Dear Betty,
　　My roommate’s family wants me to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with them in their home. I accepted the invitation, and I’m excited about going, but I’m a little nervous about it, too. The social customs in my country are different from those here, so I’m a little worried about making mistakes.
　　Should I bring a gift, such as candy or flowers? Should I arrive on time or a little late?  At the dinner table, how can I know which fork or knife to use? How can I let the family know that I’m thankful for their kindness?
Yours,
Knowing Nothing
Dear Knowing Nothing,
　　It’s a good idea to bring a gift when you go to a dinner party. Flowers are always welcome, or you can bring a bottle of wine if you know the family drink it.
　　You should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late. Don’t get there early. If you are going to be more than fifteen minutes late, you should call and tell them.
　　Try to relax at the dinner table. If you don’t know how to use the right fork, knife or spoon, just watch the other guests, and follow them. If you still have no idea of what to do, don’t be shy about asking the person next to you; it’s better to ask them than to be silently uncomfortable and nervous.
　　If you like the food, say so. Of course, you’ll thank the host and hostess for the meal and for their kindness. It’s also a good idea to send a card to thank them the day after.
Yours,
Betty
【小题1】 Knowing Nothing wrote a letter to Betty to _____.

A．tell Betty some good news	B．ask for some advice
C．answer some questions	D．invite her to dinner

【小题2】According to Betty, Knowing Nothing ______ when going to a dinner party.

A．can only bring some flowers

B．can’t bring wine

C．should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late

D．should arrive twenty minutes late

【小题3】 Betty does NOT advise Knowing Nothing to _____.

A．relax at the dinner table	B．watch the other guests
C．ask the person beside him	D．keep silent at table

The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before me at a huge pile of that troublesome stuff they call “books”.
I was going to have my examination the next day. “When can I go to bed?” I asked myself. I didn’t answer. In fact I dared not.
The clock struck twelve. “Oh, dear!” I cried. “Ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most wretched creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy.
The clock struck one. I was quite desperate now. I forgot all I had learned. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, “Oh God, please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.” My eyes were so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.
【小题1】 The underlined word “wretched” in Paragraph 3 probably means ____________.

A．happy

B．disappointed

C．unhappy

D．hopeful

【小题2】Reviewing his lessons that night didn’t help him because ____________.

A．it was too late at night

B．he was very tired

C．his eyelids were so heavy that he couldn’t keep them open

D．he hadn’t studied hard before the examination

【小题3】What do you suppose probably happened to the author the next day?

A．He went to a church to pray again.	B．He passed the exam all by luck.
C．He failed in the exam.	D．He was punished by his teacher.

【小题4】The best title for the passage would be ____________.

A．The Night Before the Examination	B．Working Far into the Night
C．A Slow Student	D．Going Over My Lessons

Speech—the act of uttering sounds to convey meaning—is a kind of human action. Like any other constantly repeated action, speaking has to be learned, but once it is learned, it becomes a generally unconscious and apparently automatic process.
As far as we can determine, human beings do not need to be forced to speak; most babies seem to possess a sort of instinctive drive to produce speech like noises. How to speak and what to say are another matter altogether. There actions are learned from the particular society into which the baby is born; so that, like all conduct that is learned from a society—from the people around us—speech is a patterned activity.
The meandering(漫目无地的)babble(咿呀学语)and chatter of a young child are eventually channeled by imitation into a few orderly grooves that represent the pattern accepted as meaningful by the people around him. Similarly, a child’s indiscriminate(不加分辨的)practice of putting things into his mouth becomes limited to putting food into his mouth in a certain way.
The sounds that a child can make are more varied and numerous than the sounds that any particular language uses. However, a child born into a society with a pattern of language is encouraged to make a small selection of sounds and to make these few sounds over and over until it is natural for him to make these sounds and not others.
【小题1】For an adult, the process of speaking usually involves___________________ .

A．conscious selection of sounds	B．imitation of those around him
C．a drive to make noises	D．unconscious actions

【小题2】The selection says that most babies have an instinctive drive to __________ .

A．express ideas in words	B．make speech like noise
C．convey meaning	D．imitate sounds around them

【小题3】Conduct that is learned from a society may be called___________________ .

A．instinctive drive

B．selection

C．automatic activity

D．patterned activity

【小题4】The sounds that a child is able to make are  ___________________ .      .

A．not as varied as those used in language

B．more varied and numerous than those in any language

C．far fewer than those needed to form a language

D．completely different from the sounds of language

【小题5】We may say that a child has learned to speak if he  ___________________ .     .

A．makes varied sounds

B．carefully considers each sound he makes

C．makes only certain sounds naturally

D．imitates people around him

Autumn and winter are cold and flu seasons. Will the old advice about dressing warmly help prevent a cold, or if you get sick, should you follow the old saying, “feed a cold and starve a fever?” And what about that fever? Should you take medicine to reduce your temperature, or is it better to let the body treat the fever itself? Everyone seems to have an answer. But is popular wisdom valuable?
Doctor Nelson knows a lot about cold and flu seasons. Nelson says research may be just starting to provide proofs for long-held beliefs. For example, scientists for years were against the idea that getting cold and wet might cause colds or flu. But recent studies have shown that cold temperatures cause stress on the body, and that stress can create conditions more inviting to viruses. So maybe it does make sense to wrap up warmly before going outside.
And what about feeding a cold and starving a fever? Nelson says if you have a cold and are hungry, you should eat. But a fever, especially a high one, suggests a more serious problem. He says people are usually not hungry when they have a high fever. Eating might even make a person sick. But drinking enough water is important. A fever easily makes the body lose water.
Finally, when should you treat a fever? Nelson says a fever should be treated if it stays at
40℃ or above for a day or more. A high temperature can damage brain cells. The doctor also believes in treating a fever if it prevents a person from sleeping.
Medicine like aspirin, for example, can be used to reduce pain and fever. But aspirin should not be given to children because it can cause serious problems.
【小题1】We can learn from the passage that Doctor Nelson________.

A．doesn’t believe in the old advice about preventing colds

B．is now trying his best to provide proofs for long-held beliefs.

C．doesn’t think it necessary to see a doctor immediately if a person has a temperature of 40℃

D．doesn’t think it necessary to treat a fever even if it prevents someone from sleeping.

【小题2】According to Doctor Nelson, if someone catches a fever, he should________.

A．bathe in cold water	B．drink enough water
C．try to eat something	D．take some exercise outside

【小题3】Which of the following is Not mentioned in the passage?

A．When people should treat a fever

B．Whether the old advice about preventing a cold is valuable.

C．What the medicine , aspirin, is used for.

D．Why people should eat when having a cold.

【小题4】The passage suggests that_______.

A．aspirin can damage train cells if an adult takes too much of it.

B．it is easier for people to catch colds when their bodies are stressed.

C．some old advice about preventing colds doesn’t make any sense.

D．the idea that getting cold can cause flu was proved true years ago.

After we finished thirteen miles of hiking, we were tired and our muscles ached as we made our way back to New England. The car ride to the airport followed by a two-hour flight left our legs more worse condition than they were when we first came off the mountain we just climbed.
When we heard that two seats in first class on our next flight were available for a bit higher price, we jumped at the opportunity. Our spirits lifted immediately. After all, flying first class was a new experience for us, and we would end our adventure in comfort and style.
As we boarded the plane, we noticed that the stewardess(空姐) was working non-stop to ensure the comfort of the first class passengers. She could not walk by a seat without receiving an order. How much she must love her job! She smiled kindly at each one while attending to their needs.
As the stewardess walked by our seats near the end of the flight, I looked at her and said, “Thank you and I hope you have a great night.” She stopped, bent down, looked at me and said, “Excuse me.” I repeated my words and she smiled in a rather funny way, almost as if I had asked her a question that she did not know how to answer.
After a few moments she returned to our seats. “I can tell you work with the public,” she said. “Why do you think so?” I asked. She answered very quietly, “Because you are the only passenger here to say something nice to me tonight and I really appreciate your kindness.”
The sense of belonging to the elite(精英) group of people in first class disappeared as we heard her words. Our first class seats offered us more than a comfortable ride. We were reminded that without kindness, we would be flying in no class.
【小题1】Where did the writer ever go hiking?

A．In a forest

B．In a mountain

C．Along a river

D．Near an airport

【小题2】Why did they choose to take a first class flight?

A．Because they were extremely tired

B．Because they wanted to go back as soon as possible

C．Because the tickets were cheaper

D．Because they wanted to enjoy the first class service.

【小题3】After boarding the plane, the writer felt_______.

A．proud

B．uncomfortable

C．nervous

D．disappointed

【小题4】When the stewardess first heard what the writer said, she_________.

A．didn’t understand the writer	B．knew what work the writer did
C．didn’t believe her ears	D．had a big smile on her face

A dog can’t speak words, but it can “talk”. It has feelings just as you do. At times it may feel angry or afraid. Watch a dog closely. You can see what it is trying to tell you. When you are afraid, you may look down shyly. A fearful dog looks away from you. It may run away too. When you are angry with people, you stare at them and press your lips together. An angry dog also stares. Sometimes the hair along its back stands up.
Do you feel guilty when you have done something you shouldn’t? Dogs can feel guilty, too. At times when I come home, my dog gives me a guilty look. Then I know he’s done something wrong.
Dogs need love and attention. Some dogs are very unhappy when they are left alone for a long time. Some dogs even snap(撕咬) if they don’t get enough attention.
You may have a dog or you may know a dog. Treat it well if you want to have fun with it. Play with it. Take it on walks. Don’t order it round too much. Try not to punish it one time and not the next for doing the same thing. Always remember, a dog has needs and feelings just as you do. Talk to a dog, it’ll talk to you, too.
【小题1】If a dog snaps at things, it is because it may ______.

A．feel lonely	B．feel shy
C．be fearful	D．be disappointed

【小题2】You can tell that a dog has done something bad when _________.

A．its hair stands up	B．it runs away from you
C．it has a guilty expression	D．its lips are pressed together

【小题3】Which of the following things does the writer advise you to do towards your dog?

A．Never punish the dog	B．Never leave the dog alone
C．Train the dog to take orders from you	D．Train it the way you want to be treated.

【小题4】 Suppose you punish your dog for tearing up a shoe, what should you do the next time it does so?

A．Talk to him	B．Punish it again
C．Pay no attention to it	D．Take it out for a walk

【小题5】The word “guilty” in the second paragraph most probably means _______.

A．happy

B．excited

C．frightened

D．sorry

Ifhas anyone noticed how, with the passage of time, one’s relationship with one’s grown-up daughters and sons becomes changed? I’ve been aware of this for some time but I’m not quite sure how to deal with it.
Take the kitchen sink for example.
Following a family get-together at my place, I walked into the kitchen to find Kate, my daughter, carefully cleaning the sink.
“Don’t do that; what are you doing that for?” I said, unhappy about the hidden criticism.
“Mum,” she said, “you really ought to put your glasses on when you clean the sink. Behind the tap here was black!”
But it’s not just things like kitchen sinks. Another time Kate arrived to pick me up to lunch. She looked at me and then asked, “Mum, why do you use brown eyebrow pencil when your hair is grey?”
A sudden memory of her, aged 14, going to her first mixed party flooded back. She had come in to say goodbye. For a moment I thought she’d been an accident. Both eyes were black. I remember suggesting that perhaps a little less eye make-up might be more effective.
Now I told her, “My hair used to be brown.”
“It looks absurd.(荒唐)”
“Mrs. Menzies had dark eyebrows with grey hair.”
“Yes, but you’re not Mrs. Menzies, are you?” she said triumphantly, as if that proved her point.
But a recent event made me realize that something really must be done.
She had returned home for a few weeks before getting married. One evening I went out on a dinner date. By the time my companion left me at the front door, it was about 2am. As I stepped in, an angry figure in a white nightgown（睡衣）stopped me.
“Well, what time of night is this to be coming home?” she shouted. “Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick!”
Shades of the past come back to disturb me. But what should I do about all this? Nothing, probably. Maybe, after all, it’s only a stage young people are going through.
【小题1】The daughter thought her mother didn’t clean the kitchen sink well because of her       .

A．laziness

B．carelessness

C．unhappiness

D．poor-quality glasses

【小题2】From the passage we know the daughter        .

A．didn’t want to help with the sink

B．didn’t like brown eyebrow pencils

C．had an accident when she went to her first party

D．shouted at her mum because she came home late

【小题3】How does the mother feel after all these have happened?

A．Shocked.

B．Proud.

C．Envious.（嫉妒）

D．Confused.

【小题4】The author writes the stories to prove that ________.

A．their relationship became stronger

B．their roles changed as time passed

C．her daughter very much cared about her

D．her daughter got upset as she grew up

“Everybody loves a bargain.” One person’s useless, ugly, or broken object can be another person’s bargain. That is why so many Americans do not throw things away. They put them outside their houses. They put on a “For Sale” sign. And, as simple as that, they have a yard sale.        
The sellers put a paid announcement(付费通告)in a local newspaper. It tells when and where the yard sale will take place. These sales are very popular during weekends in spring, summer, and autumn. Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house. Then they sit all day in the sunlight---like tired guests at a party---waiting for someone to take them home.
Just about anything can be sold at a yard sale. Sometimes, there are more clothes than anything else. Cooking equipment is also popular. So are old toys, tools, books, tables and chairs. Then there are objects called “white elephants”. A white elephant is something you think is extremely ugly or useless. It may be an electric light shaped like a fish. You feel a sharp pain whenever you look at it. To someone else, however, it might be a thing of beauty and joy.
Some people go to yard sales to find a special thing that they collect. It may be old toy trains, for example, or painting of dogs. Experts say more Americans are collecting old things now than ever before. Most people who go to yard sales, however, are not looking for anything special. They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy negotiating(谈判) over prices, even if they really do not need the object. Later, they may hold their own yard to sell all the things they have bought.
【小题1】What kind of things will go to a yard sale?

A．Cheap and ugly things.	B．Things people no longer use.
C．Things out of season.	D．Things of great value.

【小题2】A white elephant refers to _________.

A．something that can cause a feeling of pain

B．something disliked by the owners while appreciated by others

C．something sold at the lowest prices

D．a toy shaped like a fish

【小题3】 Most people go to yard sales to________.

A．find valuable paintings	B．look for something special
C．find a bargain	D．kill their time

【小题4】 Which of the following is NOT true about a yard sale?

A．It may not be held when the weather is very cold.

B．It can last for a whole day.

C．It is usually held with a party.

D．It is held outdoors.

【小题5】We can infer from the last paragraph that__________.

A．people may find something of great value on a yard sale

B．yard sales only attract those who have a low income

C．things on a yard sale can cost people a lot

D．most people don’t want to go to yard sales.

As any homemaker who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.
Lewis and his co-workers carried out their study by videotaping the families while they ate ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents’ efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children." In general the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children’s IQ scores," Lewis says. "And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is."
The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings(兄弟，姐妹). Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. “Middle children are invisible,” says Lewis. “When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner, chances are that it’s the middle child.” There is, however, one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention: “When the TV is on,” Lewis says, “dinner is a non-event(扫兴的事).”
【小题1】The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to _________.

A．show the relationship between parents and children

B．teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table

C．report on the findings of a study

D．give information about family problems

【小题2】 Parents with large families ask fewer questions at dinner because____.

A．they are busy serving food to their children

B．they are busy keeping order at the dinner table

C．they have to pay more attention to younger children

D．they are tired out having prepared food for the whole family

【小题3】By saying “Middle children are invisible” in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children__________.

A．have to help their parents to serve dinner

B．get the least attention from the family

C．are often kept away from the dinner table

D．find it hard to keep up with other children

【小题4】Lewis’ research provides an answer to the question_________.

A．why TV is important in family life

B．why parents should keep good order

C．why children in small families seem to be quieter

D．why middle children seem to have more difficulties in life

【小题5】Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?

A．It is important to have the right food for children.

B．It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner.

C．Parents should talk to each of their children frequently.

D．Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner.

“Mum, what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton (骨骼) in the closet (衣橱)？”Jessica asked. “A skeleton in the closet?” her mother paused thoughtfully. “Well, it’s something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad’s family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be ‘a skeleton in his family’s closet’. He really wouldn’t want any neighbor to know about it.”
“Why pick on my family?” Jessica’s father said with anger. “Your family history isn’t so good, you know. Wasn’t your great-great grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?”“Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners.”“Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now,” Jessica cut in before things grew worse.
After dinner, the house was very quiet. Jessica’s parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica’s closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica’s mother sank into a faint (晕倒), waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter.
“What happened? Where am I?” she asked. “You just destroyed the school’s skeleton, Mum,” explained Jessica. “I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad.” Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. “They’re both crazy,” she thought.
【小题1】 According to Jessica’s mother, “a skeleton in the closet” means         .

A．a family honor	B．a family secret
C．a family story	D．a family treasure

【小题2】What can we learn about some Australian’s ancestors from Paragraph 2?

A．They were brought to Australia as prisoners.

B．They were the earliest people living in Australia.

C．They were involved in some crimes in Australia.

D．They were not regarded as criminals in their days.

【小题3】Jessica’s mother fell down into a faint because she was          .

A．knocked

B．frightened

C．injured

D．surprised

【小题4】Why did Jessica bring a skeleton home?

A．She was curious about it.	B．She planned to keep it for fun.
C．She needed it for her school task.	D．She intended to scare her parents.

【小题5】Jessica’s parents laughed madly at the end of the story probably because        .

A．they were crazy

B．they were overexcited

C．they realized their misunderstanding

D．they both thought they had won the quarrel