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 said, “is 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. However, they never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional”. 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. But none came.
My hope turned to disappointment, 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 stopped trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told me, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased with that writing which 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 and refolded many times.
1.The writer began to love her mother’s desk_______.
A. after Mother died
B. before she became a writer
C. when she was a child
D. when mother gave it to her
2.The passage shows that_______.
A. mother wrote her daughter in careful words
B. mother cared much about her daughter in words
C. mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done
D. mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter
3.The word “gulf” in the passage means________.
A. part of the sea going far in land
B. free talks between mother and daughter
C. different ideas between mother and daughter
D. deep understanding between the old and the young
4.What did mother do with her daughter’s letter asking for forgiveness?
A. She had never received the letter.
B. She read the letter again and again till she died.
C. For years, she often talked about the letter.
D. She didn’t forgive her daughter at all in her life.
5.What’s the best title of the passage?
A. My letter to Mother
B. Mother and Me
C. My Mother’s Desk
D. Talks between Mother and Me
When you are curious about something, and want to know more about it, you can use the way of asking questions. Asking questions is the first step to make discoveries. The steps below can guide you during the research.
Step 1
On a note card or piece of paper, write down the subject that you are interested in. Just get the main idea down. For example, you might write: Discover more about dinosaurs.
Step 2
Next, stop and think for a moment about what you already know about your subject. List what you already know like the sentences below:
（1）Dinosaurs lived long before human beings appeared.
（2）Dinosaurs lived on the earth for more than 150 million years.
（3）Some dinosaurs fed on plants, some on meat.
Step 3
What can you do with what you want to learn? On your paper, start writing down questions about the dinosaurs as you think of them:
（1）What’s the best weather for dinosaurs to live in?
（2）How many kinds of dinosaurs are there?
（3）Have dinosaurs really disappeared?
Step 4
Armed with your list of questions, you can now go to the nearest library or computer to begin your research. As you learn more about your subject, you’ll probably discover some new questions.
For example, you might discover that dinosaurs disappeared about 65 million years ago. Why? What happened, asking new questions can help you research your subject more widely.
The next time you find something interesting to research, take time to organize your thinking by asking good questions. Remember----learning more always bring more questions.
1.What can you do with what you want to learn?
A. Read some books
B. Search for some information on the computer
C. Ask for help from the teacher
D. You can use the way of asking questions.
2.When you do some research，you should take the following steps:_____.
①list what you want to know ②choose a research subject
③list what you already know ④discover new problems
A. ①④③② B. ②③①④
C. ③②④① D. ④③①②
3.What does the underlined sentence “Armed with your list of questions” mean?
A. Putting your list of questions under your arm.
B. Discussing your questions with your classmates.
C. Writing down your list of questions.
D. Taking your list of questions with you.
4.According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A. You can find all the answers online.
B. Learn more, and you’ll have no questions.
C. During the research, you may keep finding new questions.
D. Asking questions is the only way for research.
5.The best title for this passage is _____.
A. Discovering Dinosaurs B. Asking Good Questions
C. Finding Subjects D. Having Interesting Answers
UNICEF was set up in 1946 after the war in Europe to help children. Children’s lives were changed because of the war. Now, UNICEF helps children all over the world. It works in 158 countries and areas. It helps governments and families to make the world a better place for children.
UNICEF gets the money from donations. It raises money by selling Christmas cards and organizing some other fund-raising activities. People can help UNICEF by doing voluntary work.
UNICEF believes that all children should have clean water and food so that they can be healthy. They should go to school instead of working to support their families.
1.When was UNICEF set up?
A. In 1945 B. In 1946
C. In 1947 D. In 1948
2.________lives were changed because of the war.
A. Men’s B. Women’s
C. Children’s D. Baby’s
3.How many countries and areas does UNICEF work in?
A. 156 B. 165
C. 158 D. 185
4.It raises money ________.
A. by selling Christmas cards
B. by organizing some fund-raising activities
C. by doing voluntary work
D. A and B
5.UNICEF believes that all children should have________ so that they can be healthy.
A. health care B. clean water and food
C. homes D. education
When I was about ten years old, I spotted a mouse running across our living room floor. My four younger sisters heard me screaming _____and joined me on the couch, _______my father found us standing, yelling and pointing.
Dad grabbed ______and chased that mouse all over the place. We followed him in hot pursuit, ____ him on, “Get it, dad. Get it!”
Finally, the mouse was ______, but when Dad pushed the broom into it, the mouse ____a little squeal. All _____of us jumped on our father. We ____ his arms and legs, “Don’t hurt him. Let him go!”
Dad dropped his head ____ . He pulled the broom away and the mouse scampered off. “Run.” we yelled. My father ___ us as we’d turned into numskulls. He bought a trap the next day.
1.A. at the top of my lung B. at the top of my voices C. at the top of my lungs D. at the top of the voice
2.A. that B. which C. when D. where
3.A. a trap B. a broom C. a stick D. a stool
4.A. cheering B. urging C. encouraging D. calling
5.A. caught B. cornered C. beaten D. killed
6.A. left out B. let out C. sent out D. shouted out
7.A. five B. four C. three D. six
8.A. pulled down B. pulled away C. pulled at D. pulled off
9.A. in surprise B. in disappointment C. with pleasure D. in defeat
10.A. looked at B. saw C. regard D. heard
He did the work all by herself, ______ surprised all of us.
A. it B. which
C. that D. by which
Not only ______ study well, but also he is always ready to help others.
A. he does B. he did
C. does he D. did he
