We have two daughters: Kristen is seven years old and Kelly is four. Last Sunday evening, we invited some people home for dinner. I dressed them nicely for the party, and told them that their job was to join Mommy in answering the door when the bell rang. Mommy would introduce them to the guests, and then they would take the guests’ coats upstairs and put them on the bed in the second bedroom.
The guests arrived. I introduced my two daughters to each of them. The adults were nice and kind and said how lucky we were to have such good kids.
Each of the guests made a particular fuss over Kelly, the younger one, admiring her dress, her hair and her smile. They said she was a remarkable girl to be carrying coats upstairs at her age.
I thought to myself that we adults usually make a big “to do” over the younger one because she’s the one who seems more easily hurt. We do it with the best of intentions.
But we seldom think of how it might affect the other child. I was a little worried that Kristen would feel she was being outshined. I was about to serve dinner when I realized that she had been missing for twenty minutes. I ran upstairs and found her in the bedroom, crying.
I said, “What are you doing, my dear?”
She turned to me with a sad expression and said, “Mommy, why don’t people like me the way they like my sister? Is it because I’m not pretty? Is that why they don’t say nice things about me as much?”
I tried to explain to her, kissing and hugging her to make her feel better.
Now, whenever I visit a friend’s home, I make it a point to speak to the elder child first.
【小题1】The underlined expression make a big to do over (paragraph 4) means _____.

A.show much concern aboutB.have a special effect on
C.list jobs to be done forD.do good things for
【小题2】   The guests praised Kelly for carrying coats upstairs because of her _____.
A.beautiful hairB.pretty clothes
C.lovely smileD.young age
【小题3】Kristen felt sad and cried because _____.
A.the guest gave her more coats to carry
B.she didn’t look as pretty as Kelly
C.the guests praised her sister more than her
D.her mother didn’t introduce her to the guests
【小题4】   We can conclude from the passage that _____.
A.parents should pay more attention to the elder children
B.the younger children are usually more easily hurt
C.people usually like the younger children more
D.adults should treat children equally

第二节:完形填空(共20小题,每小题1.5分,满分30分)

阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从36-55各题所给的四个选项A、B、C和D中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

When I was ten, my family moved to a housing project in East Los Angeles. Even though we struggled to make  36  meet, my parents stressed to me .  37  fortunate we were to live in a great country with  38  opportunities. They imbued(灌输) in me the  39  of family, faith and love for our country.

The following year, my dad, Benjamin, injured his back working in a cardboard-box factory and was  40  as a hairstylist. He rented space in a shopping mall and gave his shop the fancy name of Mr Ben's Coiffure.

The owner of the shopping center gave Dad a discount on his  41  for cleaning the parking lot three nights a week, which  42  getting up at 3 a.m. To pick up trash, Dad used a little machine that looked like a lawn mower  43  Morn and I emptied garbage cans and picked up litter  44  .

I did this job for two years, but the lessons I learned have  45  a lifetime. I acquired discipline, a strong work ethic and a  46  attitude towards life, I also learned at an early age the importance of  47  life's competing interests---in my  48  , school, homework and a job. All  49  helped during my senior year of high school, when I worked 40 hours a week at a fast-food restaurant while  50  precollege courses.

The hard work paid off. I attended the U.S. Military Academy and went on to receive graduate 51  in law and business from Harvard,  52  I joined a big Los Angeles law firm. In these jobs and in everything else I've done, I have never forgotten those days in the parking lot. The experience has  53 me that there is dignity in all work and that if people are working to  54  themselves and their families that is something we should  55  .

36. A. ends        B. demands     C. challenges  D. friends

37. A. so         B. what      C. why       D. how

38. A. priceless      B. resistless     C. limitless     D. sightless

39. A. efforts     B. decisions    C. concepts     D. activities

40. A. retired     B. resigned  C. replaced     D. retrained

41. A. sales        B. rent      C. machine    D. shop

42. A. meant      B. kept       C. needed    D. started

43. A. since       B. although     C. when     D. while

44. A. with joy    B. on purpose C. by hand   D. in time

45. A. proved     B. impressed   C. marked    D. lasted

46. A. practical      B. pleasant      C. positive      D. tolerant

47. A. developing   B. balancing   C. comparing  D. facing

48. A. case       B. example     C. dream     D. attempt

49. A. generally   B. lately      C. really          D. typically

50. A. applying      B. doing     C. following   D. taking

51. A. titles        B. instructions C. chances      D. degrees

52. A. after that      B. ever since  C. after which       D. after then

53. A. equipped      B. prepared   C. taught          D. guided

54. A. serve for      B. feed on    C. provide for       D. count on

55. A. believe    B. honor    C. remember  D. support

 

It was a week before Christmas, but things were far from cheery. Our task was to deliver as many boxes of food as possible to those in need in Camden, New Jersey. There were no Christmas carolers (唱颂歌的人) walking these streets that were lined with boarded-up (用木板封住的) houses and broken windows. Mothers kept their children close as they hurried down the streets.  It was mid-afternoon, but even the bright sun couldn't warm this place.

Red tickets in the windows marked which houses we were to visit. Our white truck stopped in front of one townhouse and our group knocked on the door. In our arms were boxes filled with ham, bread and other essentials to make the perfect Christmas dinner. Four small faces glanced through the curtains and one exhausted mom answered the door. She seemed embarrassed to be caught in her nightgown with undone hair. She was in her mid-20s, but her rough skin and tired eyes added years.

"Sacred Heart food delivery service," I smiled. "Where can we put this for you?"

She pointed and as we entered the house, I noticed the conditions they lived in. The children climbed around, wearing only diapers (尿布). There were no carpets, only cold concrete beneath our feet. There was no Christmas tree or decorations. My heart sank. It was so cold, and I found it hard to believe that this was reality for this family. We set the boxes down and the mother grabbed my hand.

"You don't know how much of a blessing this is to me and my family," she said, crying. "We are just getting by." I opened my arms and gave her a hug.

"Happy holidays!" I replied before I headed out the door. I realized how warm I felt inside.

This was unlike anything I had ever experienced. We cannot help what family we are born into, but we can help each other.

1.From Paragraph 1, we can infer that Camden may be a place where ________.

    A. the living conditions were terrible B. people had no belief

    C. there was no sign of life           D. little sunshine was received

2.What impression did the woman leave on the author?

    A. She was shy and cold to visitors.  B. She was confident and energetic.

    C. She wasn't good at dressing herself up.                D. She looked much older than her age.

3.By saying "We are just getting by", the woman meant __________.

    A. they were waiting for help          B. they were looking for food and clothing                                               

    C. they were going to move away        D. they were living a very poor life                                                    

4.The passage mainly tells us that _______________.

    A. the poor can also help others       B. assisting the poor needs actions

    C. people should help each other   D. having more children causes poverty

 

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