1 . While many local teens spent their summers playing by the pool, Shea Frenyea-Provost brought her talents to life, leaving a lasting memory for years to come.
After five weeks, the 15-year-old’s artwork is now on show in People’s Park for all to see as the Village of Dannemora’s first outdoor mural(壁画)-symbolic of the ongoing efforts to give new energy to the village and all it has to offer.
For the young artist，the project took her out of the comfort zone(舒适区)-going from colored pencils and sketchbooks(素描本)to her first life-size mural- the first in what will now become a series of projects between the local teen and village.
With her mom active in the village’s growing Beautification Committee, Shea also got involved with volunteering. After seeing Shea’s sketches during the early stages of the mural planning, Tina Leduc, director of Beautification Committee, was awed by her talent and knew she was a perfect fit for the project.
With the help of her family, Shea was soon set up with her very own studio, where she spent weeks researching the Luna moth(蛾)，observing its outline and perfecting each final detail. “I used a projector(投影仪)to observe the moth for weeks and researched native plants in our area and the rest I really ended up doing freehand,“ Shea said, pointing to the fine lines of the climbing grape plants and moth antennas(触角).
For the Beautification Committee and villagers alike, her work has brought a welcomed new addition to the park while clearly showing her bright artistic future ahead. “She’s just such a natural,” said Leduc, who offered beginning guidance, otherwise leaving the creativity and design to the promising young artist. “I feel this is just the beginning for her. I know it is. We’re going to see so much from her.”
1. What can we learn about Shea’s mural?| A．It is the first indoor mural in her village. |
| B．It shows the history of her village. |
| C．It took her a month to complete. |
| D．It was a real challenge for her. |
| A．Amazed | B．Encouraged |
| C．Changed | D．Affected |
| A．Creative and humorous. |
| B．Polite and generous. |
| C．Talented and patient. |
| D．Experienced and professional. |
| A．It will inspire more kids to do art. |
| B．It promises a bright future for her. |
| C．It will attract more foreign visitors to the village. |
| D．It raises the villagers’ awareness of environmental protection. |
2 . We’ve all had cases where we’ve waited just a bit too long to pay an electric bill or speeding ticket. But one man, from California by reasonable assumption，who goes by “Dave”，recently took procrastination (拖延) one step further, by paying a parking ticket almost a half-century after it was given.
In December 2018, the Minersville Police Department in Pennsylvania received a letter in the mail. Whoever wrote the letter decided it was best to keep his name somewhat unknown，so he put the return address as “Wayward Road，Anytown California” under the name “Feeling guilty”.
When the officers opened the envelope，they found a brief letter, along with a $5 bill, and a parking ticket dating all the way back to 1974. The note read，“Dear PD，I've been carrying this ticket around for 40 plus years always intending to pay. Forgive me if I don't give you my info. With respect，Dave.”
Even though the initial parking ticket was only for $2, “Dave” must have felt awfully guilty because he left 150 percent，or $3, in interest.
Michael Combs, the Police Chief of the Minersville Police Department, stated in an interview that the same ticket would cost about $20 if it were given today. Combs went on to share that the original ticket from 1974 was given to a vehicle that had an Ohio license plate.
Because there was no system for tracking tickets given to out-of-state cars back then，“Dave” could have gotten away with never paying the $2 fine. But apparently，guilt got the best of him，and he decided to finally cough up the money more than 40 years past its due date.
1. How much do we know about “Dave”？| A．He lives in Wayward Road，Anytown California. |
| B．His car probably came from Ohio at that time. |
| C．The police are trying to find out more about him. |
| D．“Dave” is of course the man’s real name indeed. |
| A．He completely forgot about it in the past 44 years. |
| B．He didn’t find it until almost half a century later. |
| C．He didn’t pay for it just because of procrastination. |
| D．He failed to find out who he should pay the money to. |
| A．A strong sense of guilt. |
| B．Fear of being tracked by the police. |
| C．Worry about being fined more. |
| D．Sudden change of his financial situation. |
| A．Police Chief of the Minersville Police Department Shares a Story |
| B．Parking Ticket Carried Around for Almost Half a Century from Ohio |
| C．Unusual Letter Comes from Wayward Road, Anytown California |
| D．Mysterious Procrastinator Finally Pays 44-Year-Old Parking Ticket |
3 . Raised in a motherless home，my father was extremely tightfisted towards us children. His attitude didn’t soften as I grew into adulthood and went to college. I had to ride the bus whenever I came home. Though the bus stopped about two miles from home，Dad never met me，even in severe weather. If I grumbled，he’d say in his loudest father-voice，“That’s what your legs are for！”
The walk didn’t bother me as much as the fear of walking alone along the highway and country roads. I also felt less than valued that my father didn’t seem concerned about my safety. But that feeling was canceled one spring evening.
It had been a particularly difficult week at college after long hours in labs. I longed for home. When the bus reached the stop，I stepped off and dragged my suitcase to begin the long journey home.
A row of hedge(树篱)edged the driveway that climbed the hill to our house. Once I had turned off the highway to start the last lap of my journey，I always had a sense of relief to see the hedge because it meant that I was almost home. On that particular evening，the hedge had just come into view when I saw something gray moving along the top of the hedge，moving toward the house. Upon closer observation，I realized it was the top of my father’s head. Then I knew，each time I’d come home，he had stood behind the hedge，watching，until he knew I had arrived safely. I swallowed hard against the tears. He did care，after all.
On later visits，that spot of gray became my watchtower. I could hardly wait until I was close enough to watch for its secret movement above the greenery. Upon reaching home，I would find my father sitting innocently in his chair.“ So！My son，it’s you！”he’d say，his face lengthening into pretended surprise.
I replied，“Yes，Dad，it’s me.I’m home.”
1. What does the underlined word“grumbled” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Agreed willingly. | B．Explained clearly. |
| C．Spoke unhappily. | D．Accepted happily. |
| A．the tiredness after long hours in labs |
| B．the feeling of being less than valued |
| C．the fear of seeing something moving |
| D．the loneliness of riding the bus home |
| A．he was concerned about his son’s safety |
| B．he wanted to help his son build up courage |
| C．he didn’t want to meet his son at the doorway |
| D．he didn’t think his son was old enough to walk alone |
| A．Riding Bus Alone. | B．My College Life. |
| C．Terrible Journey Home. | D．My Father’s Secret. |
4 . My mother has a dining table which sits right in the middle of her dining room. It was once buried beneath piles of papers—magazines, articles, copies of schedules for vacations she took back in the 1990s, and baby pictures of grand children who are now paying off their college loans.
My brother Ross and I recently flew to New York to visit my mother. “Mom, why don’t we go through all that stuff?” Ross said. “No. Don’t touch it!” My mother said. The next afternoon, when she couldn’t find a bill she needed, Ross suggested it might be put somewhere in the dining room and that we find it together. “Besides,” he said, “all those papers are clearly stressing you out.” However, my mother just said, “Are you boys hungry?” And then she seemed to have lost herself in deep thought.
On our last night there, my mother walked up to us with a small pile of unopened mails, which she had collected at the western edge of the dining table, and said, “Help me go through these.” “Sure,” I said. When we had succeeded in separating wheat from chaff (谷壳), I asked, “Would you want to deal with another little pile of papers?”
My mother led the way, walking into the dining room the way an animal manager might be while entering a cage with tigers in it. Ross and I came in behind her and suddenly he reached for a pile of the papers on one side of the table. “No!” my mother said sharply. “Let’s start at the other end. That’s where the older stuff is.” Finally, we threw 95 percent of the stuff into paper shopping bags. Then I asked what she wanted us to do with them, she surprised us all by saying, “Put them in the incinerator (垃圾焚化炉).”
When I returned home, inspired by the visit to my mother, I sorted out my own accumulated(累积的) piles of papers, sold or gave away half of my possessions, and moved into a smaller house. It seems that my life has been cheaper and easier since then. And it proves that a small change does make a big difference.
1. What did the mother ask her children to do with these unopened mails?| A．To burn them. |
| B．To read them for her. |
| C．To collect them together. |
| D．To pick out the important ones among them. |
| A．angry | B．afraid |
| C．impatient | D．careful |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. |
| C．Uncertain. | D．Unknown. |
| A．The precious mail | B．A visit to my mother |
| C．A happy family reunion | D．The lesson of the dining table |
A few months later, much to my surprise, it was me that she passed him to. Lemon-Aide went with me to all of my treatments.
One day while waiting for my doctor I decided we could market the idea to fight cancer. Lesa thought it was a great idea so we founded the organization that came to be known as Lemon-Aide’s Friends, Inc. We designed our organization to remind people fighting cancer that there are people who love and care about them all the time. Today we have totally 5013 volunteers. The money raised is donated to cancer patients who do not have insurance. The physicians on our Board of Advisors determine how and where our money is donated.
Lemon-Aide is for men, women, and children of all ages and to date has been sent to 34 states and 33 countries to provide smiling support for people fighting cancer. When life gave us lemons we made Lemon-Aide, a soft smiling toy that represents love, support, and encouragement.
1. The author went to the hospital with her friend ________.
| A．to operate on Lesa |
| B．to treat her disease |
| C．to accompany Lesa |
| D．to look after Lemon-Aide |
| A．he represented her organization |
| B．he could help weaken her pain |
| C．she would think of her friends |
| D．her friends tried to comfort her |
| A．the author had suffered from cancer |
| B．Lemon-Aide had suffered from cancer |
| C．Lesa had recovered from cancer |
| D．Lemon-Aide learned to look after the author |
| A．cure cancer |
| B．raise money |
| C．help cancer patients |
| D．help their friend |
We talked about how kind she is to us. She writes notes to wish us happy holidays, or to thank us for jobs well done. She checks on us when she knows we’re facing difficulties outside of school with our health or with our families.
All too often, When we talk NICE behind someone’s back, they never know about it！I sent her a quick email to report the conversation. She replied saying how much she appreciated hearing about it!
I like to do the same for my students. Of course I give them my own compliments(恭维),but I love to let them know when others adults have noticed their good behavior and attitudes. Then it’s absolutely necessary to let THEM know it too! It matters when what they notice is good.
I’ve known from the other side how much this can mean. I often lack confidence in my own abilities as a teacher, so it gave me quite a lift when a friend who works with families in the community mentioned that he has heard several times from parents how glad they are to have their kids in my class. It just feels more important somehow to have the words said by people who don’t know I’ll ever hear them.
Sure, it’s pleasant when we can say nice things about other people. Watch for your next opportunity to be the reporter! Make sure to tell them about the nice things being said behind their backs!
1. Why did these colleagues talk behind their boss’s back?
| A．They were afraid of her. |
| B．She treated them badly. |
| C．She was kind to them. |
| D．It was their daily practice. |
| A．They were good friends. |
| B．The principals hated them. |
| C．She guessed her principals might be glad to hear it. |
| D．She wanted to be praised. |
| A．Others’ nice talk behind her back. |
| B．Her good knowledge in teaching. |
| C．Her rich experience in teaching. |
| D．Her principal’s help. |
