In our old neighborhood, neighbors chatted over fences．Newcomers were welcomed with chocolate and bread．It had been easy to find friends there．Our new community was different．It seemed that family roots grew deep, deep as the Mississippi River that flowed past the tiny river town．
We'd moved to decrease my husband's distance to work．Only thirty miles．
After living there for six months, I was ready to move back home．I was lonely without a friend．My three boys were lonely．My husband, Lonny, seemed okay, but he spent his days at work．
Lonny noticed my sinking disposition．
“Shawnelle, you look unapproachable,” he said．He and I were sitting in lawn chairs．Samuel, our three-year-old son sat in his own little chair．
“What do you mean?”“Body language．You placed our chairs fifteen yards away from everyone else．”
“It doesn't matter．I'm not going to have friends here．” Just then Samuel looked up．“Mom's right, Dad．And we just want to go home．”
That's when I knew that I needed an adjustment．I didn't want my boys to learn that the way to work through a tough time was to use a wounded and bitter attitude．
Over the next few months I smiled when I didn't feel like it．We signed up for reading programs at the library and often visited parks and the bike path along the river．
One afternoon Samuel and I climbed up the stairs to the library activity room．A woman who I hadn't seen before sat at a long table with a tiny boy．
“Hi,” she said．“I'm Tammy．Do you need a seat? There's one right here．”
I sat down next to Tammy．Soon class was over, and we still had a lot to say．“Why don't you come over later?” Tammy asked．“I live on a farm．There's plenty of room for the kids to run．” We went．And since that day, we've been back a million times．
When I look back, I'm grateful for that tough time．I learned to persevere．I'm glad I didn't give up．
And as for my boys, they learned a lesson too．“Keep moving forward,” is what I tell them．“Your heart will follow．”
(1)
Why did the writer move to a new neighborhood?
[ ]
A．
To find a part-time job in the library．
B．
To make new friends with the local people．
C．
To enjoy the beauty of the Mississippi River．
D．
To make her husband go to work conveniently．
(2)
Shawnelle decided to keep going when ________．
[ ]
A．
Tammy encouraged her to join conversations
B．
Samuel expressed his wish to go back home
C．
Lonny pointed out the mistakes of her body language
D．
Tammy invited her to go to her farm
(3)
Shawnelle mentioned her friendship with Tammy to prove ________
[ ]
A．
women seemed to have endless words to say
B．
Tammy was rich to have room for kids
C．
her family had finally fitted in the new place
D．
Tammy's farm was suitable for kids to play on
(4)
What lesson did Shawnelle teach her kids?
[ ]
A．
Have a dream in difficult times．
B．
Never break up with old friends．
C．
Be careful in making friends．
D．
Keep up in a tough time．
(5)
What does the underlined word disposition in the fourth paragraph probably mean?
Student Date of Birth：19/08/1988 Department of Education and Training
International Students Centre
Hong Xue 827-839 George Street PO Box 707
60 Waratah Street Broadway NSW 21007
Croydon Park NSW 2133 Phone：(612)9217 4801 1300 302 456
Fax：(612)9212 6721
http：//www.tafensw.edu.au/international/
WARNING LETTER
Dear Hong Xue,
As you are aware, your student visa regulations set out a number of conditions applying to your visa．It has come to our attention that you are failing to meet the following conditions：You must maintain accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements that have been approved by your education provider if you：
●have not turned 18; and
●are not staying in Australia with：
－a parent
－a custodian(监护人); or
－a relative who has been nominated(指定)by your parent or a custodian, is aged at least 21 and is of good character．
Note：You must not change those arrangements without the written approval of your education provider．
You must obey the following rules：
1．During term time you must：
a)remain in your homestay during the school term;
b)come home every night; and
c)inform your guardian at all times of your whereabouts．
2．On weekends you must：
a)have your guardian's permission to stay with friends; and
b)inform your guardian of the name, address and phone numbers of people you are visiting．
3．You must return your guardian's telephone calls．
This will be your only warning．If you continue to breach(违反)your student visa regulations we will report you to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs．Such action may lead to the cancellation(取消)of your student visa．Please contact me on(612)9217 4801 or fax(612)9212 6721 if you have questions about your enrolment．
Yours sincerely
Tracey Carlon
Student Advisor
International Students Centre
NSW Department of Education and Training
(1)
What's the purpose of writing this letter?
[ ]
A．
To remind the recipient of the conditions for applying for a student visa．
B．
To warn the recipient not to do anything against his student visa regulations again．
C．
To tell the recipient how to contact his student advisor．
D．
To inform the recipient of the student visa regulations．
(2)
What can be learned about the recipient from this letter?
[ ]
A．
He is under 18 and studies in Australia with his parents．
B．
He is required to come home every night according to the rules．
C．
He can stay with his friends on weekends if permitted．
D．
His student Visa has been cancelled．
(3)
To which address should the recipient reply if he feels like answering the letter?
[ ]
A．
Hong Xue at 60 Waratah Street, Croydon Park NSW 2133．
B．
Tracey Carlon at the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs．
C．
Hong Xue at NSW Department of Education and Training．
D．
Tracey Carlon at 827-839 George Street, PO Box 707, Broadway NSW 21007．
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．
