Sunday, 31 August
We’ve been in China for a month now. Dad, Mom, Harry and I moved to Tianjin on 25 August. We’re not very far from Beijing. Two days ago, we celebrated my 16th birthday. It was great celebrating in China; the only thing that was strange was the cake--here they’re not as sweet as the ones in New York. On Monday school starts—I wonder what it will be like.
Monday, 1 September
On my first day I was looking around for a locker to put my books in. However, here all the students keep all of their books at their desks--we stay in the same classroom because apparently we don’t have to go from class to class--teachers come to us!
Today we selected teacher assistants for each subject. Their duties are to collect homework, make announcements, and do other stuff for the teacher and the students. It’s kind of a big deal here! Since I am from the US, I was asked to be the English assistant. I felt so proud but quite nervous at the same time because I wasn’t sure what I had to do, but I accepted the job anyway.
Friday, 3 October
Boy, what a week! Now we have nine classes every day, including the morning class, a combination of our American schools’ “Homeroom” and “Study Hall”. I think Chinese students work too much! I have to do my homework when I get back home. I don’t even have time to watch TV or surf the Internet like before. I sometimes miss New York and my school because we didn’t have to study so much. We had more time to hang out with our classmates and neighbors; here, besides their usual classes, students are involved in weekend classes in subjects such as English, Chinese and math.
I get a lot of attention, being from another country. Everyone wants to practice English with me! A really cute girl even asked me for my phone number on my second day and sent me a text message! I’m making a lot more friends now. I just need a lot of help to improve my Chinese. Some students want to do a language exchange program with me. Nice!
1.The passage mentions all the following points EXCEPT .
A. physics study B. teacher assistants
C. free time activities D. language exchange program
2.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT the teacher assistant’s duty?
A. Collecting homework.
B. Making announcements.
C. helping teachers with small errands（差事）
D. Teaching classmates.
3.Where is this passage most probably from?
A. A story book. B. A guide book.
C. A diary. D. A magazine.
4.The passage is best described by ________.
A. culture shock. B. multi-culture.
C. unique culture. D. culture background
Do you love Beats headphones, True Religion jeans, and UGG shoes? These are some of the most popular brands (牌子) around. They are also expensive. But some experts say they are not much better than cheaper brands.
For example, Jim Wilcox works for Consumer Reports. He tested all kinds of headphones. He says that $80 Koss Pro headphones provide basically the same quality and comfort as Beats. So why do people pay twice or even 10 times as much for the hottest brands?
Experts say it's because fashionable, expensive brands send a message. Brands say “I belong” or “I can afford it.”
Some people think that expensive brand names are worth the price. They say that some designer clothes really are top quality and that they last longer than cheaper brands. Some teenagers choose to wear popular brands because these brands make them feel good about themselves.
Alexandra Allam, 17, likes to buy brand-name products. “I'd rather spend the extra money to get something I know I'll be satisfied with,” she says. Her friend Emmy Swan agrees, saying “As long as you can afford it, it seems reasonable to buy what you want.” But not all teenagers agree. “Spending hundreds of dollars for designer sunglasses is stupid and unreasonable,” says Daniel Steinbrecher, 16. “It's fake (假的) happiness.”
People who are against wearing expensive brand names say that many designer brands aren't any better. “It's wasteful to buy things just because they are popular,” says Edmund Williams, 15. “You'll feel better if you buy things because you like them. If you have extra money to spend, it would be better to give it to people in need.”
1.The example of Jim's report wants to tell us _____.
A. popular brands make people comfortable
B. Koss Pro headphones are better than Beats
C. the hottest brands are of the highest quality
D. lesser-known brands may offer the same quality as name brands
2.According to experts, people choose the hottest brands probably _____.
A. to show off
B. for their better quality
C. for their better designs
D. to belong to a special group
3.What does Edmund think of expensive brands?
A. They are not worth the price.
B. They make him feel confident.
C. They need to improve their quality.
D. They pay too much attention to personal likes.
4.The text is mainly about _____.
A. how to buy things reasonably
B. the competition between brands
C. the different values of teenagers
D. whether expensive brands are worth high prices
At times my mom has been uncomfortable seeing these qualities in me. For example，when I was 12，I went to Puerto Rico all by myself to stay with my grandmother for the summer. My mom was extremely nervous about it. She kept telling me how things were different in Puerto Rico，to always put on sunscreen，not to wander away from my grandmother，and other warnings. She helped me pack and did not leave the airport until she saw my plane take off.
But despite her worries，she let me go on my own. As I moved into my teens，she continued to give me space to grow and learn，even when it might have been difficult for her. When I reached my senior year，I decided to move away for college. Once again I found that I differed from my peers：While many of them wanted to stay close to home，I couldn’t wait to be out in the world on my own. While my mom may not have been happy at the thought of my going away，she was supportive and excited for me.
One big thing I realized during my senior year，as my mom granted me more freedom，was that she actually believes in me and trusts me. That means a lot. Most of my life，and especially when I was little，the main person I tried to impress in my schoolwork or other things was my mother. I knew she expected nothing but the best from me. Sometimes it was hard to live up to her standards；getting a single B on my report card would make me feel bad because I knew she wanted me to have all A’s.
I know that her high standards have helped me stay focused on what’s important，like education，and made me who I am. I am thankful for her support and involvement in my life .Most of all I respect her. She is the strongest woman I know and that’s why I have turned out so strong and independent.
1.When the author decided to go to Puerto Rico，his mother________.
A．wanted to go with him
B．worried about his safety
C．didn’t allow him to do so
D．asked his grandmother for advice
2.The author decided to move away for college to________.
A．be different from his peers
B．keep away from his mother
C．be independent in the outside world
D．make his mother unhappy
3.We can learn from the third paragraph that the author’s mother________.
A．had a high expectation of him
B．was too strict with him
C．used to expect nothing from him
D．cared little about his learning
4.In the passage，the author mainly wants to tell us________.
A．his long way to becoming independent
B．his good relationship with his mother
C．the importance of a mother’s trust and support
D．his mother’s deep love for him
The Doll and the White Rose
I was walking around in a mall, when I saw a cashier(出纳员) hand this little boy some money back．The cashier said, "I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll．”The little boy seemed very disappointed．
I walked toward him and asked him who he wished to give this doll to．"It's the doll that my sister wanted so much for Christmas．She was sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her: But Santa Claus can't bring it to her where she is now．I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there．"His eyes were so sad．"My sister has gone to be with God．Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister．”
My heart nearly stopped．The little boy looked up at me and continued, "I told Daddy to tell Mommy not to go yet．I need her to wait until I come back from the mall．"
I quickly reached for my wallet and said," Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll．"
"OK, I hope I do have enough," he said．I put some of my money with his without him seeing and we started to count it．There was enough for the doll and even some spare money．
Surprisingly, the little boy cried, "Thank you God for giving me enough money!" Then he looked at me and added, "I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that Mommy could give it to my sister．He heard me! I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much．But he gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose ! "
Then I remembered two days before a local newspaper reported an accident in which a woman and a little girl were badly injured．The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state．Was this the family of the little boy?
Two days after I met the little boy, I read in the newspaper that the woman had passed away．I couldn't stop myself from going to the funeral．Teary-eyed, I felt that my life had been changed forever．
1.The boy wanted to buy the doll because ．
A．he had always been eager for such a doll
B．Santa Claus didn't give him any Christmas gift
C．he would give it to his mother as a birthday surprise
D．he wanted to turn his sister's Christmas wish into reality
2.We can learn from the story that ．
A．the boy's sister died after staying in hospital for two weeks
B．the boy's family were all seriously injured in a car accident
C．the author gave the boy some extra money without his notice
D．the boy's mother always wished to receive a white rose on Christmas
3.The story most probably conveys the message that ．
A．a kind act can bring joy and hope to others
B．a gift is a perfect way to express love for others
C．losing a family member is a heavy blow to children
D．a religious belief can help one solve problems in his life
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Not long before, my daughter's shoes were scratched with a knife．She burst into ________I took them to the shoemaker to get them ________．
The young apprentice （学徒） glanced at the ________and said, "Nothing I can do except replace the upper．" His master looked at them and said to me, "If you ________ me, I will add more scratches on both of the shoes．"
I was ________ and asked why．
He explained, "As if the openings were made ________ for the sake of special style and reuse．"
I didn’t fully understand him ,but I decided to leave the shoes.
Two days later ,I dropped by from work to collect the shoes. I found there were indeed more scratches on ________shoe, all the openings were patched (打补丁）by soft red leather with edges sewed by thick thread, ________ more unique and interesting than ever．I couldn't help but________ the master's skill．
Another time, my wife's sister's white blouse had been torn, leaving a large opening on the back．My wife checked the blouse ________ , and then said, "Let me take it home and ________t．"
Three days later, seeing the blouse again, I was shocked: all the torn parts had been sewed up by thin and _______ thread and they _______ a look of ice crystal （冰晶） hanging from a winter's branch．_______ , she had attached a snowman and a cabin made of flowery cotton rags onto the shirt．I _______with praise, "It's just as beautiful as a piece of _______ !"
"I was inspired by that craftsman．Patches are supposed to be _______, but a skillful craftsman can make it take on a kind of perfection," replied my wife．
Her words inspired me even more: Perfection is _______ to achieve in everything; Patches are unavoidable, so is human's life．Since you can't _______ the existence of wound, you should not expect people's sympathy by exposing the wound, which reveals nothing meaningful．Just sew the wound by patches and produce a most beautiful flower on it, and this is the _______ of life.
1.A．laughter B．cheers C．tears D．speech
2.A．made B．repaired C．decorated D．preserved
3.A．Anything B．Something C．Everything D．Nothing
4.A．trust B．inform C．appoint D．convince
5.A．annoyed B．confused C.disappointed D．discouraged
6.A．on purpose B．by accident C．in vain D．beyond control
7.A．neither B．any C．every D．each
8.A．remaining B．growing C．looking D．feeling
9.A．appreciate B．witness C．praise D．describe
10.A．delivered B．checked C．washed D．ironed
11.A．outside B．downtown C．home D．abroad
12.A．red B．white C．pink D．purple
13.A．took on B．put on C．decided on D．focused on
14.A．Therefore B．Otherwise C．Anyway D．Besides
15.A．sighed B．signed C．greeted D．paused
16.A．cake B．art C．furniture D．jewellery
17.A．pretty B．attractive C．tough D．ugly
18.A．easy B．improper C．likely D．impossible
19.A．change B．imagine C．stand D．prove
20.A．respect B．friendship C．sympathy D．apology
Finally he reached a lonely island__ was completely cut off from the outside world.
A. when B. where C. whom D. which
