Singing had always been an important part of Gloria Estefan’s life. “Since I was three years old, I sang. I sang everything,” Gloria said. “Cubans,” she added, “are a musical people”.

Gloria was born in Cuba in 1957. Her family left the country just before Fidel Castro came to power. In Miami, where the family settled, many people did not accept Cuban immigrants. In first grade, she spoke little English, but she worked hard to learn the language. Six months after she entered school, she won an award for reading in English!

When Gloria was ten, her father returned from the Vietnam War. Soon, the family realized he wasn’t well. They soon found out that he was badly ill. Her mother went back to teaching at school to support the family. Gloria cared for her father and her younger sister.

She still made the honor roll, and she still had her music, but Gloria was lonely. However, when the band leader Emilio Estefan came to speak at her high school, Gloria sang for him. He asked her to join his band. It was the beginning of the Miami Sound Machine.

Within a few months, the Miami Sound Machine was the top band in Miami. In 1978 Gloria and Emilio married.

At first, the Miami Sound Machine was known only in Miami. Then the band signed with CBS Records. Estefan and his band became stars.

Since then, the Miami Sound Machine has sold millions of records. Gloria has done more than just singing when Hurricane Andrew hit central Florida in 1992. She used only two weeks to organize an all-star concert that raised $2 million for the people who suffered in the hurricane. “We needed a party after that disaster,” she said.

Gloria said, “You have to stay true to the music you really love to do. There will always be people who will tell you, ‘that won’t work.’ You’ve got to be firm in spite of difficulties. Stick to it—that’s the main thing.”

1.Gloria’s father was ill_________.

A．when they settled down in Miami.

B．before they left their home country

C．after he returned from Vietnam War

D．as soon as she finished high school

2.According to the passage, probably Gloria did the following excep________ .

A．organizing an all-star concert for Hurricane victims

B．winning an award for reading in English

C．teaching at school to support the family

D．taking care of her father and sister

3.The underlined word “disaster” in this passage refers to __________ .

A．the concert        B．the celebration     C．the victims         D．the hurricane

 

---I’ve told Nancy many times about the meeting, but she still forgot it!

   ---I understand. Actually, anyone _______ be very forgetful at times.

A. must         B. should        C. ought to      D. can

 

I moved from Chicago to Brooklyn in July of 2010，just in time to watch my mother die. Our parents were both gone now； I took with me as many things they had left behind as I could.

I was out walking one Saturday later that summer when something caught my eye - a pale green dress. Laid out on the pavement was stuff like earrings, glass candle-holders, books. Hanging on the fence behind were a few pairs of jeans and a green cotton dress.

The woman, the host o£ the stoop (门廊）sale, looked like she was getting rid of a past she didn’t need or want. A dress that was too big for her. A chest of drawers that took up too much space, space she needed, maybe, to heal ，recover, or grow.

I wasn’t planning on buying anything really, but now I needed to show her that I appreciated her things and I would give them a safe home. Then I had my first stoop sale —I paid her 20 dollars for her green cotton dress and her blue candle-holder,

From that day on, I became interested in stoop sales. Some of my favorite things are from someone else’s life. I find no joy in shopping at regular stores any more. I love trying to sniff out a memory from a bud vase or a drawer. It is comforting to know that someone has breathed and laughed inside a sweater before me.

A few weeks ago, I carried my mother’s dresses to a friend’s stoop. These were her best items ，which were once worn by the most important person in my life. For many hours, I watched from across the path people advancing the stoop, some leaving with Mom1S dress. I used to think that her stuff was as forever sacred (神圣的）as my memory of her, I know now that once I love a scarf or shirt too dearly，it needs to find a new home. Even that green dress is long gone by now.

1.The author took her mother*s dresses after her death because ______

A. she valued the things used by her mom

B. she didn’t want to throw them, away

C.      she could sell them later

D.      they were her mom’s best items

2.From the passage, we know that ______.

A.      the things the author bought from the woman are too big

B.      the author is fond of imagining others’ life experiences

C.      the author will never shop at regular stores any more

D.      the author still keeps most of her mom’s things

3.In the last paragraph ，the author tries to tell us that ______.

A her mom is the number one person in her life

B.      she didn’t really want to sell her mom’s dresses

C. she still thinks of her mother quite often

D. love doesn’t mean holding on to something tightly

4.It can be inferred that the author will ______.

A.      not sell her own things at stoop sales

B. keep her mom in her mind in another way

C.      be sad about all the memory of her mom

D.      move to another city for a new life

 

Teresa was born in Yugoslavia on August 27,1910. Her parents were Albanians(阿尔巴尼亚人) and member of the Roman Catholic Church. When she was seven years old, her father was murdered. She decided not to be filled with hate because of this tragedy(悲剧). Instead, she would seek a life of love. This ambition led her to Ireland where she became a nun(修女) at the age of eighteen.

After only one year of training, she was sent to India to teach in a school called Loretto House, where the students were mostly from rich Indian families. After 15 years there, she left her duties as a teacher to “follow Christ into the slums(贫民窟).” Her heart led her away from the rich to the needs of the poor. She was then 36 years old.

Teresa no longer was affiliated(隶属) with the Irish nuns who sent her to Loreto House but worked independently. However, her work was recognised by the Pope in Rome for she still was a nun. He allowed her to set up her own group, which was called the Missionaries of Charity(仁爱传教修女会).

She no longer dressed as a nun in the European or Irish tradition. Instead, she put on a sari, the local dress of the Indian people. At first, people were sceptical(怀疑的) about her motives. Soon, they realised she was really interested in loving poor people, even those who were dying and had no chance of survival.

Soon, other Indian people began to spare time to help Mother Teresa. She had taught everyone that the poor and dying people need love most of all.

In 1979, she won the Nobel Peace Prize.

1.Why did Mother Teresa become a nun?

A．Her father was killed.	B．The hate of her father’s death.
C．She was looking for a life of love.	D．The poor life of her childhood.

2.Why did she leave her duties as a teacher after 15 years in Loretto House?

A．To be a teacher was too tired	B．The students in Loretto House were rich.
C．She was tired of teaching.	D．The poor in the slums needed her care.

3.Which of the following is WRONG?

A．Mother Teresa was a Catholic.

B．“Sari” is an Indian word that means clothing.

C．At first people didn’t believe her motives.

D．She served poor people in the slums as a teacher.

4.Perhaps the most important lesson the world has learned from Mother Teresa is     .

A．regular assistance	B．food and shelter
C．to care for the poor of the earth	D．protection

 

It was the first mow of winter -- an exciting day for every, child but not for most tether. Up until now, l had been able to dress myself for recess（课间休息）, but today I would need some help. Miss Finlayson, my kindergarten teacher at Princess Elizabeth School near Hamilton, Ontario, had been through first snow days ,tony times in her long career, but I think struggled still remember this one.

I managed to get into my wool snow pants. But I straggled with my jacket because it didn’t fit well. It was a hand-me-down from my brother, and it made me wonder why I had to wear his ugly clothes. At least my hat and matching scarf were mine, and they were quite pretty. Finally it was time to have Miss Finlayson help me with my boots. In her calm, motherly voice she said, "By the end of winter, you will be able to put on own boots. “ I didn’t realize at the time that this was more a statement of hope than of confidence.

I handed her my boots and stuck out my foot. Like most children, I expected the adult to do an the work. After mush wiggling and pushing, she managed to get first one into place and then, with a sigh, worked the second one on too.

I announced，“They’re on the wrong feet．”With the grace that only experience can bring，she struggled to get the boots off and went through the joyless task of putting them on again．Then I said，“These aren’t my boots．you know．”As she pulled the offending boots from my feet，she still managed to look both helpful and interested．Once they were off．I said，“They are my brother’s boots．My mother makes me wear them，and I hate them!” Somehow，from long years of practice，she managed to act as though I wasn’t an annoying little girl．She pushed and shoved．less gently this time，and the boots were returned to their proper place on my feet．With a great sigh of relief，seeing the end of her struggle with me，she asked，“Now，where are your gloves?’’

I looked into her eyes and said．“I didn’t want to lose them．so I put them into the toes of my boots．”

60．According to the passage，the little girl got      from her brother．

A．the wool snow pants and the jacket    B．the jacket and the boots

C．the jacket and the hat                D．the boots and the gloves

61．What made it so hard for the teacher to help the little girl put her boots on?

A．The gloves in the toes of the boots．    B．The slowness of the teacher．

C．The wrong size of the boots．              D．The unwillingness of the girl．

62．It can be inferred that before the little girl finally went out to enjoy the first snow of winter，the teacher had to help her put on her boots       ．

A．once    B．twice    C．three times  D．four times

63．Which of the following sentences from the text BEST indicates that the teacher is very considerate?

A．In her calm，motherly voice she said，“By the end of winter，…”（Paragraph 2）

B．With the grace that only experience can bring，she struggled to…（Paragraph 4）

C．…．she still managed to look both helpful and interested．（Paragraph 4）

D．…，she managed to act as though I wasn’t an annoying little girl.（Paragraph 4）