When I was twenty-seven years old, I was a clerk in San Francisco. I was alone in the world, and had nothing to depend on but my brain and a clean reputation.
My time was my own after the afternoon board on Saturdays, and I would spend the time on a little sailboat on the bay. One day I sailed too far, and was carried out to sea. At nightfall, when hope was almost lost, I was picked up by a small boat, which headed for London. It was a long and stormy journey, and they made me earn my passage as a common sailor. When I stepped on land in London, my clothes were ragged and shabby, and I only had a dollar in my pocket. This money fed and sheltered me for 24 hours. During the next 24 hours I went without food and shelter.
About ten o’clock on the following morning, tired and hungry, I was walking along Portland Place, when a passing child, threw a big pear into the rubbish can. I stopped, of course, and stared at that muddy treasure. My mouth watered for it. My whole body begged for it. But every time I made a move to get it, some passing eyes noticed my purpose, and of course I straightened up, looked calm, and pretended that I hadn’t been thinking about the pear at all. The same thing kept happening and happening, and I couldn’t get the pear. I was just getting desperate enough to face all the shame and get the pear, when a window behind me was opened, and a gentleman said, “Step in here, please.”
1. According to the passage, the young man _______.
A. had a great reputation for his good work
B. worked as a common sailor during the journey
C. was carried out to sea on purpose by a small boat
D. had nothing left in his pocket after landing in London
2. Why didn’t the man pick up the pear at once?
A. Because a gentleman stopped him and let him in.
B. Because he was not so hungry that he could wait.
C. Because the child was watching the pear.
D. Because he didn’t want others to take him as a beggar.
3. The underlined word “desperate” means “_______”.
A. driven by great need or pain to do something
B. being afraid of doing something for a certain reason
C. enjoying, showing, or marked by pleasure or joy
D. feeling sorry or sad about something
For 52 years my father got up at 5:30 am every morning, went to work, and returned home at 5:30 pm. I never saw my father stayed home from work ill, nor did I ever see my father lay down to take a nap. He had no hobbies, other than taking care of his family. All he asked from me, his daughter, was to help him while he was repairing something, so we could have some time to talk.
For 22 years, after I left home for college, my father called me at 9:00 am every Sunday. Nine years ago when I bought my first house, my father, 67 years old, spent eight hours a day for three days in the 80-degree Kansas heat, painting my house. He would not allow me to pay someone to have it done. All he asked for was a glass of iced tea. Five years ago, at age 71, my father spent five hours putting together a swing set for my daughter. Four years ago, my father drove all the way from Denver to Topeka, with an eight-foot Colorado Blue Spruce （云杉） in his truck, so that we could have a part of Colorado growing on our land.
On the morning of January 16, 1996, my sister telephoned me; my father was in the hospital with an aneurysm（动脉瘤） in Florida. I got on an airplane immediately, and on the way I realized that I hadn’t communicated with him as much as I’d always wanted to. I vowed（发誓） that when I arrived, I would have a long talk with him. I arrived in Florida at 1 am, only to find that my father, at the age of 76, had passed away at 9:12 pm. This time it was he who did not have time to talk, or time to wait for me.
1. From the first paragraph we can infer that the author’s father ______.
A. was a good driver B. was in good health
C. sometimes fell ill D. had no hobbies
2. The underlined phrase “other than” in the first paragraph can be replaced by “______”.
A. except B. including C. without D. due to
3. According to the last paragraph, we can know that the author’s father was born in ______.
A. 1916 B. 1918 C. 1920 D. 1922
4. The author wrote the article in order to ______.
A. praise her father B. remember her father
C. show her father loved her D. let her father be known
第二节完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
Wishing to encourage her young son’s progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a famous concert. After they were seated, the mother 36 a friend and walked over to greet her. Seizing the 37 to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy got up and explored his way 38 a door marked “NO ADMITTANCE（禁止进入）”. When the lights became less bright and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her 39 and discovered that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains 40 and the lights focused on the stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, 41 Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
At that moment, the great piano master, Paderewski, 42 on the stage, quickly went to the piano and 43 in the boy’s ear, “Don’t 44 . Keep playing.”
Then, leaning(倾斜) over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began 45 in a bass (低音的) part. Soon his right arm reached 46 to the other side of the child and he added a beautiful piece of music. 47 , the old master and the boy 48 a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative 49
That’s the way it is in life. 50 we can complete on our own is 51 noteworthy(值得注目的). We try our best, but the 52 aren’t exactly graceful or flowing music. 53 when we put our trust in the hands of greater power, our life can be truly beautiful.
The next time you set 54 to create great performances, listen carefully. You can hear the 55 of the master whispering in your ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.”
36. A. made B. saw C. looked D. called
37. A. chance B. performance C. piano D. lesson
38. A. over B. above C. across D. through
39. A. stage B. seat C. room D. table
40. A. parted B. drew C. pulled D. pushed
41. A. singing B. knocking C. playing D. creating
42. A. stood B. appeared C. sat D. fell
43. A. shouted B. cried C. whispered D. looked
44. A. perform B. stop C. leave D. run
45. A. filling B. getting C. breaking D. taking
46. A. forwards B. down C. up D. around
47. A. Separately B. Together C. Luckily D. Hurriedly
48. A. made B. became C. changed D. grew
49. A. experience B. play C. concert D. film
50. A. What B. That C. Which D. When
51. A. hard B. hardly C. always D. usually
52. A. failures B. successes C. causes D. results
53. A. So B. And C. But D. Though
54. A. down B. about C. away D. out
55. A. sound B. noise C. voice D. song
— What should I do with this passage?
— _____________ the main idea of each paragraph.
|
A．Finding out |
B．Found out |
C．Find out |
D．To find out |
. ____________ David says sounds right to Helen. That’s why she has made up her mind not to leave him _____________ happens.
|
A．Whatever; whatever |
B．No matter how; whatever |
|
C．No matter what; however |
D．Whatever; no matter how |
The support of the students _____________ the losing team and they played harder, so in the end they won the game.
|
A．brought up |
B．cheered up |
C．grew up |
D．turned up |
