As I sat beside the window of our classroom that afternoon, my heart sank further with each passing car. This was a day I’d looked forward to for weeks: Miss Pace’s fourth-grade, end-of-the-year party.
I had happily volunteered my mother when Miss Pace looked for cookie volunteers. Mom’s chocolate chips were well-known, and I knew they’d be a hit with my classmates. But two o’clock passed, and there was no sign of her. Most of the other mothers had already come and gone, dropping off their sweet offerings.
The three o’clock bell soon took me away from my thoughts and I took my book bag from my desk.
I decided I would slam the front door, and refuse to return her hug. But when I arrived, she wasn’t at home.
I was lying face-down on my bed upstairs when I heard her come through the front door.
“Robbie,” she called out a bit urgently. “Where are you?”
I could then hear her rushing anxiously from room to room, wondering where I could be. I remained silent.
Coming through the door, she said: “I’m so sorry, honey,” she said. “I just forgot. I got busy and forgot.”
Then my mother did something completely unexpected. She began to laugh! How could she laugh at a time like this? I rolled over and faced her, ready to let her see my rage (愤怒).
But my mother wasn’t laughing at all. She was crying. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I let you down. I let my little boy down.”
I was moved by her tears.
I tried to remember her kind words from times past when I’d skinned knees or cut myself, times when she knew just the right thing to say.
“It’s okay, Mom. We didn’t even need those cookies. There was plenty of stuff to eat. Don’t cry. It’s all right. Really.”
We didn’t say another word. We just held each other. When we came to the point where I would usually pull away, I decided that, this time, I could hold on, perhaps, just a little bit longer.
1.. The author was pretty down because ______.
A. he couldn’t go to the party he had been looking forward to
B. his mother didn’t turn up at the party as she had promised
C. his mother had refused to make chocolate chips for the party
D. the cookies his mom made was not popular at the party
2.. When the author returned home, ______.
A. he was so angry that he slammed the front door
B. he was silent and refused to return his mother’s hug
C. he rushed from room to room looking for his mother
D. he was disappointed that he couldn’t express his anger to his mother
3.. We can tell from the story that _____.
A. the mother didn’t get to the party because of the traffic jam
B. the mother was sorry for her absence and laughed at herself
C. the author was a caring and thoughtful boy
D. the author was overcome with anger
4.. The article expresses the message that ______.
A. it is silly to be angry with your family
B. everybody should keep his or her promises
C. true love is based on understanding
D. understanding how to comfort people in low spirits is a true skill
Are you a man or a mouse? When people ask this question they want to know whether you think you are a 36 person or a coward (懦夫). But you will never really know the answer to this question 37 you are tested in real life. Some people 38 they are brave but when they come face to face with real 39 , they act like cowards. Others think of themselves as cowards, but when they meet danger, they act like 40 .
Lenny had always thought of himself as a 41 person. He got worried before examinations. He worried about his job and health. All he wanted in life was to be safe and healthy. 42 , on January 15th, 2002, a plane crashed into the Potomac River in Washington. Lenny went to the river to see what was happening. He saw a woman in the 43 water. Lenny did not feel afraid. He kept very 44 and did a very dangerous thing. He jumped into the Potomac, 45 to the woman, and kept her head 46 the water. Seventy-eight people died that day. Thanks to Lenny, it was not 47 .
When you are in a very dangerous situation and feel afraid, the body automatically produces a chemical in the blood. The chemical is called adrenalin. With adrenalin in the blood system, you actually feel stronger and stronger and are 48 to fight or run away. However, when you are absolutely terrified, the body can produce too much adrenalin. When this happens , the muscles become very hard and you find you can’t at all. You are then paralyzed (使无能为力) with fear. This is 49 when we are very frightened, we sometimes say we’re “petrified”. This word comes from the Greek word “petros”, which means “stone”. We are 50 frightened that we become stonelike.
1.. A. brave B. real C. hard D. certain
2.. A. when B. until C. after D. once
3.. A. realize B. find C. think D. agree
4.. A. life B. question C. mouse D. danger
5.. A. soldiers B. mice C. heroes D. cowards
6.. A. useful B. brave C. nervous D. terrible
7.. A. So B. Therefore C. Then D. Actually
8.. A. fresh B. poisonous C. warm D. ice-cold
9.. A. nervous B. calm C. frightened D. excited
10.. A. went B. helped C. spoke D. swam
11.. A. in B. under C. above D. from
12.. A. an accident B. a mistake C. seventy-eight D. seventy-nine
13.. A. afraid B. unable C. ready D. anxious
14.. A. where B. how C. because D. why
15.. A. really B. very C. such D. so
It is demanded that you ____ at six.
A. will arrive B. arrive C. arrived D. would arrive
At present，there is little doubt ________ short message plays an increasingly important role in our lives．
A．whether B．if C．that D．which
— Are you a teacher?
— No, but I ______. I worked in a middle school for three years.
A. am B. will C. do D. was
— Is your mother going to the supermarket？
— No，______.
A. she doesn’t B. she’s cooking C. she gets by bus D. to a tailor’s shop
