题目内容
YOUR mom might cook a bowl of noodles for you on your birthday. But in the US, a mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birthday.
Cupcakes are small, round cakes topped with frosting (糖霜). It has been an American tradition that moms bring cupcakes to the classroom to celebrate their child’s birthday.
But recently some doctors have called for this to be banned. They believe cupcakes contribute to child obesity.
Despite their good intentions, however, some people believe that experts are interfering (妨碍) with American culture. The cupcake is seen as American as apple pie — only prettier.
According to Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, the cupcake is the most democratic (民主的) of desserts. As they are small enough for one person, you don’t have to share your cupcake with anyone — it’s all yours. They are also all the same size, so there can’t be any cries of 
“she got the bigger piece!”
Each bite can taste different depending on how much icing you have. It is a lesson in self- determination. Some people eat only a little of the frosting every time, others have it all in just one bite.
In recent years, eating a cupcake has become as trendy as having a cup of Starbucks coffee.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton jokingly promised on a talk show that if she was electe
d president, she would give everyone a cupcake on her birthday.
Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine, explains that the rise of the cupcake is very much about going back to American national identity in food, which is all about comfort. “People want to think about when they and their country were innocent,” she said.
【小题1】According to the passage, it has been an American tradition that ___________.
| A．the family holds a party for children on their birthday |
| B．a mom cooks a bowl of noodles for her children on their birthday |
C．a mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birt hday and brings it to the classroom |
| D．parents go travelling with their children on their birthday |
| A．Because they themselves don’t like cupcakes. |
| B．Because they think cupcakes are not so delicious. |
| C．Because they believe cupcakes will cause cries of “She got the bigger piece”. |
| D．Because they believe cupcakes are one of the causes to make children become fat. |
| A．The cupcake is more democratic than any other desserts in the US. |
| B．The cupcake is too small to share with others. |
| C．The sizes of cupcakes are the same so it’s equal to everyone. |
| D．Cupcakes will lead to child obesity so they should be banned. |
| A．popular | B．gentle | C．delicious | D．different |
| A．To arouse the readers’ attention to banning the tradition of making cupcakes. |
| B．To show that cupcakes are becoming a popular way to show kindness and comfort. |
| C．To make a comparison between them in order for readers to remember them. |
| D．To give readers some idea of cupcakes so as to better understand the American culture |
【小题1】C
【小题1】D
【小题1】D
【小题1】A
【小题1】B
解析
When I was a child, my mom liked to make food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night 36 when she made dinner after a long, 37 day at work.
On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned toast in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone 38 ! Yet all my dad did was to 39 his toast, smile at my mom, and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I 40 him that night, but I do remember 41 him smear(涂上)butter on that toast and eat 42 bite!
43 I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom 44 to my dad for burning the toast. 45 I’ll never forget what he said: “Baby, I 46 burnt toast.”
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy 47 and I asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, “Son, your mom 48 a hard day at work today and she’s really 49 . And besides, a little burnt toast never 50 anyone!”
You know, life is full of imperfect things…and imperfect people. I’m not the best housekeeper or cook. What I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s 51 and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy and 52 relationship.
And this is my prayer for you today: you’ll learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and 53 them at the feet of God, because 54 , he’s the only one who will be able to give you a relationship where burnt toast isn’t a deal-breaker(煞风景)！
We could extend(推广)this to any relationship in fact 55 understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!
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“Hurry, Mommy! Let’s go trick-or-treating!” My daughter waited by the door in her pink princess skirt while I prayed in the living room. Usually I liked taking her out on Halloween, but this year I was sad. I was worried about my mother, who was in China on vacation. I got a call that afternoon that she had slipped and fallen on the hard floor of her hotel and broken her leg. She was taken to a hospital in Beijing. Mom was nervous because she couldn’t understand any of the doctors. If only I could do something to help her!
I knew I couldn’t let my worries spoil my daughter’s fun. There was nothing I could do for Mom except pray, I thought. We left the house and went down the block. I was so upset that I hardly took notice of the kids around me. There came the man to whose son I’d once given piano lessons. “Hello there,” I said, greeting him and the boy at his side.
“Hello,” the father answered. “Having fun?”“I’m trying,” I said. “Why, what’s wrong?” he asked. I told him the whole story. “My mother, in China, broke her leg and didn’t understand any of the doctors. And I’m too far away to do anything!” I said.
He raised his eyebrows. “Beijing, you said?” he asked. I nodded. He smiled. “Believe it or not, my sister is a doctor at an English-speaking hospital there. If you want, I’ll make a call right away and we’ll try and get your mom transferred (转移).”
A few days later I sat in the living room with my daughter as she finished the last of the candy. “Mommy, how far away is China?” she asked. “Not as far as I thought,” I said.
【小题1】What did the author’s daughter want to do?
| A．Pray with the author. | B．Enjoy herself outside. |
| C．Play a trick on her mom. | D．Go to the theatre to see a play. |
| A．She couldn’t get used to the life in Beijing. |
| B．She was hurt in the leg badly while travelling. |
| C．She was too old and weak to pray for her daughter. |
| D．She couldn’t make herself understood by the doctor. |
| A．she was calling her mother | B．she felt very sad at that time |
| C．she was about to give a lesson | D．she couldn’t find her daughter |
| A．the man’s sister would help the author’s mother |
| B．the author would come to China to see her mother |
| C．the author was a famous music teacher in the town |
| D．the author’s daughter wanted to travel in China |
Are you the type of person who always says“yes”？I’ve come to learn that it is very im-portant to learn to say NO！It’s okay. People are still going to like you. They may even respect you more because they know you are honest.
I，m not saying to say“no" to someone who really needs your help. I’m talking about re-fusing that meeting that you really do not want to attend or that birthday party that you don’t want to be a guest at.
Think for a moment how you feel when you say YES to something that you really don’t want to do. If you’re like I once was，you can’t sleep at night and you think about it too much. It weighs on your mind. You try to find ways out. Whatever you’re saying to yourself，if you really wanted to go，you wouldn’t have all of these thoughts.
So，why not just say NO from the beginning? Maybe you feel like if you don’t show up at the meeting（by the way，it is not one you must attend) your boss isn’t going to like you or your co-workers won’t respect you. Maybe you feel as if your mom，dad or sisters won’t love you as much if you don’t do everything for them that they ask every occasion.
If these people are your true friends，family members，or a good boss，they will like or love you the same no matter what. People treat you the way you teach them to，and if you’re some-one who always says“yes" then that’s what they，re expecting.
You need to do what is right for you. Of course we do have real obligations in life to ful-fill，but we do not have to do everything others want us to do.
【小题1】Which of the following statements would the writer agree with？
| A．We should try to do what our friends ask us to do. |
| B．We should help others in need. |
| C．Always saying“yes" means you are dishonest. |
| D．Always saying“no" means you are brave. |
| A．Saying "yes"． |
| B．A friend's birthday party. |
| C．Something you’re unwilling to do. |
| D．Something you think difficult to do. |
| A．have the same relationship with them as before |
| B．have a loose relationship with them |
| C．disappoint them |
| D．upset them |
| A．Learn to Make a Right Choice | B．To Be Yourself |
| C．Do What You Want to Do | D．Learn to Say No |
Mom was right! If you say thank you, for even the smallest gift or slightest show of kindness, you’ll feel happy.
Gratitude, says Robert A. Emmons, a professor or psychology at the University of California, is an important element of happiness. In his recent took, Thanks!, Emmons uses the first major study on gratitude to prove mom’s point. In acknowledging and developing this much-ignored expression of thankfulness, he explains how people have benefited---- even improved their health.
As one of the leading scholars of the positive psychology movement, he admits gratitude may be difficult to express. He advises you to begin by admitting that life is good and full of events and elements that make daily existence a wonder. Second, recognize that the source of life’s goodness is more than just you. That source may be your mom, a friend, partner, child, colleague at work or play, or any combination of these.
Gratitude is always other-directed, notes Emmons. You can be pleased or angry with yourself and feel guilty about doing something wrong, but you can never be grateful to or for yourself.
Expressing gratitude shouldn’t be a reaction; it should be a state of mind. To feel grateful when life is a breeze and you have more than you need is easy. To feel grateful in time of crisis---- anger, hatred and bitterness----is easier. Also, too many people are aware of life’s blessings only after these are lost.
It’s crisis and chaos ---- danger, disease, disability and death ---- that bring many individuals to realize just how dependent they are on others. Yet it’s the way each of us begins life and ends it. It’s too bad that so many people waste those decades in between labouring under the illusion they are self-sufficient, says Emmons.
The abundance of voices expressing gratitude from his studies of individuals with chronic health problems is many. But Emmons goes beyond his “groundbreaking” science to make his case for gratitude by including the inspirational writings of philosophers, novelists and saints, as well as the beliefs of various religions and their respective scriptures. Taken together, these observations are summed up quite nicely by famous humanist Albert Schweitzer, who said the secret of life is “giving thanks for everything.”
To enable and embrace gratitude, Emmons encourages the readers of Thanks! To keep a gratitude diary. He even provides easy-to-follow directions on how to practice and develop gratitude.
I’m not a reader or advocate of self-help books, but I am thankful for the reference I found in a newspaper article to the research Emmons was conducting on gratitude involving organ donors and recipients. The chance discovery led me to this book.
Mom implied that kindness seems to find its way back to the giver because life really is all about giving, receiving and repaying. So I’ll pay attention to her professional advice and say: Thank you, professor Emmons.
【小题1】What is the text mainly discussed?
| A．There are many ways of being thankful. |
| B．Gratitude is important to happiness. |
| C．Mom is great for her being thankful. |
| D．Being thankful will keep you fit. |
A. Professor Emmons supports mom’s study on psychology.
B. mom is as great a psychologist as Professor Emmons.
C. Professor Emmons is a famous psychologist.
D. mom is right about her viewpoint on gratitude.
【小题3】It will be easier for you to feel grateful when ___________.
| A．you live a comfortable life |
| B．you receive gifts on your birthday |
| C．you get help during your hard times |
| D．you are congratulated on your success |
| A．It is enough to thank others orally. |
| B．Whether you are thankful is always up to you. |
| C．Remember to be thankful anytime and anywhere. |
| D．It is easier to be thankful for yourself than for others. |
| A．one-sided | B．reasonable | C．puzzling | D．helpful |