In last week’s edition I read “Novel Without a Plot(情节)”, by Carlo Dante, a review of Adele Kman’s latest novel. I, too, have read The Newcomer. Dante insists The Newcomer lacks a plot. He fails to recognize that some novels are plot-driven and others are character-centered. Clearly Dante prefers to read the former and feels it reasonable and acceptable to force readers to accept his preference. There are many readers who do not require a story to drive us quickly from one action-packed moment to the next. We are content to get to know an interesting character who meets challenges and tries various ways to overcome them.

       Violet Wang is a wonderful example of this type of character, and we are fortunate that the novel is told from her point of view. We first experience her world in San Francisco, where she is surrounded by Chinese American traditions and the support of a large family. We feel her confusion and upsetting sense of loss as she must leave all that is familiar to her.

       When Violet arrives in the area that will be her new home, we see its beauty and mystery through her eyes. As she tries to adapt to the life in a place where she feels like an outsider, many of us may remember similar times in our own lives. We ache when she hurts and feel great success in our hearts when she experiences progress.

       I won’t tell you why Violet has had to make such a great life change or how she comes terms with it, Unlike Dante, I think that most readers would greatly enjoy this book. In these times of action-adventure movies and computer games, many have lost the patience to be readers, thinkers, and human beings concerned with various feelings. I think that someone who fails to see the value in this book is missing out on a lot.

1．According to the author, what do we learn about Carlo Dante?

       A．He has the same experience as Violet Wang.

       B．He has a positive view on Adele Kwan’s novel.

       C．He likes novels having action-packed moments better.

       D．He thinks most readers would appreciate The Newcomer.

2．What do we know about Violet Wang?

       A．She is misunderstood by Carlo Dante.

       B．She has experienced great changes in her life.

       C．She is confused by Chinese American traditions.

       D．She has become more outgoing since her move.

3．In the author’s opinion, what kind of book is The Newcomer?

       A．It’s a fine character-centered novel.

       B．It’s Adele Kwan’s latest best seller.

       C．It’s a novel accepted by action movie fans.

       D．It’s about a typical story full of deep sadness.

4．The author writes this passage to         .

       A．tell a real story of Violet Wang

       B．argue why she prefers The Newcomer

       C．persuade people to buy Adele Kwan’s latest novel

       D．present the characteristics of different types of novels

5．In which section of the newspaper can we read this article?

       A．Entertainment.  B．Social affairs    C．Technology.     D．Literature.

A
For many parents, raising a teenager is like fighting a long war, but years go by without any clear winner. Like a border conflict between neighboring countries, the parent-teen war is about boundaries: Where is the line between what I control and what you do?
Both sides want peace, but neither feels it has any power to stop the conflict. In part, this is because neither is willing to admit any responsibility for starting it. From the parents’ point of view, the only cause of their fight is their adolescents’ complete unreasonableness. And of course, the teens see it in exactly the same way, except oppositely. 
In this article, I’ll describe three no-win situations that commonly arise between teens and parents and then suggest some ways out of the dilemma. The first no-win situation is quarrels over unimportant things. Examples include the color of the teen’s hair, the cleanliness of the bedroom, the preferred style of clothing, the child’s failure to eat a good breakfast before school, or his tendency to sleep until noon on the weekends. Second, blaming. The goal of a blaming battle is to make the other admit that his bad attitude is the reason why everything goes wrong. Third, needing to be right. It doesn’t matter what the topic is — politics, the laws of physics, or the proper way to break an egg — the point of these arguments is to prove that you are right and the other person is wrong, for both wish to be considered an authority — someone who actually knows something — and therefore to command respect. Unfortunately, as long as parents and teens continue to assume that they know more than the other, they’ll continue to fight these battles forever and never make any real progress.
【小题1】Why does the author compare the parent-teen war to a border conflict?

A．Both can continue for generations.

B．Both are about where to draw the line.

C．Neither has any clear winner.

D．Neither can be put to an end.

【小题2】What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．The teens blame their parents for starting the conflict.

B．The teens agree with their parents on the cause of the conflict.

C．The teens accuse their parents of misleading them.

D．The teens tend to have a full understanding of their parents.

【小题3】Parents and teens want to be right because they want to ________.

A．give orders to the other	B．know more than the other
C．gain respect from the other	D．get the other to behave properly

【小题4】What will the author most probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?

A．Causes for the parent-teen conflicts.

B．Examples of the parent-teen war.

C．Solutions for the parent-teen problems.

D．Future of the parent-teen relationship.

【小题5】Where do you think this passage can be found?

A．In a report.	B．In a letter.
C．In a novel.	D．In a textbook.

“Sending thank-you notes is becoming a lost art,” mourns May Mitchell, a syndicated columnist known as “Ms Demeanor” and author of six etiquette(礼节) books. In her view, each generation, compared with the one before, is losing a sense of consideration for other people. “Without respect,” she says, “you have conflict.”

Ms. Demeanor would be proud of me: I have figured out a way to ensure that my children always send thank-you notes. And such a gesture is important, says Ms. Demeanor, because “a grateful attitude is a tremendous life skill, an efficient and inexpensive way to set ourselves apart in the work force and in our adult lives. Teach your children that the habit of manners comes from inside---it’s an attitude based on respecting other people.”

A few years ago, as my children descended like piranhas (一种南美淡水鱼，喜吞食或攻击) on their presents under the Christmas tree, the only attitude I could see was greed. Where was the appreciation of time and effort?

A thank-you note should contain three things: an acknowledgement of the gift (Love the tie with the picture of a hose on it); a recognition of the time and effort spent to select it (You must have shopped all over the state find such a unique item!); a prediction of how you will use your gift or the way it has enhanced your life (I’ll be sure to wear it to the next Mr. Ed convention!).

So, five years ago, in one of my rare flashes of parental insight, I decided that the most appropriate time to teach this basic courtesy is while the tinsel (装饰用光亮金属) is hot. To the horror of my children, I announced that henceforth every gift received will be an occasion for a thank-you note written immediately, on the spot.

I have reluctantly given my kids the green light to send e-mail thank-you notes; though hand-lettered ones (at least to me) still seem friendlier. But pretty much any thank-you makes the gift giver feel special—just as, we hope, the recipient feels. It’s a gesture that perfectly captures the spirit of the holidays.

41. 1.in Ms. Demeanor’s point of view, children born in the ______ is probably the least respectful generation.

A．1960s

B．1970s

C．1980s

D．1990s

42. 2. The phrase “set oneself apart” (Para. 2) means _______.

A．to reserve to a particular use	B．to put to one side
C．to make noticeable or outstanding	D．to determine to purse

43. 3.According to the passage, a thank-you note may contain the following information EXCEPT “_______”.

A．I love the pearl necklace you bought me for my birthday
B．it must have taken you a long time to find just the right thing for me
C．is it very expensive	D．I promise I will wear it on my wedding day

44. 4.How did the author feel when she saw her children searching under the Christmas tree for their presents?

A．Greedy.

B．Cheerful.

C．Laughable.

D．Disheartened.

45. 5.Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE about the author?

A．She feels hand-written letters are friendlier than word-processed ones.

B．She does not allow her children to sent email thank-you note.

C．She thinks the best time to teach her children the basic etiquette of appreciation is to strike while the iron is still not.

D．She thinks a thank-you note can make the gift giver feel special just as the

recipient does.

 

阅读下面短文，根据以下要求：1）括号内汉语提示；2）该词首字母提示；3）上下文语境提示, 在每个空格内填空入一个适当的英语单词使短文通顺，所填单词要求拼写正确、形式符合英语表达习惯。

Dear Sirs,

My name is Wang Qing. I’m a boy of 18 years old. Right now I’m

1.studying       Anxi No.1 Senior High School, Fujian, China. I hope

2.to go to your university for further study after       (毕业).

3.I’ve a     achieved good scores in all my subjects, especially in

4.physics and I have     (赢得)several prizes in the physics competitions.

5.I am really k   on English and my listening, reading and writing in

6.English are excellent, too. I do       (运动) in my spare time. I’m a

7.member of some clubs in my school,       as the English Club and

8.the Physics Learning Group. I hope to s     physics in your university

9.because I have been very interested in it      I was in the junior middle

10.school. I would be very g     if I could get the chance!

With best wishes.

Yours,

Wang Qing

 

My husband is a born shopper(天生的购物者). He loves to look at things and to touch them. He likes to compare prices between the same items(产品) in different shops. He would never think of buying anything without looking around in several different shops. On the other hand, I’m not a shopper. I think shopping is boring and unpleasant. If I like something and I have enough money to take it, I buy it at once. I never look around for a good price or a better deal. Of course my husband and I never go shopping together. Doing shopping together would be too painful for both of us. When it comes to shopping, we go our different ways.
Sometimes I ask my son Jimmy to buy some food in the shop not far from our home. But he is always absent-minded. This was his story.
One day I said to him, “I hope you won’t forget what I have told you to buy.” “No,” said Jimmy, “I won’t forget. You want three oranges, six eggs and a pound of meat.”
He went running down the street to the shop. As he ran, he said to himself over and over again. “ Three oranges, six eggs and a pound of meat.”
In the beginning he remembered everything but he stopped several times. Once he saw two men fighting outside a clothes shop until a policeman stopped them. One of them was badly hurt. Then he stopped to give ten cents to a beggar. Then he met some of his friends and he played with them for a while. When he reached the shop, he had forgotten everything except six eggs.
As he walked home, his face became sadder and sadder. When he saw me he said, “ I’ m sorry, mum. I have forgotten to buy oranges and the meat, I only remembered to buy six eggs, but I’ve dropped three of them.”
【小题1】 The husband loves shopping because _______

A．he has much money

B．he likes the shops

C．he likes to compare the prices between the same items

D．he has nothing to do but shopping

【小题2】The wife doesn’t like shopping because ______

A．she has no money

B．she has no time

C．she doesn’t love her husband

D．she feels it boring to go shopping

【小题3】They never go shopping together because _______

A．their ways of shopping are quite different

B．they hate each other

C．they needn’t buy anything for the family

D．they don’t have time for it

【小题4】Jimmy cannot do the shopping well because ______

A．he is young	B．he is absent-minded
C．he often loses his money	D．he doesn’t like shopping