About 30 years ago, I left Cuba for the United States with my son. After getting settled finally in Brunswick, New Jersey, I enrolled(注册) my son in kindergarten. Several weeks later, my son’s teacher asked me to meet him at his office.
In the teacher’s office, and exchange of greetings was followed by his questions: “ Is your son mentally retarded(弱智的)? Does he suffer from any kind of mental disability?”
Was he talking about my wonderful Scola? No, no, it can’t be. What a helpless, lonely moment! I told him that Scola was a quiet, sweet little boy, instead. I asked him why he was asking me all these questions.
My son could not follow the teacher’s directions, he told me, and thus, Scola was disrupting the class. Didn’t he know my son did not speak English yet?
He was angry: “ Why hasn’t your son been taught to speak English? Don’t you speak English at home?”
No, I didn’t speak English at home, I replied. I was sure my son would learn English in a couple of months, and I didn’t want him to forget his native language. Well, wrong answer! What kind of person would not speak in English to her son at home and at all times? “ Are you one of those people who come to this country to save dollars and sent them back to their country, never wanting to be a part of this society?”
Needless to say, I tried to tell him I was not one of “ those people.” Then he told me the meeting was over, and I left.
As I had expected, my son learned to speak English fluently before the school year was over. He went on to graduate from college and got a job, earning close to six figures. He travels widely and leads a well-adjusted, contented life. And he has benefited from being bilingual(双语的)。
Speaking more than one language allows people to communicate with others; it teaches people about other cultures and other places- something very basic and obviously lacking in the “educator” I met in New Jersey.
1.The teacher asked the author to his office________.
A．to work out a study plan for Scola
B．to get Scola enrolled in kindergarten
C．to discuss Scola’s in-class performance
D．to find a language partner for Scola
2.What does the underlined word “disrupting” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A．Attending B．Disturbing C．Breaking D．Following
3.The author’s attitude towards being bilingual may best be described as __________.
A．positive B．critical C．casual D．passive
4.This text is likely to be selected from a book of __________.
A．geography B．medicine C．history D．education
HONG KONG — Hong Kong Disneyland is too crowded, a senior Chinese tourism official said today, hinting that another Disney Park is necessary to accommodate demand from China’s huge population.
The comments by Shao Qiwei, director of China’s State Administration of Tourism, came a day after Shanghai’s mayor Han Zheng said the city was preparing to build China’s second Disney theme park.
“China has a very large population. We now have 1.3 billion people. The market is very large. As far as I know, Hong Kong Disneyland is now very crowded,” said Shao, whose comments were broadcast on Hong Kong’s Cable TV.
The Hong Kong theme park, which opened in September, was widely criticized in January when it turned away hundreds of Lunar New Year holiday makers from mainland China because the park was full. Chaos(混乱) erupted when angry crowds tried to force their way into the park.
The embarrassing incident prompted a public apology from Hong Kong Disneyland Managing Director Bill Ernest and a dressing down from Hong Kong’s leader Donald Tsang. Authorities are carefully studying the issue of overcrowding in preparation for the possible building of the Disney park in Shanghai, Shao said.
The official Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday that no agreement has been reached on the park in Shanghai, quoting senior vice president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Leslie Goodman. Hong Kong Disneyland is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Co. and the local government, which shouldered the bulk of the park’s construction fees.
1.Why is it necessary to build a Disney park in Shanghai?
A．Hong Kong Disneyland can’t meet the need of the large population.
B．Hong Kong Disneyland is too small and very crowded.
C．Hong Kong Disney Park was criticized by tourists.
D．Hong Kong Disneyland is far from the mainland.
2.Hundreds of visitors from Mainland China got angry because ________.
A．the services in the park were not as good as expected B．they were not allowed to go into the park
C．the park was too crowded D．chaos happened at the entrance to the park
3.The building of a Disney park in Shanghai ________.
A．has been agreed to by The Walt Disney Co.
B．is financed The Walt Disney Co.
C．will be in the charge of the Shanghai government
D．remains to be discussed with The Walt Disney Co.
In 1978, I was 18 and was working as a nurse in a small town about 270 km away from Sydney, Australia. I was looking forward to having five days off from duty. Unfortunately, the only one train a day back to my home in Sydney had already left. So I thought I’d hitch a ride(搭便车).
I waited by the side of the highway for three hours but no one stopped for me. Finally, a man walked over and introduced himself as Gordon. He said that although he couldn’t give me a lift, I should come back to his house for lunch. He noticed me standing for hours in the November heat and thought I must be hungry. I was doubtful as a young girl but he assured(使…放心) me I was safe, and he also offered to help me find a lift home afterwards. When we arrived at his house, he made us sandwiches. After lunch, he helped me find a lift home.
Twenty-five years later, in 2003, while I was driving to a nearby town one day, I saw an elderly man standing in the glaring heat, trying to hitch a ride. I thought it was another chance to repay someone for the favor I’d been given decades earlier. I pulled over and picked him up. I made him comfortable on the back seat and offered him some water.
After a few moments of small talk, the man said to me, “You haven’t changed a bit, even your red hair is still the same.”
I couldn’t remember where I’d met him. He then told me he was the man who had given me lunch and helped me find a lift all those years ago. It was Gordon.
1.The author had to hitch a ride one day in 1978 because __________.
A．her work delayed her trip to Sydney B．she missed the only train back home
C．the town was far away from Sydney D．she was going home for her holidays
2.Which of the following did Gordon do according to Paragraph 2?
A．He watched the girl for three hours. B．He gave the girl a ride back home.
C．He bought sandwiches for the girl. D．He helped the girl find a ride.
3.The reason why the author offered a lift to the elderly man was that______.
A．she was going to the nearby town B．she had known him for decades
C．she wanted to repay the favor she once got D．she realized he was Gordon
4.What does the author want to tell the readers through the story?
A．Those who give rides will be repaid. B．Giving sometimes produces nice results.
C．Good manners bring about happiness. D．People should offer free rides to others.
To celebrate the end of our exams, my friends and I went to a fast food restaurant. We 1 hamburgers and Coca Cola at the counter. When our 2 came, I started walking towards an empty table. By bad luck, my purse strap (带子) got 3 on a chair and the tray (托盘) that I was holding slipped 4 my hands and went flying in the air. The tray, and its contents, 5 on a man who was just about to 6 a bite of his sandwich. I stared, greatly 7 , as the drinks soaked (浸湿) his white shirt.
Then I 8 my eyes and prepared myself for his burst of 9 . Instead, he said “It’s OK” to 10 me before he disappeared into the washroom.
Still shaky and unsure 11 to do next, my friends and I went to a table and sat there, trying our best to look 12 . A moment later, the man came out of the washroom and 13 our table. My heart almost stopped 14 . I thought he was going to ask for my father’s 15 and call him.
To my surprise, he merely smiled at us, handed us some cash and said, “ 16 yourself new hamburgers.” He then walked 17 without even finishing his food.
He could have made what was already an uncomfortable situation worse, 18 he chose a different way and gave us a reason to believe that there is still 19 in this world. I ‘ll never 20 his action.
1. A．ordered B．made C．arranged D．demanded
2. A．food B．turn C．bill D．menu
3. A．fixed B．caught C．cut D．tied
4. A．by B．in C．from D．out
5. A．knocked B．fell C．stood D．hung
6. A．take B．taste C．swallow D．chew
7. A．discouraged B．disappointed C．shocked D．annoyed
8. A．rolled B．rubbed C．narrowed D．closed
9. A．bitterness B．anxiety C．anger D．sorrow
10. A．satisfy B．comfort C．encourage D．praise
11. A．how B．who C．what D．which
12. A．mild B．honest C．calm D．modest
13. A．pushed B．approached C．drew D．laid
14. A．beating B．breaking C．sinking D．trembling
15. A．help B．position C．number D．job
16. A．Prepare B．Buy C．Find D．Cook
17. A．on B．around C．up D．away
18. A．so B．since C．although D．but
19. A．kindness B．happiness C．politeness D．brightness
20. A．forget B．refuse C．oppose D．ignore
A teacher and artist ______coming to speak to us about painting tomorrow afternoon.
A．is B．are C．was D．were
Two thirds of the buildings here ______ .
A．need to repair B．need repairing C．needs to repair D．needs repairing
