I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she’d said again, “it’s for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional(易动感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer. None came.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace—it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside--- a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded(折叠) and refolded many times.
Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose. Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.
【小题1】The writer began to love her mother’s desk____________.

Yesterday my grandfather told me about his early days.        he left school, he found a job in a post office. He worked hard there. Soon he had more money than his friends because of his hard work. It seemed that he would have a        future.

When he was 25 years old, however, he began to be        his job. He wanted a more exciting one, so he left the post office. Two months       , he found a new job in a big       . Workers in this company        traveled a lot. At first he really enjoyed the traveling. But after a year, he began to        it. He had to move around and he was always in a car or on a train. The        thing was that he couldn’t make any new friends. Even so, his boss was not satisfied with him. Two years later he        the company.

He was so        at that time that he sold his house. He had to accept a part-time job in a         shop. He was surprised to find that he loved it! He made new friends every day and he        reading books. Three years later, he        the shop owner's daughter. Soon they had their first child. In the next ten years, they had another three        and four more book shops! He became very rich indeed.

“Life is wonderful,” he told me. “The most        thing is that you should always try your best. Never give up!”

1.A. While                           B. When                     C. Until                                 D. If

2.A. bad                         B. bright                       C. coming                            D. interesting

3.A. tired of                         B. crazy about                      C. interested in          D. afraid of

4.A. ago                          B. before                     C. later                                 D. afterwards

5.A. factory                          B. shop                                  C. school                               D. company

6.A. hardly                          B. usually                             C. seldom                            D. never

7.A. like                           B. prefer                                C. hate                                  D. practise

8.A. worst                   B. happiest                           C. best                                   D. strangest

9.A. reached                        B. called                                C. left                                    D. started

10.A. happy                        B. energetic                       C. rich                                 D. poor

11.A. cloth                           B. fruit                                 C. book                      D. dress

12.A. enjoyed                B. finished                    C. began                               D. forgot

13.A. married                    B. knew                     C. met                                 D. visited

14.A. sisters                        B. brothers                      C. cousins                            D. children

15.A. difficult             B. important                         C. amazing                            D. Boring

One day when some government officials were rebuilding a house, they found a mouse hole in a corner and used smoke to make the mice inside the hole come out. A while later they saw mice running out, one after another，but they saw two mice didn’t run away immediately. It seemed that one was trying to bite(咬) the tail of the other.
Everyone was puzzled, so they came nearer to take a look. They realized that one of the two mice was blind, and the other was trying to allow the blind mouse to bite his tail in order to pull the blind one with him to run away.
During the meal time, they started to talk about the two mice. One serious American said, “I think the relationship between those two mice was that of king and guard.”
A smart Frenchman said, “I think the relationship between them was that of husband and wife.”
A Japanese said, “I think the relationship between them was that of mother and son.”
At that moment, one Chinese asked, “Why did those two mice have a certain relationship?”
Suddenly, they looked back at the Chinese. The American, the Frenchman and the Japanese who had spoken earlier all lowered (低下) their heads in shame, and didn’t answer.
In fact, the great love is not built on friendship or blood relationship. Instead, it is based on no relationship.
【小题1】The two mice didn’t go away immediately because _______.

One day when some government officials were rebuilding a barn(谷仓), they found a mouse hole in a corner and they used smoke to force the mice inside the hole to come out. A while later they indeed saw mice running out, one after another. Then, everyone thought that all the mice had ran away. But just as they began to clean up, they saw two mice squeezing(挤)out at the mouth of the hole. With some efforts, the mice finally got out. However, it was strange that after they came out of the hole, they did not run away immediately. Instead, one ran after the other near the mouth of the hole. It seemed that one was trying to bite the tail of the other.
Everyone was puzzled, so they stepped nearer to take a look. They realized that one of the mice was blind and could not see anything, and the other was trying to allow the blind mouse to bite on his tail so that he could pull the blind one with him to run away.
After seeing what happened, everyone was silent and lost in thought. During the meal time, the group of people sat down in a circle and started to chat about what happened to the two mice.
One serious American official said: "I think the relationship between those two mice was that of king and guard." The others thought for a while and said: "That was why!"
A smart French said: "I think the relationship between those two mice was that of husband and wife." Again the others thought for a while, and all felt it meaningful.
A Japanese said: "I think the relationship between those two mice was that of mother and son." Once again the others thought for a while, and felt this was more reasonable. So they expressed agreement another time.
At that moment, one Chinese asked: "Why did those two mice have to have a certain relationship?"
Suddenly, the group looked back at the Chinese and didn't say any words. The American official, the French and the Japanese who had spoken earlier all lowered their heads in shyness, and did not dare to answer.
In fact, the true love is not built on friendship, loyalty(忠诚) or blood relationship. Instead, it is based on no relationship.
【小题1】Neither of the two mice ran away immediately because_______.