Tom arrived at the bus station quite early for Paris bus. The bus for Paris would not leave until five to twelve. He saw a lot of people waiting in the station. Some were standing in line, others were walking around. There was a group of schoolgirls. Their teacher was trying to keep them in line. Tom looked around but there was no place for him to sit.

He walked into the station cafe. He looked up at the clock there. It was only twenty to twelve. He found a seat and sat down before a large mirror on the wall. Just then, Mike, one of Tom’s workmates, came in and sat with Tom.

“What time is your bus?” asked Mike.

“There’s plenty of time yet,” answered Tom.

“Well, I’ll get you some more tea then,” said Mike.

They talked while drinking. Then Tom looked at the clock again. “Oh! It’s going backward(倒行)!” he cried. “A few minutes ago it was twenty to twelve and now it’s half past eleven.”

“You’re looking at the clock in the mirror.” said Mike. Tom was so sad. The next bus was not to leave for another hour. Since then Tom has never liked mirrors.

1.The bus for Paris would leave at____________.

  A. 12: 05         B. 11: 55          C. 11: 30       D. 11: 40

2.Tom went into the station cafe because ______.

A. Mike asked him to have a cup of tea

B. he didn’t like to stay with the schoolgirls

C. it was quite early and he could find a seat there

D. he wanted to have a drink with his workmate there

3. ____________, so he was sad.

A. There was something wrong with the clock

B. Tom couldn’t arrive in Paris on time

C. Tom couldn’t have coffee with Mike

D. The train arrived late that day

 

 

Tom went to work late         the snowstorm.

A．because          B．for               C．because          D．because of

 

Saturday morning was bright and fresh. There was a song in every heart, cheer on every face, and a spring in every step.
Tom appeared with a bucket（桶）of white paint in one hand and a brush in the other. His Aunt Polly told him to paint the fence（篱笆）around the garden. It was ninety feet long and nine feet high. He felt very blue.
Then he had a wonderful idea. He picked up his brush and started to work.
Soon Ben came along the road. He was happily eating an apple. He stopped to look at Tom. Tom went on painting and pretended（假装）not to see Ben.
“I’m going swimming,” said Ben. “Do you want to go swimming, Tom? But I guess you can’t. You have to stay and work, don’t you?”       
“Work?” Tom said. “This isn’t work. I’m enjoying myself. Does a boy get a chance to paint a fence like this every day?”
Ben thought about this. Tom continued painting carefully. Sometimes he stopped, stood back to look at the fence like an artist, and then added（增加）a bit more paint in just the right place. Ben was watching Tom paint with great interest. He was getting more and more eager（渴望的）to have a try himself.
After a while, Ben asked Tom if he would let him paint a little. Tom thought about it, and said, “No, Ben, I can’t. You see. Aunt Polly wants it to be done well. Aunt Polly said that I must paint it with great care.”
“Oh, please, Tom,” begged Ben. “I can do it. I’ll be really careful. Just let me try. I’ll give you half of my apple. Well, I’ll give you all of it!”
“Well, all right, Ben,” said Tom. “You must be very careful.”
He gave Ben his brush with worry on his face but joy in his heart. He sat down under the tree, and started to eat Ben’s apple. All day, boys came to make fun of Tom, but they ended up staying to paint. When Ben got tired, Billy was waiting. He gave Tom a kite for a chance to paint. Then Johnny offered him a basketball, and so on.
By late afternoon Tom had got all kinds of toys, and the fence had got three coats of paint. Later Aunt Polly came to look at the painted fence. She was so pleased with Tom’s work that she gave Tom a large cake!
【小题1】Why did Tom pretend not to see Ben when he came and watched him painting?

A．He saw Ben eating an apple happily.

B．He tried to make Ben interested in it.

C．He didn’t want to go swimming with Ben at all.

D．He didn’t want Ben to share the chance to paint the fence.

【小题2】What does the underlined word “spring” probably mean in Chinese?

A．春天

B．弹簧

C．泉

D．活力

【小题3】What do you think of Tom?

A．Honest.

B．Smart.

C．Shy.

D．Stubborn.

Tom had once worked in a city office in London, but now he was out of work．He had a large family to support, so he often found himself in difficulty．He often visited Mr．White on Sundays, told him about his troubles, and asked for two or three pounds．

    Mr．White, a man with a kind heart, found it difficult to refuse to give the money, though he himself was poor．Tom had already received more than thirty pounds from Mr．White, but he always seemed to be in need of some more．

    One day, after telling Mr．White a long story of his troubles, Tom asked for five pounds．Mr．White had heard this sort of thing before, but he listened patiently to the end．Then he said,“I understand your difficulties, Tom．I’d like to help you．But I’m not going to give you five pounds this time．I’ll lend you the money, and you can pay me back next time you see me．”

Tom took the money, but he never appeared again．

1.Tom was now in difficulties because he ____．

A．worked in a city office and was poorly paid

B．was poorly paid and had a large family to support

C．was poorly paid and always spent money carelessly

D．was out of work and had a large family to support

2.Tom went to Mr．White for help ____．

A．twice a week                                     B．often on Sundays

C．always on Sundays                                               D．whenever he needed money  

3.Altogether Tom received             from Mr White．

A．at least thirty-five pounds                                         B．just thirty-five pounds

C．less than thirty pounds                                              D．five pounds

 

Saturday morning was bright and fresh. There was a song in every heart, cheer on every face, and a spring in every step.

Tom appeared with a bucket（桶）of white paint in one hand and a brush in the other. His Aunt Polly told him to paint the fence（篱笆）around the garden. It was ninety feet long and nine feet high. He felt very blue.

Then he had a wonderful idea. He picked up his brush and started to work.

Soon Ben came along the road. He was happily eating an apple. He stopped to look at Tom. Tom went on painting and pretended（假装）not to see Ben.

“I’m going swimming,” said Ben. “Do you want to go swimming, Tom? But I guess you can’t. You have to stay and work, don’t you?”       

“Work?” Tom said. “This isn’t work. I’m enjoying myself. Does a boy get a chance to paint a fence like this every day?”

Ben thought about this. Tom continued painting carefully. Sometimes he stopped, stood back to look at the fence like an artist, and then added（增加）a bit more paint in just the right place. Ben was watching Tom paint with great interest. He was getting more and more eager（渴望的）to have a try himself.

After a while, Ben asked Tom if he would let him paint a little. Tom thought about it, and said, “No, Ben, I can’t. You see. Aunt Polly wants it to be done well. Aunt Polly said that I must paint it with great care.”

“Oh, please, Tom,” begged Ben. “I can do it. I’ll be really careful. Just let me try. I’ll give you half of my apple. Well, I’ll give you all of it!”

“Well, all right, Ben,” said Tom. “You must be very careful.”

He gave Ben his brush with worry on his face but joy in his heart. He sat down under the tree, and started to eat Ben’s apple. All day, boys came to make fun of Tom, but they ended up staying to paint. When Ben got tired, Billy was waiting. He gave Tom a kite for a chance to paint. Then Johnny offered him a basketball, and so on.

By late afternoon Tom had got all kinds of toys, and the fence had got three coats of paint. Later Aunt Polly came to look at the painted fence. She was so pleased with Tom’s work that she gave Tom a large cake!

1.Why did Tom pretend not to see Ben when he came and watched him painting?

    A. He saw Ben eating an apple happily.

    B. He tried to make Ben interested in it.

    C. He didn’t want to go swimming with Ben at all.

    D. He didn’t want Ben to share the chance to paint the fence.

2.What does the underlined word “spring” probably mean in Chinese?

    A. 春天             B. 弹簧           C. 泉                 D. 活力

3.What do you think of Tom?

    A. Honest.          B. Smart.         C. Shy.               D. Stubborn.