I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she said again, “is for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional(易动感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer, none came.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace. It seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told me that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work though she’d never been able to. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside — a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded(折叠) and refolded many times.
Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.
1.The writer began to love her mother’s desk _______.
A. after Mother died B. before she became a writer
C. when she was a child D. when mother gave it to her
2.The passage shows that _______.
A. Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter
B. Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done
C. Mother cared much about her daughter in words
D. Mother wrote to her daughter in careful words.
3. The world “gulf” in the passage means _______.
A. deep understanding between the old and the young.
B. different ideas between the mother and the daughter.
C. free talks between mother and daughter.
D. part of the sea going far in land.
4.What did Mother do with her daughter’s letter asking for forgiveness?
A. She had never received the letter.
B. For years, she often talked about the letter.
C. She didn’t forgive her daughter at all in all her life.
D. She read the letter again and again till she died.
5. What’s the best title of the passage?
A. My letter to Mother B. Mother and Children
C. My Mother’s Desk D. Talks between Mother and me.
Complete the following passage by filling in each blank with ONE word that best fits the context.
With the widespread use of the computer, many middle school and primary school students can type very fast. 1. ____, their handwriting is becoming worse 2.____ before. Wrongly written characters and untidy writing are the common problems. The biggest problem is 3. they don’t think it is necessary to practice handwriting any more since typing can take the place of 4. . To me, I always prefer handwriting 5._____ typing. I think handwriting is 6.______ better way to express my feeling. 7.___, Chinese characters are the important part of Chinese culture and typing can never take the place of it. Therefore as a Chinese, we should 8. stop practicing writing them to avoid the wrongly written character and the untidy writing.
For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
My friend had mentioned that her father had a lot of children’s toys that he was looking to give away. She knew I had a three-year-old daughter so she thought of me first. I told her I would 36 it if I could get some nice things for my daughter, which I wouldn’t otherwise have been able
to 37 .
When I met her father, he began to explain that he was 38 once too and that he would hate to 39 things that could be very 40 . At first, he thought of taking everything to the Salvation Army but then he 41 to see if anyone he knew could use them first.
When he was 42 me around, I saw a bed, a slide(滑板)，a kitchen set and many other things that made me surprised. As my eyes were wide and beginning to tear up a bit, he told me not to feel guilty. He said I was 43 him by getting rid of them.
As I was looking around, I did feel guilty, but I tried to remain more grateful than guilty because he told me to. Every time I tried to 44 him for giving my daughter all these 45 things, he would thank me right back and was grateful that these toys would be put to good use.
So, sometimes when we are helped by others, the others that helped us are helped as a side –effect. In the 46 of charity , it makes sense to feel grateful, but guilt is just as normal, I know we could have lived without a slide, which is why I do feel guilty, but I am grateful all the same because my daughter 47 enjoys all these nice things!
1.A. wear B. repair C. appreciate D. check
2.A. believe B. afford C. see D. spare
3.A. handsome B. young C. poor D. healthy
4.A. throw away B. hand out C. add up D. pick out
5.A. suitable B. expensive C. useful D. dangerous
6.A. continued B. forgot C. had D. decided
7.A. driving B. showing C. turning D. sending
8.A. helping B. saving C. troubling D. guiding
9.A. praise B. move C. call D. thank
10.A. wonderful B. cheap C. strange D. foreign
11.A. habit B. end C. eyes D. corners
12.A. sadly B. hardly C. secretly D. really
Unfortunately when we arrived she ___, So we only had time for a few words.
A. just left B. has just left C. was just leaving D. had just left
---Where is mother?
---She is in the kitchen. She ___ the dinner for the party the whole afternoon.
A. is preparing B. was preparing C. has preparing D. has been preparing
The students _______ busily when Miss Brown went to get a book she _______ in the office.
A. had written; left B. were writing; has left
C. had written; had left D. were writing; had left
