1 . “Just sign here, sir,” the deliveryman said as he handed Oscar Reyna a package.
The package consisted of a long, narrow box
Oscar was 16 when he first saw the
Oscar
Oscar talked his grandparents into going by Mrs. O’Brien’s house on their way home. He rang the bell, the door opened, and an elderly woman appeared. “May I
“I’d like to return it if it’s yours,” Oscar said,
“Why, yes! It’s mine,” replied Mrs. O’Brien with a
“No, ma’am,” he said. “My grandmother says that a good deed is its own reward.”
“Well, that’s
Years later Oscar was staring at the finely carved handle of the umbrella as he remembered Mrs. O’Brien. It was in perfect condition, considering how
As if
| A．strictly | B．carefully | C．roughly | D．casually |
| A．Opening | B．Seizing | C．Observing | D．Searching |
| A．After | B．When | C．Since | D．Although |
| A．average | B．unusual | C．plain | D．typical |
| A．designer | B．seller | C．user | D．owner |
| A．convinced | B．forced | C．encouraged | D．advised |
| A．until | B．before | C．which | D．where |
| A．invite | B．help | C．bother | D．know |
| A．putting up | B．turning out | C．picking up | D．holding out |
| A．wide | B．confident | C．proud | D．shy |
| A．patience | B．kindness | C．courage | D．determination |
| A．obviously | B．naturally | C．exactly | D．probably |
| A．old | B．rare | C．precious | D．nice |
| A．in contrast | B．in return | C．in exchange | D．in answer |
| A．attractive | B．significant | C．unselfish | D．sympathetic |
2 . COVID-19 entered my life in the form of an e-mail. My friends and I were in a small café as I read that our university had been
It was three days later when the
I turned to my roommate and the
Things changed so fast, I felt like a
Then Italy went into a full lockdown and I was restricted to Venice. Two days later, I joined the few
I am taking
I have learned things that I could have
| A．torn | B．shut | C．pulled | D．taken |
| A．rudeness | B．sigh | C．sadness | D．reality |
| A．money | B．books | C．belongings | D．food |
| A．unbelievable | B．parting | C．greeting | D．beneficial |
| A．uncertainty | B．surprise | C．impression | D．inspiration |
| A．affected | B．trapped | C．screamed | D．starved |
| A．considerable | B．puzzled | C．upset | D．calm |
| A．leave | B．travel | C．stay | D．hide |
| A．fundamental | B．normal | C．messy | D．cheerful |
| A．cat | B．fly | C．fish | D．horse |
| A．combination | B．arrival | C．announcement | D．update |
| A．delivered | B．reminded | C．confirmed | D．achieved |
| A．respectable | B．modest | C．different | D．impressive |
| A．floating | B．remaining | C．wandering | D．exhausting |
| A．apply | B．measure | C．enter | D．stare |
| A．consideration | B．charge | C．care | D．advantage |
| A．devote | B．spend | C．waste | D．adjust |
| A．ever | B．thus | C．yet | D．never |
| A．why | B．when | C．what | D．how |
| A．block out | B．focus on | C．come across | D．refer to |
3 . For years, spring in our town was announced by Leon and Jo Martin, who owned the Dairy Queen. Every year, after their winter short-stay in Florida, they would post the words “Now Hiring” on their sign. I would walk past, see the sign, see Leon and Jo readying for their spring opening, and feel winter’s icy veil (面纱) lift from around me. It was as accurate an indication of spring as any calendar, and when they died and their children sold the Dairy Queen to someone who kept it open year-round, it threw off our town’s circadian (生理节奏的) rhythms something terrible. We’re still not sure when spring begins.
Well, that’s not entirely accurate. When the tool store on the west edge of town, where Johnston’s IGA grocery store used to be, stops selling snowplows and starts selling lawn mowers, that’s a pretty good sign winter’s ruling has loosened.
There are other signs of spring if one is watchful. The deer lighten in color, the dog sheds, the buds swell, the snow melts on the south hillside, and the calf appears, tied to its mother by bonds of hunger. The farmer casts the manure (肥料) upon the field, thoughtfully provided by the aforementioned calf and mother. Who needs a calendar when a calf is nearby?
Nothing seems impossible in spring — a cure for cancer, weight loss. Anything can happen, and often does. I proposed to my girl-friend a dozen times and was denied each time, so I waited until spring and raised the question a 13th time, and she said ‘‘yes’’. Engaged one spring, married the next.
1. How did the people in the town know the coming of spring?| A．They were told by Leon and Jo Martin. |
| B．They read the best calendars of the world. |
| C．They saw the shop-owner preparing for business. |
| D．They found Leon’s family coming back from Florida. |
| A．His gird-friend is rather stubborn. |
| B．It is not a proper time to lose weight. |
| C．One can only propose marriage in spring. |
| D．There’re signs to strengthen coming of spring. |
| A．Why I Love Spring | B．How I Know It’s Spring |
| C．A Year’s Plan Starts with Spring | D．Changes Take Place in My Town |
4 . It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The streams were long gone back into the earth. If we didn’t see some rain soon we would lose everything.
I was in the kitchen making lunch for my husband and his brothers when I saw my six-yearold son, Billy, walking toward the woods. He was obviously walking with a great effort, trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again, toward the house.
Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that slow purposeful long step toward the woods. This activity went on for over an hour: walking cautiously to the woods, then running back to the house. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me. I rushed out of the house and followed him on his journey.
He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked, being very careful not to spill the water he held in them. Branches hit his little face but he did not try to avoid them. He had a much greater purpose. As I leaned in to spy on him, I saw the most amazing site.
Several large deer appeared threatening in front of him. But Billy walked right up to them. I almost screamed for him to get away. And I saw a baby deer lying on the ground, obviously suffering from heavy loss of water and heat exhaustion, and lift its head with great effort to accept the water cupped in my beautiful boy’s hands.
I stood on the edge of the woods watching the most beautiful heart I have ever known working so hard to save a life. As the tears that rolled down my face began to hit the ground, they were suddenly joined by other drops. . . and more drops. . . and more. I looked up at the sky. It was as if God, himself, was weeping with pride.
1. Why did the author follow her son?| A．Because she was very curious. | B．Because her son was doing a good deed. |
| C．Because there might be danger. | D．Because she also intended to help them. |
| A．Rain was in desperate need at that time. | B．Billy carried water with his small hands. |
| C．There were few trees in the woods. | D．Billy walked into the woods again and again. |
| A．Enthusiasm. | B．Care. | C．Curiosity. | D．Shyness . |
| A．She was moved to tears. | B．She was sad about the deer. |
| C．God rewarded us with rainfall. | D．God was crying. |
5 . In most situations, the responses of bystanders (旁观者)like negative body language, uninvited comments or pieces of advice on a child’s angry behavior can add to the stress of the situation. But sometimes bystanders’ understanding, and sometimes their words or actions can make a positive difference. One mom experienced this first-hand.
This mom was obviously pregnant and traveling alone with her young son at the Los Angeles International Airport. Then things took a turn for the worse.
The boy, about 18 months old, according to Beth, a Facebook user, was running all over the place, kicking, screaming, and lying on the floor, unwilling to get aboard the plane. His mom did her best to calm him down, but Beth said, “She couldn’t pick him up because he was so upset. He kept running away from her, then lying down on the ground, kicking and screaming again.” Finally, the mom was at her wits’ end. She sat down on the floor next to her son, buried her face in her hands, and began to cry.
Then the most amazing thing happened.
A group of six or seven women, Beth included, circled around the mother and son and did something to help. Beth sang him the “Itsy Bitsy Spider”. Another offered an orange. Another gave him a toy she had on hand. Another helped get his cup out of Mom’s bag. Yet another tended to Mom by offering her a water bottle. With the help of these women, the kid and his mother calmed down and were able to board the plane.
And then life moved on. All of the strangers went their separate ways without speaking of what had happened. But Beth said it was something she’d never forget. “We were strangers, gathering to solve something,” she wrote. “It occurred to me that a circle of passers-by, with a mission, can save the world.”
1. What are the bystanders supposed to do according to the first paragraph?| A．Laugh at the parents. | B．Give parents some advice. |
| C．Comment on the situation. | D．Be kind and offer assistance. |
| A．Made up her mind. | B．Felt worried and totally at a loss. |
| C．Gave up and ran away. | D．Collected her thoughts and calmed down. |
| A．Alarming. | B．Exciting. | C．Romantic. | D．Warm. |
| A．Strangers can help out. | B．Beth, a great mom. |
| C．Women can save the world. | D．Let’s care for children. |
6 . An Indian official and his wife were giving a large dinner party. Their guests including a visiting American naturalist were seated in their dining room with wide glass doors opening onto a veranda (阳台). A spirited discussion sprung up between a young girl who insisted that women had outgrown the jumping—on—a—chair —at—the—sight—of—a—mouse time and a man who said that she hadn’t as much courage as a man.
The American watched the other guests’ reactions towards the topic and saw a strange expression on the face of the hostess. Her muscles contracted slightly and she whispered to the servant standing behind her chair. The servant left the room quickly and then placed a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors. The American remembered that milk in a bowl means only one thing—bait(诱饵) for a snake in India. He realized there must be a snake in the room and any move could cause the snake to attack.
“Now let’s play a game! I’ll count three hundred and not one of you is to move a muscle. Those who move will be fined fifty rupees(卢布). Ready!” The American said. Then the people sat just like stones.“…two hundred and eighty …” when, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the snake appear and made for the bowl of milk. Screams rang out as he jumped to shut the veranda doors safely.
“You’re a brave man!” the host exclaimed. “A man has just shown us an example of perfect control.” “Just a minute,” the American said, turning to his hostess, “Mrs Wynne, how did you know the snake was in the room?”
A faint smile lighted up the woman’s face as she replied, “Because it was crawling across my foot.”
1. Why did the servant put a bowl of milk on the veranda?| A．To feed other snakes outside. |
| B．To interrupt the heated discussion. |
| C．To relax the guests off nerves. |
| D．To attract the snake there. |
| A．Creative and critical. |
| B．Generous and humorous. |
| C．Smart and calm. |
| D．Environmentally—friendly and serious. |
| A．The hostess. |
| B．The American. |
| C．The girl. |
| D．The man mentioned in the first paragraph. |
| A．The American thought out a game for fun. |
| B．The discussing man would feel sorry for his comments. |
| C．The hostess was to blame for the dangerous incident. |
| D．The guests knew the fact and remained still. |
7 . It was a normal afternoon when Mom Araceli returned home from selling food along the roadside in Texas. While her back was turned, her 3-year-old son, Christopher, followed a neighbor’s dog into the
When they couldn’t find Christopher, the
When hearing the news, Christopher’s family
This is definitely an unexpected result. Even law officials believed that the child had a “guardian angel”
| A．room | B．woods | C．Park | D．barber’s |
| A．frightened | B．angry | C．panicked | D．patient |
| A．community | B．hotel | C．school | D．office |
| A．answered | B．looked | C．apologized | D．prayed |
| A．shortly | B．casually | C．finally | D．fortunately |
| A．recalled | B．believed | C．learned | D．required |
| A．volunteer | B．figure | C．friend | D．relative |
| A．ability | B．power | C．range | D．direction |
| A．amazing | B．amusing | C．risking | D．annoying |
| A．walked | B．rushed | C．toured | D．drove |
| A．freely | B．formally | C．slowly | D．tightly |
| A．examine | B．consult | C．thank | D．praise |
| A．respect | B．repay | C．encourage | D．contact |
| A．watching over | B．waiting for | C．looking through | D．calling on |
| A．reaction | B．connection | C．reality | D．rescue |
8 . When the dog Abby disappeared in Dothan, Alabama, all she left behind was her collar(项圈)and an empty tie-out line. June Rountree and her husband searched the neighborhood door to door for their missing 4-year-old black-and-white fur baby to no avail. Three weeks passed and there was no sign of Abby, then something unexpected happened.
June was working on the weekend at the Walmart register when she heard a lot of noise. Somehow, a dog had gotten loose in the store and was cleverly dodging(避开)the would-be shoppers and staff as she rushed through various departments.
“I was like,‘What in the world is happening?’” customer service associate Danielle Robinette said. When the dog arrived at June’s post,register No. 6, it was clear that she wasn’t checking out,but she was checking in. June could hardly believe it. The dashing dog was her long-absent Abby. “I called her name and she came to me,” Rountree said. “I bent over and hugged her. I completely lost it then. I couldn’t speak. I was in complete shock and just couldn’t believe it. ”
No one is sure where Abby was for the three weeks, but for a dog that had been on its own three weeks she was in pretty good shape. The Rountrees believe someone must have been feeding her even if they were unable to catch her, and they’re truly grateful for that.
Someone guesses that since June had been with Abby in the Walmart parking lot a few times, the dog might have recognized the location when she happened upon it in her travels. While we’re not sure where Walmart generally stocks(存货)happy reunions, we think it’s safe to say when Abby left the store to go home with her mom, she was one satisfied customer.
1. Where did June find Abby?| A．In a store. | B．In her house. |
| C．In a parking lot. | D．In her neighborhood. |
| A．June was lost in Abby’s departure. |
| B．June almost forgot Abby at that time. |
| C．June was afraid that she would lose Abby forever. |
| D．June was so excited that she was almost out of control. |
| A．She was caught by someone. |
| B．She was adopted by a new owner. |
| C．She went through very hard times. |
| D．She was fed by warm-hearted people. |
| A．The Magic of Kindness |
| B．A Heart-warming Reunion |
| C．Abby’s Love for the Store |
| D．The Pleasure of Owning a Pet |
9 .
I was cranky (崩溃的) a lot. I was
I was in the middle of a yoga class, and I felt like the
I
Slowly, I formed a new habit. "If you can't change a situation, change your mind" be-came my guide line for everything. Changing something
| A．Because | B．As | C．For | D．To |
| A．struggle | B．balance | C．work | D．play |
| A．fail | B．leave | C．lost | D．explain |
| A．proud | B．tired | C．glad | D．confident |
| A．get over | B．take over | C．go over | D．put over |
| A．before | B．after | C．since | D．until |
| A．effort | B．life | C．mind | D．plan |
| A．teacher | B．member | C．student | D．friend |
| A．dance | B．speech | C．lecture | D．song |
| A．to feel | B．feel | C．feeling | D．felt |
| A．wrote | B．went | C．break | D．back |
| A．measured | B．maintained | C．prepared | D．thought |
| A．badly | B．importantly | C．hardly | D．mainly |
| A．which | B．that | C．who | D．what |
| A．stress | B．effort | C．difference | D．kindness |
10 . Mr. Lang worked in a factory. As a driver, he was busy but his hard work was rewarding since he was well paid. His wife was an able woman and did all the housework. When he came back, she took good care of him and he never did anything at home. So he had a lot of spare time when he had a holiday. A few friends of his liked gambling and he learned it soon. Therefore, he was so interested in it that he almost forgot anything except gambling. He lost all his money and later he began to sell the television, watches and so on. His wife told him not to do it but he didn’t listen to her. She could do nothing but call the police. He and his friends were punished for it. After he came out of lockup, his wife asked him to kick the habit of gambling and earn an honest income. However, the man set aside what she said and his wife had no choice but to leave the family.
It was New Year’s Day. Mr. Lang didn’t go to work. He felt lonely and wanted to gamble again. He called his friends and they came soon. But they were afraid the police would come. He told his five-year-old son to go to find out if there were the policemen outside. They waited for a long time and didn’t think the police would come and began to gamble. Suddenly opened the door and in came a few policemen.
“I saw there weren’t any policemen outside, daddy,” said the boy, “So I went to the crossing and asked some to come.”
1. What kind of life did Mr. Lang lead before getting addicted to gambling?| A．Busy but rewarding | B．Simple but stressful |
| C．Determined and active | D．Empty and difficult |
| A．he wanted to make more money. | B．his wife let her do too much housework. |
| C．his wife left him. | D．he was affected by his friends. |
| A．her husband didn’t love her any longer |
| B．her husband refused to quit gambling addiction. |
| C．her husband had been put into lockup by the police. |
| D．she was addicted to gambling too. |
| A．this time, Mr. Long would completely stop gambling. |
| B．the boy thought the policemen would like to gamble. |
| C．Mr. Long would be put into lockup again. |
| D．the policemen would help the child’s mother to return home. |
