Grandfather’s Clock

In the dining room of my grandfather’s house stood a(n) 　36 grandfather clock. Meals in that dining room were 　37 for four generations to become one. And always that grandfather clock stood like a trusted family friend, watching over the laughter and story 　38

and gentle kidding that were a part of our lives. Year after year, the clock 　39 , a part of my memories, a part of my heart. Even more wonderful to me was my grandfather’s 　40 . He wound that clock with a special key each day. That key was magic to me. It kept our family’s magnificent clock ticking and chiming. I remember watching as my grand-father took the key from his pocket and opened the hidden door in the massive clock. He inserted the key and

41 　　 not too much, never overwind, he’d tell me seriously, nor too 　42 . He never let that clock wind down and stop. When we grandkids got a little older, he showed us how to open the door and let us each take a turn 　43 the key. I remember the first time I did, I

44 , to be part of this family routine was sacred. After my 　45 grandfather died, it was several days after the funeral 　46 I remembered the clock! The tears flowed freely when I entered the dining room. The clock stood lonely as quiet as the 　47 had been, hushed. The clock even seemed smaller. Not quite as magnificent without my grandfather’s special 48 . I couldn’t 　49 to look at it. Sometime later, years later, my grandmother gave me the clock and the key. The old house was quiet. The hands on the clock were 50 , a reminder of time

slipping away, stopped at the 　51 moment when my grandfather had stopped winding it. I took the key in my shaking hand and opened the clock door. All of a sudden, I was a child again, watching my grandfather with his silver-white hair and 　52　 blue eyes. He was there, winking at me, at the secret of the clock’s magic, at the key that held so much power. I stood,

53 in the moment for a long time. Then slowly, I inserted the key. It 　54 to life. Tick-tock, tick-tock, life and chimes were 　55 into the dining room, into the house and into my heart. In the movement of the hands of the clock, my grandfather lived again.

36.　 A. used　　　　　　　　 B. traditional　　　　　　　　 C. massive　　　　　　　　　 D. ancient

37.　 A. a time　　　　　　　 B. one time　　　　　　　　　 C. instant　　　　　　　 　 D. time

38.　 A. swapping　　　　 B. telling　　　　　　　　　　　 C. developing　　　　　　　 D. spreading

39.　 A. stroke　　　　　　　 B. sounded　　　　　　　　　 C. chimed　　　　　　　　　　 D. echoed

40.　 A. ceremony　　　　 B. routine C. movement　　　　　　　 D. instruction

41.　 A. moved B. wound　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. motivated D. powered

42.　 A. little　　　　　　　　 B. loose　　　　　　　　　　　 C. tight　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. much

43.　 A. using　　　　　　　 B. inserting　　　　　　　　　 C. spinning　　　　　　　　　 D. winding

44. A. nerved　　　　　　　　　　 B. excited　　　　　　　　　　 C. trembled　　　　　　　　　 D. shook

45.　 A. beloved　　　　　　 B. lovely　　　　　　　　　　　 C. respectful　　　　　　　　 D. respective

46.　 A. when　　　　　　　 B. before　　　　　　　　　　 C. until　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. till

47.　 A. function　　　　　 B. ceremony　　　　　　　　 C. funeral　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. meeting

48.　 A. reach　　　　　　　 B. attention　　　　　　　　　 C. fixing　　　　　　　 　 D. touch

49.　 A. bear　　　　　　　　 B. continue　　　　　　　　　 C. allow　　　　　　　　　　　 D. forbid

50.　 A. dotted　　　　　　　 B. stopped　　　　　　　　　 C. frozen　　　　　　　　　　 D. paused

51.　 A. precise　　　　　　 B. perspective　　　　　　　 C. previous　　　　　　　　　 D. primary

52.　 A. staring　　 　　 B. twinkling　　　　　 　 C. shining　　 　　　　　 D. glaring

53.　 A. thought　　　　　　 B. imagined　　　　　　　　　 C. recalled　　　　　　　　　 D. lost

54.　 A. renewed　　　　　 B. sprang　　　　　　　　　　 C. survived　　　　　　　　　 D. awoke

55.　 A. poured　　　　　　　　　　 B. crowded　　　　　　　　　 C. filled　　　　　　　　　　　 D. breathed

It’s summer movie time again. And heroes are ready to try their strength and magic on the silver screen. Check out our list of four films that look most promising to young audiences.

Notes:

① villain  n. 坏人

② knight  n. 骑士，武士

According to the passage, if you want to see a film whose leading actor is Jackie Chan, you will see the film on ______.

A. June 4    B. June 16    C. June 30    D. July 7

In Spider-Man 2, Aunt May’s trouble is caused by ______.

A. Peter Parker          B. Mary Jane     C. Dr Otto Octavius    D. Spider- Man

Which of the following films is set in ancient Britain?

A. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

B. Around the World in 80 Days

C. Spider-Man 2

D. King Arthur

It’s summer movie time again. And heroes are ready to try their strength and magic on the silver screen. Check out our list of four films that look most promising to young audiences.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Release Date: June 4 Story: It’s the summer before Harry Potter’s third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A shadow is hanging over Hogwarts. A dangerous murderer, Sirius Black, has escaped the Wizards’ Prison. And he broke out to fulfill one task to kill Harry Potter.

 

Around the World in 80 Days Release Date: June 16 Story: This version of the classic novel set in 1872 focuses on Passepartout (Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan), a Chinese thief who seeks refuge with a strange London adventurer, Phileas Fogg. Passepartout uses his martial arts skills to defend Fogg from danger as he travels around the world in 80 days to win a bet.

 

Spider-Man 2Release Date: June 30 Story: Peter Parker is still coming to terms with his dual identity as the crime superhero Spider-Man. He wants to reveal his secret identity to Mary Jane, meanwhile, his Aunt May has fallen on hard times. A new villain①, Dr Otto Octavius, has appeared to cause more troubles.

 

King Arthur Release Date: July 7, Story: King Arthur is presented as a clever ruler who manages to unite all the knights② in Britain after the fall of the Roman Empire. Under the guidance of Merlin and the beautiful, brave Guinevere, Arthur will struggle to realize his dreams.

Notes:
①villain  n. 坏人
②knight  n. 骑士，武士

1. 1.

   According to the passage, if you want to see a film whose leading actor is Jackie Chan, you will see the film on ______

   1. A.
      June 4
   2. B.
      June 16
   3. C.
      June 30
   4. D.
      July 7
2. 2.

   In Spider-Man 2, Aunt May’s trouble is caused by ______

   1. A.
      Peter Parker
   2. B.
      Mary Jane
   3. C.
      Dr Otto Octavius
   4. D.
      Spider- Man
3. 3.

   Which of the following films is set in ancient Britain?

   1. A.
      Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
   2. B.
      Around the World in 80 Days
   3. C.
      Spider-Man 2
   4. D.
      King Arthur

Many people thought 41-year-old Dara Torres couldn't complete in another Olympic games, but at the 2008 Olympic Games, she showed what persistence and experience can do for an athlete.

As a five-time Olympian and the oldest American 36 ever, Dara got three silver medals in   Beijing. Her victory was  37considering she had retired(退役) a second time after the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Not content with her past achievements, she would prove that  38  is only a number. At the Beijing Games, Dara raced against competitors more than 20 years 39 than her while competing in the 50 meter freestyle, 4×100 medley relay, and 4×100 freestyle relay, eventually  40  silver medals in all the three events.

Dara has 41  that she is far from a(n)  42  athlete since her first international race in 1981, While 43 the University of Florida, she earned a number of the NCAA All-American swimming awards. As the first US swimmer to  44  in four Olympic Games, Dara set three World records and won nine Olympic  45 , including four golds. Despite a seven-year break from  46  swimming, in the Sydney Olympic Games alone, Dara won two golds and two silvers, after  47  Dara decided to retire and start a  48 , but she dove right back into swimming. In the 2006 Masters Nationals, she amazingly 49 a new world record, just three weeks after her daughter’s 50. In August 2007, Dara won 51  National title and broke her own seven-year American Record in the 50 Freestyle. In July 2008, Dara  52  broke her record at the Olympic trials(选拔) in Omaha, where she  53  her spot on the Olympic team to compete in Beijing.

54  swimming, Dara is famous as a TV commentator(评论员) and a print model. She is the first athlete to  55  in the sports program in 1994. She is a feature reporter for Good Morning America, working on-air for ESPN and Fox News Channel.