Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours (绕行路) in life than by the narrow road toward goals.I like this image.But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.

For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents’ home in Boise in nine hours.We traveled the way most people do：the fastest，shortest，easiest road，especially when I was alone with four noisy，restless kids who hate confinement (限制) and have strong opinions about everything.

Road trips felt risky，so I would drive fast，stopping only when I had to.We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.

But then Banner，our lamb was born.He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise.I had two choices：leave Banner with my husband，or take him with me.My husband made the decision for me.

That is how I found myself on the road with four kids，a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through.We took the country roads out of necessity.We had to stop every hour，let Banner shake out his legs and feed him.The kids chased him and one another.They’d get back in the car breathless and energized，smelling fresh from the cold air.

We explored side roads，catching grasshoppers in waist?high grass.Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother，or fish leaping out of the water，it was better than the best ride down the freeway.Here was life.And new horizons (见识)．

We eventually arrived at my parents’ doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.

I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique.On an empty section of road，everyone started quarreling.I stopped the car，ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead.I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.

Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight.But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey－and the best part of yourself.

1.Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents’home?

A．It was less tiring.

B．It would be faster and safer.

C．Her kids would feel less confined.

D．She felt better with other drivers nearby.

2.The author stopped regularly on the country roads to________.

A．relax in the fresh air

B．take a deep breath

C．take care of the lamb

D．let the kids play with Banner

3.What does the author discover from the trip according to Paragraph 6?

A．Freeways are where beauty hides.

B．Getting close to nature adds to the joy of life.

C．Enjoying the beauty of nature benefits one’s health.

D．One should follow side roads to watch wild animals.

4.Why did the author ask the kids to get out of the car on their way back home?

A．To give herself some time to read.

B．To order some food for them.

C．To play a game with them.

D．To let them cool down.

5.What could be the best title for the passage?

A．Charm of the Detour

B．The Road to Bravery

C．Creativity out of Necessity

D．Road Trip and Country Life

I drove to a local supermarket the other day. My shopping list was _____ and my wallet was light. Still, I needed to get a week’s worth of groceries for my family. I parked my car, looked down at my list, and hoped I could _____it all.

    As I _____ the door, I saw a man with kind eyes and a gentle ______. He said he was collecting for a local food bank that helped to__ __ the hungry in my area. He handed me a second shopping list of things they could use and asked me to ____ if I could. I smiled back, took the ____ and walked into the store. I really wanted to help, but wasn’t sure if I could this time.

   I walked through the store, picking up vegetables, soup, spaghetti, bread, milk, cereal, macaroni, bananas,and a dozen other things. I slowly _____ each item off my list until I was done. When I looked down at my full cart I _____ again if I even had enough to pay for it all. Then, as I put my own list back into my pocket, I saw the food _____ list under it. I smiled and decided to trust my heart.

With the food bank in mind,I went over and ______ two of the biggest boxes of rice the store had and put them in my cart. It took____ six dollars out of my wallet to pay for them,__ __ my heart felt six times larger when I did. And when everything was ______, I had just enough to pay for it all.

It ____ so little to make our world a better place. A few dollars can help to fill a child’s ____ belly(肚子). A smile and hug can help to _____ a hurting heart. An encouraging word can inspire someone else to live and to love. A random____ of kindness can change another’s day and life. It is up to us,_____. If we can ______ a few dollars on rice , then we can share a love that will last forever.

1.A.short                                       B.long                                  C.frequent                          D.heavy

2.A.offer                              B.exchange                          C.afford                                D.accept

3.A.approached                           B.painted                        C.cleaned                D.left

4.A.attitude                        B.manner                           C.smile                               D.anger

5.A.share                                      B.train                                  C.protect                         D.feed

6.A.help                                       B.write                                 C.advertise                           D.search

7.A.name                           B.project                              C.list                                    D.budget

8.A.signed                                     B.marked                        C.rid                           D.separated

9.A.wandered                     B.wondered                         C.fancied                         D.amazed

10.A.store                        B.cart                                 C.nutrition                           D.bank

11.A.picked out                            B.lifted up                           C.picked up                          D.folded up

12.A.other                                     B.others                                C.more                              D.another

13.A.so                                           B.but                                  C.and                                 D.since

14.A.ordered                                B.totaled                               C.replaced                        D.packed

15.A.takes                                     B.spends                               C.pays                                D.wastes

16.A.hungry                                  B.adequate                          C.anxious                    D.full

17.A.cure                             B.treat                            C.heal                                   D.recover

18.A.ability                                    B.allowance                         C.appreciation               D.act

19.A.although                B.though        C.yet                       D.still

20.A.save                             B.rescue                         C.accumulate                       D.reserve

—Would you mind if I parked my car here?

—_______

A．Yes, please.                            B．Of course not. It’s not allowed here.

C．I’d rather you didn’t actually.            D．No, you’d better not.

　　Some time ago, a friend of mine who worked in a part of the city I didn't know very well invited me to call on him. It took me hours to get there and I took great trouble to find a proper spot to park my car. As I was already three quarters of an hour late, I parked my car quickly.

　　At noon, just as I was leaving my friend's office it suddenly struck me that I had no idea where I had parked my car. I could hardly go up to a policeman and tell him that I had lost a small green car somewhere! Walking down street after street, I examined each car closely and was very happy to see a small green car just behind an old car. But how disappointed I was to discover that though the car was exactly like my own, it belonged to someone else! Feeling quite tired now, I went off for lunch. Some time later, I left the restaurant and walked down the street. Turning the corner, I nearly jumped for joy: my car was right in front of me, and there was no problem this time.

　　To tell the truth, driving in a crowded city is far from being a pleasure and it is much easier to walk than to drive.

(1)What did the writer do the other day?

[　　]

A．He went to telephone his old friend.

B．He paid a visit to his friend.

C．He called on a friend, who he didn't know well.

D．He visited a friend and had lunch with him.

(2)“It suddenly struck me”in the second paragraph probably means“________”.

[　　]

A．a stick suddenly hit me

B．a stone suddenly hit me

C．I suddenly found out

D．I suddenly thought

(3)Which of the following statements is true according to this story?

[　　]

A．The writer had not much difficulty in finding a parking-place.

B．It took him forty-five minutes to find a place to park his car.

C．It was very difficult for the writer to find a parking-place.

D．He got a parking-place right away and parked his car in a hurry.

(4)How did he look for his car?

[　　]

A．He asked a policeman for help.

B．His friend called a policeman.

C．He examined every car in the street.

D．A waiter helped him to do this.

—Would you mind if I parked my car here?
—_______