As I sat beside the window of our classroom that afternoon, my heart sank further with each passing car. This was a day I’d looked forward to for weeks: Miss Pace’s fourth-grade, end-of-the-year party. I had happily volunteered my mother when Miss Pace looked for cookie volunteers. Mom’s chocolate chips were well-known, and I knew they’d be a hit with my classmates. But two o’clock passed, and there was no sign of her. Most of the other mothers had already come and gone, dropping off their sweet offerings. The three o’clock bell soon took me away from my thoughts and I took my book bag from my desk. I decided I would slam the front door, and refuse to return her hug.

But when I arrived, she wasn’t at home. I was lying face-down on my bed upstairs when I heard her come through the front door. “Robbie,” she called out a bit urgently. “Where are you?” I could then hear her rushing anxiously from room to room, wondering where I could be. I remained silent. Coming through the door, she said: “I’m so sorry, honey,” she said. “I just forgot. I got busy and forgot.” Then my mother did something completely unexpected. She began to laugh! How could she laugh at a time like this? I rolled over and faced her, ready to let her see my rage (愤怒). But my mother wasn’t laughing at all. She was crying. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I let you down. I let my little boy down.”

I was moved by her tears. I tried to remember her kind words from times past when I’d skinned knees or cut myself, times when she knew just the right thing to say. “It’s okay, Mom. We didn’t even need those cookies. There was plenty of stuff to eat. Don’t cry. It’s all right. Really.” We didn’t say another word. We just held each other. When we came to the point where I would usually pull away, I decided that, this time, I could hold on, perhaps, just a little bit longer.

1.The author was pretty down because ________.

A．he couldn’t go to the party he had been looking forward to

B．his mother didn’t turn up at the party as she had promised

C．his mother had refused to make chocolate chips for the party

D．the cookies his mom made was not popular at the party

2.When the author returned home, ________.

A．he was so angry that he slammed the front door.

B．he was silent and refused to return his mother’s hug.

C．he rushed from room to room looking for his mother.

D．he was so disappointed that he couldn’t express his anger to his mother.

3.We can tell from the story that _______.

A．the mother didn’t get to the party because of the traffic jam

B．the mother was sorry for her absence and laughed at herself

C．the author was a caring and thoughtful boy

D．the author was overcome with anger

4.The article conveys the message that _______.

A．it is silly to be angry with your family

B．everybody should keep his or her promises

C．true love is based on understanding

D．understanding how to comfort people in low spirits is a true skill

 

Monty Roberts owns a horse ranch（牧马场） in San Ysidro. He told us his story. As a senior, he was asked to write a  36 about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.

That night he wrote a seven-page paper  37 his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great  38 and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the  39  of all the buildings.

He put his heart into the  40  and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that   41 , ‘See me after class.’

The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, ‘Why did I  42  an F?’

The teacher said, ‘This is an  43 dream for a young boy like you. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. There’s no  44 you could ever do it.’ Then the teacher added, ‘If you will  45 this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’”

The boy went home and  46 it. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, ‘Look, son, you have to  47 your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very  48 decision for you.’

Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the  49  paper, making no changes at all. He stated, ‘You can keep the F and I’ll keep my  50 .’

Monty now owned a 200-acre ranch. He had  51 his plan for a 4,000-square-foot house.

Two summers ago that same school teacher brought 30 kids to camp out on his ranch for a week. When leaving, he said  52  , ‘Look, Monty. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream  53  . During those years I stole a lot of kids’ dreams.  54  , you had enough perseverance not to give up on yours.’”

Don’t let anyone steal your dreams.  55 your heart, no matter what.

1.                A．paper          B．composition     C．passage   D．notice

 

2.                A．reaching        B．achieving        C．continuing     D．describing

 

3.                A．excitement      B．detail           C．demand D．spirit

 

4.                A．relation         B．advantage       C．location   D．meaning

 

5.                A．project         B．work           C．house    D．painting

 

6.                A．informed       B．read           C．wrote    D．reflected

 

7.                A．recognize       B．own            C．receive   D．admit

 

8.                A．unbearable      B．unbelievable     C．unrealistic     D．unusual

 

9.                A．need           B．way            C．doubt    D．time

 

10.               A．see            B．retell          C．discuss    D．rewrite

 

11.               A．thought about   B．cared about     C．set about D．talked about

 

12.               A．keep up        B．show up        C．sweep up D．make up

 

13.               A．unique         B．wrong          C．wise D．important

 

14.               A．same          B．final           C．correct    D．suitable

 

15.               A．promise        B．grade          C．dream    D．word

 

16.               A．put forward     B．carried out      C．taken up   D．sped up

 

17.               A．constantly       B．strongly        C．guiltily    D．delightedly

 

18.               A．catcher        B．seeker         C．dreamer   D．stealer

 

19.               A．Gradually       B．Personally       C．Strictly    D．Fortunately

 

20.               A．Follow         B．Guide          C．Arrange   D．Concentrate

 

 

 Tom’s mother kept telling him that he should work harder, but _________ didn’t help.

A. he                         B. which                       C. she                D. it

 

The Man was very sad. He knew that the Cat's days were numbered. The doctor had said there wasn’t anything more that could be done, and that he should take the Cat home and make him as comfortable as possible.

A tear rolled down the Man’s cheek and landed on the Cat’s forehead, The Cat gave him a slightly annoyed look. “Why do you cry, Man?” the Cat asked. “Because you can’t bear the thought of losing me? Because you think you can never replace me?” The Man nodded “yes”.

“Pick up that piece of string from the floor. There, my ‘toy’. The Man reached over and picked up the string. It was about two feet long and the Cat had been able to entertain himself for hours with it. “Now take each end of the string in one hand,” the Cat ordered. The Man did so.

“The end in your left hand is my birth and the end in your right hand is my death. Now bring the two ends together,” the Cat said. The man did so. Then the Cat continued, “You have made a continuous circle. Does any point along the string appear to be different, worse or better than any other part of the string?” The Man inspected the string and then shook his head.

“Close your eyes.” the Cat said. “Now lick your hand.” The Man widened his eyes in surprise. “Just do it,” the Cat said. “Lick your hand, think of me in all my familiar places, and think about all the pieces of string.”

Licking his hand, he discovered what a cat must know, that licking a paw is very calming and allows one to think more clearly. He continued licking and the corners of his mouth turned upward into the first smile he had shown in days. He waited for the Cat to tell him to stop, and when he didn’t, he opened his eyes. The Cat’s eyes were closed. The Man stroked(轻抚) the warm, brown fur, but the Cat was gone.

One day, not long after, there was a new cat on his lap. She was a lovely white cat. It is very different from his earlier beloved Cat and very much the same.

1.Why did the Cat give the man a slightly annoyed look?

A．Because the man’s tears made the Cat really anxious.

B．Because the Cat didn’t know what made the man burst into tears.

C．Because the Cat couldn’t go to sleep when the man was in low spirits.

D．Because the man didn’t have to be so sad and concerned.

2.According to the text, which of the following is the reason why a cat licks paws?

A．Licking paws can make a cat remain calm and have a clear mind.

B．Licking paws will make a cat happy and energetic.

C．Licking paws will make a cat find out many unknown secrets.

D．Licking paws can make a cat stay tidy and healthy.

3.What does the underlined word “string” in paragraph 3 stand for?

A．Life.              B．Birth.             C．Hope.            D．Power.

4.What's the main idea of the passage?

A．Pets play an important part in our life.

B．Life has no end and death is just a new beginning.

C．We should take a positive attitude towards life and live life to its fullest.

D．It gives us some suggestions on how to relieve ourselves when a pet passes away.

 

The teacher was leaving the village, and everybody seemed sorry. The miller at Cresscombe lent him the small cart and horse to carry his goods to Christminster, the city of his destination, such a vehicle proving of quite enough size for the teacher's belongings. For his only article, in addition to the packing-case of books, was a piano that he had bought when he thought of learning instrumental music. But the eagerness having faded he had never acquired any skill in playing, and the purchased article had been a permanent trouble to him.

The headmaster had gone away for the day, being a man who disliked the sight of changes. He did not mean to return till the evening, when the new teacher would have arrived, and everything would be smooth again.

The blacksmith, the farm bailiff and the teacher were standing in confused attitudes in the sitting room before the instrument. The teacher had remarked that even if he got it into the cart he should not know what to do with it on his arrival at Christminster, since he was only going into a temporary place just at first.

A little boy of eleven, who had been assisting in the packing, joined the group of men, and said, ‘Aunt has got a fuel-house, and it could be put there, perhaps, till you’ve found a place to settle in, sir.’

‘Good idea,’ said the blacksmith.

The smith and the bailiff started to see about the possibility of the suggested shelter, and the boy and the teacher were left standing alone.

‘Sorry I am going, Jude?’ asked the latter kindly.

Tears rose into the boy’s eyes. He admitted that he was sorry.

‘So am I,’ said Mr. Phillotson.

‘Why do you go, sir?’ asked the boy.

‘Well—don't speak of this everywhere. You know what a university is, and a university degree? It is the necessary hallmark (标志) of a man who wants to do anything in teaching. My scheme, or dream, is to be a university graduate. By going to live at Christminster, I shall be at headquarters, so to speak, and if my scheme is practicable at all, I consider that being on the spot will afford me a better chance.’

The smith and his companion returned. Old Miss Fawley's fuel-house was practicable; and she seemed willing to give the instrument standing-room there. So it was left in the school till the evening, when more hands would be available for removing it; and the teacher gave a final glance round.

At nine o'clock Mr. Phillotson mounted beside his box of books, and waved his friends good-bye.

1.It seemed that the teacher _____.

A．was not getting on well with the headmaster

B．had lived a rather simple life in the village

C．was likely to continue to practice playing the piano

D．would get help in the city on arriving there

2.The motivation of the teacher’s moving lay in his _____.

A．ambition          B．devotion          C．admiration         D．inspiration

3.The boy named Jude may be described as _____. 

A．polite, generous and cheerful              B．active, modest and friendly

C．kind, bright and helpful                   D．calm, confident and humorous

4.In the passage the writer describes both the teacher’s _____.

A．love for music and his dislike for musical instruments

B．hard work in the village and his strong interest in city life

C．friendship with some villagers and also conflicts with others

D．eagerness to go to the city and his affection for the village