The host poured the tea into the cup and placed it on the small table in front of his guests, who were a father and daughter, and the cover on the cup. Apparently thinking of something, he hurried into the inner room, leaving the thermos(热水瓶) on the table. His two guests heard a cupboard opening.
They remained sitting in the sitting room, the ten-year-old daughter looking at the flowers outside the window, the father just about to take his cup, when the crash came, right there in the sitting room. Something was hopelessly broken.
It was the thermos, which had fallen to the floor. The girl looked over her shoulder, shocked, staring. It was mysterious. Neither of them touched it, not even a bit. True, it hadn’t stood steadily when their host placed in on the table, but it hadn’t fallen then.
The explosion caused the host to rush back. Gawking at the steaming floor, the host said, “It doesn’t matter! It doesn’t matter!”
The father started to say something. Then he said softly, “Sorry, I touched it and it fell.”
“It doesn’t matter,” said the host.
When they left the house, the daughter said, “Daddy, did you touch it?”
“No, but it stood so close to me.”
“But you did not touch it. I saw your reflection in the window glass.”
The father laughed. “What would you give as the cause of its fall?”
“The thermos fell by itself. The floor is not smooth. Daddy, why did you say that you…”
“That won’t do, girl. It sounds more acceptable when I say I knocked it down. There are things which people accept less the more you defend. The truer the story you tell, the less true it sounds.”
The daughter was lost in silence for a while. Then she said, “Can you explain it only in this way?”
“Only in this way,” her father said.
1.Which statement is a possible theme of this story?
A. People should take the blame for what they didn’t do.
B. People rarely tell the truth.
C. If you defend yourself, people will believe you.
D. You can’t always make people believe the truth.
2.The underlined phrase “Gawking at” probably means ___________.
A. staring at with anger
B. looking at curious
C, looking at in a dull way
D. glancing at hopelessly
3.It can be inferred from the story that the father____________.
A. didn’t know the host well
B. didn’t think the host would believe the truth
C. was sorry that he told the truth
D. felt satisfied that he didn’t tell the truh
4.From the story we know that the daughter ___________ .
A. thought her father should tell the truth
B. didn’t know why the thermos fell
C. glancing at hopelessly
D. looking at in a dull way
We don’t know how different our life in the future. We can only try to imagine it.
At first we think about human relationship. In the year 2050, we will use computers almost every day, we will be making new friends through the Internet--- even our husbands or wives will be met in this way. It will be much faster and easier for us. On the other hand, our relationships with people won’t be as important as they are today--- we will feel a little lonely.
Computers will also help us in many other activities in 2050. For example, they will be used by the children at school to make their learning easier. In addition, there will be more other machines which will play a similar role as computers, like robots which will do the housework for us.
Spending holidays will also be completely different. Traveling to other planets or to the moon will be available for everyone. Means of transport will, of course, change, too. We will be using solar-powered cars, which will be much environmentally friendly.
We could expect that the faster economic development would lead to a more polluted environment. But it isn’t true. We will pay more attention to protecting the environment. Scientists will probably find cures for many dangerous diseases, like cancer or AIDS. Therefore, our surroundings as well as health will be in better condition.
Although we cannot predict the exact changes which will be made in the world, we often think about them. We worry about our and our children’s future; we have expectation, hopes as well as fears. But I think we should be rather sanguine about our future. We should be happy and believe good things will happen.
1.The underlined word “sanguine” in the last paragraph most probably means __________.
A. disappointed B. surprised
C. curious D. optimistic
2.According to the passage, which of the following will happen in 2050?
A. It will not be difficult for people to travel to other plants.
B. Our environment will be much polluted with a growing number of cars.
C. The way of spending holidays will be the same as that of today
D. The relationship between people will be more important than today.
3.The third paragraph mainly tells__________.
A. that computers will do all the things for human being
B. how people will use robots to do housework.
C. that machines like computer and robots will help people a lot.
D. how people will use computer to communicate with each other.
4.What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. What high technology will appear in the year 2050.
B. What our life will be like in the year 2050.
C. How people will communicate in the year 2050.
D. How people will travel and spend their holidays in the year 2050.
My class and I visited Chris Care Center in Phoenix, Arizona to comfort the old people who needed a little cheering up during the holiday season.
The first two there were for persons requiring help in taking care of themselves. We sang for them. They loved our sweet songs and the flowers that we left with them.
As we were on the third floor for old people with Alzheimer (老年痴呆症), most of them off at the walls or floor. However, one lady my eye. She was sitting by the door, in a wheelchair, singing songs to herself. They weren’t the songs that we were singing; at least they didn’t like that. As we got with each festive song, she did as well. The louder we got, the louder she sang. she was singing, she was also out to us with her hands and body. I knew that I should have gone over to her, but I thought that my were to my students. People who worked at the care center could to her, I thought. Just when I stopped feeling about not giving her the attention she needed, one of my students, Justin, showed me what the holiday season is really about.
Justin also the same lady. The difference between us is that he on her needs, but I didn’t. During the last song, “Silent Night,” Justin walked over to her and held her hand. He looked this aged lady in her and with his actions said, “You are important, and I will take my to let you know that.”
This tired, elderly lady stopped singing and held his hand. Then she touched his cheek with the other hand. Tears began to fall down her face. No can completely describe that touching moment.
It a boy to teach me, a man, about kindness and love. Justin’s example of a complete, selfless attitude toward another was a that I will never forget. He was the teacher that day, and I consider myself to have witnessed his lesson.
1.A. rooms B. building C. floors D. groups
2.A. bravely B. beautifully C. madly D. shyly
3.A. dancing B. meeting C. gathering D. singing
4.A. stared B. shut C. paid D. glared
5.A. looked B. escaped C. caught D. hurt
6.A. appear B. sound C. hear D. feel
7.A. higher B. nearer C. faster D. louder
8.A. As B. Because C. Since D. Though
9.A. moving B. reaching C. coming D. spreading
10.A. interests B. abilities C. feelings D. responsibilities
11.A. attend B. object C. speak D. compare
12.A. afraid B. sure C. guilty D. scary
13.A. feared B. avoided C. helped D. noticed
14.A.called B. acted C. insisted D. kept
15.A. tears B. hands C. eyes D. face
16.A. cheek B. flower C. body D. time
17.A. words B. poems C. expressions D. songs
18.A. caused B. wasted C. took D. made
19.A. message B. lesson C. activity D. class
20.A. lucky B. foolish C. right D. clever
At the door Winston looked back, but O'Brien seemed already to be in process of putting him ________.
A. out of sight B. out of reach
C. out of mind D. out of order
Do this throughout your day, and you will be in a _______ state of relaxation and enjoyment.
A. plus B. constant
C. scientific D. guilty
So we should all maintain an_______belief that the world is more forgiving than is commonly supposed.
A. optimistic B. instant
C. previous D. imaginative
