It was a bright spring afternoon when Freda told me she wouldn’t need me any more. I had just finished my four-hour work up and down the stairs of her three-storey home, cleaning the floor and washing the dishes. She was jeans and a sweater, sitting at the table I had just . A pile of papers spread around her. Her husband’s was going to be reduced by thirty percent. And they were trying to live as if it had happened. I felt sorry for her, but I also felt a sense of .
I had been cleaning Freda’s house for five years and had an unexpected relationship with the family. It was not just I had become an expert at scraping(刮掉) dirt stuck to their wooden floor, that I had learned exactly how to place toys on the girls’ beds. It was than that, for I felt I had become a part of their .
Freda stayed at home with the kids, I would often see her in the morning them to school. And I’d be there when they home at lunch for sandwiches and piano practice. I had them grow up. Now I was fired, but the thing was that I still wanted to keep scraping away the dirt and dust for the family.
I left Freda’s house that day, wondering about the of my relationship with my clients(主顾). Who am I them? As a matter of fact, I’m an employee—the lowest kind of employee. But I’m also a trusted of the family. I can’t help worrying about what happens around me.
1.A. stepping B. coming C. jumping D. moving
2.A. hanging B. making C. wearing D. changing
3.A. cleaned B. washed C. swept D. brushed
4.A. duty B. money C. work D. pay
5.A. already B. seldom C. never D. yet
6.A. regret B. surprise C. fear D. loss
7.A. started B. developed C. improved D. broken
8.A. why B. what C. that D. which
9.A. but B. and C. or D. for
10.A. less B. least C. more D. most
11.A. life B. story C. activity D. experience
12.A. as B. so C. since D. however
13.A. taking B. bringing C. meeting D. calling
14.A. left B. returned C. went D. marched
15.A. found B. noticed C. watched D. realized
16.A. possible B. great C. proper D. strange
17.A. meaning B. nature C. result D. importance
18.A. for B. to C. with D. at
19.A. hardly B. certainly C. probably D. merely
20.A. member B. person C. relative D. companion
While I studied at school, I felt great difficulty in learning my Latin translations. I was always very in using a dictionary, and it most difficult, while to other boys it seemed no .
I formed an alliance(盟友) with a boy in the Sixth Grade. He was very clever and read Latin as easily as English. My friend for his part was almost as troubled by the English essays he had to write for the headmaster as I was these Latin words. We agreed together that he should me my Latin translations and that I should do his essays. The arrangement wonderfully. The headmaster seemed quite with my work, and I had more time to myself in the morning. On the other hand, once a week I had to compose the essays of my friend. For several months no difficulty , but once we were nearly caught out.
One afternoon, the headmaster my friend to discuss one essay with him in a lively spirit. “I was interested in this you make here. I think you might have gone further. Tell me you had in your mind.” The headmaster continued in this for some time to fear of my friend. However, the headmaster, not wishing to an occasion of praise into of fault-finding, finally him go. He came back to me like a man who had had a very narrow and I made up my mind to make every effort to study my
1.A. quick B. slow C. hard D. good
2.A. made B. got C. found D. left
3.A. trouble B. difference C. labor D. worry
4.A. might B. would C. should D. could
5.A. very B. little C. much D. few
6.A. for B. by C. in D. to
7.A. change B. take C. forgive D. tell
8.A. worked B. tried C. happened D. developed
9.A. angry B. satisfied C. frightened D. sad
10.A. or so B. or else C. as usual D. as far
11.A. became B. seemed C. lay D. appeared
12.A. called B. taught C. arranged D. sent
13.A. aim B. goal C. point D. opinion
14.A. why B. how C. which D. what
15.A. excitement B. way C. meaning D. disappointment
16.A. turn B. leave C. grow D. become
17.A. none B. one C. either D. some
18.A. ordered B. asked C. took D. let
19.A. surprise B. escape C. hope D. chance
20.A. reading B. writing C. translations D. essays
The following article is to tell you how to behave better in an IELTS oral English test． Everyone will make necessary preparations for some possible topics in order to increase your performance in the interview. 1. What would you do if you were asked in an interview to talk about how you feel about your hometown if in fact you really dislike living there?
Some people might think that being truthful in this situation and giving a negative answer, they would not do the right thing. 2. Talk about how they love living there and give a positive answer which sounds more attractive．
3. And giving a negative opinion of something is not important, either. 4. If you have more to say by being truthful, even if it is to express a negative opinion, then that is what you should talk about．
5. And follow it up with your reasons for disliking it instead of saying “I like my hometown… ” and then struggle to find something to say．
We should consider how to deal with this situation in the best way．
A．Actually, truthfulness is not important in such an interview．
B．What is your true feeling about your hometown?
C．It would be much better to say “Actually I don’t really like my hometown．．．”
D．However, sometimes, you will be asked to talk about something that you don’t really like or don’t really want to talk about．
E．No one should have a negative feeling about their hometown．
F．The important thing is that you have something to express．
G．Instead, they try to hide their true feelings．
Our world natural park is one of the most famous parks in the world. Millions of visitors from different countries visit this park each year. In order to protect it, please do as follows:
◆Protect the natural and cultural heritage. Don’t damage or deface any buildings, displays and other facilities. Take care of all plants. Put rubbish in the bins provided.
◆Take care when you are going up and down steps or stairs and when you are walking nearby the waters.
◆Please buy tickets before entering the scenic spot. One ticket is only for one person.
Adult：＄60 per ticket.
Children over 6 and under 18: half price.
People over 60 and children under 6: free.
◆If you are going into the wooded and hilly lands，for your own safety，please go with three people at least and don’t take any tinder(易燃物）along with you. The hill is steep, so please take care of yourself.
◆This scenic spot is the reserve of water source: No fishing，swimming，washing and any behaviors that are harmful to the water source. Meanwhile, please follow the management rules of the scenic spot conscientiously.
◆Opening time：
From Monday to Friday: 8:00 a. m.～18:00 p.m.
From Saturday to Sunday: 6:00 a. m. ～24:00 p. m.
◆Small animals such as rabbits，peacocks，squirrels，frogs must be taken care of. None of them shall be killed.
If you have any trouble in visiting our world natural park, please call 477-866-7044．
Our staff will do our best to help you.
1.How much will be paid for a 65-year-old man with his 8-year-old grandson?
A.＄30. B. Free. C.＄60. D.＄120.
2.On weekends，the opening time is hours longer than weekdays.
A. 4 B. 6 C. 10 D. 8
3.Which of the following can you do in the natural park?
A. taking some tinder B. hiking
C. damaging some facilities D. littering
4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage？
A. Tourists can have a swim in the water.
B. Tourists can hike alone in the hilly lands.
C. Small animals are under protection in the park.
D. Children can play with small animals and take some away.
Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean, an S-shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles. The Atlantic Ocean, in a sense, replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization. Unlike real inland seas, which seem strangely still, the Atlantic Ocean is rich in oceanic liveliness all the time. It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.
“Storm at Sea”, a short poem written around 700, is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic Ocean.
When the wind is from the west
All the waves that cannot rest
To the east must thunder on
Where the bright tree of the sun
Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.
As the poem suggests, the Atlantic Ocean is never dead and dull. It is an ocean that moves, impressively and endlessly. It makes all kinds of noise---it is forever thundering, boiling, crashing and whistling.
It is easy to imagine the Atlantic Ocean trying to draw breath----perhaps not so noticeably out in mid-ocean, but where it meets land, its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach. It imitates nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature. It is filled with co-living existences, too: unimaginable quantities of creatures, little and large alike, mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony, giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat, a kind of sub-ocean vitality. And it has a psychology. It has personalities: sometimes peaceful and pleasant, on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.
1.Unlike real inland seas, the Atlantic Ocean is __________.
A. always energetic
B. lacking in liveliness
C. shaped like a square
D. favored by ancient poets.
2.The writer uses the poem “Storm at Sea” for the purpose of ___________.
A. describing the movement of the waves
B. showing the strength of the storm
C. presenting the power of the ocean
D. proving the vastness of the sea
3.In the last paragraph, the Atlantic Ocean is compared to ___________.
A. a beautiful and poetic place
B. a person of blood and flesh
C. a world of interest and wonder
D. a lovely animal
The day when the jobs were handed out was one of the most exciting moments for all the children in the class. It took place during the first week of the term. Every kid was given a job for which they would be responsible for the rest of that school year.
Some jobs were more interesting than others, and the children were eager to be given one of the best ones. When giving them out, the teacher took into account which pupils had been most responsible during the previous year. During the previous year Rita had carried out the teacher’s instructions perfectly. All the children knew Rita would be given the best job.
But there was a big surprise. Each child received a normal job. But Rita’s job was very different. She was given a little box containing some sand and one ant. Though the teacher insisted that this ant was very special, Rita felt disappointed. Most of her classmates felt sorry for her. Even her father became very angry with the teacher and he encouraged Rita to pay no attention to this insignificant pet. However, Rita preferred to show the teacher her error by doing something special with that job of little interest.
Rita started investigating all about her little ant and gave the ant the best food, and it grew quite a bit bigger.
One day, a man, who looked very important, came into their classroom and declared, “Your class has been chosen to accompany me, this summer, on a journey to the tropical rain forest, where we will investigate all kinds of insects. Among all the schools of this region, your class has best cared for the little ant.”
That day the school was filled with joy and celebration. Everyone thanked Rita for having been so patient and responsible. And many children learnt that to be given the most important task you have to know how to be responsible even in what are the smallest tasks.
1.What does the underlined sentence mean?
A. Each child got an important job.
B. Each child got an interesting job.
C. The perfect student got the job of everyone’s preference.
D. The most responsible student got the job of least interest.
2.What is Rita’s attitude to her father’s suggestion?
A. Negative. B. Uncertain.
C. Totally positive. D. Acceptive.
3.We can infer that the man who made the declaration is a _________.
A. hunter B. director
C. biologist D. principal
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Never complain about life.
B. Small tasks can lead to fortunes.
C. Men are best known by their friends.
D. Responsibility and intelligence bring good luck.
