“Mom, can I bake some bread?” We were 15, my best friend, Hanna, and I, determined to try our hands at creating some beautiful bread.

       “It’s not worth the trouble,” my mother said. “It takes lots of time and makes a big mess. Our bakery bread is delicious without all that effort.”

Begging was useless. Mom’s “no” meant “No!”

But several weeks later, opportunity knocked: My parents were going out for the evening. I immediately invited Hanna to be my partner in bread-baking crime.

We studied the recipe. That was easy. “Mix oil into flour then beat in four of the eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt.”

We were not good at breaking eggs. I tried to learn from my mother.

“Gradually add eight cups of flour. When dough (面团) holds together, squeeze it.”

We took turns working like that. “Is the dough ‘holding together’?” we asked each other.

I remembered my neighbor’s instructions: “If it’s too sticky, add some flour; if too dry, add water.”

We added water. Then more flour. Then more water. By then, the mass of our dough had grown very much.

“Place dough on floured surface and squeeze till smooth,” the recipe instructed.

We took turns burying our hands in the damp dough, pinching, squeezing, and feeling it leak between fingers.

“Clean and oil bowl, then return dough to bowl. Cover and let dough rise in warm place for 1 hour.”

This was good news --- we’d have a break. On dirtied kitchen chairs, we dreamed about our beautiful bread. “See?” we would tell my mom. “Isn’t it worth the work?”

Hanna and I couldn’t help glancing at the rising process every few minutes. But nothing was happening.

“Maybe something will happen in the hot oven,” I said.

Unfortunately, when we removed the loaves from the oven, they were like hard stones.

Mom was right; it takes time and effort. It sometimes makes a mess. But still it feels good, somehow, to be part of that long, ongoing chain of bread bakers. Since that night, both Hanna and I have learned to do it right.

To the writer, what her mother said was __________.

A. law                   B. rubbish                    C. advice                      D. warning

Which of the following can best describe the children’s feelings while making their first bread?

       A. Confident; hopeful; disappointed.          B. Curious; hopeful; disappointed.

       C. Interested; excited; satisfied.                   D. Worried; satisfied; proud.

Which of the following did the writer do without instructions?

A. Placed dough on floured surface.            B. Added eight cups of flour to eggs.

C. Returned dough to a cleaned bowl.          D. Placed the dough into the hot oven.

The passage mainly tells us ______________.

       A. the process of making bread                   B. the conflict between mother and daughter

       C. the first experience of making bread        D. the way of doing housework

—Excuse me, sir, ________

   —I’d like a cup of coffee and two pieces of bread.

     A. what do you want?    B. may I have your order?

C. this table is reserved.  D. I would like to serve you.

 

__________ hungry I am, I never seem to be able to finish off this loaf of bread.

A．Whatever         B．Wherever         C．However          D．Whenever

 

Every year thousands of tourists visit Pompeii, Italy. They see the sight that Pompeii is famous for—its stadium and theaters, its shops and restaurants. The tourists do not, however, see Pompeii’s people. No one has lived in Pompeii for almost 2,ooo years.
Once Pompeii was a busy city of 22,000 people. It lay at the foot of Mt Vesuvius, a grass-covered volcano. Mt Vesuvius had not erupted for centuries, so the people of Pompeii felt safe. But they were not. In August of the year 79 AD, Mt Vesuvius erupted. The entire top of the mountain exploded, and a huge black cloud rose into the air. Soon stones and hot ashes began to fall on Pompeii. When the eruption ended two days later, Pompeii was buried under 20 feet of stones and ashes. Almost all of its people were dead.
For centuries, Pompeii lay buried under stones and ashes. Then in the year 1861, an Italian scientist named Ginseppe began to uncover Pompeii. Slowly, carefully, Ginseppe and his men dug. The city almost looked the same as it had looked in 79 AD. There were streets and fountains, houses and shops. There was a stadium with 20,000 seats. Perhaps the most important of all, there were everyday objects, which tell us a great deal about the people who lived in Pompeii. Many glasses and jars had some dark blue color in the bottom, so we know that the people of Pompeii liked wine. They liked bread too; metal bread pans were in every bakery. In one bakery there were 81 round, flat loaves of bread—a type of bread that is still sold in Italy today. Tiny boxes filled with a dark, shiny powder tell us that women liked to wear eye-makeup.
Ginseppe has died, but his work continues. One-fourth has not been uncovered yet. Scientists are still digging, still making discoveries that draw the tourists to Pompeii.
【小题1】Why do large number of people come to Pompeii each year?

A．To visit the volcano.	B．To shop and eat there.
C．To watch sports and plays.	D．To see how Pompeiians lived.

【小题2】Why did the city uncovered look almost the same as it had looked in 79 AD ?

A．Because Ginseppe and his men dug it slowly and carefully.

B．Because the city was buried alive and remained untouched.

C．Because scientists successfully rebuilt the city with everyday objects.

D．Because nobody had lived in the city ever since the volcano erupted.

【小题3】What do we know about the Pompeiians who lived 2,000 years ago?
A. They lived more or less the same as Italians now do.
B. They liked women wearing all kinds of makeup.
C. They enjoyed a lazy life with drinking and eating.
D. They went back to Pompeii after the eruption in 79 AD.

______ hungry I am, I never seem to be able to finish off this loaf of bread.

A. Whatever     B. Whenever     C. Wherever     D. However