Many years ago, Dad worked as a farmhand（农场工人）. At that time, he had a horse. Every Saturday he   1 to the town after dinner and spent a few hours on social 2  with other farmhands, such as drinking, chatting, and playing cards in the café. On Saturday evenings, the café was   3   because many farmhands were there. Before midnight Dad returned home on his horse, quite satisfied（满意）with his   4  . In his words, he  5   thought of changing his job.

At the age of 31, Dad married my mother who was a school teacher. In the following spring I came  6   into the world. Life became hard, so my mother felt unsatisfied. She told Dad that they must make a  7  .

My mother had  8  of how some famous persons, especially Thomas Edison who was born in a poor family, fought against fate and achieved greatness and fame. And she   9  that I would some day become a great leader，ruling men or cities and Dad should be a successful businessman. So she persuaded Dad to give up his job as a farmhand, sell his horse and   10  a small business of his own. And I went to high school and college. She even sent me abroad for  11  education when I graduated from college. Under the drive of my mother’s hope, Dad and I   12   what we have today. Dad runs a big international   13  and I am a successful lawyer enjoying great fame in my country,   14  not a leader as my mother expected.

Dad said, without my mother, we wouldn’t be what we are today; at least, he would remain a farmhand.  15  he got a lesson of life —sometimes we really need drive from outside.

1  A．rode                  B．walked                        C．ran                  D．drove

2  A．conversations  B．games                         C．relationships          D．activities

3  A．cold                  B．crowded                      C．quiet                 D．dirty

4  A．horse             B．entertainment                C．life                   D．beer

5  A．often                   B．ever                        C．never                  D．sometimes

6  A．laughing                B．singing                      C．sleeping               D．crying

7  A．living         B．change                        C．decision              D．house

8  A．dreamed        B．heard                        C．thought              D．spoken

9  A．cared                 B．knew                        C．forgot               D．hoped

10  A．start                 B．find                        C．design                 D．sell

11  A．farther               B．higher                       C．easier                 D．closer

12  A．showed               B．kept                        C．lost                  D．achieved

13  A．farm                    B．school                      C．company            D．cafe

14  A．though              B．if                             C．and                  D．since

15  A．So                   B．However                      C．Or              D．Because

For many school in Thailand, there are two terms. The first term is from the first week of May to the first week of October. The second term starts from the first week of November and finishes at the last week of February or the first week of March. The students don't get a break for Christmas（圣诞节）. But they get a 3-4 days' break for the New Year.
For many students, a school day is very long. They usually get to school at 7:30 a.m. Classes begin at 8:00 a.m. there are three classes in the morning and they are 50 minutes each（每个）. Students have lunch at 11:00 a.m. they don't have dining halls so they have to eat in the classroom. Lunch time finishes at 12:25 p.m. there are three classes in the afternoon. School finishes at 3:15 p.m. many schools have a "homework" lesson after school, so students usually go home after 4:45 p.m.
【小题1】How long is the first term in Thailand schools?

For many school in Thailand, there are two terms. The first term is from the first week of May to the first week of October. The second term starts from the first week of November and finishes at the last week of February or the first week of March. The students don't get a break for Christmas（圣诞节）. But they get a 3-4 days' break for the New Year.

For many students, a school day is very long. They usually get to school at 7:30 a.m. Classes begin at 8:00 a.m. there are three classes in the morning and they are 50 minutes each（每个）. Students have lunch at 11:00 a.m. they don't have dining halls so they have to eat in the classroom. Lunch time finishes at 12:25 p.m. there are three classes in the afternoon. School finishes at 3:15 p.m. many schools have a "homework" lesson after school, so students usually go home after 4:45 p.m.

1.How long is the first term in Thailand schools?

A．For six months.     B．For five months.     C．For four months.    D．For three moths.

2.What does the underlined word "break" mean in Chinese?

A．假期             B．节目             C．游览             D．计划

3.When do students usually get to school?

A．At 7:00 a.m.       B．At 7:30 a.m.        C．At 8:00 a.m.        D．At 8:30 a.m.

4.Why do students have to eat lunch in the classroom?

A．Because their dining halls are very small.

B．Because they must do their homework after lunch.

C．Because they don't have dining halls.

D．Because they bring lunch to school.

5.What can we learn from the passage?

A．There are three terms in Thailand schools.

B．Students don't go to school in November.

C．Students usually go home at 3:15 p.m.

D．Students have six classes a day.