John Fisher, a builder, and his wife Elizabeth wanted more living space, so they left their small flat for an old 40-meter-high castle tower. They have spent five years turning it into a beautiful home with six floors, winning three architectural prizes.
“I love the space, and being private,” Elizabeth says. “You feel separated from the world. If I am in the kitchen, which is 25 meters above the ground floor, and the doorbell rings, I don’t have to answer it because visitors can’t see I am in!”
There are 142 steps to the top so if I go up and down five or six times a day, it’s very good exercise! But having to carry heavy things to the top is terrible, so I never buy more than two bags of shopping from the supermarket at a time. Except for that, it’s a brilliant place to live.
“When we first saw the place, I asked my father’s advice about buying it, because we couldn’t decide. After paying for it, we were a bit worried because it looked awful. But we really loved it, and knew how we wanted it to look.”
“Living here can be difficult—yesterday I climbed a four-meter ladder to clean the windows. But when you stand on the roof you can see all the way out to the sea on a clear day, and that’s a wonderful experience. I am really glad we moved. ”
1.What is the writer trying to do in the text?
A. describe how to turn an old tower into a house
B. recommend(推荐) a particular builder
C. describe what it is like to live in a tower
D. explain how to win prizes for building work
2.Which of the following best describes Elizabeth’s feelings about the tower?
A. She wanted it as soon as she saw it.
B. She likes most things about it.
C. She has been worried since they paid for it.
D. She finds it unsuitable to live in.
3.What problem does Elizabeth have with living in such a tall building?
A. Her visitors find it hard to see if she is at home.
B. She feels separated from others.
C. She cannot bring home lots of shopping at once.
D. It is impossible to clean any of the windows.
4.How will John and Elizabeth advertise their tower if they sell it?
A. 
B.
C.
D. 
Parents whose children show a special interest in a particular sport feel it very difficult to make a decision about their children’s careers. Should they allow their children to train to become top sports men and women? For many children it means starting school work very young, and going out with friends and other interests have to take a second place. It’s very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train five hours a day, even at the weekend, when most of his or her friends are playing.
Another problem is of course money. In many countries money for training is available from government for the very best young sportsmen and women. If this help can not be given, it means that it is the parents who have to find the time and the money to support their child’s development—and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment, etc. can all be very expensive.
Many parents are worried that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age. Some doctors agree that young muscles may be damaged by training before they are properly developed. Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by training young that you can reach the top as a successful sports person. It is clear that very few people do reach the top, and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training.
1.This article is most probably taken from________.
A. a letter
B. an advertisement
C. a personal diary
D. a newspaper article
2.According to the passage, parents whose children show a special interest in a sport _______.
A. feel uncertain if they should let their children train to be sports men or women
B. try to get financial（财务的）support from the government for their children’s training
C. have to get medical advice from doctors about training methods
D. prefer their children to be trained as young as possible
3.The underlined phrase“to take a second place”means_________.
A. to repeat the activities at some other place
B. to become less important
C. all things considered, they are of poor quality
D. to happen again
December 24 arrived along with a heavy snow. It was my first Christmas Eve without my mother, and the day’s usual 36 had disappeared.
The telephone rang. I 37 it and went to my bedroom to bury the continuous 38 , knowing it must be my friend Rebecca calling. How could I be 39 ? I wanted to be left 40 .
My heart felt as 41 as the falling snow. 42 can I stop missing my mother?
I 43 the window. Seeing Rebecca’s car parked out front, I went back to my bed and drew the covers over my head.
“Lucy!” she shouted. “I know you’re in there. Answer the door!”
“Leave me alone!” I 44 back. I heard paper rustling(沙沙作响) as she slid 45 under the door.
“Merry Christmas, ” she called out.
Not answering the 46 made me even 47 . It wasn’t fair to my best friend. Her father and sister 48 in a car accident when she was eight years old. 49 , her mother had to return to 50 , and Rebecca was left to look after herself.
When she left, I carried the small package, sat down and 51 it. Inside was a golden pen and a journal. When I opened the journal’s front cover, out fell a bookmark with a(n) 52 written on it:
Dear Lucy,
My words won’t heal（治愈）the 53 . But your own words can.
Love,
Rebecca
As I stared at the journal’s blank pages, a single tear fell on the page which quickly absorbed it.
That night, I 54 the phone and dialed her number.
“Looks like the snow is melting(融化), ” I said. “Spring was just ___55____the corner.”
1.A. excitement B. disappointment C. fright D. pity
2.A. answered B. covered C. picked D. ignored
3.A. pleasure B. puzzled C. sadness D. interest
4.A. regretful B. joyful C. comfortable D. careful
5.A. alive B. active C. alone D. crazy
6.A. light B. white C. heavy D. clear
7.A. Why B. Where C. Whether D. How
8.A. looked through B. looked into C. looked out D. looked up
9.A. brought B. shouted C. took D. turned
10.A. anything B. something C. everything D. nothing
11.A. phone B. question C. letter D. door
12.A. more helpful B. more attractive C. worse D. better
13.A. survived B. escaped C. lived D. died
14.A. As a whole B. As a result C. In all D. In general
15.A. work B. wash C. repair D. learn
16.A. closed B. folded C. opened D. painted
17.A. article B. poem C. notice D. message
18.A. failure B. pain C. wish D. shame
19.A. picked up B. picked out C. pushed back D. put away
20.A. around B. over C. on D. at
Entering the room, I found Mary ______at the desk and ______a letter.
A. Seated；wrote B. Sitting；written
C. Seating；writing D. Seated；writing
_________on the main street, the market was busy yesterday.
A. Located B. locating C. being located D. to be located
They were surprised that a child should work out the problem _____ they themselves couldn’t.
A. when B. where C. until D. while
