1 . Cards came for every occasion for Grandma. She even sent a card which was more of a _______to me when my cat died or when my relationship with somebody ended.

When I was young, I looked forward to _______ her birthday cards because of the check, the "gift" they contained. _______ , as I grew older, I realized the card itself was a(n) _______ gift, especially since her handwriting became spidery, a sign her illness was _______ .

She kept writing cards even the morning she died. Her wonderful nurses _______ them after she was gone. At her _______ , friends and family told us about the many cards they got from her. Her cards seemingly stretched further than I knew. We _______ that the volume of mail in the Postal Service was about to drop _______ after Grandma' s death. AS we dug into her possessions, we found notebook after notebook of ________ including many strangers', and album after album of cards she had received from others. She________ every card people sent. And that' s when I________ I would start sending cards, too.

When I grew up, I realized cards served a(n) ________ purpose in my life. When my mailbox is filled with ________   offers or even worse, bills, a personalized card is a breath of fresh air. The cards from my grandma were a ________ that she thought enough of me and I__________ the time she spent writing a card, sticking a stamp, and sending it out.

Now I like to ________ my friends by sending them birthday cards when they have even removed their birthdays from social media. And I usually pick out cards months in ________ for the persons on my list. A card is a good way to tell someone you thought about them, you________ them, and if nothing else, you just want to make them feel________ .

1.

A．burden

B．promise

C．comfort

D．claim

2.

A．receiving

B．sending

C．selling

D．buying

3.

A．Therefore

B．Otherwise

C．Instead

D．However

4.

A．precious

B．artificial

C．simple

D．traditional

5.

A．recovering

B．worsening

C．treated

D．controlled

6.

A．wrote

B．mailed

C．read

D．copied

7.

A．funeral

B．request

C．office

D．heart

8.

A．declared

B．warned

C．poked

D．suggested

9.

A．slightly

B．completely

C．hugely

D．randomly

10.

A．labels

B．timetables

C．accounts

D．addresses

11.

A．burned

B．threw away

C．gave out

D．saved

12.

A．decide

B．agreed

C．suspected

D．pretended

13.

A．imaginary

B．significant

C．impossible

D．meaningless

14.

A．junk

B．suitable

C．sweet

D．similar

15.

A．lesson

B．recommendation

C．reminder

D．command

16.

A．measure

B．appreciate

C．remember

D．check

17.

A．persuade

B．surprise

C．consult

D．instruct

18.

A．addition

B．consequence

C．order

D．advance

19.

A．observe

B．interview

C．value

D．challenge

20.

A．calm

B．fair

C．relaxed

D．special

2 . With a satisfied smile, Keisha finished the last sentence of her English essay about one of her heroes, Rosa Parks, an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement.

“Keisha,” her mother shouted from downstairs. “It’s almost 4:15.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t be late. ” Keisha pulled down a storybook from her bookshelf， as she always read to the nursing home’s residents. And on an impulse（一时心血来潮）, she added her English notebook as well.

As Keisha came running in the door, the manager told her, “We have a new resident this week, Mrs. Ruby Watson. She’s still adjusting to her new surroundings. You’ll find her in Room 28. And by the way, Keisha, good luck.”

Keisha walked down the hallway at a quick pace. As she entered Room 28, she met two sharp brown eyes staring at her doubtfully.

“I’m Keisha Jackson, a volunteer,” Keisha explained. “I come here to help pass the time with residents, or read to them, or, . . .” Keisha started stammering（结巴）as Mrs.

Watson continued to stare at her.

“I didn’t request anyone to keep me company,” Mrs. Watson interrupted. “I’m alone most of the time, and that’s how I prefer it.”

“I brought along some funny stories,” Keisha said hesitantly.

“I’m not in the mood for funny stories,” Mrs. Watson replied angrily. “What else do you have?”

Nervously, Keisha opened her notebook to her essay. She read the title aloud, “Rosa

Parks: A Woman of Courage and Conviction（信念）.” She glanced at Mrs. Watson to see how she might react, but to her surprise, Mrs. Watson’s face relaxed and her eyes shone.

“Read to me about Rosa,” Mrs. Watson said.

Keisha read how Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in 1955 inspired the protest that became a turning point in the struggle for civil rights.

“I walked with Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King,” Mrs. Watson said with pride. “That was the greatest moment of my life because…” She paused.

“Because… you were a woman of courage and conviction too.”

Sitting up straighter, Mrs. Watson said, “Yes, I was and I still am. Thank you for reminding me, Keisha. Next Thursday, I will tell you my story.”

1. Why did Keisha take her English notebook along?

A．Her mother asked her to take it.	B．She would hand it in on her way.
C．She might read her essay to someone.	D．The manager wanted to read her essay.

2. Why did the manager wish Keisha good luck before she visited Mrs. Watson?

A．Mrs. Watson could be difficult.	B．Mrs. Watson was in poor health.
C．Keisha was feeling nervous.	D．Keisha was a shy person.

3. Mrs. Watson’s eyes (Para. 10) suggested that she was ______.

A．amused	B．puzzled
C．annoyed	D．interested

4. What effect did Keisha’s essay have on Mrs. Watson?

A．It aroused her curiosity in volunteer work.

B．It built up her expectation for more visitors.

C．It awoke her pride in her struggle for civil rights.

D．It changed her attitude to the Civil Rights Movement.

5. Readers may find this story inspiring because ______.

A．a girl enjoys learning about her heroes	B．a girl helps someone feel appreciated
C．a woman overcomes hardship by herself	D．a woman gathers the courage for life