“Mum, what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton（骨骼）in the closet（衣橱）?” Jessica asked. “A skeleton in the closet?” her mother paused thoughtfully. “Well, it’s something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad’s family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be ‘a skeleton in his family’s closet. He really wouldn’t want any neighbor to know about it.”
“Why pick on my family?” Jessica’s father said with anger. “Your family history isn’t so good, you know. Wasn’t your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?” “Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners.” “Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now,” Jessica cut in before things grew worse.
After dinner, the house was very quiet. Jessica’s parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica’s closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica’s mother sank in a faint（晕倒）, waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter.
“What happened? Where am I?” she asked. “You just destroyed the school’s skeleton, Mum,” explained Jessica. “I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad.” Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. “They’re both crazy,” she thought.
1.
According to Jessica’s mother, “a skeleton in the closet” means ______.
A. a family honor B. a family secret
C. a family story D. a family treasure
2.
What can we learn about some Australians’ ancestors from Paragraph 2?
A. They were brought to Australia as prisoners.
B. They were the earliest people living in Australia.
C. They were involved in some crimes in Australia.
D. They were not regarded as criminals in their days.
3.
Why did Jessica bring a skeleton home?
A. She was curious about it. B. She planned to keep it for fun.
C. She needed it for her school task. D. She intended to scare her parents.
4.
. Jessica’s parents laughed madly at the end of the story probably because ______.
A. they were crazy
B. they were over excited
C. they realized their misunderstanding
D. they both thought they had won the quarrel
When Alice started to cycle home from Jenny’s house, she wasn’t nervous. She was certainly not afraid of the dark. __21___, it was only a 15-minute ride home. But halfway there, she began to wish that she hadn’t been so ___22___.
As she rounded a sharp bend, it suddenly___23__ cold — very cold. Alice’s breath became puffs of white cloud and her legs were so cold that it became hard to ride.
With her heart beating fast, she struggled so hard to move __24__ that she didn’t hear the car which suddenly appeared beside her. She stopped by the road. The big black car also ___25___. Slowly, the passenger-window began to slide down. Alice held her breath. In the soft light inside the car, something _26__. Then, the light brightened and Alice was staring at a sweet, grey-haired old lady. “Hello, dear,” said the old lady. “I need ___27___. I’m afraid I’m lost. I need to find the nearest airport. I must be there in the next five minutes. ”
“Airport? You ___28___ are lost,” Alice said. “You need to go back five kilometers ___29___ you reach the T-junction. Turn left and ___20___ for about another 10 kilometers to the main highway. From there, just follow the ___31___ to the airport. But I’m afraid there’s no ___32__ you’ll get there in five minutes!”
“Thank you very much, dear,” replied the old lady. “Don’t worry — I’ll _33__ in time.”
The ___34___ moved up and the car started off. A little way ahead, it ___35___ and with headlights flashing, it drove past Alice. But then, something ___36___ happened. The car began changing. First, its color __37___from black to silvery-grey. Then, the wheels began disappearing, but the car continued to move forward, __38___ just above the ground. As the car ___39___ into the dark sky, the big red tail-lights grew larger and larger and glowed more and more brightly. With a faint whistling ___40___, the car was gone in seconds, leaving Alice shaking her head in disbelief…
1.
A. However B. Besides C. Therefore D. Otherwise
2.
. A. brave B. excited C. curious D. stubborn
3.
A. fell B. seemed C. proved D. grew
4.
A. aside B. around C. forward D. backward
5.
A. arrived B. stopped C. stayed D. started
6.
A. gathered B. existed C. dropped D. moved
7.
A. help B. gas C. rest D. water
8.
A. necessarily B. normally C. basically D. certainly
9.
A. if B. until C. unless D. as
10.
A. drive B. walk C. follow D. march
11.
. A. address B. signs C. notices D. guidance
12.
A. doubt B. room C. time D. way
13.
A. have it B. get it C. make it D. finish it
14.
A. door B. window C. headlight D. wheel
15.
. A. passed B. rushed C. turned D. continued
16.
A. strange B. sensitive C. imaginable D. horrible
17.
A. developed B. appeared C. spread D. changed
18.
A. rolling B. floating C. drawing D. flashing
19.
A. pointed B. returned C. broke D. rose
20.
A. tune B. voice C. sound D. tone
Only when I left my parents for Italy _____ how much I loved them.
A. I realized B. I had realized C. had I realized D. did I realize
__________ made her succeed later on was the kindness and consideration _________she showed to all her patients.
A. That; what B. What; what C. That; that D. What; /
. I looked carefully at the text and realized that it __________women in the countryside.
A. intended to B. was intended to C. was intended for D. intended for
_______ you want me to fire you, I suggest you not wear sports clothes in the office next time.
A. As long as B. As far as C. Since D. Unless
