklet |
| A．The woman became the author’s friend. | B．The author was happy in the end. |
| C．The author was with her grandmother again. | D．The author felt angry. |
7 . Friendship is a gift of God. But it may be taken for granted in some cases and not valued.
Why should we value friendships? What qualities does a good friend bring to our relationship that makes the friendship so valuable? Let us examine some of these.
Judgement——A good friend is rarely judgemental. We can be open in our behaviour with our good friends because we know that they will not judge us.
Share sorrow and losses ——A friend can be depended upon to share all our problems and sorrows.
Hope——During our times of trouble, only a friend comes forward and gives us encouragement and hope.
| A．This is no small gift of friendship. |
| B．Friendship is one such relationship |
| C．It is familiar to a case of two couples. |
| D．Some of us are blessed with good friends |
| E．We can enjoy this freedom only with friends |
| F．With that inspiration, we regain confidence in ourselves. |
| G．This sharing may not reduce the loss but helps us unburden ourselves. |
Now that I am no longer young. I have friends whose mothers have passed away. I have heard these sons and daughters say they never fully thanked their mothers until it was too late to tell them.
I am blessed with the dear mother who is still alive. I appreciate her devotion more each day. My mother does not change, but I do. As I grow older and wiser, I realize what an extraordinary person the is. It’s sad that I am unable to say these words in her presence, but they flow easily from my pen.
How does a daughter begin to thank her mother for life itself? For the love, patience and just plain hard work that go into raising a child? For running after a toddler, for understanding a moody teenager, and for tolerating a college student who knows everything? For wailing for the day when the daughter realizes what her mother really is?
How does a grown woman thank a mother for continuing to be a mother? For being ready with advice when asked or remaining silent when it is needed? For not saying “I told you so.” when she could have voiced these words dozens of times? For being essentially herself — loving, thoughtful, patient and forgiving?
I don’t know how to thank her, dear God, except to bless her and live up to the example she has set. I pray that I will look as good in the eyes of my children as my mother looks in mine.
1. We can infer from the passage that the author is .| A．reserved and romantic | B．cold and practical |
| C．stubborn but responsible | D．talkative and realistic |
| A．she has her own lovely sons and daughters |
| B．she is excellent in bringing up her own children |
| C．it is too late to say thanks to her mother in her presence |
| D．she still has the chance to express her appreciation to her mother |
| A．mothers should offer advice rather than blame |
| B．the sentence “I told you so.” can be repealed if necessary |
| C．the author is very thankful to her mother for her education |
| D．mothers can instruct their children whenever they want to |
| A．devotion | B．forgiveness |
| C．consideration | D．self-preservation |
9 . Moving into a new home in a new neighborhood is an exciting experience. Of course, you want to make sure that you become an acceptable and valuable part of your neighborhood . the easiest way to accomplish this is to make sure you conduct yourself as a good neighbor should.
Perhaps one of the most important things you can do as a good neighbor is to keep your property(房产) neat, clean, and in good repair.
Second, take the overall appearance of the neighborhood seriously,. When going for a walk. Take a small garbage bag.
| A．In general, keep an eye on their property while they are gone. |
| B．A good neighbor is also one who likes to help out in small ways. |
| C．Being a good neighbor is more or less about considerate behavior. |
| D．Sometimes neighbors may go to the supermarket together to do shopping. |
| E．Should you come across waste paper thrown out of a passing car, pick it up. |
| F．People tend to lake pride in keeping everything in their street fresh and inviting. |
| G．Here are a few tips to help you win over everyone in the neighborhood quickly |
10 . My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s (老年痴呆症)last summer. Suddenly, it was difficult for me to accept that the roles were now changed—my mother became my child, and I became her mother. I became impatient, argued with her, once I even yelled at her. Gradually, I was used to this kind of life. Now I am able to deal with her and the situation better. I have learned a lot of life lessons from the experience.
My mother reacts very sensitively to my feelings. That is typical of Alzheimer’s patients. When I visit her, feeling busy and tense, she reacts immediately, takes on my mood, and becomes nervous and negative. But when I appear cheerful and attentive, she is happy. This has taught me to pay more attention to my own feelings when I am with other people.
I always thought I was very tolerant, but in reality, my tolerance ran out as soon as someone turned away from what I considered “right”. With my mother I can now really be tolerant. Through her illness she has developed a childlike tactlessness(不得体). Eating out in restaurants, for example, is a bit embarrassing when she shouts at the waiter that the food is so bad or talks about people at the next table in a loud voice. Of course I make sure that my mother doesn’t hurt anyone, but I’ve stopped complaining about others and have become more tolerant.
I have also learned that everything has special value. When my mother got sick I didn’t want to burden my two daughters with it. They are young and have enough going on with their education, and starting their careers. I felt that it was simply my job as my mother’s daughter. The most wonderful discovery I’ve made through my mother’s disease may be that my children not only offer to help me when they sense that I’m feeling unbearable, but that they take care of my mother on their own actively. They visit her often, play cards with her, and look at photo albums together with her. It shows me that it’s all worth it.
1. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?| A．How I Cared for My Sick Mother | B．How I Became More Tolerant |
| C．What I Have Learned from Alzheimer’s | D．Why I Am Feeling stressed |
| A．Being curious about everything. | B．Being particular about clothes. |
| C．Being afraid of strange people. | D．Being sensitive to others’ moods. |
| A．naughty | B．considerate | C．traditional | D．selfish |
