I grew up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. When the holiday decorations went up, there were houses on my block with trees lit up for Christmas in front yards and behind living room windows. I was born in a Jewish family. Even though I received eight presents for Hanukkah (an eight-day Jewish holiday in November or December), it just wasn’t fair. My friends had beautiful trees with lights and presents brought by a man in a red suit. I didn’t have a tree, and I lived in an apartment building, so I had no chimney(烟囱).
That year, some neighbors bought a Christmas tree, but it was too tall for their living rooms, They cut off the top and, knowing I wanted to celebrate Christmas, gave the top to my family. After my parents fell asleep, I opened a window in our apartment. I imagined Santa could park his sleigh(雪橇) on our fire escape. When I woke up the next morning, the window was closed and Santa had delivered a present. I can’t even remember what it was, but my memory of the morning lasts.
My relationship with Santa took a break until my daughter, Amanda, was born in 1992. My wife and I saw no reason to deprive(剥夺) her of meeting Santa. In 1998, a friend of mine portrayed(扮演) Santa at the South Street Seaport in Manhattan. He told me to stop by with my wife and daughter, and asked for their names in advance so he could greet them. When he saw us at the seaport, he greeted us by our names. My daughter’s mouth opened wide and she pulled back. Maybe she was too young to appreciate this. But other families waiting to see him seemed delighted by his appearance and the gifts he brought.
My two children are now grown up and do not visit Santa, and we do not have a Christmas tree, yet our family still enjoys the holiday. On Christmas Eve, in the spirit of the night, we leave a plate of my favorite cookies on the kitchen table in hopes Santa will leave a present.
1.What was the young author’s wish?
A. Receiving many presents at Hanukkah. B. Visiting his friends at Christmas.
C. Celebrating Christmas at home. D. Living in a house with a tree.
2.Why did the author open a window that night?
A. To let Santa deliver a gift. B. His parents asked him to do so.
C. His Christmas tree was too tall. D. To enjoy a Christmas night scene.
3.What made Amanda pull back?
A. Meeting many people in Santa’s clothes. B. Being greeted by Santa by name.
C. Recognizing her father’s friend. D. Receiving gifts from Santa.
4.What might the author’s family do now on Christmas Eve?
A. Visit Santa. B. Eat cookies.
C. Decorate a Christmas tree. D. Take pleasure from the holiday.
5.What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A. To bring back his Christmas memories. B. To show his great love of holidays.
C. To share his family traditions. D. To introduce Jewish customs.
Ivy Granstrom
Ivy Granstrom was born with impaired vision(弱视) and got a serious back injury at the age of 60 during a car accident. She participated in cold English Bay swimming events for 76 years and was therefore sometimes known as the Queen of the Polar Bear Swims.
Gerry Hewson
Gerry Hewson was a member of Australian Men’s National Wheelchair Basketball Team. He won a gold medal in the 1996 Summer Paralympics. He coached for the West Sydney Razorbacks from 2004 to 2006. He was named as a lifetime member in recognition of the efforts he made for the promotion of wheelchair basketball. Discussing the appeal of wheelchair basketball, he commented that,“There is a coating at the edge of the rim(轮辋) that actually lights up like a spark(火花), and it stays for about two to three seconds. That is quite exciting and great fun.”
April Holmes
April Holmes lost her left leg below the knee because of a train accident in 2001. Remembering it she said,“I had a life-changing accident in January, 2001. And fortunately I have been able to get back to doing what I love, and that’s track and field.” Through hard work, she made records in the 100, 200, and 400 meter events. To live her life to its full potential, she has set up a non-profit(非营利的) organization, the April Holmes Foundation, to help people with learning or physical disabilities while being a role model for them.
Shauna Maria Whyte
Shauna Maria Whyte was born in Canada in 1967. She has won many prizes in cross-country skiing competitions since 1975. In 1991, during a horseback riding competition, Shauna broke her back. She did not surrender to this change in her life, and she started using a sit sled(雪橇).
1.What earned Ivy Granstrom great fame?
A. Skiing B. Basketball
C. Swimming. D. Track and field
2.According to Gerry Hewson, why did he love the sports he was doing?
A. It brought him excitement.
B. It won him several medals.
C. It gave him a job as a coach.
D. It strengthened his physical abilities.
3.Who set up an organization to encourage people?
A. Ivy Granstrom. B. Gerry Hewson.
C. April Holmes. D. Shauna Maria Whyte.
4.What do we know about the four people mentioned in the text?
A. They are peace-lovers.
B. They are disabled fighters.
C. They made contributions to youth sports.
D. They worked for the promotion of Paralympics.
5.In which part of a newspaper can you probably find the text?
A. Travel. B. Culture.
C. Technology. D. Sport
The park bench was deserted as I sat down beneath an old tree. I was feeling _______ for the world was trying to drag me down. And if that weren’t enough to ruin my day, a young boy out of breath _______me, all tired from play. He stood right before me and said with great _______, “Look what I found!”
In his hand was a flower, and what a _______ sight, with its petals(花瓣) all worn. _______him to take his dead flower and go off to play, I forced a _______ smile and then turned away. But instead of leaving, he sat next to my side and placed the flower to his _______and declared with overacted(夸张的) surprise, “ It sure smells pretty and it’s _______, too. That’s why I picked it; here, it’s for you.”
The flower before me was dying or dead. But I knew I_______take it, or he might never leave. So I________for the flower, and replied, “Just what I need.” But________ placing the flower in my hand, he held it mid-air without reason or plan. It was then that I ________for the very first time that the boy could not ________.
At that moment I heard my voice________; tears shone in the sun ________I thanked him for picking a very best one. “You’re welcome,” he smiled, and then ran off to play, unaware of the________he’d had on my day.
I sat there and wondered ________he managed to see a self-pitying woman beneath an old tree. Perhaps he’d been blessed with true ________from his heart. Through the eyes of a blind child, I________ could see the problem was not with the world; it was me. And for all of those times I myself had been blind, I________ to see the beauty in life and appreciate every second that’s mine.
1.A. shocked B. comfortable C. curious D. disappointed
2.A. visited B. approached C. passed D. left
3.A. appreciation B. sorrow C. excitement D. nervousness
4.A. pleasant B. dangerous C. pitiful D. familiar
5.A. Wanting B. Persuading C. Allowing D. Ordering
6.A. weak B. cheerful C. broad D. real
7.A. eye B. leg C. nose D. hand
8.A. useful B. beautiful C. meaningful D. powerful
9.A. would B. should C. must D. could
10.A. reached B. paid C. begged D. asked
11.A. because of B. except for C. as for D. instead of
12.A. suspected B. remembered C. admitted D. noticed
13.A. write B. see C. read D. hear
14.A. trembling B. sinking C. changing D. repeating
15.A. until B. because C. as D. since
16.A. influence B. explanation C. decision D. burden
17.A. when B. where C. whether D. how
18.A. courage B. sight C. will D. wisdom
19.A. specially B. luckily C. strangely D. finally
20.A. pretended B. decided C. expected D. struggled
—It rained cats and dogs this morning. I’m glad we took an umbrella.
—Yeah, we would have got wet all over if we ________ .
A. didn’t B. hadn’t
C. haven’t D. don’t
More and more cancer patients _________ in hospital owing to polluted environment and people’s bad lifestyles.
A. treated B. have treated
C. have been treated D. had been treated
Saving Private Ryan is an unforgettable anti-war film and also a story of courage and _________ .
A. burden B. depression
C. benefit D. sacrifice
