My wife and I used to feel that it was impossible to be a true friend to someone whose name we didn't know.How wrong we were! Years of Sunday-morning bus trips through the city with the same group of “nameless” people have changed our thinking.Before the bus takes off, we all join in a conversation:where's the silent woman who sits up front and never responds to our cheery greetings? Here she comes.Her worn clothing suggests she doesn't have much money to spare, but she always takes an extra cup of coffee for the driver.?
We get smiles from a Mexican couple as they get on the bus hand in hand.When they get off, they're still holding hands.The woman was pregnant late last year, and one day her change of shape confirmed that she'd delivered the child.We even felt a little pride at the thought of our extended family.?
For many months, our only sadness lay in our inability to establish the same friendship with the silent woman at the front of the bus.Then, one evening, we went to a fish restaurant.We were shown to a table alongside someone sitting alone.It was the woman from the bus.?We greeted her with friendly familiarity we'd shown all year, but this time her face softened, then a shy smile.When she spoke, the words escaped awkwardly from her lips.All at once we realized why she hadn't spoken to us before.Talking was hard for her.?
Over dinner; we learned the stay of a single mother with a disabled son who was receiving special care away from home.She missed him desperately, she explained.?
“I love him…and he loves me, even though he doesn't express it very well,” she murmured.“Lots of us have that problem, don't we? We don't say what we want to say, what we should be saying.And that's not good enough.”The candles flared on our tables.Our fish had never tasted better.But the atmosphere grew pleasant, and when we parted as friends-we shared names.
(1)
Which of the following might be the best title of this passage?
[ ]
A.
Friends of the Road
B.
The Silent Woman on the Bus
C.
Going to Work by Bus
D.
Different Kinds of Friendship
(2)
All the following statements can describe the woman except ________.
[ ]
A.
poor
B.
warm -hearted
C.
silent
D.
cold
(3)
The underlined word “establish” in the third paragraph probably has the same meaning as ________.
[ ]
A.
keep
B.
discover
C.
set up
D.
accept
(4)
Why did the woman usually keep silence while taking the bus?
[ ]
A.
She was worried about her disabled son.
B.
She was sad to see the happy Mexican couple us a single mother.
One night when my wife was preparing dinner, our little son took a piece of paper to her which read:
For washing the car $5.00
For making my own bed this week $1.00
Going to the provision shop $0.50
Playing with little sister $0.25
Taking out the rubbish $1.00
Getting a good report card $5.00
And for sweeping the common corridor $2.00
Total $14.75
His mother looked at him standing there expecting payment.I could see a thousand memories flashed through her mind.So she picked up the pen and turning the paper over, this is what she wrote:
For nine months I carried you, growing inside me No Charge
For the nights I sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you No Charge
For the toys, food and clothes and wiping your nose No Charge
When you add it all up, the full cost of my love No Charge
Well, when he finished reading, he had big tears in his eyes.He looked at his mother and said,“Mummy, I love you.”Then he took the pen and in great big letters wrote on the“bill”“All paid.”
(1)
What's the best title for this passage?
[ ]
A.
Part-time Job
B.
Mother's Love, No Charge
C.
Payment for House Work
D.
Greedy Mother
(2)
The write wrote the passage in order to ________.
[ ]
A.
show that children should be paid for their housework
B.
show that children should not be paid for their housework
C.
show a clever way of teaching children
D.
tell children how to spend their spare time
(3)
How do you think of the mother in the passage?
[ ]
A.
Clever
B.
Greedy
C.
Cold-hearted
D.
Selfish
(4)
From the last passage we know that ________
[ ]
A.
the boy got all the money he wanted
B.
the mother was unwilling to give the money to the boy
C.
the boy realized that it was not right to ask for money for the housework
D.
the mother was angry with what the boy said
阅读理解
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel.Green said,“Clearly I am the most important.I am the sign of life and hope.I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves.Without me, all animals would 1 .”
Blue interrupted,“You only think about the 2 , but consider the sky and the sea. 3 the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea.Without my peace, you would all be 4 .”
Yellow chuckled(笑道),“You are all so serious.I bring laughter, fun, and 5 into the world.”
Orange started next to blow her trumpet,“I am the color of health and strength.I may be 6 , but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life.When I fill the sky 7 , my beauty is so striking that no one gives another 8 to any of you.”
Red could stand it 9 and he shouted out,“I am the ruler of all of you.I am the color of danger and of bravery.I am willing to 10 truth.I am also the color of passion and of love.”
Then came Purple and Indigo(深蓝)….
The colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own 11 .Their quarreling became louder and louder.Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder.Rain started to pour down 12 .The colors crouched(蜷缩)down 13 , drawing close to one another for comfort.
In the midst of the clamor(叫嚷), rain began to speak,“You foolish colors, fighting 14 yourselves, each trying to dominate 15 .Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, 16 ?Join hands with 17 and come to me.”
Doing as they were told, the colors 18 and joined hands.They formed a colorful rainbow.From then on, whenever a good rain 19 the world, a rainbow appears in the sky.They remember to 20 one another.