When I was learning calligraphy my teacher told me a story.
A calligrapher taught handwriting. One of his students who often practised handwriting with old sheets of newspapers complained that he made very little progress though he had learned it with the calligrapher for a long time. His teacher said to him, “Try to use the best paper. Maybe you’ll write better. ”
　The student did as he was told. It really worked. He made headway not long afterwards and felt curious. He asked his teacher about the reason. The calligrapher answered, “When you used old newspapers to practice handwriting，you would think you were writing a draft（草稿）.  It didn’t matter if you wrote badly as old newspapers were plenty in supply. In that case you wouldn’t pay much attention to it. Now you use the best paper you’ll treasure it. Each time you write you feel strongly about the rarity (稀少) of chances and you’ll devote to it with all your heart and soul; you’ll do the handwriting much more attentively than otherwise practising it. Of course you’ve made rapid progress.”
Indeed，we spend our ordinary days just as they are worthless “old newspapers”. We don’t care if we scrawl and waste them, thinking that they will come endlessly --- those “old newspapers” are inexhaustible. In such a mood we may each day pass by opportunities but fail to catch any of them.
Life is not a military exercise but an actual war in which real weapons are used. In everyday life there’s no chance for us to draw a draft. That’s because what we call “draft” actually is the answer sheet we write that cannot be changed. Every day of our life is something new. Let us take every day as a sheet of best paper.
【小题1】The calligrapher in the story told the student to write on the best paper because he thought _______.

A．the student would practice more carefully on the best paper

B．it was comfortable to write on the bet paper

C．the student had enough money to buy the best paper.

D．the student could write more on the best paper.

【小题2】The student didn’t make much progress at first because _________.

A．he regarded his writing on old newspaper just as a draft

B．he was too poor to buy better paper to write

C．he didn’t follow his teacher’s advice

D．he was not used to the calligrapher’s teaching manner

【小题3】We learn from the passage that _________.

A．the student finally gave up

B．the student made rapid progress by persisting more carefully

C．the calligrapher was strict with his students

D．old newspaper is not useful

【小题4】Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．What teachers say is always true.

B．Success calls for attentiveness.

C．Handwriting is easy to practice.

D．New things are always better than old ones.

【小题5】The writer wants to tell us that _________.

A．there are some good ways to practice handwriting

B．life is like old newspaper

C．we should learn from the student in the story

D．life will not give us a chance to draw a draft

When I was learning calligraphy my teacher told me a story.

A calligrapher taught handwriting. One of his students who often practised handwriting with old sheets of newspapers complained that he made very little progress though he had learned it with the calligrapher for a long time. His teacher said to him, “Try to use the best paper. Maybe you’ll write better. ”

　The student did as he was told. It really worked. He made headway not long afterwards and felt curious. He asked his teacher about the reason. The calligrapher answered, “When you used old newspapers to practice handwriting，you would think you were writing a draft（草稿）.  It didn’t matter if you wrote badly as old newspapers were plenty in supply. In that case you wouldn’t pay much attention to it. Now you use the best paper you’ll treasure it. Each time you write you feel strongly about the rarity (稀少) of chances and you’ll devote to it with all your heart and soul; you’ll do the handwriting much more attentively than otherwise practising it. Of course you’ve made rapid progress.”

Indeed，we spend our ordinary days just as they are worthless “old newspapers”. We don’t care if we scrawl and waste them, thinking that they will come endlessly --- those “old newspapers” are inexhaustible. In such a mood we may each day pass by opportunities but fail to catch any of them.

Life is not a military exercise but an actual war in which real weapons are used. In everyday life there’s no chance for us to draw a draft. That’s because what we call “draft” actually is the answer sheet we write that cannot be changed. Every day of our life is something new. Let us take every day as a sheet of best paper.

1.The calligrapher in the story told the student to write on the best paper because he thought _______.

A．the student would practice more carefully on the best paper

B．it was comfortable to write on the bet paper

C．the student had enough money to buy the best paper.

D．the student could write more on the best paper.

2.The student didn’t make much progress at first because _________.

A．he regarded his writing on old newspaper just as a draft

B．he was too poor to buy better paper to write

C．he didn’t follow his teacher’s advice

D．he was not used to the calligrapher’s teaching manner

3.We learn from the passage that _________.

A．the student finally gave up

B．the student made rapid progress by persisting more carefully

C．the calligrapher was strict with his students

D．old newspaper is not useful

4.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．What teachers say is always true.

B．Success calls for attentiveness.

C．Handwriting is easy to practice.

D．New things are always better than old ones.

5.The writer wants to tell us that _________.

A．there are some good ways to practice handwriting

B．life is like old newspaper

C．we should learn from the student in the story

D．life will not give us a chance to draw a draft

 

阅读下面一篇短文，按照要求回答短文后面的问题：

　　My husband is on the front lines in Iraq. Not as a soldier, but as a reporter. When I told my friend about his latest task, each had the same reaction, “Did you tell him no?”

　　They remind me, as if I'd somehow forgotten, that he has left behind our three young children for weeks, perhaps months. He will be risking his life, they say, only for some news.

　　Is it worth it?

　　I understand the pity they feel for me because of the burden suddenly heaped on my shoulders.

My 5－year－old daughter designed a schedule to determine which of the children would keep me company in my empty bed at night. Whether it was her turn or not, I can usually wake to find her huddled against me. My 7－year－old son has many questions about the war and weapons. Though I've never allowed my children to watch the evening news, National Public Radio has been my constant companion, and he was interested in any mention of the war, and he questions me about “when will dad go home”. Most troubling of all, my 9－year－old daughter has said nothing. She has asked no questions and she merely glances at the photo of her father displayed on the page next to his article each morning. And all three are probably the only kids at their school who can find Iraq on a map.

　　In the end, when friends ask, “Is it worth it?” I can answer yes. He, like other reporters from other countries, is presenting us with the truth.

　　So when my friends ask, I tell them it wasn't a matter of letting him go or making him stay. My husband just does what his career asks him to do.

Answer the following questions:

1．Where is the author's husband?

________________________________

2．What do the author's friends think of her husband going to Iraq?

________________________________

3．Why does the author think her 9－year－old daughter is most troubling of all?

________________________________

4．What does the author think of her husband going to Iraq?

________________________________

Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son, shared a passion for art collecting. Together, they traveled around the world, adding only the 36 art treasures to their collection.

One year, as winter approached, 　37 engulfed (吞没) the nation, and the young man left to 38 his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was 　39 in action. The art collector 　40 awaited more news, 　41 he would never see his son again. Within days, his fears were 　42 . The young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a doctor.

Upset and 　43 , the old man faced the coming Christmas holidays with sadness. On Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the 　44 old man. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a 　45 with a large package in his hands.

He introduced himself to the old man by saying,“ I was a 46 of your son. I was the one he was 47 when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you.”

As the two began to 　48 , the soldier told of how the man's son had told everyone of his, not to mention his father's 　49 of fine art. “I am no 　50 ,” said the soldier, “but I want to give you this.”

As the old man unwrapped the package, he saw a portrait his son. Though the world would 　51 consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man's face 　52 striking detail.

Overcome with emotion, the man 　53 the soldier. After the soldier had left, the old man put the painting above the fireplace, pushing 　54 thousands of dollars worth of art. His task completed, the old man sat in his chair and spent Christmas gazing at the 　55 he had been given.

36. A. latest　　　　　　　　 B. richest　　　　　　　 C. cheapest　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. finest

37. A. war　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. fire 　　　　　　　　 C. storm 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. flood

38. A. save 　　　　　　　　 B. serve 　　　　　　　 C. help 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. build

39. A. fighting 　　　　　　　　　 B. acting 　　　　　　　　　 C. missing 　　　　　　　　 D. dying

40. A. anxiously 　　　　　 B. calmly 　　　　　　　　　 C. quietly　　　　　　　　　　 D. secretly

4l. A. wondering B. doubting　　　　　 C. fearing D. expecting

42. A.comp1eted B. doubled C. removed D. confirmed

43. A. lonely　　　　 　　　 B. tired　　　　　　　　 C. nervous　　　　　　　　　 　　 D. frightened

44. A. sad　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. puzzled　　　　　　　　　　 C. angry　　　　　　　　　　　 D. worried

45. A. farmer　　　　　　　 B. soldier　　　　　　　 C. painter　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. seller

46. A. friend　　　　　　　　 B. photographer　　　　　 C. partner　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. guard

47. A. rescuing　　　　　　　　　　 B. carrying　　　　　　　　　 C. guarding　　　　　　　　　 D. hiding

48. A. argue　　　　　　　　 B. move　　　　　　　 C. talk　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. eat

49. A. description　　　　 B. love　　　　　　　　 C. sense　　　　　　　　　　　 D. understanding

50. A. reporter　　　　　　　　　　 B. businessman　　　　　　 C. hero　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. artist

5l. A. sometimes　　　　　　　　　 B. often　　　　　　　　 C. never　　　　　　　　　　　 D. still

52. A. for　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. in　　　　　　　　　　 C. of　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　 D. on

53. A. treated　　　　　　　 B. questioned　　　　 C. welcomed　　　　　　　 D. thanked

54. A. own　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. aside　　　　　　　　 C. up　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. off

55. A. treasure　　　　　　　　　　 B. souvenir　　　　　 　　 C. gift　　　　　　　　 D. package