Food is stronger than language. Growing up in Canada, my first __1__ was Cantonese but, as I entered school, my parents switched over to speaking English, __2__ me to this day with a dicey (不确定的)command of the dialect. But more than that, living in Canada and now Beijing means I don't have to __3__ with my original language. I do, however, have to __4__ like a Cantonese, avoiding jiaozi for yuntun and steak for steamed fish.

We are what we eat, not only in terms that __5__ our bodies but culturally. __6__ can be embarrassing. What 9-year-old doesn't remember the schoolyard teasing she got when she opened up her lunch bag __7__ to find a special treat from the "motherland" (heard in the USA: "Eew! You got a chicken's foot?" Heard in China: "Waah! You got peanut butter AND jelly?"). And as every fifth-grader knows, food can make you __8__ in the crowd or be a part of it.

Even for the third and fourth generations, they may not __9__ the mother tongue of their ancestors but they __10___ with their heritage through their traditions; traditions that centre around family gatherings and food.

We __11___ American Thanksgiving the other day and as__12__, had a roast turkey the size of a sturdy(健壮的) bulldog, mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts and pumpkin pie. But being Chinese, we __13__ the traditional bread stuffing with rice because, as everybody knows, you ___14__ going into diabetic shock if you don't have rice every four hours or at least that's what my mother always told me when I asked __15__ we couldn't have pizza for dinner.

（ ）1. A. challenge      B. knowledge           C. ability                  D. language

（ ）2. A. leaving          B. showing               C. giving                  D. leading

（ ）3. A. come up       B. keep up               C. catch up              D. take up

（ ）4. A. eat                B. drink                   C. play                     D. live

（ ）5.A. supply           B. support                C. affect                   D. build

（ ）6. A. Thought        B. Language             C. Fun                     D. Food

（ ）7. A. only              B. always                 C. happily                D. suddenly

（ ）8. A. stand up       B. stand out             C. come up              D. come out     

（ ）9. A. remember  B. tell                        C. speak                  D. say

（ ）10. A. confirm      B. consider              C. insist                    D. identify

（ ）11. A. celebrated   B. created                C. cheered               D. classified

（ ）12. A. usual           B. custom                C. normal                 D. culture 

（ ）13. A. examined    B. expected             C. changed              D. charged

（ ）14. A. keep           B. risk          C. stop                      D. suggest

（ ）15. A. what     B. when                    C. where                  D. why

Li Anqiang is a hero in his school for saving the life of a classmate during the Sichuan earthquake.?

He has a hero ,too： NBA star Kobe Bryant.?Even though the 17-year-old student of Beichuan High School in Sichuan has lost both legs, he hasn’t lost his passion for basketball because he loves the Los Angeles shooting guard′s skills.?

Now, he has a basketball signed by Bryant ,and words of encouragement from his idol（偶像）.

On February 27, Li e-mailed Bryant through the popular website Sina.com, expressing his admiration and asking for a signed basketball.?

"I can no longer stand up or run but I can still shoot hoops（投篮）from my wheelchair. I will not give up ,but will keep on playing because you are my idol."?

Li sent a picture of himself playing basketball from his wheelchair, saying： "I will keep the basketball in my room and look at it every day .It will give me strength. I want to be a real man ,a man useful to society."?

In his reply ,Bryant said he was moved ,and praised Li as a "strong boy whose attitude toward fate（命运）was amazing".?

He said he was happy that Li still loved basketball, and added he thought Li looked cool shooting a hoop from his wheelchair.?

Bryant said he hoped that all the people in the quake zone could be as strong as Li.Li was good at other sports like table tennis and swimming before losing his legs.?

Standing 1.74m tall before the quake ,the teenager now reaches 87cm without his artificial limbs（假肢）-but that has not stopped him playing basketball.?

Li′s mother Wang Fengqiong,36,said her son has been in high spirits ever since receiving Bryant’s letter and autographed（签名的）basketball.?

With his mind on good grades, Li gets up at 5：30 am every day to prepare for school .He also works hard at English before going to bed. That’s because Li has heard that Bryant might visit China this year, said Huang Peng , an editor at Sina .com.?

"He is studying English so that he can talk to Kobe," said Li Yong, the student’s 38-year-old father. "Kobe told him that ,like playing basketball, one has to practice to become perfect."?

1．Though he lost his legs ,Li Anqiang is still crazy about basketball because_____________.?

A．he dreams of becoming an NBA star one day ?

B．he has a basketball signed by Bryant?

C．he is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers?

D．he thinks it’s cool to play basketball from his wheelchair?

2．Before the earthquake , Li Anqiang was good at the following sports EXCEPT____.?

A．football    B．basketball         C．table tennis              D．swimming?

3．What’s Bryant’s attitude towards Li Anqiang ??

A．Pitying..    B．Admiring.. C．Indifferent..            D．Amused..?

4．From the passage ,we can learn that Li Anqiang is _______.?

A．ambitious B．easy-going       C．strong-minded               D．sorrowful?

5．Which is the best title for the passage ??

A．Li Anqiang′s story                   B．A brave boy?

C．Bryant’s basketball                  D．Reply from Kobe?

Li Anqiang is a hero in his school for saving the life of a classmate during the Sichuan earthquake.

He has a hero, too: NBA star Kobe Bryant. Even though the 17-year-old student of Beichuan High School in Sichuan has lost both legs, he hasn’t lost his passion for basketball because he loves the Los Angeles shooting guard’s skills.

Now, he has a basketball signed by Bryant, and words of encouragement from his idol(偶像).

On February 27, Li e-mailed Bryant through the popular website Sina. com, expressing his admiration(崇拜) and asking for a signed basketball.

“I can no longer stand up or run but I can still shoot hoops(投篮) from my wheelchair. I will not give up, but will keep on playing because you are my idol. ”

Li sent a picture of himself playing basketball from his wheelchair, saying：“I will keep the basketball in my room and look at it every day. It will give me strength. I want to be a real man, a man useful to society. ”

In his reply, Bryant said he was moved, and hailed(称赞) Li as “a strong boy whose attitude toward fate(命运) was amazing”.

He said he was happy that Li still loved basketball, and added he thought Li looked cool shooting a hoop from his wheelchair.

Bryant said he hoped that all the people in the quake zone could be as strong as Li.

Li was good at other sports like table tennis and swimming before losing his legs.

Standing 1. 74m tall before the quake, the teenager now reaches 87cm without his artificial limbs(假肢)—but that has not stopped him playing basketball.

Li’s mother Wang Fengqiong, 36, said her son has been in high spirits ever since receiving Bryant’s letter and autographed(签名的) basketball.

“With his mind on good grades, Li gets up at 5:30 a. m. every day to prepare for school. He also works hard at English before going to bed. That’s because Li has heard that Bryant might visit China this year, ” said Huang Peng, an editor at Sina. com.

“He is studying English so that he can talk to Kobe, ”said Li Yong, the student’s 38?year?old father. “Kobe told him that, like playing basketball, one has to practice to become perfect. ”

1. Though he lost his legs, Li Anqiang is still crazy about basketball because ________.

A. he dreams of becoming an NBA star one day

B. he has a basketball signed by Bryant

C. he is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers

D. he thinks it’s cool to play basketball from his wheelchair

2. Before the earthquake, Li Anqiang was good at the following sports EXCEPT________ .

A. football　　 B. basketball　 C. table tennis　　　 D. swimming

3. From the passage, we can learn that Li Anqiang is _____.

A. ambitious　　　 B. easy-going　 C. strong-minded　 D. sorrowful

4. Which is the best title for the passage?

A. Life after earthquake　　 B. Love for basketball

C. Bryant’s basketball　　　 D. Reply from Kobe

 

I remembered my mother as a strong woman. She came to America when she was 12 years old, old enough to remember her homeland, young enough to forget. While learning a new language, she achieved scores and grades high enough to be admitted to Duke University. With a degree in computer science, she finally became the manager of a company in New York. My mother could give fluent speeches, say “wolves” correctly.

     It was my mother who always stressed(强调) the importance of language. From the time I was born, I was read to. I would fall asleep to the sounds of my parents’ voices, either my dad’s soft accent, or my mother’s clear English. The flow of language was unbroken, and whether in Chinese or English, the stream of communication flowed through our house.

     One October morning in the sixth grade, after my mother had left to catch the train to the city, I left the house for the bus stop. I was surprised when I saw our car, the door hanging open. As I went closer, I saw my mother lying on the ground.

     In the hospital, it was hard to believe that the lady who lay before me was my mum. My mother couldn’t remember my name. As the leaves changed colors, it became clear that the accident had created a wall between my mother’s mind and mouth: her mind was not any less clear, but the words she spoke were not what she meant.

     The trouble my mother faced taught me the importance of language. Without it, stories can not be told; directions can not be given; relations can not be formed, and knowing about anyone is impossible. Without language, communication cannot take place. Without language, one can not express the beauty of a sunset or the kindness of a stranger. The world would pass us by in silence.

63. From where might the author’s mum come to America?_________

A. China     B. England     C. Russia     D. Canada

64. What can we infer from the second paragraph?___________

A. The author was taught to read since she was born.

B. The author’s father spoke English poorly.

C. The author couldn’t fall asleep without being read to.

D. The author’s parents taught her language by talking a lot.

65. The illness left the author’s mother unable to _________

A. think clearly    B. express herself well    C. speak    D. hear

66. What’s this passage mainly about?___________

A. A strong mother.               B. A family’s disaster.

C. The importance of language     D. The way of teaching language