It was the old lady’s eightieth birthday. She was sure Myra wouldn’t forget her mother’s birthday, even if she was busy. After all, eighty was a special birthday. Perhaps Myra might come. Even if Myra did not come, she would send a present. The old lady was sure of that. Two spots of colour brightened her cheeks. She was excited like a child.
Mrs. Morrison had brought a card and a bunch of flowers when she came to do the breakfast. Mrs. Grant downstairs had made a cake. Johnnie, the little boy next door, was now up with her with a packet of sweets.
“I guess you’ll get lots and lots of presents, ” he said. “I did last week when I was six.”
What would she like? A pair of slippers, perhaps. A blue new cardigan(羊毛衫). Or a table lamp. Or a little clock, with clear black numbers. So many lovely things.
She stood by the window, watching. The postman turned round the corner on his bicycle. Her heart beat fast. Johnnie had seen him too and ran to the gate.
“Granny, granny, ” Johnnie returned. “I’ve got your post!”
He gave her four envelopes. Three were from old friends. The fourth was in Myra’s writing.
“No parcel(包裹), Johnnie?”
“No, granny.”
Almost reluctantly, she tore the fourth envelope open. Folded in the card was a check. Written on the card was a message: Happy Birthday—Buy yourself something nice with the check, Myra and Harold.
The six-figure check fell to the floor like a bird with a broken wing. Slowly the old lady bent to pick it up. Her present, her lovely present. With trembling fingers she tore it into little bits.
1.As can be inferred from the passage, _______.
A. the old lady lived alone in a flat away from her daughter
B. the friends sent the old lady many lovely presents by post
C. Myra was stopped by her husband from seeing her mother
D. the neighbours cared little about the old lady in daily life
2.The old lady expected her daughter most __________.
A. to send her a present. B.to send her a check.
C. to come back home to celebrate her birthday. D.not to return home.
3.The old lady felt _______ when she saw no parcel came with her daughter’s card.
A. excited B. happy C. disappointed D. impatient
4.Which of the following might serve as the best title for the passage?
A. The Present B. The Check C. The Birthday D. The Daughter
5.The reason why the old lady tore the check into small pieces was that _______.
A. she was sure her daughter would come, not the check
B. she didn’t notice there were six figures on the check
C. she didn’t think the check was large enough for a present
D. she would prefer a present with love from her daughter
I had the meanest mother in the world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs and toast. Others had cakes and candy for lunch, while we had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different from the other kids’. But at least I was not alone in my suffering. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.
My mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. She had to know who our friends were and what we were doing. We had to wear clean clothes every day. Other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of disgrace(耻辱) because she made our clothes herself, just to save money.
The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by 9:00 each night and up at 7:45 the next morning. So while my friends slept, my mother actually had the courage to break Child Labor Law. She made us work. I believed she lay awake all night thinking up mean things to do to us. Through the years, our friends’ report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother, however, would only be satisfied with black marks. None of us was allowed the pleasure of being a dropout(退学者).
She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults. Using this as a background, I’m now trying to bring up my three children. I’m filled with pride when my children think I am mean because now I thank God every day for giving me the meanest mother in the world.
1.From the passage we can learn that the writer’s mother was __________.
A. not generous at all
B. very strict with her children
C. very mean with money matters
D. very cruel to her children
2.Which of the following things did the writer hate to do most?
A. Eating differently from other kids.
B. Wearing clean clothes made by mother .
C. Going to bed early and getting up early .
D. Letting mother know where they were .
3.It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
A. the writer worked hard and usually got good grades in studies
B. mother was punished for breaking the Labor Law
C. all the other kids studied better than the writer
D. the writer’s family lived a miserable life
4.Which of the following statements is Not true according to the passage ?
A. Mother practised economy in running her home .
B. The writer is very thankful for her mother .
C. The writer is strict with her children when bringing them up .
D. The wrier has a deep hatred for her mother .
5.The passage was written in a way of _________ tone.
A. humorous B. hateful C. ridiculous D. critical
IF and WHEN often had lunch together. Their conversation always 36 on the things they hoped to achieve and they loved to talk about them. ]
This particular Saturday when they met for lunch, WHEN 37 IF wasn’t in a great mood（心情）. After they sat at the usual table 38 for them, WHEN asked IF, “You don’t seem your usual 39 self(样子)?” IF replied,“Yesterday I saw a course I wanted to take. If only I 40 the time.”
WHEN knew exactly how IF felt and said, “I too saw a 41 and I’ m going to register when I get 42 money.” WHEN then questioned IF, “What about the new job you were going to apply for?” IF answered, “I would have applied, but my 43 broke down. I couldn’t type my resume(简历).”
“Don’t worry. I’ve been thinking about looking for another job also, 44 I’ll wait and when the weather gets 45 I will look then. I hate this awful weather.”
The man sitting nearby heard them talking about when this and if that. When he couldn’t 46 it anymore, he went to them and said, “I think I know 47 you could solve your problems.”
IF smiled and thought that even if he knew the 48 they faced, there was no way he could help! 49 , IF asked the man for advice. The man said, “Your conversation reminds me of an old 50 : IF and WHEN were planted, and nothing 51 .”
IF and WHEN both looked surprised and began to feel 52 of living their life for the “ifs” and “whens”. Finally they came to a(n) 53 : next time they met, there would be no “ifs” or “whens”; they would 54 talk about what they had 55 !
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1. A. agreed 2. A. sensed |
B. focused B. insisted |
C. relied C. declared |
D. took D. promised |
|
3.A. cleaned |
B. made |
B. bought |
D. reserved |
|
4.A. sensitive |
B. honest |
C. cheerful |
D. clumsy |
|
5.A. had |
B. spent |
C. seized |
D. valued |
|
6.A. notice |
B. job |
C. course |
D. chance |
|
7.A. lucky |
B. pocket |
C. enough |
D. paper |
|
8.A. computer |
B. fridge |
C. camera |
D. recorder |
|
9.A. or |
B. but |
C. for |
D. so |
|
10.A. drier |
B. colder |
C. wilder |
D. nicer |
|
11.A. take 12. A. if |
B. decline B. where |
C. support C. why |
D. watch D. how |
|
13.A. changes |
B. expenses |
C. challenges |
D. possibilities |
|
14.A. Anxiously |
B. Curiously |
C. Surprisingly |
D. Stubbornly |
|
15. A. saying |
B. story |
C. habit |
D. fiction |
|
16.A. rose |
B. grew |
C. removed |
D. remained |
|
17. A. tired |
B. proud |
C. ashamed |
D. aware |
|
18. A. ambition |
B. conclusion |
C. description |
D. agreement |
|
19. A. even |
B. only |
C. still |
D. thus |
|
20. A. discussed |
B. promised |
C. arranged |
D. achieved |
If you are not satisfied with the price , we can still discuss it.
A. being offered B. to offer C. offering D. offered
—I hear that Tom can't afford his schooling this fall．
—____, let's do something for him．
A．If so B．When necessary C．When possible D．If any
An earthquake of 9 magnitude struck off the coast of Japan on Friday,______ thousands of people dead and more missing．
A．caused B．causing C．having caused D．to cause
