Prayer for My Mother

Dear God,

Now that I am no longer young, I have friends whose mothers have passed away. I have heard these sons and daughters say they never fully appreciated their mothers until it was too late to tell them.

I am blessed with the dear mother who is still alive. I appreciate her more each day. My mother does not change, but I do. As I grow older and wiser, I realize what an extraordinary person she is. How sad that I am unable to speak these words in her presence, but they flow easily from my pen.

How does a daughter begin to thank her mother for life itself? For the love, patience and just plain hard work that go into raising a child? For running after a toddler（学步儿童）, for understanding a moody teenager, for tolerating a college student who knows everything? For waiting for the day when a daughter realizes what her mother really is?

How does a grown woman thank for a mother for continuing to be a mother? For being ready with advice when asked or remaining silent when it is most appreciated? For not saying "I told you so", when she could have voiced these words dozens of times? For being essentially herself—loving, thoughtful, patient, and forgiving?

I don't know how, dear God, except to bless her as richly as she deserves and to help me live up to the example she has set. I pray that I will look as good in the eyes of my children as my mother looks in mine.

A daughter

56. Compared with her friends, the author feels lucky because 　　　　　.

　　　 A. she has her own lovely sons and daughter　

　　　 B. she is excellent in bringing up her own children

　　　 C. it was too late to say thanks to her mother in her presence

　　　 D. she still has the chance to express her appreciation to her mother

57. What information can you get from Paragraph 4?

　　　 A. Mothers should offer advice rather than blame.

　　　 B. The sentence "I told you so" can be repeated if necessary.

　　　 C. The author is very thankful to her mother for her education.

D. Mothers can instruct their children whenever they want to.

58. The author's mother has all the following fine qualities except 　　　　　.

　　　 A. devotion　　　 B. forgiveness　 　　 C. consideration 　 D. self-protectiveness

59. We can infer from the passage that the author is 　　　　　.

　　　 A. talkative and realistic　　　　　 　　　　　　　　 B. reserved and appreciative

　　　 C. open-minded and responsible　 　　　　　　　　 D. sensitive and independent

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意。然后从36~55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

About three months ago, my father was in hospital recovering from a major lung operation. My mother had recently passed away, and my father had 　36 the loss of his partner of 58 years very hard and had lost 37 　in life. It was quite difficult to try to 38 him to eat each day as he didn’t want anything. The only thing, 39 , that he would ask us to bring him was ice cream.

One evening, to our 　40 , he refused to eat the ice cream, so I placed it in a staffroom 　41 . A little while later, my son said he wanted it, so I 　42 it for him. As I passed another ward (病房), a woman asked, “Are there more 　43 that came from?” When I explained, she seemed very 　44 . She then said that she had cancer and could eat very little 　45 than the occasional ice cream.

The next evening, I decided to buy two ice creams. On the way to dad’s room, I came into the 　46 woman’s room, and 　47 her the ice cream I’d bought for her. She was 48 　astonished that I had thought of her, and accepted the gift with tears in her eyes. I spoke with her for a few minutes, 　49 what was happening in my family and listened to her 　50 story of pain and 　51 . It was obvious that she did not have many visitors, and the ice cream and our short chat meant a great deal to her.

I 　52 the gesture a few days later, and this time I received a warm 　53 . I never even 　54 to ask her name and never saw her again, but it made me realize that a simple act of kindness can 　55 joy to a person’s unfortunate life.

36. A. ignored　 　　　 B. threw　　 　　　　　　 　　　 C. taken　　　 　 　　　 D. gained

37. A. interest　 　　　　 B. happiness　 　 　　　 C. patience　　 　　　　　 D. sympathy

38. A. get　　 　　　　　 B. promise　　 　　　　　 C. make　　　 　　　　　 D. let

39. A. otherwise　 　　 B. however　　 　 　　　 C. therefore　 　　　　　　 D. meanwhile

40. A. delight　　 　　　　　　 B. disappointment 　　 C. surprise 　　　　 　　　 D. relief

41. A. shelf　　　 　　 B. container　　 　　　 C. table　 　　　　　　　　　 D. fridge

42. A. gathered　　 　　 B. found　　 　　　　　 C. bought　　　 　　　 　　　 D. fetched

43. A. which　　 　　 B. where　　 　　　　　 C. what　　　 　　　　　 D. how

44. A. disappointed 　 B. curious　 　　　 　　　 C. pleased　 　　　　　　 D. regretful

45. A. rather　　 　　　 B. better　　　 　　　　　 C. other　　 　　　　　　 D. less

46. A. tough　　 　　　 B. healthy　　 　　　　　 C. bright　　 　　　　　　 D. sick

47. A. supplied　 　　　 B. offered　　 　　　　　 C. sold　 　　　　　　　　　 D. returned

48. A. properly　 　　　 B. totally　 　　　　 　　　 C. hardly　 　　　 　　　 D. exactly

49. A. explaining　 　　 B. complaining 　 　　　 C. imagining 　　　　　　 D. lying

50. A. different　　 　　 B. strange　 　　　　　　 C. similar　 　　　 　　　 D. secret

51. A. amusement　　　　 B. adventure　 　　　　　 C. mercy　 　　　 　　　 D. suffering

52. A. gave　 　　 　　　 B. signed　　 　　 　　C. repeated　 　　　　　　 D. saw

53. A. hug　　　 　　 B. call　　　 　　　　　 C. word　　 　　　　　　 D. help

54. A. considered　 　 B. tried　 　　　　　 　　　 C. refused　 　　　 　　　 D. stuck

55. A. show　　　 　　 B. bring　　　 　　　　　 C. owe　　 　　　　　　 　　　 D. present

—How do you want your egg?　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

—________. I like my egg tender.

A. Very much B. Well done C. Good job D. Half done

—Little Daniel is watering the flowers! Why?

—Well, I'm not feeling very well today—otherwise I ________ it myself.

A. did B. would do　 　　　 C. have done D. will have done

 The next moment, ________ she had time to realize what was happening, she was hit over the head.

A. since                  B. when        C. before                           D. after

      After the boy disappeared, the anxious relatives and friends spent months trying to ________ what had happened.

      A. look out                   B. figure out          C. give out                           D. rule out

—When did you move to Xiamen?　　　　　　

—Earlier this year. And I ________ in Harbin for ten years.

　 A. have worked B. was working C. have been working D. worked

        After a ________ week on the markets the country's stock market has stabilized.

      A. tough              B. peaceful                   C. tight                  D. comfortable

      ________ allow drugs to become uncontrolled in our district.

A. In certain circumstances can we                          B. In no circumstances we can

C. Under any circumstances we can                         D. Under no circumstances can we

 The professor was ________ to give us a lecture this afternoon, but it has been cancelled because of the delayed flight.

  A. demanded             B. hoped         C. scheduled                        D. arranged