My father had returned from his business visit to London when I came in, rather late, to supper. I could tell at once that he and my mother had been discussing something. In that half-playful, half-serious way I knew so well, he said, "How would you like to go to Eton?"

     "You bet," I cried quickly catching the joke. Everyone knew it was the most expensive, the most famous of schools. You had to be entered at birth, if not before. Besides, even at 12 or 13, I understood my father. He disliked any form of showing off. He always knew his proper station in life, which was in the middle of the middle class, our house was medium-sized; he had avoided joining Royal Liverpool Golf Club and went to a smaller one instead; though once he had got a second-hand Rolls-Royce at a remarkably low price, he felt embarrassed driving it, and quickly changed it for an Austin 1100.

     This could only be his delightful way of telling me that the whole boarding school idea was to be dropped. Alas! I should also have remembered that he had a liking for being different from everyone else, if it did not conflict with his fear of drawing attention to himself.

     It seemed that he had happened to be talking to Graham Brown of the London office, a very nice fellow, and Graham had a friend who had just entered his boy at the school, and while he was in that part of the world he thought he might just as well phone them. I remember my eyes stinging(刺痛) and my hands shaking with the confusion of my feelings. There was excitement, at the heart of great sadness.

     "Oh, he doesn’t want to go away," said my mother, "You shouldn’t go on like this.” “It’s up to him," said my father. "He can make up his own mind."

The house the writer’s family lived in was ________.

    A. the best they could afford            B. right for their social position

    C. for showing off                      D. rather small

His father sold his Roils-Royce because ________.

     A. it made him feel uneasy               B. it was too old to work well

     C. it was too expensive to possess            D. it was too cheap

The writer’s father enjoyed being different as long as ________.

    A. it drew attention to him                    B. it didn’t bring him in arguments

    C. it was understood as a joke              D. there was no danger of his showing off

What was the writer’s reaction to the idea of going to Eton?

    A. He was very unhappy.               B. He didn’t believe it.

    C. He was delighted.                   D. He had mixed feelings.

What was the writer’s reaction to the idea of going to boarding-school?

   A. He was very unhappy,                   B. He had mixed feelings.

   C. He was delighted,                       D. He didn't believe it.


E
The key to happiness is how quickly you can get back your focus on what’s important.
-----Anonymous
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened. I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car’s back end by just inches!
The driver of the other car, who almost caused a big accident, started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call "The Law of the Garbage Truck."
Many people are like garbage (rubbish) trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.
I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do anymore."
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about. The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by? Here's my bet. You'll be happier. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't.
57. What happened one day when the author was taking a taxi?
A. The taxi almost hit another car.
B. The taxi driver was injured.
C. The author scolded the driver of the other car.
D. The author learned a lesson from the driver of the garbage truck.
58. How did the taxi driver respond to the behaviour of the driver of the black car?
A. He yelled back at the driver.            B. He sent the driver to the hospital.
C. He was friendly towards the driver.  D. He dumped some garbage in front of his car.
59. What can we infer from Paragraph 4?
A. The author used to have a lot of garbage trucks.
B. The author used to complain a lot.
C. The author used to have a lot of money.
D. The author used to be a good manager.
60. According to the passage, what should you do if people “dump garbage” on you?
A. Ignore them and go on with our own work.
B. Try our best to persuade them not to do that again.
C. Tell them to dump the garbage in the right place.
D. Take over their work and carry the garbage to somewhere else. 

Jason had been watching the X Games on TV. Athletes from all over the world were competing in the most amazing sports. Just then his grandmother walked into the room. “I want to be extreme. Would you really let me do that? You always worry about my safety!” said Jason.
“You will have to follow some rules,” said his grandmother. “You can only ride in the park — never on the streets. You have to promise to wear a helmet (头盔). If you hurt yourself too much, I have the right to take your skateboard away. Is it a deal?”
“You bet!” Jason was so excited that he jumped off the sofa. A week later he had a board and a helmet.
On Saturday, his grandmother dropped him off near the park. He was happy to have a grandmother who let him try new things.
Kids in the park were moving quickly up and down the ramps (坡道). They flew into the air and landed as easily as birds. When he watched the X games, Jason felt like he was doing the tricks himself. But watching these kids up close, he knew that none of it was going to be easy. He felt a little bit scared.
Very slowly he carried his board to the ramp. Taking a deep breath, he put his right foot on the board. He kicked off with his left foot. For a few seconds he glided (滑行) along, just waiting to fall. Then he came to a stop. Kicking off again, he waited for the worst to happen. Again, he stayed up. The third time he kicked, lost his balance, and fell hard on his left knee.
It hurt, but it was no big deal! Why had he been so scared? Now he felt calm because things had gone wrong, and he was fine!
Next time he kicked off harder and went fast and farther. “Excellent!” said a girl as she passed him. “Extreme!” laughed Jason to himself. “Not quite.”
【小题1】Jason’s grandmother agreed to let him try skateboarding unless _____.

A.he finished his homework B.he liked the sport
C.he observed some rules D.he won a bet
【小题2】Jason jumped off the sofa because _____.
A.he was allowed to go skateboarding
B.he was angry at his grandmother
C.he was going to play outside
D.he was given a board and a helmet
【小题3】The girl praised Jason for his _____.
A.skill B.honesty C.courage D.kindness

My mind seems always to return to the day when I met Carl. The city bus stopped at a corner to pick up the daily commuters (someone who travels regularly to and from work), a group in which I was included. Boarding the bus, I looked for a place to sit. At last, I found a place near the back.

The man in the seat next to the one I was going for was an older man in a grey suit, well-worn dress shoes, and a black hat like I always pictured reporters wearing, but without the little press card. Seated, I began to read the book I had been carrying, which was Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. The man in the seat next to me introduced himself by asking if I had read any other book like the one I was holding. When I told him I had, he seemed to become interested, and so did I. He introduced himself as Carl and asked if I liked jazz, and I told him that I didn’t really listen to it, and that I liked rock and roll. Waiting for Carl to tell me that I should listen to real music, I was shocked when he just smiled and nodded. He said, "You remind me of myself when I was your age. I remember how my parents hated jazz and how they couldn’t see how I could listen to that awful noise. I bet your parents say the same thing, don’t they?" Now it was my turn to smile, amused with how right he was.

As the bus carried us from one side of the city to the other, Carl and I talked about a lot of different things. The more we talked, the more amazed I became at how much the two of us really had in common, despite the age difference. I haven’t seen him since we parted, but the thought of our connection that day rarely leaves my mind.

       Carl really made me think about how much we can learn from each other if we just break through the blocks between us we’ve got. I mean, I would have never thought before that day that I could have anything in common with someone so much older than I. But Carl taught me that no matter what we are, we are all just people, and that we should make an extra effort to try and get to know our neighbors and people we see every day, regardless of age, race, religion, sex, or anything else. If we all take the time to attempt to understand each other, I think that the world would be a much better place that we could share together, as humans.

1.From the first paragraph we know that the author _____________.

A. did not mind whether there was a seat or not

B. hoped to have a seat when getting on the bus

C. thought the bus was overcrowded

D. looked for a seat but failed

2.The author usually imagined a reporter as one who _____________.

A. liked jazz music

B. enjoyed talking with others

C. liked reading Jack Kerouac’s works

D. usually wore a black hat and press card

3. After talking with Carl, the author realized that _____________.

A. older people were nice to talk to

B. he should have known Carl earlier

C. his parents were so different from Carl in listening to music

D. age was not necessarily a problem in heart-to-heart communication

4.It can be inferred from the passage that _________.

A. the author hasn’t seen the old man since then

B. jazz music used to be more popular than rock and roll

C. the author was not satisfied with human relationships in the world

D. Carl made the author realize we humans live in peace and brotherhood

 

My mother, Marisol Torres, came with her family to Australia in the early 1960s. Then my parents’ marriage ended and Mum began the study of precious stones. Her interest in opals (猫眼石) took her to the New South Wales remote town of Lightning Ridge. There were no luxuries (奢华的享受), but she was closer to nature and had a chance to find black opals and make some money.

My mother was beautiful with dark hair and brown eyes, but she was also quiet and shy. Early in the Ridge years, she kept to herself, but later, she started going to the neighbourhood centre to make friends.

It was her dream to mine, but her get-rich-quick thinking was unrealistic. She was cheated and she was never very successful. But she kept a sense of humour and a charming smile.

Then, just as friendships began to blossom, she was diagnosed with cancer and had to return south for treatment. She had the intention of cooking Spanish food as special treat for her Ridge friends, but died too soon. In her honour, my aunt, Marisa, and I fulfilled her desire when we visited the Ridge in March last year.

People who mine the Ridge come from a cross section of society, from lawyers to travels. Looks don’t mean much: it can be hard to tell who is millionaire and who is poor. Opals attracted Sebastian and Hanna Deisenberger to Lightning Ridge. They planned a two-year stay, but became permanent residents.

Then there’s Neil Schellnegger, 45, who moved to the area with his parents when he was a child. He lives with his son, Luke. Luke is a shy 19-year-old boy who enjoys helping his dad. They haven’t had much luck over the past couple of years, but their passion for opals conquers disappointment. They love the peaceful lifestyle.

Danny Hatcher, 38, is a second-generation miner and president of the Lightning Ridge Miners’ Association. He is an optimistic man, driven by the desire to find the perfect opal. “It’s magic,” he explains. “Once you start opal mining you don’t want to do anything else… There is always the potential for finding a million dollars. Nothing beats it.”

It’s a place where dreams --- spiritual or material --- can be fulfilled; a place, for one last bet in life.

1.What made the author’s mother go to Lightning Ridge?

A.The luxurious life there.                  B.Her new marriage there.

C.Her interest in opals.                     D.Her passion for nature. .

2.After the author’s mother died, she fulfilled her desire by __________.

A.treating her mother’s Ridge friends with Spanish food

B.writing a biography about her whole life

C.decorating her house in Lightning Ridge

D.finding a lot of black opals in Lightning Ridge

3.We know from the passage that _________.

A.the rich and the poor can be distinguished by their looks

B.Luke is a successful miner, just like his father

C.Sebastian is planning to leave Lightning Ridge

D.Danny Hatcher’s parents were miners in Lightning Ridge

4.Lightning Ridge is a place where dreams can be fulfilled because __________.

A.there are precious stones and life is peaceful

B.there are people from all walks of life

C.there are rich people who can help poor people

D.there is a lot of gold hidden in the ground

5.What is the author’s purpose of giving Neil Schellnegger and Danny Hatcher as examples?

A.To show the magic power of opal mining.

B.To tell people it isn’t always hard to mine opals.

C.To warn people not to take up this kind of job.

D.To persuade people to look for more resources for the country.

 

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