Now came great news! It came from a neighboring state, where the family’s only surviving relative lived. It was Sally’s relative — a distant relative by the name of Tilbury Foster, seventy and single. Tilbury now wrote to Sally, saying he should shortly die, and should leave him thirty thousand dollars, cash; not for love, but because money had given him most of his troubles, and he wished to place it where there was good hope that it would continue its evil work. The bequest would be found in his will, and would be officially handed over provided that Sally should be able to prove to the executors (遗嘱执行人).

    As soon as Aleck had partially recovered from the strong emotions created by the letter, she sent someone to the relative’s home and subscribed for the local paper.

For the rest of the day Sally made confusion with his books, and Aleck could not keep her mind on her affairs, not even take up a flower-pot or book or a stick of wood without forgetting what she had intended to do with it. For both were dreaming.

“Thirty thousand dollars!”

All day long Aleck was absorbed in planning how to invest it, Sally in planning how to spend it.

There was no romance-reading that night. The children took themselves away early, for their parents were silent, disturbed, and strangely unentertaining. Two pencils had been busy during that hour — note-making; in the way of plans. It was Sally who broke the stillness at last. He said, with excitement, “Ah, it’ll be grand, Aleck! Out of the first thousand we’ll have a horse and a buggy for summer, and a cutter and a skin lap-robe for winter.”

    Aleck responded with decision and calmness.

    “You can spend a part of it. But the whole of the capital must be put right to work.

    “Why, yes. Yes, of course. Have you got it invested yet?”

    “No, there’s no hurry about that; I must look around first, and think, er…, I’ve turned it over twice; once in oil and once in wheat.”

    “Why, Aleck, it’s splendid! What does it amount to?”

    “I think — well, to be on the safe side, about a hundred and eighty thousand clear, though it will probably be more.”

    “My! Isn’t it wonderful? Good heaven! Luck has come our way at last, Aleck!”

    Then they went up to bed, but they left the candle burning in the sitting room. They did not remember until they were undressed; then Sally was for letting it burn; he said they could afford it, if it was a thousand. But Aleck went down and put it out.

    A good job, too; for on her way back she hit on a scheme that would turn the hundred and eighty thousand into half a million before it had had time to get cold. 

1. Why would Tilbury like to give all his money to Sally?

A. Because Sally was Tilbury’s only relative alive.

B. Because Tilbury loved Sally and his family deeply.

C. Because Tilbury wanted his money to continue its function.

D. Because Sally and his wife are good at investing.

2.The underlined word “bequest” in Paragraph1 probably means _________.

A. a gift of personal property                                         B. a proof of a person’s identity

C. a method of getting money                                        D. a reason for giving money

3.What do we know about Sally and his wife after receiving the letter?

A. They were in deep sorrow and stayed up all night.

B. They cared little about the bequest and lived their life as usual.

C. They paid a visit to Tilbury to confirm the truth of the letter.

D. They had a big ambition to invest the money and make huge profits.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. Thrilling News                                                               B. Sally’s Distant Relative

C. The $30,000 Bequest                                                  D. A Smart Investment

Now came great news! It came from a neighboring state, where the family’s only surviving relative lived. It was Sally’s relative—a distant relative by the name of Tilbury Foster, seventy and single. Tilbury now wrote to Sally, saying he should shortly die, and should leave him thirty thousand dollars, cash; not for love, but because money had given him most of his troubles, and he wished to place it where there was good hope that it would continue its evil work. The bequest would be found in his will, and would be officially handed over provided that Sally should be able to prove to the executors (遗嘱执行人).
As soon as Aleck had partially recovered from the strong emotions created by the letter, she sent someone to the relative’s home and subscribed for the local paper.
For the rest of the day Sally made confusion with his books, and Aleck could not keep her mind on her affairs, not even take up a flower-pot or book or a stick of wood without forgetting what she had intended to do with it. For both were dreaming.
“Thirty thousand dollars!”
All day long Aleck was absorbed in planning how to invest it, Sally in planning how to spend it.
There was no romance-reading that night. The children took themselves away early, for their parents were silent, disturbed, and strangely unentertaining. Two pencils had been busy during that hour —note-making; in the way of plans. It was Sally who broke the stillness at last. He said, with excitement, “Ah, it’ll be grand, Aleck! Out of the first thousand we’ll have a horse and a buggy for summer, and a cutter and a skin lap-robe for winter.”
Aleck responded with decision and calmness.
“You can spend a part of it. But the whole of the capital must be put right to work.
“Why, yes. Yes, of course. Have you got it invested yet?”
“No, there’s no hurry about that; I must look around first, and think, er…, I’ve turned it over twice; once in oil and once in wheat.”
“Why, Aleck, it’s splendid! What does it amount to?”
“I think — well, to be on the safe side, about a hundred and eighty thousand clear, though it will probably be more.”
“My! Isn’t it wonderful? Good heaven! Luck has come our way at last, Aleck!”
Then they went up to bed, but they left the candle burning in the sitting room. They did not remember until they were undressed; then Sally was for letting it burn; he said they could afford it, if it was a thousand. But Aleck went down and put it out.
A good job, too; for on her way back she hit on a scheme that would turn the hundred and eighty thousand into half a million before it had had time to get cold

1. 1.

   Why would Tilbury like to give all his money to Sally?

   1. A.
      Because Sally was Tilbury’s only relative alive
   2. B.
      Because Tilbury loved Sally and his family deeply
   3. C.
      Because Tilbury wanted his money to continue its function
   4. D.
      Because Sally and his wife are good at investing
2. 2.

   The underlined word “bequest” in Paragraph1 probably means _________

   1. A.
      a gift of personal property
   2. B.
      a proof of a person’s identity
   3. C.
      a method of getting money
   4. D.
      a reason for giving money
3. 3.

   What do we know about Sally and his wife after receiving the letter?

   1. A.
      They were in deep sorrow and stayed up all night
   2. B.
      They cared little about the bequest and lived their life as usual
   3. C.
      They paid a visit to Tilbury to confirm the truth of the letter
   4. D.
      They had a big ambition to invest the money and make huge profits
4. 4.

   Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      Thrilling News
   2. B.
      Sally’s Distant Relative
   3. C.
      The $30,000 Bequest
   4. D.
      A Smart Investment

It was New Year’s Night. An aged man was standing at a window. He raised his mournful eyes towards the deep blue sky, where the stars were floating like white lilies on the surface of a clear calm lake. Then he cast them on the earth, where few more hopeless people than himself now moved towards their certain goal --- the tomb. He had already passed sixty of the stages leading to it, and he had brought from his journey nothing but errors and remorse. Now his health was poor, his mind vacant, his heart sorrowful, and his old age short of comforts.
The days of his youth appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the entrance of the two roads --- one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, covered with flowers, fruits and filled with soft, sweet songs; the other leading to a deep, dark cave, which was endless, where poison flowed instead of water and where devils and poisonous snakes hissed and crawled.
He looked towards the sky and cried painfully, “O youth, return! O my father, place me once more at the entrance to life, and I’ll choose the better way!” But both his father and the days of his youth had passed away.
He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness. These were the days of his wasted life; he saw a star fall down from the sky and disappeared, and this was the symbol of himself. His regret, which was like a sharp arrow, struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood, who entered on life together with him. But they had made their way to success and were now honored and happy on this New Year’s Night.
The clock in the high church tower struck and the sound made him remember his parents’ early love for him. They had taught him and prayed to God for his good. But he chose the wrong way. With shame and grief he dared no longer look towards that heaven where his father lived. His darkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing effort, he burst out a cry: “Come back, my early days! Come back!”
And his youth did return, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year’s Night. He was still young though his faults were real; he had not yet entered the deep, dark cave, and he was still free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.
Those who still wander on the entrance of life, hesitating to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but in vain: “O youth, return! Oh give me back my early days!”
【小题1】We can learn from the passage that ____.

Why is pink or purple a color for girls and blue or brown for boys?

The answer depends largely on cultural values as well as personal experiences. To the Egyptians, green was a color that represented the hope and joy of spring, while for Muslims, it means heaven. Red is a symbol of good luck in many cultures. In China, children are given money in a red envelope to bring good fortune in the New Year. For many nations, blue is a symbol of protection and religious beliefs. Greek people often wear a blue necklace hoping to protect themselves against evils（灾祸）.People’s choice of colors is also influenced by their bodies’ reactions （反应）toward them. Green is said to be the most restful color. It has the ability to reduce pain and relax people both mentally and physically. People who work in green environment have been found to have fewer stomach aches.

Red can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise and increase people’s appetites（食欲）. Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant. Similarly, many commercial websites will have a red “Buy Now” button because red is a color that easily catches a person’s eye.

Blue is another calming color. Unlike red, blue can cause people to lose appetite. So if you want to eat less, some suggest that eating from blue plates can help.

The next time you are deciding on what to wear or what color to decorate your room, think about the color carefully.

1.Muslims regard green as a symbol of heaven mainly because of their        .

A．cultural values                         B．commercial purposes

C．personal experiences                    D．physical reactions to the color

2.Why will many commercial websites have a red “Buy Now” button?

A．To relax people physically.

B．To increase people’s appetites.

C．To encourage people to buy their products.

D．To cause a person’s blood pressure to rise.

3.What color might help lose weight according to the text?

A．Red              B．Green.            C．Blue.             D．Purple.

4.Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?

A．Colors and Human Beings

B．The Cultural Meaning of Color

C．Colors and Personal Experiences

D．The Meaning and Function of Color

Goldie’s Secret
She turned up at the doorstep of my house in Cornwall. No way could I have sent her away. No way, not me anyway. Maybe someone had kicked her out of their car the night before. “We’re moving house.”; “No space for her any more with the baby coming.” “We never really wanted her, but what could we have done? She was a present.” People find all sorts of excuses for abandoning an animal. And she was one of the most beautiful dogs I had ever seen.
I called her Goldie. If I had known what was going to happen I would have given her a more creative name. She was so unsettled during those first few days. She hardly ate anything and had such an air of sadness about her. There was nothing I could do to make her happy, it seemed. Heaven knows what had happened to her at her previous owner's. But eventually at the end of the first week she calmed down. Always by my side, whether we were out on one of our long walks or sitting by the fire.
That's why it was such a shock when she pulled away from me one day when we were out for a walk. We were a long way from home, when she started barking and getting very restless. Eventually I couldn't hold her any longer and she raced off down the road towards a farmhouse in the distance as fast as she could.
By the time I reached the farm I was very tired and upset with Goldie. But when I saw her licking (舔) the four puppies (幼犬) I started to feel sympathy towards them. “We didn't know what had happened to her,” said the woman at the door. “I took her for a walk one day, soon after the puppies were born, and she just disappeared.” “She must have tried to come back to them and got lost,” added a boy from behind her.
I must admit I do miss Goldie, but I've got Nugget now, and she looks just like her mother. And I’ve learnt a good lesson: not to judge people.
【小题1】How did the author feel about Goldie when Goldie came to the house?