When I was in the sixth grade, one day my teacher asked our class to think about the question “What does ‘doing the right thing’ mean to you?” over the weekend. We could talk to our parents or anyone else we thought might have a good answer.  1  Monday, we were to hand in an essay（论文） on it, and be prepared to live up to our  2 .        

The entire weekend, I was trying to  3  something that would impress my teacher and be easy to live by. I talked to my parents, called my grandmother and asked my neighbor. Everyone had good answers, but I didn’t feel like I could live up to them.

On Sunday afternoon, my parents said they were going to my Aunt Cindy’s house. That usually 4  that I would have to entertain my four-year-old cousin Andrea  5  my parents visited. I found a Disney movie for Andrea, and then I sat down and started to write my essay. It was due（到期的）the next morning and this was my last  6  .

Soon I felt a pair of eyes on me. It was Andrea.  “What are you doing?” Andrea asked. “I have to write an essay about what ‘doing the right thing’ means to me.” I answered. Andrea laughed. Could this smart four-year-old 7 know the answer?  “That’s easy,” she said. “Doing the right thing means being nice to your family and friends. Never lie. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Take a bath when you’re 8 . And never put rocks in your mouth.”

I stared with great  9  at my little cousin. Then I jumped up and gave her the biggest hug. Not only had Andrea answered a very tough question for me, but I could easily live by  10  of her answers. All I had to do was to be nice, not to lie, to keep myself clean and healthy, and never put rocks in my mouth. So when I wrote my essay, I  11  the story about Andrea and how she had answered my question.

Two weeks later, my teacher returned everyone’s essays. I  12  an A+ along with a little note my teacher had written at the top: “Always do the right thing and give Andrea an A+, too!”

1.                A．By             B．Over           C．About    D．For

 

2.                A．answers        B．plans           C．advice    D．information

 

3.                A．look through     B．keep on        C．make up of    D．come up with

 

4.                A．left            B．meant          C．decided  D．explained

 

5.                A．since          B．because        C．while D．before

 

6.                A．task           B．chance         C．step D．choice

 

7.                A．quickly         B．normally        C．seriously  D．possibly

 

8.                A．dirty           B．tired           C．sleepy    D．unhappy

 

9.                A．pride          B．fear            C．surprise  D．worry

 

10.               A．any            B．all             C．some D．none

 

11.               A．read           B．found          C．included   D．returned

 

12.               A．prepared       B．expected       C．introduced D．received

 

 

Each day I took the same route to work and passed by a security guard (保安）.  1  greeted everyone walking by and made small talk with many of the passers-by and wishing them well. His simple “hello” made people feel   2 . His cheerful smile became a part of my day. When he was absent, many people noticed it, and I felt a little bit empty.

The first few times, I didn’t say hello back to him when he greeted me. I was   3  in my own world. On Monday the security guard asked me:“How was your weekend?” I told him about my visit to California, to see my mother, who had colon cancer. I  4 how I visited her each month. “The time with my mother is so precious(珍贵的),   5  I know that each time may be the last.”

He listened like a close friend I’d known for years. He felt my   6 and my love. He shared how he had lost his father to cancer two years before. He said, “I understand what you are going through. My father passed away while I was serving in Germany. Because of some reasons I was unable to fly back in time. I was unable to say goodbye to him. I wish I could have been with him, given him a hug, and told him I loved him. You are really lucky to have the gift of   7 .”

As I walked away, I realized I did not even know his name. The following day, on my way to work, I said: “After we spent all that time   8 yesterday, I still don’t know your name.” He answered, “Gary.” I responded back, “I’m Deborah.”

After that, we talked and shared stories about our weekends, dreams and families.

Later, Gary got   9  a new job and moved away. It’s been several years since I last spoke to him, yet the memory feels like yesterday. Gary reached out to me,   10  me and made my morning the best part of the day. I experienced the beauty of friendship and love.

In the business of life, we often forget to wish a stranger hello although how easy it is, and how great and lasting a   11  it can make. When you say hello to a stranger you become like a pebble(鹅卵石) thrown into a pond. With each ripple (波纹）you create, you spread love that continues to   12 . Make a point of saying hello to a stranger today. You will give the gift that keeps on giving.

1.                A．She            B．They           C．He  D．I

 

2.                A．nervous        B．funny          C．special   D．surprised

 

3.                A．lost            B．left            C．missed   D．dropped

 

4.                A．wondered      B．shared         C．realized  D．found

 

5.                A．because        B．so             C．and  D．but

 

6.                A．weakness       B．illness          C．sorriness  D．sadness

 

7.                A．god            B．time           C．nature   D．friendship

 

8.                A．thinking        B．calling          C．crying    D．talking

 

9.                A．offered         B．afforded        C．invited   D．chosen

 

10.               A．moved         B．touched        C．told  D． helped

 

11.               A．progress        B．sense          C．trouble    D．difference

 

12.               A．receive        B．send           C．give  D．create

 

 

Making sense of how the US shows humor

Living in a new country gives me many surprises. The first surprise was the way that the US people speak

One day I saw someone was having a public speech in a square. I thought it would be a serious speech. But I soon found it became a kind of entertainment show.

   The speaker told the audience to protect the environment with humorous words. Later he said some people’s behavior didn’t go with their words. He took the example of Taylor Swift’s song We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.[

   He said that since Swift doesn’t want to be with the boy any more, she doesn’t need to speak it aloud, she doesn’t need to sing unless she still keeps in touch with that guy. It sounds like she is a hypocrite.

   Then he sang the song in a funny way. The audience laughed out loudly. I felt a little angry because Swift is my favourite star. I couldn’t understand why they laughed at Swift.

As time goes on, I find many US people make fun of others. But they don’t mean to hurt them. They do that to show closeness and humour. And people who are laughed at seldom get angry. Now I understand the speaker at the square. Now I’ve got used to the way the US people speak.

   It’s easy to find culture shock when you’re in a new place. But everyone should learn to understand different cultures and customs. 

1.The man in the square was _______________.

A. teaching people how to give a speech       

B. calling on people to protect the environment

C. giving a singing show in public            

D. criticizing the US government           

2.What does the underlined word “hypocrite” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A. 会唱歌的人      B. 真诚的人       C. 虚伪的人    D. 爱护环境的人

3.From Paragraph 6, we learn that_________________.

A. many US people like to laugh at others  

B. many US people are friendly and humorous

C. the US people get angry at others easily 

D. the writer doesn’t like the way the US people speak          

4.Which is Not suitable for the passage?

A. The writer went to America and protect the environment.

B. Americans show humour in a different way from China.

C. It’s easy to find culture shock when you are in a new place.

D. Tailor Swift is an American famous singer.               

5.What does the article mainly talk about?

A. Differences between the Chinese and the US people.      

B. In what way the US people speak in public.

C. How to get used to life in the US.  

D. A Chinese girl’s culture shock experience in the US.

 

Making sense of how the US shows humor
Living in a new country gives me many surprises. The first surprise was the way that the US people speak
One day I saw someone was having a public speech in a square. I thought it would be a serious speech. But I soon found it became a kind of entertainment show.
The speaker told the audience to protect the environment with humorous words. Later he said some people’s behavior didn’t go with their words. He took the example of Taylor Swift’s song We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.[
He said that since Swift doesn’t want to be with the boy any more, she doesn’t need to speak it aloud, she doesn’t need to sing unless she still keeps in touch with that guy. It sounds like she is a hypocrite.
Then he sang the song in a funny way. The audience laughed out loudly. I felt a little angry because Swift is my favourite star. I couldn’t understand why they laughed at Swift.
As time goes on, I find many US people make fun of others. But they don’t mean to hurt them. They do that to show closeness and humour. And people who are laughed at seldom get angry. Now I understand the speaker at the square. Now I’ve got used to the way the US people speak.
It’s easy to find culture shock when you’re in a new place. But everyone should learn to understand different cultures and customs. 
【小题1】The man in the square was _______________.

A．teaching people how to give a speech

B．calling on people to protect the environment

C．giving a singing show in public

D．criticizing the US government

【小题2】What does the underlined word “hypocrite” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．会唱歌的人

B．真诚的人

C．虚伪的人

D．爱护环境的人

【小题3】From Paragraph 6, we learn that_________________.

A．many US people like to laugh at others

B．many US people are friendly and humorous

C．the US people get angry at others easily

D．the writer doesn’t like the way the US people speak

【小题4】Which is Not suitable for the passage?

A．The writer went to America and protect the environment.

B．Americans show humour in a different way from China.

C．It’s easy to find culture shock when you are in a new place.

D．Tailor Swift is an American famous singer.

【小题5】What does the article mainly talk about?

A．Differences between the Chinese and the US people.

B．In what way the US people speak in public.

C．How to get used to life in the US.

D．A Chinese girl’s culture shock experience in the US.

Perhaps the only test score that I remember is the 55 when I was in high school.
The test was the final for a course. I remember waiting anxiously as my teacher Mr. Right passed out our papers one by one. It was a rather difficult test. I heard my classmates groaning（发牢骚）, and I could tell by the groans that the scores weren’t looking good.
Mr. Right put my paper on my desk. There in big red numbers, circled to draw attention, was my score, 55!
I lowered my head, and covered the score up quickly. A 55 is not something that you wanted your classmates to see.
“The scores were not very good, none of you passed,” Mr. Right said. “The highest score in the class was a 55.”
A 55. That’s me!
Suddenly my sad look didn’t look so bad. I had the highest score. I felt a lot better.
I walked home alone that day with the low but high score. My father knew that I had a big test that day and asked me as soon as I got home, “How did you do in your test?”
“I made a 55,” I said.
A frown (皱眉) now stood on my father’s face. I knew I had to explain immediately. “But Dad, I had the highest score in the class,” I proudly stated. I thought that explanation would make a difference.
“You failed!” my father replied.
“But it’s the highest!” I insisted.
“I don’t care what scores others had, but you failed. What matters is what you do!” my father firmly said.
For years, my father was always that way. It didn’t matter what others did, it only mattered what I did and that I did it excellently.
We often don’t understand the wisdom (智慧) of good parents until we ourselves stand in the parents’ shoes. My father’s words have carried me throughout life.
【小题1】In class, to hide my score from my classmates, I ___________ .

A．lowered my head	B．covered my score up
C．walked home alone	D．explained immediately

【小题2】 A frown stood on my father’s face because he thought ____. .

A．I did a bad job in the test.	B．I gave a good excuse.
C．I became the worst student.	D．I stood in his shoes

【小题3】 We can infer from the passage that _____..

A．the father was strict with his child.

B．the writer was always poor in tests.

C．Mr. Right was worried about the writer.

D．the writer was always happy with his scores.

【小题4】Which is the best title of the passage?

A．The Final Test

B．That’s Me!

C．My Strict Teacher

D．Scores, Important?