Each spring brings a new blossom of wildflowers in the ditches along the highway I travel daily to work.
There are some particular blue flowers that have always caught my eye. I’ve noticed that they bloom only in the morning hours and the afternoon sun is too warm for them. Every day for about two weeks, I see those beautiful flowers.
This spring, I started a wildflower garden in our yard. I can look out of the kitchen window while doing the dishes and see the flowers. I’ve often thought that those lovely blue flowers from the ditch would look great in that bed alongside other wildflowers. Every day I drove past the flowers thinking, “I’ll stop on my way home and dig them.” “Gee, I don’t want to get my good clothes dirty…” Whatever the reason, I never stopped to dig them. My husband even gave me a folding shovel（铲子）one year in my car to be used for that expressed purpose.
One day on my way home from work, I was shocked to see that the highway department had destroyed the ditches and the pretty blue flowers were gone. I thought to myself, “Way to go, you waited too long. You should have done it when you first saw them blooming this spring.” A week ago we were shocked and saddened to learn that my oldest sister has a terminal brain tumor（肿瘤）. She is 20 years older than me and unfortunately, because of age and distance, we haven’t been as close as we all would have liked. I couldn’t help but see the connection between the pretty blue flowers and the relationship between my sister and us. I do believe that God has given us some time left to plant some wonderful memories that will bloom every year for us.
And yes, if I see the blue flowers again, you can bet I’ll stop and transplant them to my wildflower garden.
1. Why did those flowers the writer saw only bloom in the morning?
A. Because it was hot in the afternoon.
B. Because someone picked them away.
C. Because someone took them into houses.
D. Because the writer passed them in the morning.
2. Which of the following statements is right according to the passage?
A. The writer’s sister died of lung tumor.
B. The writer was regretful when she heard her sister’s death.
C. The writer planned to dig the flowers to give them to her husband.
D. The writer’s husband planned to plant some flowers in the garden.
3. The writer wrote the passage to tell us ________.
A. to enjoy what we have now
B. to value now and not to lose chances
C. to protect the beautiful flowers we see
D. to love those who are your close relatives
“Teenager” means a person from 13 to 19 years
old. Although they’re young, they have to make many important choices by
themselves. Often teachers and parents cannot handle them because they don’t
understand and know teenagers, especially their wishes, problems or different
moods in a short time. They need to think about questions like these: Should we
go to college? What kind of job do I want? However, other people also influence
their choices. Who influences teenagers?
It depends on the kind of choice. When teenagers buy things, friends are the most important influence. This is especially true for clothes and music. TV shows, advertisements and parents also influence teenagers. In more serious things, parents are probably the most important influence. Some teenagers say it’s best to regard both parents and friends as influences. James, a seventeen-year-old boy says he’s “just a crazy man”. He also says, “Parents are really important because they can tell you what’s right and wrong.”
But teenagers also feel they need to make choices—to make their own mistakes. As one teenager girl said, “If our parents don’t let us make our own choices, maybe in the future we don’t know how to do it.” And they feel friends can often be a big help, especially because friends sometimes know more about their situation than their parents.
1. Why do teenagers sometimes have to make their own choices?
A. Because the teachers want them to do it.
B. Because their parents want them to do it.
C. Because teenagers like to make choices by themselves.
D. Because teachers and parents don’t understand them well.
2. Who influences most to the teenagers when they buy music?
A. Their teachers. B. Theirs parents. C. Their friends. D. Movie stars.
3. What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. Everybody needs to make choices.
B. Teenagers need to make choices by themselves.
C. Teenagers know more about TV shows and music.
D. Teachers and parents should help teenagers as much as possible.
Reading is a good habit, but the problem is there’s too much to read these
days and too little time to read every word of it. There are hundreds of skills
to help you read more in less time. Here are two skills that I think are
especially good.
Preview — if it’s long and hard. Previewing is especially useful for getting a general idea of heavy reading like long magazine articles and business reports.
Here’s how to preview.
Ø Read the first two paragraphs and the last two paragraphs carefully.
Ø Then read only the first sentence of the other paragraphs.
Previewing doesn’t give you all the details. It keeps you from spending time on things you don’t really want － or need － or read.
Skim － if it’s short
and simple. Skimming is a good way to get a general idea of light reading like
popular magazines or the sports and entertainment of your daily paper.
Here’s how to skim.
Ø Get your eyes to move fast. Sweep them across each line.
Ø Pick up only a few key words in each line.
Everybody skims differently. You and I may not pick up the same words when we skim the same piece, but we’ll get a similar idea of what it’s all about.
1. How many skills does the writer introduce to help us in reading?
A. One. B. Two. C. Three. D. Four.
2. What should you do if you read a long article according to the writer?
A. Read every word of it. B. Read all the details.
C. Pick up a few key words in each line.
D. Read the first and the last two paragraphs carefully.
3. If you read a simple article, which reading skill is better to get the general idea?
A. Previewing. B. Skimming. C. Reading. D. Sweeping.
完形填空。 （共12分，每小题1分）
阅读短文，掌握其大意，然后从短文后各题所给的四个选项中选择最佳选项，将其代号填在答题卡相应的题号后。
Doctors and other scientists study the human mind and now they have proved that stress can have an influence on the health of your body.
Stress is 36 whenever there is a problem or change in your life. Of course, everybody has stress more or less and nobody’s life is 37 . In fact, stress is necessary. Without 38 , we would never learn anything or grow or change. We would 39 be bored to death. But too much stress can 40 you.
Today you have different kinds of stress. Problems like endless homework or troubles with your family are the kinds of things you can’t fight against 41 run away from.
42 can you do about stress? First, you can try to find ways to change things so you aren’t under so much stress. You can 43 a plan to finish homework, go to a doctor or try to work things out with your family or friends. But sometimes you can’t 44 a stressful situation. Sometimes you don’t even want to.
The link between your body and brain 45 in two ways. Your body can help your mind deal with stress. If you are 46 stress, you need to take especially good care of your body. It’s important to get enough sleep and have nutritious meals. Another thing that you can do is daily 47 . Anyone with a continuing physical problem should check with a doctor before starting any exercise programs.
1. A. produced B. caused C. suggested D. influenced
2. A. wonderful B. sad C. perfect D. helpful
3. A. change B. life C. problem D. stress
4. A. always B. probably C. maybe D. never
5. A. hurt B. beat C. injure D. influence
6. A. or B. and C. with D. so
7. A. When B. Why C. What D. How
8. A. start B. look up C. set up D. go on
9. A. make B. change C. have D. think
10.A. meets B. rests C. sleeps D. works
11. A. in B. under C. between D. on
12. A. exercise B. work C. life D. practice
阅读短文，根据短文内容，从短文的五个选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有一个选项为多余选项。（共8分，每小题2分）
A girl went to her father to ask his advice. She was having a hard time in life, and it seemed that as soon as one problem disappeared, another one appeared in its place.
Her father is a cook. 1 _______. He poured water into three pans and put them on to boil. After the water boiled, he put some carrots into the first pan, some eggs into the second pan and coffee into the last one. He waited without saying a word.
2 ________He took out the carrots and eggs and put them in a bowl. He poured the coffee into a cup. He asked his daughter, “Dear, what do you see?” “Carrots, eggs and coffee.” She replied. “Touch the carrots,” he told her. She did and felt that the carrots were soft. She found that the egg was hard. 3 _______. She asked, “What’s the meaning, Father?”
Her father said, “As you see, each thing reacted (反应)differently to the boiling water. The strong and hard carrots became soft and weak after boiling. 4 ________. The coffee beans were very special, but they changed in the water, too. ” “Who are you?” asked her father. “When trouble knocks at your door, how do you react? Are you carrots, eggs or coffee? ”
|
A. After 20 minutes, her father turned off the stove B. He took her into the kitchen C. The fragile(脆弱的) eggs became hard after being cooked D. So it’s easy to understand. E. At last, her father asked her to taste the coffee |
Our spiritual intelligence quotient, SQ (精神智商)helps us understand ourselves and live fuller, happier lives.
While we’re all born with SQ, most of us even don’t know that we have it. Luckily, you don’t have to sign up for classes to learn how to enhance(加强) your SQ. Here are some simple steps that can lead you to this new level of understanding:
Sit Quietly. The step of developing SQ begins in solitude （独处） and silence. To tune in to its whisper, you have to keep away from your busy, noisy, complicated life and make yourself do nothing at all. At home, for example, shut the door of your bedroom, take a few deep breaths and let them out very, very slowly.
Step Outside. For many people, nature makes their spirit free. Go outside to watch a beautiful sunset. Follow the flight of a bird; watch clouds floating overhead.
Find An Activity You Enjoy. It’s important to find a hobby that helps you tune in to your spirit. Garden, walk or jog, arrange flowers, listen to music that touches your soul.
Ask Questions Of Yourself. Some people use their thoughtful time to focus on scriptures (经文). Others ask open-ended (无确定答案的) questions, such as “What am I feeling? What are my choices?” But don’t expect an answer to arrive through some super-natural form of e-mail. Later that day you’ll suddenly find yourself thinking about a problem from a perspective (角度) you never considered before.
Trust Your Spirit. While most of us rely on gut feelings (直觉) to warn us of danger, SQ usually nudges （渐渐推动） us, not away from, but toward some action that will lead to a greater good.
1.To enhance your SQ, you should first _______________.
A. stand loneliness and silence
B. make your life simpler and less busy
C. give up the daily things in your life
D. listen more to your whisper
2.The underlined phrase “tune in to your spirit” in the fifth paragraph probably means ________________.
A. get your spirit relaxed B. keep up your spirit
C. listen to your spirit D. change your spirit
3. What will happen after people ask questions of themselves?
A. People will lead to a greater good.
B. People will think about a problem in a different way.
C. People will expect answers through e-mails.
D. People will keep away from their busy life.
4. What is the best title for the passage?
A. Advantages and disadvantages of SQ
B. The relationship between your SQ and you
C. What SQ is and in what ways it can be improved
D. What SQ is and in what ways you can make your life easier
