Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meeting, funding cuts, and many other administrative chores (杂务). I started to dream of retirement. Sitting in traffic on a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering, I would imagine spending time with my grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books. I told myself that I wouldn’t sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anything requiring a schedule.
My first day of retirement came at last! I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me, leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends. On the second day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper … On the third day, … This is retirement? I tried to tell myself that it was just the transition（过渡）, that those golden moments were right round the corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough, But something was missing.
A former colleague asked a favor. A group of students was going to Jamaica to work with children in the poorest neighborhoods. Would I interrupt my new found “happiness” and return to the students, just this once? One trip. That’s all, My bags were packed and by the door.
The trip was very inspiring. I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by the sense of responsibility of the young people on the trip. When I returned home, I offered to work one day a week with a local youth organization. The experience was so positive that I was soon volunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them in their voluntary work.
Now, it seems, the tables have turned. Some days I am the teacher, other days I am the student. These young people have reawakened my commitment (责任感) to social justice issues by challenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poor and suffer because of greed, corruption and war, Most important, they have given me the opportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions. In return, I help them do their charitable projects overseas. I’ve gone from running one school to helping oversee the construction of schools in twenty-one countries!
1.What did the writer expect to do after he retired?
A. To stay away from busy schedules. B. To write some great books.
C. To do some voluntary work D. To plan for his future.
2.Why did the writer decide to go to Jamaica?
A. He missed his students in that country.
B. He couldn’t refuse his colleague’s favor.
C. He was concerned about the people there.
D. He was not satisfied with his retired life.
3.The underlined part “the tables have turned”(Paragraph 5) means that the writer .
A. improved the situation in his school
B. felt happy to work with students again
C. became a learner rather than a teacher
D. changed his attitude toward his retired life
4.What does the writer think of his retired life now?
A. Disappointing B. Troublesome C. Promising D. Meaningful
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
It was Thanksgiving morning. In the crowded kitchen of my small home I was busy preparing the traditional Thanksgiving turkey 1the doorbell rang. I opened the front door and saw two small children in rags huddling together inside the storm door on the top step.
“Any old 2, lady?” asked one of them
I was 3. I wanted to say “no” until I looked down at their feet. They were wearing thin scandals(便鞋), wet with heavy snow.
“Come in and I’ll 4you a cup of hot cocoa.”
There was no conversation. Their wet scandals 5marks upon the floor. I 6them cocoa and bread with jam to fight against the cold outside. Then I went back to the 7and started again on my household budget.
The silence in the front room struck through to me. I 8in. The girl held the empty cup in her hands, looking at it. The boy asked 9a flat voice, “Lady, are you rich?”
“Am I rich? Mercy, no!”
I looked at my shabby(寒酸的) slipcovers. The girl put her 10back in its saucer(茶碟) carefully and said.
“Your cups match your saucers.”
Her 11was hungry with a need that no amount of food could supply. They left then, holding their bundles of papers against the wind. They hadn’t said “Thank you”. They didn’t 12to. They had done 13that. Plain blue pottery cups and saucers were only worth five pence. 14they matched.
I 15the potatoes and stirred the meat soup. Potatoes and brown meat soup, a roof over our heads, my man with a good steady job—these things 16, too.
I moved the chairs back from the fire and cleaned the living room. The muddy prints of small scandals were still 17upon my floor. Let 18be for a while. I want them there 19I forget again how 20I am.
1.A. while B. as C. when D. until
2.A. clothes B. books C. shoes D. papers
3.A. busy B. confused C. impatient D. free
4.A. cook B. make C. do D. give
5.A. left B. kept C. held D. wiped
6.A. sent B. took C. served D. showed
7.A. study B. bedroom C. living room D. kitchen
8.A. turned B. gave C. looked D. checked
9.A. at B. in C. with D. to
10.A. food B. spoon C. toast D. cup
11.A. voice B. coat C. story D. memory
12.A. expect B. know C. need D. mean
13.A. less than B. more than C. rather than D. other than
14.A. And B. So C. Then D. But
15.A. tasted B. peel C. washed D. cut
16.A. separated B. matched C. were the same D. were different
17.A. strange B. new C. deep D. wet
18.A. it B. them C. that D. one
19.A. in case B. as if C. although D. in order that
20.A. happy B. lucky C. rich D. moved
His appearance has changed so much that you _____ not recognize him.
A. must B. need C. may D. ought
When______different cultures, we often pay attention only to the differences without noticing many similarities.
A. compared B. being compared C. comparing D. having compared
Professor Lee is considering going to teach in Shenzhen, where he can get paid .
A. as five times much B. as much five times
C. much as five times D. five times as much
We decided not to climb the mountains because it was raining .
A. badly B. hardly C. strongly D. heavily
