John sent his mother expensive presents on his mother’s birthday every year. He liked to show her how rich he was.
"I must find something wonderful for her, and it must be the only one in the whole world. "John thought.
He advertised (登广告) in the newspapers. " Wanted—the best present for the woman who has everything. "
For many days his telephone did not stop ringing. People phoned him from all over the world. They wanted to sell him "the best present". But they did not have anything that was the only one in the whole world.
Then less than a week before his mother’s birthday, a man came to his office. He was carrying a cage, and in the cage there was a large bird.
"This bird, "the man said, "can speak ten languages and sing any pop song. There is no other bird like it in the world. "
"I will listen to it, "John said. "If what you said is true, I will buy the bird from you. "
The man spoke to the bird. "Talk to me in French, " he said. The bird spoke to him in French. "Tell me a joke in Japanese, " he said. The bird told him a joke in Japanese. "Sing a famous pop song, "he said. The bird sang a famous pop song.
"I’ll buy it, "John said. "How much do you want?"
"One hundred thousand dollars, "the man said. This was a lot of money but John paid him. Then he sent the bird to his mother with a birthday card.
The day after his mother’s birthday he phoned her. "Well, mother, "he said, "Is the bird wonderful?"
"Oh, it was delicious, dear, "she said.
【小题1】 Why did John send her mother expensive presents for her birthday every year?

首字母填空

Once there was a poor old woman. She lives by herself in a little house in a village. She didn^，t have m  1 money but she was very kind.

One day a young man named Bill came to her d  2  .He was very thin. He was very hungry and a 3 the old woman for help. The old woman said，“Come in and have dinner with me，but my dinner is only some potatoes.”They had d  4 together. After dinner，the old woman told Bill to t 5 some potatoes with him. He thanked her and left.

Ten years later，Bill came b  6 to the old woman^，s door again and gave her a bag of m  7  .She was surprised. Bill said，“Ten years ago you gave me some p 8.I grew some potato plants. From those plants，I grew some more plants. Now I^，m a r  9 farmer. But I never forget how k  10  you were to me.”

Denny Crook was a famous photographer. He traveled all over the world, taking pictures for magazines and newspapers, and won many prizes.
“I’ll do ___1___ to get a good photo,” he often said. “I’ll go anywhere at any time, even if it is dangerous.”And he told the truth. He had photos of earthquakes, forest fires, floods and even wars. If something interesting happened, Denny went to   2  it.
His wife often asked him to take her with him, but he always  3  .” I’ll travel for my work, not for   4 ,” he told her, “You won’t enjoy yourself, and I won’t have   5   to look after you. Sometimes there’s not even anywhere to   6  , and I have to sleep outside. I often don’t have a good   7  or a bath for days. You won’t like it.”
“Denny, I’m not a child,” his wife didn’t   8  , “I can look after myself. Please take me with you the next time you go overseas.”
Denny did not say anything, but he   9  about it, and when he was asked to go to Africa he said to his wife, “You can come to Africa with me if you want to. I’ll go to take photos of wild   10  there. It should be interesting and not too uncomfortable.” His wife was very   11  .
When they got to Africa, the first day she had a very enjoyable time. The next day Denny went   12   to find some lions to photo. His wife went with him, but soon they became separated (分开). She walked down one path while he walked down the other.
Suddenly, Denny heard her   13  . He ran back and saw her running toward him. A huge lion was chasing her.
Quickly Denny took his camera out of its case and   14   it at his wife and the lion. Then he shouted, “   15  , woman! I can’t get you both in the picture!”

Do you know what special birthday presents the German Chancellor Schroeder（德国总理施罗德）gave his mother?

In 1990, he took her to lunch in a Mercedes（奔驰）car for her 80th birthday.

Schroeder’s family was very poor when he was young. Once his grandma had to steal（偷）meat from their neighbors. That was the only way to give the family a good supper. His mother was very sad and cried about it. Young Schroeder held his mother in his arms and said, “Mom, one day I’ll take you out in a Mercedes.” Forty years later he made these words come true.

Schroeder gave the old lady a second special present ten years later.

His father died before he was born. He was killed in World War II. His family didn’t know where his grave（坟墓）was. So Schroeder gave his mother a map on her 90^th birthday. This map was very special. It showed where his father’s grave was. The old lady smiled happily at the surprising gift. Then Chancellor held his mother in his arms and kissed her face.

1.Where did Schroeder take his mother to lunch for her 80th birthday?

A．In a big restaurant.                      B．In his office.

C．In a Mercedes car.                       D．At home.

2.When did Schroeder say he would take his mother out in a Mercedes?

A．In 1990.          B．In 1950.           C．In 2000.           D．In 1948.

3.What special present did Schroeder give his mother for her 90^th birthday?

A．A Mercedes car.                        B．A grave.

C．A very special map.                      D．A big cake.

4.Who killed his father?

A．The war.                              B．His grandfather.

C．A driver in a Mercedes.                   D．An earthquake.

5.What can we learn from the passage?

A．Schroeder’s family was rich when he was young.

B．Schroeder’s grandma liked stealing things very much.

C．Schroeder was very young when his father died.

D．Schroeder has a strong love for his mom.

完形填空（共15小题，每小题1分，计15分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项中选出一个最佳答案。
Denny Crook was a famous photographer. He traveled all over the world, taking pictures for magazines and newspapers, and won many prizes.
“I’ll do ___1___ to get a good photo,” he often said. “I’ll go anywhere at any time, even if it is dangerous.”And he told the truth. He had photos of earthquakes, forest fires, floods and even wars. If something interesting happened, Denny went to   2  it.
His wife often asked him to take her with him, but he always  3  .” I’ll travel for my work, not for   4 ,” he told her, “You won’t enjoy yourself, and I won’t have   5   to look after you. Sometimes there’s not even anywhere to   6  , and I have to sleep outside. I often don’t have a good   7  or a bath for days. You won’t like it.”
“Denny, I’m not a child,” his wife didn’t   8  , “I can look after myself. Please take me with you the next time you go overseas.”
Denny did not say anything, but he   9  about it, and when he was asked to go to Africa he said to his wife, “You can come to Africa with me if you want to. I’ll go to take photos of wild   10  there. It should be interesting and not too uncomfortable.” His wife was very   11  .
When they got to Africa, the first day she had a very enjoyable time. The next day Denny went   12   to find some lions to photo. His wife went with him, but soon they became separated (分开). She walked down one path while he walked down the other.
Suddenly, Denny heard her   13  . He ran back and saw her running toward him. A huge lion was chasing her.
Quickly Denny took his camera out of its case and   14   it at his wife and the lion. Then he shouted, “   15  , woman! I can’t get you both in the picture!”