1 . In 1990, during a performance of my stage play, I became preoccupied with one particular member of the audience. While everybody else laughed, there she sat, staring at the floor, with her fingers in her ears. I’ll never forget her look of complete discomfort.
That woman was my mother. Despite the fact I’d established myself as a humorist, my mother never found me or my work particularly funny. She was my hardest critic. “Is Drew really that funny?” she’d ask family members.
To make matters worse, the feeling was mutual (相互的): though our social circle swore that she was humorous, I never saw it. My mother was supposedly very funny in her first language, Anishinaabemowin—an Indigenous (原住民的) language, but alas, I didn’t speak it. At family gatherings, when somebody would say something “funny” in Anishinaabemowin, she’d explain it to me. Sometimes the humour translated. Sometimes it didn’t.
For a while I was convinced I would never make her laugh. Then, in 2005, I succeeded. I had published a book called Me Funny. In it were dozens of essays deconstructing Indigenous humour, along with 50 so-called “Indian jokes” to break up the various chapters. (For instance, “Why do Native people hate snow? Because it’s white and all over our land.”) She laughed hard and declared, “Wow, that was funny!”
In 2009, my mother passed away at the age of 77. During the funeral, in the tears, family member after family member got up and recounted things she had done and said over the years. To my surprise, I found myself laughing. Suddenly I remembered a moment from the early ‘90s, when my mother asked me, completely serious, what “owie” meant in French. I struggled to come up with an answer until I spelled it out in my mind: oui (“yes” in English).
More and more stories about her surfaced. We laughed as we remembered her. I couldn’t see my mother’s forest for my own trees. I wish I could have shared those laughs with her while she was alive, but I’m glad I finally made the connection.
1. What prevented the author and his mother from understanding each other’s humour?| A．Language barriers. |
| B．The author’s unique job. |
| C．Mom’s critical personality. |
| D．Views of Indigenous people. |
| A．He tried to fit in his Indigenous family. |
| B．He recalled amusing moments about mom. |
| C．He wanted to hide his sadness over mother’s death. |
| D．He intended his laugh to make mother rest in peace. |
| A．The author learned from mother a very important life lesson. |
| B．The author failed to relate to his mother from her perspective. |
| C．The author finally understood mother’s sense of humour better. |
| D．The author didn’t write enough humorous books to make mother laugh. |
| A．Am I funny? | B．Why isn’t Mom laughing? |
| C．What’s so funny? | D．Does laughter have an accent? |
2 . Having worked at a 7-Eleven store for two years, I thought I had become successful at what our manager calls “customer relations”. I firmly believed that a friendly smile and an automatic “sir”, “ma’ma”, and “thank you” would see me through any situation that might arise, from comforting impatient or unpleasant people to apologizing for giving out the wrong change. But the other night an old woman shattered my belief that a simple and plain response could smooth over the rough spots of dealing with all kinds of customers.
The moment she entered, the woman presented a sharp contrast to our shiny store with its bright lighting and neatly arranged shelves. Walking as if each step were painful, she slowly pushed open the glass door and hobbled (蹒跚) down the nearest aisle. She coughed dryly, wheezing (气喘吁吁) with each breath. On a forty-degree night, she was wearing only a faded dress, a thin sweater too small to button, and black slippers with the backs cut out to expose calloused (满是老茧的) heels. There were no stockings or socks on her blue-veined legs.
After wandering around the store for several minutes, the old woman stopped in front of the rows of canned vegetables. She picked up a can of corn and stared with a strange intensity at the label. At that point, I decided to be a good, polite employee and asked her if she needed help. As I stood close to her, my smile became harder to maintain; her red-rimmed eyes were partially closed by yellowish crusts (痂); her hands were covered with layer upon layer of dirt, and the stale (陈腐的) smell of sweat rose from clothes.
“I need some food,” she muttered in reply to my bright “Can I help you?”
“Are you looking for corn, ma’am?”
“I need some food,” she repeated, “Any kind.”
“Well, the corn is ninety-five cents,” I said in my most helpful voice.
“I can’t pay,” she said.
For a second, I was tempted to say, “Take the corn.” But the employee rules flooded into my mind: Remain polite, but do not let customers get the best of you. Let them know that you are in control. For a moment, I even entertained the idea that this was some sort of test, and that this woman was someone from the head office, testing my loyalty. I responded dutifully, “I’m sorry, but I can’t give away anything for free.”
The old woman’s face collapsed a bit more, and her hands trembled as she put the can back on the shelf. She shuffled (拖着脚走) past me toward the door, her torn and dirty clothing barely covering her bent back.
Moments after she left, I rushed out of the door with the can of corn, but she was nowhere in sight. For the rest of my shift, the image of the woman haunted (萦绕) me. I had been young, healthy and proud. She had been old, sick and desperate. Wishing with all my heart that I had acted like a human being rather than a robot, I was saddened to realize how weak a hold we have on our better instincts.
1. How did the writer feel about his job at 7-Eleven before the old woman came?| A．He was quite satisfied with his service manner. |
| B．He found room for improvement in developing customer relations. |
| C．He considered himself successful in dealing with all interpersonal relations. |
| D．He thought himself experienced after working in the store for two years. |
| A．how she presented a sharp contrast to the other customers |
| B．how sick, poor and desperate for help she was |
| C．how she surprised the writer with her unusual appearance |
| D．how inappropriate it was for her to enter a place like this |
| A．To make the most of. | B．To bring out the best of. |
| C．To win an advantage over. | D．To bring into full play. |
| A．What If. | B．How Come. | C．If Only. | D．Never Ever. |
3 . Each week, the BBC Autos editors select their favourite transport-related news stories, features and videos from around the web. This week, we noticed a trend toward offering creative solutions to global transportation problems.
Carry on without your carry-on
In an effort to save money and increase customer spending, United Airlines will restrict some passengers’ access to overhead compartments. The Huffington Post reports that United will be the first US airline to limit “basic economy” flyers to a single free carry-on bag that can fit under a seat.
Grandad’s Coke pool rust-removal stunt goes wrong
Not only are fizzy drinks(起泡饮料) capable of rotting teeth, they can also remove rust(锈). One Latvian grandfather decided to put cola to the ultimate rust-removal test by submerging his car in a pool of Coca-Cola. In a video posted online, the unnamed daredevil grandad fills a lined pit with 6,000 two-litre bottles of Coke. He then settles into the driver’s seat and speeds into the hole, smashing the front of his red Audi. Whether or not the rust was removed is unknown, but the Daily Mail contends that “
| A．Improvement in the amount of rust on the car was far less than the damage to the vehicle. |
| B．The problems have stirred up heated discussion on the Internet. |
| C．Some of the suggestions are innovative and intelligent, but others are likely to make travelers feel funny. |
| D．Coca-Cola is already a food giant, which attracts children and adults alike around the world. |
| E．In other words, starting next year, those who purchase the cheapest fares will not only be allowed one personal item that fits under the seat in front of them. |
| F．United’s move to limit carry-on bags and charge more for flying perks (飞行特权) isn’t a new concept. |
4 . Cecilia Chiang, the chef and restaurant owner, was greatly known for introducing regional Chinese dishes to the United States. She helped change the way Americans think about Chinese cooking.
Chiang was born into a wealthy Shanghai family with two full-time chefs—one from the north and one from the south. In 1949 her family settled in Tokyo, opening a restaurant called the Forbidden City. But it was a 1960 trip in San Francisco that set Chiang on her dramatic journey to cooking fame. She was both shocked and amused by the food most Americans considered to be Chinese. “They think chop suey(杂烩) is the only thing we have in China,” she said with a laugh. “ What a shame.”
So Chiang was determined to open a high-end Chinese restaurant that served authentic Chinese food. “Everybody said, ‘You cannot make it. You cannot speak English. You don’t know anything.’” she recalled. In 1961 then, Chiang opened the Mandarin.
The restaurant wasn’t immediately successful. About a year after opening, the Mandarin received a mention from the San Francisco Chronicle (旧金山纪事报). The effect of the powerful writer’s positive comment was immediate. Tourists, dignitaries and celebrities(达官显贵)—from Mae West to John Lennon—flooded into the Mandarin for then -unfamiliar food like tea smoked duck twice cooked pork.
Though the Mandarin was closed years later, Cecilia Chiang’s DNA can be found all over American Chinese food. Her son founded the chain P.F. Chang’s and the son of one of her chefs founded Panda Express.
In early 2017, Chiang shared how she lived to be so old: “I always think about the better side, the good side of everything. I never think about, Oh, I’m going to fail. Oh, I cannot do this. Oh, I feel sorry for myself.” Instead, Chiang wrote books, starred in a PBS documentary series and won the most famous award in American cooking when she was 93 years old.
1. Cecilia Chiang opened the Mandarin in order to ________.| A．remember her 1960 trip in San Francisco |
| B．Serve real Chinese food to the Americans |
| C．Show her shock and amusement towards food |
| D．Continue her family tradition of running restaurants |
| A．It is in the charge of Chiang’s son now. |
| B．It wasn’t successful until two years later. |
| C．It turned out pretty popular among Americans. |
| D．It changed the way Americans think about China. |
| A．Talented and active. |
| B．Ambitious and selfless. |
| C．Optimistic and creative. |
| D．Positive and determined. |
Life Doesn’t Just Happen to Us
Being good at something and having a passion for it are not enough. Success depends mainly on our view of ourselves and of the events in our lives.
When twelve-year-old John Wilson walked into his chemistry class on a rainy day in 1931, he had no way of knowing that his life was to change completely. The class experiment that day was to show
When Wilson returned home from hospital two months later, his parents attempted to find a way to deal with the disaster that
Later, he worked in Africa,
Wilson received several international awards for his great contributions. He lost his sight but found a vision. He proved that it’s not what happens to us
6 . Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, born on December 27, 1986, is a Jamaican track and field sprinter who competes in the 60 metres, 100 metres and 200 metres.
Not so long ago, most people didn’t know who Shelly-Ann was going to become. She was just an average high school athlete. There was every indication that she was just another teenager without much of a future. However, one person wants to change this. Stephen Francis observed then eighteen-year-old Shelly-Ann at a track meet and was convinced that he had seen the beginning of greatness. He decided to train Shelly-Ann strictly. Their cooperation quickly produced results. At Jamaica’s Olympic Games in 2008, Shelly-Ann beat Jamaica’s unchallenged queen of the sprint. Widely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time, her achievements on the track since 2008 helped to elevate Jamaican athletics on the international scene.
Shelly-Ann is a little woman with a big smile. She has a mental toughness that did not come about by chance. Her journey to becoming the fastest woman on earth has been anything but smooth and effortless. She grew up in one of Jamaica’s toughest communities known as Waterhouse, where she lived in a one-room apartment, sleeping four in a bed with her mother and two brothers. Waterhouse, one of the poorest communities in Jamaica, is a really violent and overpopulated place. Sometimes her family didn’t have enough to eat. Her mother Maxime, one of a family of fourteen, had been an athlete herself as a young girl but had to stop after she had her first baby. Maxime’s early entry into the adult world gave her the determination to ensure that her kids would get rid of poverty. Therefore, one of the first things Maxime used to do with Shelly-Ann was taking her to the track and she was ready to sacrifice everything.
When talking about her achievements and legacy, this incredible woman responded that her secret is just staying humble and just knowing who you are as a person and athlete and just continuing to work had. “I don’ pay much attention to where I fall in history. When I decide to leave the sport, I want to leave it better than I saw it. I want to make sure that other young athletes can see that you need to work hard, you need to stay humble, you need to stay focused, and the sky is the limit,” Shelly-Ann said.
1. When Stephen Francis first met Shelly-Ann at the track meet, ________.| A．he had already heard of her | B．he saw great potential in her |
| C．she had beaten the famous sprinter | D．she was admired by her schoolmates |
| A．was interested in sprinting herself |
| B．was a successful athlete previously |
| C．wanted her children out of poverty |
| D．wanted her daughter to be a world champion |
| A．is satisfied with her achievements in sprinting |
| B．hopes to set a good example for younger athletes |
| C．decides to retire after she reaches her full potential |
| D．determines to make sprinting the most popular sport in Jamaica |
| A．Warmhearted and generous. | B．Sympathetic and patient. |
| C．Creative and friendly. | D．Ambitious and determined. |
Few people ever took notice of Mr. Jimmy Tan whenever he entered a room. He was a shy, quiet and simple man who
“Hey Jimmy,” Mr. Kim called out, “do you have
There was no reply, so Mr. Kim looked through Mr. Tan’s things. He soon found Mr. Tan’s notebook and was surprised
Mr. Tan came back an hour later to find his notebook and the dish missing. He knew that Mr. Kim
8 . Bloggers (写博客的人) are sometimes accused of being egomaniacs (after all, what could make one more proud than to assume that the whole world is interested in your thoughts?) and some are the source of ridicule. With more than half of all blogs on the Internet written by under-19s, parents are increasingly worried that their youngsters are putting their personal safety at risk.
Perhaps parents should focus on the positive. For a lucky few, blogging has led to fame and fortune on a scale that most people can only dream of. One of the best-known of these is Maisie Lim, whose fashion blog Style Cookie is read by such famous people as Miuccia Prada, Anna Wintour and Lady Gaga. Maisie is regularly invited to top fashion shows around the world and has thousands of fans.
Due to the fact that Maisie is only 15 years old, her parents have received a lot of criticism for letting her achieve so much at such a young age. Some people think it is inappropriate for a teen to become so heavily involved in the “adult” world. Maisie, though, is just one example of a growing phenomenon: the teen blogger businessperson.
“I was shopping at discount shops, taking photos of my clothes and writing down my thoughts. Starting a style blog seemed like the next logical step because it was a way to share things that inspired me jellyfish with a global audience. I started when I was 11, which was before blogs became big. I never dreamed it would take off.” says Maisie.
Besides updating her blog, Maisie spends time running a web magazine for teenage girls and employs four editors as well as numerous writers, illustrators and photographers.
For more inspiration, look at Suke Smith’s lifestyle blog Pay it Forward. Due to the success followers on Twitter. At 16, Suke is considered experienced on the blogging scene.
Despite the success of the teenage bloggers like Maisie and Suke, it can be tough for teens to be taken seriously because of their age. “But if you’re offering something a bit different, and you’re passionate about what you do, people will notice you,” explains Maisie.
1. The word “egomaniacs” (paragraph 1) most probably refers to bloggers who ________.| A．like to | B．worry about their parents |
| C．spend too much time online | D．have too much self-importance |
| A．concerned | B．surprised | C．uncomfortable | D．grateful |
| A．she employs a team of helpers |
| B．she is often invited to top fashion shows |
| C．she takes a tough attitude toward criticism |
| D．she shares things with great enthusiasm |
| A．Inspirational Teen Blogging | B．An Issue of Parental Concern |
| C．Different Views on Teenagers | D．Professional Fashion Bloggers |
Three quarters of an hour later the doorbell rang and the house erupted in excitement. Bruno and Gretel took their places standing side by side by the staircase and Mother waited beside them,
Two people stood outside: a rather small man and a taller woman.
Father saluted them and ushered them inside, where Maria,
The Fury was far shorter than Father and not, Bruno supposed, quite as strong. He had dark hair, which was cut quite short, and a tiny moustache—so tiny in fact that Bruno wondered why he bothered with it at all or whether he had simply forgotten a piece when he was shaving. The woman standing beside him, however, was quite the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. She had blonde hair and very red lips, and while the Fury spoke to Mother she
“And these are my children, Fury,” said Father as Gretel and Bruno stepped forward. “Gretel and Bruno.”
“And which is which?” the Fury said, which made everyone laugh except for Bruno, who thought it was perfectly obvious which was which and hardly cause for joke. The Fury stretched out his hand and shook their and Gretel
“When charming children,” said the beautiful blonde woman. “And how old are they, might I ask?”
“I’m twelve but he’s only nine,” said Gretel, looking at her brother with disdain. “And I can speak French too,” she added, which was not strictly speaking true, although she had learned a few phrases in school.
“Yes, but why would you want to?” asked the Fury, and this time no one laughed; instead they
A. gave a careful, rehearsed curtsy
B. her head bowed even lower than usual
C. shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot
D. turned and looked at Bruno and smiled
E. wringing her hands together nervously
