The morning of my daughter’s first school play I had an important business meeting. I went to the play, getting a seat in the front row. I even brought my mum along in case it overran. But, not wanting to be late for my appointment, I moved quietly to the back. My daughter, who was just three at the time, noticed my empty seat and started to cry. Outside the doorway, I heard one mum say loudly and angrily, “She’s gone to work.” I watched as some of the others rolled their eyes. My stomach went cold.
It’s OK for a mum to have a job — as long as it’s part-time, fits around the school run or means she doesn’t have to leave the school play early or fly to the other side of the world now and again to earn a living. During the decade I’ve been a working mum I’ve received numerous critical comments from women about my work choices, but I think running my own business and travelling with my work when I can (while still taking my daughter to school most days and making pretty much every show or event) is setting a good example to my daughter. It shows her that it is possible to succeed at a time when women in many professions find it harder than men to reach the top and get less pay.
But I often feel I’ m in the minority. Do the women who roll their eyes at other women who leave the school play early or show up late to parents’ evening because their meetings overrun really believe females should only be in part-time, flexible work that fits around their children? I think it’s time for women to support each other’s career decisions.
1. What does the text mainly talk about?(no more than 10 words)2. What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably mean?(no more than 25 words)
3. What may the author’s daughter learn from her working mother?(no more than 30 words)
4. What kink of job should a mother have according to other mothers who rolled their eyes? (no more than 5 words)
5. Do you agree with the author? Give your reasons.(no more than 25 words)
Bethany Hamilton has become a source of inspiration for millions through her story of faith, determination and hope. And now her story has become a major movie which is entitled Soul Surfer.
Born into a family of surfers on February 8, 1990, on the island of Kauai Hawaii, Bethany began surfing at a young age. At the age of eight, Bethany entered her first surf competition---- winning both the short and long board divisions and sparking a love for surf competition within her spirit.
On October 31, 2003, at the age of 13. Bethany was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing just off the shore of Hawaii. Bethany said, “It came out of the blue. I had no warning at all; not even the slightest sign of danger on the horizon. The waves were small and inconsistent, and I was just kind of rolling along with them, relaxing on my board with my left arm dangling (悬摆) in the cool water. I remember thinking, ‘I hope the surf picks up soon...’”
“That's all it took: a split second. I felt a lot of pressure and a couple of lightning fast tugs(猛拽) .Then I watched in shock as the water around me turned bright red. Somehow, I stayed calm. My left arm was gone along with a huge piece of my surfboard...”
Her friends had to get her to the beach which took 20 minutes of paddling. After losing more than 40 percent of her blood and making it through several surgeries, Bethany was well on her way to recovery due to an unbelievably positive attitude.
In January 2004, Bethany made her return to surf competition and with no intention of stopping, Bethany continued to enter and shine in competitions. Initially, she adopted a custom-made board that was longer and slightly thicker than standard and had a handle for her right arm, making it easier to paddle, and she learned to kick more to make up for the loss of her left arm.
Just over a year after the attack, she took first place---- winning her first National Title. Now she competes with the world's best and travels the globe.
1. What was Bethany Hamilton's dream when she was young? (No more than 10 words)2. What is the meaning of the underlined part in Paragraph 3? (No more than 5 words)
3. According to the passage, how did Bethany make a recovery? (No more than 10 words)
4. How did Bethany surf when she started surfing again? (No more than 15 words)
5. Please explain how you are inspired by Bethany Hamilton. (No more than 20 words)
A couple of weeks ago, my grandfather explained his favorite expression, “Nothing is ever easy.” Then the following day, as I tried to complete my day’s work, I happened to notice a bumblebee(大黄蜂) on the skylight(天窗). The skylight was particularly high up, but I thought removing the bee would take no more than five minutes. An hour later, the bee still remained. All that had changed was that the living room was a mess and that I was dizzy from looking up into the sunlight. I did not expect to waste an hour on an insect so tiny, but by doing so, I understood what my grandfather meant.
It is not only time that we tend to underestimate — we don’t account for unexpected costs. We often imagine what can work in our favor, but we seldom think of all the negative things that could affect us. However, it is important to remember that your day or week or year might not go as planned, and that is completely normal. It is perfectly acceptable to feel challenged — even at a task you thought was simple — because that is part of life.
If you can accept that nothing will ever be easy, then life might seem slightly more manageable. In middle school, I thought high school might be easier because I could choose the classes I wanted to take. In high school, I thought college might be easier because I could have a schedule best suited for myself. Yet each time, I was both wrong and disappointed. After accepting that school wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) be easy, I found myself with a more positive attitude and improved results.
Of course, there should be preparations made to account for expenses or time. Doing so can only help you accomplish your goals in a better way. However, there is no need to beat ourselves up(过分自责) when something stands in our path. Maybe we cannot see a bee coming our way, but we can always give ourselves the extra time to catch it.
1. What was out of the author’s expectation when he removed the bumblebee on the skylight?(no more than 15 words)2. What does the underlined phrase “account for” in Paragraph 2 mean? (no more than 3 words)
3. What does Paragraph 3 mainly tell us? (no more than 15 words)
4. According to the passage, how will you deal with what stands on your path? (no more than 15 words)
5. What do you understand the sentence—“Nothing is ever easy.”? (no more than 25 words)
4 . A woman whose sports car was stolen with her dog in it put up notices all over the area that made it clear getting back her pet was more important than her car.
“Whoever did this can keep my car. Please let Benjerman come home,” the notice said.
It is not known whether the thief showed any pity, but almost 30 hours after the 1 pm theft Friday, Kimberly Atkins of Dover and Benjerman, a 12-year-old black retriever(猎犬), were reunited after police located them in Barrington.
“He’s hungry, he’s dirty, but he’s very happy to be home,” Atkins said.
The car was found at about 5 pm Saturday off Route 125 in a swampy area frequented by off-the-road cars and dirt bikes. However, the police couldn’t control Benjerman, and they had to call Atkins to come and get him.
Atkins said the thief cared for Benjerman a little by providing him with some dry cat food. She believed Benjerman ended up drinking some muddy water in the area.
She said they have been together for nearly 11 years after she took him back from a society shelter in Dallas, Texas.
Before Benjerman was found, Atkins and several friends put up notices all over the city and in Somersworth. They also contacted animal shelters throughout southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
The notice stated there was a reward, and also that the dog needed medication(药物治疗). Any caller could remain anonymous(匿名的).
Atkins had parked the car outside a hardware store with the keys inside and gone in to rent a carpet cleaner.
“It was 10 minutes and I came out and my car was gone along with Benjerman in broad daylight,” Atkins said. The car thief threw Atkins’ wallet and other personal items out of the car before escaping from the scene.
1. What would be the best title for the passage?| A．A car with a dog was stolen |
| B．Lucky dog was returned to his owner |
| C．Stealing cars: a most important social problem |
| D．Woman wants dog back more than stolen car |
a. Notices were put up saying there was a reward.
b. Atkins saw Benjerman again.
c. Police found Atkins’ car.
d. Atkins took Benjerman back from a society shelter.
e. Atkins hired a carpet cleaner in a hardware store.
| A．d, e, a, b, c | B．d, e, a, c, b |
| C．e, a, d, b, c | D．e, a, c, d, b |
| A．the dog was treated extremely badly by the thief |
| B．car stolen accidents happen frequently nowadays |
| C．the dog was found because of the reward |
| D．the thief stole the car easily |
| A．Benjerman was sent back immediately after Atkins put up the notices. |
| B．Atkins and her friends made a great effort to look for Benjerman. |
| C．The thief gave the dog back but kept the sports car. |
| D．The dog was back at 1 pm on a Friday. |
| A．Benjerman | B．Thief |
| C．Atkins | D．Atkins’ friends |
5 . I took down the violin I made in the past two months, and walked towards the farmland outside. The violin shined in the sunlight, and I admitted, unwillingly, that it looked good. But I knew it was a mockery of my failure to find beauty.
"What makes a violin beautiful?"
I first asked this question as a three-year-old child and now again as a teenager. When I listened to a violin for the first time, I was so astonished by its beauty that I imagined a fairy living in the wooden frame. But fairies faded when I grew older. I wanted a reasonable answer to the question.
I referred to Professor Ruan, my violin teacher, who introduced the violin to me 14 years ago. This 85-year-old man rhapsodized about the legend of Antonio Stradivari, "His violins are the most beautiful works human has ever crafted. " "Make a violin with your own hands, "Professor Ruan suggested, "when you play it, you'll know."
However, when Professor Ruan introduced to me a violin workshop, what I saw was far from my expectation. In front of me was a fat worker, shirtless and sunburned, soon to become my master. What shocked me most was that the "master" knew nearly nothing about music. His rough hands had been tending crops, not instruments, for most of his life.
Two months later, standing outside the workshop, I was disappointed. Yes, I just finished or copied a Stradivarius violin. But I didn't find beauty in it. Then I remembered Professor Ruan's words, "When you play it, you'll know." So I closed my eyes, and focused on where my fingers and strings touched, music flowed suddenly so beautifully that for a moment I doubted my own ears. Slowly I opened my eyes, and with surprise found the fairy of my childhood fantasy dancing to my music—the two-year-old daughter of the master.
Professor Ruan was right. I didn't find beauty until I played music with the violin, because beauty isn't in the instrument itself. It's just here, deep down, in ourselves.
1. After consulting Professor Ruan, what did the writer think made a violin beautiful?| A．The person who makes the violin. | B．The person who plays the violin. |
| C．The appearance of the violin. | D．The sound of the violin. |
| A．He listened to the legend of Antonio Stradivari |
| B．He taught the master knowledge of music. |
| C．He played music with the violin for the daughter of the master. |
| D．He made his own violin with the help of the master. |
| A．He created an ugly-looking violin. | B．His master knew little about music. |
| C．He failed to find beauty in the violin. | D．He had to work in a terrible workshop. |
| A．music brings beauty | B．beauty lies in our hearts |
| C．we should develop a hobby | D．teachers are important to students |
6 . Today, roller skating is easy and fun. But a long time ago, it wasn't easy at all. Before 1750, the idea of skating didn't exist. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. He was a man of ideas and dreams. So people called him a dreamer. Merlin liked playing the violin in his free time as well.
One day , Merlin received an invitation to attend a fancy dress ball. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make a grand entrance at the party. He had an idea. He thought he would get a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was very proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving at the party on wheels while playing the violin.
On the night of the party Merlin skated into the room playing his violin. Everyone was astonished to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates.
He rolled on and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. Down fell the mirror, breaking to pieces. Nobody forgot Merlin's grand entrance for a long time!
1. People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he ________.| A．like sleeping very much | B．played the violin well |
| C．invented the roller skates | D．had a rich imagination |
| A．impress the party guests | B．arrive at the party sooner |
| C．make himself dance slowly | D．show his music taste |
| A．Worried | B．Surprised | C．Proud | D．Displeased |
| A．Buy each guest a mirror. | B．Break his violin into pieces. |
| C．Hang the mirror on the wall. | D．Try to improve his roller skates. |
| A．Joseph Merlin’s experience at a concert | B．ways of attracting others’ attention |
| C．the story of the first roller skates | D．people’s social life in the 18th century |
It was my first day back home since starting college. A lot had changed in the last year. Not with my hometown but with me. I had left as a 17-year-old boy and had now returned as an 18-year-old man. In the city, I was living on my own, had a part-time job and was studying. Even the government recognized I was an adult I had a driver's license. So here I was, on my summer vacation, walking down the main street with my father, desperate for him to acknowledge how mature I was. When his recognition failed to appear, I took matters into my own hands. "Dad," I said casually, "I'm thirsty. Let's go for a beer." It was the first time I'd ever mentioned beer in front of my father, let alone ask him to drink one with me.
He turned to me with a curious expression on his face. "A beer? Well I guess you're old enough now. Let's go to Sailors' Bar, It's where my cousin Tom, your uncle, used to drink. You remember him, right?"
I had only some vague recollection of my uncle. He was the black sheep of the family. We didn't talk about him much. "What ever happened to Uncle Tom, Dad? I haven't seen him in years," I said as we continued towards the bar.
"Neither have I, unfortunately. He was a good kid once. But things changed," my father said mournfully. As a boy, he explained, there had been no better-behaved boy than Tom. But after leaving school, he moved to the city and fell in with bad company. He started going out every night, drinking in nightclubs and playing cards, Soon he lost everything and had to beg his mum to pay his debts. She agreed on the condition he returned home.
My dad took a deep breath and continued his tale. "Things settled down for a while. He married a lovely woman, gave up his bad habits. But it didn't last, He was soon back to his old ways. He couldn't resist. He was at Sailors' Bar almost every night. His poor mother died of grief and shame. His wife followed her soon after.
"What ruined him was alcohol. He told me once, when a man begins drinking, he never knows where it'll end. So, Tom warned me, "be aware of your first drink!"
"He went from bad to worse. Last year Tom sent me a letter saying he had been found guilty of stealing and sent to prison for ten years."
Dad finished talking just as we reached the front of Sailors' Bar. "Anyway, here we are. Let's go in," he said. But I understood. I put my arm around my father and said, "I'm not thirsty anymore, Dad, Let's go home."
1. Why did the young man invite his father to drink a beer?(no more than 10 words)2. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 3 mean? (no more than 10 words)
3. What was the main source of Uncle Tom's problems? (1 word)
4. What was the father's purpose when he told his son about Uncle Tom's story? (no more than 15 words)
5. What is your attitude to adults' alcohol drinking? And why? (no more than 25 words)
The old man walked slowly into the restaurant. His poor jacket, patched (打补丁) trousers, and worn-out shoes made him stand out from the usual Saturday morning breakfast crowd. Unforgettable were his pale blue eyes that sparkled (闪耀) like diamonds，large rosy cheeks，and thin lips that held a steady smile．
With the help of his trusty cane (拐杖), he walked toward a table by the window．A young waitress watched him and ran over to him，saying，"Here，Sir．Let me give you a hand with that chair．"
Without a word，he smiled and nodded a thank you．She pulled the chair away from the table．Supporting him with one arm，she helped him move in front of the chair，and get comfortably seated．Then she pushed the table up close to him，and leaned his cane against the table where he could reach it．
In a soft，clear voice he said，"Thank you，Miss．"
"You're welcome，Sir．"She replied．"My name is Mary．I'll be back in a moment．If you need anything，just wave at me．"
After he had finished a hearty meal of pancakes，bacon，and hot lemon tea，Mary brought him the change，helping him up from his chair and out from behind the table．She handed him his cane，and walked with him to the front door．Holding the door open for him，she said，"Come back and see us，Sir!"
He nodded a thank you and said softly with a smile，"You are very kind!"
When Mary went to clean his table，she was shocked．Under his plate she found a business card and a note written on the napkin，under which was a $ 100bill．
The note on the napkin read，"Dear Mary，I respect you very much，and you respect yourself，too．It shows by the way you treat others．You have found the secret of happiness．Your kind gestures will shine through those who meet you．"
The man she had served was the owner of the restaurant．This was the first time that she，or any of his employees，had seen him in person．
1. When did the story happen? ( no more than 10 words)2. Please explain the underlined phrase “stand out” in English. (no more than 5 words)
3. What did the old man think of the waitress’ service? (no more than 8 words)
4. Why did the old man leave a 100 bill? (no more than 12 words)
5. According to the passage, how do you understand the meaning of “Happiness”? (no more than 25 words)
9 . I Was the Doughnut Lady
In university I had a part-time job at a shop that sold doughnut s and coffee. Situated on a block where several buses stopped, it served the people who had a few minutes to wait for their bus.
Every afternoon around four o'clock, a group of school children would burst into the shop, and business would come to a stop. Adults would glance in, see the crowd and pass on. But I didn't mind if the children waited for their bus inside. Sometimes I would hand out a bus fare when a ticket went missing-always repaid the next day. On snowy days I would give away some doughnuts. I would lock the door at closing time, and we waited in the warm shop until their bus finally arrived.
I enjoyed my young friends, but it never occurred to me that I played an important role in their lives—until one afternoon when a man came and asked if I was the girl working on weekdays around four o'clock. He identified himself as the father of two of my favorites.
“I want you to know I appreciate what you do for my children. I worry about them taking two buses to get home. It means a lot that they can wait here and you keep an eye on them. When they are with the doughnut lady, I know they are safe.” I told him it wasn't a big deal, and that I enjoyed the kids.
So I was the Doughnut Lady. I not only received a title, but became a landmark. Now I think about all the people who keep an eye on my own children. They become, well, Doughnut Ladies. Like the men a t the skating rink, who let my boys ring home; Or the bus driver who drove my daughter to her stop at the end of the route at night but wouldn't leave until I arrived to pick her up; Or that nice police officer who took pity on my boys walking home in the rain when I was at work—even though the phone rang all the next day with calls from curious neighbors. “Was that a police car I saw at your house last night?”
That wasn't a police car. That was a Doughnut Lady.
1. According to the passage, the author sometimes ______.| A．sold bus tickets to the children | B．gave the children free doughnuts |
| C．did business with the children's help | D．called the children's parents to pick them up |
| A．she hadn't done anything significant |
| B．she hadn't spent much time with the children |
| C．she hadn't made a lot of money from the children |
| D．she hadn't found it hard to get along with the children |
| A．He took the boys to the police station. |
| B．He helped the boys look for their mother. |
| C．He drove the boys back home in a police car. |
| D．He managed to make sure of the boys' identity. |
| A．They called to comfort them. |
| B．They tried to make sure they were fine. |
| C．They wanted to confirm it was really a police car. |
| D．They wondered what the police brought them on such a rainy night. |
| A．running a business requires skill | B．taking responsibility is a moral virtue |
| C．devotion should be everything in life | D．there are always no small acts of kindness. |
10 . While doing some grocery shopping one day, I realized I had spent close to 30 minutes just in the produce section, meticulously(细致地，一丝不苟地) choosing the best-looking apples, bananas that were ripe but not spotted and ears of corn with perfectly neat rows of kernels(谷粒). However, I bet I’m not the only one that rejects the slightest imperfections in fruits and vegetables.
I’ve also seen how my pursuit of perfect produce has influenced my children. When I pack their lunches, I make sure I include fleshy tomatoes, crisp blueberries, and cucumbers without any scratches. But one day when my daughter refused to eat a pear that was turning slightly brown, I knew I had to change my way. I realized I was unconsciously teaching my children to accept society’s standards of perfection and that these perceptions could have a disastrous impact on our environment.
In the US, up to 40 percent of food is wasted every year. Most of this waste ends up in landfills that creates dangerous greenhouse gases. Around 20 percent of food waste is produced directly at the farm, for the so-called “ugly” food may not meet certain standards set by grocery stores, though the food is still perfectly consumable.
On a recent night in San Francisco, I attended a dinner party to raise awareness about this growing problem. It was the brainchild of food waste activist Josh Treuhaft, which was an intimate gathering of 16 people dinning on a table made from recycle wood. The chef, Pesha Perlsweig, prepared a six-course meal with food, which was purchased from Imperfect Produce that specifically sells “ugly” fruit and vegetables. The organic twisted carrots or knobbly sweet potatoes can be bought at this market for 30 to 50 percent of the price.
I was blown away by Perlsweig’s creative, delicious dishes made from the “ugly” food. Before each dish, Persweig offered guests tips on how we can reduce our food waste. For example, if you cut off the end of a limp carrot and place it in water, it will become firm again.
After the evening’s dinner, I became inspired to rethink the way I shopped for and consumed food, and to accept the imperfect. Though looking ugly, the food contains no less nutrition than normal food. Furthermore, it’s cheap at the price. My actions inspired my daughter to think differently as well. One morning, while she was helping prepare her school lunch, I noticed her choosing a handful of cherry tomatoes with slight flaws. “They’re special,” she said.
I’m hoping that these small changes in our perception can make a big difference to our world.
1. Why did the author spend about 30 minutes buying produce?| A．She was very picky about produce. | B．She had lots of spare time that day. |
| C．She is addicted to grocery shopping. | D．She had difficulty in making a decision. |
| A．She wouldn’t be too particular about produce. |
| B．She would change her way of educating her children. |
| C．She would no longer do everything for her children. |
| D．She would choose food for her children more carefully |
| A．Lots of food went to waste that day. |
| B．The guests got some tips at the gathering. |
| C．Most of the dishes were made from organic food. |
| D．It aimed to recommend a chef cooking “ugly” food. |
| A．It is more delicious after creatively cooked | B．It is cheap and as nutritious as perfect food. |
| C．It can always help to protect the environment. | D．It can have a good effect on children’s growth. |
| A．To offer tips on how to reduce food waste. | B．To introduce a new market for “ugly” food. |
| C．To share her experience of educating children. | D．To show how she fell in love with “ugly” food. |
| A．Environment | B．Education | C．Cooking | D．Food |
