What makes a gift special? Is it the price you see on the gift receipt(收据)? Or is it the look on the recipient's face when they receive it that determines the true value? What gift is worth the most?
This Christmas I was debating what to give my father. My dad is a hard person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked. The message was from my father. My eyes fell on a photo of a flower taken in Wyoming, and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lone dandelion(蒲公英) standing against the bright blue sky, inspired me. My dad had been reciting those words to me since I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my gift to my father.
I called back. I told my mom to go without me and that l already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-colored flower to my computer and typed the poem on top of it. As I was arranging the details another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe; My dad recited it as much as he did the other. I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it. The poem was focused around dreaming, and after searching I found the perfect picture. The image was painted with blues and greens and purples, twisting together to create the theme and wonder of a dream. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the white paper coloring with words that shaped my childhood, I felt that this was a gift that my father would truly appreciate.
Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dad's face as he unwrapped those swirling (卷曲的)black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given the perfect gift.
1.The idea for a special gift began to form when the author was .
A. doing shopping B. having a debate
C. leaving for Wyoming D. reading a message
2.The author's inspiration for the gift came from .
A. a photo of a flower B. a story about a kid
C. a call from the mother D. a text about Christmas
3.The underlined word "it" in Paragraph 3 refers to a poem by _ .
A. the father B. the author
C. Edgar Allan Poe D. William Blake
4.The author made the gift by .
A. searching for the poems online
B. drawing the background by hand
C. painting the letters in three colors
D. matching the words with pictures
5.What is the main purpose of the passage?
A. To show how to design images for gifts
B. To suggest making gifts from one's heart.
C. To explain how computers help create gifts
D. To describe the gifts the author has received.
Everybody has one of those days when everything goes wrong. This is what happened to Harry.
He got up one morning very late because he had forgotten to wind up his alarm clock（闹钟）. He tried to shave（刮脸）quickly and cut himself. When he got dressed he got blood all over his clean shirt, so he had to find another one. The only other shirt that was clean needed ironing（熨）, so he ironed it. While he was ironing it, there was a knock at the door. It was the man to read the electricity meter（表）. He showed him where the meter was, said good-bye and found that the iron had burnt a hole in his shirt. So he had to wear the one with the blood on it after all. By this time it was very late, so he decided he couldn’t go to work by bus. He telephoned for a taxi to take him to work. The taxi arrived and Harry got in and began to read the newspaper.
In another part of the town, a man had killed a woman with a knife and was seen to run away in a taxi. When Harry’s taxi stopped outside his office, a policeman happened to be standing there. He saw the blood on Harry’s shirt, and took him to the police station. He was kept till 3 o’clock in the afternoon before the police were sure that he was not the man they wanted. When he finally arrived at the office at about four, his boss took a look at him and told him to go away and find another job.
1.Harry had . A. a lucky day B. an unlucky day C. a busy day D. a good day
2.Put the following sentences into correct order according to the passage.
a. The man who read the electricity meter came.
b. Harry ironed his shirt.
c. Harry got blood all over his clean shirt
d. There was a knock at the door.
e. Harry wore the shirt with blood on it.
A. a, b, c, d, e B. b, a, d, c, e
C. b, a, c, d, e D. c, b, d, a, e
3.Why did Harry wear the shirt with blood on it?
A. The iron had burnt a hole in his clean shirt
B. The only other needed ironing.
C. He had only one shirt
D. He cut himself and got blood all over his shirt.
4.Harry was taken to the police station because .
A. his taxi stopped outside his office and a policeman happened to be there
B. there was blood on his shirt and he was in a taxi
C. a man killed a woman with a knife
D. the murderer was seen to run away in a taxi
5. His boss told him to go away and find another job because .
A. he had been kept by the police
B. there was blood on his shirt
C. he was late for work
D. he had killed a woman
From the time I was seven, I had a dream of becoming a member of the Students Union. I always 1__ my school leaders for taking responsibility for all of us. So I dreamed of being a leader.
Years flew by, and soon I was able to take part in the elections, 2 I would win. But the reality struck that I hadn't had a chance. I wasn't pretty. Girls across the school hardly knew me. I just did not have what it __3 to win a school election. I was 4 ___ .
As I cried in my room that evening, I 5 took a deep breath and decided I wouldn't stop dreaming. I decided that I would 6 for elections again in my final year at school—and I would win.
I recognized that my 7 had a lot of things in their favor(有利). What were the points that would work in ___8___ favor? I had good grades, and I was friendly and helpful. And my biggest 9 was the faith(信念) I had. I would not allow my plain appearance to hold me __10____ from putting my best foot forward. That evening, I 11 my election plans a whole year ahead of time.
I realized that girls would have to get to know me and recognize that I had the ability to 12 them. I loved making friends and I liked being helpful, 13 __ I decided that perhaps I could use these qualities to work to my advantage. In order to learn how to present a great election 14 __ , I also attended a course on effective public speaking.
The day after the election, when the principal announced I won the second highest number of votes, the students 15 .That joy on the faces of all my friends showed me that my victory was 16 theirs.
Suddenly, I realized that I had 17 much more than I had dreamed of. I had made many new friends and had helped people 18 the way. I had won the 19 and love of my school-mates and they knew me as somebody who would stand by them. I was able to put a smile on their faces and 20 their day.
1.A. admired B. remembered C. praised D. believed
2.A. hoping B. planning C. pretending D. judging
3.A. offered B. provided C. meant D. took
4.A. concerned B. upset C. surprised D. angry
5.A. gradually B. immediately C. suddenly D. impatiently
6.A. pay B. stand C. speak D. wait
7.A. competitors B. classmates C. enemies D. schoolmates
8.A. their B. your C. our D. my
9.A. problem B. strength C. worry D. dream
10.A. in B. up C. out D. back
11.A. began B. discussed C. announced D. challenged
12.A. reconsider B. accompany C. represent D. support
13.A. but B. and C. so D. or
14.A. capsule B. speech C . meeting D. promise
15.A. nodded B. gathered C. cheered D. cried
16.A. only B. still C. almost D. also
17.A. accomplished B. absorbed C. devoted D. developed
18.A. by B. to C. in D. along
19.A. announcement B. recognition C. conclusion D. arrangement
20.A. enlarge B. wish C. brighten D. experience
---The novel gone with wind is said __________ into several language.
A. to translate B. being translated
C. having been translated D. to have been translated
Tom’s mother kept telling him that he should work harder, but _________ didn’t help.
A. he B. which C. she D. it
The poor man, __________, ran out of the dark cave.
A. tiring and frightened B. tired and frightened
C. tired and frightening D. tiring and frightening
