1 . Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers. Some years later, they ____ after having dinner together. They discussed the ____they gave their elderly mother who lived far away in another city. The first said, “I had a ____ house built for Mama.” The second said, “I had my Mercedes-Benz dealer（经销商）send a ____ to her.” The third said, “I built a beautiful ____ for Mama.” The fourth said, “You know ____ Mama loved reading poems and you know she can’t read any more because she can’t ____ very well. I met a ____ who had a parrot（鹦鹉）that can recite many poems. It took him 12 years to ____ it to speak and he earns his living by renting it out. I had to pay him $100,000 a year for twenty years,____ it is worth it.” On hearing that, the other brothers were ____ by his good thought.
After the holidays their mother ____ her thank-you notes, which read:
“Milton, the house you built is so huge. I only live in one room, but I have to ____ the whole house. It’s a tiring job. Thanks anyway.”
“Marvin, I am too old to ____ I stay home and have my foods delivered, so I’ll ____ use the car. The ____ was good, although not practical. Thanks.”
“Michael, you gave me an expensive building for 50 people to ____plays or watch movies in it, but all my friends are dead. I’ve almost ____ my hearing and I’m nearly blind. I won’t use it. Thank you all the same.”
“Dearest Melvin, you were the ____ son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken tasted so ____ I liked it very much. Thank you.”1.

A．fought

B．talked

C．studied

D．slept

2.

A．gifts

B．chances

C．wishes

D．challenges

3.

A．warm

B．big

C．safe

D．lonely

4.

A．book

B．bike

C．car

D．bag

5.

A．station

B．museum

C．library

D．theater

6.

A．what

B．how

C．why

D．when

7.

A．listen

B．feel

C．see

D．walk

8.

A．nurse

B．writer

C．businessman

D．lawyer

9.

A．protect

B．beat

C．raise

D．teach

10.

A．but

B．so

C．unless

D．although

11.

A．treated

B．impressed

C．threatened

D．hurt

12.

A．sent out

B．put up

C．took out

D．picked up

13.

A．sell

B．borrow

C．clean

D．visit

14.

A．learn

B．work

C．exercise

D．travel

15.

A．never

B．often

C．regularly

D．sometimes

16.

A．future

B．hobby

C．idea

D．program

17.

A．create

B．enjoy

C．bring

D．record

18.

A．lost

B．admired

C．remained

D．discovered

19.

A．same

B．last

C．next

D．only

20.

A．strange

B．unpleasant

C．bitter

D．delicious

2 . What Is a Boy?

Between the innocence of babyhood and the seriousness of manhood we find a delightful creature called a "boy". Boys come in different sizes, weights, and colors, but all boys have the same belief: to enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every day and to fill the air with noise until the adult males send them off to bed at night.

Boys are found everywhere--on top of, under, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around, or jumping to. Mothers spoil them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers love them, and God protects them. A boy is TRUTH with dirt on its face, BEAUTY with a cut on its finger, WISDOM with chocolate in its hair, and the HOPE of the future with a snake in its pocket.

When you are busy, a boy is a trouble-maker and a noise. When you want him to make a good impression, his brain turns to jelly or else he becomes a wild creature destroying the world and himself with it.

A boy is a mixture--he has the stomach of a horse, the digestion of stones and sand, the energy of an atomic bomb, the curiosity of a cat, the imagination of a superman, the shyness of a sweet girl, the brave nature of a bull, the violence of a firecracker (鞭炮), but when you ask him to make something, he has five thumbs on each hand.

He likes ice cream, knives, saws, Christmas, comic books, woods, water (in its natural habitat), large animals, Dad, trains, Saturday mornings, and fire engines. He is not much for Sunday schools, company, schools, books without pictures, music lessons, neckties, barbers, girls, overcoats, adults, or bedtime.

Nobody else is so early to rise, or so late to supper. Nobody else gets so much fun out of trees, dogs, and breezes. Nobody else can put into one pocket a rusty knife, a half-eaten apple, a three-foot rope, six cents and some unknown things.

A boy is a magical creature--he is your headache but when you come home at night with only destroyed pieces of your hopes and dreams, he can mend them like new with two magic words, "Hi, Dad!"

1. The whole passage is in a tone of ________.

A．humor and affection	B．anger and disappointment
C．hope and expectation	D．confidence and imagination

2. What's the meaning of the underlined sentence?

A．He has altogether five fingers.	B．He is slow, foolish and clumsy.
C．He becomes clever and smart.	D．He cuts his hand with a knife.

3. According to the writer, boys appreciate everything in the following except ________.

A．ice cream	B．comic books
C．Saturday mornings	D．Sunday schools

4. What does the writer feel about boys?

A．He feels curious about their noise.

B．He is tired of these creatures.

C．He is amazed by their naughtiness.

D．He feels unsafe staying with them.

3 . 假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
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：在错的词下划一横线，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。

In recent years many flowers shops have been appeared in our small town. It is common for people to buy flowers when they go to a gathering, visiting a sick friend, or attend a wedding or birthday party. I still remember clear one day last year when Tom, a disabled student, presented some flowers to his mother to express his gratitude for her. He owing his entire life to his mother’s kind and care. With her he would not have had the confidence or the courage to fight his disability. As a result the great effort he has made, he was finally admitted to a key university.

4 . When my brother and I were young, my mom would take us on Transportation Days.
It goes like this: You can’t take any means of transportation more than once. We would start from home, walking two blocks to the rail station. We’d take the train into the city center, then a bus, switching to the tram, then maybe a taxi. We always considered taking a horse carriage in the historic district, but we didn’t like the way the horses were treated, so we never did. At the end of the day, we took the subway to our closest station, where Mom’s friend was waiting to give us a ride home—our first car ride of the day.
The good thing about Transportation Days is not only that Mom taught us how to get around. She was born to be multimodal (多方式的). She understood that depending on cars only was a failure of imagination and, above all, a failure of confidence—the product of a childhood not spent exploring subway tunnels.
Once you learn the route map and step with certainty over the gap between the train and the platform, nothing is frightening anymore. New cities are just light-rail lines to be explored. And your personal car, if you have one, becomes just one more tool in the toolbox—and often an inadequate one, limiting both your mobility and your wallet.
On Transportation Days, we might stop for lunch on Chestnut Street or buy a new book or toy, but the transportation was the point. First, it was exciting enough to watch the world speed by from the train window. As I got older, my mom helped me unlock the mysteries that would otherwise have paralyzed my first attempts to do it myself: How do I know where to get off? How do I know how much it costs? How do I know when I need tickets, and where to get them? What track, what line, which direction, where’s the stop, and will I get wet when we go under the river?
I’m writing this right now on an airplane, a means we didn’t try on our Transportation Days and, we now know, the dirtiest and most polluting of them all. My flight routed me through Philadelphia. My multimodal mom met me for dinner in the airport. She took a train to meet me.
1. Which was forbidden by Mom on Transportation Days?

A．Having a car ride.

B．Taking the train twice.

C．Buying more than one toy.

D．Touring the historic district.

2. According to the writer, what was the greatest benefit of her Transportation Days?

A．Building confidence in herself.

B．Reducing her use of private cars.

C．Developing her sense of direction.

D．Giving her knowledge about vehicles.

3. The underlined word “paralyzed” (in Para. 5) is closest in meaning to “_______”.

A．displayed

B．justified

C．ignored

D．ruined

4. Which means of transportation does the writer probably disapprove of?

A．Airplane.

B．Subway.

C．Tram.

D．Car.

5 . A Love Note to My Mom

When I was a little girl, I would often accompany you as you modeled for fashion photographers. It was years later that I finally understood what role modeling   _______ in your life. Little did I know you were _______every penny you earned to go to _______ school.

I cannot thank you enough for   _______   you told me one autumn afternoon when I was nine. After finishing my homework, I wandered into the dining room where you were buried   _______   piles of law books. I was   _______ . Why were you doing what I do—memorizing textbooks and studying for   _______ ? When you said you were in law school, I was more puzzled. I didn’t know Moms   _______ be lawyers too. You smiled and said, “In life, you can do anything you want to do.”

As young as I was, that statement kept _______ in my ears. I watched as you faced the __________ of completing your studies, starting companies with Dad, while still being a   __________   and a Mom of five kids. I was exhausted just watching you   __________. With your words of wisdom in my   __________ mind, I suddenly felt unlimited freedom to dream. My whole world   __________. I set out to live my life filled with   __________ seeing endless possibilities for personal and professional achievements.

Your words became my motto. I __________ found myself in the unique position of being either the first (woman doctor in Maryland Rotary) __________ one of the few women (chief medical reporters) in my field. I gained strength every time I said, “Yes, I’ll try that.”

Encouraged by your   __________ , I have forged ahead (毅然前行) with my life’s journey, less afraid to make mistakes, and   __________   meeting each challenge. You did it, and now I’m   __________   it. Sorry, got to run. So much to do, so many dreams to live.

1.

A．found

B．played

C．kept

D．provided

2.

A．saving

B．making

C．donating

D．receiving

3.

A．business

B．fashion

C．law

D．medical

4.

A．what

B．that

C．which

D．where

5.

A．at

B．to

C．upon

D．under

6.

A．amused

B．worried

C．puzzled

D．disappointed

7.

A．roles

B．tests

C．positions

D．shows

8.

A．must

B．ought to

C．need

D．could

9.

A．ringing

B．blowing

C．falling

D．beating

10.

A．choices

B．chances

C．challenges

D．changes

11.

A．professor

B．doctor

C．reporter

D．model

12.

A．in danger

B．in action

C．in trouble

D．in charge

13.

A．weak

B．powerful

C．youthful

D．empty

14.

A．came back

B．closed down

C．went by

D．opened up

15.

A．hope

B．hardship

C．harmony

D．sadness

16.

A．constantly

B．shortly

C．hardly

D．nearly

17.

A．and

B．but

C．or

D．for

18.

A．description

B．statement

C．praise

D．introduction

19.

A．secretly

B．curiously

C．carelessly

D．eagerly

20.

A．doing

B．considering

C．correcting

D．reading

6 . Most Chinese people these days know what it is like to have an “English teacher”, since almost all pupils study English from their third year. Usually that first English teacher will be a young and lovely lady in primary school. But my first English teacher is no other than my father. Looking back, I can see that, when I was only a little girl, he created an English environment by providing me with flashcards，fun English- language toys and even dolls which can sing English songs! My interest in English had certainly been awakened (唤起) when I began to learn English at school. Just imagine, he went a step further and asked me to learn New Concept English by myself! I was puzzled and even angry. I could not understand why a father could be so strict with his little girl. All the same, he never gave up and he gently insisted that I follow through with his idea. At first, I read stories with tears and I actually hated them because they were too difficult for me. In the end, I came to love the funny stories and, to be honest, my father was always there with a helping hand. I am sure that my English would never have got so far without his support. And that’s why my father is not only my first English teacher but also my lifelong teacher. He is one who awoke my interest, and who gave me much confidence .
1. Most pupils in China begin to learn English________.

A．in primary school

B．from parents

C．at three years old

D．at home

2. The underline part ”no other than my father” in the passage probably means________.

A．like my father

B．not my father

C．my father himself

D．not only my father

3. From the whole passage we can see that________.

A．the girl preferred playing to learning English

B．the girl hates her father because he was strict

C．the girl is very thankful to her father

D．the father gave up after knowing his daughter could not understand

4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．The girl’s father is her first English teacher.

B．The girl had been interested in English before going to school.

C．The girl’s father was always ready to help her with her English.

D．The girl could have learned English well by herself without her father.

5. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．How I learned English at school

B．My father---my first and lifelong English teacher

C．The relationship between my father and me

D．I’ve made progress in English learning

7 . In any family with more than one child, children seem to naturally compete for their parents’ love and attention. Parents say they love every child equally. But is that true?
Susan, founder of a consulting firm in Chicago, interviewed 216 women and found that even though none of her questions asked directly about a parent favoring one child over another, about two-thirds of the women said there was a favored child. And             they also remembered their experience when they were young. One of the women said, “My mother always liked my brother better, and he got to go to summer camp in 1968 and I didn’t.”
Plumez, who interviewed parents with both biological children and adoptive children for an adoption book in 2008, found that what matters most is whether your temperaments(性情) are pleasing. “In some cases, parents would say they felt closer to their adopted children,” she says, “Some parents like the children with characters similar to theirs. Two people who are shy and withdrawn might get along well, unless the shy parent doesn’t like that aspect of themselves and they try to push the naturally withdrawn child to be more extroverted.”
It could be a result of gender, birth order or how easy or difficult a child’s temperament may be, but a parent’s different treatment has far-reaching effects. Students have found that less-favored children may suffer emotionally, with decreased self-esteem             and behavioral problems in childhood. Favoritism is a reason for the next generation not to like each other.
Experts say it is not realistic to say everyone should be treated equally, because no two people are the same and they relate differently to others.
“It does not mean that parent loves or likes one child more. It has to do with which one of them is independent,” says psychologist Laurie Kramer of the University of Illinois.
1. The study carried out by Susan shows that ______.

A．showing favoritism is common in many families

B．most mothers like their sons better than their daughters

C．only two-thirds of the women interviewed have more than a child

D．it is a favoritism that leads to absence of harmony in most families

2. The underlined word “extroverted” in the third paragraph means _______.

A．independent

B．outgoing

C．clever

D．brave

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Favoritism is not beneficial to the development of children

B．Parents’ favoritism to a certain child can’t be avoided in families

C．Parents may be favoring one of their children and don’t realize it

D．People are very much shaped by how they were treated by their parents

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Parents’ favoritism can affect children deeply

B．Why do parents show favoritism to children?

C．Parents should give attention to all their children

D．Building a harmonious family is important to children

8 . I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she said again, “is for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional(易动感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer, none came.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace. It seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told me that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work though she’d never been able to. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside — a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded(折叠) and refolded many times.
Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.
1. The writer began to love her mother’s desk _______.

A．after Mother died	B．before she became a writer
C．when she was a child	D．when mother gave it to her

2. The passage shows that _______.

A．Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter

B．Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done

C．Mother cared much about her daughter in words

D．Mother wrote to her daughter in careful words.

3. The world “gulf” in the passage means _______.

A．deep understanding between the old and the young.

B．different ideas between the mother and the daughter.

C．free talks between mother and daughter.

D．part of the sea going far in land.

4. What did Mother do with her daughter’s letter asking for forgiveness?

A．She had never received the letter.

B．For years, she often talked about the letter.

C．She didn’t forgive her daughter at all in all her life.

D．She read the letter again and again till she died.

5. What’s the best title of the passage?

A．My letter to Mother	B．Mother and Children
C．My Mother’s Desk	D．Talks between Mother and me.

9 . Dear Dad,
I was very upset when I received your letter. I knew you ____not like my results, but I didn’t realize you and Mum were so ____with me. This has made me____very carefully about myself, and now I____ how silly I have been.
My poor____have come from my own____ Of course, I want to do my best. I want you and Mum to be proud____ me, but somehow when I get to school I just can’t keep my ____ on the subject and I stop ____ the teacher. So many other things seem so much more ____, but I know that I must not ____the chance you and Mum have given me. If I don’t work very hard ____he next few months, I am going to get ____results. So I am going to study hard this summer. And I will show Mum anything____I can’t understand so that she can give me help.
I ____you will allow me to play some basketball. I think I need some exercise, ____ I will control the time I____on it properly.
If you want me to stop meeting Cindy, I will — but there is____serious. We are just good friends, and she often helps me ____my schoolwork.
Dad, I am really sorry I have made you angry. I’m going to try my best to____my study. I promise that I will make you proud of me soon.
Yours,
Jimmy1.

A．will

B．would

C．need

D．should

2.

A．angry

B．upset

C．strict

D．happy

3.

A．talk

B．speak

C．think

D．hear

4.

A．receive

B．believe

C．insist

D．realize

5.

A．results

B．memories

C．parents

D．friends

6.

A．stubbornness

B．carelessness

C．laziness

D．illness

7.

A．of

B．with

C．in

D．for

8.

A．head

B．mind

C．eyes

D．heart

9.

A．listening to

B．to listen to

C．hearing

D．to hear

10.

A．boring

B．dull

C．beautiful

D．interesting

11.

A．find

B．share

C．waste

D．afford

12.

A．during

B．at

C．through

D．until

13.

A．better

B．best

C．poorer

D．poorest

14.

A．which

B．that

C．whom

D．what

15.

A．wish

B．advise

C．hope

D．decide

16.

A．and

B．but

C．so

D．because

17.

A．spend

B．take

C．cost

D．pay

18.

A．everything

B．something

C．anything

D．nothing

19.

A．in

B．on

C．with

D．by

20.

A．develop

B．improve

C．interest

D．finish

10 . My grandmother was from a town in Michigan. Summer after summer, I enjoyed staying with my grandparents as a young child. I was from the city and loved the small town they lived in. People knew everyone, their kids, their pets, their ancestors. The bond with them continued to grow as I grew and they got older. Grandma was always using her hands for something exciting. She would make little sandwiches and we’d have tea parties. She’d make beautiful quilts for each one. I remember the small thimble(顶针) she would use while doing her needle work.
A few years ago, when Grandma left this earth, I bid farewell to a loving grandmother. How quickly our lives can change. We had just had tea together a couple of months earlier, on her 91st birthday.
I missed her very much. On one particular birthday, when I was feeling a little low, something happened to make me feel like she was sharing that special day with me. I was arranging some colorful pillows that she had made, and suddenly I felt something inside one pillow. It was small and hard. I moved the object to a seam(接缝) that I carefully opened, and to my delight out came a tiny silver thimble! How happy I was to find something that had been a part of her. Not realizing it had fallen off her finger, I pictured her sewing it in that little pillow that I just happened to place on my bedspead that day. I carefully laid the thimble alongside the others I’ve collected over the years, where I could continue to see the gift God chose to reveal to me. What a precious memory of a very special lady who somehow, I knew, was laughing in delight at sewing her thimble inside my pillow.
I made some tea, using my best china, as Grandma always did, and enjoyed my tea and Grandma’s thimble. What a wonderful birthday that was!
1. The author liked staying with her grandparents because________.

A．they often bought her some gifts

B．she was curious about people and things there

C．she could have tea parties and eat sandwiches

D．she could learn to sew quilts

2. How did the author feel when she found the silver thimble?

A．Sad

B．Proud

C．Lucky

D．Cheerful

3. It can be inferred from the passage that the silver thimble________.

A．was the item the author had been trying to find

B．was the most treasured possession of Grandma

C．was very precious to the author

D．was a birthday gift Grandma had given the author

4. What ihe best title for the passage?

A．A little pillow	B．Grandma’s silver thimble
C．My grandparents	D．My childhood