Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, “Mother, you must come to see the daffodils(黄水仙)before they are over”. I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. “I will come next Tuesday,” I promised, a little reluctantly, on her third call.
Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn’s house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren, I said, “ Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in the clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see!”
My daughter smiled calmly and said, “We drive in this all the time, Mother. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.”
After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand-lettered sign that read, “Daffodil Garden.”
We got out of the car and each took a child’s hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight. There were five acres of flowers. “But who has done this?” I asked Carolyn. “It’s just one woman,” Carolyn answered. “That’s her home.” Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A- frame house that looked small and modest in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house. On the patio(露台), we saw a poster. “Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking” was the headline.
The first answer was a simple one. “50,000 bulbs(球茎),” it read. The second answer was, “One at a time, by one woman.” The third answer was, “Began in 1958.”
I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun—one bulb at a time—to bring the beauty and joy to the mountain top.
1. The author didn’t go to see the daffodils at first because__________.
A. she was not interested in them B. they were growing on a mountain top
C. the weather was not good enough D. it was a long drive to her daughter’s house
2. Which of the following best describes the author’s feeling seeing the daffodils?
A. Amazed. B. Disappointed. C. Confused. D. Moved.
3. What do we know about the woman living in the A-frame house?
A. She must be out of mind.
B. She acted as a gardener here.
C. It took her great determination to grow the daffodils.
D. She was poor and made her living by selling daffodils.
4. What would be the best title of the passage?
A. A Wonderful Daffodil Garden B. A Remarkable Woman
C. One Bulb at a Time D. I Love Daffodils
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
I made a promise to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts.
The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a Biblical passage about husbands and their wives. Then he went on to say, “Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love.” To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would change.
And it did. On arriving at the beach cottage, I kissed Evelyn meeting me at the door and said, “That new yellow sweater looks great on you.” “Oh, Tom, you noticed”, sh e said, surprised and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled. After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, “Evelyn’s been alone here with the kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me.” We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole vacation passed. I made a new promise to keep on remembering to choose love.
There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
“What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“Tom,” she said in a voice filled with distress, “ I don’t?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…that checkup I had several weeks ago…our doctor…did he tell you something about me? Tom, you’ve been so good to me…am I dying?”
It took a moment for it all to be understood. Then I burst out laughing.
“No, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “You’re not dying; I’m just starting to live.”
1. From the story we may infer that Tom drove to the beach cottage ______.
A. with his family B. with Evelyn C. alone D. with his children
2. During the two weeks on the beach, Tom showed more love to his wife because ______.
A. he was determined to be a good husband
B. he had made a lot of money in his Wall Street firm
C. she looked lovely in her new clothes
D. the doctor said his wife was seriously ill
3. The author says, “There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment.” What does “one thing” refer to?
A. He praised her sweater, which puzzled her.
B. She insisted on visiting a museum, which he hated.
C. He knew something about her illness but didn’t tell her.
D. He was so good to her that she thought she must be dying.
4. By saying “I’m just starting to live,” Tom means that ______.
A. he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life
B. he is just beginning to enjoy life as a loving husband
C. he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change
D. he is beginning to feel regret for what he did to his wife before
第二节：完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
At the end of my senior year of high school, I got a part-time job working at a local coffee shop. I thought the job would be 36 and stress-free. I 37 myself pouring the best coffee, making delicious doughnuts (炸面包圈), and becoming friends with 38 customers.
I wasn’t 39 the people with enormous orders, the women who 40 that the coffee was much too creamy, or the men who wanted their iced coffee remade 41 until they reached perfection. I couldn’t seem to 42 anyone.
One rainy day, one of my regular customers came in looking 43 . He said he felt like getting in bed, 44 the sheets up over his head, and staying there for a few years. I knew exactly how he felt.Before he left, I handed him a bag along with his iced coffee. He was 45 , since he hadn’t 46 anything but coffee. I had given him his favorite type of doughnut.
“It’s 47 me.” I told him. “Have a nice day.”He smiled and 48 me before heading back out into the rain.
The next day, it was still raining, No customers wanted to get out of their cars, so I spent my afternoon 49 the window handing people their orders. I was completely wet and freezing cold. 50 , no one was tipping that day. Every time I looked into our empty tip jar, I grew more 51 .
In the evening, the customer from the day before drove up to the window. He handed me a pink rose and a note.
The note read:
Christine,
Thanks for being so sweet, kind and 52 yesterday. It is so nice to meet someone who’s genuinely nice. Please don’t 53 your way! Have a great day! -----Hank
After that, whenever I felt depressed or 54 of coffee, I thought of Hank and his kindness. Then I would smile, hold my head up high, clear my throat and ask 55 , “How can I help you?”
36. A. hopeful B. meaningless C. boring D. easy
37. A. pictured B. thought C. developed D. decided
38. A. rich B. handsome C. regular D. kind
39. A. imaging B. expecting C. waiting D. desiring
40. A. complained B. praised C. realized D. thought
41. A. for a time B. once in a while C. again and again D. now and then
42. A. comfort B. move C. annoy D. please
43. A. happy B. angry C. excited D. upset
44. A. cutting B. pulling C. tearing D. using
45. A. surprised B. sorry C. angry D. excited
46. A. bought B. got C. wanted D. ordered
47. A. on B. by C. in D. for
48. A. helped B. thanked C. admired D. praised
49. A. going away B. running across C. hanging out D. walking around
50. A. Still B. Worse C. Then D. However
51. A. depressed B. embarrassed C. frightened D. injured
52. A. careful B. cheerful C. thoughtful D. powerful
53. A. hold B. shake C. practice D. change
54. A. sick B. glad C. satisfied D. sorry
55. A. unusually B. properly C. gratefully D. politely
-----I’ve never found a better job.
-----________.
A. Good luck B.Too bad C. Congratulations D. Don’t worry
_______ interested in the position are asked to see the manager tomorrow.
A. Whoever B. Who C. Anyone D. Those
It will be less than a fortnight_______we get to a turning point in our life.
A.since B. when C. if D. before
