I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn’t be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A. PhD. student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.

We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile-warm and reassuring—and I retuned her gift by smiling back.

 “Must be a special lady,” whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers,” she said.

 “Yes, she’s special,” I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out. “It’s only our second date, but somehow I am just having the feeling she’s ‘the one，’”jokingly, I added, “The only problem is that I can’t figure out why she’d want to date a guy like me.”

 “Well, I think she’s very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her,” the woman said. “My husband used to bring me flowers every week-even when tines were tough and we didn’t have much money. Those were incredible days; be was very romantic and-of course- I miss him since he’s passed away.”

I paid for my flowers as she was gathering up her groceries. There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her. I touched her on the shoulder and said “You were right, you know. These flowers are indeed for a very special lady.” I handed the flowers and thanked her for such a nice conversation.

It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased. “You have a wonderful evening,” I said. I left with a big smile and my heart warmed as I saw her smelling the beautiful flowers.

I remember being slightly late for my date that night and telling my girlfriend the above story. A. couple of years later, when I finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry me, she told me that this story had helped to seal it for her-that was the night than I won her heart .

1.Why was the writer in a hurry that day?

A. He was to meet his girlfriend.    B. He had to go back to school soon.

C. He was delayed by an elderly lady.  D. He had to pick up some groceries.

2.What does the underlined phrase “her gift” （Paragraph 2 ） refer to?

A. Her words.  B. Her smile.  C. Her flowers.  D. Her politeness.

3.Why did the writer give his flowers to the elderly lady?

A. She told him a nice story.    B. She allowed him to pay first.

C. She gave him encouragement.  D. She liked flowers very much.

4.What is the message conveyed in the story?

A. Flowers are important for a date.   B. Small talk is helpful.

C. Love and kindness are rewarding.   D. Elderly people deserve respecting.

                                      B

Sunday, October 5                                                        

Clear, 69°F

My wife, Eleanor and I took the train from Paris to Strasbourg, where we were met by our driver and guide, and the minibus which goes along with the boat. We stopped off in Barn for an hour on the way. Then we were taken to Nancy where the boat was kept.

After the other passengers arrived, we had our first dinner on the boat. After dinner we walked into downtown Nancy, a village with a large square and wooden houses.

Monday, October 6                           

Rained last night, cloudy in the morning, 69°F

We spent about two hours in Nancy, and then sailed on the Canal de la Marne au Rhine. Kind of a lazy day. Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, after dinner we watched a tape on Baccarat, where we will visit tomorrow. It was pleasant to sit out on deck （甲板）and watch the scenery go by at about 3 mph.

Tuesday, October 7                             

Light rain, 64°F

This mourning we drove over to Baccarat and toured its museum and the church, which has this unbelievable lamp that is going on a world tour the next day. We did lost of shopping, then walked across the bridge to see a very, very modern Catholic church with special Baccarat windows.

We drove to the top of the Voges Mountains and started down the eastern side. Later we drove to Sorrenbourg to see the 13th century church at the Cordeliers. It contains the largest window by Mar.

Wednesday, Ocrober8

Cloudy.65 °F

Today we sailed from Schneckenbush to Saverne. We went though two caves, an extremely unusual part of the journey. This river scenery is very different. We were in a mountain valley with grassland on one side and a forest beginning to show some color on the other.

Thursday, Ocrober9

Cloudy, 66°F

Our dependable minibus was waiting to load the luggage and take us to the hotel where everyone went their separate ways. Our boating days are over until next time.

1.Where did the author get off the train?

A．Paris             B．Barn             C．Nancy            D．Strasbourg

2.On which days did the tourists spend most of their time on the boat?

A．Monday and Wednesday                 B．Tuesday and Wednesday

C．Wednesday and Wednesday               D．Monday and Tuesday

3.From the text, we learn that Baccarat and Sorrenbourg are the names of_________.

A．churches          B．towns            C．museums          D．mountains

4.What does the author think of the tour?

A．Tiring            B．Expensive         C．Enjoyable         D．Quick

阅读下面短文，根据以下提示：1）汉语提示，2）首字母提示，3）语境提示，在每个空格内填入一个适当的英语单词，并将该词完整地写在右边想对应的横线上。所填单词要求意义准确，拼写正确。

About three years ago，something terrible happened to me.

Those six hours of _______(惊恐) have broken my                  1.__________

body and soul. You think I am a very old man---_______ I             2.__________

am not. It_______ less than a single day to change my                3.__________

hair from black to w______. One day, my two brothers                4.__________

and I were coming back from the islands, our boat f_____ of fish.       5.__________

All at _______,the sky was covered with dark clouds and in           6.___________

l_____   than a minute we were in a terrible storm.                 7.___________

An enormous w_______ covered our boat and my                   8.__________

younger brother ________(掉入) into the sea. Our boat survived,       9.___________

and I was trying to recover ________ my elder brother put his mouth   10.__________

close to my ear, and screamed out the terrifying word” Whirlpool!”.

About six years ago I was eating lunch in a restaurant in New York City when a woman and a young boy sat down at the next table, I couldn’t help overhearing parts of their conversation. At one point the woman asked, “So, how have you been?” And the boy — who could not have been more than seven or eight years old — replied. “Frankly, I’ve been feeling a little depressed lately.”

       This incident stuck in my mind because it confirmed (确认) my growing belief that children are changing. As far as I can remember, my friends and I didn’t find out we were “depressed”, that is, in low spirits, until we were in high school.

       Undoubtedly a change in children has increased steadily in recent years. Children don’t seem childlike anymore. Children speak more like adults, dress more like adults and behave more like adults than they used to.

       Whether this is good or bad is difficult to say, but it certainly is different. Childhood as it once was no longer exists. Why?

       Human development is depended not only on born biological states, but also on patterns of gaining social knowledge. Movement from one social role to another usually involves learning the secrets of the new social positions. Children have always been taught adult secrets, but slowly and in stages; traditionally, we tell sixth graders things we keep hidden from fifth graders.

       In the last 30 years, however, a secret-revelation (揭示) machine has been equipped in 98 percent of American homes. It is called television. Television passes information to all viewers alike, whether they are children or adults. Unable to resist the temptation (诱惑) , many children turn their attention from printed texts to the less challenging, more attractive moving pictures.

       Communication through print, as a matter of fact, allows for a great deal of control over the social information which children will gain. Children must read simple books before they can read complex materials.

According to the author, feeling depressed is ________.

       A．a sure sign of a mental problem in a child

       B．a mental state present in all humans, including children

       C．something that cannot be avoided in children’s mental development

       D．something hardly to be expected in a young child

Traditionally, a child is supposed to learn about the adult world _________.

       A．through connection with society

       B．gradually and under guidance

       C．naturally without being taught

       D．through watching television

According to the author, that today’s children seem adultlike results from ______.

       A．the widespread influence of television

       B．the poor arrangement of teaching content

       C．the fast pace of human scientific development

       D．the rising standard of living

What does the author think of communication through print for children?

       A．It enables children to gain more social information.

       B．It develops children’s interest in reading and writing.

       C．It helps children to read and write well.

       D．It can control what children are to learn.

      I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn’t be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A PhD student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.

     We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile-warm and reassunring-and I retuned her gift by smiling back.

     “Must be a special lady,” whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers,” she said.

     “Yes, she’s special,” I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out. “It‘s only our second date, but somehow I am just having the feeling she’s‘the one ，’”jokingly, I added, “The only problem is that I can’t figure out why she’d want to date a guy like me.”

     “Well, I think she’s very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her,” the woman said .”My husband used to bring me flowers every week-even when tines were tough and we didn’t have much money. Those were incredible days; be was very romantic and-of course- I miss him since he’s passed away.”

      I paid for my flowers as she was gathering up her groceries. There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her. I touched her on the shoulder and said “You were right, you know. These flowers are indeed for a very special lady.” I handed the flowers and thanked her for such a nice conversation.

      It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased. “You have a wonderful evening,”I said. I left het with a big smile and my heart warmed as I saw her smelling the beautiful flowers.

      I remember being slightly late for my date that night and telling my girlfriend the above story. A couple of years later, when I finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry me, she told me that this story had helped to seal it for her-that was the night than I won her heart .

 41．Why was the writer in a hurry that day?

A. He was to meet his girlfriend.        B. He had to go back to school soon.

C. He was delayed by an elderly lady.    D. He had to pick up some groceries.

42．What does the underlined phrase “her gift” (Paragraph 2 ) refer to?

A. Her words.   B. Her smile.    C. Her flowers.    D. Her politeness.

43．Why did the writer give his flowers to the elderly lady?

A. She told him a nice story.       B. She allowed him to pay first.

C. She gave him encouragement.   D. She liked flowers very much.

44．What is the message conveyed in the story?

A. Flowers are important for a date.      B. Small talk is helpful.

C. Love and kindness are rewarding.     D. Elderly people deserve respecting.