1 . At a medical laboratory clinic in Waterloo, Ontario, an elderly woman sat on the edge of a waiting room chair loudly singing out the Celine Dion’s tune My Heart Will Go On. I was there with my father, who was getting a routine blood test when the woman arrived. She settled into the seat directly across from my dad. The position made it seem as though she was sitting forward to engage in conversation with him. She smiled at him, and he smiled back.
I was concerned about how my dad would react to the possible interact on his space. He was 77 at the time and had been living with Alzheimer’s for several years. He was a brilliant introverted man. When he was healthy, he considered it wholly bad manners to bring undue attention to oneself. I couldn’t help but think that this melodic little woman was playing with fire.
Her singing began gently, like a quiet hum. I glanced over at dad. His smile was gone, and he was staring right at her. She was staring back. I couldn’t read his expression, but it seemed to be something like confusion.This wasn’t an unusual state for him, and I wondered whether he was actually seeing her at all or if he was lost somewhere deep in his mind, not really aware of her presence at that point. Or maybe he was trying to establish whether this was someone he should know. Her singing slowly got louder. By the time she got to the chorus — “Near, far, wherever you are…”, dad looked a little shocked. Still, I watched for any sign of an annoyed outburst. Instead, his face softened, and the tension eased in his brow. He no longer looked confused.
People say that Alzheimer’s is a thief, which it steals your loved ones slowly, day by day. There is so much heartbreaking truth in that statement. But certain experiences with my dad have allowed me to see a side of him that I never knew existed. In an unexpected way, that’s what happened to me that day in the clinic. When her song ended and the waiting room became silent, the woman opened her eyes. My dad was still looking directly at her. “That was beautiful,” he said. And she smiled and said, “Thank you.”
1. Why did the author’s father appear in the clinic?| A．To get a physical examination. | B．To ask for advice from the doctors. |
| C．To search for a cure for his disease. | D．To enjoy the song sung by an elderly woman. |
| A．She considered the old woman’s song as beautiful. |
| B．She believed the old woman would become famous. |
| C．She thought the old woman’s voice would attract others. |
| D．She assumed her father would get angry with the old woman. |
| A．He was annoyed at it. | B．He was stuck to confusion. |
| C．He was excited to hear it. | D．He thought highly of it. |
| A．Alzheimer’s is a thief. | B．A beautiful singing from an old lady. |
| C．An unexpected reaction from my father. | D．Some heartbreaking truths about Alzheimer’s. |
Both of my parents worked full-time 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 players.
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 bake. Watching her in the kitchen was amazing: she never seemed to need the recipes 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 being 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 stout anything. 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. What's the main purpose of the author’s writing the text? (no more than 8 words)2. How did the author think of helping her grandmother bake? (no more than 10 words)
3. Why did the author’s grandmother never need the recipes when baking? (no more than 10 words)
4. What does the underlined word “thorny” mean? (1 word)
5. What has the author learned from her grandmother about life? (no more than 25 words)
3 . 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. |
4 . When I was in the third grade, I was picked to be the leading role— a princess in the school play. For weeks my mother had helped me practice my
It was a lovely spring day. We could see dandelions (蒲公英) through the grass in bunches. I watched my mother carelessly
“But I like dandelions,” I protested. “All flowers are
My mother looked at me
When I realized that she had guessed my pain, I started to cry and told her the
“But you will be a beautiful narrator,” she said,
Over the next few weeks, with her
| A．appearance | B．lines | C．books | D．answers |
| A．greeted | B．stole | C．disappeared | D．held |
| A．player’s | B．winner’s | C．director’s | D．narrator’s |
| A．change | B．remove | C．restore | D．improve |
| A．forgave | B．sensed | C．adjusted | D．criticized |
| A．walk | B．lesson | C．flower | D．drink |
| A．move | B．sleep | C．bend | D．knock |
| A．step into | B．dig up | C．go over | D．help out |
| A．even | B．yet | C．less | D．only |
| A．beautiful | B．quiet | C．impressive | D．extinct |
| A．tearfully | B．elegantly | C．confusedly | D．seriously |
| A．sorrow | B．pleasure | C．opinion | D．time |
| A．schools | B．plants | C．people | D．families |
| A．assistance | B．truth | C．fiction | D．fault |
| A．reminding | B．rushing | C．confirming | D．accusing |
| A．aside | B．alike | C．alone | D．aloud |
| A．competitive | B．appreciative | C．continuous | D．generous |
| A．sought out | B．rose up | C．set out | D．came up |
| A．dandelion | B．rose | C．story | D．bunch |
| A．detecting | B．laughing | C．rewarding | D．lying |
5 . 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. |
6 . The day I received my letter of acceptance to New York University, I was extremely excited. It was my dream university, and my
It
Clearly dad wasn’t the
I now realize I was
| A．friends | B．classmates | C．parents | D．relatives |
| A．allowed | B．pushed | C．helped | D．recommended |
| A．discourage | B．encourage | C．inspire | D．protect |
| A．perfectly | B．positively | C．passively | D．proudly |
| A．though | B．if | C．unless | D．before |
| A．came | B．appeared | C．remained | D．happened |
| A．travelled | B．moved | C．returned | D．left |
| A．worry | B．embarrassment | C．guilt | D．anger |
| A．higher | B．less | C．more | D．lower |
| A．accept | B．receive | C．need | D．make |
| A．normal | B．typical | C．general | D．ordinary |
| A．title | B．subjects | C．majors | D．grades |
| A．energetic | B．smart | C．outstanding | D．happy |
| A．offer | B．supply | C．story | D．theory |
| A．piled on | B．removed | C．gave off | D．solved |
| A．held on | B．made out | C．ended up | D．set about |
| A．hope | B．time | C．room | D．choice |
| A．shocked | B．unfortunate | C．puzzled | D．mistaken |
| A．gifts | B．suggestions | C．tools | D．experiences |
| A．track | B．catch | C．achieve | D．act |
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. |
8 . 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 |
9 . 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 |
10 . 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: |
