What is a family? Why does it matter? What does it teach us that we can’t learn on our own? These questions seem especially relevant in the holiday season when it is often our tradition to gather as families and celebrate together.
My mother was one of twelve children. As they grew up, married and had children of their own, most of them lived near enough to gather for holidays at my grandparents’ home in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina.
I don’t recall getting many gifts from them .I remember the sense of belonging, of being part of something that assured me I was loved and not alone.
I delighted in the laughing, playing and fighting with my crazy cousins. I watched my granddad and uncles sit on the porch, rain or shine, smoking and joking, arguing about politics and trying to solve the problems of the world. I listened to my grandmother, mother and aunts stir (搅拌) pots on the stove and talk about their lives, hopes, dreams and disappointments, and gossip about any sister who failed to show up.
The food was always plentiful and delicious-country ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, biscuits and my grandmother’s banana pudding. But for me, the food was never the highlight. The highlight was simply being together. A family.
However, they’re all gone now. My parents and grandparents, my aunts and uncles have left this world for the next. My cousins are scattered here and there. And yet the memories linger, along with the love that we shared.
I treasure those memories and the things they taught me. They told me that families aren’t perfect, but they prepare us to find our way in an imperfect world. They made me realize that all families are crazy in their own particular ways.
My husband and I are growing a new family, while keeping close to the surviving members of the families. It’s a beautiful blend (混合) of kindness, traditions, nurturing (养育) and friendships, which grows year after year.
I hope this holiday season will fill you with lovely memories of the family that raised you, and surround you with all the people who mean “family” to you now.
1.What do we know about the author’s family according to the article?
A.She didn’t get on well with her cousins.
B.Her grandpa and uncles were politicians.
C.Her family delighted in their gatherings.
D.The female members liked to show off.
2.The author appreciated the gatherings mainly because _______.
A.there was a lot of inviting food
B.special gifts were selected thoughtfully
C.they brought the family closer together
D.she got to see relatives who seldom visited
3.What does the underlined word “linger” in paragraph 6 probably mean?
A.Disappear. B.Remain.
C.Increase. D.Fade.
4.What did the author learn from her family?
A.Good families should live together.
B.Imperfect families may help us adjust to the world.
C.Memories of perfect families deserve treasuring.
D.It’s necessary to create crazy family traditions.
ACTIVITY SCHEDULE FOR THE COMING WEEK
MONDAY 25th
| A SHORT TOUR OF BRIGHTON TO HELP ORIENTATE NEW STUDENTS TO THE LOCAL AREA. Meet outside the school at 13:20. | WELCOME NEW STUDENTS We have 8 new students this week, so come along to the Clifftonville inn on George Street at 8:30 to give them a warm welcome. |
TUESDAY 26th | PARTY PREPARATIONS | CALLING ALL STUDENTS TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL AT 7:00 TO HELP Making costumes and decorations for the party on Thursday The more people that come, the better the party will be. |
THURSDAY 28th | FANCY DRESS HALLOWEEN PARTY | COME ALONG AND CELEBRATE THIS CREEPY FESTIVAL WITH MUSIC, FOOD AND SPOOKY DECORATIONS… |
FRIDAY 29th
| FOOTBALL MATCH AT 16:00 AT HOVE PARK If you would like to pay, sign on the board. | FREE TIME |
SATURDAY 30th TRIPS BY TRAIN | LONDON AND HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Includes a trip to the London Dungeons, Camden Lock market, the infamous Clink Prison and Chessington theme park for their Halloween evening, plus much more…£21. | LEWES BONFIRE NIGHT AND SUSSEX COUNTRYSIDE TOUR This mid week tour leaves Brighton at 13:30 and includes an afternoon visit to the famous Seven Sisters, Beachy Head, and cider tasting at Middle Farm. A stop will be made at a country pub for dinner before we move on to Lewes for their annual bonfire parade and fireworks… Only £10 |
1.We can infer that the school in the text is nearest to _______.
A.London B.Sussex
C.Lewes D.Brighton
2.Students will come to Clifftonville inn ______.
A.for a gathering to start a short tour
B.to prepare for the party
C.to give the new students a warm welcome
D.to celebrate the fancy dress Halloween party
3.If you go on the trip to Lewes for the bonfire, which route will you take?
a. Seven Sisters b. Middle Farm c. a country pub
d. Brighton e. Beachy Head
A.daebc B.adecb
C.daceb D.adebc
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.
—Tenneva Jordan
I knew I was not supposed to be quite so excited. I was too old for that. At age eleven, the oldest and my mom's "grown up" girl, I had to keep my cool. I was in middle school after all. But every chance I got, when I was alone, I checked each present under the tree. I read every tag and felt every package, guessing at the contents within. I had examined each gift so often that I could tell which present went to which person without even looking at the tags.
It had been a tough year for my family. Whenever my mom looked over at the tree and scattered（撒） presents, she would sigh and warn us, "There won't be as much for Christmas this year. Try not to be disappointed." Christmas had traditionally been a time for my parents to spoil us. In years past, the presents would pile up and spill out from under the tree, taking over the living room. I had heard the phrase "giving is better than receiving," but thought that whoever had said that must have been out of their mind. Getting presents was the whole point! It was the reason I couldn't get to sleep on Christmas Eve.
On Christmas morning, we eagerly waited in the hallway until Dad told us everything was ready. We rushed into the living room and let the wrapping paper fly. We made weak attempts to wait and watch while other family members opened their presents, but as the time passed we lost our self-control.
"Here's another one for you,” said Mom as she handed me a package. I looked at it, confused. Having spent so much time examining the presents before Christmas, I recognized this one. But it had not been mine. It was my mom's. A new label had been put on it, with my name written in my mother's handwriting.
"Mom, I can't...”
注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
Paragraph 1:
I was stopped by my mother's eager, joyful look.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
I have always remembered that Christmas fondly.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
假定你是校学生会主席李华，你校近期要举办“美丽家乡”国画展，你的外教老师Henry曾学习过中国国画，请你发邮件邀请他参加此次画展，内容包括：1.画展开办的时间、地点；2.开办国画展的目的和意义；3.表达期待。
注意：1.词数80左右；2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Erik, an athletic child, lost his vision in his early teen. At first he_______to use a walking stick or learn Braille(盲文),_______he could do as well as any teenage. He finally came to accept his disability, though. He couldn’t play the same_______as he used to. But then he discovered wrestling, a sport_______sight wasn’t as important as touch and_______.Then,at 16,he discovered rock climbing was like wrestling in some ways. A wrestler and a rock climber_______information through touch. Rock climbing_______ mountain climbing, the greatest challenge of his life. Erik’s teammates say he isn’t different from a_______mountaineer. The major difference is that his strong upper body, flexibility and mental toughness make him a(n)_______climber.
Climbing Mount Everest was__________for every climber on every team. The reaction to the mountain air for Erik was the same as it was for his teammates:__________of oxygen causes the heart to beat slower, and the brain doesn’t__________as clearly as normal. In some ways, Erik had an advantage__________his teammates：as they got near the top, the vision of all climbers was__________.So at a certain altitude, all his teammates were like Erik--nearly__________.To climb Mount Everest is an achievement for any athlete. Erik showed his disability wasn’t as important as his ability.
1.A.demanded B.decided C.refused D.promised
2.A.insisting B.praying C.admitting D.appealing
3.A.exercises B.games C.parts D.sports
4.A.that B.where C.which D.whose
5.A.thought B.hearing C.feel D.smell
6.A.store B.receive C.exchange D.get
7.A.led to B.resulted from C.depended on D.made out
8.A.formal B.sighted C.determined D.successful
9.A.optimistic B.special C.responsible D.perfect
10.A.uneasy B.compulsory C.optional D.challenging
11.A.short B.lack C.limit D.supply
12.A.survive B.recover C.function D.refresh
13.A.against B.over C.beyond D.with
14.A.wasted B.broadened C.restricted D.improved
15.A.blind B.dizzy C.hopeless D.dead
Choosing the right career can be hard. Many people graduate from school or college not knowing what to do with their lives, and get a job without really thinking about it. For some, things work out fine. 1. Your working life lasts an average of forty years, so it's important to find a job you like and feel enthusiastic about. Luckily, there are many ways you can get help to do this.
The Australian website, www.careersonline.com, compares choosing a career with going to the movies. Before you see a movie, you find out what films are showing. 2.— find out what jobs are available and what your options are. Next, decide which movie you like best; if you're not a romantic person, you won't want to see a love story. In other words, with your career, you should decide which job will suit your personality. 3. Meanwhile, you should find out where the theater is before you go. With your career, you need to find information about where you can work, how much you will earn, and how to get a job in that profession.
So, how do you start? Begin by asking yourself some questions. 4. Have you travel overseas? Do you have any extra certificates besides your degree, such as a first aid license, for example? Your physical state and build can also affect which jobs you can do. A person, for example, who is allergic to cats would probably never become a veterinarian. Flight attendants, firefighters, and police officers have to be over a certain height, and be physically fit. 5. Are you outgoing and extroverted, or shy and introverted? If you like working alone, a job that requires lots of teamwork might not suit you.
A.Your personality matters, too.
B.Finally, decide how to get movie tickets.
C.The site suggests you do the same with your career.
D.Choosing a career can take time and a lot of thought.
E.Some jobs require you to have certain life experiences.
F.But others often find themselves stuck in a job they hate.
G.When you know you can work in your dream job, you'll be glad.
