题目内容
It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no address. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years.
It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas. He didn’t hate the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it; overspending, running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and powder for Grandma…
Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.
Our son Kevin, at 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended and before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church, mostly black.
As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear to protect a wrestler’s ears. They obviously could not afford.
Mike shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.”
Mike loved kids—all kids—and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came.
That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church.
On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition.
The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.
The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.
【小题1】Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．Precious Present | B．Christmas Gift |
| C．The Small White Envelope | D．The Good Old Tradition |
| A．He didn’t like the true meaning of Christmas |
| B．He didn’t like people spending too much money on presents |
| C．He hated buying presents for Uncle Harry and Grandma |
| D．He didn’t want to receive gifts like shirts, sweaters or ties. |
| A．make them excited |
| B．make them inspired |
| C．make them lose confidence |
| D．make them kill themselves |
| A．He received some sporting goods |
| B．He found a potential wrestling team |
| C．His son won the wrestling match |
| D．His wife sent presents to those poor kids |
| A．The tradition of sending presents will pass from generation to generation. |
| B．The children were eager to get their new toys ignoring the envelope. |
| C．With the presents, the poor kids will surely win the match one day. |
| D．Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us. |
【小题1】C
【小题2】B
【小题3】C
【小题4】D
【小题5】A
解析试题分析：本文讲述了一种我送给那些贫穷孩子的另类的圣诞节礼物，让我的丈夫很开心，也让这个圣诞节过得更有意义。
【小题1】C 主旨大意题。根据文章主题段第一段It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no address. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years.可知本文主要讲述的就是与这个白色的信封有关的故事，故C正确。
【小题2】B 细节题。根据第二段第二句话He didn’t hate the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it;可知他是不喜欢圣诞节里的商业氛围，即人们多花钱。故B正确。
【小题3】C 推理题。根据“They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.”可知这些孩子很有潜力，但是如果这场比赛输掉可以会影响他们的信心，故C正确。
【小题4】D 推理题。根据本段1,2行That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church.可知我买了很多东西给了这些孩子，这件事情让个我的丈夫很开心。故D正确。
【小题5】A 推断题。根据文章最后一段The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us. 可知这样的传统会一直延续下去，故A正确。
考点：考查故事类短文阅读
点评：本文讲述了一种我送给那些贫穷孩子的另类的圣诞节礼物。本文主旨鲜明,很容易在文中找到答案。做题时要注意文章的首段和每一段的首句或尾句，因为它们往往就是文章的主题句。阅读中要注意要点之间的关系。然后带着问题，再读全文，找出答题所需要的依据，完成阅读任务。
名校课堂系列答案I can’t say which sofa looks better. It’s just a (an) _____ of personal preference.
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A．affair |
B．problem |
C．matter |
D．variety |
The Friday after the American holiday of Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It’s said that it’s the day that store ledgers(分类账)move into the black and companies become profitable. On that day, retailers slash(砍) prices to get consumers to buy. It is also a time when many Americans start their Christmas shopping. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee tells us how the economy may affect consumers on that bargain day.
This day should be a shopper’s dream. “It’s just the deals, the sales and everything you can get for a lesser price,” said Sandy Thomas, a shopper. But it’s a nightmare for others. “I think it’s crazy. I’ve done all of my shopping throughout the week so I don’t have to go out on Friday,” she said. It’s called Black Friday, the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States. Every year it’s the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stores open before sunrise and there are deep discounts everywhere you look.
Last year a crowd of bargain-hunters killed a Wal-mart worker in a New York suburb. This year, many stores are increasing security while they slash prices. “This is a huge time for the retail stores,” said Fred Joutz from George Washington University. “This is when they begin making their profits for the year.”
Economics professor Fred Joutz says how Americans spend the weekend after Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.
With the unemployment rate above 10 percent, Joutz says Americans are saving more and spending less. Some retailers are attracting consumers by opening on Thanksgiving Day, when shops are traditionally closed. Other stores open their doors anywhere from midnight to four in the morning.
And shoppers will be lining up in front of the doors in order to be one of the first ones to walk through and get a big discount. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually the first items to go. Sandy Thomas says it’s an annual family tradition and well worth it. “I just save maybe half of what I would have spent on a regular, you know, shopping trip,” she said.
Economists say U.S. consumers will spend money this Black Friday, but they will spend it more carefully.
1.By saying “This day should be a shopper’s dream”, the writer means ________ .
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A．shoppers have longed for this day for a long time |
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B．the shops will be very crowded on that day |
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C．the shops will keep open until the daybreak of next day |
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D．shoppers can buy many items at low prices on that day |
2.Why are many stores increasing security according to the passage?
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A．Because there are too many people saving more and spending less. |
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B．Because it’s a time when they begin making their profits for the year. |
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C．Because last year a crowd of bargain-hunters caused an accident. |
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D．Because many stores open their doors from midnight to four a.m. |
3.From the passage we know that_________.
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A．Christmas shopping is traditional time and this year it is no exception. |
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B．Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually least discounted. |
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C．The economy only affects consumers on that bargain day. |
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D．Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future. |
4.We can find this passage in_________.
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A．a science fiction |
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B．a travel brochure |
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C．an economic research report |
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D．a book on psychology |
5.Why American people call it a black day?
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A．Because they organize activities in honor of some great person. |
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B．Because there are too many people going out shopping for Christmas. |
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C．Too many people are celebrating Thanks giving. |
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D．The sky is black that day. |