阅读短文，根据短文内容回答问题。（共10分，每小题2分）

　　On Thursday afternoon Mrs. Clarke, dressed for going out, took her handbag with her money and her key in it, pulled the door behind her to lock it and went to the Over 60s Club. She always went there on Thursdays. It was a nice outing for an old woman who lived alone.

　　At six o’clock she came home, let herself in and at once smelt cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke in her house? How? Had somebody got in? She checked the back door and the windows. All were locked or fastened, as usual. There was no sign of forced entry. Had anything been taken? She went from room to room, checking. Yes, some things were missing — her small radio, her spare watch, a camera. That was all, she thought; but she couldn’t be sure just yet. She was annoyed, of course, but rather glad that nothing had been thrown about.

　　Over a cup of tea she wondered whether someone might have a key that fitted her front door — “a master key” perhaps. So she stayed at home the following Thursday. Nothing happened. Was anyone watching her movements? On the Thursday after that she went out at her usual time, dressed as usual, but she didn’t go to the club. Instead she took a short cut home again, letting herself in through the garden and the back door. She settled down to wait.

　　It was just after four o’clock when the front door bell rang. Mrs. Clarke was making a cup of tea at the time. The bell rang again, and then she heard her letter-box being pushed open. With the kettle（壶）of boiling water in her hand, she moved quietly towards the front door. A long piece of wire（金属丝）appeared through the letter-box, and then a hand. The wire turned and caught around the knob（门把手） on the door-lock. Mrs. Clarke raised the kettle and poured the water over the hand. There was a shout outside, and the skin seemed to drop off the fingers like a glove. The wire fell to the floor, the hand was pulled back, and Mrs. Clarke heard the sound of running feet.

　　That evening she reported the matter to the police. They were not too pleased, but they came and took away the wire and the skin. “It was only self-protection,” she told the officer. “An old woman must try to look after herself.” With the help of a doctor, the police found the man and recovered Mrs. Clarke’s things. She has become something of heroine at the Over 60s Club.

1. When did Mrs. Clarke go to the Over 60s Club?

___________________________________________________

2. Why did the smell of cigarette smoke surprise her?

___________________________________________________

3. On the third Thursday, did Mrs. Clarke go out at her usual time?

___________________________________________________

4. What was Mrs. Clarke doing when she was waiting for the thief?

___________________________________________________

5. What is Mrs. Clarke like?

___________________________________________________

 

I didn’t think I had a passion(激情). I would sit in front of the TV all day, thinking about nothing but the next show. It was not long ago that I first learned how important having a passion is to life.
That day I went with my mum to drive my sister to the gym. I was bored. Then, as my mum stopped at a red light, someone on the side of the road caught my eye（吸引我的世界）. It was a man dressed in rags (衣衫褴褛). He was homeless. That didn’t interest me, for I had seen many like him before.
But in some ways he was different. This man was not sitting down with a sad expression(表情). He had a radio in his hand and was dancing happily to the music. The radio seemed to be the most precious(珍贵)thing he had.
“Mum, why does that man have a radio even thought（尽管） he’s homeless?” I asked.
“He bought it,” she replied. I was still unable to understand.
“But if he’s homeless, why doesn’t he use the money to buy food or clothes? He wasted it on something he doesn’t need.”
“Well, Sarah, sometimes food and clothes aren’t the most important things. We need happiness, too.”
The man must care too much about music to buy a radio instead of food clothes. I soon realized（意识到）that happiness is the key to life. Without it, there’s nothing to look forward to.
Since then I’ve never gone a day without thinking of what’s truly important. A home, a meal, clothes—these things are only part of the picture. What’s often forgotten is that we all need a pleasure, a light in a dark day. We all need a passion.
【小题1】How would Sarah spend her days long ago?

A．She watched TV all day.

B．She used to read a lot.

C．She did nothing but thinking.

D．She was always sleeping.

【小题2】Who caught Sarah’s eye when her mum stopped the car at a red light?

A．A man dressed in rags.

B．A man dressed in new clothes.

C．A man sitting down with a sad expression.

D．A man singing happily to the music.

【小题3】 Why was the man different?

A．He wore new clothes.

B．He was sitting with a sad expression.

C．He was homeless.[来源:Z。xx。k.Com]

D．He lived an active life though he was very poor.

【小题4】What did Sarah do after she understood the fact?

A．She thought all day without doing anything.

B．She bought a radio just like the man’s.

C．She had a passion with everything from then on.

D．She always danced to the music on the radio.

【小题5】 What can we learn from the passage?

A．Sometimes food and clothes are the most important things in our life.

B．Happiness is the key to life and it is what we are looking forward to.

C．Music is more important than food or clothes.

D．Money is the most important thing for a person.

My five brothers, my sister and I lived in Toronto with our parents. My father worked in a factory, and my mother stayed at home. Each year my father would dress up as Santa Claus and go through the streets sharing joy and candies with the children there. He loved it as much as they did!
But around Christmas in 1970, my father was out of work. In fact, there was no money for Christmas and my parents weren’t sure how they’d provide for us.
That Christmas Eve, however, as usual, my father left the house dressed as Santa Claus. He knew that even though our Christmas would be hard, he could not make the other kids in the neighborhood disappointed.
As my father left the house and went downstairs, another Santa Claus was walking up, with a great bag of gifts for us! He said nothing, only smiled a sweet smile at my father, and wished him a merry Christmas. The jolly man handed the bag and walked away down the block.
We never knew who showed us great kindness on the snowy Christmas night. We do know, however, that without him we would have had nothing under the tree. His kindness gave my parents hope and showed us in a very real way the true meaning of Christmas.
Our family has never forgotten this kind stranger and his generosity(慷慨). Each year we tell the story of the mysterious(神秘的) Santa Claus and try to repay his gifts by giving help to others in need.
【小题1】According to the passage, the writer’s father is ______on Christmas.

A．brave

B．lonely

C．serious

D．generous

【小题2】The underlined word “jolly” in the passage probably means “______”.

A．handsome

B．strong

C．happy

D．silly

【小题3】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The family showed thanks to the Santa Claus and helped others in need.

B．The bag from the other Santa Claus was filled with gifts and money.

C．Santa Claus that helped the family lived a rich life in the same community.

D．The writer’s father arranged another Santa Claus to take the place of him.

My five brothers, my sister and I lived in Toronto with our parents. My father worked in a factory, and my mother stayed at home. Each year my father would dress up as Santa Claus and go through the streets sharing joy and candies with the children there. He loved it as much as they did!
But around Christmas in 1970, my father was out of work. In fact, there was no money for Christmas and my parents weren’t sure how they’d provide for us.
That Christmas Eve, however, as usual, my father left the house dressed as Santa Claus. He knew that even though our Christmas would be hard, he could not make the other kids in the neighborhood disappointed.
As my father left the house and went downstairs, another Santa Claus was walking up, with a great bag of gifts for us! He said nothing, only smiled a sweet smile at my father, and wished him a merry Christmas. The jolly man handed the bag and walked away down the block.
We never knew who showed us great kindness on the snowy Christmas night. We do know, however, that without him we would have had nothing under the tree. His kindness gave my parents hope and showed us in a very real way the true meaning of Christmas.
Our family has never forgotten this kind stranger and his generosity(慷慨). Each year we tell the story of the mysterious(神秘的) Santa Claus and try to repay his gifts by giving help to others in need.
【小题1】According to the passage, the writer’s father is ______on Christmas.

A．brave

B．lonely

C．serious

D．generous

【小题2】The underlined word “jolly” in the passage probably means “______”.

A．handsome

B．strong

C．happy

D．silly

【小题3】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The family showed thanks to the Santa Claus and helped others in need.

B．The bag from the other Santa Claus was filled with gifts and money.

C．Santa Claus that helped the family lived a rich life in the same community.

D．The writer’s father arranged another Santa Claus to take the place of him.

I didn’t think I had a passion(激情). I would sit in front of the TV all day, thinking about nothing but the next show. It was not long ago that I first learned how important having a passion is to life.
That day I went with my mum to drive my sister to the gym. I was bored. Then, as my mum stopped at a red light, someone on the side of the road caught my eye（吸引我的世界）. It was a man dressed in rags (衣衫褴褛). He was homeless. That didn’t interest me, for I had seen many like him before.
But in some ways he was different. This man was not sitting down with a sad expression(表情). He had a radio in his hand and was dancing happily to the music. The radio seemed to be the most precious(珍贵)thing he had.
“Mum, why does that man have a radio even thought（尽管） he’s homeless?” I asked.
“He bought it,” she replied. I was still unable to understand.
“But if he’s homeless, why doesn’t he use the money to buy food or clothes? He wasted it on something he doesn’t need.”
“Well, Sarah, sometimes food and clothes aren’t the most important things. We need happiness, too.”
The man must care too much about music to buy a radio instead of food clothes. I soon realized（意识到）that happiness is the key to life. Without it, there’s nothing to look forward to.
Since then I’ve never gone a day without thinking of what’s truly important. A home, a meal, clothes—these things are only part of the picture. What’s often forgotten is that we all need a pleasure, a light in a dark day. We all need a passion.
【小题1】How would Sarah spend her days long ago?

A．She watched TV all day.

B．She used to read a lot.

C．She did nothing but thinking.

D．She was always sleeping.

【小题2】Who caught Sarah’s eye when her mum stopped the car at a red light?

A．A man dressed in rags.

B．A man dressed in new clothes.

C．A man sitting down with a sad expression.

D．A man singing happily to the music.

【小题3】 Why was the man different?

A．He wore new clothes.

B．He was sitting with a sad expression.

C．He was homeless.

D．He lived an active life though he was very poor.

【小题4】What did Sarah do after she understood the fact?

A．She thought all day without doing anything.

B．She bought a radio just like the man’s.

C．She had a passion with everything from then on.

D．She always danced to the music on the radio.

【小题5】 What can we learn from the passage?

A．Sometimes food and clothes are the most important things in our life.

B．Happiness is the key to life and it is what we are looking forward to.

C．Music is more important than food or clothes.

D．Money is the most important thing for a person.