When Cathleen Gardiner’s twins were born 17 years ago, doctors told her that they were a pair in a million. One had Down syndrome(低能综合症), while the other did not. Here, Cathleen tells their touching story.
Since Sean was born 17 years ago, I have always thought that he is just as wonderful as his brother and sister. Though he had a disability(残疾), we have never viewed him as a burden. He has always been a blessing. The doctors explained that though they were twins, they came from two different eggs. Lisa could walk at 11 months old, while Sean didn’t take his first steps till he w as three. By two, Lisa was talking a lot, but Sean wasn’t able to speak until he was nearly four.
For the first five years of his life, Sean needed a great deal of care. Looking after him was my full-time job, though I also worked as a technical adviser in a computing company. We never treated them differently. We gave them the same toys and spoke to them in the same way. We encouraged Sean to keep up with Lisa, even though he never could, and we would help him develop his abilities. We sent them to the same primary school even after doctors advised us that Sean should go to a school for the disabled.
We had to explain to Lisa that he wouldn’t learn as quickly as she would. She told us that she’d help him with his school work. Having a non-disabled twin has really helped Sean develop. The love they share has given him a great deal of support. Now Sean and Lisa are both about to finish high school. I don’t think he would have done nearly as well today without Lisa’s help.
1.At least how many children does Mrs. Gardiner have?
A. Two. B. Three. C. Four. D. One.
2.Mrs. Gardiner and her husband regarded Sean as _______.
A. a boy making others touched
B. a normal child without disabilities
C. a special gift
D. a burden of their family
3.The third paragraph mainly tells us that _______.
A. the couple treated the twins equally
B. Cathleen did all she could to look after Sean
C. the couple didn’t follow the doctor’s advice
D. the couple encouraged Sean to grow up
4.This passage tells us that _________.
A. love can do wonders
B. nobody is foolish or clever
C. being stupid doesn’t matter
D. all men are born equal
Last year, I met a little boy to whom my heart went out. He would talk to me every single day, and always seemed to have a smile on his face. His problem was that he stuttered (口吃) extremely badly when he tried to talk. It was really hard to understand what he was saying, although he loved to tell big tales!
One morning, I was talking to the teachers who ran the school store. The boy stopped by and said hello to all of us. Afterwards they told me that the boy would stop every day to ask if they would be there the next day. But of course, he never had money to buy anything.
I decided that I would get him a little something just as a surprise. So I picked out a pencil, a rubber, and a small notebook for just $1.00. I cannot describe the look on his face when I gave him the three little things. Then, without a stutter, he loudly said, "Thank you so much!" and just kept repeating, "Thank you! Thank you!" He gave me a big hug before going off to class.
I was touched to see someone appreciate something that much. As he walked off, he was showing his new stuff to other kids walking to class. I have to say that I have never spent a dollar that would me an so much to me.
1.Why did the boy never buy anything from the store?
A. Because he couldn’t make himself understood.
B. Because the teachers were unwilling to sell him anything.
C. Because he couldn’t afford anything.
D. Because he could never decide what to buy.
2.What do we learn from the third paragraph?
A. Actually the boy had no stutter at all.
B. The boy was too excited to stutter at the moment.
C. What the author had bought helped the boy speak normally.
D. The author wanted to find out whether the boy really had a stutter.
3.Which would be the best title for the passage?
A. A Stuttering Boy
B. Kindness Can Do Wonders
C. One Dollar Can Buy Anything
D. The Best Dollar I Have Spent
书面表达：
最近你发现我们学校很多学生的饮食存在很严重的问题，他们不吃早餐或其他正餐，而是选择一些垃圾食品。请根据以下提示写一篇英语短文。
1. 阐述问题；
2. 分析原因（学生喜欢吃垃圾食品、餐厅饭菜种类少等);
3. 提出两个以上解决办法。注意词数120左右（开头已给出，但不计入总词数）。
参考词汇：餐厅 canteen
单句改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在此处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在下面写出增加的词；
删除：把多余的词用斜线（﹨）划掉；
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从11处起）不计分。
Christie was one of my best friend at high school. At that time, we often spend time together. Thank to her help, I made great progress in my study. Last year, she decided to study abroad. In another words, we would be separated for long time. Before her leaving off, I prepared a gift to show my best wishes to him. She said it was the best gift she has ever had. From then on, we’vekept touch with each other through e-mails. I look forward to see her again in the near future.
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。
There are all kinds of festivals throughout the world. Festivals are held 1. (satisfy) and please the ancestors, to honor some famous people or important 2. (event), and to express people's gratitude to the God for bringing them a year of plenty. For example, in India, October 2 is 3. national festival to honor Mahandas Gandhi, the leader 4. helped gain India’s 5. (depend) from Britain. 6. (tradition), in China the Spring Festival, which 7. (celebrate) in January or February, is the most 8. (energy) and important because it is a festival that looks forward 9. the coming of spring. Why are all these festivals everywhere? Because during the festivals, people can get together to eat, drink and have fun with each other, 10. (forget) all the daily struggle and demands for a while.
完形填空
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
When I was a boy, we had several gardens around our old house. The largest one of all was used just for ____ potatoes.
I can still remember those days. The whole family ____. My mom, my elder brothers and I went to work ____ my dad turned the soil in the garden. It was my job to ____ the tiny seeds(种子) in rows, and my mom spread fertilizer (化肥) on them. My brothers then ____ them the newly turned soil.
Several months later, I would ____ the garden whenever I played outside, wondering what was going on ____ the ground. When harvest time came, I was ____ at the huge size of the potatoes my dad pulled out of the soil. They would be turned into ____ of roast potatoes, fired potatoes and my personal favorite: potatoes cooked in sauce. They would keep the entire family well-fed throughout the year. It was ____ a miracle (奇迹).
Looking back on those days makes me ____ how many other seeds I have planted in this ____ that have grown unseen in the hearts and ____ of others. How many times has my dad used something little things that I said or did to grow something ____. And how many times...
Every single day of our lives we step out into the ____ of this world. Every single day we plant ____ that can grow into something wonderful. We may never see the growth that comes from the kind words or loving ____ we share. I hope you always tend the garden around you ____. I hope you plant only goodness, ____ and compassion(同情) in the lives of people you meet. I hope every day you help miracles to ____.
1.A. selling B. preserving C. planting D. roasting
2.A. approved B. helped C. observed D. changed
3.A. after B. until C. because D. though
4.A. select B. examine C. compare D. drop
5.A. filled B. connected C. mixed D. covered
6.A. search for B. glance around C. give up D. wish for
7.A. across B. on C. under D. through
8.A. annoyed B. amazed C. embarrassed D puzzled.
9.A. meal after meal B. row after row C. life after life D. day after day
10.A. shortly B. truly C. mainly D. properly
11.A. recognize B. remember C. indicate D. wonder
12.A. process B. house C. life D. period
13.A. stomachs B. minds C. eyes D. bodies
14.A. expensive B. strange C. beautiful D. funny
15.A. part B. field C. garden D. corner
16.A. seeds B. trees C. vegetables D. flowers
17.A. mottos B. friends C. donations D. acts
18.A. with care B. by chance C. in surprise D. on time
19.A. confidence B. wealth C. peace D. power
20.A. return B. recover C. prepare D. grow
