My mother-in-law, Dorothy, is showing me the red notebook that’s almost as precious to her as my husband’s baby pictures. Inside the notebook is a list of the books she has read since 2007. For some people waking up in the middle of the night is a terrible thing. But for my mother-in-law, that time is a gift. At 87, she is getting the education she never had by working her way through great literature. She has now read close to 100 books, including every single novel by Anthony Trollope, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Edith Wharton, Henry James and Thomas Mann.

My mother-in-law discusses her passion with the enthusiasm of a young girl, although she can also be a very tough critic, writing “VG’ for “ very good” in the margins next to her favorites. So far, only a handful of books have received the top prize.

Born in Ridgefield, Conn, Dorothy was the youngest daughter of an Italian gardener. She taught herself English by reading The New York Times. Eager to come to Manhattan, she became a nurse, married a dentist and spent the next several decades keeping the house and raising a family. In her later years, she put her nursing skills to good use by taking care of my father-in-law, who had lung cancer. There were many trips to the emergency room in the middle of the night and then a long hospital stay. She stayed awake to watch over him for 15 hours a day. Always a light sleeper, she developed sleeplessness as a result of the stress.

It worsened after he died. Deeply sad and lonely for the first time in her life, she began waking up around 2am. Julian and Sylvia, the elderly couple next door suggest she read literature. And so Julian, a great lover of literature, became her “professor”, providing books from his large library. Suddenly the terrifying hole turned onto a world of amazing characters.

Why is Dorothy considered a tough critic?

   A. Because no books are inspiring enough in her eyes.                        

B. Because only a few books are thought highly of by her.

   C. Because she only reads books by famous writers.                         

D. Because she finds fault with every book she reads.

It can be inferred from the passage that _____.

   A. the books Dorothy has read were bought by her husband.                   

B. the couple next door are college professors.

   C. the author loves literature too.                                         

D. Dorothy was a great wife.

The underlined part “the terrifying hole” in the last paragraph refers to _____.

   A. the frightening death                                                    

B. Dorothy’s lack of education

   C. waking up in the middle of the night                                    

D. a hole in a book that Dorothy read

What helped Dorothy get over the sadness and loneliness of losing her husband?

   A. Living with her son.                                                  

B. Reading literature.

   C. Seeing her son’s baby pictures.                                         

 D. Talking with neighbors.

My mother-in-law, Dorothy, is showing me the red notebook that’s almost as precious to her as my husband’s baby pictures. Inside the notebook is a list of the books she has read since 2007. For some people waking up in the middle of the night is a terrible thing. But for my mother-in-law, that time is a gift. At 87, she is getting the education she never had by working her way through great literature. She has now read close to 100 books, including every single novel by Anthony Trollope, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Edith Wharton, Henry James and Thomas Mann.
My mother-in-law discusses her passion with the enthusiasm of a young girl, although she can also be a very tough critic, writing “VG’ for “ very good” in the margins next to her favorites. So far, only a handful of books have received the top prize.
Born in Ridgefield, Conn, Dorothy was the youngest daughter of an Italian gardener. She taught herself English by reading The New York Times. Eager to come to Manhattan, she became a nurse, married a dentist and spent the next several decades keeping the house and raising a family. In her later years, she put her nursing skills to good use by taking care of my father-in-law, who had lung cancer. There were many trips to the emergency room in the middle of the night and then a long hospital stay. She stayed awake to watch over him for 15 hours a day. Always a light sleeper, she developed sleeplessness as a result of the stress.
It worsened after he died. Deeply sad and lonely for the first time in her life, she began waking up around 2am. Julian and Sylvia, the elderly couple next door suggest she read literature. And so Julian, a great lover of literature, became her “professor”, providing books from his large library. Suddenly the terrifying hole turned onto a world of amazing characters.
【小题1】Why is Dorothy considered a tough critic?

My mother-in-law, Dorothy, is showing me the red notebook that’s almost as precious to her as my husband’s baby pictures. Inside the notebook is a list of the books she has read since 2007. For some people waking up in the middle of the night is a terrible thing. But for my mother-in-law, that time is a gift. At 87, she is getting the education she never had by working her way through great literature. She has now read close to 100 books, including every single novel by Anthony Trollope, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Edith Wharton, Henry James and Thomas Mann.

My mother-in-law discusses her passion with the enthusiasm of a young girl, although she can also be a very tough critic, writing “VG’ for “ very good” in the margins next to her favorites. So far, only a handful of books have received the top prize.

Born in Ridgefield, Conn, Dorothy was the youngest daughter of an Italian gardener. She taught herself English by reading The New York Times. Eager to come to Manhattan, she became a nurse, married a dentist and spent the next several decades keeping the house and raising a family. In her later years, she put her nursing skills to good use by taking care of my father-in-law, who had lung cancer. There were many trips to the emergency room in the middle of the night and then a long hospital stay. She stayed awake to watch over him for 15 hours a day. Always a light sleeper, she developed sleeplessness as a result of the stress.

It worsened after he died. Deeply sad and lonely for the first time in her life, she began waking up around 2am. Julian and Sylvia, the elderly couple next door suggest she read literature. And so Julian, a great lover of literature, became her “professor”, providing books from his large library. Suddenly the terrifying hole turned onto a world of amazing characters.

1.Why is Dorothy considered a tough critic?

   A. Because no books are inspiring enough in her eyes.                        

B. Because only a few books are thought highly of by her.

   C. Because she only reads books by famous writers.                         

D. Because she finds fault with every book she reads.

2. It can be inferred from the passage that _____.

   A. the books Dorothy has read were bought by her husband.                   

B. the couple next door are college professors.

   C. the author loves literature too.                                         

D. Dorothy was a great wife.

3.The underlined part “the terrifying hole” in the last paragraph refers to _____.

   A. the frightening death                                                   

B. Dorothy’s lack of education

   C. waking up in the middle of the night                                    

D. a hole in a book that Dorothy read

4. What helped Dorothy get over the sadness and loneliness of losing her husband?

   A. Living with her son.                                                 

B. Reading literature.

   C. Seeing her son’s baby pictures.                                         

 D. Talking with neighbors.

My mother-in-law, Dorothy, is showing me the red notebook that’s almost as precious to her as my husband’s baby pictures. Inside the notebook is a list of the books she has read since 2007. For some people waking up in the middle of the night is a terrible thing. But for my mother-in-law, that time is a gift. At 87, she is getting the education she never had by working her way through great literature. She has now read close to 100 books, including every single novel by Anthony Trollope, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Edith Wharton, Henry James and Thomas Mann.
My mother-in-law discusses her passion with the enthusiasm of a young girl, although she can also be a very tough critic, writing “VG’ for “ very good” in the margins next to her favorites. So far, only a handful of books have received the top prize.
Born in Ridgefield, Conn, Dorothy was the youngest daughter of an Italian gardener. She taught herself English by reading The New York Times. Eager to come to Manhattan, she became a nurse, married a dentist and spent the next several decades keeping the house and raising a family. In her later years, she put her nursing skills to good use by taking care of my father-in-law, who had lung cancer. There were many trips to the emergency room in the middle of the night and then a long hospital stay. She stayed awake to watch over him for 15 hours a day. Always a light sleeper, she developed sleeplessness as a result of the stress.
It worsened after he died. Deeply sad and lonely for the first time in her life, she began waking up around 2am. Julian and Sylvia, the elderly couple next door suggest she read literature. And so Julian, a great lover of literature, became her “professor”, providing books from his large library. Suddenly the terrifying hole turned onto a world of amazing characters.

1. 1.

   Why is Dorothy considered a tough critic?

   1. A.
      Because no books are inspiring enough in her eyes.
   2. B.
      Because only a few books are thought highly of by her.
   3. C.
      Because she only reads books by famous writers.
   4. D.
      Because she finds fault with every book she reads.
2. 2.

   It can be inferred from the passage that _____.

   1. A.
      the books Dorothy has read were bought by her husband.
   2. B.
      the couple next door are college professors.
   3. C.
      the author loves literature too.
   4. D.
      Dorothy was a great wife.
3. 3.

   The underlined part “the terrifying hole” in the last paragraph refers to _____.

   1. A.
      the frightening death
   2. B.
      Dorothy’s lack of education
   3. C.
      waking up in the middle of the night
   4. D.
      a hole in a book that Dorothy read
4. 4.

   What helped Dorothy get over the sadness and loneliness of losing her husband?

   1. A.
      Living with her son.
   2. B.
      Reading literature.
   3. C.
      Seeing her son’s baby pictures.
   4. D.
      Talking with neighbors.

完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从下列各题所给的四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

Perhaps you’ve attended some parties. But like New York，where a party or dinner often __36__ business with pleasure, a Washington party is a __37__ part of the business of politics, the business of making __38__ connections.

Some Washington parties have a __39__ aura (气氛) about them, depending on who gives them and who is there, but most parties are open-house __40__ in fact, with the hosts not knowing most of the __41__ who are there.

I went to a few of these parties __42__ I wanted to see the inside of some of the Washington mansions (公馆) I had __43__ so much about. Almost every time during the evening some man would come close to talk with me __44__, we didn’t know each other at all. Such a __45__ exchange clearly proves “a gathering of friends” __46__ Washington party standards. You don’t even need an __47__ to attend many Washington parties. You just have to know about them. No Washington hostess would __48__ her servants to ask you who you were. Most of the bigger parties, those with 300 or 400 guests, __49__ to impress somebody, and Washingtonians  __50__.

Most members of the Congress ,for example, __51__ middle-class backgrounds in smaller communities __52__ the country. They are dazzled (眼花缭乱的) by __53__. They are dazzled by big names. They are ready to help Washington __54__ hostesses. They go along with them because they are good friends or they don’t notice that they __55__ or they don’t care if they are.

. A. follows         B. connects           C. mixes            D. goes

. A. daily           B. necessary          C. chief             D. cheap

. A. still            B. cruel              C. mental           D. important

A. social          B. nervous            C. terrible           D. simple

A. events          B. affairs             C. conferences       D. games

A. guests          B. customers          C. guards           D. guides

A. so that          B. in order that        C. as if            D. because

A. found           B. noticed           C. heard           D. wrote

A. since           B. though            C. when           D. whether

A. common        B. strict              C. public          D. special

A. including       B. comparing with      C. according to     D. depending on

A. invitation       B. envelope           C. instrument       D. acceptance

A. refuse          B. allow              C. agree           D. warn

A. are given        B. give              C. are supplied      D. supply

A. easily forget     B. hardly remember    C. easily impress    D. are easily impressed

A. hear from       B. write to            C. come from      D. call out

A. over           B. below             C. between        D. across

A. money         B. equal              C. freedom        D. discussion

A. strange         B. famous            C. poor           D. stupid

A. are using        B. are being used      C. are obeying     D. are being obeyed