1 . You just can’t imagine what a brave mother is like. She was a mother of three, who just
At midnight, Connie and her three children were
Juan slowly
Being deaf was not deterrent (妨碍物) for this
| A．experienced | B．dreamed | C．avoided | D．reported |
| A．turning around | B．standing by | C．running away | D．crying out |
| A．see | B．hear | C．forgive | D．reach |
| A．when | B．after | C．unless | D．before |
| A．blind | B．deaf | C．old | D．sick |
| A．alone | B．awake | C．alive | D．asleep |
| A．chatting to | B．playing with | C．focusing on | D．running after |
| A．signed | B．phoned | C．shouted | D．explained |
| A．helper | B．flashlight | C．box | D．suitcase |
| A．mopped | B．examined | C．climbed | D．left |
| A．carefully | B．regularly | C．bravely | D．hurriedly |
| A．up | B．above | C．under | D．down |
| A．stay | B．return | C．flee | D．cry |
| A．famous | B．skillful | C．ordinary | D．determined |
| A．darkness | B．shelter | C．ruins | D．stairs |
I peered over my grandma’s shoulder as she sewed pieces of cloth together. The two pieces became one faster than I’d imagined. The colors, however, looked ugly when put together and none of the patterns matched. All the patches (补丁) on this blanket seemed to disagree.
“Grandma， that’s the ugliest quilt (棉被) I’ve ever seen.”
“Oh, sweetie, it’s warm and beautiful,” said Grandma, pointing to a pile of crazy patterned shirts and suits. “I can take these old clothes that Grandpa and I will never wear again and turn them into something useful and good. It’s not the quilts appearance but the love that sews it together that makes it beautiful. This quilt will keep you warm on a cold night like tonight. And I know that for a fact.” Grandma put her hand on my shoulder, “Not everyone is as lucky as we are. Here, put on your coat. We’ll get a second opinion about how ugly my quilts are.”
Grandma folded a finished quilt and tucked it into a shopping bag. Afterwards, we got in the car and drove downtown. The white snow turned grayer as we got to the city. Eventually, Grandma pulled up at a dark alley (胡同) and we got out of the car. The terrible smell of rotting garbage made me feel sick and pinch my nose shut. Grandma took my hand and led me to the street lamp. I could see the snow shimmering (发出微光) in the light.
Grandma paused. “There’s usually somebody down this alley. It’s quiet and out of the wind--a good place to stay on cold nights. A nice warm quilt might make it even better.”
The dark engulfed (吞没) Grandma and I as we stepped deep into the alley. The pavement was cracked and missing in spots. Chicken bones and stained boxes littered their way. And Grandma’s shoes made a loud sound with each step. Feeling frightened, I squeezed Grandma’s hand. Grandma squeezed my hand back. “Its OK.” she smiled.
“Who’s there?” shouted a voice out of the darkness.
Paragraph 1:
“I have a nice warm quilt, if you want it,” said Grandma.
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Paragraph 2:
Back home, I found a worn-out quilt by accident in a cupboard.
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On March 3, Eric Johnson was asleep when the family’s six-year-old Australian shepherd, Bella, woke him up. Bella was acting unpredictably, giving Johnson the sense that “something just didn’t feel right.” Bella sensed danger, and alerted the family to the tornado that soon destroyed their home.
When Johnson woke up, he turned on the TV and found out that a tornado was headed toward their town of Cookeville, Tennessee. He quickly grabbed his wife and their three children and put them in the bathtub. Nearly 45 minutes later, around 2:00 am, the tornado hit and destroyed the house. Johnson was thrown into the backyard.
Johnson said, “Bella was hiding under our bed when the tornado hit our house. She was thrown into our yard and survived and was missing after that. It was hard for us knowing she had survived but we couldn’t find her. She was the piece of our family that was missing.” The furious 175 mph twister destroyed everything in its path. The Johnsons would not have survived if not for Bella.
Johnson suffered a head injury and his wife had broken ribs, but they soon set about searching for their beloved heroic dog. They left pieces of clothing around the destroyed neighborhood, hoping that Bella would recognize the scent and find her way back home. Church friend and dog tracker Sarah Romeyn also joined in.
She borrowed cameras from a local animal rescue group and set them up in areas where people reported seeing her. She also worked with other dog trackers and even sought tips from residents with the help of the Putnam County Police Department.
When leads dried up, the Johnsons and Romeyn pressed on. “I was still finding time searching in parking lots, but it was tough. Because nobody had found a body, in rescue you can’t give up until you know you don’t have a positive outcome. And I hadn’t given up,” Romeyn said.
Paragraph 1: In time, they found a glimmer of hope when Romeyn got a call from friend Karen Ritacco, who said that Bella was behind her shop._________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Paragraph 2: Romeyn was happy to play a part in the rescue, but also credits the community for their help.___________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4 . Sasha Olsen, a fourth-grader at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, is working on releasing a book this summer to illustrate how the state of the oceans affects children.
The 10-year old went on a trip last summer with her family to Vietnam and Japan. She was horrified at the ocean’s pollution levels and dying sea animals. Back home she grew even more disturbed learning about the ocean conditions in South Florida. She sought the help of her cousin Narmina Aliyev. Together, they started a nonprofit, Iwantmyoceanback, in October.
Originally, the group started small, with friends coming together on the weekends to clean the beaches in Bal Harbour. Recently, however, it has hosted events to raise funds for beach cleanups and donate to conservation groups. The nonprofit is also trying to broaden its base by tapping into YouTube and other social media.
Sasha has started a YouTube channel where she posts videos from events and has begun a web series called Table Talks. In it, she interviews people from different professions about the oceans. After the interview, she and her guest will create a painting, signed by the guest, that will be auctioned (拍卖) off to raise money to donate to conservation-based organizations.
Jencarlos Canela, a popular Cuban American singer and telenovela star, was one of Iwantmyoceanback’s first followers and Sasha’s first guest. Canela, who has 3.4 million followers on Instagram, posted about the experience. “Sasha, you can count on me from now on for anything and congratulations on the work you’re doing to keep our oceans clean. You are so special and very talented!” he wrote.
Sasha and Aliyev hope to extend their work to neighboring cities such as Hollywood and Miami Beach. “We really want to make ourselves visible and accessible to all,” said Aliyev, the nonprofit’s vice president.
1. What do we know about Iwantmyoceanback?| A．It was set up by Sasha’s cousin. |
| B．It aims at ocean protection. |
| C．It was inspired by Sasha’s domestic travel. |
| D．It organizes cleanup activities in the neighborhood. |
| A．By calling on friends and relatives to donate. |
| B．By starting a YouTube channel and Table Talks. |
| C．By interviewing people from different professions. |
| D．By selling paintings created and signed by her guests. |
| A．He is proud of being Sasha’s first guest. |
| B．He is one of Iwantmyoceanback’s first followers. |
| C．He is willing to make contributions to Sasha’s project. |
| D．His followers on Instagram posted about their cleanup experiences. |
| A．Sasha: a popular girl on the social media |
| B．Fourth-graders: devoted to beach cleanups |
| C．A 10-year old: making a difference to a better beach |
| D．A 10-year old: working on releasing a book this summer |
5 . I was at the market at 5 p.m. to pick up a few essentials: Cream for coffee, eggs for breakfast and Advil for my
So I
At times, my smile would fade to a look of
She took her
Somehow, in that simple
| A．headache | B．toothache | C．cough | D．cold |
| A．walking | B．working | C．driving | D．shopping |
| A．first | B．best | C．last | D．worst |
| A．spotted | B．bought | C．got | D．drew |
| A．breath | B．eyes | C．hands | D．bag |
| A．familiar | B．imaginary | C．unforgettable | D．bitter |
| A．because | B．so | C．and | D．but |
| A．fear | B．warmth | C．curiosity | D．fantasy |
| A．strangers | B．families | C．visitors | D．relatives |
| A．turn | B．toys | C．courage | D．time |
| A．spoke up | B．lit up | C．stood up | D．backed up |
| A．blew | B．waved | C．hugged | D．gave |
| A．in surprise | B．with care | C．with fear | D．in return |
| A．always | B．ever | C．still | D．just |
| A．discussion | B．exchange | C．creation | D．bargain |
Last year, I spent my holiday in an unfamiliar neighborhood in Lakewood, New Jersey. We rented a house so that some of our children and grandchildren could join us. Everyone in the area was super friendly, offering to come to introduce themselves to us and to ensure that we would make full use of their hospitality, whether to borrow something or to send the kids to play in their yards. We were excited and impressed and immediately began to see if there were any houses for sale in the neighborhood!
The next door to us was particularly fascinating (to visit not to buy). In the yard, there was a tennis court, a swing set and various toys and games that were particularly popular with young children. The owner was also very friendly and invited the kids to come over and play.
They didn't have to be asked twice. They played for hours on end. While we relaxed in our yard, perhaps a little too comfortable, perhaps enjoying each other's company a little too much, perhaps forgetting that young children can't be left too long without adults looking after them.
Apparently, a small fight broke out between the boy of the next door and one of my five-year-old grandsons. My 10-year-old grandson immediately jumped to his cousin's defense and pushed the other boy. At this point, the mother next door was forced to intervene (调停).
And the neighbor came over to speak to us. Now when I try to imagine myself: in that position, I imagine all sorts of negative and aggressive ways to deal with it --- I would have been very angry and complained about the bad behavior of these visiting children, and definitely sent them home.
Paragraph 1: What she did was quite opposite. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Paragraph 2: Honestly, I owed my thanks to the neighbor. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When I was young, I always knew my parents had trouble with money. We would go to yard sales all the time, buy everyday supplies at Dollarama and work and eat at a soup kitchen four nights a week.
Then, a new man walked into the soup kitchen and asked me what my name was. As I told him that my name was Angela, my mom handed me the soup spoon and hair net(发网) to start getting to work. After that, I couldn’t find the strange man again. I searched everywhere for him and even asked the other men and women in the kitchen if they had seen him. My mom thought I was going crazy, saying that there was no one with me when she came to hand me my stuff. She said I had been sitting alone and that it seemed I was talking to myself.
Later that night in the car, my mom was crying. I asked her what was wrong and she told me that the rent on our apartment had gone up and that my grandma had died. She didn’t know how she was going to pay for the funeral and the rent. I guaranteed that I would help pick up the odds and ends(杂事) before she made as much as possible.
The moment we got into the apartment building, she asked me to run to the mail room and grab the mail. I went and the only thing I could find was one single envelope. A familiar man called me back saying he thought I left something in our mailbox. I reached in and pulled out a huge envelope but I couldn’t tell what was in it.
I brought the envelopes up to my mom. She opened the first one and found our first super expensive rent bill. She then walked into her room, saying she couldn’t handle to open the other one.
Paragraph 1：
I looked at the envelope and saw this: Dear Angela and Family. Love, Your Friend.
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Paragraph 2：
I had a feeling all of a sudden that I knew who had sent it.
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8 . I’m going through it right now. Last night one of our three family dogs was hit and killed by a car in front of my mother’s house. The dogs became, more or less, my mother’s surrogate children after her human children grew up and moved out and my father ran with a midlife crisis and left her. The one that was killed had bonded with my mother far more than the others.
She is extremely shocked. I loved the dog, but my true sadness currently results from having to watch my mother bear another tragedy after everything she has been through in her life. In the midst of all of this, I have to sincerely applaud the driver of the vehicle, which feels wrong, but it’s not.
I’ll start by stating it was not his fault. The dog ran after a deer into the road at night. In an effort not to hit the deer with his car, he changed direction, not seeing the dog, resulting in its death. He could have very easily continued on his way, but he did something that I hope I never forget.
In my eyes, he did the right thing. The driver pulled over, carefully wrapped our dog in a blanket he got from his car to preserve its dignity, and carried it up to my mother’s front door.
He was visibly shaking and very upset. He informed my mother of what happened and she broke down immediately. He comforted her the best a stranger could and waited with her while my sister rushed to her house. He left his information and offered assistance in any way he could.
Yes, he is the man who hit and killed our dog accidentally. What he really did was spare my mother, and potentially my sister, from coming across a horrible scene themselves while searching for the dog. He had so many choices that were far easier to make than what he chose. He did the right thing and for that, thank you, Stranger. You restored my faith in humanity.
1. What do we know about the dog killed by the driver?| A．It was killed by the driver on purpose. |
| B．It lost its life during a fight against a deer. |
| C．It was a particular favorite of the author’s mother. |
| D．It got killed by hitting the deer while running after it. |
| A．The driver ought to answer for the dog’s death. |
| B．The author thought it sensible to praise the driver. |
| C．The author believed it was not the driver’s fault to kill the dog. |
| D．The driver should not take responsibility for the dog’s death at a11. |
| A．Self-condemned and considerate. | B．Calm and far-sighted. |
| C．Reliable and generous. | D．Irresponsible and unreasonable. |
| A．Still waters have deep bottoms. |
| B．Those who are ready to believe are easy to cheat. |
| C．When the wound is healed，the pain is forgotten. |
| D．Taking responsibility is the best policy. |
9 . On a Wednesday afternoon in the Eager Road of Oceola Township, Michigan, when a car showed no sign of movement at a stop sign, majority of the motorists honked wildly. Annoyed by the inconvenience the car was causing, the motorists simply drove around the car and left.
Fortunately, a 16-year-old motorist, Max Greenwood of Howell High had the heart to hop off his truck and find out what’s really going on. Because of his action, Max was able to inspire two other women to rush over the stopped car and help out the driver.
As it turned out, the driver of the stopped car was distressed. Initially, the three did not have a clue about the driver’s alarming situation. When the driver gathered enough strength to share what happened, Max and the two women quickly assisted him.
“He told the women he thought his blood sugar was low. He got progressively worse. One of the women gave him a Coke to help his sugar levels, but I could tell it wasn’t helping, so I called 911.” Max said.
Thanks to the quick thinking and actions of Max and the two women, help arrived within a few minutes and the driver was transported to a hospital. According to the first medical responders, the man was suffering from a type of medical episode that must be aided immediately.
It is horrible to think what could have happened if Max did not concern himself with the reason why the car was not moving and simply minded his own business. Max may just be a 16-year-old student in the eyes of some people. But for the man he has saved, he surely is a modern hero with a golden heart. May his story inspire us to share a bit of our time to help the people we cross paths with! In this day and age, when a lot of kids don’t think about anyone but themselves, he stepped up and it made a difference.
1. How did most motorists react to the stopped car?| A．They got off to find out what was up. | B．They waited impatiently for the driver. |
| C．They felt annoyed and bypassed the car. | D．They blamed the driver for the inconvenience. |
| A．He didn’t notice the traffic signals. | B．His car broke down at the crossing. |
| C．He was exhausted and fell asleep. | D．He was attacked by a sudden illness. |
| A．He is a hero worth admiring. | B．He is just a small child of honesty. |
| C．He is familiar with the driver. | D．He knows much about the first aid. |
| A．Love and devotion. | B．Selflessness and responsibility. |
| C．Bravery and generosity. | D．Warm-heart and profession. |
10 . What is a true winner? We may be very
In 1938, Soichiro Honda was still in school, when he started a little workshop. His plan was to sell piston rings(活塞环) to Toyota. He
However, he refused to give up.
Again he would not
Was he
Honda succeeded because one man made a truly committed decision,
| A．envious | B．familiar | C．aware | D．fond |
| A．thought | B．prayed | C．slept | D．labored |
| A．perfect | B．start | C．win | D．admire |
| A．only | B．still | C．even | D．simply |
| A．meet | B．improve | C．update | D．apply |
| A．In order to | B．Or else | C．Other than | D．Rather than |
| A．silence | B．explanation | C．service | D．struggle |
| A．agree | B．suffer | C．quit | D．return |
| A．abnormal | B．special | C．responsible | D．specific |
| A．eventually | B．unfortunately | C．surprisingly | D．definitely |
| A．unwilling | B．honest | C．ready | D．hopeful |
| A．begged | B．promoted | C．refused | D．advanced |
| A．Or | B．Otherwise | C．And | D．Yet |
| A．thought about | B．acted on | C．reflected on | D．joined in |
| A．on | B．in | C．at | D．with |
