1 . Maybe it’s because it was our first purchase as homeowners. The salesman must have spotted just how green we were, so he began persuading. And soon he led us to a classic leather chair. All these years later, I remember he used words like rich and handsome, the thing every living room needed.
We believed him. So we bought that chair—just less than $100, a great deal in the 1970s for a young couple!
How we loved that chair! It always occupied a place of honor in our various living rooms, moving with us from our first tiny house to our beloved new house.
Somehow, conversations were better on that chair, and life was more fun around it. Three daughters spilled their secrets on it. Old friends seemed to be attracted by it on those wonderful occasions. Crazy as it sounds, that leather chair seemed to have—well, powers. All for good.
At first, we didn’t really care that the leather was showing signs of wear or that it had lost its sheen (光泽) . But in our most recent move, when the chair was moved in our new living room, it suddenly looked terribly lonely sitting close to newly painted walls and a couple of shiny new tables.
My husband and I tried but still we couldn’t ignore the rough spots. Our chair had a skin disease. Even our adult kids raised eyebrows, urging us to at least remove the chair to some dark corner of the room. Neither of us could imagine such a retirement for it. So we had an inspired idea. We’d call in an upholsterer (修理工) to give our old chair a whole new life. Our friend Joe studied the chair and then took out a simple leather conditioner.
He explained that although it wouldn’t work miracles, it would definitely get our weary chair looking younger again. It certainly doesn’t look new, but its seat and back are shining, and some of its deeper wrinkles have lightened.
Best of all, it’s back in the living room, looking like a wise old friend to the furniture around it. And, yes, there it will stay.
Because some things, like some people, just deserve a happy old age.
1. How did the salesman persuade the author into buying the chair?| A．By thinking highly of the author. | B．By describing how great the chair was. |
| C．By saying that the author was green. | D．By comparing the chair with others. |
| A．Sweet memories with the chair. | B．Various functions of the chair. |
| C．People’s comments on the chair. | D．Family activities and parties of friends. |
| A．Because he was persuaded by Joe. | B．Because he didn’t have enough money. |
| C．Because it showed signs of hardness. | D．Because it couldn’t match his new house. |
| A．East or west, home is best. | B．From saving comes having. |
| C．It is never too late to mend. | D．Old friends and wine are best. |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号()，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：:
1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
It was Sunday. I was doing housework while someone knocked at the door. It was a milkman who send a bottle of milk. But I didn’t order them. Feeling confused, I noticed a note sticking to it. The note said “Dear neighbor, I’m sorry about a noise made by our decoration that will last for three days. The bottle of milk is given to you as a gift show our apology.”
The next day, everyone in the neighborhood were talking about the milk and our coming neighbor. With the decoration being finished, the family finally moved into the neighborhood. People came to help. I was extreme touched by this scene which was full in consideration and appreciation.
3 . When I was seven, my family and I were coming back from a T-ball game. In our driveway, we spotted two adult geese and a small gosling. The adults were frightened by our return and flew away, but their baby was still too young to fly and couldn’t follow.
Hours passed and night fell. The tiny little thing was wandering around our yard, unaware of what could happen, and it was clear that the gosling needed protection, warmth and food to make it to the morning. At that point, we had to bring him into our backyard.
We all pretty much slept with one eye open for several days. Each morning, we would try to rush the goose over to his parents, who kept coming back to our yard. He wouldn’t go to them, though, and they wouldn’t come close enough to claim him. The young goose had clearly decided we were his new family, and my twin sister Joanna called the little guy Peeper.
Almost a year passed and we settled into a routine filled with feathery hugs and company. One evening my uncle came over, and my dad threw Peeper up into the air to show he could fly around the house, but this time, Peeper just flew off. Everyone was very sad. Twenty years passed, and Peeper became a fond memory for my family.
In 2019, an aging adult goose made his way back to my home. At first, I assumed it was just another Canada goose. After two weeks of the goose coming back repeatedly, it became clear to me that this wasn’t a random goose. He did all of the same things Peeper used to, like trying to come in through the front door and sleeping in our enclosed pool area. Besides, this goose responded to the name Peeper. Much to my amazement, my old best friend had returned, 20 years later.
1. Why did the author bring the little goose home that night?| A．It couldn’t find its parents. |
| B．It was too fragile to survive. |
| C．It wanted to stay in the yard. |
| D．It enjoyed the author’s company. |
| A．Get. |
| B．Forgive. |
| C．Challenge. |
| D．Annoy. |
| A．She named the goose Peeper. |
| B．She set Peeper free on purpose. |
| C．She had a deep feeling to Peeper. |
| D．She trained the goose to fly daily. |
| A．A Feathered Family Member |
| B．The Return of a Long Lost Friend |
| C．The Reunion of a Goose Family |
| D．An Adventurous Journey Home |
4 . When my son was 11 years old, he got a small job helping out with a traveling carnival in our town. He didn’t come home at lunch time, phoning instead to tell me he was fine and had found a few days’ work helping out at an exhibit. He turned up for supper as usual however after he finished work.
I asked him how he had managed at lunch and he told me he had made some new friends at the carnival, some young men who were twin brothers, and their mom and dad. They had paid him a few dollars and invited him for lunch in return for helping them set up their exhibit and wanted him to return the next day to help with other chores (杂务).
I was glad he had found new friends but a little worried about the type of people who might be traveling in a carnival. “Oh, Mom, these are just normal everyday people like anyone else. They just work at a carnival instead of in a store or something”. “Come down tomorrow and meet them yourself,” he said.
So the next day I went to the carnival and to the exhibit he had directed me to. The twin brothers turned out to be Siamese (连体的) twins, joined at the chest. He hadn’t thought this fact was noteworthy enough to mention. When I brought it to him, he said, “Yes, I noticed that too. Do you know that their mom has to make all their clothes because it’s so difficult to find anything to fit them? They’re also really good cooks. Today, Joe, the one on the right, made me spaghetti (意大利面条) for lunch.”
What others see first in a person is not what a child considers important. Where I saw Siamese twins, he saw people having difficulty buying clothes that fit, and young men who were good cooks. It was a lesson I have thought about many times over the years.
1. From the first paragraph we know that .| A．the author’s son could live on his job at the exhibit |
| B．the author’s son disliked meeting his parents at home |
| C．the author’s son usually made his appearance at supper |
| D．the author’s son was good at communicating with others |
| A．they were content with his work |
| B．they needed a worker to do the chores |
| C．they wanted to treat him to lunch |
| D．they wanted him to help the twins with homework |
| A．she feared the people at the carnival were not friendly to her son |
| B．her son simply believed in strangers |
| C．she thought people traveling in a carnival were not so reliable |
| D．the carnival was not an occasion for children |
| A．Don’t judge a person by his looks. | B．It’s never too late to learn. |
| C．Love me, love my dog. | D．It is a matter of opinion. |
5 . Hunter Shamatt lost his wallet while he was on a flight from Omaha to Denver earlier this month. Upon realizing that his wallet was lost, he
Two days after the flight, however, Hunter was
Hunter’s mother, Jeannie, posted a photo of the
“I saw he was just a kid, 20 years old. He had a salary in there, and he’s
Brown says that he often tries to do good things without any recognition; that’s why he didn’t sign his
| A．ordered | B．checked | C．contacted | D．caught |
| A．Though | B．Since | C．While | D．Unless |
| A．surprised | B．amused | C．anxious | D．frightened |
| A．next to | B．except for | C．along with | D．instead of |
| A．search | B．detail | C．value | D．return |
| A．sender | B．wallet | C．package | D．letter |
| A．accepted | B．taken | C．sent | D．collected |
| A．identified | B．considered | C．introduced | D．known |
| A．agreeing | B．struggling | C．volunteering | D．deciding |
| A．thankful | B．careful | C．thoughtful | D．regretful |
| A．exchange | B．proposal | C．performance | D．action |
| A．remembered | B．assumed | C．admitted | D．imagined |
| A．address | B．mark | C．phone number | D．full name |
| A．questioning | B．disturbing | C．praising | D．surprising |
| A．faith | B．strength | C．appreciation | D．admiration |
6 . A woman professor was giving a lesson to her students on stress management. As she raised a glass of water, everyone in the class
Answers called out
Lost in
“Our
What you have to do is put all your burdens down, as
“More often than not, life gets terrible when we think too much. And the moment you
“So rather than feeling
| A．knew | B．agreed | C．expected | D．argued |
| A．Instead | B．Meanwhile | C．Besides | D．Therefore |
| A．full | B．little | C．heavy | D．much |
| A．replied | B．ranged | C．read | D．remained |
| A．weight | B．height | C．volume | D．size |
| A．holds | B．calls | C．takes | D．depends |
| A．finger | B．foot | C．arm | D．leg |
| A．higher | B．longer | C．deeper | D．further |
| A．thought | B．idea | C．plan | D．class |
| A．doubts | B．joys | C．stresses | D．surprises |
| A．carry | B．cover | C．hide | D．show |
| A．late | B．early | C．soon | D．fast |
| A．reset | B．reviewed | C．refreshed | D．reminded |
| A．catch up with | B．let go of | C．put up with | D．take care of |
| A．upset | B．satisfied | C．bored | D．confused |
7 . My mom, who was 95, lived in an assisted living care center in St. Paul, Minnesota. I drove up from Chicago one weekend for a
Her eyesight had grown
“Sure,” she said.
So I rubbed some Jergen’s lotion into her leathery palms and bent
“That feels good,” she said.
That was the
Those are the hands that
Those were the hands that
All I know to say this Mother’s Day is the same
“Thanks, Mom.”
1.| A．visit | B．tour | C．party | D．lesson |
| A．dark | B．clear | C．cloudy | D．rainy |
| A．increasing | B．slipping | C．developing | D．shining |
| A．brothers | B．sisters | C．sons | D．daughters |
| A．fell | B．shook | C．lost | D．burned |
| A．beautiful | B．dry | C．big | D．thin |
| A．toes | B．fingers | C．arms | D．knees |
| A．skillfully | B．quickly | C．violently | D．loudly |
| A．let out | B．drive off | C．pick up | D．put away |
| A．first | B．least | C．last | D．most |
| A．on duty | B．on time | C．in short | D．in person |
| A．caught | B．occupied | C．mixed | D．left |
| A．hatred | B．memory | C．love | D．interest |
| A．lifted | B．dragged | C．threw | D．put |
| A．ambitious | B．active | C．energetic | D．anxious |
| A．hatched | B．fried | C．rolled | D．painted |
| A．taught | B．criticized | C．motivated | D．pushed |
| A．curiosity | B．dullness | C．beauty | D．difficulty |
| A．long | B．wonderful | C．light | D．simple |
| A．friend | B．wife | C．colleague | D．father |
8 . Pet adoption is the perfect way to add a new family member. But if a pet is too young to be adopted, it must be fostered (寄养) first. That’s how a puppy named Maggie that was rescued by the North Shore Animal League America (NSALA), ended up being fostered by a sweet six-year-old boy.
The animal rescue organization in Port Washington needed to find a foster home for Maggie because she needed to be trained with basic obedience (顺从) skills and to become comfortable with a home environment. NSALA put out a call for a foster family.
Roman Duncan’s family was the lucky one chosen for the job. The boy fell in love with the puppy and was able to be part of her growth during those formative months. The family always made it clear to Roman that Maggie would eventually be adopted and move to a different home.
When it came time for Maggie to be adopted, Roman couldn’t hold his tears. He decided to write letters to the puppy’s future family. He wrote letters about his furry friend, saying “Maggie is so cute and loves to play fetch. She is the best dog ever,” and slipped the notes and some photos into Maggie’s paperwork.
The rescue team were surprised and then incredibly touched by the notes they found when opening Maggie’s file. NSALA made sure that Roman’s notes reached her adopted family. The boy’s gesture is exactly what pet fostering is about.
A dog or cat that has gone through terrible sufferings such as being abusing needs to learn what it means to live in a home. Fostering helps reduce the animal’s stress and makes it trust people again. It is also an opportunity for people who love pets but can’t have them full-time due to some restrictions. Pet fosters can get to enjoy helping a pet in need. If you are interested in pet fostering, contact a local shelter or animal rescue near you.
1. What happened to Maggie at first?| A．She was released into the wild. | B．She was settled in a new home. |
| C．She was saved by a rescue team. | D．She was fostered by Roman’s family. |
| A．To express his mixed feelings. | B．To preserve Maggie’s paperwork. |
| C．To choose Maggie’s future family. | D．To help Maggie adapt to new home. |
| A．The benefits of pet fostering. | B．The access to fostering a pet. |
| C．A homeless animal’s barriers. | D．The restrictions to adopting a pet. |
| A．Maggie Lives Happily in a Comforting Foster Home |
| B．A Boy Writes Sweet Letter to Puppy’s Forever Family |
| C．Pet fostering Plays Great Roles in Rescuing Lost Animals |
| D．Roman Duncan’s Family Adopts a new Family Member |
9 . There are many brands of chocolate. If you love it, you can’t forget Dove —the most famous chocolate brand. But do you know what the meaning of DOVE is?
Dove chocolate is born because of
Afterwards Bazaar was made to
A few days later, Bazaar got
Hearing this, Leon broke down in tears. If that chocolate had been
After lots of research, he succeeded and each piece of chocolate was
Nowmore and more people fall in love with this chocolate. Giving someone DOVE means sending the
| A．anger | B．sorrow | C．love | D．envy |
| A．gave | B．made | C．drew | D．heated |
| A．opinion | B．view | C．attitude | D．status |
| A．discover | B．forget | C．bury | D．struggle |
| A．know | B．accept | C．try | D．practice |
| A．sympathy | B．impatience | C．joy | D．humor |
| A．mixed | B．sent | C．wrote | D．pressed |
| A．allowed | B．promised | C．declared | D．expected |
| A．married | B．sick | C．bored | D．changed |
| A．repeat | B．bear | C．reduce | D．keep |
| A．supported | B．found | C．ran | D．sold |
| A．learned | B．recalled | C．heard | D．believed |
| A．annoying | B．confusing | C．interesting | D．melting |
| A．give in | B．give up | C．give out | D．give away |
| A．powerful | B．liquid | C．solid | D．frozen |
| A．belief | B．treasure | C．courage | D．chance |
| A．eat | B．preserve | C．miss | D．sell |
| A．quickly | B．happily | C．firmly | D．lightly |
| A．symbol | B．truth | C．survey | D．study |
| A．story | B．feeling | C．promise | D．whisper |
10 . Chen Xingrong, 16, was diagnosed with autism (自闭症) when he was a baby. After being diagnosed with autism, his father, Chen Xunhu, quit his job and devoted his full attention to the topic of autism. In 2012, Chen Xunhu learned that swimming could help autistic people improve their important ability and articulation (发音), so he spent months learning how to swim by watching videos and reading books. He spent several months teaching his son and discovered that his son had gradually developed the ability to control his breath under water, which significantly increased his confidence.
The father laid the groundwork for his son’s swimming lessons. Two hand rings and a swing are installed (安装) from the ceiling by the father to help Chen Xingrong strengthen his muscles and learn swimming movements more precisely. On one wall of their home hangs a table for Chen Xingrong’s routine exercises. “I used to plan all his exercises for him, but now it is all up to him. He decides how many exercises he wants to do, and it’s a process of self-management,” said Chen Xunhu.
In spite of all the hardships in life, Chen Xingrong managed to become an outstanding swimmer. In 2021, he won five medals, including a gold, at the 11th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the eighth National Special Olympic Games.
As well as swimming, learning basic life skills is also an important part of life for a teenager with autism. Thanks to his father’s perseverance (毅力), Chen Xingrong has learned to buy food and has held voluntary jobs at supermarkets and fast-food restaurants. Meanwhile, Chen Xunhu wants the public to know more about autistic people so as to reduce misunderstanding. He organized about 500 people to watch the autism-themed film, titled Ocean Heaven, which describes how a terminally (末期的) ill father attempts to teach his son the necessary life skills to live without him.
Chen Xunhu has made great efforts to make the public understand autism better and hopes all autistic people will live a wonderful life in the future.
1. Why did the father try to teach his son to swim?| A．To help treat his son’s illness. | B．To build his son’s confidence. |
| C．To bring out his son’s potential. | D．To encourage his son to start a hobby. |
| A．He preferred to swim at home. |
| B．He kept to a tight training routine. |
| C．He has got great rewards for his efforts. |
| D．He had difficulty in strengthening his muscles. |
| A．By organizing people to watch an autism-themed film. |
| B．By leading them to do voluntary work for autistic teenagers. |
| C．By showing the daily lives of children with autism in pictures. |
| D．By sharing his experience in teaching autistic children life skills. |
| A．Creative and brave. | B．Caring and determined. |
| C．Ambitious and demanding. | D．Optimistic and humorous. |
