I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see-—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to "the hard times."
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.
1.How did the author get to know America?
A. From her relatives. B. From her mother.
C. From books and pictures. D. From radio programs.
2.Upon leaving for America the author felt_______.
A. confused B. excited
C. worried D. amazed
3.For the first two years in New York, the author _________.
A. often lost her way
B. did not think about her future
C. studied in three different schools
D. got on well with her stepfather
4.What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?
A. She worked as a translator.
B. She attended a lot of job interviews
C. She paid telephone bills for her family
D She helped her family with her English.
The Peales were a famous family of American artists. Charles Willson Peale is best remembered for his portraits of leading figures of the American Revolution. He painted portraits of Franklin and Jefferson and over a dozen of George Washington. His life-size portrait of his sons Raphaelle and Titian was so realistic that George Washington reportedly once tipped his hat to the figures in the picture.
Charles Willson Peale gave up painting in his middle age and devoted his life to the Peale museum, which he founded in Philadelphia. The world’s first popular museum of art and natural science mainly covered paintings by Peale and his family as well as displays of animals in their natural settings. Peale found the animals himself and found a method to make the exhibits more lifelike. The museum’s most popular display was the skeleton (骷髅) of a huge, extinct elephant, which Peale unearthed on a New York farm in 1801.
Three of Peale’s seventeen children were also famous artists. Paphaelle Peale often painted still lives of flowers, fruit, and cheese. His brother Rembrandt studied under his father and painted portraits of many noted people, including one of George Washington. Another brother, Rubens Peale, painted mostly landscapes and portraits.
James Peale, the brother of Charles Willson Peale, specialized in miniatures (小画像). His daughter Sarah Miriam Peale was probably the first professional female portrait painter in America.
1.What is the main topic of the passage?
A. The life of Charles Willson Peale. B. Portraits in the 18th century.
C. The Peale Museum. D. A family of artists.
2.The underlined word “unearthed” is closest in meaning to“ ______”.
A. showed B. dug up C. invented D. looked over
3.Which of the following is NOT the child of Charles Willson Peale?
A. Titian Peale. B. Rubens Peale. C. Raphaelle Peale. D. Sarah Miriam Peale.
4.The author’s attitude toward the Peales is in general _______.
A. puzzled B. excited C. admiring D. disappointed
Many French teachers and parents complain that their kids are less bright than they were. They say young people visit museums less often and spend too much time on the Internet. They only read comics and listen to music, and like American culture more than their own. But is this true? A recent survey shows that many French kids spend their time as other kids always have.
Most French teens love music, with 86% putting it as their top hobby, above the cinema, sport and television. French kids read a lot and like different things, from Japanese cartoons to American novels. Many French people worry that their children watch too many American films and listen to too much American music. But the results of this survey show that French young people like their own culture.
As Silvia Berlin, a student from Paris, says, "I love watching American TV, but I watch more French programmes. I love being French!"
1.Many French teachers and parents
A. think their kids are as clever as they were
B. don' t think their kids are as clever as they were
C. think their kids are more clever than they were
D. don' t think their kids are clever at all
2.Most French teens' top hobby is
A. going to the movies B. doing sport
C. watching TV D. listening to music
3.The French kids like all of the following except _________ .
A. Japanese history B. Japanese cartoons
C. American films D. American music
4.This passage is mainly about a survey of______.
A. French parents' complaint
B. French kids' study
C. French kids' interests
D. French teachers' complaint
It was the first snow of winter – an exciting day for every child but not for most teachers. Up until now, I had been old enough to dress myself, but today I would need some help. Miss Finlayson, my kindergarten teacher, had been through first snow days many times, but I think she may still remember this one.
I managed to get into my wool snow trousers. But I struggled with my jacket because it didn’t fit well. It was a hand-me-down from my brother, and it made me wonder why I had to wear his ugly clothes. At least my hat and scarf were mine, and they were quite pretty. Finally it was time to have Miss Finlayson help me with my boots.
In her calm, motherly voice she said, “By the end of winter, you will all be able to put on your own boots.” I didn’t realize at the time that this was more a statement of hope than of confidence.
I handed her my boots and stuck out my foot. Like most children, I expected grown-ups to do all the work. After much pushing, she managed to get the first one into place and then, with a sigh, worked the second one on too.
I announced, “They’re on the wrong feet.”
She struggled to get the boots off and went through the joyless task of putting them on again.
“They’re my brother’s boots, you know,” I said. “I hate them!”
Somehow, from long years of practice, she managed to act as though I wasn’t an annoying little girl, She pushed and pushed, less gently this time. With a greater sigh, seeing the end of her struggle with me, she asked, “Now, where are your mittens（连指手套）?”
I looked into her eyes and said, “I didn’t want to lose them, so I hid them in the toes of my boots.”
1.The little girl was more satisfied with her__________-.
A．trousers B．jacket C．boots D．hat
2.Miss Finlayson had difficulty with the girl’s second boot mainly because_____.
A．the girl got them from her brother B．the girl put something in them
C．they were on the wrong feet D．they did not fit the girl well
3.Why does the author say Miss Finlayson would remember that first snow day?
A．Because the little girl was in her brother’s clothes.
B．Because it was the most exciting day of the winter.
C．Because the little girl played a trick on her.
D．Because the little girl wore a pretty scarf.
Even though it was only October, my students were already whispering about Christmas plans. With each passing day everyone became more __36__, waiting for the final school bell. Upon its _37____everyone would run for their coats and go home, everyone except David.
David was a small boy in ragged clothes. I had often _38___what kind of home life David had, and what kind of mother could send her son to school dressed so __39_ for the cold winter months, without a coat, boots, or gloves. But something made David __40_. I can still remember he was always __41____a smile and willing to help. He always _42__after school to straighten chairs and mop the floor. We never talked much. He__43___just simply smile and ask what else he could do, then thank me for letting him stay and slowly__44___home.
Weeks passed and the __45___over the coming Christmas grew into restlessness until the last day of__46__before the holiday break. I smiled in ___47 __as the last of them hurried out the door. Turning around I saw David ___48___standing by my desk..
“I have something for you ”he said and ____49____from behind his back a small box .__50___it to me, he said anxiously, “Open it ”I took the box from him ,thanked him and slowly unwrapped it. I lifted the lid and to my __51__, I saw nothing. I looked at David’s smiling face and back into the box and said,“The box is nice ,David ,but it’s__52__”.
“Oh no, it isn’t”said David.“It’s full of love. My mum told me before she died that love was something you couldn’t see or touch unless you know it’s there.”.
Tears filled my eyes ___53___I looked at the proud dirty face that I had rarely given____54___to. After that Christmas, David and I became good friends and I never forgot the meaning ___55___the little empty box set on my desk .
1.A. anxious B. courageous C. serious D. cautious
2.A. warning B. ringing C. calling D. yelling
3.A. scolded B. wondered C. realized D. learned
4.A. modestly B. naturally C. inaccurately D. improperly
5.A. popular B. upset C. special D. funny
6.A. expressing B. delivering C. wearing D. sharing
7.A. practiced B. wandered C. studied D. stayed
8.A. would B. should C. might D. could
9.A. aim at B. turn to C. put off D. head for
10.A. argument B. excitement C. movement D. judgment
11.A. school B. year C. education D. program
12.A. relief B. return C. vain D. control
13.A. weakly B. sadly C. quietly D. helplessly
14.A. searched B. found C. raised D. pulled
15.A. Holding B. Handing C. Sending D. Leaving
16.A. delight B. expectation C. appreciation D. surprise
17.A. cheap B. empty C. useless D. special
18.A. as B. until C. because D. though
19.A. advice B. support C. attention D. command
20.A. from B. behind C. over D. towards
--I'm sorry I made a mistake!
- _______ ,Nobody is perfect.
A. Take your time B. You're right
C.Whatever you say D. Take it easy
