2 . Up to the age of ten, I did not mind at all the fact that my elder sister was different. The child psychologist had termed it as “Asperger Syndrome”, a disease that affects how a person socializes with others.

It was only at the age of ten that I started to become aware of my social life and self-image that I had carefully shaped. My sister, on the other hand, was socially awkward. She would mumble (咕哝) to herself and repeat the words she had just said under her breath. She, however, was academically capable, and hence we attended the same primary school. Despite this, I never, ever acknowledged in public that she was my sister.

Being in primary six, about to graduate, my sister and her classmates had to put up a performance, whether in a group, or individually. Due to her inability to integrate, my sister was the only one left without a group. “I’ll sing,” my sister told my parents, somewhat confidently. Hearing that, I was taken aback. How could my sister sing in front of the school? She would embarrass me, one way or another. “No!” I remember protesting. My parents shot me a look.

No one knows she is your sister. It is fine, you do not need to tell anyone. I remember telling myself these exact lines as I sat in the hall, waiting for the performances to start. The curtains parted to reveal the only solo (独唱) — my sister. It took about a whole minute for her to state her name and class and by that time, whispers were heard in the audience.

“Why is she taking so long?” people around me asked. I shifted nervously in my seat. Finally, my sister started to sing. I was prepared for the worst. She opened her mouth, and I was transfixed — she sang effortlessly. Her voice rang through the hall, beautiful in its power. I listened ever so carefully to the words that she had composed all by herself.

Guilt and shame filled my heart. Although she knew that I was embarrassed by her and was unwilling to attend her concert, my sister had forgiven me; she had never taken anything that I had done to her to heart. It was then that I resolved to love her unconditionally.

1. How did the author feel about his sister’s difference before 10?

A．He hardly accepted it.	B．He didn’t care about it.
C．He was extremely awkward.	D．He was determined to help.

2. Why did the author protest against his sister’s decision?

A．To challenge his parents.	B．To follow other students.
C．To keep his sister’s image.	D．To protect his self-respect.

3. What do we know about the author’s sister?

A．She always got full marks in primary school.

B．She refused to form a group with other students.

C．She gave an excellent performance before graduation.

D．She delivered an inspiring speech in front of the school.

4. What lesson did the author learn from his sister?

A．Take nothing to heart.	B．Love without condition.
C．Stick to one’s own choice.	D．Learn from anyone around.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why does Alison ask John to read the story?

A．To share her feelings with John.

B．To help John forget his trouble.

C．To advise John to talk more with his father.

2. What is the main idea of the conversation?

A．Parents nowadays are too busy.

B．Communication is necessary at home.

C．Family problems are hard to solve.

5 . When I was a small child, my grandparents would take me to blackberry_________. It was usually late August when the blackberries were fully _________. Grandpa would _________ us in his old truck. Being seven or eight at the time, I always enjoyed the trip as we bounced along to our _________.

My grandparents always chose the same _________. Wild blackberry _________ stretched along the roadside as far as the eye could see in both directions. Several hours of picking berries followed.

Nana _________ me not to eat any until they had all been washed but turned a knowing blind eye while _________ some anyway. I also helped myself to the occasional unripe red berry as I had a particular _________ for anything bitter. The fully immature green berries were too much even for my taste and were just __________.

When at last we were finished, the bright scenery had __________ long shadows and the afternoon had become evening. Grandad __________ a bag half full of berries back to the truck. Juice __________ slowly onto the ground. Nana would later make blackberry pies and fill several jars with jam. When I reached the truck, my __________ hurt from too much fruit and my hands were __________ dark purple. I always enjoyed those days.

1.

A．processing

B．canning

C．picking

D．preserving

2.

A．developed

B．ripe

C．fresh

D．prepared

3.

A．drive

B．fetch

C．move

D．transform

4.

A．journey

B．adventure

C．destination

D．purpose

5.

A．path

B．direction

C．route

D．spot

6.

A．bushes

B．branches

C．forests

D．leaves

7.

A．instructed

B．warned

C．encouraged

D．begged

8.

A．collected

B．gathered

C．picked

D．ate

9.

A．talent

B．taste

C．admiration

D．hunger

10.

A．tasteless

B．unbeatable

C．unpleasant

D．delicious

11.

A．took on

B．burst on

C．made up

D．turned to

12.

A．carried

B．filled

C．delivered

D．passed

13.

A．poured

B．bled

C．pressed

D．tipped

14.

A．throat

B．head

C．stomach

D．bones

15.

A．colored

B．washed

C．dried

D．coated

6 . Which is more important for parents, making more money to give the kids a better life or spending more time with them? It is a problem for parents and it is not easy to decide. A new study shows that today’s parents are spending more time with their children than parents in the past. According to the study, today’s college-educated mothers spend about 21.2 hours a week taking care of their children. But women with less education spend about 15.9 hours. Before 1995, it was only 12 hours.

Dads are spending more time on ball games. Before 1995, fathers with college educations only spent about 4.5 hours a week playing with their children. Today, it increases to 9.6 hours a week. For fathers with high school education, the time goes up from 3.7 hours to 6.8.

These days, parents don’t care more about the cleaning or the cooking. They are trying their best to spend time with their families. As for the kids, they don’t mind how much time their parents spend with them. They just want to enjoy the time their parents do be with them.

So, take part in the kids’ activities when you are with them, such as helping with homework or playing soccer with them.

1. How long do college-educated mothers spend taking care of their kids a week?

A．About 9.6 hours.	B．About 12 hours.
C．About 15.9 hours.	D．About 21.2 hours.

2. What can we know from the new study?

A．Women with less education spend about12 hours staying with their kids,

B．Mothers in the past spent less time staying with kids than mothers these days.

C．Mothers with college education are lazier than those with less education.

D．Dads spend more time staying with their kids than mothers do.

3. How long did fathers with college education spend with kids a month before 1995?

A．About 4.5 hours.	B．Less than 9 hours.
C．About 13.5 hours.	D．About 18 hours.

4. What do kids care about according to the text?

A．They care about how much money their parents can make.

B．They care about how much time their parents spend with them.

C．They care if their parents are really with them.

D．They care if their parents can give them a better life.

9 . 使用恰当的过渡衔接词连句成篇
我祖父经营他的诊所已经50多年了。他是我们村和周围村庄最有影响力的人物之一。他一直致力于用简单有效的方法缓解病人的病痛。他总是免费为贫穷的村民治疗伤病。他认为他所做的是值得的。
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