The dirty, homeless man sat on the pavement, staring at the stones. He thought back more than twenty years to when he was a boy living in a small red brick house on this very street. He recalled the flower garden, the swing his dad made, and the bike he had saved up for months to buy.
The man shrugged impatiently, for the brightness of those pictures hurt him, and his memory traveled on another ten years. He had a job by then, plenty of friends and started to come home less. He did not really want to remember those years, nor the day when, because of debts, he had gone home planning to ask for money. He felt embarrassed, but he knew exactly where his dad kept the money. When his parents stepped out of the room, he took what he wanted and left.
That was the last time he had seen them. Ashamed, he went abroad, and his parents knew nothing about the years of wandering or time in prison. But locked in his cell he often thought of home. Once free, he would love to see his parents again, if they were still alive, and still wanted to see him.
When his prison time was up, he found a job, but couldn’t settle. Something was drawing him home. He did not want to arrive penniless, so he hitchhiked most of the long journey back. But less than a mile from his destination he started to feel sick with doubt. Could they ever accept this man who had so bitterly disappointed them?
He spent most of that day sitting under a tree. That evening he posted a letter which, although short, had taken him hours to write. It ended with:
I know it is unreasonable of me to suppose you want to see me ... so it’s up to you. I’ll come early Thursday morning. If you want me home, hang a white handkerchief in the window of my old bedroom. If it’s there, I’ll come in; if not, I’ll wave good-bye and go.
And now it was Thursday morning and he was sitting on the pavement at the end of the street. Finally he got up and walked slowly toward the old house. He drew a long breath and looked.
His parents were taking no risks. ________________________________________
The man threw his head back, gave a cry of relief and ran straight through the open front door.
1.Why did the man shrug impatiently (paragraph 2) while he was thinking of his childhood?
A. The thoughts made him angry.
B. He felt he had wasted time.
C. He was anxious to go home.
D. The sweet memory caused him much pain.
2.Why did it take him hours to write the letter?
A. He doubted if his parents still lived in that house.
B. He had much news to tell his parents.
C. He felt ashamed to ask for forgiveness.
D. He was longing to return home and felt excited.
3.In what order did the following events take place?
a. He took the money from his parents.
b. He bought a bicycle with his savings.
c. He was sentenced to prison.
d. He wrote the letter home.
e. He sat on the pavement.
f. He hitchhiked back home.
A. b, a, c, d, e, f B. b, a, c, f, d, e
C. a, c, b, d, f, a D. a, d, b, c, e, f
4.Which of the following best fits into paragraph 8?
A. Every inch of the house was covered in white. Sheets, pillowcases and table clothes had been placed on every window and door, making it look like a snow house.
B. The house before him was just as he remembered: the red bricks, the brown door and nothing else.
C. A colorful blanket was over the front door. On it, in large letters, was written, “Welcome home, son”.
D. A police car was parked in the drive way, and two officers stood at the front door.
5.The best title of the passage is _______.
A. Sweet Memory B. White Handkerchief
C. Abandoned Son D. Leaving Home
Planning your holiday? Whether you’re going to Yunnan or UK, it’s important to make sure you’re well-prepared. Here’s a handy checklist to help you.
Location
The first thing you have to decide is where you want to go. Of course a lot will depend on your time and budget. Do you want to relax on a beach, visit some famous landmarks, or hike through some beautiful scenery? All these things are available in China, but if your budget stretches, why not look at somewhere else in Asia, or even farther.
Packing
There can be such a thing as being over prepared when traveling, but you don’t want to forget something important. It can be a good idea to wear pants with zipped pockets. In certain countries local thieves will target unsuspecting tourists for their money. It can also be worth packing some basic medical supplies. If you are going to be moving around a lot, buy a good backpack. Finally, remember to pack clothes that are going to be suitable for the weather.
Accommodation
There are several things to consider when picking where you want to stay. Location is often the most important. When staying in hotels, it is often a good idea to book your first night in a new city. After all, you will not be familiar with the surroundings and will want somewhere to leave your luggage. However, don’t spend more than a couple of days at the same hotel. When you get to a new place, you might soon discover there’s somewhere better to stay.
Don’t forget
The key to a good holiday is detail. When you’re traveling, especially in a foreign country, don’t forget to change some money before you leave. If you’re traveling somewhere tropical, you might need some injections or pills to avoid disease. And it’s always worth taking out travel insurance, just in case you find yourself in a spot of bother during the trip. Don’t forget to check the exchange rates. The strong yuan has made traveling abroad cheaper recently. It can also be a good idea to write down the phone number of the closest Chinese embassy, in case you need help while abroad.
1.You have to take all the following into consideration EXCEPT _______ when deciding where to spend your holiday.
A. culture B. purpose C. money D. time
2.Pants with zipped pockets are recommended mainly because _______.
A. it’s a good measure in case of emergencies
B. you’ll be expected to buy a lot of souvenirs
C. you’ll carry many small things with you
D. it will help you guard against local theft
3.As for accommodation, the writer’s tip is _______.
A. to stay away from the downtown areas to get cheap places
B. to book one or two nights in the same hotel in case you don’t like it
C. to choose your location after you arrive at your destination
D. better not to leave your luggage in unfamiliar hotels
4.It can be inferred from the last part that we should _______.
A. choose the most suitable kind of travel insurance
B. use RMB in all foreign countries since the yuan is strong
C. check the exchange rates so as to decide what currency (货币) to buy
D. get in touch with Chinese embassy if we need help when abroad
5.What’s the purpose of the passage?
A. To attract the tourists to travel abroad.
B. To tell some travel information to tourists.
C. To help the tourists make good preparations for their holidays.
D. To remind tourists of the safety during their journey.
When something goes wrong, it can be very satisfying to say, “Well, it’s so-and-so’s fault.” or “I know I’m late, but it’s not my fault; the car broke down.” It is probably not your fault, but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation, you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner’s key to success.
Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don’t rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.
Being a winner is all about creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don’t have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on “whose fault it is.” Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stones for success.
1.According to the passage, winners .
A. deal with problems rather than blame others
B. meet with fewer difficulties in their lives
C. have responsible and able colleagues
D. blame themselves rather than others
2.The underlined word remedy in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to .
A. avoid B. accept C. improve D. consider
3.When your colleague brings about a problem, you should .
A. blame him for his lack of responsibility
B. find a better way to handle the problem
C. tell him to find the cause of the problem
D. ask a more able colleague for help
4.When problems occur, winners take them as .
A. excuses for their failures
B. barriers to greater power
C. challenges to their colleagues
D. chances for self-development
5.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. A Winner’s Secret B. A Winner’s Problem
C. A Winner’s Opportunity D. A Winner’s Achievement
My father was in the navy, which meant that my mother was married to both my father and the sea. As was often the case, we had to pack our belongings into boxes and those we had grown to love. We would arrive at our new home and find ourselves once again brother and me around before the ship was out of , wipe our tears, and take us back home to start the process of in with the new environment again.
Throughout the years of changing , schools and friends, there remained one constant in my childhood — my mother. For both my brother and me, she was the cook, maid and teacher. She played these roles while some type of part-time job. Leaving a career is just one of the sacrifices which my mother made for my family as we moved around the world with our father every three years or so. While she had to deal with only a small budget, my mother, somehow, managed to make each house to be the very home that is safe and comfortable.
This probably sounds like a depressing way to live, with two small children: “single” parenthood, short-term friendships, and the inability to a career or establish a home. But it was not for my mother. She turned this into adventure for us all! Each relocation (变换位置) was a chance to another part of the world. My mother greeted each new culture, climate and neighborhood. Each new house was a to rearrange furniture, make curtains and pictures. Every part-time job was an opportunity to learn something new and work with interesting people.
No matter how difficult the life was, she was always having a attitude. She always had strength in the face of struggle and change. My mother was so all those years during my childhood — she was my island in a sea of change. She is my heroine.
1.A. leave behind B. leave out C. leave off D. leave for
2.A. living B. staring C. standing D. going
3.A. range B. shape C. sight D. control
4.A. adapting B. suiting C. matching D. fitting
5.A. names B. jobs C. addresses D. directions
6.A. performing B. seeking C. waiting D. applying
7.A. pleasing B. boring C. depressing D. promising
8.A. generally B. actually C. especially D. unfairly
9.A. desert B. develop C. affect D. limit
10.A. lifestyle B. value C. journey D. opportunity
11.A. acquire B. explore C. occupy D. realize
12.A. load B. sadness C. result D. challenge
13.A. hang B. draw C. take D. sell
14.A. changeable B. cautious C. positive D. negative
15.A. experienced B. admirable C. patient D. respectful
No sooner _______ the competition _______ _______ an unexpected accident happened.
A. did … begin; than B. had … begun; when
C. did … begin; when D. had … begun; than
Not until he took off his sunglasses _______ him.
A. I recognized B. I did recognize C. did I recognize D. do I recognize
