A group of graduates, successful in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.
Before offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and a variety of cups — porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking and cheap, some exquisite and expensive — telling them to help themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups. And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.
Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us.”
God brews the coffee, not the cups. Enjoy your coffee!
“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the most of everything.”
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
1.Why did the professor offer his students coffee with varieties of cups?
A.To give his students many more choices.
B.To teach his students how to enjoy coffee.
C.To show the students his collection of cups.
D.To tell his students the right attitude to life.
2.According to the professor, the happiest people are the ones who _____.
A.get the best type of coffee cups B.make the best of what they have
C.have a wide range of coffee cups D.care about social status and wealth
3.The best title for the passage would be _____.
A.God’s Coffee B.The Pressure of Life
C.The Happiest People D.Professor's Coffee Cups
I was very excited on the first day of high school! I had P.E. for the first period. We hurriedly gathered in the locker room (衣帽间) when the headmaster began to speak, “Good morning, boys and girls! Welcome to the first day of the great new school year. We will begin with the pledge (誓言) of loyalty.”
I pulled my shirt over my head and my right hand immediately rested over my heart. A few tears came to my eyes as every time I pledged. I thought of my grandpa. He had died almost a year before, but I still missed him every day. Grandpa served in World War II and the flag had a very special meaning for him.
The next morning in the locker room, I noticed something strange. Some girls talked through the pledge. After that, even fewer did the pledge, including the teachers. By the second week of school, I was the only girl in the whole locker room that did the pledge.
The next morning, I hid in the bathroom to change clothes and pledge. There I couldn’t see the flag and I had a sense of sorrow to be hiding like that. I kept hiding for the next week and felt worse.
I spent a weekend gathering up my nerve. On Monday, I changed into my gym clothes right away and was standing by my locker when the headmaster began morning announcements. The pledge started and I put my hand over my heart. A girl nearby locked her locker and asked, “Why are you doing that? ” She looked confused.
“My grandpa fought in World War II and he died last year,” I said. “I’m doing it for him.”
She felt embarrassed and looked away. “Oh.” She said.
Over the next few weeks, more girls questioned me about the pledge. I gave them all that same answer. I never inspired other girls to do the pledge along with me. They made their choice; I made mine. I was doing it for my Grandpa, but more than that, I was doing it for myself. Grandpa raised me to be proud of my country and that pride didn’t stop.
1.How did other students behave during the pledge periods?
A.They gradually quit the pledge.
B.They continued to show curiosity.
C.They did the pledge with sincerity.
D.They made fun of those who did the pledge.
2.The author did the pledge every day because ________.
A.the flag had a special meaning for her
B.the headmaster required her to do so
C.all the teachers and students did that
D.it was a way to show love for her grandpa
3.The whole passage is mainly developed by ________.
A.space B.time C.examples D.comparison
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.The first day at school
B.My grandpa
C.The pledge of loyalty
D.The secret in the locker room
When Chris moved in across the hall from Norma Cook four years ago in a Los Angeles-area apartment complex, the 31-year-old actor waved to his 85-year-old neighbor for a few weeks before finally knocking on her door and introducing himself. “The day I entered her apartment and spoke with her face to face was the day my life was changed forever,”Chris said.
He learned that Cook had no family living in California and that she suffered from a long list of illnesses, including leukemia (白血病). The pair quickly became close friends, as Chris took her to doctor’s appointments, cooked with her and they ran errands (差事) together. He shared their adventures on social media. But recently, Cook’s health declined and she was in and out of the hospital several times. She once spent weeks in the hospital fighting pneumonia and breathing issues. Eventually Cook was told by one of her doctors that she could no longer live at home unless she had 24-hour care. Because Cook had no money saved to pay her health care costs, Chris started a Go Fund Me account to help cover her bills.
But caretakers are expensive and Cook quickly ran out of the $34,445 they raised. Knowing her days at home were limited, Chris invited Cook to move in with him to save money.“She loves it! I do most of my work at home so I am here most of the time to care for her. It only made sense to both of us.” Chris wrote. “She is my adopted grandmother after all and I am her grandson she never had.”
“Cook still has weekly hospice health care visits and regular visits from caregivers, so any funds raised cover those expenses,”he wrote. Though doctors say Cook’s days are very limited, the pair are enjoying spending time together drinking champagne and snuggling with her cat, Hermes, who also made a move.
“She does not want to change,” Chris told Today. “My apartment was the only place she would have moved. She has strong opinions about where she wants to carry out the rest of her days, and she wants to stay here.” Chris says he feels like the relationship was fate. “Moving her in....it feels as though it was meant to be all along, ” he said. “It’s really fulfilling to be there for her.”
1.Which of the following statements is true about Cook?
A. She was an 85-year-old actress four years ago
B. She invited Chris to her apartment the day he moved here
C. She was in a poor state of health and wealth
D. She had a grandson of the same age as Chris
2.Chris invited Cook to live with him because she ______.
A. had no other family members B. was told not to live at home by the doctor
C. had no money to pay the rent D. was unable to afford 24-hour care
3.From the passage, we can learn that Chris______.
A. paid Cook’s expensive health care costs
B. collected money for Cook’s private care
C. worked as an actor for Go Fund Me
D. was legally adopted as Cook’s grandson
4.Which of the following words can best describe Chris?
A. kind and thoughtful B. optimistic and generous.
C. patient and hardworking. D. moody and outgoing.
Happy birthday
The China National Opera (CNO) will give a concert to celebrate its 50th birthday.
Different generations of CNO vocalists, like Li Guangxi, Yao Hong and Ma Mei, will present the concert which will feature both songs from famous Chinese operas like “The White-haired Girl” and “The Hundredth Bride”, as well as, arias of such Western opera classics as “Madame Butterfly”, “La Traviata” and “Rigoletto”.
Time/ date: 7:30 p.m., September 7th, 8th
Location: Tianqiao Theatre
Tel: 6551-4787, 8315-6170
Tickets: 60-500 yuan (U.S. $7.2- 60.2)
Folk music
A concert will be held to feature some recently composed traditional Chinese music works. The concert, given by the Folk Orchestra of the China Opera and Ballet Theatre, will include such pieces as “Memory of Childhood”, “Memorial Ceremony for God” and “Wine Song”.
Time/date: 7:30pm, September 13th
Location: Concert hall at the National Library of China
Tel: 6848 –5462, 6841-9220
Tickets: 30-200 yuan (U.S. $3.6-24.1)
Moon music
A concert of traditional Chinese music will be given on the eve of the Moon Festival which falls on September 21st this year. The concert will feature a number of famous pieces centered on the theme of the moon, such as “Moonlight”, “Spring night on a Moonlit River” and “Lofty Mountain and Flowing River.”
A number of established traditional Chinese music performers like Zhou Yaokun and Fan Weiqing, will play solos as well as collaborate with the folk music orchestra.
Time / date: 7:30 pm, September 21st
Location: Grand Theatre of the Cultural Palace of Nationalities
Tel: 6606-8888, 6606-9999
Ticket: 40-240 yuan (U.S. $4.8-27)
1.“Madame Butterfly” is ________.
A.a Chinese opera B.a piece of music
C.a Western opera D.a song
2.If you want to buy tickets for listening to the music “Memory of Childhood”, you will dial ________.
A.6551-4787 B.6606-9999
C.8315-6170 D.6848-5462
3.Which statement is right according to the passage?
A.Li Guangxi, Yao Hong and Ma Mei stand for the same generation of CNO vocalists.
B.“Lofty Mountain and Flowing River” is a traditional Chinese music.
C.“Rigoletto” is a famous piece on the theme of the moon.
D.Zhou Yaokun will play solos and Fan Weiqing will collaborate with the folk music orchestra.
4.In which column of a newspaper will the article be published?
A.People. B.Entertainment.
C.Culture. D.Sports.
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
A change took place within the heart of one boy, all because of one teacher, who cared.
Steve, a twelve-year-old boy with alcoholic parents, was about to be lost forever, by the education system. In spite of his reading skills, Steve had been failing since first grade, as he was passed on from grade to grade. Steve was a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a twelve-year-old, yet, Steve went unnoticed…until Miss White.
Miss White was a young and beautiful lady with a smile. For the first time in his young life, he couldn't take his eyes of his teacher. Yet, still he failed. He never did his homework, and he was always in trouble with Miss White. When he was punished for failing to turn in his homework, he felt just miserable! Still, he did not study.
In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things. One day, Miss White's impatient voice broke into his daydreams.
“Steve! Pay attention!” Frightened, he turned to look at her.
Steve locked his gaze on Miss White, as she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade.
“You boys all did pretty well,” she told the class, “except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but…” She hesitated.
“…The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!”
She just stared at Steve, as the class spun around for a good look. Steve dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.
“Just try it! ONE WEEK!” He was unmoved.
“You're smart enough! You'll see a change!” Nothing touched him.
“Give yourself a chance! Don't give up on your life!” Nothing.
“Steve! Please! I care about you!”
Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it!! Someone cared about him? Someone, totally unattainable and perfect, CARED ABOUT HIM??!!
That afternoon, Steve stayed at home, thoughtful. And then he quickly gathered up his camping gear, a loaf of bread, a bottle of water, and this time...his schoolbooks. Grim faced and determined, he headed for the woods.
注意:1. 所续写的短文词数应为150左右；
2. 应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为二段，每段的开头语已经为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
The following Monday he arrived at school on time, and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom.
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Paragraph 2:
After checking through his quiz paper, Miss White's face was in total shock!
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假如春天社区（Spring Community）要招募社区志愿者以应对新型冠状病毒（novel coronavirus），请你用英文写一篇书面通知，以便张贴到布告栏上。内容如下:
1. 对志愿者的要求；
2. 志愿者需注意事项；
3. 报名方式及截至日期。
注意:1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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