I love it at night. It’s peaceful. And when it cools down I sometimes do some ironing. I don’t really care for it. I work full-time and too busy for most housework. I remember the old woman who taught me to iron. I was about 15 and somehow got a live-in job taking care of a woman who had been an able-bodied, healthy woman until the accident that caused her to be paralyzed（瘫痪）.

The woman had an electric wheelchair. She could move her head and arms but not her hands or fingers. She had this clamp（夹子）attached to her arm and I’d have to open it and put a cup or a pencil in it and then she could move it. She would tell me how to do things. She would instruct me in great detail on the correct way to do things. Her home was perfect and beautiful. She would follow me around in her electric wheelchair to make sure I did everything exactly right. I’m sure she had been a perfect homemaker. She would have me fold everything, including socks and pillow cases. I would complain silently and wish terrible things on her. She taught me the right way to make the bed and tuck （塞）the corners. I know sometimes she’d get frustrated and impatient with me. I knew she wanted to grab it and do it herself. But she never yelled（大叫）or scolded. Only insisted I do it right. I didn’t like it much, but I did it.

Today I can iron pretty well. I know where to start on a shirt, the right way to do the collar and sleeves. Now that I think about it, I don’t think she is an old lady. I think she might have been about my age now. Anyway, when I iron, I think of her and silently thank her for all the things I learned.

51. From the passage we can infer that the writer of the passage now is ________.

A. a housewife                           B. a full-time worker

C. a clothes maker                      D. a college student

52. The writer used to take care of the lady because ______.

A.   she wanted to learn how to do housework

B.   she was a relative of the disabled woman

C.   she wanted to earn some money while sleeping and eating there

D.  she had to do something in return to the lady for her kindness

53. When the lady taught the writer how to do housework, the little girl was ______.

A. eager to learn                     B. unwilling to learn

C. forced to learn                   D. careful to learn

54. What’s the writer’s attitude towards the lady now?

A. Sympathetic     B. Fearful        C. Hateful          D. Grateful

Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining （相邻）farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious conflict in 40 years of farming 31 . It began with a small misunderstanding and 32 into a major difference, and finally exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of 33 .

One morning, there was a 34 on the elder brother’s door. A carpenter was looking for a few days’ work. “Perhaps you would have a few small 35 here and there that I could help with.” said the carpenter.

“Yes,” said the elder brother. “I do have a job for you. 36 the creek at that farm . That is my younger brother’s! Last week there was a meadow（草地）between us, 37 he took his bulldozer（ 推土机）and dug a small 38 between us. Well, he may have done this to 39 me, but I’ll do him one better. I want you to 40 me a fence---an 8-foot-fence--- between us, so I won’t need to 41 his place or his face any more.”

The carpenter said, “I think I understand the 42 . “Show me the nails and shovel and I’ll be able to do a job that 43 you.”

Then the elder brother went to town for supplies and the carpenter worked hard all that day. At about sunset when the elder brother 44 , the carpenter had just finished his job.

The elder brother’s eyes opened wide. There was no 45 there at all. It was a bridge--- a bridge 46 from one side of the creek to the other! And his younger brother was coming toward them, his 47 outstretched.

“You are quite the guy to 48 me speak to my brother again.” The two brothers stood at each 49 of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, 50 each other’s hands.

The carpenter then left, adding that he would have many more bridges to build.

Grandpa intends to have a thoroughly enjoyable and _________period without paid work.

A. broad           B. wide              C. lengthy          D. brief

 Juventus _________two goals in the last ten minutes.

A. achieved         B. managed           C. succeeded       D. challenged

 ― Which number is yours?

―_____--it's that one here, yes, this one.

A. Let me see       B. Let's say           C. Mind you        D. Excuse me

Please look _________the whole plan and let me know what you think.

A. into              B. up                 C. through                D. after

Try to _________a few hours each week for exercise.

A. put away        B. take away         C. pick up         D. set aside

There was a（n）_________moment when the plane suddenly dropped.

A. nervous          B. embarrassed       C. anxious          D. worried

People who don't do what they say they will are_________.

A. honest          B. independent       C. cruel           D. unreliable

He was unable to attend the meeting in Moscow, because the Russian authorities had_______ him a visa.

A. denied          B. rejected           C. refused         D. opposed