I always loved looking at this hidden lane as I drove my children to school. Lying between a pizza restaurant and a house, the lane is easily overlooked. If you don’t take the time to glance to the left at the stop sign, you’ll miss it.
The tree-lined lane is pretty in every season. I have its images hanging in our home and at my workplace. Many people have asked me about them. When I told them where I took the pictures, they were always surprised. They probably never slowed down enough from their busy lives to notice the great beauty so close to home.
I supposed there might be a big old house at the end of the lane, but when my husband, Ron, and I went up there one day to give the owners copies of my pictures, we were both pretty surprised.
The house looks like it came right out of colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, and the grounds are breathtaking. You would never know that just a quarter-mile down the lane is a busy road.
I adore the natural beauty of the countryside throughout the year, from the heavy snows of winter to the bright new greens of spring, and I hope to always live where the seasons change. The place we live is a wonderful place to raise children, and the country is just a short drive away.
Empty nesters, Ron and I take many drives together, especially in the fall. We always head for the country. As I get older, I value the peace and beauty of the countryside even more. If you take the time to look around, you will always discover something wonderful, no matter where you are. What an amazing country we live in!
1.Why did most people feel surprised at the author’s pictures?
A.They didn’t know the lane at all.
B.They ignored the beauty of the lane.
C.The pictures were wonderfully taken.
D.The pictures reminded them of natural beauty.
2.What’s the purpose of the author and her husband visiting the old house?
A.To explore the lane.
B.To take good pictures.
C.To find a busy road nearby.
D.To offer photos to its owners.
3.How does the author feel about her living surroundings?
A.Indifferent. B.Lonely.
C.Satisfied. D.Silent.
4.What can we learn about the author’s present situation?
A.She is raising her children happily.
B.She lives together with her husband.
C.She has moved to live in the countryside.
D.She devotes herself to finding natural beauty.
Will you want a part-time job after class to make some money and improve yourself? Here are some good companies.
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)
It is a well-known fast food shop. Working hours are flexible. Fit 10 hours of work into your week. There is also a 10% discount and a free pound of chicken every week.
Position: selling assistant (experience wanted)
Website: www.kfc.com
Convenience Food Market
It sells natural and organic food. Working hours are not fixed. Benefits include paid-time off and a 25% discount. There are also training courses on food every week.
Position: secretary
Website: www.conveniencefoodmarket.com
Sicilian Coffee
Sicilian is still at the forefront of coffee revolution. It offers flexible hours and highest part-time pay. Most importantly, it treats its employees like family. However, there is no discount offered to its employees.
Position: assistant coffee taster (experience wanted)
Website: www.siciliancoffee.com
Yagol
Yagol is a clothes store which focuses on casual comfort. Employees (even part-time employees) have the chance to get a 30% discount on its clothes. Besides, part-time employees can come to work anytime they like as long as they work for 3 hours a day.
Position: salesperson
Website: www.yagol.com
1.Which website should you visit if you want to sell coffee?
A.www.kfc.com B.www.yagol.com
C.www.siciliancofee.com. D.www.conmveniencefoodmarket.com.
2.Which company offers its employees the best discount?
A.KFC. B.Convenience Food Market.
C.Sicilian Coffee. D.Yagol.
3.What do the four companies have?
A.Working hours are flexible. B.Training courses are offered.
C.Employees can get high pay. D.Related experience is wanted.
假定你是学生会主席李华,你校将举办主题为“祖国颂”的庆祝建国70周年文艺演出,你将邀请你的英国朋友Joe观看这场演出。请你写封邮件向他介绍有关情况,内容包括：
1．举办的时间和地点;
2．活动的目的;
3．活动的内容。
注意：
1．词数100左右;
2．可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯;
3．参考词汇：祖国颂Ode to Our Motherland;周年纪念日anniversary.
Dear Joe,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
After school, was about to enter into my apartment when I saw a little dirty dog lie beside the dustbin. He looked extremely weak. Immediately the homeless dog filled me of sympathy. So I decided to take him home. I gave him some food and a bath. After the bath he looked energy and refreshed. What a lovely dog!
When my parents got home, I asked that I could keep the dog. To my surprised and joy, they agreed. Up to now, he has become member of our family and everyone had enjoyed his company. Looked at the cute and happy dog today, I realize that I was right to help him. I offered him a shelter and he brought ourselves great happiness and laughter.
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
I can well remember that I was once asked to deliver a speech titled “A Real Test in My Life” before the whole class at the age of 9! You can imagine how 1. (terrible) shy I was with so many eyes 2. (fix) upon me. I had no 3. (choose) but to prepare for it, though.
First of all, I was to draft the speech, which was just a piece of cake for me, a good writer. But the hardest part 4. (lie) in my oral presentation from my memory— for to read from the paper was not allowed. The real moment began 5. I stood on the platform with my legs trembling and my mind blank. But my listeners were waiting patiently without any signs of rushing me. Gradually I found myself back, 6. (deliver) my speech with difficulty. After what seemed to be a hundred years, I found my audience applauding— I made 7.! From then on, my fear of talking before an audience disappeared.
Actually with my 8. (confident) building up, I now turn out to be a great speaker. Looking back, I know the greatest difficulty on our way 9. success is our fear. Overcome it 10. we will be able to achieve our goals.
The day before Christmas I pulled into a store parking lot and counted my money again. It wasn’t much. I ______ being poor, not having enough to ______ my small children a few simple toys. As I was ______ I noticed the Salvation Army (救世军) bell ringer at the ______. I felt bad again because I didn’t feel I could ______ anything to give him. I started walking towards the entrance ______ two cars entered empty parking spaces in front of me. The first was a ______, new Cadillac which became the ______ of me the moment I saw it. “How ______ I thought, “would it be to have enough money to buy a car like that!” The second car,______, was an ancient car more shabby than the one I was driving.
A man got out of the Cadillac and hurried into the store ______ past the bell ringer without a second ______. Out of the old car came a young mother with three small children following ______ behind her. Her clothes looked as ______ as her car, yet she slopped at the entrance and ______ a bill. In that second a(n)______ touched me, my envy and dislike ______ me, and all the love and joy filled me. I fished a bill out of my own purse,______ it in the Salvation Army kettle, and wished the ______ a “Merry Christmas!”
Now I felt I was a poor man hut rich on the ______. After finding a few things for my kids, I drove home with my heart singing.
1.A. regretted B. permitted C. escaped D. hated
2.A. make B. buy C. award D. lend
3.A. pulling out B. settling in C. getting out D. cutting in
4.A. parking space B. entrance C. parking lot D. counter
5.A. spare B. split C. spend D. save
6.A. when B. since C. though D. if
7.A. sharp B. dull C. pure D. shiny
8.A. target B. item C. envy D. bargain
9.A. nice B. precious C. rare D. expensive
10.A. therefore B. however C. anyhow D. besides
11.A. merely B. seldom C. hopefully D. right
12.A. smile B. nod C. glance D. wave
13.A. firmly B. closely C. casually D. bravely
14.A. worn out B. cast down C. tired out D. broken down
15.A. paid B. passed C. donated D. rejected
16.A. equality B. sympathy C. approval D. warmth
17.A. left B. visited C. reached D. missed
18.A. took B. handed C. dropped D. started
19.A. salesman B. bell ringer C. woman D. man driver
20.A. wealth B. luck C. inside D. outside
