Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to support our family. Once I came out of the kitchen, complaining, “Mom, I can’t peel(剥……的皮) potatoes. I have only one hand.”

Mom never looked up from sewing. “You get yourself into that kitchen and peel those potatoes,” she told me. “And don’t ever use that as an excuse for anything again!”

In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod to the next. When it was my turn, I shook my head. Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying.

That night I told Mom about it. She hugged me, and I saw her “we’ll see about that” look. The next afternoon, she took me back to school. At the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars.

“Now, pull up with your right arm,” she advised. She stood by as I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook the bar with my other elbow(肘). Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung I reached. I’ll never forget the next time, crossing the rungs, I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open.

One night, after a dance at my new junior high, I lay in bed sobbing. I could hear Mom come into my room. “Mom,” I said, weeping, “none of the boys would dance with me.”

For a long time, I didn’t hear anything. Then she said, “Oh, honey, someday you’ll be beating those boys off with a bat.” Her voice was faint. I peeked(窥视) out from my covers to see tears running down her cheeks. Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf(利益). She had never let me see her tears.

1. Which of the following expressions can be used most suitably to describe Mom’s attitude when she made the child to peel potatoes?

A.Cruel.                                B.Serious.

C.Cold.                                 D.Strict

2. What does the sentence “I saw her ‘we’ll see about that’ look” imply(暗示)?

A.Mom believed every aim could be achieved if you stuck to it.

B.The race across monkey bars was not difficult enough for a child to give up.

C.Mom was determined to prove she herself was better than the teacher.

D.What the child had said brought Mom great attraction and curiosity.

3. When the child looked down at the kids, they were standing with their mouths open because _________.

A.they felt sorry for what they had done before

B.they were afraid the author might fall off and get hurt

C.they were astonished to find the author’s progress

D.they wanted to see what the author would do on the bars

4.The most probable conclusion we can draw after reading the passage is ______.

A.the last incident was sad enough to make Mom weep

B.the child’s experience reminded Mom of that of her own

C.Mom could solve any problem except the one in the last paragraph

D.in fact Mom suffered more in the process of the child’s growth

 

Your Car Is Ready for Take-off

The flying car has been talked about for many years,but now it appears that the idea is about to become a reality.

An international company has built a two-seater plane that, at the touch of a button ,transforms into a car perfectly suitable for driving on public roads. It has been designed so that the wings fold up automatically; and it takes just 15 seconds to switch between flying and driving. With its wings fully open and the propeller(螺旋桨)spinning, it can take off from any airfield.

Flying cars are quicker than traditional ones for travelling from city to city,and they can run on ordinary fuel. Another big advantage is that they are cool ,like something you would see in an action film. At the moment 9 however, the flying car’s wheels are illegal to leave the ground. That is not because of technical reasons or problems with the design. It is because the various road and aircraft authorities simply cannot agree on whether it is a car or a plane.

“The government and the authorities have never thought seriously about a flying car, says Alan Price ,the president of the company that has developed it. “I wanted a car that could fly and drive ,but it is difficult to find an organization prepared to insure the vehicle against accidents.

Nevertheless ? the company hopes to produce and deliver its first flying car soon. The company already has orders for 40 of them. The majority the potential customers are older and some are retired。There have even been orders from some people who have no pilot's license.

The flying car will cost around $ 200.000. “For an airplane thats a very reasonable price, but for a car, It's quite expensive,” explains Alan. “But it just is not possible to make a $ 10,000 flying car yet. ”

This latest means of transport will not become a mass-market item in the near future,but in the long term it has the potential to change the way you travel. It will become no more expensive than driving your car on the motorway. Travel time could be reduced by more than half.

So the next time you are told to fasten your seat belt, it may be to prepare for take-off.

1.We know from the passage that the flying car______

A.has to run on special fuel                 B.will replace traditional planes

C.is popular with the rich                   D.can shift between two forms

2.The flying car is presently forbidden to take off because______.

A.many people think driving it not very safe

B.it’s hard to decide whether it's a car or a plane

C.the government and the authorities don’t accept it

D.there are still some technical problems to be solved

3.We can learn from the passage that______.

A.few people will be able to afford a flying car

B.flying cars may share the market in the future

C.traffic jams will disappear because of flying cars

D.driving a flying car doesn’t require a pilot’s license

 

Are you a big fan of pirate(海盗) stories? Do you know how to talk like a pirate? You can have fun on September 19th. This special holiday is called International Talk Like A Pirate Day. It was invented in 1995 by two young Americans, John Baur and Mark Summers.

These two good friends came up with this idea when they were playing racquetball, and began to talk like pirates. At that moment, they thought, “Young people are interested in pirate, but there is no such a chance for people to get together to share it. Why not have a day when everybody talks like a pirate?” They decided to make September 19th the date. Since then, Baur and Summers have tried hard to promote Talk Like A Pirate Day. As Baur said, “We’ve talked like pirates, and encouraged several of our friends to do so every September 19th.”

At first, this day was only known by a few people. In 2002, Baur and Summers sent a letter about their invented holiday to Dave Barry. This columnist(专栏作家)really liked their idea. He promoted the holiday and made it known to more and more people. Now, it has really become an international holiday. On Talk Like A Pirate Day, you need to dress like a pirate. You should wear a big hat or maybe cover one of your eyes. You can pretend to be any kind of pirate that you can find in any story or movie.

Having fun and being relaxed are not the only best things about the holiday. Young people share the same interest and childhood dreams that day. That's why it is welcomed by so many people, especially young people.

Unlike traditional holidays, International Talk Like A Pirate Day is a brand new holiday which is invented by the youth themselves and celebrated by themselves too. Because of Baur and Summers’ imagination and creativity, thousands of young people’s pirate dream come true. Next time, when you have a good idea, why not share it with your fiends and insist on your belief? Maybe you can create another wonderful holiday for the youth in the future.

1.How did John Baur and Mark Summers invent the special holiday?

A.Many young people asked them to do it

B.They did it just for pleasure

C.They did it in order to honor pirates

D.They thought out the idea by chance and imagination

2.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A.It was Dave Barry who made more people know the holiday.

B.Talk Like A Pirate Day is a young, active and lively holiday

C.The holiday has been popular since the birth of it.

D.Thanks to John Baur and Mark Summers’ imagination and creativity, many people realize the pirate dream.

3.According to the passage, which of the following can show that the holiday is special?

A.It is a brand new holiday invented and celebrated by the youth themselves.

B.It is a wonderful and instructive holiday.

C.It has a long history.

D.People can make their dream come true on this day.

4.Which of the following can serve as the best title of the passage in a newspaper?

A.Young people’s pirate dream

B.Can you talk like a pirate?

C.John Baur and Mark Summers

D.September 19th—a traditional day in honor of pirates

 

Why is pink or purple a color for girls and blue or brown for boys?

    The answer depends largely on cultural values as well as personal experiences. To the Egyptians, green was a color that represented the hope and joy of spring, while for Muslims, it means heaven. Red is a symbol of good luck in many cultures. In China, children are given money in a red envelope to bring good fortune in the New Year. For many nations, blue is a symbol of protection and religious beliefs. Greek people often wear a blue necklace hoping to protect themselves against evils(灾祸).

    People’s choice of colors is also influenced by their bodies’ reactions (反应)toward them. Green is said to be the most restful color. It has the ability to reduce pain and relax people both mentally and physically. People who work in green environment have been found to have fewer stomach aches.

    Red can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise and increase people’s appetites(食欲). Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant. Similarly, many commercial websites will have a red “Buy Now” button because red is a color that easily catches a person’s eye.

    Blue is another calming color. Unlike red, blue can cause people to lose appetite. So if you want to eat less, some suggest that eating from blue plates can help.

    The next time you are deciding on what to wear or what color to decorate your room, think about the color carefully.

1.Muslims regard green as a symbol of heaven mainly because of their        .

   A. cultural values                      B. commercial purposes

   C. personal experiences                D. physical reactions to the color

2.Why will many commercial websites have a red “Buy Now” button?

   A. To relax people physically.

   B. To increase people’s appetites.

   C. To encourage people to make a purchase.

   D. To cause a person’s blood pressure to rise.

3.What color might help lose weight according to the text?

   A. Red                 B. Green.         C. Blue.            D. Purple.

4.Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?

   A. Colors and Human Beings        B. The Cultural Meaning of Color

   C. Colors and Personal Experiences   D. The Meaning and Function of Color

 

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