1 . I woke to the sound of birds outside my window and lay in bed, going over the busy day ahead of me. Finally, I got up and attempted to switch on the light — nothing happened. I checked my phone. No Wi-Fi, no data. With our unstable cell service, there was no way of knowing if we had received alerts fbr a power failure. I grabbed a sweater, went downstairs, found a flashlight and a match to light the gas stove, and then boiled water to brew coffee. Outside the window, the falling snow obscured (遮蔽) the sunrise. Deep piles of snow covered the road.
My work meetings and deadlines, my sons’ classes and tests, my husband’s plans — everything would have to wait. Why does this happen today of all days?“ I asked. Thankfully, the wood stove was still going strong. I took a deep breath. I supposed we had everything we needed.
The house was quiet as I sipped my coffee and cuddled (搂抱) our dog. One by one, my husband and sons came downstairs and complained about the turn the day had taken.
I opened the curtains to let light in. We gathered around the table and had cereal. After breakfast, my husband played a game of solitaire. Then my sons joined him in building a house of cards that reached three levels until our cat jumped up to investigate and knocked it down. We played a round of Scrabble and had my favorite snow day lunch: grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Then we took a long walk in the woods behind our house, walking along the stream. We spotted deer tracks and played in the snow that was coming down in big fluffy flakes. When we returned, all the clocks in the house were blinking. I started to make dinner, happy to have things back to normal — even better than normal.
It was a day that began without electricity, cut off from the rest of the world, and ended with hot chocolate and power restored. We were recharged by the unexpected gift of a day together.
1. What did the author find when she woke up?| A．Heavy snow trapped the family in the house. |
| B．The electricity supply had been cut off. |
| C．It was still early for breakfast. |
| D．Her phone wouldn’t be turned on. |
| A．Their arrangements were upset. |
| B．They had to serve themselves with simple meals. |
| C．The family encountered a shortage of supplies. |
| D．Everyone was angry about this unexpected event. |
| A．To pave the way for her insight. |
| B．To present the daily life of the family. |
| C．To show the close family relationship. |
| D．To create a lighthearted atmosphere. |
| A．It was a temporary disaster. |
| B．It was a day full of exciting adventures. |
| C．It was a lovely day of family togetherness. |
| D．It was a rare moment of leisure and freedom. |
2 . Mom was a teacher most of her life. When she wasn’t in the classroom, she was educating her children or grandchildren, correcting our grammar, starting us off on collections of butterflies, flowers or rocks, or inspiring a discussion on her most recent “Book of the Month Club” topic. Mom made learning fun.
It was sad for my three brothers and me to see her suffering in her later years. At eightyfive, she suffered a stroke (中风) and she went steadily downhill after that.
Two days before she died, my brothers and I met at her nursing home and took her for a short ride in a wheelchair. While we waited for the staff to lift her limp body back into bed, Mom fell asleep. Not wanting to wake her, we moved to the far end of the room and spoke softly.
After several minutes our conversation was interrupted by a muffled sound coming from across the room. We stopped talking and looked at Mom. Her eyes were closed, but she was clearly trying to communicate with us. We went to her side.
“Whrr，” she said weakly.
“Where?” I asked. “Mom, is there something you want?” “Whrr，” she repeated a bit stronger. My brothers and I looked at each other and shook our heads sadly.
Mom opened her eyes, sighed, and with all the energy she could gather said, “Not...was. Say were!”
We suddenly realized that Mom was correcting Brother Jim’s last sentence, “if it was up to me...”
Jim leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mom，” he whispered. We smiled at each other and once again shook our heads.
1. What do the underlined words “went steadily downhill” in the 2nd paragraph mean?| A．went lower and lower |
| B．went worse and worse |
| C．went down the hill |
| D．went downstairs |
| A．She gave up her teaching after retirement. |
| B．She was always making her teaching interesting. |
| C．She stopped her teaching because of her illness. |
| D．She left the nursing home before her death. |
| A．He loved her but was tired of his mother’s teaching. |
| B．His mother should have enjoyed the rest of her life. |
| C．His mother was great because she devoted herself to teaching. |
| D．His mother was an excellent teacher before she retired. |
3 . Strangers Under the Same Roof
Does every dinner with your parents seem to turn into an argument? Have your once warm and open conversations become cold and guarded? Do you feel that you just cannot see eye to eye with them on anything? You are not alone. Heated arguments and cold silences are common between teenagers and their parents.
Teenagers’ physical changes may result in such family tensions. You may feel anxious that you are not developing at the same rate as your friends, shooting up in height or getting left far behind. You might worry about your changing voice, weight problems or spots(粉刺). When the worries get too much, your parents are often the first target of your anger.
It can be a big headache to balance your developing mental needs too. You enter a strange middle ground—no longer a small child but not quite an adult. You have both a new desire for independence and a continued need for your parents’ love and support. You feel ready to be more responsible and make decisions on your own. Unfortunately, your parents do not always agree and that makes you feel unhappy. Sometimes they forget that growing up is a rough ride. It can be difficult when your parents treat you like a child but expect you to act like an adult. All of this can lead to a breakdown in your relationship.
Despite the fact that sometimes it may seem impossible to get along as a family, you can take action to improve the situation. The key to keeping the peace is regular and honest communication. Just remember that it is completely normal to struggle with the stress that parent-child tensions create, and that you and your parents can work together to improve your relationship. The good news is that this stormy period will not last. Everything will turn out all right in the end, and the changes and challenges of your teenage years will prepare you for adulthood.
1. Why does the author mention the questions in Paragraph 1?| A．To express his doubts. |
| B．To compare different ideas. |
| C．To introduce points for discussion. |
| D．To draw readers’ attention to the topic. |
| A．Between a child and an adult. |
| B．A small child. |
| C．An adult. |
| D．An old man. |
| A．Parents should let go of the control over their teenagers. |
| B．Teenagers should always follow their parents’ points of view. |
| C．Parents and teenagers should always keep open conversations. |
| D．Teenagers should not depend on their parents’ love or support. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Critical. |
| C．Positive. | D．Negative. |
4 . As you are growing and changing, you have more responsibilities and also more freedom to spend time with other people. While you may feel ready to make your own decisions about where and when to go, your parents will put limits on you. So you may find you are arguing with your parents more than you used to. The reason why your parents do this is that they care about you and want to protect you from danger.
Here are some tips for how to avoid and handle arguments with your parents:
(1)Discuss the rules ahead of time and not at the last minute. This way you will be able to learn their opinions before you make plans. Your parents can also explain to you why each rule is in place. Ask them to give you the chance to explain how the rules make you feel and suggest what you think are right rules. Your parents may be willing to listen to your ideas and use them when making rules that you both agree on.
(2)Try to remain calm when your parents say no to something. You will show your parents that you are responsible and mature(成熟的) by talking instead of shouting.
(3)Spend time with your family. Some teens argue with their parents over the amount of time they spend with their friends. Communicate with each other and make some special family time so that you can all enjoy the time you spend at home. Suggest activities that your whole family will enjoy together such as going on a hike, taking a bike ride, or going to the beach.
1. Your parents limit your activity mainly because they .| A．are worried about your safety |
| B．are afraid it will affect your study |
| C．think the thing you’ll do is bad |
| D．want you to be with them at home |
| A．you have to obey |
| B．you and your parents have discussed |
| C．your parents make |
| D．you and your parents can both accept |
| A．argue with them |
| B．control yourself |
| C．fight for your freedom |
| D．not listen to them |
| A．To build up their bodies. |
| B．To visit more places of interest. |
| C．To make parents happy. |
| D．To make children and their parents get along better. |
5 . New Year gift ideas for parents
Getting gifts for your parents on New Year 2021 does not have to be that hard.
A restaurant gift card for dinner.
After all those busy schedules and tough work routines, your parents definitely need a relaxing break on New Year’s Day. You can send them a restaurant gift card.
Joy and happiness.
When parents get old, they appreciate family joy time. They love partying with their grown-up sons and daughters, and spending time with their grandchildren.
A sweet New Year wish from children can bring a smile on your parents’ face. So, wish them a Happy New Year 2021 and make them feel extra-special. Write a beautiful New Year wish on a greeting card, and present it to your mom and dad with a nice bouquet of bright flowers.
Other than all this, you can also perform a secret check in your parents’ home and make a list of things that you think should be gifted to them for this New Year.
| A．This is why the new year starts with it. |
| B．Treat them to a nice dinner on New Year’s Eve. |
| C．New Year 2021 marks the beginning of the new calendar year. |
| D．Here we show you some best New Year gift ideas for parents. |
| E．Giving them a greeting card or sending them a New Year text message. |
| F．To fulfill this wish of your parents, you can arrange a grand family get-together. |
| G．That gift can be any gift that makes them remember you when they use it. |
6 . Even if you think that your parents are mean-spirited at times, loving them is a normal part of life.
Tell them you love them every morning. The gentle “Good morning” and “I love you” will warm a coldest heart. Remember that they brought you into this world.
Respect them more and value the moments with them. You can use these moments to learn from them, preparing yourself for the day when you’re off on your own. It’s OK to get angry but anger doesn’t help you or your parents.
Obey their requests. It will make your attitude better and earn you more respect from them. It may seem as if you are going through hell when you don’t get what you want.
| A．Keep them company. |
| B．Parents will in turn volunteer to express their love for you. |
| C．You love them because they created you and raised you. |
| D．Act calmly, write down your feelings, or talk with your friends. |
| E．Please remember parents are the dearest people for us in the world. |
| F．However, you should remember it is your parents who love you and protect you. |
| G．Without your parents, you might still wander at an unknown corner in an unknown world. |
7 . My mother is a diligent and kind woman. She is very busy from morning till night. As a teacher, she works hard.
My mother has been teaching math at a middle school in my hometown. She goes to work early in the morning and does not return home until late in the afternoon.
Often she says to us, “work while you work, and play while you play. That is the way to be happy and gay. If you do not work, you will become lazy and be of no use to society”. What a piece of good advice this is!
| A．She enjoys listening to classic music. |
| B．As a mother, she takes good care of us and gives us every comfort. |
| C．She loves her students and cares for them. |
| D．She never goes to expensive restaurants to enjoy meals. |
| E．My mother is hard-working and never wastes money. |
| F．I never forget it and always bear it in my mind. |
| G．Can you tell us something about your mother? |
8 . Fancy, feathered, and fascinating, these birds surprised portrait photographer Alex ten Napel with their beauty and charisma.
In the Netherlands, Alex ten Napel makes miniature (微型的)runways in barns and backyards to capture the essence of chickens such as this Polish rooster. “I consider them walking pieces of art, “ he says.
A chicken “is not just an animal that gives us eggs, ” says Alex ten Napel, who’s been wandering his home country of the Netherlands in search of farm fowl since 2014. Taking inspiration from Melchior d’ Hondecoeter, a 17th-century Dutch artist known for his work with birds, ten Napel uses lighting, backdrops， and an elevated， catwalk-like stage to bring chickens out of the coop (笼子)and into an entirely new context.
“What I hope you see in the photos is that chickens can be proud beings or funny beings, “ he says. ”They can be like gymnasts or ballerinas. Not what most people think of when you talk about chickens. “ While each animal has different characteristics, ten Napel has noticed the emergence of some patterns throughout his travels. Roosters, or male chickens, tend to be large, visually striking, and imposing (仪表堂堂的)，he says. But it’s the females ten Napel finds himself drawn toward. “I have a heart for the hens. They’re so vulnerable, ” he says. “They move me in a way that I want to protect them. “
Ten Napel first came face-to-face with a chicken while he was camping in the Pyrenees Mountains about 10 years ago. He felt an immediate connection to the species, which then became his main photographic muse.
A specialist in portrait photography, ten Napel paid attention to children and older adults-for 25 years. The chickens, he says, have reignited his passion for this type of photography. “I can’t direct them. I have to be patient and feel how they will show themselves, ”he adds. “Everything they give you is a gift. “
1. What can we infer from the passage?| A．Alex took a photo for a chicken while he was camping. |
| B．When taking photos, Alex usually guides the chickens to show themselves. |
| C．When referring to animal characteristics, Alex prefers male chickens to female. |
| D．Alex makes miniature runways as catwalk-like stages to take photos for chickens. |
| A．Caring. | B．Curious. |
| C．Proud. | D．Surprised. |
| A．People. | B．Natural scenery. |
| C．Animals. | D．Historical sites. |
| A．Chickens-Proud and Funny Beings |
| B．Chickens-Going From Cage to Catwalk |
| C．Chickens-Visually Striking Farm Fowl |
| D．Chickens-Walking Photographic Master |
9 . When it comes to making lunch for their kids, moms and dads have usual favorites. For some parents in the US, those favorites are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches-also known as PB&.Js. Fruit like apples and bananas are also popular.
But one mother has an unusual go-to ingredient for her children’s lunches. Jenny Mollen uses funny-looking candy eyes. She has learned that her children will eat any healthy food if it has edible eyeballs attached. The “eyeballs” are really pieces of candy.
Her children laugh while they eat healthy foods like bell peppers, kiwis, or dates. Mollen says candy “eyes” make lunch more fun.
“Honestly, first of all, just buy yourself some candy googly eyes. They are tried-and-true,” she said. She admits that “you lose something nutritionally” by giving children candy. But she thinks that getting children to eat healthy food by putting candy on it is worth it.
Mollen’s lunch tricks bring together food and craft. She uses tricks because her two sons hate to eat different kinds of foods. So, she decorates their food to resemble animals or even their favorite Pokémon characters. She makes edible “bugs” made from dates, pretzel sticks for the legs, and, of course, candy “eyes”. She also uses leftover Chinese food to make panda bears from rice and seaweed.
Mollen says her lunch projects are easy to do. And her sons think they have won a big prize at their midday meal. Mollen says making fun-looking, artful lunches for her children helps ease her guilt as she is a working mom. Her artful lunches are her way of reminding her children that she is thinking of them.
Mollen says she also wants to teach them healthy eating habits. She says that by getting kids to eat vegetables at a young age, they will grow up to eat healthy foods later in life. She also says it is a good way to get children to try foods from other cultures. If they need to be “tricked” sometimes, that is okay.
1. What’s the purpose of Mollen’s lunch projects?| A．To make her children’s day. |
| B．To remind people to save food. |
| C．To persuade other parents to follow suit. |
| D．To ensure her children’s healthy diet. |
| A．It contains all kinds of food. |
| B．It is made up of candy. |
| C．It combines art and nutrition. |
| D．It is full of Chinese styles. |
| A．They have taken to their fun-looking lunches. |
| B．They have broaden their knowledge of food. |
| C．They have bonded with their favorite animals. |
| D．They have swept to victory in the meal competitions. |
| A．Mollen’s plans for cooking lunches. |
| B．The benefits of Mollen’s lunch tricks. |
| C．Mollen’s expectations of her children. |
| D．The culture elements in Mollen’s lunch. |
10 . My grandfather was a rigid (刻板的) perfectionist. Everything had to be orderly, precise and punctual. I was frightened of him until the day he died. Growing up, my mother desperately wanted to please him. She probably thought he might leave if she didn’t.
In fact, I now think the fear of being left alone, abandoned, was a current throughout much of her life. A few years into my father suffering from Alzheimer’s, my mother’s voice on the phone sounded so upset that I had to tell her, “Just be with yourself for a little while. Be calm and everything can be better.”
“No, I can’t do that. I don’t want to do that,” she said suddenly, closing the door on the subject. A while after my father died, she told me that she kept the television on all the time because it made her feel less lonely. “It makes the house seem to have more people living in it,” she said. I had given in to my annoyance and either turned the volume down or turned it off. But after she told me that it filled in some of the loneliness, I never reached for the remote control again.
We have had a long journey together, she and I. Over a half-century of memories, now that the journey has ended, I have a choice which ones to study and which ones to turn over in my hands and dust off (抹去).
I choose to look at the ones that ache with a sweet truth not told often enough. There was love between us. It was just hard to find sometimes. I choose to remember her face on that winter day in Manhattan, when I came to her with a broken heart. I choose to remember walking on the shore with her in summers when we rented a beach house. Somehow the sea always changed us. I choose to remember how she looked on my wedding day when she handed me a bracelet (手镯) that had belonged to my grandmother. “Something old,” she said.
1. What can we infer from the author’s words said to her mother in paragraph 2?| A．The author comforted her. |
| B．The author praised her. |
| C．The author apologized to her. |
| D．The author blamed her. |
| A．She would not turn the TV set on. |
| B．The remote control had broken down. |
| C．The remote control was hidden by her mother. |
| D．She would not turn the TV set off or turn it down. |
| A．Ignore most of them. |
| B．Keep all of them in mind. |
| C．Forget some and analyze others. |
| D．Write things from her memories often. |
| A．She took her to see her grandmother. |
| B．She arranged a tour in Manhattan. |
| C．She offered her a present. |
| D．She rented a beach house. |
