I have a friend who lives by a three-word philosophy (人生哲学): Seize the moment. Just possibly, she may be the wisest woman on this planet. Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven’t thought about it, don’t have it on their schedule, don’t know it is coming or are too strict to depart from their routine.

I can’t count the times I called my sister and said, “How about going to lunch in half an hour?” She would gasp and stammer (结结巴巴地说), “I can’t. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known it yesterday, I had a late breakfast, and it looks like rain.” And my personal favorite response: “It’s just Monday.” She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together. From then on, I’ve tried to be a little more flexible.

Life has a way of going faster as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises made to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all have to show for our lives is repetition of “I’m going to” , “I plan on” and “Someday, when things are settled down a bit.”

When anyone calls my “seize the moment” friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you’re ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years . I love ice cream. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happily.

Now ... go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to … not something on your SHOULD DO list.

1．The example of the writer’s sister serves as ________.

A. an argument       B. an introduction      C. a support         D. a conclusion

2．The writer thinks that the excuse “It’s just Monday.” is acceptable, because ________.

A. it is still likely that they can have lunch together some time later

B. it sounds most reasonable of all the excuses

C. it shows respect for the writer’s suggestion

D. it indicates the time when they can have lunch together

3．The underlined word “contagious” in the fourth paragraph means “________” .

A. appropriate               B. influential                  C. practical                   D. evident

4．What is the purpose of the writer by writing this passage?

A. To suggest how time flies.

B. To persuade busy people to relax.

C. To advise people to keep their promise.

D. To persuade readers to be flexible on their schedule for practical joy.

Kilimanjaro Climb : a Rite of Passage for Father and Son

Climbing Kilimanjaro is a transformational experience for many people. The things that make the mountain hard are the very things that make it so powerful. In the case of my son Josh and I，the walk up Kilimanjaro proved a powerful symbol ofhis transition into manhood, and a great change in our relationship.

Day three on the mountain, Josh was hit with massive headaches. He told me every step felt like a nail driving into his head. And then, on the night we climbed the crater rim, less than 40 minutes from the summit, Josh fell. I was walking ahead, and did not even see it. He was so exhausted that he could not get up. He recalled our guides, debating whether or not they should take him straight down. Josh snapped out of it. He forced himself to his feet, shook the guides off. He set his face towards the peak and just kept marching. Near the summit he caught up with me and we reached the peak together.

“ I’ve never been in so much pain and so happy at the same time，，，he said, as we sat side by side on the frozen rock and looked down over Africa. “You know, in the past when we’d go on camping and rafting trips, you guided and took care of me through it all. But on Kilimanjaro it was different. From the bottom up, I climbed it. I never feltlike a kid, even when 1 was in pain. You never acted like a parent.”

“That’s not quite true，”I replied. “When you told me that on the summit you fell-and I did not even notice, my first thought was, ‘Oh my God! I’m such an awful parent!’ But then it hit me, ‘He got himself up. He walked to the peak on his own. He didn't need me to help.，”

I realized as I spoke that two people had died that night on Kilimanjaro. A child and a parent. It wasjust two friends who walked down the mountain together.

1.What is NOT mentioned in the first paragraph?

A． Kilimanjaro is powerful.

B． Kilimanjaro is hard to climb.

C． Many people, including Josh, have changed after climbing Kilimanjaro.

D． The writer has a distant relationship with his son after climbing Kilimanjaro.

2.From the second paragraph we know that_____

A． Josh had a slight headache.

B． Josh reached the top of the mountain with the help of the guides.

C． Josh overcame various difficulties on his way to the summit.

D． Climbing Kilimanjaro was too hard for such a child as Josh.

3.What does the underlined phrase in the second paragraph mean?

A． cheered up       B．gave up           C．burst out          D．ran out

4.What can be inferred from the talk between the father and the son?

A． Josh felt quite good about his independence.

B． Josh appreciated his parents ，company and care.

C． The father felt guilty all the time.

D． The father should have taken good care of Josh as usual.

5.Why did the father feel that two people had died?

A． Because two people had lost their lives while climbing Kilimanjaro.

B． Because the father and son had become friends.

C． Because they had witnessed an accidence of a father and son.

D． Because two friends had misled him.

 

It was just in the room ______ he was born _____ he died.

         A. where; which                B. that; that                        C. where; that                    D. which; that

 

She is so _____ that she cried for days when her pet rabbit died.

A. sensitive  B. sensible  C. imaginative  D.impressive

Smallpox, a kind of disease, has now died ________.

A. out        B. away  C. off         D. down