Meeting the English Family

　　Rosa and her classmates were in a street in West London. The sky was dark. This was Rosa's big day, her first day in England.

　　Rosa got out of a taxi. The driver carried a very heavy bag for her. They walked through the rain to the front door of a big Victorian house.

　　A small girl opened the door. She was four years old. Her brother stood behind her. He was only two years old. One minute later, a young woman came to the door.

　　“Welcome to Wembley!” she said and she offered Rosa her hand.  “These are my two children, Elisabeth and Isaac” “Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Frost! said Rosa with a strong Spanish accent.

　　The two children ran back into the living room.

　　“Don't worry about them! They're a little shy. And please call me Diana! Now let me show you your room and then we can have a nice cup of tea. Or would you like some coffee?”

　　“I'd like to try a cup of English tea, made in England.”

　　“This is your bedroom. There's a nice view (视野) of the football stadium (露天体育场) and here's a little desk where you can study. The bathroom and toilet are just opposite your door. Now I'll go and put the kettle on.”

　　“Excuse me. What's a kettle?”

　　“In England, we use a kettle to make hot water, we can then put the hot water in a teapot or use it to make coffee.”

　　Rosa was happy with her new home, but she was a little puzzled (困惑的). Perhaps her mother Maruja was right. The British were not normal people. They did not kiss when they met and they lived in large Victorian palaces. Their favourite drink was tea and they used strange metal kettles to make the water hot. What was she going to say to Elisabeth and Isaac? How could she make friends with two shy English children? Perhaps the answer was in the big, black psychology (心理学) book.

(1) It was Rosa' s big day. She and her classmates were in

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(2) Rosa's hostess (女主人) was called

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(3) What could Rosa see through the window when she was in her bedroom?

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(4) In this passage the underlined (下划线的) word “it” means

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(5) After reading the passage, we know that

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A. Rosa had some trouble in getting on well with the hostess

B. the two children didn't like Rosa

C. Mr. Frost offered Rosa much help

Perhaps　the　only　test　score　that　I　remember　is　the　55　when　I　was　in　high　school.

    The　test　was　the　final　for　a　course.　I　remember　waiting　anxiously　as　my　teacher　Mr.　Right　passed　out　our　papers　one　by　one.　It　was　a　rather　difficult　test.　I　heard　my　classmates　groaning,　and　I　could　tel　by　the　groans　that　the　scores　weren’t　looking　good.

    Mr.　Right　put　my　paper　on　my　desk.　There　in　big　red　numbers,　circled　to　draw　attention,　was　my　score,　55!

    I　lowered　my　head,　and　covered　the　score　up　quickly.　A　55　is　not　something　that　you　wanted　your　classmates　to　see.“The　scores　were　not　very　good,　none　of　you　passed,”Mr.　Right　said.　“The　highest　score　in　the　class　was　a　55.”

    A　55.　That’s　me!

    Suddenly　my　sad　look　didn’t　look　so　bad.　I　had　the　highest　score.　I　felt　a　lot　better.

    I　walked　home　alone　that　day　with　the　low　but　high　score.　My　father　knew　that　I　had　a　big　test　that　day　and　asked　me　as　soon　as　I　got　home,　“How　did　you　do　in　your　test？”“I　made　a　55,”I　said.

    A　frown（皱眉）now　stood　on　my　father’s　face.　I　knew　I　had　to　explain　immediately.　“But　Dad,　I　had　the　highest　score　in　the　calss,”I　proudly　stated.　I　thought　that　explanation　would　make　a　difference.“You　failed!”my　father　replied.“But　it’s　the　highest!” I　insisted.“I　don’t　care　what　scores　others　had,　but　you　failed.　What　matters　is　what　you　do!”my　father　firmly　said.

    For　years,　my　father　was　always　that　way.　It　didn’t　matter　what　others　did,　it　only　mattered　what　I　did　and　that　I　did　it　excelently.

    We　often　don’t　understand　the　wisdom（智慧）of　good　parents　until　we　ourselves　stand　in　the　parents’shoes.　My　father’s　words　have　carried　me　throughout　life.

   1.　The　word　groaning　is　the　closest　in　meaning　to　_____.

    A.　singing　　　　B.　laughingC.　complaining　　　　D.　quarreling

    2.　In　class,　to　hide　my　score　from　my　classmates,　I　_____.

    A.　lowered　my　head　　　　B.　covered　my　score　up

    C.　walked　home　alone　D.　explained　immediately

    3.　A　frown　stood　on　my　father’s　face　because　he　thought　_____.

    A.　I　did　a　bad　job　in　the　test

    B.　I　gave　a　good　excuse

    C.　I　became　the　worst　student

    D.　I　stood　in　his　shoes

   4.　We　can　infer　from　the　passage　that　_____.

    A.　the　father　was　strict　with　his　child.

    B.　the　writer　was　always　poor　in　tests.

    C.　Mr.　Right　was　worried　about　the　writer

    D.　the　writer　was　always　happy　with　his　scores

   5.　Which　is　the　best　title　of　the　passage？

    A.　The　Final　Test　　　　B.　That’s　Me!

    C.　My　strict　Teacher　　　　D.　Scores,　Important？

Once　upon　a　time,　a　young　man　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　town　announcing　that　he　had　the　most　beautiful　heart　in　the　world.　A　large　crowd　gathered,　and　they　al　praised　his　heart　for　it　was　perfect.
Suddenly,　an　old　man　appeared　and　said,　“Why　,your　heart　is　not　as　beautiful　as　mine.”
The　old　man’s　heart　was　ful　of　scars（伤疤）.　Some　pieces　of　his　heart　were　removed　and　some　pieces　from　other　people　were　put　in,　but　they　didn’t　fit　quite　right.　So　there　were　several　jagged（锯齿状的）edges.　In　fact,　there　were　stil　some　holes　in　his　heart　where　the　pieces　were　missing.
The　 young　 man　 laughed,“Comparing　yours　with　mine,　mine　is　perfect　and　yours　is　a　mess.”
“Yes,”said　the　old　man.　“But,　every　scar　shows　that　I　took　out　a　piece　of　my　heart　and　gave　it　to　a　person,　and　often　he　gave　me　a　piece　of　his　heart　in　return.”
“Why　do　you　have　some　jagged　edges　in　your　heart?”asked　the　young　man.“Because　the　shapes　of　the　pieces　weren’t　the　same.”“Then　the　holes?”“Sometimes　I　gave　pieces　of　my　heart　away,　and　the　other　person　hasn’t　given　back　a　piece　of　his,　so　… but　I　don’t　care.”“How　come?”“They　remind　me　of　the　love　we　shared.”
The　young　man　was　deeply　moved.　He　walked　up　to　the　old　man,　took　a　piece　of　his　heart　out　and　gave　it　to　the　old　man.
The　old　man　placed　it　in　his　heart,　then　took　a　piece　from　his　old　scarred　heart　and　placed　it　in　the　wound（伤口）in　the　young　man’s　heart.　It　fitted,　but　not　perfectly,　as　there　were　some　jagged　edges.
The　young　man　looked　at　his　heart,　not　perfect　any　more　but　more　beautiful　than　ever.
How　sad　it　must　be　to　go　through　 life　 with　 a　 whole　untouched　heart!
【小题1】　The　young　man　stood　in　the　town　to　_____.

Perhaps　the　only　test　score　that　I　remember　is　the　55　when　I　was　in　high　school.
The　test　was　the　final　for　a　course.　I　remember　waiting　anxiously　as　my　teacher　Mr.　Right　passed　out　our　papers　one　by　one.　It　was　a　rather　difficult　test.　I　heard　my　classmates　groaning,　and　I　could　tel　by　the　groans　that　the　scores　weren’t　looking　good.
Mr.　Right　put　my　paper　on　my　desk.　There　in　big　red　numbers,　circled　to　draw　attention,　was　my　score,　55!
I　lowered　my　head,　and　covered　the　score　up　quickly.　A　55　is　not　something　that　you　wanted　your　classmates　to　see.“The　scores　were　not　very　good,　none　of　you　passed,”Mr.　Right　said.　“The　highest　score　in　the　class　was　a　55.”
A　55.　That’s　me!
Suddenly　my　sad　look　didn’t　look　so　bad.　I　had　the　highest　score.　I　felt　a　lot　better.
I　walked　home　alone　that　day　with　the　low　but　high　score.　My　father　knew　that　I　had　a　big　test　that　day　and　asked　me　as　soon　as　I　got　home,　“How　did　you　do　in　your　test？”“I　made　a　55,”I　said.
A　frown（皱眉）now　stood　on　my　father’s　face.　I　knew　I　had　to　explain　immediately.　“But　Dad,　I　had　the　highest　score　in　the　calss,”I　proudly　stated.　I　thought　that　explanation　would　make　a　difference.“You　failed!”my　father　replied.“But　it’s　the　highest!” I　insisted.“I　don’t　care　what　scores　others　had,　but　you　failed.　What　matters　is　what　you　do!”my　father　firmly　said.
For　years,　my　father　was　always　that　way.　It　didn’t　matter　what　others　did,　it　only　mattered　what　I　did　and　that　I　did　it　excelently.
We　often　don’t　understand　the　wisdom（智慧）of　good　parents　until　we　ourselves　stand　in　the　parents’shoes.　My　father’s　words　have　carried　me　throughout　life.
【小题1】　The　word　groaning　is　the　closest　in　meaning　to　_____.