There is an old Chinese tale about a woman whose only son died. Sadly, she went to the holy man and asked, “What magical things do you have to bring my son back to life?”

Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said to her, “Fetch me a mustard (芥菜) seed from a home that has never known sadness. We will use it to drive the sadness out of your life.” The woman happily went off at once in search of that magical mustard seed.

She first came to a splendid house, knocked at the door and said, “I am looking for a home that has never known sadness. Is it such a place? It is very important to me.”

They told her “You’ve certainly come to the wrong place” and began to describe all the tragic things that had happened to them recently.

The woman said to herself, “I have had misfortune of my own. Who is able to help these poor, unfortunate people?” She stayed to comfort them, and then went on in search of a home that had never known sadness. But wherever she went, she found one tale after another of sadness and misfortune. She became so involved in other people’s sorrow that finally she forgot about her search for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that it had, in fact, driven the sadness out of her life.

1.Which of the following does the story lead us to believe?

A．Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

B．Time passed cannot be called back again.

C．You can’t feel happy unless compared with others.

D．You can’t expect to know the result until you have tried.

2.Instead of sending the woman away, the holy man       .

A．asked her to help him first

B．tried to comfort her with kind words

C．asked her to look for a thing that didn’t exist at all

D．tried to encourage her by talking with her

3.Leaving the holy man, the woman       .

A．was full of hope                        B．was filled with sadness

C．was determined to try again               D．became discouraged

4.The best title for the text would be “       ”.

A．A woman’s misfortune                  B．A nice surprise     C．The holy man’s faith D．Cure for sadness

 

I live in a big city with a lot of homeless(无家可归的) people. Luckily there’re small ways of helping them and you needn’t have a lot of   31 . One way to help is to buy their monthly magazine. By doing this one day, I got to   32  a young homeless man. He was often   33  the magazine at the train station.

He was a poor farmer from another country. After a while, I discovered that his   34  was close to mine. It   35__ that we were born in the same month.

I met him last year shortly   36  his birthday, and after congratulating(祝贺) him, without thinking, I asked if he had had a good day. He   37  and said that he hadn’t really celebrated(庆祝). I felt so   38__.

I just couldn’t help(情不自禁) thinking of this nice, young man being    39  on his 25th birthday with no presents, no cake, nothing! So I went home and looked in my yarn(毛线) basket.   40  for me, I had enough yarn left. I set to work and knitted(编织) a   41  for the young man. The yarn had become a little dirty   42  I didn’t knit very often. Then I washed the yarn so the scarf(围巾) would be clean when he got it.

I met him on my own birthday as I was going shopping. I had   43  to meet him so I had carried the scarf and a piece of my own birthday   44  around with me. He was very happy with these gifts and so was I. The   45  in his eyes was the best present he could have given me!

1. A．work B．energy C．money D．power

2. A．realize B．ignore C．know D．understand

3. A．selling B．reading C．covering D．buying

4. A．birthday B．house C．height D．hobby

5. A．said B．found C．guessed D．meant

6. A．on B．at C．before D．after

7. A．looked up B．turned up C．looked down D．got down

8. A．foolish B．excited C．clever D．worried

9. A．calm B．happy C．alone D．hungry

10. A．Suddenly B．Luckily C．Badly D．However

11. A．scarf B．cap C．sock D．glove

12. A．when B．because C．so D．and

13. A．liked B．hoped C．promised D．agreed

14. A．cake B．present C．song D．party

15. A．light B．pain C．sight D．fire

 

Another secret of animals’ survival is telepathy（心灵感应）. This sense becomes atrophied（衰退） in man, but a(n)   1  thought-communication functions in animals. Elsa, the lioness, frequently    2    when George and I intended to visit her camp, even though it    3   180 miles from our home in Isiolo. On most     4    when we made our irregular visit she was waiting for us. By following the spoor（野兽的足迹），we     5    that she had sometimes walked 50 or 60 miles to meet us.

The same thing    6   when I took Elsa’s sisters to Nairobi to be flown to the Rotterdam zoo, Elsa’s zoo. Elsa stayed behind with George in Isiolo 180 miles     7    . He did not know when I was coming back, no person knew. But Elsa knew. On the morning of my     8    she sat down at the entrance and wouldn’t make any     9    until I arrived in the evening.

I have known this kind of thought-communication with the animal with whom I’ve lived. When Elsa died, I woke in the night, knowing what had happened, even though I was several miles away. The same thing     10    later with one of Pippa’s cubs.

I don’t     11    this sensitivity with my own kind. Feel far more in tune with what is going on when I am in the bush than when I am in London on Nairobi. We don’t know much yet about this telepathy from which gland（腺体） it comes, or how it    12   . But if men could awaken or    13    it in themselves, and then cooperate by trusting each other,    14     fearing and treating one another    15   , the world would be a far better place.

1.A. extremely  B. completely    C. thoroughly    D. definitely

2.A. sensed       B. aware   C. feels      D. concerns

3.A. lay      B. lies        C. located D. stood

4.A. case   B. conditions     C. occasions      D. situations

5.A. discussed   B. dismissed      C. discovered    D. distrusted

6.A. happened  B. broken out    C. replaced        D. took over

7.A. far      B. farther  C. away     D. far from

8.A. turn   B. return   C. reality   D. reappear

9.A. emotions   B. feelings          C. exchanges     D. movement

10.A.burst forth         B. burst     C. appeared      D. occurred

11.A. command         B. confirm          C. possess D. prohibit

12.A. starts        B. comprehends        C. manufactures        D. works

13.A. create      B. plant     C. cultivate        D. produce

14.A. rather than       B. other than     C. would rather          D. or rather

15.A.suspiciously       B. suspecting     C. prosperously         D. doubtfully

 

My father had always been an alert observer of human character. Within seconds of meeting someone, he could sum up their strengths and weaknesses. It was always a challenge to see if any of my boyfriends could pass Dad’s test. None did. Dad was always right---they didn’t pass my test either. After Dad died, I wondered how I’d figure it out on my own.

That’s when Jack arrived on the scene. He was different from any other guy I’d dated. He could sit for hours on the piano bench with my mother, discussing some composers. My brother Rick loudly announced that Jack wasn’t a turkey like the other guys I’d brought home. Jack passed my family’s test. But what about Dad’s?

Then came my mother’s birthday. The day he was supposed to drive, I got a call. “Don’t worry,” he said, “but I’ve been in an accident. I’m fine, but I need you to pick me up.”

When I got there, we rushed to a flower shop for something for Mom. “How about gardenias?” Jack said, pointing at a beautiful white corsage(胸花). The florist put the corsage in a box.

The entire ride, Jack was unusually quiet. “Are you all right?” I asked. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” he said. “I might be moving.” Moving? Then he added, “Moving in with you.” I nearly put the car on the sidewalk. “What?” I asked. “I think we should get married,” he said. He told me he’d planned his proposal in a fancy restaurant, but after the accident, he decided to do it right away. “Yes,” I whispered. We both sat dumbfounded, tears running down our cheeks. I’d never known such a tender moment. If only Dad were here to give his final approval.

“Oh, let’s just go inside.” Jack laughed. My mother opened the door. “Happy Birthday!” we shouted. Jack handed the box to her. She opened it up. Suddenly, her eyes were filled with tears. “Mom, what’s wrong?” I asked. “I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her eyes. “This is only the second gardenia corsage I’ve ever received. I was given one years ago, long before you kids were born.” “From who? ” I asked. “Your father,” Mom said. “He gave me one right before we were engaged.” My eyes locked on Jack’s as I blinked away(眨掉) tears. Dad’s test? I knew Jack had passed.

1. According to the text, we know the writer’s father was __________.

A．interested in observing things around

B．good at judging one’s character

C．strict with her boyfriend

D．fond of challenges

2.What is the main idea of Paragraph 2?

A．Jack got the family’s approval except Dad’s.

B．Jack was different from any other boy.

C．Jack was getting on well with Mother.

D．Jack knew a lot about piano.

3.The underlined word “proposal” in Paragraph 5 means __________.

A．piece of advice                         B．wedding ceremony

C．celebration of birthday                   D．offer of marriage

4.On hearing “moving in with you”, the writer felt __________.

A．pleased                               B．worried

C．surprised                             D．disappointed

5. Why did the writer’s mother cry?

A．The gift was the same as the one her husband gave her.

B．She had never received such a beautiful gift.

C．Her daughter found her life partner at last.

D．The gardenia corsage was too expensive.

 

Technology has totally transformed our ability to communicate with each other. Linking to each other both literally and figuratively, many of us connect through cell phones, email, instant messaging, blogs, and networking web sites, yet we may be less connected to each other than we think.

According to a study, Americans are becoming increasingly socially isolated(孤立的). The study suggests, for example, that one quarter of Americans say that they have no one to discuss important personal issues with, and that the number of close friends that Americans have has dropped from three to two. Meanwhile, the Boston Globe reports that this spreading isolation is experienced more sharply among those with less education, people of color, and older Americans. Unsurprisingly, those who are young, white, and well educated tend to have stronger social networks.

From my own experience I have to say that I’ve never felt more connected, thanks to a web of friends, family, and colleagues. One of my closest friends is someone I met through an online discussion group who lives hundreds of miles away from me. We have met face-to-face only twice, yet our regular electronic correspondence and cell phone calls maintain our close friendship. And, speaking of blogging, my blog has introduced me to people I would never have met otherwise and has led to enduring and important friendships.

On the other hand, I recently saw a scene unfold that proved to me how deeply disconnected we as Americans have become. I had just wrapped up a presentation on mediation at a family therapy (治疗) center.

As I was leaving, I noticed a mother and her teenage son who had just completed their session with their family therapist. After making their next appointment, they both took out their cell phones, placed calls, and began loud conversations with whoever was on the other end. I walked out behind them to the parking lot to my car. They both jumped into their cars, and, as I saw them drive off, they were still talking on their cell phones but not to each other.

1.What does the passage lead you to believe?

A．Americans are more socially isolated today.

B．Americans are more socially connected today.

C．Americans don’t make good use of technology.

D．Technology plays a bigger role in American society.

2.Which of the following has nothing to do with the isolation among Americans?

A．Sex.              B．Education.         C．Skin color.         D．Age.

3.What is true about the mother and son in the passage?

A．They came for therapy in the same car.

B．They were quite close to each other.

C．There was not much communication between them.

D．They preferred talking to each other on cell phones.

4.What can we learn from the passage?

A．The writer is totally against the modern technology.

B．The mother and the son have finished their family therapist and get a better relationship.

C．As far as the writer is concerned, he has benefited a lot from the modern technology.

D．Those black and well-educated people have stronger social network than aged white people.