The warm day was the only day of the week without rain. I opened the door and went to the yard, took a seat and began to enjoy the wonderful sunshine. Suddenly, I noticed that the house near mine had been sold. An elderly lady was in front of the door, with some beautiful flowers beside her. I walked to her. She looked to be in her early eighties and had the prettiest white hair.
“Hi! My name is Robert,” I said smiling brightly at the old lady. She smiled back and said, “Hello, Robert. I’m Charlene.” Her voice was very strong for someone at her age. Later, I learned she was alone and had no family or relatives to look after her. From that day on, I often visited her and helped her with her housework and sometimes she gave me some delicious food. A year passed, and I considered Charlene to be one of my best friends.
One day, I walked over for my morning visit and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. I knocked again, and she still didn’t turn up. So I let myself in, using the key she had given me. I checked her living room and then her kitchen. I finally went into her bedroom, and she was lying peacefully on her bed. Beside her there were two notes. One was her will(遗嘱), which said all that she had would be given to me. The other was a thank-you note. I went to her bedside and cried sadly.
Although it has been a long time, I still miss her deeply. Whenever I look at the beautiful flowers in front of her house, I remember the wonderful friendship we had.
【小题1】The writer came out of the house to ____________.

Choose the words or expressions and complete the passage

There is a saying in England which goes; ‘the rain in Spain(西班牙. falls mainly on the plain’. I can tell you now that it is a        . The rain in Spain seems to fall mostly on me. I am spending a year in Galicia and, although it is certainly a beautiful part of the world, I think it rains more than in England.

There are no plains here. It is a coastal area, and clouds and storms directly get pushed in from over the ocean with force. As I write, there is a heavy rain outside. I have three umbrellas. Two big ones and a little one which I keep on me          ,  just in case. Believe me what I tell you is all true.

The problem is that very often, umbrellas offer no help at all. The wind is so strong that even the best umbrella in the world becomes useless.        , I often arrive at work with a dry head and shoulders (protected by my umbrella., but with wet feet and legs. The rain falls hard and fast, and there is no escaping it.

When people from England think of Spain, they imagine beaches and sunshine. Those things are a world away from my experiences here in Galicia. But I’m not        . It is because of all this rain that the countryside here is so green and beautiful. In the town a very nice white wine is made. And there are beautiful beaches here in Galicia, although there probably is         on them at the moment.

And most important of all is the people. They are very friendly here. Most people I have spoken to are helpful. So I think that’s worth having a bit of         for. Anyway, I love my life here in Galicia.

1.A. story                    B. warning                       C. lie                              D. tradition

2.A. at all times          B. in the future          C. for the time being D. in time

3.A. In addition          B. After all                            C. In all                                  D. As a result

4.A. studying              B. complaining           C. dreaming                         D. questioning

5.A. somebody           B. anybody                           C. everybody                       D. nobody

6.A. money                          B. wine                                  C. rain                                   D. work

Although it was very cold, he went out without an overcoat.

A. but B. / C. and D. so

In Britain you may often hear “Drop in any time.” or “Come to see me soon”, but you can’t really do that. People just say those things to make you feel welcome. It is better to telephone before visiting someone at home. If you receive a written invitation to an event that says “RSVP”, you should reply to let the person who sent the invitation know whether or not you plan to go.
You should never accept an invitation unless you really plan to go. You may refuse by saying, “Thank you for inviting me, but I will not be able to come.” If, after accepting, you are unable to go, be sure to tell those who are expecting you as soon as possible that you will not be there. Although it is not necessarily expected that you give a gift to your host, it is considered polite to do so, especially if you have been invited for a meal. Flowers, chocolate, or a small gift are all appropriate(合适的). A thank-you note or telephone call after the visit is also considered polite and is an appropriate way to express your appreciation for the invitation.
【小题1】What can you do when a British friend says, “Drop in anytime”?