Do you know what the White House is? Perhaps some of you do，while others don't.

　The White House is a house in Washington. The president of the U.S.A. lives in it. It's really white. But do you know why the White House is white? The story happened in 1812. That year England was at war with America. The British army got to Washington and set the president's house on fire. In 1814，in order to hide the marks of the fire，the stone walls of the president's house were painted white and it has been the “White House”ever since.

1. White House is a house for ___________.

　　  A. the American people.　　  B. the soldiers of U.S.A.   C. the presidents of U.S.A.　 

2.England fought with America in ____________.

　　  A. 1810　　　　　　       B. 1812　　　 C. 1814　　　  　　 

3. The house is called “White House” because ____________.

　　  A. it's covered with snow      B. the house is very clean

 C. the stone walls of the house were painted white

4.The White House was painted white because ____________.

　　  A. the house is old　　  B. the house is new  C. it was once on fire and was with marks

5. “ever since” means ___________.

　　  A. never　　               B. once　　   C. from then on　　

When I was nine years old, I used to go to the post office with my mother, sending greeting cards to my aunt in Singapore. To me, these trips were really　 16 memories. And receiving mail through a mailbox outside our gate was just as exciting. My small hands could　 17　 get the mail without using a key! I always couldn’t wait to see how much I was 　18　 . Oh, a letter! From Singapore! I would run back home and show it to my　 19　 . When there was a letter for me, I wouldn’t run—I would open it right there.

After my family moved back to Singapore, I 　 20　 going to the post office. Years later, my company sent me to Shanghai, and the post office found me again. Two years ago I celebrated my 21　 with five friends on top of the mountain in Longsheng, China. At sunrise we　 22　 up to a beautiful view from the mountain top. Later in the afternoon, as we were going　 23　 the mountain and returning from the sunrise viewing place, a 　 24　 shop caught our attention. It only sold noodles, coffee and had a China 　 25　 sign.

We asked the owner if she could really send mail. She happily said yes. It seemed hard to believe,　 26　 we were at the highest top of the mountain. I picked one postcard out and asked my friends to write　 27　 a birthday note. We bought a stamp, wrote some notes and gave the shop owner the postcard.

Three weeks later, I arrived home and　 28　 my mailbox: Hello, postcard! I broke into a big smile.

That birthday postcard attracted me again to the post office and all its delights. I had　 29 the post office all these years. Today I　 30　 send postcards to friends. And every time I am at the post office buying stamps, I cannot help but smile—how one postcard will make its way across the world and brighten up someone’s day.

1. A. bad　　　　　　 B. poor　　　　　　 C. good　　　　　　　 D. short

2. A. easily　　　　　 B. simply　　　　　　 C. hardly　　　　　　 D. specially

3. A. weighing　　　 B. getting　　　　　　 C. selecting　　　　　 D. accepting

4. A. friend　　　　　 B. aunt　　　　　　　 C. mother　　　　　　 D. owner

5. A. enjoyed　　　　 B. stopped　　　　　 C. hated　　　　　　　 D. considered

6. A. wedding　　　　 B. return　　　　　　 C. success　　　　　　 D. birthday

7. A. broke　　　　　 B. woke　　　　　　 C. grew　　　　　　　 D. stood

8. A. around　　　　 B. over　　　　　　　 C. up　　　　　　　　 D. down

9. A. cold　　　　　 B. dirty　　　　　　　 C. small　　　　　　 D. modern

10. A. Traffic　 　　　 B. Life　　　　　　　 C. Police　　　　　　 D. Post

11. A. because　　　　 B. though　　　　　　 C. while　　　　　　 D. when

12. A. him　　　　　 B. me　　　　　　　 C. her　　　　　　　 D. them

13. A. bought　　　　 B. repaired　　　　　 C. painted　　 　　　 D. opened

14. A. missed　　　　 B. influenced　　　　 C. studied　　　　　　 D. visited

15. A. just　　　　　　 B. seldom　　　　　　 still　　　　　　　 D. never

完形填空

　　Tom and Peter are brothers . Tom is a farmer and he lives on the old family 1 . Peter is 2 and he lives in the town . He paints animals . His pictures sell well. Tom doesn't like Peter. Tom is a 3 man . He lives for farm work . Peter is a town man . He 4 in a yellow shirt and an artist' s big hat .

　　“What' s an artist?” Tom thinks . “An artist doesn't 5 . But I work day and night. My cows are famous . ” Tom' s farm has some cows . But he has one very famous animal: Duke, the bull.

　　Sometimes a farmer asks, “Do you want to 6 your bull, Tom?”

　　“Duke? No, never. Not for one hundred pounds.”

　　Usually there is no answer. A hundred pounds is a lot of 7 .

　　Last month, 8 stayed with Tom on the farm for a few days . Peter had a good look at his farm, his best cows and his famous bull, and he painted a picture of a bull.

　　One week later, Peter talked with Tom on the telephone. “Do you remember my 9 of a bull?” Peter asked . “We looked at it in your room . ”

　　“Yes, I do.” said Tom.

　　“I sold it to 10 yesterday.”

　　“Good, ” Tom said, “I'm 11 for you.”

　　“He gave me three hundred pound.”

　　“What?” asked Tom . “Three hundred pounds? For a picture?” Tom was very angry. “And perhaps I can only get 12 hundred pounds for Duke. A picture is 13 , but Duke is a living animal. A 14 doesn't make more pictures . But Duke will have hundreds of cows . That man must be 15 !”

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--Why, you are so dirty today.

--I ________ the wall of my house.

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