My House

My mother moved a lot when she was growing up on account of Grandpa being in the army. She hated having to adjust to new schools and make new friends. That’s why I thought she was joking when she put forward the idea of moving. But she was completely serious. “For just the two of us,” my mother said, “an apartment in the city will suit our needs much better.” Personally, I think she’s lost her mind. I guess I can understand why she would want to move, but what about me and what this house means to me?

I suppose if you looked at my house, you might think it was just another country house. But to me it is anything but standard. I moved into this house with my parents ten years ago. I can still remember that first day like it was yesterday. The first thing I noticed was the big front yard. To me it seemed like an ocean of grass—I couldn’t wait to dive in. The backyard was full of gnarled (扭曲的, 粗糙的) and scary trees that talk on windy nights. But I grew to like them and the shadows they cast in my room. My father and I even built a small tree house, where I often go to remember all the wonderful times we had before Father’s death.

This house is special—maybe only to me—but special nevertheless. It’s the little seemingly insignificant things that make this house so special to me: the ice-cold tile floors that make me tremble on midnight snack runs; the smell of my father’s pipe that still exists; the towering bookcases of my mother; the view outside my bedroom window.

This house holds too many memories, memories which would be lost if we gave it up.

1.Why did the author’s mother decide to move?

A. Because she hated the countryside.

B. Because Grandpa was on constant move.

C. Because Dad’s death made her lose her mind.

D. Because she thought a city flat more fit for them.

2.What impressed the author when she first moved into the house?

A. The tree house.  B. The big trees.    C. The cold floors.        D. The green grass.

3.How did the author let us feel that the house was special to her?

A. By arguing whether the house was standard.

B. By explaining why the house suited their needs.

C. By describing the small things related to her house.

D. By comparing the differences between country and city life.

4. My mother moved a lot when she was growing up because of   ________.

A. Grandpa being in the army.  B.their family’s liking moving

C. the life’s need             D. Mother’s work

Have you ever thought about what you would like to do after school? Perhaps one of these rather different jobs will suit you.

TASTER: Food companies need people to taste the products that they are making. So many kinds of no bad-tasting food are put onto the supermarket shelves. All tasters do all day is take small bites of food. They make notes of what tastes good and what tastes bad. It is not a job for those who would like to stay thin.

SNAKE MILKER: This involves taking the poison out of a snake’s teeth. You hold the snake over a glass and make it open its mouth very wide. The poison will then drip from the back of the teeth into the glass; this is known as milking the snake. You have to be very brave if you want to try this.

GOLF BALL HUNTER: You will spend your day diving into waterholes at different golf courses to hunt for lost golf balls. You could be picking up as many as 5,000 balls a day. Many golfers are willing to buy used golf balls and you could be making a lot of money.

CLOCK CLEANER: Every day you will be climbing to the top of the clock towers in the city. Your responsibilities will be to oil, wind and repair the clocks. This is not a job for someone who is afraid of heights.

1. If you are a taster, you will          .

A. pick up golf balls                                   B. oil and repair the clocks

C. get some milk from snakes                              D. try different kinds of food

2. If you are afraid of heights, you’d better not choose the job as a          .

A. taster                  B. snake milker               C. clock cleaner                D. golf ball hunter

3. You can probably find this passage in a          .

A. newspaper       B. textbook                    C. report                            D. novel

Many families find that when it comes to a Caribbean getaway, they prefer bigger hotels. If you’re considering an Aruba vacation, there are plenty of resorts that will suit your every need.

Aruba Marriott Resort and Casino(娱乐场)

This resort is on Aruba’s famous palm Beach, and has the largest rooms of all Aruba hotels. A recent upgrade gives it a very fashionable look and feel. The resort offers excellent services on site including delicate fine dining and a 24-hour casino.

Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort

Popular with families, this resort stands out by its style and elegance. The most attractive aspect is the Spanish-style architecture and garden-like grounds. you will find waterfalls flowing into the beautiful man-made lake which add to the relaxing atmosphere. This hotel offers plenty to enjoy.

Renaissance Aruba Ocean Suites

This resort is absolutely fantastic for families with young children and features 40 acres of private beaches. The pool complex (建筑群)features several outdoor pools, two pool-side bars, and a swim-up bar. There is also a kids club which offers many activities. Guests at this hotel even have full access to the Radisson Aruba Resort Casino & Spring.

Occidental Grand Aruba

This resort is set on a beautiful white sandy beach and offers everything from sailing to late-night dancing. There is always plenty to do on the resort free of charge, but if you want to pay a little extra you can book yourself in for deep-sea fishing, golf, or private tennis lessons.

1.What is the main characteristic of Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort?

2.If you want your children to enjoy themselves you’d better choose_____.

3.The author writes the passage to ________.

    
C
Thousands of jobs come into our Job Centre every week, but they get snapped up (抢购) quickly. So although we shall do all we can to help you, it’s important for you to do all you can to help yourself. This passage tells you how.
Registered for work
Once you have registered for work we will match you with available vacancies. If you want to claim unemployment benefit (失业津贴), you also have to get registered at our Job Centre. But you actually apply for and claim it at the local Unemployment Office.
Getting a job through self-service
Jobs that come in are put on self-service show as soon as possible. Half the people who find jobs through our Job Centre find them through self-service. You can call in at any time to look at the jobs shown.
Come to our Employment Advisers
If you want more help or advice, don’t forget that’s what we’re here for. Our Employment Advisers can help you with things like:
★thinking about the different sorts of jobs you could do and which are best for you.
★jobs available locally or elsewhere.
★whether you are suitable for a TOPS training course.
★funds to help you look for, and move to, work in other parts.
Even though you have a clear idea of the sort of job and pay you want, you may find that something different will suit you quite well. Keep this in mind when you are talking with Employment Advisers.
If you don’t find a job on your first visit
Go into self-service as often as you can to look at the jobs on show there. Good vacancies are coming in all the time just because you’ve been registered for work.
64.The purpose of the passage is to        .
A. tell people how to become an Employment Adviser
B. teach the unemployed people how to get registered for work
C. give information about services available for the unemployed
D. introduce the TOPS training course for the unemployed
65.The unemployed people can claim unemployment benefit from         .
A. the Job Centre               B. all the Unemployment Offices
C. the Employment Advisers   D. the local Unemployment Office
66.Employment Advisers can          .
A. help you find out what kind of jobs suits you best
B. help you register for work and use self - service
C. help you claim as much unemployment benefit as possible
D. help you find a job suitable for you on your first visit
67.The underlined word “vacancies” in the passage means          .
A. jobs     B. benefits    C .suggestions       D. Services