Emilio and Michi spread the colorful tablecloth on the table. They made room for Drew, who was carrying a dish. “Watch out,” Drew warned. “This is pretty hot.”

A moment later, Kent and Alyssa added another hot dish to the table. “That smells so good!” said Michi. “Are most of the parents here yet? I’m hungry.”

Kent looked through the doors that led into the hallway. “I think Ms. Milano and Mr. Hasselbach just finished giving them the garden touring. They should be heading into the cafeteria next.”

The students of Jefferson Middle School in Saint Louis, US had spent all afternoon preparing for the evening meal. They did their best to transform the lunchroom into a beautiful dining area for their families.

As the families found their seats, Ms. Milano asked Drew, Emilio, and Michi to join her at the front of the room. She said, “I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate Drew, Emilio and Michi for their wonderful idea. A year ago, they first came to me with the plan for starting a garden at Jefferson. I wondered whether it would work, but they had thought through everything. Any time I had a question about how we would make this work, they had an answer prepared. As you can see, they were absolutely correct. About three-quarters of the food you will be enjoying came from the school garden. The students prepared the entire meal themselves.”

Ms. Milano handed Drew, Michi and Emilio a box each. They opened their box as Ms. Milano continued. “As a thank-you to these students for their creative idea and hard work, they have each received a stepping stone(垫脚石)for the garden. Their names and date appear on the stones.”

She turned to them. “Students for years to come will be enjoying the garden that you helped create,” she said. “We thought it would be appropriate for them to have a reminder of our garden’s founders.”

They held up their stepping stones and smiled as the crowd clapped. “And now,” said Ms Milano, “please help yourself to some of the mouthwatering food our young chefs have prepared. Dinner is served!”

1.What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A.The students’ parents.    B.New students.      C.Teachers.        D.The school chefs.

2.According to the text, the food served on the table     

A.was served as a lunch

B. was cooked by the students

C.was prepared to thank the kids

D.was entirely from the school garden

3.What was Ms. Milano’s original attitude toward starting a garden at school?

A.She was doubtful about it

B.She felt it was worth a try

C.she was strongly against it

D.She thought it a wonderful idea.

4.Why did Ms. Milano give stepping stones to Drew, Michi , and Emilio?

A.They have good cooking skills.

B. They are the best students of the school.

C.They have made the school more beautiful.

D.They are the founders of the school garden.

5.What would be the best title of the text?

A.A school garden    B.Garden chefs    C.Creative students      D.A delicious meal

Emilio and Michi spread the colorful tablecloth on the table. They made room for Drew, who was carrying a dish. “Watch out,” Drew warned. “This is pretty hot.”
A moment later, Kent and Alyssa added another hot dish to the table. “That smells so good!” said Michi. “Are most of the parents here yet? I’m hungry.”
Kent looked through the doors that led into the hallway. “I think Ms. Milano and Mr.Hasselbach just finished giving them the garden touring. They should be heading into the cafeteria next.”
The students of Jefferson Middle School in Saint Louis, US had spent all afternoon preparing for the evening meal. They did their best to transform the lunchroom into a beautiful dining area for their families.
As the families found their seats, Ms. Milano asked Drew, Emilio, and Michi to join her at the front of the room. She said, “I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate Drew, Emilio and Michi for their wonderful idea. A year ago, they first came to me with the plan for starting a garden at Jefferson. I wondered whether it would work, but they had thought through everything. Any time I had a question about how we would make this work, they had an answer prepared. As you can see, they were absolutely correct. About three-quarters of the food you will be enjoying came from the school garden. The students prepared the entire meal themselves.”
Ms. Milano handed Drew, Michi and Emilio a box each. They opened their box as Ms. Milano continued. “As a thank-you to these students for their creative idea and hard work, they have each received a stepping stone(垫脚石)for the garden. Their names and date appear on the stones.”
She turned to them. “Students for years to come will be enjoying the garden that you helped create,” she said. “We thought it would be appropriate for them to have a reminder of our garden’s founders.”
They held up their stepping stones and smiled as the crowd clapped. “And now,” said Ms Milano, “please help yourself to some of the mouthwatering food our young chefs have prepared. Dinner is served!”

1. 1.

   What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 3 refer to?

   1. A.
      The students’ parents
   2. B.
      New students
   3. C.
      Teachers
   4. D.
      The school chefs
2. 2.

   According to the text, the food served on the table     

   1. A.
      was served as a lunch
   2. B.
      was cooked by the students
   3. C.
      was prepared to thank the kids
   4. D.
      was entirely from the school garden
3. 3.

   What was Ms. Milano’s original attitude toward starting a garden at school?

   1. A.
      She was doubtful about it
   2. B.
      She felt it was worth a try
   3. C.
      she was strongly against it
   4. D.
      She thought it a wonderful idea
4. 4.

   Why did Ms. Milano give stepping stones to Drew, Michi , and Emilio?

   1. A.
      They have good cooking skills
   2. B.
      They are the best students of the school
   3. C.
      They have made the school more beautiful
   4. D.
      They are the founders of the school garden
5. 5.

   What would be the best title of the text?

   1. A.
      A school garden
   2. B.
      Garden chefs
   3. C.
      Creative students
   4. D.
      A delicious meal

On a winter day, it rained heavily. While I was walking from the library at the end of my 　31 break, a man was walking towards me with two huge 　32 of brochures.

I thought, “What 　33 is that man trying to do? Carrying all those things?” Then all of a sudden he 　34 them all! What a terrible mess with hundreds of brochures all over the 　35 in front of me! “Oh, no,” I thought. The man 　36 his head helplessly in the rain and started trying to 　37　 all of the brochures up. I couldn’t believe how many people walked 　38 as if nothing had happened.

I thought, “I am not going to be one of those people who don’t 　39　 this man.” I wondered what I would 　40 people to react if I were that man. So, 　41 it was the end of my lunch time from work and I would be 　42 if I stopped to help him, I didn’t mind. If I 　43 what happened, I was sure my 　44 wouldn’t mind too much. So, I helped him gather them all. Then I asked if he would like a 　45　 carrying a box to where he went. He said yes gratefully.

I carried one of the boxes. The box I had to carry was very 　46 —as I’m quite a short and thin girl—but I didn’t 　 47　 . We got there and he thanked me very much for helping him 　48 . He also gave me one of these brochures about all the walks in and around the Bay of Plenty.

What is a more 　49 way to spend some time than helping someone else when you can? Luckily, I wasn’t that late back to work, so nobody even 　50 it at all!

31. A. coffee　 　　　　　 B. tea　　　　　　　　　 　 C. afternoon　　　　　　　　 D. lunch

32. A. piles　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. packs　　　　　　　 　 C. boxes　　　　　　　　　　　 D. cases

33. A. on purpose　　　　　　　　 B. on earth　　　　　　　　　 C. on hand　　　　　　　　　 D. on end

34. A. dropped　　　　　　　　　　 B. fell　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. threw　　　　　　　　　　　 D. broke

35. A. table　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. path　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. shelf　　　　　　　　　　　 D. library

36. A. nodded　　　 　　　 B. raised 　　　　　　　　　 C. lifted　　　　 　　　 D. shook

37. A. get 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. fill　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. take　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. pick

38. A. in 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. through　　　　　　　　　 C. on　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. along

39. A. look after　　　　　　　　　 B. think about　　　 C. look at　　　　　　　　　　 D. care about

40. A. invite　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. inspire　　　　　　　 C. expect　　　　　　　　　　 D. beg

41. A. even though B. ever since C. as long as D. now that

42. A. late　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. tired　　　　　 　　　 C. painful　　　　　　　　　　 D. regretful

43. A. asked B. knew C. explained D. understood

44. A. wife　　　　　　　　　 　　　 B. boss　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. parents　　　　　　 　 D. friend

45. A. hand　　　 　　　　　　 B. rest　　　 　　　　　　 C. lift　 　　　　　　　　　 D. ride

46. A. small　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. heavy　　　　　　　　　　　 C. light　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. pretty

47. A. cry　　　　　　　 B. complain　　　 　 C. shout　　　　　 D. argue

48. A. out　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. on 　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. along 　　　　　　　　　　 D. off

49. A. friendly　　　　　　　 B. important　　　　　　　　 C. useful 　　　　　　　　　　 D. meaningful

50. A. doubted　　　　　　　　　　 B. watched　　　　　　　　　 C. observed　　　　　　　　 D. noticed

When a tornado touched down in a small town nearby, many families were left completely destroyed. Afterward all the local newspapers carried many human-interest stories featuring some of the families who suffered the hardest.
One Sunday, a particular picture especially touched me. A young woman stood in front of an entirely shattered mobile home, a depressed expression twisting her features. A young boy, seven or eight years old, stood at her side, eyes downcast. Clutching  (紧握)  at her skirt was a tiny girl who stared into the camera, eyes wide with confusion and fear.
The article that went with the picture gave the clothing sizes of each family member. With growing interest, I noticed that their sizes closely matched ours. This would be a good opportunity to teach my children to help those less fortunate than themselves. I taped the picture of the young family to our refrigerator, explaining their difficulty to my seven-year-old twins, Brad and Brett, and to three- year-old Meghan.
“ We have so much. And these poor people now have nothing,” I said.“We’ll share what we have with them.”
I brought three large boxes down from the room upstairs and placed them on the living room floor. Meghan watched seriously, as the boys and I filled one of the boxes with canned goods and foods.
While I sorted through our clothes, I encouraged the boys to go through their toys and donate some of their less favorite things. Meghan watched quietly as the boys piled up discarded toys and games.
“I’ll help you find something for the little girl when I’m done with this,” I said.
The boys placed the toys they had chosen to donate into one of the boxes while I filled the third box with clothes. Meghan walked up with Lucy, her worn, faded, much-loved rag doll hugged tightly to her chest. She paused in front of the box that held the toys, pressed her round little face into Lucy’s flat, painted-on-face, gave her a final kiss, then laid her gently on top of the other toys.
“Oh, Honey,” I said.“You don’t have to give Lucy. You love her so much.”
Meghan nodded seriously, eyes glistening with held-back tears. ‘”Lucy makes me happy, Mommy. Maybe she’ll make that other little girl happy, too．”
Swallowing hard, I stared at Meghan for a long moment, wondering how I could teach the boys the lesson she had just taught me. For I suddenly realized that anyone can give their cast-offs away. True generosity is giving that which you value most.
Honest benevolence  (善行)  is a three-year-old offering a valuable, though shabby, doll to a little girl she doesn’t know with the hope that it will bring this child as much pleasure as it brought her. I, who had wanted to teach, had been taught.
The boys had watched, open-mouthed, as their baby sister placed her favorite doll in the box. Without a word, Brad rose and went to his room. He came back carrying one of his favorite action figures. He hesitated briefly, clutching the toy, then looked over at Meghan and placed it in the box next to Lucy.
A slow smile spread across Brett’s face. Then he jumped up, eyes twinkling as he ran to fetch some of his prized Matchbox cars.
Astonished, I realized that the boys had also recognized what little Meghan’s gesture meant. Swallowing back tears, I pulled all three of them into my arms.
Taking the cue from my little one, I removed my old jacket from the box of clothes. I replaced it with the new hunter green jacket that I had found on sale last week. I hoped the young woman in the picture would love it as much as I did.
It’s easy to give that which we don’t want any more, but harder to let go of things we cherish, isn’t it? However, the true spirit of giving is to give with your heart..
【小题1】Why does the author give a detailed description of a particular picture in the Sunday newspaper?