It was New Year’s Night. An aged man was standing at a window. He raised his mournful eyes towards the deep blue sky, where the stars were floating like white lilies on the surface of a clear calm lake.
He had already passed sixty and brought from his journey nothing but errors and regrets. Now his health was poor, his mind vacant and his heart sorrowful.
The days of his youth appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the entrance of the two roads- one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, covered with flowers, fruits and filled with soft, sweet songs; the other leading to a deep, dark cave, which was endless, where poison flowed instead of water and devils and poisonous snake hissed ( 发嘶嘶声) and crawled (爬, 爬行).
He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness. These were the days of his wasted life; he saw a star fall from the sky and disappeared, and this was the symbol of himself. His regret like a sharp arrow struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood. But they had made their way to success and were now honoured and happy on this night.
The high church clock struck and the sound made him remember his parents’ early love for him. They had taught him and prayed for his good. But he chose the wrong way. With shame and grief he dared no longer look towards that heaven. His darkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing effort, he burst out a cry: “Come back, my early days!”
His youth did return, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year Night. He was still young though his faults were real; he had not yet entered the deep, dark cave, and he was still free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.
Those who still wander on the entrance of life, hesitating to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble (绊脚) on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but in vain（徒劳）: “ Oh youth, return! Oh give me back my early days!”
1. Why does the author set his story on New Year’s Night?
A. He wants to tell people it’s time to recall the past
B. He suggests the aged man will have a bright future
C. He attempts to stress（强调）the man’s sad feeling
D. He expects people to share the man’s sad feeling
2. The aged man in the passage on New Year’s Night can be described as ____.
A. sorrowful, fearful and regretful
B. hopeful, sorrowful and peaceful
C. regretful, painful and disappointed
D. disappointed, regretful and hopeful
3. The author writes the passage mainly to ____.
A. encourage young people to take the right road
B. help the old man to pick up his confidence
C. describe the old man’s unsuccessful experience
D. show his sympathy for the old man
Although people everywhere seem to enjoy drinking coffee, they don’t all have the same coffee culture. In Europe for example, coffee shops are common places for people to meet friends and to talk while they drink coffee. On the other hand, places like this were not as common in North America in the past. Instead, people in North America liked to drink coffee in their homes with friends. The coffee culture in the USA changed when Starbucks coffee shops spread across the country.
The first Starbucks coffee shop opened in 1971 in downtown Seattle, Washington, in the USA. It was a small coffee shop that cooked its own coffee beans. The coffee shop’s business did well, and by 1981 there were three Starbucks stores in Seattle.
Things really began to change for the company in 1981.That year, Howard Schultz met the three men who ran Starbucks. Schultz worked in New York for a company that made kitchen equipment. He noticed that Starbucks ordered a large number of special coffee makers, which caused his great interest. Schultz went to Seattle to see what Starbucks did. In 1982, the original Starbucks owners hired Schultz as the company’s head of marketing（市场营销）.
In 1983, Schultz traveled to Italy. The special environment of the espresso (浓咖啡) bars there caught his eyes. Back in the USA, Schultz created an environment for Starbucks coffee shops that was comfortable and casual, and customers everywhere seemed to like it. Starbucks began opening more stores across the USA. Then the company opened coffee shops in other countries as well. Today, there are more than 16,000 Starbucks coffee shops all over the world.
However, that does not mean Starbucks has not had problems. In fact, many Starbucks stores have closed over the past few years. On the one hand, this is because there were too many coffee shops competing for business in one small area. On the other hand, stores in some countries closed because the coffee culture there did not match with the “feel the same everywhere” environment offered by Starbucks.
1. The underlined word “ran” in Paragraph 3 probably means “ ”.
A. moved B. managed
C. loved D. used
2. According to the passage, which is the right order for the following sentences?
a. This man helped to make Starbucks a huge coffee company.
b. He went to Seattle to learn about the company and later worked for it.
c. Howard Schultz noticed Starbucks ordered lots of special coffee makers.
d. Starbucks began as a small coffee company in Seattle in the USA.
A. a-d-c -b B. a-d-b-c
C. d-c- b-a D. d-c-a-b
3.Why did so many Starbucks close in some countries?
A. All of the coffee tastes the same.
B. The coffee in these places was too expensive.
C. The people in these countries didn’t drink coffee.
D. There were too many coffee shops in one place.
Peter and Paul had a permission from their parents to camp in a field close to their farm. But, being adventurous boys, they knew it would be more to camp in the woods that lay beyond the river. Excitedly, the boys went away with their tent and food.
Carrying their heavy load, the two brothers walked along the riverbank, noticing the distance or the sun beating down. They were eager to reach their destination before lunchtime. As they entered the cool, shadowy woods, they began to search for a suitable camping spot. Peter wanted to close to the river at the edge of the woods, but Paul, who was older, insisted that they camp further away. Peter followed his brother deeper into the woods. “This really is a wonderful setting!” said Paul in excitement. They the tent, and settled down to eat the sandwiches they had made, then decided to find their way to the river to catch some fish.
“Are you sure that this is the right way ?” whispered Peter shakily. “I’m sure we passed that hollow tree just a while ago. ” Paul walked silently. “Look, there it is again. We’re lost, aren’t we?” complained Peter. Paul had to admit that he didn’t know where they were. , they were a long distance from where they were supposed to be. They were not even sure of where they had set up their camp. They set in for a few minutes until Peter had a bright idea. “Why don’t we look for clues（线索） the way trackers do in the movies? We weren’t careful about how we walked, so I’m sure we would have left behind some broken tree branches and leaves. ”
Carefully, the boys followed the marks that they had left, until finally they found their campsite. Hurriedly, they packed their belongings and set off the direction of the river.
What would their parents think of their adventure?
1. A. surprising B. exciting C. annoying D. frightening
2.A. hardly B. quickly C. really D. properly
3.A. live B. lie C. wait D. stay
4. A. unfriendly B. unluckily C. unwillingly D. uninterestingly
5.A. put off B. put on C. put down D. put up
6. A. forward B. near C. back D. further
7. A. alone B. about C. in D. on
8. A. After all B. At last C. Above all D. At first
9. A. enjoyment B. satisfaction C. disappointment D. imagination
10. A. for B. to C. at D. in
--- It’s cloudy outside. Please take an umbrella.
--- ________.
A. Ok, it’s a deal. B. Well, it just depends.
C. Ok, just in case. D. All right, just for fun.
_______ was most important to her, she told me, was her family.
A. It B. This C. What D As
