Sometimes I really doubt (怀疑) whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are busy trying to make money in order to pay for my brother's education and mine. They don't act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. For them, “I love you” is too difficult to say. Even sending flowers to each other on some special days is hardly ever seen.

One day, my mother was repairing a quilt. I silently sat beside her and looked at her. “Mom, may I ask you a question?” I said. “What?” she replied, still doing her work. “Is there love between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice. My mother stopped her work and looked at me in surprise. She didn't answer my question at once. Then, she bowed her head and continued to do her work.

I was afraid that I had hurt her feelings. I felt so embarrassed that I didn't know what to do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:

“ Look at this thread (线). Sometimes it appears, but most of the time, it hides in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread. It can hardly be seen anywhere or anytime, but it's really there."

I couldn't understand her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital, they both looked very pale. After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father walk slowly on the country road. My father had never been so gentle. The doctor had said my father would recover in two months. But after two months he still couldn't walk by himself. All of us were worried about him. "Dad, how are you feeling now?" I asked him one day. "Susan, don't worry about me." he said gently. "To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom. I like this kind of life." Reading his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.

Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this experience, I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.

1.Why does the writer doubt the love of her parents?

A. Because they hardly meet each other.

B. Because they hardly speak to each other.

C. Because they often argue with each other.

D. Because they hardly express their love.

2.How did the writer feel after she asked her mom the question?

A. Embarrassed.B. Excited. C. Angry. D. Bored.

3.What does the underlined word "durable" mean in Chinese?

A. 好看的B. 廉价的 C. 耐用的D. .昂贵的

4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The writer understood her mum’s words at once.

B. After two months from the hospital, Susan’s father could walk by himself.

C. The writer’s parents didn’t love each other.

D. Love is there, no matter whether you say it or not

5.What's the best title for the passage?

A. My Parents B. Love is Just a Thread

C. How to Find Love D. Where to Find Love

As a young child, I was quiet and shy. I was also sick for a long time. My parents worked, and I spent a lot of time at my grandparent’s home. While my grandmother cleaned the house and cooked, my grandfather played with me.

    I was six when my grandfather died. A few months before he died, he gave me a beautiful blue and white blanket (毯子). I loved the blanket very much because it made me think of my grandfather. But after a few years, the blanket didn’t look very good. It had holes and was dirty. I didn’t want to throw the blanket away, so my mother made the blanket into a book bag. I was proud of the book bag, and I used it to carry my books to school every day for a few years. Then the book bag was broken. I begged my mother to make something out of it. She made it into a pencil-box. After a few months, the pencil-box was broken, too. By then I could sew (缝), and I made the pencil-box into a small wallet.

    I used it for three years, but one day I lost it. I felt sad. My friends and family said, “Forget about it, Paul. You can’t make something out of nothing.”

    I thought about it for a while. I decided my friends and family were wrong. There was a way to make something out of nothing. I wrote down the story of my grandfather’s blanket.

    根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并在答题卷上按要求作答。

61. While his grandmother cleaned the house and cooked, Paul      ____ .

A. played with model planes        B. helped her with the cooking

C. played with his grandfather      D. helped his parents

62. From the story, we know that             .

A. Paul’s grandfather gave him a blanket

B. the blanket made Paul think of his mother

C. a few years later the blanket was still new

D. Paul’s grandfather died when Paul was ten

63. Paul used the pencil-box for             .

A. a few months             B. two weeks    C. three years          D. five years

64. Paul felt sad when he lost ______________ one day.

A. the blanket        B. the book bag   C. the wallet      D. the pencil-box

65. Paul wrote down the story to             .

A. pass the time                     B. find the blanket

C. tell his grandfather         D. remember his grandfather

Sam lived in a small village. His mother was often ill and he had to spend much money on medicine. And when he was twenty-eight, he borrowed some money from his friends and married. His wife was beautiful but came from a poor family. So she could not help him. She had to tell her husband to find work in the town. She hoped he would get much money to pay for his debt(债). They young man thought she was right and had to say goodbye to her and left.

The young man could neither read nor write. Of course nobody would employ (雇用) such a man like him in the town. He had to go to an island and planted trees for a farmer there. The island was small and there were only three men on it. They lived a hard life and Sam missed his mother and wife very much. He wanted to write to them, but he couldn’t. Luckily, Charlie, who was in school for five years, helped him. Sam asked the farmer to post the letter for him. From then on he waited for the answer every day. About two months later the farmer brought his wife’s letter to the island. He was very happy but he didn’t read it. He had to ask Charlie to help him again.

The farmer came out of the house and found Sam was stopping Charlie’s ears while he was listening to the young man reading it. It surprised the farmer and he asked, “What are you doing it for, Sam?”

“I can’t let him hear my wife’s letter!”

1.Sam’s wife was a _____________ woman.

A. nice and rich????? ????????????? ????????????? B. beautiful but poor??? ????????????? C. kind and strong

2.Sam had to go to the town to find work because _________.

A. the town was a good place????????????? B. he could read and write??? C. he had to pay for his debt

3.The life on the island was ______________.

A. difficult??????????? ????????????? B. easy?????????????? ????????????? C. relaxing

4.Who posted the letter for Sam?

A. Charlie.???????????? ????????????? B. The farmer.??????? ????????????? ????????????? C. Sam himself.

5.From the story we know Sam was a ___________.

A. rude man???????? ????????????? ????????????? B. kind and hard-working man?????? C. cruel husband