Two weeks before Christmas，Mother told me we were going to my grandmother's house for the holiday.Grandma and Uncle Henry lived on a farm some 15 miles out of town.They had no electricity or running water and__1__what I considered the “good things” in life.They__2__made no plans for Christmas.When Christmas Eve arrived，Mom told me in her “I-mean-it” voice to__3__all the decorations(装饰物)from our tree.She packed those up，__4__all the trimmings(配料)for a __5__turkey dinner.

Christmas morning__6__perfectly，with the sun shining brightly across a fresh blanket of snow.__7__I sulked(生气)silently in the backseat of the car as we made our__8__to grandma's.This was going to be the __9__Christmas ever!

Grandma was__10__to see us as we walked up to her door.“What on earth are you doing here？”she stammered.“We weren't expecting__11__.It's Christmas，and I don't even have a turkey to cook for you.”“I knew__12__.”Mom said as we set boxes of goodies on the kitchen table.“That's__13__we brought one with us.”“We__14__have a tree，”Mom insisted.“__15__，what will we do with all these decorations？”

Uncle Henry quickly caught Mom's spirit.He called me to join him，and we found a perfect Christmas tree in the woods.Soon the house __16__fresh and piney as we decorated the tree，and the day__17__a festive air.The turkey dinner was very good，too.I was actually beginning to enjoy this unusual Christmas day!

Dessert was forgotten__18__Mom came out with the final surprise—a flaming(燃烧的)pudding! “Merry Christmas，Mother，”Mom said.“Dear me！” Grandma gasped.“I haven't seen a flaming pudding since I left England before I was married.”Tears of__19__filled her eyes.

I could not keep the tears__20__my eyes，either.I knew then that Mom had also given me the best Christmas present ever—she had taught me what a beautiful thing it is to give.

1．A.prepared 　 B．lacked C．refused D．desired

2．A.also 　 B．still C．never 　 D．hardly

3．A.replace 　　 B．collect C．remove D．show

4．A.instead of B．by the side of C．along with 　 D．in spite of

5．A.normal 　　 B．complete C．fresh 　　 D．separate

6．A.dawned 　　 B．passed C．broke 　 D．happened

7．A.But 　 B．So C．And 　　 D．Then

8．A.decision 　　 B．way C．wish 　　 D．plan

9．A.last 　 B．busiest C．best 　　 D．worst

10．A.expected B．eager C．surprised 　　 D．ready

11．A.anyone 　　 B．others C．someone 　　 D．no one

12．A.you B．it C．that 　　　 D．this

13．A.how B．why C．where 　 D．when

14．A.may B．will C．can 　　　 D．must

15．A.Meanwhile 　　 B．ThereforeC．However 　　 D．Otherwise

16．A.improved B．smelled C．became D．changed

17．A.showed up 　　 B．carried on

18．A.until B．after C．because D．unless

19．A.sadness 　 B．joy C．regret 　 D．worry

20．A.inside 　　 B．back C．into 　　　 D．from

I was waiting for a phone call from my agent. He had left a message the night before, telling me that my show was to be canceled. I called him several times, but each time his secretary told me that he was in a meeting and that he would call me later. So I waited and waited, but there was still no call. Three hours passing by, I became more and more impatient. I was certain that my agent didn’t care about my work, and he didn't care about me. I was overcome with that thought. I started to shout at the phone, "Let me wait, will you? Who do you think you are?"

??? At that time I didn't realize my wife was looking on. Without showing her surprise, she rushed in, seized the phone, tore off the wires, and shouted at the phone, "Yeah! Who do you think you are? Bad telephone! Bad telephone!" And she swept it into the wastebasket.

??? I stood watching her, speechless. What on earth?

??? She stepped to the doorway and shouted at the rest of the house, "Now hear this! All objects in this room—if you do anything to upset my husband, out you go!"

??? Then she turned to me, kissed me, and said calmly, "Honey, you just have to learn how to take control." With that, she left the room.

??? After watching a crazy woman rushing in and out, shouting at everything in sight, I noticed that something in my mood had changed. I was laughing. How could I have trouble with that phone? Her antics helped me realize I had been driven crazy by small things. Twenty minutes later my agent did call. I was able to listen to him and talk to him calmly.

1.Why did the author shout at the telephone?

A. He was mad at the telephone.??????????????

B. He was angry with his agent.

C. He was anxious about his wife.????????????

D. He was impatient with the secretary.

2.What did the author’s wife do after she heard his shouting?

A. She said nothing.??????????????????????? B. She shouted at him.

C. She called the agent.???????????????????? D. She threw the phone away.

3.What made the author laugh?

A. His own crazy behavior.????????????????? B. His wife’s suggestions.

C. His changeable feeling.?????????????????? D. His wife’s sweet kiss.

4.What does the underlined word “ antics” refer to?

A. Smart words??? B. Unusual actions.???? C. Surprising looks.??? D. Anxious feelings

I was waiting for a phone call from my agent. He had left a message the night before, telling me that my show was to be canceled. I called him several times, but each time his secretary told me that he was in a meeting and that he would call me later. So I waited and waited, but there was still no call. Three hours passing by, I became more and more impatient. I was certain that my agent didn’t care about my work, and he didn’t care about me. I was overcome with that thought. I started to shout at the phone,“ Let me wait, will you? Who do you think you are?”

At that time I didn’t realize my wife was looking on. Without showing her surprise, she rushed in, seized the phone, tore off the wires, and shouted at the phone, “Yeah! Who do you think you are? Bad telephone! Bad telephone!” And she swept it into the wastebasket.

I stood watching her, speechless. What on earth?

She stepped to the doorway and shouted at the rest of the house, “Now hear this! All objects in this room — if you do anything to upset my husband, out you go!”

Then she turned to me, kissed me, and said calmly, “Honey, you just have to learn how to take control. ” With that, she left the room.

After watching a crazy woman rushing in and out, shouting at everything in sight, I noticed that something in my mood had changed. I was laughing. How could I have trouble with that phone? Her antics helped me realize I had been driven crazy by small things. Twenty minutes later my agent did call. I was able to listen to him and talk to him calmly.

1. Why did the author shout at the telephone?

2.What did the author’s wife do after she heard his shouting?

3.What made the author laugh?

4. What does the underlined word “antics” refer to?

阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳答案。

As a young man, Al was a skilled artist.He had a wife and two fine sons.One night, his oldest son  21  a severe stomachache.Thinking it was only some   22  intestinal （肠内的）disorder, neither Al nor his wife took the condition very  23  . But the boy   24   suddenly that night.

       Knowing the death could have been   25   if he had only realized the seriousness of the situation, Al's emotional health became worse under the huge burden of his guilt. To make matters __26  , his wife left him a short time later, leaving him alone with his six-year-old younger son. The hurt and pain of the two   27    were more than Al could handle, and he   28    to alcohol.In time Al __29  an alcoholic.

       As the alcoholism progressed, Al began to lose everything he   30    — his home, his land, his art works everything.   31    Al died alone in a San Francisco motel room.

       When I heard of Al's death, I thought that Al's life was a complete  32  .  I thought. "What a totally wasted life".

       As time went by, I began to re-evaluate my earlier judgment.I knew Al's now adult son, Ernie.He is one of the kindest, most caring, most loving men I have  33  known. I watched Ernie with his children and saw the free   34   of love between them.I knew that kindness and caring had to come from somewhere.

I hadn't heard Ernie talk much about his father.One day I worked 35  my courage to ask him."I'm really  36  by something," I said."I know your father was  37  the only one to raise you.What on earth did he do that you became such a special person?"

       Ernie sat quietly and  38  for a few moments. Then he said, "From my earliest __39  as a child until I left home at 18, Al came into my room every night, gave me a kiss and said, ' I love you, son.' "

Tears came to my eyes as I realized what a fool I had been to  40  Al as a failure. He had not left any material possessions behind.But he had been a kind loving father, and he left behind one of the finest, most giving men I have ever known.

21.A.formed              B.developed               C.received                D.gained

22.A. average          B. normal               C. ordinary           D. common

23.A. slightly          B. secretly       C. seriously           D. terribly

24.A.died                   B.choked                   C.starved                        D.worsened

25.A.cured                  B.prevented               C.forbidden              D.saved

26.A.better               B.heavier                   C.worse                           D.happier

27.A.disasters            B.adventures               C. directions                    D.situations

28.A.got                   B.drank                    C.turned                         D.sank

29.A.turned               B.became                  C.followed                       D.created

30.A.needed              B.shared                   C.benefited               D.possessed

31.A.Eventually          B.Gradually                C.Therefore              D.Meanwhile

32.A.trouble                B.hardship                  C.failure                        D.waste

33.A. never                   B. even                 C. still                D. ever

34.A.win                B.fall                          C.space                    D.flow

35.A.up                   B.with                        C.on                             D.through

36.A.worried             B.puzzled                    C.interested               D.attracted

37.A.especially           B.basically                   C.merely                  D.specially

38.A.argued               B.searched                  C.analyzed                 D.reflected

39.A.thoughts            B.ideas                       C.minds                   D.memories

40.A.treat                 B.call                        C.judge                             D.feel

More and more often we heard of people talking about Karaoke（卡拉OK）。 But what on earth it is about， still remains a question for many people. Karaoke is a sort of acoustic equipment which was invented in Japan around the middle of the 1970's. It means "a band without people" in Japanese. In fact， it is just a music tape without words. This equipment first appeared in some public houses and snack bars， and mainly for the customers to enjoy themselves. Most of the music in Karaoke was popular music. Therefore， at times， when anyone felt like it， he might sing songs to the accompaniment of the music that came from the equipment. Shortly after its invention， Karaoke was spread to the whole world. It was introduced to China and was welcomed by many people. Although you are not a good singer， or even sometimes you may sing out of tune， you can always enjoy yourself by singing Karaoke.

1.In this passage "band" means "group of persons ________."

2.Karaoke is just a ______.

3.People went to public houses and snack bars ______when Karaoke appeared.

4.Karaoke was spread to the whole world ________.

5. The main idea of this passage is ______.