I must have always known reading was very important because the first memories I have as a child deal with books. There was not one night that I don’t remember mom reading me a storybook by my bedside. I was extremely inspired by the elegant way the words sounded.
I always wanted to know what my mom was reading. Hearing mom say, “I can’t believe what’s printed in the newspaper this morning,” made me want to grab it out of her hands and read it myself. I wanted to be like my mom and know all of the things she knew. So I carried around a book, and each night, just to be like her, I would pretend to be reading.
This is how everyone learned to read. We would start off with sentences, then paragraphs, and then stories. It seemed an unending journey, but even as a six-year-old girl I realized that knowing how to read could open many doors. When mom said, “The C-A-N-D-Y is hidden on the top shelf,” I knew where the candy was. My progress in reading raised my curiosity, and I wanted to know everything. I often found myself telling my mom to drive more slowly, so that I could read all of the road signs we passed.
Most of my reading through primary, middle and high school was factual reading. I read for knowledge, and to make A’s on my tests. Occasionally, I would read a novel that was assigned, but I didn’t enjoy this type of reading. I liked facts, things that are concrete. I thought anything abstract left too much room for argument.
Yet, now that I’m growing and the world I once knew as being so simple is becoming more complex, I find myself needing a way to escape. By opening a novel, I can leave behind my burdens and enter into a wonderful and mysterious world where I am now a new character. In these worlds I can become anyone. I don’t have to write down what happened or what technique the author was using when he or she wrote this. I just read to relax.
We’re taught to read because it’s necessary for much of human understanding. Reading is a vital part of my life. Reading satisfies my desire to keep learning. And I’ve found that the possibilities that lie within books are limitless.
1.Why did the author want to grab the newspaper out of mom’s hands?
A.She wanted mom to read the news to her.
B.She was anxious to know what had happened.
C.She couldn’t wait to tear the newspaper apart.
D.She couldn’t help but stop mom from reading.
2.According to Paragraph 3, the author’s reading of road signs indicates ________.
A.her unique way to locate herself
B.her eagerness to develop her reading ability
C.her effort to remind mom to obey traffic rules
D.her growing desire to know the world around her
3.What was the author’s view on factual reading?
A.It would help her update test-taking skills.
B.It would allow much room for free thinking.
C.It would provide true and objective information.
D.It would help shape a realistic and serious attitude to life.
4.The author takes novel reading as a way to ________.
A.explore a fantasy land
B.develop a passion for learning
C.learn about the adult community
D.get away from a confusing world
5.What could be the best title for the passage?
A.The Magic of Reading
B.The Pleasure of Reading
C.Growing Up with Reading
D.Reading Makes a Full Man
Last night was the last game for my eight-year-old son’s soccer team. It was the final quarter. The score was two to one, my son’s team in the lead. Parents surrounded the playground, offering encouragement.
With less than ten seconds remaining, the ball suddenly rolled in front of my son’s teammate Mickey O’Donnel. With shouts of “Kick it!” echoing across the playground, Mickey turned around and gave it everything he had. All around me the crowd erupted (沸腾). O’Donnel had scored!
Then there was silence. Mickey had scored all right, but in the wrong goal, ending the game in a tie. For a moment there was a total hush. You see, Mickey has Down syndrome (唐氏综合症) and for him there is no such thing as a wrong goal. All goals were celebrated by a joyous hug from Mickey. He had even been known to hug the opposing players when they scored.
The silence was finally broken when Mickey, his face filled with joy, hugged my son tightly and shouted, “I scored! I scored. Everybody won! Everybody won!” For a moment I held my breath, not sure how my son would react. I need not have worried. I watched, through tears, as my son threw up his hand in the classic high-five salute and started chanting, “Way to go Mickey! Way to go Mickey!” Within moments both teams surrounded Mickey, joining in the chant and congratulating him on his goal.
Later that night, when my daughter asked who had won, I smiled as I replied. “It was a tie. Everybody won.”
1.What was the result of the soccer match?
A.Two to two, equal to both the teams.
B.Three to one in Mickey’s team’s favor.
C.Two to one in the opposite team’s favor.
D.Nobody won because of Mickey’s goal.
2.The underlined word “hush” in paragraph 3 means “________”.
A.cheer B.silence
C.laughter D.cry
3.What did the author worry about when Mickey scored and hugged his son?
A.The result would disappoint his son.
B.His son would shout at Mickey for his goal.
C.Mickey would again hug the opposing players.
D.The opposite team would laugh at Mickey’s goal.
4.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A.both teams liked and respected Mickey
B.both teams were thankful for Mickey’s goal
C.Mickey didn’t mind though his goal was wrong
D.Mickey was a kind-hearted boy and hoped everybody won
5.The purpose of the author in writing the passage is ________.
A.to tell a joke to make readers laugh
B.to suggest we should not mind losing
C.to show enjoying a game is more than winning a game
D.to present his son’s fine qualities of understanding others
I don’t know why the train was unusually full today. I sat down in the only seat _____ beside a middle-aged man who had his head down and seemed to be lost in ______. I was glad that he didn’t notice me as he just ______ to look down towards the floor.
Shortly after the train left I found myself ______ what this man was thinking about. What could be so ______ that he didn’t even see me sit next to him? I tried to forget about it and started to read my paper. ______, some inner voice kept encouraging me to talk to this man. I tried to ______ but I failed.
Finally I ______ an excuse to ask him a question. When he ______ his head and turned his eyes towards me I could see that he must have been really ______. I can’t describe the sadness which was so ______. We talked for about 20 minutes and in the end he seemed to be doing ______. As we were leaving the train he thanked me again and again.
Several weeks later, when I watched TV at home, I received a strange ______, which only had the word Angel written on it. After I read it I was ______ touched (感动). It was a letter from the man I met on the ______. That day he planned to ______ his life. In his letter, he went on to ______ that he had said to God that if God really ______ him he would send someone to prevent him killing himself. In his eyes I was that Angel sent by God.
I don’t know what that voice was that made me take a ______ and talk to a stranger but I do know that it made a ______ in someone’s life that day. So the next time you hear your inner voice, just listen to it.
1.A.offered B.left C.laid D.missed
2.A.daydreams B.sight C.thought D.scenery
3.A.continued B.planned C.wanted D.liked
4.A.worrying B.guessing C.considering D.wondering
5.A.valuable B.important C.necessary D.strange
6.A.Therefore B.However C.Instead D.So
7.A.ignore B.remember C.realize D.accept
8.A.call for B.ask for C.came up with D.make up for
9.A.nodded B.shook C.dropped D.raised
10.A.kind B.worried C.sad D.excited
11.A.heavy B.special C.popular D.familiar
12.A.worse B.better C.harder D.less
13.A.email B.message C.letter D.newspaper
14.A.easily B.already C.often D.deeply
15.A.train B.street C.Internet D.TV
16.A.begin B.save C.change D.end
17.A.complain B.introduce C.explain D.express
18.A.called on B.cared about C.sent for D.gave up
19.A.chance B.hike C.time D.seat
20.A.mark B.decision C.difference D.start
I still remember the moment ______ I first saw him after his operation.
A.that B.when C.where D.as
--- What’s wrong? You look pale.
--- Nothing serious. I’m just feeling ______ tired after the long walk.
A.lots of B.a bit of C.plenty of D.kind of
It was difficult to get a word in. Everyone ______ so excitedly about the new film.
A.had talked B.talked C.was talking D.would talk
