On a number of drives throughout my childhood, my mother would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of the road or rescue a beetle from tragedy while I, in my late teens and early twenties, sat impatiently in the car.
Though Mother’s Day follows Earth Day, for me, they have always been related to each other. My mom has been “green” since she became concerned about the environment. Part of this habit was born of thrift (节俭). Like her mother and her grandmother before her, mom saves glass jars, empty cheese containers and reuses her plastic bags.
Mom creates a kind of harmonious relationship with wildlife in her yard. She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little early to avoid the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders(给食器) out at night, it is likely that they will be knocked down by a family of raccoons (浣熊). Spiders that make their way into the house and are caught in juice glasses will be set loose in the garden.
I try to teach my children that looking out for the environment starts with being aware of the environment. On busy streets, we look for dandelions (蒲公英) to fly in the wind; we say hello to neighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags. This teaching comes easily, I realize, because I was taught so well by example. Mom didn’t need to lecture; she didn’t need to beat a drum to change the world. She simply slowed down enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came mercy and an instinct for protection.
I am slowing down and it isn’t because of the weight of my nearly forty years on the planet, it is out of my concern for the planet itself. I’ve begun to save glass jars and reuse packing envelopes. I pause in my daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other in the trees above my house.
Last summer, in the company of my son and daughter, I planted tomatoes in my yard. With the heat of August around me, I ate the first while sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands. Warm from the sun, it burst on my tongue with a sweetness I immediately wanted to share with my mom.
【小题1】. Why does the author say Earth Day is connected with Mother’s Day?

A．Because Mother’s Day falls shortly after Earth Day.

B．To stress that all the older women in her family are environmentalists.

C．To stress how much her mother cares about the environment.

D．Because her mother shows her how to be friendly to nature on Mother’s Day.

【小题2】. Which of the following is NOT related to Mom’s “green life”?

A．Rescuing a beetle from a certain tragedy.

B．Saving glass jars, empty cheese containers.

C．Setting a caught spider free in the garden

D．Picking dandelions on busy streets.

【小题3】. We can infer from the article that ______.

A．the author realizes that she should teach her children by example as well

B．the author’s mother knows how to get rid of the wildlife in her yard

C．the author believes that only by learning to slow down can we enjoy life

D．the author’s mother used to lecture her to protect the environment.

【小题4】. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．Tomatoes make the author think of her mother.

B．The author likes eating tomatoes planted by herself.

C．Planting tomatoes is a way of protecting environment.

D．The author really appreciates her mother’s teaching.

【小题5】. The writer’s attitude towards her mom’s behavior changed in the order of ______.

A．understanding — critical — approving

B．approving — doubtful — negative

C．negative — understanding — approving

D．doubtful— critical— positive

Emilio and Michi spread the colorful tablecloth on the table. They made room for Drew, who was carrying a dish. “Watch out,” Drew warned. “This is pretty hot.”
A moment later, Kent and Alyssa added another hot dish to the table. “That smells so good!” said Michi. “Are most of the parents here yet? I’m hungry.”
Kent looked through the doors that led into the hallway. “I think Ms. Milano and Mr.Hasselbach just finished giving them the garden touring. They should be heading into the cafeteria next.”
The students of Jefferson Middle School in Saint Louis, US had spent all afternoon preparing for the evening meal. They did their best to transform the lunchroom into a beautiful dining area for their families.
As the families found their seats, Ms. Milano asked Drew, Emilio, and Michi to join her at the front of the room. She said, “I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate Drew, Emilio and Michi for their wonderful idea. A year ago, they first came to me with the plan for starting a garden at Jefferson. I wondered whether it would work, but they had thought through everything. Any time I had a question about how we would make this work, they had an answer prepared. As you can see, they were absolutely correct. About three-quarters of the food you will be enjoying came from the school garden. The students prepared the entire meal themselves.”
Ms. Milano handed Drew, Michi and Emilio a box each. They opened their box as Ms. Milano continued. “As a thank-you to these students for their creative idea and hard work, they have each received a stepping stone(垫脚石)for the garden. Their names and date appear on the stones.”
She turned to them. “Students for years to come will be enjoying the garden that you helped create,” she said. “We thought it would be appropriate for them to have a reminder of our garden’s founders.”
They held up their stepping stones and smiled as the crowd clapped. “And now,” said Ms Milano, “please help yourself to some of the mouthwatering food our young chefs have prepared. Dinner is served!”
【小题1】What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The students’ parents.

B．New students.

C．Teachers.

D．The school chefs.

【小题2】According to the text, the food served on the table     

A．was served as a lunch

B．was cooked by the students

C．was prepared to thank the kids

D．was entirely from the school garden

【小题3】What was Ms. Milano’s original attitude toward starting a garden at school?

A．She was doubtful about it

B．She felt it was worth a try

C．she was strongly against it

D．She thought it a wonderful idea.

【小题4】Why did Ms. Milano give stepping stones to Drew, Michi , and Emilio?

A．They have good cooking skills.

B．They are the best students of the school.

C．They have made the school more beautiful.

D．They are the founders of the school garden.

【小题5】What would be the best title of the text?

A．A school garden

B．Garden chefs

C．Creative students

D．A delicious meal

Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, was a good and tireless writer, and he wrote The Declaration of Independence. There is much we can learn from him. Here are some of the things he said and wrote:
Go and see. Jefferson believed that a free man obtains knowledge from many sources besides books, and personal investigation is important as well.
Judge for yourself. Jefferson refused to accept other people’s opinions without careful thought. “Neither believe nor reject anything，” he wrote to his nephew.
Learn from everyone. Jefferson once visited the French nobleman, Lafayette, and said to him, “You must go into the people’s home as I have done ，look into their cooking pots and eat their bread. If you will only do this, you may find out why people are dissatisfied. ”
Do what you believe is right. In a free country, there will always be conflicting ideas， and this is a source of strength. It is not unquestioning agreement but conflict that keeps freedom alive. Though Jefferson was for many years the object of strong criticism, he never answered his critics. He expressed his philosophy, “There are two sides to every question. If you take one side with decision and act on it with effect, those who take the other side will of course resent(憎恶）your actions. ”
Trust the future and trust the young. Jefferson felt that the present should never be chained to customs which have lost their usefulness. “The earth belongs to the living generation. ” He didn’t fear new ideas, nor did he fear the future. “How much pain has been caused by evils which have never happened?” he remarked，“I expect the best, not the worst. ”
【小题1】The author mentioned Jefferson’s visit to Lafayette to show______.

A．Jefferson was dissatisfied with Lafayette

B．Jefferson had a close relationship with his people

C．Jefferson was a great American president

D．Jefferson valued the importance of learning from others

【小题2】Jefferson was determined never to answer his critics because______.

A．he believed silence was a source of strength

B．he thought it useless to defend obviously correct ideas

C．he believed in conflict rather than in unquestioning agreement

D．he knew the more he said ,the more people would resent him

【小题3】What would be the best title of the passage?

A．Jefferson’s Great Works	B．Jefferson’s Philosophy
C．Jefferson’s Teaching	D．Jefferson's Life Story

For a lang time,a boy wonder why his next-desk-pal was always the first in the class ,  whereas he could only rank the 21^st.
At home,he asked his mom：“Am I more stupid than other kids? How can I alwasys fall behind? I just can’t come with an answer.”Mom was aware that her son’s selfrespect had been damaged by the ranking system,but she didn’t know what to say to help.
She tended to say that intelligence differs and that yes,her son’s friend really was the smarter boy.But that would so upset her son .Thank goodness she resisted the temption (诱惑)to say it .
Her son and his friend went on to   high school that year,but despite trying as hard as he could,her son’s friend still outdid him.But she was proud of her boy for his hard work, sincerely proud,It was aroud this time that she decided to take him on a trip to the seaside,On the trip,she at last found an answer for him.
Today her son no longer care about rankings.He doesn’t have to,for he himself is now the top of the class at the national unversity he attands,After university his Teachers and peers fully expect him to have promising career.
Invited to speak to his old high school, he mentioned a valuable childhood experience. It concerned that holiday his mother had prepared for them: “Once, on a trip to the sea, my mother and I were lying on the beach. She pointed to the sea and said to me: Do you see the seabirds fighting for food out there? When a wave comes near, the little birds rise quickly. The clumsy(笨拙的)seagulls are far slower and have to struggle to get away from the wave. But these clumsy birds prove to have the biggest, strongest wings, which allow the bird to travel the furthest. When the season changes, they leave for foreign shores, leaving the little birds behind. Son, I have a feeling that you are one of those seagulls.”
【小题1】The story convey the message that.________.

A．competion between students is good for society

B．only rankings show intelligence of a child

C．chilren take competion among them to heart

D．parents should build up chilren’s self-respect

【小题2】Form the 2^nd paragraph,we can see that the mother  

A．decided to help with her son’s homework

B．saw the negative effects of the ranking system

C．knew her son was weak in his study

D．felt sorry for her son’s bad behavior

【小题3】We can infer from the passage that      

A．the mother was cafeful to protect her son’s self-respect

B．the mother was not strong enough to face the truth

C．the son knew intelligence didn’t mean anything

D．the son would forget his rankings soon after leaving high school

【小题4】 Which of the following has the similar meaning with the underlined word “outdid”?
A.was equal to   B..laughed at     C did better than    D.worked harder than

Early this morning, I got up to make cookies for my neighbor. But actually she hardly greeted me when we saw each other.
Last Monday, she called the firefighters when my house began to fog up while I was out. Luckily, nothing serious had happened. When I thanked her and apologized for causing the trouble, she just asked if my cats were all right and stepped into her house. I felt strangely safe, knowing that even though we don’t get along, she’d done the right thing. So, the yummy cookies.
Last winter, my neighbor carelessly let it out that she was holding a grudge towards me because of an incident we’d had four years ago. I had particularly apologized and asked if there was anything I could do to improve our relationship. She would not accept my apology.
It had taken me a lot of courage to apologize and ask that question. Her refusal to make amends (补偿) really saddened me. After that, I decided I’d just leave her be. So I was really scared she was going to refuse my offer again. I know some people have a hard time understanding how the possibility of rejection can make an adult so afraid, but that’s just the way I felt.
Then, I reminded myself of how good I had felt yesterday when I’d done some acts of kindness after telling myself: Feel the fear, and do it anyway! So I put the cookies on a beautiful plate, opened my apartment door—and there she was, standing in the hallway. But when she saw me, she went back inside. I went after her and quickly said, “I’m sorry, I’ve got something for you! I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you were paying attention on Monday.” When she heard me speaking, she turned around. As I held the plate towards her, her eyebrows winged up and she took the plate. I was so happy and excited.
Back in my place, I did a “happy dance”, because I had dared to be kind even though I hadn’t been sure my kindness would be welcome. I do hope that our relationship will slowly get better. I know I was and still am biased (存有偏见) towards her at times, but even if we don’t make amends, I want to be able to be kind without depending on other people’s behaviors and reactions.
【小题1】The neighbor hardly greeted the writer most probably because ______.

A．the writer’s cats disturb her neighbor frequently

B．the writer didn’t thank her for calling the firefighters

C．the writer never apologized to her for her misbehaviors

D．the writer had an unpleasant experience with the neighbor long ago

【小题2】The underlined word “grudge” in Paragraph 3 most probably means ______.

A．appreciation

B．gratitude

C．dislike

D．envy

【小题3】From Paragraph 4, we can learn that the writer ______.

A．was afraid of being rejected again by her neighbor

B．didn’t know how to get along with her neighbor

C．didn’t admit it was her fault in the last incident

D．refused to forgive her neighbor’s rude behavior

【小题4】What does the author try to tell us?

A．Don’t punish yourself because of others’ mistakes.

B．We should be kind to others, regardless of their behavior.

C．We must keep a good relationship with our neighbors.

D．When we make a mistake, we should have the courage to admit it.

A well-dressed man came to a famous jewelry shop. He explained that he wished to buy a pearl for his wife’s birthday. The price didn’t matter. Since business had been very good for him that year. After examining a nice black one that cost $5000, he paid for the pearl in cash, shook hands with the jeweler, and left.
A few days later the man returned and said that his wife liked the pearl so much that she wanted another one just like it. It had to be exactly the same size and quality, because she wanted a pair of earrings made, “Can you give me any advice on how to get such a pearl? ” said the man. The jeweler regretfully replied, “I would say it’s exactly impossible to find one exactly like that pearl. ”
The rich man insisted that the jeweler advertise in the newspapers, offering $ 25,000 for the matching pearl. Many people answered the advertisement but nobody had a pearl that was just right.
Just when the jeweler had given up hope, a little old lady came into his store. To his great surprise, she pulled the perfect pearl from her purse. “I don’t like to part with it,” she said sadly, “I inherited (继承) it from my mother, and my mother inherited it from hers. But I really need the money. ”
The jeweler was quick to pay her before she changed her mind. Then he called the rich man’s hotel to tell him the good news. The man, however, was nowhere to be found.
【小题1】 He paid $ 5,000 for the black pearl without bargaining because ______.

A．he was very rich

B．he wanted to make the jeweler believe him

C．he was anxious to get it

D．his business had been successful

【小题2】He told the jeweler to get him another pearl that must be ______.

A．exactly the same size as the black on

B．exactly the same quality as the black one

C．worth no more than $ 25,000

D．exactly as big and nice as the black one

【小题3】Many people answered the advertisement because they wanted _______.

A．to see the perfect pearl

B．to buy some beautiful pearls too

C．to get in touch with the rich man

D．to sell their own pearl at a high price

【小题4】 The jeweler couldn’t find the man anywhere because ______.

A．he died suddenly

B．He happened to be out

C．He got $ 20,00 by cheating and had run away with the money

D．He wouldn’t show up until the jeweler called him a second time

I have a good memory of my grandfather，Jack. He was sitting in his armchair in the front room.
I sat next to him. We were reading aloud，our heads bent over the page in front of us，a finger marking the words；separated by seven decades，brought together by words. It's a common scene in British families；however，in our case，the usual order of things is reversed（颠倒）．Granddad had been blind since I was tiny，so I was reading to him.When reading aloud，people usually read something that's of interest to the listener. So I didn't read children's books；I read the sorts of things Granddad liked to hear about. Much of the vocabulary in Granddad’s reading material was far beyond me. When I met unfamiliar words，I'd spell them out.
Granddad would help me. It must have been painful for him to hear news；but he never hurried me along or complained. Our reading wasn't really about getting knowledge. It was a way for us to spend time together.
My grandfather wasn't always blind. He had been a good carpenter（木匠）．The first Christmas of my parents' marriage，he built my mother a bookcase，which now belongs to my son Jonah，providing a link between four generations.
I was a fortunate child；I spent a lot of time with my grandfather，and he opened the world to me in a particular way. Reading was our way of building a relationship that has had a lasting effect on me. In the school holidays，I sometimes accompanied him on trips to the seaside with the local association for the blind. This might seem strange，but I felt that my personal value was realized because I could finally do something for Granddad.
A decade later，I found a position in a nursing home，which reminded me of my early experiences；reading to senior citizens was a connection back to Granddad. More than simple conversation，reading aloud is a connection between two individuals and it can have a big emotional（情感的）effect on elderly people.
【小题1】What can we know from the first paragraph?

A．The author's grandfather was born blind.

B．The author is seventy years younger than her grandfather.

C．The author often sat opposite to her grandfather while reading.

D．It's quite common in Britain that children read to their grandfathers.

【小题2】Why didn't the author choose to read children's books?

A．To expand her knowledge.

B．To make her vocabulary bigger.

C．To show off in front of her grandfather.

D．To satisfy the needs of her grandfather.

【小题3】How did the author feel during the trips with Granddad?

A．Proud.	B．Troubled.
C．Curious.	D．Embarrassed.

We spent a day in the country, picking wild flowers. With the car full of flowers we were going home.
On our way back my wife noticed a cupboard (柜厨) outside a furniture shop. It was tall and narrow.
“Buy it, ” my wife said at once. “We’ll carry it home on the roof rack. I’ve always wanted one like that.”
What could I do? Ten minutes later I was ￡20 poorer; and the cupboard was tied on the roof rack.
It was six feet long and eighteen inches square, quite heavy too.In the gathering darkness I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed unusually polite that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.
After a time my wife said, “There’s a long line of cars behind. Why don’t they overtake, I wonder?”
In fact a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously as they passed. But then, with great kindness, they led us through the rush-hour traffic. The police car stopped at our village church. One of the officers came to me.
“Right, sir, ” he said. “Do you need any more help?”
I was a bit puzzled. “Thanks, officer, ” I said. “You have been very kind. I live just on the road.”
He was staring at our car, first at the flowers, then at the cupboard. “Well, well, ” he said, laughing.
“It’s a cupboard you’ve got there! We thought it was something else.”
My wife began to laugh. The truth hit me like a stone between the eyes. I smiled at the officer. “Yes, it’s a cupboard, but thanks again.” I drove home as fast as I could.
【小题1】In fact the husband _______ the cupboard.

A．would like very much to buy	B．badly wanted
C．was glad to have bought	D．would rather not buy

【小题2】Other drivers thought they were _______.

A．carrying a cupboard to the church

B．sending flowers to the church

C．carrying nothing but a piece of furniture

D．going to attend a funeral(葬礼) at the church

【小题3】The police will be more polite to those who are _______.

A．driving in gathering darkness

B．in great sorrow (悲痛)

C．driving with wild flowers in the car

D．carrying furniture

【小题4】What did the husband think of the whole matter?

A．It was very strange.	B．He felt ashamed of it.
C．He took great pride in it.	D．He was puzzled at it.

On April 1st, Mike decided to fool(愚弄) his friends.
At lunch time he said to Tom, “I think we’re going to have a test this afternoon.” “Test?” said Tom, “Really?”
“Yes, it’s quite true,” said Mike. “When I was passing by Mr. Green’s room, he was talking with another teacher about the test. Tell John, Rose and Joan about it.”
Later Tom told them about the test. Soon almost all the students knew about it. “How foolish they are!” he thought.
When class began, Mr. Green said, “Class, we’re going to have a test today.” Mike was surprised. The test was too hard for him. After class, all his classmates thanked him very much. But he could only smile. “How foolish I was !”he thought.
It really was April Fools’ Day for Mike.
【小题1】Mike decided to fool his friends because ________ .

A．they were talking about the test

B．they began to prepare (准备) their lessons

C．it was April Fools’ Day

D．they were foolish

【小题2】________ his classmates believe (相信) him before class.

A．Almost all

B．None of

C．Only a few

D．Some of

【小题3】 Mike didn’t prepare his lessons because _______

A．he didn’t like to

B．it was his holiday

C．he thought the test was easy for him

D．he believed there wasn’t going to be a test

【小题4】 Mike was surprised to see ________ .

A．the test was too hard for him

B．the teacher really gave them a test

C．Tom didn’t believe him

D．his classmates were so foolish

【小题5】Which of the following is wrong?

A．Mike thought he himself was foolish.

B．All his classmates thanked him.

C．Mr. Green was talking with another teacher about the test.

D．Nearly everyone knew the test before long(不久).

Tom was going home at five yesterday. He got on a bus. A mother with her little boy was sitting nearby. Suddenly the boy cried. His mother tried her best to make the boy stop crying. But the boy would not do so. At last Tom said angrily, “Oh, how that boy cried! Why don’t you give him what he wanted?” “I would if I could." answered the mother quietly,“But he wanted your cap.”
【小题1】 What time was Tom going home yesterday?

A．At four

B．At five

C．At six

D．At seven

【小题2】 Who was sitting near Tom on the bus?

A．An old man with his little girl

B．A young woman

C．A woman with her little boy

D．A young man

【小题3】The mother tried her best to make the boy ______.

A．wake up

B．go to sleep

C．not talk much

D．stop crying

【小题4】When the boy cried, Tom ______

A．was very angry

B．was very hungry

C．was very happy

D．did not hear this

【小题5】Why was the boy crying?

A．Because he wanted something to eat.

B．Because he wanted to get off the bus.

C．Because he wanted to go home.

D．Because he wanted Tom's cap