“Mom, can I bake some bread?” We were 15; my best friend, Hanna, and I, determined to try our hands at creating some beautiful bread.
“It’s not worth the trouble,” my mother said. “It takes lots of time and makes a big mess. Our bakery bread is delicious without all that effort.”
Begging was useless. Mom’s “no” meant “No!”
But several weeks later, opportunity knocked. My parents were going out for the evening. I immediately invited Hanna to be my partner in bread-baking crime.
We studied the recipe. That was easy. “Mix oil into flour then beat in four eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt.”
We were not good at breaking eggs. I tried to learn from my mother.
“Gradually add eight cups of flour. When dough (面团) holds together, squeeze it.”
We took turns working like that. “Is the dough ‘holding together’?” we asked each other.
I remembered my neighbor’s instructions: “If it’s too sticky, add some flour; if too dry, add water.”
We added water. Then more flour. Then more water. By then, the mass of our dough had grown very much.
“Place dough on floured surface and squeeze till smooth,” the recipe instructed.
We took turns burying our hands in the damp dough, pinching, squeezing, and feeling it leak between fingers. “Clean and oil bowl, and then return dough to bowl. Cover and let dough rise in a warm place for one hour.”
This was good news—we’d have a break. On the dirty kitchen chairs, we dreamed about our beautiful bread. “See?” we would tell my mom. “Isn’t it worth the work?”
Hanna and I couldn’t help glancing at the rising process every few minutes. But nothing happened.
“Maybe something will happen in the hot oven,” I said.
Unfortunately, when we removed the loaves from the oven, they were like hard stones.
Mom was right; it takes time and effort. It sometimes makes a mess. But still it feels good, somehow, to be part of that long, ongoing chain of bread bakers. Since that night, both Hanna and I have learned to do it right.
Rules for the University Entrance Examination
●You must be at the examination center ten minutes before the examination starts. If you are more than ten minutes late, you may not enter the examination center. The examination takes place at the same time in different states.
●You must have proof of your name and grade as well as official examination number. Show these when you come to the examination center.
●Depending on which examination you are taking, you may bring certain items into the examination center. Mathematics examinations may allow you to use electronic calculators (计算器). Other subjects may allow you to use dictionaries and other reference material. Please read the notes sent with your timetable carefully.
●You must bring your own pencils. None will be provided for you. The following items are not allowed in the examination center: walkmans and radios, head sets, any food or drink, schoolbags, electronic equipment (unless specifically permitted for various subjects), and mobile phones.
●Once in the center, you must sit at the desk with your examination number on it. When you sit down, place your examination number at the top corner of your desk.
●You must remain silent during the examination. You must not disturb other people who are taking the test.
●If you need a drink or toilet break, you should raise your hand and wait for the supervisor (监督者) to speak to you. You will be given water or the supervisor will take you to the bathroom. You are not allowed to talk with anyone during the break.
●You must write your answers in the official answer sheet. Your supervisor will provide extra paper if you wish to make notes.
●You may leave the examination room at any time if you do not plan to return. If you finish early and want to leave, please move well away from the examination center.
●The supervisor will warn you fifteen minutes, five minutes and one minute before the end of the examination. When the supervisor says that the time is up, you must put down your pencil and wait at your desk until your paper is collected.
1.What kind of examination are these rules probably for?
A. A local exam. B. A final exam.
C. A college exam. D. A national exam.
2.What are you allowed to have with you when you take mathematics examination?
A. Related material. B. Proof of yourself.
C. A cell phone. D. A dictionary.
3.What should you do if you finish the test early and want to get a better result?
A. Take some notes carefully.
B. Leave the room immediately.
C. Remain in your seat and check again.
D. Raise your hand to inform your teacher.
4.What can be provided for you during the exam?
A. Pencils. B. Food and drink.
C. Extra paper. D. Calculators.
To tell you the truth, I’m not interested in owning a cellular (网络) phone. Except for use in an emergency (紧急情况), for ordinary cellular phone service is very expensive. How would I get help if I were in trouble or in danger? A good friend said about a product she thought would settle my problem. It’s the SOS phone—a cellular phone service designed for emergency use.
With the touch of a button, the SOS phone will connect me to a roadside emergency service, a 911 service or a trained SOS operator, 24 hours a day. If I ever need help. I know it’s just a phone call away.
By pressing the “Tow” button, I’ll bc connected with my emergency roadside service provider. Or, if I don’t have one, the SOS operator can suggest one to me and get in touch with them immediately.
The “911” button would connect me to 911 emergency service in my area------best of all, the call is completely free!
If I just want to call home to tell my husband and children something necessary, I can, by pressing the “Call” hutton, I’ll reach an operator. When I ask the operator to call home, I’ll be connected automatically (自动地). And because the Call Center has my 10 most-used phone numbers, I don’t even have to recite the numbers.
Unlike ordinary cellular phone plans, the SOS phone doesn't have any minimum usage requirements (底价) or other promises that could change the price
Why not try it yourself!
1.The writer enjoys using the SOS phone because ______.
A. she is always in trouble or in danger
B. she thinks the cost of its service is reasonable
C. she needn’t pay for any emergency service
D. the ordinary cellular phone can not he used in an emergency
2.Press______button, and you can get service without paying fee.
A. 911 B. Tow C. call D. Tow and 911
3.When you have an SOS phone, ________.
A. you will get help whenever you are in an emergency
B. you will be safe wherever you are
C. you can be connected with anyone
D. you can get service from any cellular phones
4.When you want to call home, ______.
A. you will have to tel1 the operator your home phone number
B. the operator will suggest one phone number to you
C. the Call Center will pass on your words to your family
D. you’ll be connected with your family with the Help of an operator
5.The writer wants to ______.
A. tell us her experience
B. let us know she has an SOS phone
C. let us know something about the SOS phone
D. tell us she is very safe now
The journey two naval (海军) officers made some time ago to tile very deepest point on the earth makes us realize how much of the world still remains to be explored (探测). The two men went down several miles to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean hiding in a small steel ball called a “bathy-scaphe” to find out if there are any ocean currents (急流) or signs of life.
It was necessary to set ont early, so that the bathyscaphe would come to the surfacc in daylight, and so be easily found by the mother ship which would be waiting for it. The divers began preparations at dawn and soon afterwards, when all was ready, the steel ball disappeared under the surface of the water.
In time, the temperature dropped to freezing-point and the men trembled inside the ball. They kept in touch with the mother ship by telephone describing how they felt. Then, at a depth of 3 000 feet, the telephone stopped working and they were quite cut off from the outside world. At 30 000 feet, the men were surprised by a sudden, loud noise-------even the smallest hole in the ball would have meant instant death. Luckily, though, it was only one of the outer windows that had broken. Soon afterwards, the bathyscaphe touched the soft ocean floor, raising a big cloud of “dust” made up of different kinds of small, dead sea animals. Here, powerful lights lit up the dark water and the men were surprised to see fish swimming just above them quite untroubled by thc very large wate-pressure. But they did not dare to leave the lights on for long, as the heat from them made the water boil. Quite unexpectedly, the telephone began working again and the weak but clear voices of the officers were heard on thc mother ship. After a stay of thirty minutes the men began their journey up, arriving three hours later, cold and wet through, but none the worse for their experience.
1.The officers started their journey at dawn___.
A. because they wanted to return to the mother ship in twenty four hours
B. because the sea then was calm
C. when the sun was not too strong
D. so that they could return before dark
2.What did the officers find out at the bottom of the sea?
A. They only found different dead sea animals.
B. They did find signs of life.
C. There was no signs of any life.
D. There was only dust.
3.The journey to the bottom of the sea helped us to realize that______.
A. much of the world hasn’t yet been explored
B. there are not any signs of life at the bottom of the sea
C. strong water-pressure has great effect on fish
D. powerful lights can not be turned on at the ocean floor without killing fish
4.Which of the following is closest in meaning to “They were cold and wet through, but none the worse for their experience”?
A. They were cold and wet through, which was the worst thing of all.
B. They were even worse than cold and wet through at the bottom of the sea.
C. Considering what they had just experienced, being cold and wet through was not too
bad.
D. For such an experience, being cold and wet through was not bad for them at all.
完形填空（共20小题，每小题1.5分；满分30分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36—55各题所给的四个选项中，选出一个最佳答案。
When I walked into the living-room, my 12-year-old son looked ___36_at me and said “I love you”. I didn’t know what to say. ___37____ several seconds I stood there and ____38___ down at him. My first thought was that he must need__39____ while doing his homework___40 ___ he was trying to prepare me for some __41_____.
“___42____,” he said, “My teacher said we should tell our parents that we love them and see what they say. It’s an experiment.”
The next day I __43____ his teacher at my office to find out more about this “____44___ ” and how the other parents had responded (反应).
“__45_____, most of the fathers did the same as you ,” the teacher explained, “Feeling___46___ is an important part of___47____ . It’s something all human beings___48___. What I’m trying to tell the children is that it’s too ___49____ that we don’t express those feelings. A boy should be __50__ to tell his dad that he loves him.”
The teacher, a middle-aged man, understands how dilficult it is for ___51___ of us to say the things that would be good for us to say.
When my son came to me ___52____ , I held on to him for an extra second. And just___53___ he pulled away, I said in my deepest, most manly__54_____, “Hey, I love you.”
I didn’t know if saying that would make___55___of us healthier, but we did feel pretty better.
|
1.A. down |
B. away |
C. out |
D. up |
|
2.A. After |
B. For |
C. In |
D. On |
|
3.A. glanced |
B. got |
C. stared |
D. knocked |
|
4.A. surprises |
B. time |
C. help |
D. paper |
|
5.A. or |
B. but |
C. when |
D. while |
|
6.A. money |
B. news |
C. test |
D. explanation |
|
7.A. Anything |
B. Nothing |
C. Important |
D. Interesting |
|
8.A. advised |
B. told |
C. called |
D. visited |
|
9.A. trick |
B. exercise |
C. notice |
D. experiment |
|
10.A. Basically |
B. Fortunately |
C. Usually |
D. Frequently |
|
11.A. loved |
B. helpful |
C. interested |
D. trusted |
|
12.A. body |
B. work |
C. study |
D. Health |
|
13. A. agree |
B. understand |
C. know |
D. require |
|
14.A. bad |
B. good |
C. easy |
D. hard |
|
15.A. funny |
B. afraid |
C. pleased |
D. able |
|
16.A. both |
B. neither |
C. some |
D. none |
|
17.A. next evening |
B. next morning |
C. that evening |
D. that morning |
|
18.A. before |
B. after |
C. because |
D. as |
|
19.A. sound |
B. voice |
C. whisper |
D. courage |
|
20.A. neither |
B. either |
C. most |
D. few |
—I’m afraid I must be off now.
—_________.
A. No problem B. Never mind
C. Step slowly D. See you
