Joe came to New York from the Middle West, dreaming about painting. Delia came to New York from the South, dreaming about music. Joe and Delia met in a studio. Before long they were good friends and got married.
They had only a small flat to live in , but they were happy. They loved each other, and they were both interested in art. Everything was fine until one day they found they had spent all their money.
Delia decided to give music lessons. One afternoon she said to her husband:
“Joe, I’ve found a pupil, a general’s daughter. She is a sweet girl. I’m to give three lessons a week and get $5 a lesson.”
But Joe was not glad.
“But how about me?” he said.” Do you think I’m going to watch you work while I play with my art? No, I want to earn some money too.”
“Joe, you are silly,” said Delia. “You must keep at your studies. We can live quite happily on $15 a week.”
“Well, perhaps I can sell some of my pictures,” said Joe.
Every day they parted in the morning and met in the evening. A week passed and Delia brought home fifteen dollars, but she looked a little tired.
“Clementina sometimes gets on my nerves. I’m afraid she doesn’t practice enough. But the general is the oldest man! I wish you could know him, Joe.”
And then Joe took eighteen dollars out of his pocket.
“I’ve sold one of my pictures to a man from Peoria,” he said, “and he has ordered another.”
“I’m so glad,” said Delia. “Thirty-three dollars! We never had so much to spend before. We’ll have a good supper tonight.”
Next week Joe came home and put another eighteen dollars on the table. In half an hour Delia came, her right hand in a bandage.
“What’s the matter with your hand?” said Joe. Delia laughed and said:
“Oh, a funny thing happened! Clemantina gave me a plate of soup and spilled some of it on my hand. She was very sorry for it. And so was the old general. But why are you looking at me like that, Joe?”
“What time this afternoon did you burn your hand, Delia?”
“Five o’clock, I think. The iron-I mean the soup-was ready about five, Why?”
“Delia, come and sit here,” said Joe. He drew her to the couch and sat beside her.
“What do you do every day, Delia? Do you really give music lesson? Tell me the truth.”
She began to cry.
“I couldn’t get any pupils,” she said, “So I got a place in a laundry ironing shirts. This afternoon a girl accidentally set down an iron on my hand and I got a bad burn. But tell me, Joe, how did you guess that I wasn’t giving music lessons?”
“It’s very simple,” said Joe. “I knew all about your bandages because I had to send them upstairs to a girl in the laundry who had an accident with a hot iron. You see, I work in the engine-room of the same laundry where you work.”
“And your pictures? Did you sell any to that man from Peoria?”
“Well, your general with his Clemantina is an invention, and so is my man from Peoria.”
And then they both laughed.
1.To support the family, Delia worked as .
A. a tutor B. a music teacher
C. an artist D. a laundry assistant
2.It happened that .
A. a man from Peoria liked Joe’s pictures
B. Delia earned $15 dollars a week easily
C. the couple worked at the same laundry
D. Clemantina and the general were kind
3.Who hurt Delia’s hand?
A. The general B. Clemantina C. Herself D. A girl
4.We can infer from the underlined sentence that .
A. Clemantina was an invention of the general
B. Clemantina was an invention of the man from Peoria
C. there were no such men as the general, Clemantina and the man from Peoria
D. the general, Clemantina and the man from Peoria were the couple’s clients
5.The couple’s attitude towards each other is .
A. faithful B. honest
C. ashamed D. heartbreaking
6.Which do you think is the best title of the story?
A. A service of love B. A story of Joe and Delia
C. Lies and truth D. Servants of love
Famous centenarians (百岁老人) still active in arts, science are in no mood to retire. "Those who stand still, die," is one of Oliveira's favorite phrases. He knows from experience what it means, as the Portuguese film director has reached the age of 102 and is still active in his profession. Every year, Oliveira shoots a film and is currently working on his next project. "You have to work, work, work in order to forget that death is not far away," he said. When asked about his age, Oliveira said with some humility: "It's down to mother nature. It gave to me what it took from others."
Being both mentally and physically fit in old age is partly a matter of luck, but it also has something to do with character. Not every white-haired person is wise and social skills, openness and the ability to train the brain are essential for senior citizens.
Along with the architect Oscar Niemeyer (103), Nobel laureate Montalcini (101) and director Kurt Maetzig (100), Oliveira is one of those people of whom it would be very wrong to think as members of a listless elderly generation.
Another master in his profession is the architect Oscar Niemeyer. The 103-year-old Brazilian is best known for his futuristic-looking buildings in Brasilia, but he also speaks out on behalf of the poor. "The role of the architect is to struggle for a better world where we can develop a form of architecture that serves everyone and not just a privileged few," said Niemeyer recently. He spends almost every day working in his office in Copacabana, and even when he falls ill he keeps working on ideas: After a gallbladder (胆囊) operation he composed a samba tune (桑巴舞曲) in the clinic.
Another man who could sing a song about age is 107-year-old Heesters. The Dutch-born opera singer spent most of his life performing in Germany, where he still works. Recently Heesters said: "I want to be at least 108-years-old." He also plans to keep performing. "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?" Heesters has not given up trying to add to his tally of awards and is looking for a "good stage role".
Italian scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini, who is 101-year-old and is still active in medical science, has described the force that keeps driving her on: "Progress is created through imperfection." In 1986 she and her lab colleague were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work on nerve growth factor. She's convinced that humans grow on challenges.
With so many brilliant examples given, we can see clearly that age is no barrier to some high achievers.
1.From the first two paragraphs, we can see ______.
A. being active at 102 is achievable for everybody
B. Oliveira owes his long life to his mother’s help
C. being fit in old age is a matter of luck and character
D. social skills and wisdom are difficult for the senior
2.How many centenarians are mentioned in this passage?
A. 4 B. 5 C. 6 D. 7
3.By saying "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?” in Paragraph 5, Heesters shows us he ________.
A. wants to sit or lie in comfort
B. is waiting for people to pick him up
C. is willing to work till he dies
D. prefers to give performance at home
4.In the passage so many examples were given to show ________.
A. old age is a big problem if you want to succeed
B. as a senior citizen, you have to be open-minded and optimistic
C. old people should never think of themselves as old
D. old age cannot prevent a great person from achieving a lot
5.In the writer’s opinion, the architect Oscar Niemeyer is not ________.
A. intelligent B. pessimistic C. positive D. diligent
September can be a depressing month. The summer holidays are over, it’s time to go back to work or school and Christmas is four months away. However, for some people it’s the perfect time to get away.
These days more and more people are taking their holidays late in the year and for good reasons. Holidays in autumn can be cheaper, the resorts are less crowded and the weather isn’t as extreme as it is in the summer. So, where are the best places to go? Here are our top tips.
Sardinia (in Italy) has an average temperature of 27℃ in September. It also has “Autunno in Barbagia” (Autumn in Barbagia) a series of festivals that take place in 27 villages in Barbagia, a mountainous region of inland Sardinia. The festivals continue from September to December, so there’s always something happening. There are street markets, craft workshops and there’s lots of eating and drinking (This is Italy, after all).
Dubrovnik Croatia has become very popular in summer but it’s quieter and more pleasant once the crowds have left. The weather is still warm but less humid. You can take a ferry to the popular beaches on the islands of Sunj and enjoy it with locals.
Dahab Egypt, is extremely hot in the summer with temperatures up to 38℃. However, the autumn is cooler while the sea is still warm. This makes Dahab the perfect place for snorkeling and windsurfing. There are also interesting historical sites to visit such as the Coloured Canyon, with its dramatic rock formations, and St Catherine’s Monastery, at the foot of Mount Sinai.
Kas is a relaxed fishing village on the Lycian coast in southern Turkey. There are plenty of things to do and the temperature has dropped (so you can actually enjoy doing them!) Kas is a good place to stay if you want to walk part of the Lycian way: a long-distance footpath that stretches for 500km from Fethiye to Antalya through the ancient land of Lycia. There are also watersports, of course. The best time to go diving is supposed to be after the first rains of autumn (usually between late September and early October) when the fish become most active.
Marrakech Morocco is another good destination. The city itself is a fascinating place to spend a few days. When you have had enough of that, go to Tigmi, a beautiful hill town about 20 kilometers away. There’s a hammam (a Turkish bath) and a large heated pool, which makes it the perfect place to relax.
Wherever you go this autumn – have fun!
1.Here are the good reasons for people to take holidays in autumn except that _______.
A. Holidays in autumn can be cheaper
B. the scenery in autumn is more attractive
C. the resorts in autumn are less crowded
D. The weather is neither too hot nor too cold
2.We can infer from Paragraph 3 that _______________.
A. visitors can take part in a series of festivals in October in Barbagia
B. Barbagia in Egypt is surrounded by mountains
C. the festivals continue from September to November
D. the temperature in Sardinia in September is always below 27℃
3.For someone who enjoys walking, __________ is the best choice.
A. Kas B. Marrakech C. Dahab D. Dubrovnik
4.Which of the following places may not be close to sea?
A. Dubrovnik B. Dahab C. Kas D. Marrakech
My friend got married. His mother carried two bags of cotton from the countryside by bus and train to his city. After arriving at the city, there was still a long way to his house without any bus passing by the house. His mother walked to his home breathlessly for 40 minutes without taking a taxi in order to save money.
My friend felt bitter as well as funny at his mother’s deeds. He pointed to the cashmere and silk quilts and said, “So long as you have money, you can buy anything in the supermarket. There is no need for you to carry so much cotton here in such a long way.”
But his mother insisted and said, “The cotton of this year is light and warmth-keeping. Have a try and you will know!”
Maybe every parent is the same, caring for their children with stubborn love without caring about whether they know or like it.
This early spring, I went to visit my grandmother. We had dry beans stew （炖菜）, eggplant salad bar, sauce radish （酱萝卜条）for our dinner, all of which were dried by my grandmother last autumn and tasted wonderful. I loved the dishes to my heart’s content and could not help praising them again and again.
After a few days, my grandmother, who seldom visited us, came to my home and unpacked her bag, smilingly taking out bags of dried eggplants, dried beans and dried vegetable. She told me that I left so hastily last time that she forgot to give me some of these foods, so she took this chance to bring me what I liked.
I was speechless at that time. Due to my casual complimentary her food, my grandmother, a nearly 70-year-old lady, by taking three buses from the west of the city to the east, came to my home with the food I liked. But she was bus-sick in life and even seldom went strolling in the street.
My pretty girlfriend had a failed marriage in the past. After divorce, her parents shed the deepest protection and care to her by helping her attend to the child and offering financial aids. Her parents’ love made her pull herself together and forgot the man who had hurt her before.
Nonetheless, her father, an honest and upright old man, after hearing his ex-son-in-law got promoted in his company, felt terrifically irritated and went to his company to question his boss why a philandering man with corrupt conducts could get promoted. The whole office fell into a mess immediately and many staff just watched on the sidelines. Some people even whispered lightly, "It is a new era now and the relationship between men and women is very open. No one would care about that anymore!"
The old man stood silently in the office with his hands shivering and eyes tearing.
That night, my girlfriend cried heavily in front of me. I asked her whether it was her father’s stupid deeds that made her feel humiliated. But she said that she felt guilty for her dad and that though the rest of the whole world betrayed her, her old father would still back her up and help her get the justice she deserved, just as when she was young and the neighboring boy grabbed her ball, her father would get it back for her. However, this changed world was no longer the stage for her old father and his deeds became funnily obsolete. No one managed to see the real and ever-lasting love to his daughter behind his seemingly rude behaviors.
Now we have grown up so much so that we could support our family and have our own children. But in our parents’ heart, they are still worried that we do not have sufficient quilts and dried vegetables. They would not feel troubled to bring all these to us regardless of long tough journey. They even would not like us to suffer a bit and try all means to protect us without caring about whether what they do is awkward and stupid or not.
Who in the world would love us so deeply and relentlessly without asking for any repay? Only our parents!
1.What does the author want to tell us?
A. The love from our parents is real and deep though sometimes it doesn't appear so.
B. The love from our parents is awkward sometimes, which is rather annoying.
C. Children should appreciate parents' love because their life is so hard.
D. The world is changing so the love of parents should change too.
2.The underlined world "humiliate" in the eleventh paragraph means ________.
A. guilty B. moved C. happy D. ashamed
3.How many examples of older generation’s love are mentioned in the passage?
A. One B. Two C. Three D. four
4.After the author's girlfriend's former husband got promoted, her father _____.
A. congratulated him
B. made his daughter marry him again
C. had a quarrel with him
D. argued with his boss
5.From the passage we can learn the author's grandmother is ___________.
A. upright and honest B. loving and troublesome
C. thoughtful and careful D. generous and active
Nick was not the kind of boy I had expected to spend my summer with. I was hoping to have a 21 the summer before my busy senior year, but my mother asked me to do her a 22 . One of her colleagues needed a full-time 23 . “You planned to volunteer at the local hospital, why not volunteer to 24 Nick instead?” Then she told me that this six-year-old boy was not a 25 child.
Nick was a lovely little boy who suffered from many disorders. Normal day-care centres would not 26 him. As a baby, he had serious ear infections which left him with equilibrium (平衡) problems. He couldn’t 27 or run properly. I was hesitating (犹豫) 28 I was to take the job when my mother 29 , “Don’t you want to be a nurse in the future? I doubt if you even have the 30 .”
Then I told her I was 31 for the job.
The day started at 7:00 a.m. Nick was my wake-up call! With so much energy and very little 32 , he was quite a mix.
In the park, when he saw all the other children play on the jungle gym and swings (秋千)， the boy’s face 33 up — how he wished he belonged to the group of his age! You would think it would be 34 to get a child to go down a slide (滑梯). Believe me, it wasn’t! It took time, a lot of time. But with patience and support, Nick took one step up the slide each day. We worked together to face his 35 and gradually he got closer to taking the slide of his life.
Halfway through the summer, he 36 it to the top of the slide. With my arms 37 him tightly, we flew down the slide! I waited for his reaction. After realizing that he was safe and sound, he gave me a big 38 and asked, “May I go down again, alone?” I had never been happier in my life when I saw this little child climb the ladder and enjoy what other children 39 for granted. This 40 child taught me that being a nurse means respect, kindness and patience.
1.A. grade B. course C. project D. relaxation
2.A. service B. favour C. business D. trade
3.A. nurse B. waitress C. guard D. guide
4.A. protect B. defend C. attend D. comfort
5.A. normal B. naughty C. clever D. happy
6.A. admit B. receive C. accept D. adopt
7.A. speak B. play C. stand D. walk
8.A. if B. what C. why D. where
9.A. suggested B. argued C. challenged D. commented
10.A. energy B. courage C. faith D. time
11.A. eager B. sorry C. grateful D. ready
12.A. awareness B. balance C. knowledge D. control
13.A. delighted B. cheered C. lit D. shut
14.A. difficult B. simple C. interesting D. terrible
15.A. fears B. worries C. chances D. situations
16.A. climbed B. got C. managed D. made
17.A. taking B. holding C. bringing D. greeting
18.A. kiss B. clap C. welcome D. surprise
19.A. play B. do C. take D. enjoy
20.A. miserable B. smart C. brave D. special
--- You won’t believe it. Sam. I have been chosen as an exchange student to China .
--- Congratulations ! ___
A. That’s something. B. You did a good job .
C. That’s all right. D. You got it .
