Fifteen years ago, I entered the Boston Globe, which was a temple to me then . It wasn’t easy getting hired. I had to fight my way in to a dime-a-word job. But once you were there, I found , you were in .

Globe jobs were for life-guaranteed until retirement. For 15 years I had prospered there—moving from an ordinary reporter to foreign correspondent and finally to senior editor. I would have a lifetime of security if I struck with it.

Instead, I had made a decision to leave.

I entered my boss’s office. Would he rage? I wondered. He had a famous temper. “Matt, we have to have a talk, ” I began awkwardly. “I came to the Globe when I was twenty —four. Now I’m forty . There’s a lot I want to do in life. I’m resigning. ”

“To another paper? ” he asked.

I reached into my coat pocket, but didn’t say anything, not trusting myself just then.

I handed him a letter that explain everything. It said that I was leaving to start a new media company. That the Globe had taught me in a thousand ways. That we were at a rare turning point in history, I wanted to be directly engaged in the change.

“I am glad for you , ” he said , quite out of my expectation. “ I just came from a board of directors meeting and it was seventy-five percent discouraging news. Some of that we can do deal with. But much of it we can’t ,” he went on. “I wish you all the luck in the world, ”be concluded. “And if it doesn’t work out , remember ,your star is always high here.”

Then I went out of his office, walking through the newsroom for more good-byes. Everybody was saying congratulations. Everybody—even though I’d be risking all on an unfamiliar venture : all the financial security I had carefully built up.

Later, I had a final talk with Bill Taylor, chairman and publisher of the Boston Globe. He had turned the Globe into a billion-dollar property.

I’m resigning, Bill, ” I said. He listened while I gave him the story. He wasn’t looking angry of dismayed either. After a pause, he said, “Golly, I wish I were in your shoes.

From the passage we know that the Globe is a famous         .

       A.newspaper              B.magazine         C.temple             D.church

If the writer stayed with the globe,         .

       A.he would be able to realize his lifetime dreams

       B.he would let his long favourite dreams fade away

       C.he would never have to worry about his future life

       D.he would never be allowed to develop his ambitions

The writer wanted to resign because     .

       A.he had serious trouble with his boss

       B.he got underpaid at his job for the Globe

       C.he wanted to work in the new media industry

       D.he had found a better paid job in a publishing house

By “I wish I were in your shoes. ”(in the last paragraph), Bill Taylor meant that     . A.the writer was to fail                                   B.the writer was stupid

       C.he would do the same if possible           D.he would reject the writer’s request

Though I have traveled in hundreds of trains, few unusual things have ever happened to me. But one day in a train something did happen. I do not mean that I was hurt: no one was hurt.
I do my work in a hot country far away from England. Every September I go there to do my business, and every July I come back to England to have a rest. So every September I go to Paris and take a train from the great French city to Mendova, and at Mendova I catch my ship.
There is one very fast train from Paris to Mendova, and it suits me well. It goes as far as Endoran, but it stops at Mendova for a few minutes to let travelers get out or in. It is called The Flying Bluebird. It reaches Mendova at seven minutes past nine in the morning, and it is never late.
A ship leaves Mendova at half past eleven, and so you will understand that The Flying Bluebird suits me very well. I always travel by it, and I have nearly two and a half hours at Mendova to go from the station to the ship. That is more than enough time.
Well, one September night, I took my place in The Flying Bluebird as usual. The train leaves Paris at nine o’clock every night, and I was in my place soon after half past eight. There were three or four people there with me, but very soon a lot of others got into the train. When no more people could sit down, they began to stand up near us and also in the corridor(走廊). In a short time the corridor was full too, and it was impossible for any more travelers to get into the train.
I could see a lot of other people outside the corridor windows, but they could not get in, and the train left Paris without them. The man sitting next to me started to ask all kinds of questions: “Where do you work? How long does it take you to get there? Are you married? How many children do you have? How much money do they pay you every year? How much do you have in the bank? How much do you spend every month?”
He asked questions for about twenty minutes but I did not give him any clear answers, and at last he stopped and began to read the paper.
I usually sleep quite well in the train, but this time I slept only a little. There were too many people, and there were too many things: small bags, large bags, coats, hats, boxes, newspapers and food. As usual, we got angry about the window. Most people wanted it shut, and two of us wanted it open. But that always happens. It was shut all night, as usual.
When I awoke in the early morning I felt hot and dirty, and glad that the journey was reaching its end. At seven minutes past nine The Flying Bluebird stopped. We were at Mendova, and I stood up thankfully. I took my two suitcases, held one in each hand, and tried to move towards the door into the corridor. In order to get out of the train, I had to pass down the corridor to the door at the far end. There was no other way out.
I could not even into the corridor. There was a suitcase on the floor by my feet, and three men were standing in my way. I felt a touch of fear. I had to get out, you see; I had to catch my ship, which left at half past eleven. And the train did not stop again until it reached Endoran, two hundred miles away.
“I must get out!” I cried. Everyone there understood me, but no one could move.
At last I was able to put one foot over the suitcase on the floor, and I nearly reached the door into the corridor. But then, very slowly, the train began to move. It was taking me away!
“Stop!” I cried. “I want to get out!” But no one outside the train could hear me, and the people inside did not care much. The train moved a little faster. What could I do? I was not even in the corridor.
Fear made me think quickly. In front of my eyes, just, above the door, was a notice that told everyone how to stop the train. I had to pull an iron thing near the notice. I did not waste time. I pulled it.
Well, a noise started above our heads. That was to show everyone that there was something wrong. It was not a small sound. Possibly the men in my ship two miles away could hear it. Then the train stopped.
No one likes to stop a train if there is no need. But I had to catch my ship. That was the only thought in my mind: to get out and catch my ship.
【小题1】The purpose of the author writing the first paragraph is to __________.

A.answer some questions B.express some unusual feelings
C.arouse the readers’ curiosityD.give some advice in advance
【小题2】What do we know about the author and the man sitting next to him?
A.They talked with each other all night
B.They got angry about the window
C.The author didn’t understand the man’s words
D.The author didn’t like the man’s foolish questions
【小题3】On this journey on The Flying Bluebird, the author felt uncomfortable because ___________.
A.he couldn’t find a seat by the window
B.he was angry with the man sitting next to him
C.there were too many people on the train
D.the window was kept shut all night
【小题4】It can be learned from Para. 10 that the author was afraid that ____________.
A.he would have to spend another sleepless night on the train
B.he would miss the ship that went where he worked
C.more people might crowd into the train
D.he would have to buy another ticket
【小题5】The noise in the underlined sentence “a noise started above our heads”(Para.15)was made by __________.
A.the angry passengers shouting at the top of their voices
B.the ship that was lying two miles away
C.the falling of boxes and suitcases to the floor
D.the train itself telling people that something was wrong
【小题6】What would be the best title for the text?
A.A Bad Experience on the TrainB.A Train that Is Never Late
C.A Quick and Wise DecisionD.A Journey to Mendova

One evening I went out and left my 17-year-old son in charge of his 8-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister. On this occasion, the work was made less troublesome by the presence of his girlfriend. I left with complete confidence that the older children would do a wonderful job of babysitting the younger children and the younger children would do a wonderful job of accompanying the older ones. Later, I discovered that complete confidence was the last thing I should have left home with.

I had decided to return home earlier than planned so that my son and his girlfriend could go out. I called home with this happy news. But instead of hearing his cheerful, grateful voice on the other end of the line, all I heard was the sound of a telephone ringing.

It was, I should point out, after 10 p.m., when the two younger children should have been in bed, and when the two older children should have been answering the phone. “I’ll give him a lesson,” I said. I decided they must be outside. Why they might be outside at 10:30 on a wintry night I had no idea, but it was the only explanation I could come up with.

Finally, in desperation, I called his girlfriend’s house. After what seemed like countless rings, his girlfriend answered. “Yes,” she said brightly, “He’s right here.”

He came on the phone. I was not my usual calm, rational(理智的) self. After all, one of the rules of survival for modern parents is that you can’t trust modern teenagers. “Where are the children?” I said. He said they were with him. They had done nothing wrong. My son had taken the younger children over to his girlfriend’s house just for ice cream and cake. This was too good to be believed. Well, it turns out that I shouldn’t have believed it. It was only part of the truth.

The following Saturday evening we were at my parents’ home, celebrating my birthday. My oldest son gave me the children’s gifts. Mounted and framed were a series of lovely color photographs of my children, dressed in their best clothes, and wearing their most wonderful expressions. They are pictures to treasure a lifetime, all taken by the father of my son’s girlfriend.

1.51.The author went out and left her eldest son in charge of the younger children because ______.

A. she knew that his girlfriend was a good baby-sitter

B. she believed he could take good care of the younger ones with the help of his girlfriend

C. the older children have always loved the younger ones

D. she could not find a baby-sitter on that winter night

2.52.Shortly after the author left home one evening, she discovered that ______.

A. she shouldn’t have completely trusted her son

B. her son had left home with his girlfriend

C. her son had brought his girlfriend home

D. she should have taken the children along with her

3.53.The sentence “It was only part of the truth.” (Para. 5) implies that the children not only enjoyed ice-cream but also ______.

A. had their pictures taken                B. had a birthday party

C. framed some photographs            D. showed off their best clothes

4.54.Which of the following possible titles best expresses the main idea of this passage?

A. An Evening Out              B. Modern Teenagers

C. A Precious Birthday Gift           D. Mother and Children

 

第二节语法填空(共10小题;每小题1.5分,满分15分)

阅读下面短文,按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求,在空格处填人一个适当的

词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空,并将答案填写在答题卡标号为3l-40的相应位置上。

During My school years I was always struggling to learn English because my parents at the time did not approve of us    31    (speak) English while we were at home. I found out that was causing me problems at school. When writing a paper or essay    32    ideas were not clear. I would confuse words. I was reading poorly. I then started to read a lot of comics, books and   33   (watch) more TV. Talking to my friends in English more often helped. Participating in school events as much as possible was a big plus.

Several years later and now, knowing the English language I felt I could do something to help my parents. I was able to help my parents become US    34     (city). When my parents came to    35    country like other immigrants    36   were afraid that sooner or later they     _  37    (force) to leave for Mexico. I took it upon myself to inform my parents that    38  _   was important for us to take care of this problem. I learned everything I could     39   what we had to do to become permanent Residents. Once we became Residents we decided that we would become US Citizens as well. My taking the time to read and learn about becoming a US Citizen proved there was   40   I could not do.

 

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网