1 . I first saw a real durian (榴莲) in an Asian supermarket in Queens. That strange-looking fruit was big, heavy, and covered with sharp pricks (刺). I decided to buy one. The Chinese checkout girl carefully wrapped it thickly in a newspaper before putting it into a shopping bag.
On the train home, I cautiously opened the Chinese newspaper and lifted it out. Its strangeness made me think of kung fu, yoga and Taijiquan.
Upon arriving home, I dug out the biggest knife and cut through the tough prickly husk (壳). I tasted the pale-yellow flesh, delicious!
After that, durian was my favourite fruit. My skill at cutting durian open was improving. I showed the skill to my girlfriend.
A few years later, we moved to Taiwan. One day I noticed some durians had begun to open by themselves. The owner tried to get me to buy one but I shook my head, thinking it was far-gone. Instead I selected one whose outer husk wasn’t open.
The next morning I woke up to a strong durian smell. I found a small crack (裂缝) had appeared all on its own. I used the smallest pressure and tasted a more delicious durian. Suddenly, I realized something. I ha felt so satisfied with my own skill in opening the durian that I never thought about letting the durian open itself. The higher art was not in doing but in not doing — letting the thing happen on its own in the way it happens best.
1. Why did the Chinese checkout girl wrap the durian thickly in a newspaper?| A．To decorate the durian. | B．To stop the durian from falling apart. |
| C．To prevent the author from being hurt. | D．To encourage the author to read Chinese. |
| A．A strange fruit. | B．A delicious dinner. |
| C．Other passengers’ attention. | D．Some symbols of Asian culture. |
| A．He thought it was too ripe. | B．He enjoyed the selection of durian. |
| C．He wanted a chance to show his skill. | D．He preferred the durian with open husk. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. | B．Let nature take its course. |
| C．Interest is the best teacher. | D．Kill two birds with one stone. |
2 . Once, Sviatozar’s nephew came to see him. As a child, the nephew often
The nephew asked the old man to give him
With great
“At that time, you were unable to get here. This hill seemed an
“And the Everest suddenly
| A．searched | B．visited | C．approached | D．found |
| A．rarely | B．boldly | C．initially | D．intentionally |
| A．excited | B．annoyed | C．disappointed | D．upset |
| A．setup | B．pickup | C．setback | D．drawback |
| A．hand | B．advice | C．chance | D．fortune |
| A．instantly | B．gradually | C．slowly | D．hopefully |
| A．missed | B．ceased | C．determined | D．ignored |
| A．inspiration | B．pursuit | C．approach | D．difficulty |
| A．crying | B．moving | C．weeping | D．sweating |
| A．at work | B．in tears | C．in contrast | D．at ease |
| A．looked around | B．looked into | C．called on | D．called in |
| A．labeled | B．recalled | C．appealed | D．powered |
| A．accessible | B．achievable | C．impregnable | D．available |
| A．argued | B．inquired | C．distracted | D．continued |
| A．turned out | B．turned in | C．turned into | D．turned up |
3 . It was early winter several years ago. I had pulled out my old winter coat for another year’s use. It was still in pretty good shape although it was looking dirty from so many winters’ wear. I didn’t really need a new one but I wanted one and casually mentioned it to my daughter one day. She was such a sweet, loving girl that I should have guessed what would happen next. A few weeks later she gave me a new winter coat as a gift.
I put the old one in my closet and started to wear the new coat every day. Each day, though, when I opened my closet, something troubled me. It seemed a shame that my old but still good coat should just sit there keeping no one warm during the cold winter days. After a few weeks, I took it out and drove to a local charity shop. I knew that there was someone who couldn’t afford a coat but could get my old one.
My new coat is my old coat now. It is getting a little dirty and worn, too. It has black marks on the sleeves. It is in too bad shape to even donate to charity. I wonder if I should buy a new one soon, but I think I will wait for a while. I don’t really need a new one and maybe I can find something else to give to the charity shop instead.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Want is a growing giant whom the coat of Have was never large enough to cover,” Perhaps the best way to deal with our wants then is to give instead. Love, after all, brings us the most joy. And the more of it you give away, the more of it you have.
1. Which word can best describe the author’s daughter?| A．Thoughtful. | B．Wealthy. | C．Easy-going. | D．Hard-working. |
| A．It cost too much. |
| B．It was looking dirty. |
| C．It was not sent to someone in need. |
| D．There was not enough room for his new coat. |
| A．Telling his daughter. | B．Buying a new one soon. |
| C．Sending something else to charity. | D．Donating it to charity. |
| A．Love is the key to joy. |
| B．Giving fills our wants. |
| C．The more you give, the more you lose. |
| D．A coat is large enough to cover our wants |
4 . A father and his son were travelling in a car. The son was
The son said to the father, “Dad, the storm is very
“If you had done the same as those people, you would be stuck in the storm too,” the father said. The
| A．working | B．driving | C．reading | D．eating |
| A．narrow | B．awkward | C．strong | D．official |
| A．recommend | B．practice | C．allow | D．stop |
| A．pass | B．arrange | C．continue | D．exchange |
| A．write | B．buy | C．say | D．do |
| A．Keep | B．Remember | C．Imagine | D．Enjoy |
| A．use | B．read | C．see | D．feel |
| A．talks | B．jobs | C．games | D．cars |
| A．laugh at | B．care about | C．make sense | D．run after |
| A．clearly | B．carefully | C．rapidly | D．partly |
| A．bus | B．bike | C．storm | D．rain |
| A．only | B．still | C．even | D．again |
| A．hard | B．sad | C．great | D．lonely |
| A．curiosity | B．goal | C．courage | D．mind |
| A．friendship | B．happiness | C．destination | D．success |
A proverb (谚语) says, “Time is money”. But in my opinion, time is even
In a word, we should form the good habit of
6 . My passage into eighties a few weeks ago gave me a moment’s reflection and the thought that I should watch how others in this situation have been affected. After a while it seemed to me that the first 80 years are the hardest.
Once you reach 80, everyone wants to carry your baggage and help you up steps. If you forget your name or anybody else’s name, or an appointment or your own telephone number, or promise to be three places at the same time, or you can’t remember how many grandchildren you have, you need only explain that you are 80.
Being 80 is a lot better than being 70. At 70 people are mad at you for everything. At 80, you have a perfect excuse no matter what you do. If you act foolishly, it’s your second childhood. Everybody is looking for symptoms of your failures of the brain.
Being 70 is not fun at all. At that age they expect you to retire to a house in Florida and complain about your arthritis (关节炎) and you ask everybody to stop mumbling (咕哝) because you can’t understand them. (Actually your hearing is about 50% gone.)
If you survive until you are 80, everybody is surprised that you are still alive. They treat you with respect just for having lived so long. Actually they seem surprised that you can walk and talk sensibly.
So please, folks, try to make it to 80. It’s the best time of life. People forgive you for anything. In response to the question of what years were the most difficult, an 80-year-old responded “those between 10 and 70.” Life begins at 80.
1. According to the passage, how old is the writer now?| A．Eighty. | B．Seventy. | C．Sixty. | D．Not known. |
| A．They are often mad at him. | B．They make fun of him. |
| C．They talk loudly to him. | D．They offer help to him. |
| A．They are not respected by other people. | B．They are often forgetful. |
| C．They can’t understand other people. | D．They are afraid of death. |
| A．negative | B．serious | C．humorous | D．passive |
7 . He hurried around the room, touching everything he could reach. I followed, attempting to intercept (拦截) him before he reached the hallway. He approached the front desk and knocked over all the papers on the table. I assisted him firmly in collecting them. I sensed eyes watching me, judging my parenting skills.
I should have realised that arriving so early would not have been wise. It was my mistake to arrive early, as the long wait was difficult for my child. I kept searching my bag and found a ball, which finally attracted him. A couple waited for their child. They stared at me and my son, and I heard the words “out of control”. I could feel my face flush red. I wanted to tell them that my son has a disability and that he’s not being bad; he’s just having trouble waiting. I sat down and watched him play with the ball, and I tried my best not to cry.
The instructor called the group together, and my son went off to play sports with the other five-year-olds. I prayed that this time he would follow the rules. I closed my eyes and wished him to be okay.
“He’ll be fine.” I opened my eyes and looked beside me. “He’ll do great. You are doing great. You are a great mom. I can see it in all that you do for him,” a lady sat on my right said.
She told me about her brother and her parents and all that her mom did for her brother over the years. She told me about how he turned out great, got a job and lives on his own now. We sat and talked, and I felt the tension leave my body.
Before I knew it, the doors opened, and all the kids ran out, including my own, filled with excitement and pride. “I did it!” he exclaimed. I picked him up. I turned to thank the lady, but she was gone.
1. What might others in the waiting room expect the author to do?| A．Apologize to them. | B．Make her child behave. |
| C．Get out of the room. | D．Take her son to the doctor’s. |
| A．His own temper. | B．His mother’s love. |
| C．A physical disability. | D．Difficulty in waiting. |
| A．Her sincere attitude. | B．Her family’s experience. |
| C．Her brother’s suffering. | D．Her sympathy for the author. |
| A．True and kind words can change the world. |
| B．It is difficult for a child to behave himself. |
| C．Be more patient to a child with disability. |
| D．Wrong words will make the world worse. |
8 . My career as a chef started at the age of 25, but my
From my youth, I have had this passion for food. Growing up in Morocco, I witnessed the most amazing hospitality and
I remember as a young kid coming home from school to the
Food is almost as
In my kitchen, I try to duplicate (复制) smells and flavors that make me think about more than what I’m actually smelling or
| A．talent | B．passion | C．explanation | D．expectation |
| A．changing | B．ordering | C．preparing | D．searching |
| A．inspired | B．bothered | C．honored | D．amused |
| A．ask about | B．experiment with | C．learn of | D．shop for |
| A．biggest | B．cleanest | C．best | D．cheapest |
| A．wisdom | B．honesty | C．success | D．generosity |
| A．offices | B．houses | C．restaurant | D．hotel |
| A．art | B．signs | C．creation | D．smells |
| A．fruits | B．vegetables | C．ingredients | D．goods |
| A．delicious | B．useful | C．organic | D．convenient |
| A．nutritious | B．sufficient | C．emotional | D．suitable |
| A．reason | B．purpose | C．cook | D．story |
| A．kitchen | B．heart | C．source | D．point |
| A．tasting | B．chewing | C．touching | D．seeing |
| A．holds up | B．drives away | C．stirs up | D．depends on |
As the famous American song of the 1950s says. “Little things mean a lot.” To me, this phrase is becoming more and more significant as I get older and
One of these “little things” is nature. Most of us, even in urban cities, can find at least a little slice of nature
Another “little thing” that means a lot to me is my little balcony garden. It’s such
Nature is not “over there”, it’s right in front of us. Maybe it’s time to start focusing more
10 . In my opinion, my mother has the ability to do anything, especially chores such as ironing and cooking. However, teaching her how to use the Internet is as frustrating as untangling (解开) wires.
Once, my mother came to me to ask for help on how to find a recipe for all-beef Lasagna. I gave her very simple verbal instructions—go to the home page of a particular search engine and type in “recipe for all-beef Lasagna.” Fifteen minutes later, she came to me, telling me that she was unable to find the Internet icon. I went over to the computer and pointed out the icon to her.
Another fifteen minutes went by when I felt a tap on my shoulder. This time, my mother said that she was unable to search for the particular recipe. Gritting (咬) my teeth, I walked to her room again. I saw that she had typed “all beef La saga” instead. With frustrated strokes, I keyed in the correct spelling.
Yet another fifteen minutes went by again when my mother gingerly tapped my shoulder. I stormed next door without bothering to hide my frustration. The main page of the website had not shifted one bit. I then realized that she did not know how to scroll(滚动屏幕) down the page. What had initially seemed like an easy task was turning out to be an intense one.
To avoid being disturbed again, I decided to find the recipe for her. Without a word, I rapidly downloaded a few recipes, printed them out and passed them to my mother. However, seeing her embarrassment, I began to regret my impatience.
At that moment, memories flashed through my mind. When I was young, my mother endured my endless questions, enlightening me with much patience. Now that I am older, the roles slowly reverse. As my mother may increasingly need my help, shouldn’t I rethink how to respond to her needs?
1. Why does the author gave her mother very simple instructions at first?| A．Because she was an impatient person. |
| B．Because she didn’t want to be disturbed. |
| C．Because she wanted to make them easy to follow. |
| D．Because she thought it was an easy task to do. |
| A．Delighted. | B．Embarrassed. | C．Frustrated. | D．Impatient. |
| A．The author becomes more willing to help her mother. |
| B．The author’s mother becomes more patient to her. |
| C．The author’s mother doesn’t turn to her for help any more. |
| D．The author learns more recipes with her mother. |
| A．It’s never too old to learn. | B．Action speaks louder than words. |
| C．Patience is the mother of success. | D．Understanding means standing in other’s shoes. |
