DEAR AMY: Last year I got a full-time job as a baby-sitter for a wonderful family with two amazing kids. They have come to treat me as one of their own. But my boyfriend and I are attempting to save much more money for the life we want to build, including marriage, a house and kids. Much as I love my “babies,” I’m looking forward to beginning a challenging career in a big company. Should I tell the family that I am looking for a new job? I don’t want to find one that requires me to begin work immediately, leaving them without child care, but I also don’t want them to assume that I’m leaving right away.
Up-in-the-Air Au Pair
DEAR AU PAIR: Whatever your arrangement, it is reasonable for them to expect you to be honest and to keep them in the loop. They see that you are making changes in your life, and surely they will also understand your desire to advance in a career. Tell them frankly and they should be happy to employ you as long as you are available.
Amy
DEAR AMY: I am a freshman in a high school. Last summer my best friend was diagnosed with skin cancer. It isn’t very serious, but she seems to be becoming more and more depressed. How can I help her be happy again?
Best Friend
DEAR FRIEND: Your best role is to prop up and encourage your friend when she seems down, and to be supportive and kind to her. You're doing a great job with that, and your friend is lucky to have you in her life.
Amy
1.What is Au Pair’s problem according to the first paragraph?
A. She has no idea whether to tell the family her plan or not.
B. She has no idea whether the family will hate her or not.
C. She has no idea where to find a new good job.
D. She has no idea how to save more money.
2.From the underlined phrase“ to keep them in the loop”, we can infer that Amy advises Au Pair_____.
A. to keep it secret to the family
B. to cheat the family for the time being
C. to tell her true impression of the family
D. to let the family know what’s going on
3. In which column of a newspaper can we probably find the passage?
A. Jobs B. culture C. Life D. Entertainment
One morning, my son, Chilly, found a carpenterworm(毛毛虫) unexpectedly and put it in a jar. Each day he couldn’t 36 to visit the little guest. Few weeks later we discovered it 37 in a cocoon (茧).
Chilly surely knew a moth (蛾) or butterfly was about to be 38 . He was 39 to know what gift nature was about to give him. Gradually we found it half transparent and we could 40 the wings of the unborn. Soon, a moth broke free, and then 41 eggs, completing its life cycle.
The next day, I 42 Chilly it was time to set it free. He took it 43 and opened the jar. It circled the yard twice, came back, and 44 on Chilly’s arm. He picked it up and threw it in the air. The moth repeated its 45 pattern. He tried over and over, but each time it would 46 to his arm so that Chilly had to give up.
The next day he attempted to set it free again, and after a few repetitions the moth finally 47 into the grass.
Like a 48 , I believe the moth was afraid to 49 what it was comfortable with. It wanted to stay with something 50 , scared to move on and experience something unknown.
I was once that little moth. My cocoon was my mother’s 51 , in which I was comfortable, and hated to fly too far away from it. I was 52 when my first job required me to move to a new city. Humans are creatures of 53 . We resist change. However, if I hadn’t moved, I would not have experienced many 54 and wonderful things or met many of my friends. So each move gave me the 55 to learn and experience, but best of all, I met friends.
1.A. help B. leave C. stop D. wait
2. A. stuck B. wrapped C. developed D. protected
3.A. born B. changed C. raised D. created
4.A. upset B. content C. lucky D. curious
5.A. count B. feel C. identify D. imagine
6.A. laid B. lay C. put D. placed
7.A. confirmed B. convinced C. concluded D. contacted
8.A. back B. down C. aside D. outside
9.A. kept B. dropped C. landed D. lived
10.A. game B. flight C. adventure D. communication
11.A. return B. cater C. turn D. stick
12.A. walked away B. ran out C. fell down D. flew off
13.A. moth B. butterfly C. human D. pet
14.A. leave B. stay C. move D. forget
15.A. friendly B. similar C. pleasant D. familiar
16.A. instruction B. love C. requirement D. expectation
17.A. excited B. crazy C. afraid D. annoyed
18.A. community B. habit C. conscience D. ambition
19. A. odd B. funny C. new D. vital
20.A. courage B. pleasure C. ability D. purpose
— May I take your order now, sir?
—_____ .
A. Thanks, I’ve really had enough B. Ok, here is my bill
C. Yes, I’d like some fish and chips D. Sure, it’s delicious
— Let’s have an outing tomorrow.
— Sorry. The final exam is drawing near and I am in a race _____ time.
A. over B. in C. against D. on
— How do you find his new novel?
— His previous ones are great, and I think this one is _____ worth reading.
A. better B. good C. much D. very
Oh, my God! Is this your room? The furniture here remains _____ with such thick dust!
A. covered B. covering C. to cover D. be covering
