I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt’s house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.

I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving and never to come back was hardly in my head then.

The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism(乐观), but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to “the hard times.”

My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers(移民局官员), took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.

From my experiences I have learned one important rule: Almost all common troubles go away at last! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.

1.How did the author get to know America?

A. From radio programs B. From books and pictures

C. From her mother D. From her relatives

2.Upon leaving for America the author felt __________.

A. excited B. confused

C. worried D. amazed

3.For the first two years in New York, the author __________.

A. often lost her way

B. did not think about her future

C. studied in three different schools

D. got on well with her stepfather

4.What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?

A. She worked as a translator.

B. She attended a lot of job interviews.

C. She paid telephone bills for her family.

D. She helped her family with her English.

English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world’s books and three quarters of international mail are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary--perhaps as many as two million words.

However, let’s face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweetmeats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes(自相矛盾的说法), we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them.

And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese--so one moose, two meese?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of human beings. That’s why, when stars are out, they are visible; but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.

1.What does the first paragraph mainly talk about?

A. English has a long history. B. English is widely spread.

C. English makes a great difference D. English is used to translate books.

2.Which of the following includes two items that have the similar meaning?

A. A wise man and a wise guy. B. Overlook and oversee.

C. Quite a lot and quite a few. D. Hot as hell and cold as hell.

3.The underlined words “wind up” in the last paragraph probably mean “__”.

A. blow B. roll up

C. get hurt D. finish

4.What does the last paragraph want to show?

A. Human beings are very clever.

B. English is difficult to learn.

C. There are too many words in English.

D. The same words have different meanings.

When I was a boy I didn’t have a smart phone. Home computers were unheard of, and our 13-inch television could only get one channel in clearly. Yet, I was never ___. When spring arrived I would ____ my trusty bike and ride. I would pedal for hours, feel the wind on my face and laugh with ___ as I rode down the hills. When summer came I would find myself _____ every day at the local pool or the river down the hill from my home. I never got sunburned___ I was never out of the water long enough. When it was ____ my friends and I would play football for hours and when the leaves fell we would gather them into huge golden and red ____ to jump in. The first

____ of winter didn’t stop the fun either: my brothers and I would have snowball fights and ____ into the woods to cut down our Christmas tree. ____ I would sit in my favorite chair by the warm, wood stove and read books that carried my_____away to different lands and endless adventures.

Those simple ____ always brought me so much fun, so much laughter, and so much happiness. There was ____ to be bored about because there was always something to do, something to enjoy, and something to_____ I fell a bit sorry for the children of today because they are spending so much time watching and so little time ______

One thing I am______, though, is that even in this technological world the simple pleasures of life can still comfort your soul. A hug still warms your heart. A walk in the woods still ____ your spirit. Petting a dog, playing a game, ____ a hand, and saying “I love you” still make you feel joy. God loves us so much and God gives us the simple pleasures of life to enjoy and to ____. Embrace them all. Welcome them into your day, take them into your heart, and share them with everyone. Live and love as a joyous Child of God today and ____ .

1.A. annoyed B. bored C. frustrated D. confused

2.A. put out B. give out C. pull out D. work out

3.A. optimism B. pressure C. satisfaction D. joy

4.A. swimming B. playing C. fishing D. diving

5.A. though B. once C. while D. because

6.A. vacation B. fall C. evening D. weekend

7.A. sheets B. squares C. piles D. rolls

8.A. frost B. ice C. snow D. cold

9.A. walk B. advance C. steal D. slide

10.A. Soon B. However C. Therefore D. Later

11.A. enthusiasm B. imagination C. emotion D. devotion

12.A. seasons B. memories C. pleasures D. accounts

13.A. nothing B. such C. much D. none

14.A. love B. intend C. attempt D. feel

15.A. sleeping B. living C. traveling D. riding

16.A. sure about B. proud of C. considerate of D. curious about

17.A. loses B. breaks C. calms D. shows

18.A. shaking B. waving C. getting D. holding

19.A. share B. appreciate C. reserve D. possess

20.A. yesterday B. always C. never D. nowadays

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