I was sitting in the room reading when I heard a loud noise. To defend my home from break-in, I picked up my defense weapon--- a broom and went out. There on the roof of my porch（门廊）, I saw a grey fluffy squirrel. I drove her away with the broom, but the next day I heard her again.

I searched squirrels on the net and found because their teeth keep growing, they have to constantly chew on things to shorten their teeth. This was disturbing so I asked my husband to call in some wildlife control people.

On Monday morning two men showed up, with guns in their hands. I pointed uneasily to the hole in my porch roof. They held up their guns. Suddenly I saw in my mind the baby nursery inside. I stopped them and confirmed that they wouldn’t harm her. They hesitated, but finally put down their guns. Then they brought out a bottle of deodorizer（除臭剂）and sprayed it into the squirrel’s home. They told me she would not like the smell and would leave.

There was no sign of Mrs. Squirrel, so they blocked the hole, took my cheque for $250 and left. Shortly after they left, Mrs. Squirrel returned from her shopping trip. She was mad at being driven out and began feverishly clawing at the porch roof. In order to stop the destruction of my home, I drove her away with the broom again.

Each day thereafter, Mrs. Squirrel continued her attack on my possession. I then called the company to report that “SHE’S BAAAAAACK…” The receptionist said that if Mrs. Squirrel had managed to find another way into my porch roof, it would be a new charge. I replied I couldn’t continue contributing my husband’s hard-earned income to their silly wildlife experts and hang up.

I went to the porch and banged on the roof. Mrs. Squirrel came out and glared at me. We negotiated some terms, came to an agreeable arrangement and went back into our respective homes.

All is quiet these days, although large quantities of materials have been removed from my garage wall and my daughter claims that some of her doll-house furniture has disappeared. I still hope that Mrs. Squirrel would leave, but I will wait until it is warmer and hopefully until after the birth of the little ones.

1.What did the author think of the squirrel at first?

A．Troublesome.      B．Dangerous.        C．Interesting.        D．Clever.

2.Why didn’t the author ask the wildlife control people to come again?

A．She worried about the safety of the squirrel.

B．She thought the company charged too much.

C．She decided to drive away the squirrel herself.

D．She doubted the ability of the wildlife control people.

3.What can we learn from the passage?

A．Getting rid of the squirrel needs patience.

B．The squirrel has destroyed the author’s house.

C．The author has developed affection for the squirrel.

D．The author singed an agreement with Mrs. Squirrel.

4.The author has written the passage in a (an) ________ way.

A．persuasive        B．serious           C．informative        D．amusing

When I was young, I went looking for gold in California. I never found enough to make a rich strike. But I did discover a beautiful part of the country called Stanislau. Like Heaven on Earth, it had bright green hills and deep forests where soft winds touched the trees. By the time I arrived, the charming paradise had been deserted because miners’ good luck didn’t last.

Then, I realized I was not alone after all.

A man was smiling at me as he stood in front of his little house. Its front yard was full of blue and yellow flowers. White curtains hung from the windows and floated in the soft summer wind.

Still smiling, the man invited me inside. My spirit seemed to come to life again. I saw a bright rug on the shining wooden floor. And on little tables there were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers. A woman had made this house into a home. The delight in my heart showed on my face. The man read my thoughts. “All her work.” He said affectionately, “Nothing here hasn’t felt the touch of her hand.”

One picture on the wall was not hanging straight. He went to fix it. He stepped back several times to make sure the picture was straight. Then he gave it a gentle touch. “She always does that,” he explained, “It is like the finishing pat a mother gives her child’s hair after she has brushed it. I don’t know why I do it. I just do it.”

As he talked, I went to a little black-walnut shelf that held a small picture of the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. There was a sweetness and softness in the woman’s expression. The man stared at the picture. “Nineteen her last birthday. That was the day we married. When you see her...ah, just wait until you meet her!” “Where is she now?” I asked. “Oh, she is away visiting her parents. This is Wednesday,” he said slowly. “She will be back on Saturday, in the evening.”

That night, I stayed. The man told me his name was Henry.

Thursday evening we had two visitors, Tom and Joe. “We just drop over to ask when little madam is coming home. Any news from her?” “Oh yes,” the man replied. “A letter.” He took a yellowed letter out of his wallet and read it. It was full of loving messages. While reading, he glimpsed his friends and cried out, “Oh no, you are doing it again, Tom! Take your hands away and let me see your eyes. I’m going to tell her this time!” “No, you mustn’t do that, Henry,” the grey-haired miner said. “I am getting old. And any little sorrow makes me cry. Lord, we miss her so.”

Saturday finally came.

I was glad to see his two friends, Tom and Joe, with guitars, coming down the road as the sun began to set. They put the flowers they brought in vases and began to play some fast and lively songs.

Henry’s friends kept giving him glasses of whiskey. When I reached for one of the two remaining glasses, Tom stopped my arm. “Drop that! Take the other.” he whispered. I did so. Henry was served last. He had hardly swallowed his drink when the clock struck midnight. His face grew pale and paler. “Boys,” he said, “I am sick with fear. Help! I want to lie down.” Henry was asleep almost before the words were out of his mouth.

In a moment, those handy men had his clothes off and tucked him into his bed. They seemed to be getting ready to leave. So I said, “Please don’t go, gentlemen. She won’t know me. I am a stranger.” They glanced at each other. Then Joe said, “She? Poor thing, she’s been dead nineteen years!” “Dead?” I whispered. “That or worse.” he said.

“She went to see her folks half a year after she got married. On her way back, on a Saturday evening in June, when she was almost here, the Indians captured her. She’s never been heard of since. Henry went insane. But he only gets bad when that time of year comes round. Then we drop in here, three days before she’s due, to encourage him up and listen to him read the letter. Saturday we all come and get everything ready for a dance. We’ve done it for nineteen years. The first Saturday there were twenty-seven of us, but only two now. We drug him to sleep through the night. Then he’s all right for another year.”

The two old men opened the door and disappeared into the darkness of Stanislau.

1.You can sense the existence of a woman from the following sentences EXCEPT “______”.

A. Soft winds touched the trees in Stanislau.

B. There was a bright rug on the shining wooden floor.

C. There were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers.

D. A little black shelf held a small picture of a woman.

2.Tom cried when Henry read the yellowed letter, because ______.

A. he was getting older and older

B. he was moved by the loving messages in the letter

C. he felt sad at the thought of Henry’s wife

D. he was disappointed that Henry’s wife would arrive so late

3.Tom stopped my reaching for whiskey because ______.

A. there was not enough whiskey for Henry                B. he didn’t want me to get drunk

C. that glass of whiskey was drugged                    D. it was for Henry’s wife

4.The underlined word “insane” probably means “______”.

A. depressed                   B. disappointed            C. mad                 D. sick

5.It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A. Henry’s wife was 38 when she was last seen

B. Tom and Joe have heard the letter many times

C. the author stayed in Henry’s house because he was lost

D. the two miners came on Saturday to share past memories

6.The story is mainly about ______.

A. ever-lasting love                                                      B. lifelong friendship

C. an unforgettable experience                                               D. charming Stanislau

There’s a time to get angry, and it’s best for your child if you do. Let’s say your child hits a playmate with a toy hard enough to make the other child cry. How can you teach your child to feel sorry so he or she won’t do it again? Researchers say the best way for parents to react（反应）is to show their anger and to let the child know exactly why they are mad.
　　Many parents believe that it is best to control their feelings and to wait until they’re calm before scolding their children. But the mother or father who explains reasonably to a child , “Peter was crying because you hit him,” is not likely to attract much attention. Young children need to be scolded immediately, and strongly, before they’ll take criticism （批评）to heart.
　　When your young child does something wrong, scold him or her seriously at once. At the same time be sure to tell the child clearly what he or she has done wrong. An angry reaction without an immediate explanation does little good. Forbidding a child to play outside or not allowing him to watch TV as a punishment works well-but only when taken together with an explanation. Make sure your child understands that although his or her wrongdoing has made you angry, you still love him or her. Use simple, direct words such as, “You hurt peter. How would you feel if he hit you? You must never, never hurt people.” If your voice expresses strong feeling clearly, your message will carry enough weight.
【小题1】According to researchers, how should parents react when their child did something wrong?

About a year ago，if you had asked who Dinara Safina was，the answer would have been，“She is Marat Safin’s younger sister.” She was overshadowed by her wonder brother.But now she has made a name for herself：the world No.1 player in women’s tennis.

The 22?year?old Russian overtook Serena Williams of the US for top ranking on April 20.“Before，every place I go，I am Marat’s sister.Nothing else，”she told New York Times.“I always wanted to be myself，and now finally the results come，and people can know me as Dinara Safina.”

Safina has made it to two great event finals，in the 2008 French and in the 2009 Australian Open，and won a silver medal in the Beijing Olympic Games.

Clearly，family isn’t the only connection Safina and her brother share.Their DNA burns with competitive fire.Safin has held the distinction for years of being a hottempered player on court.When he lost his temper，he would smash a racket (球拍)．Safina is as emotionally explosive as her brother.A headline in the newspaper The Australian once described her as “mad as a snake”．The Sydney Morning Herald，during the Australian Open，summed up Safina’s volatile (不稳定的) emotional state with the headline—Safina goes from basket case to top of the world.

It’s not rare for a family to have two top tennis players.Safina’s father owns a tennis academy and her mother worked as a coach.“I had no choice but to become a tennis player，but I don’t mind being a tennis player，” Safina said.

From this talented family she is also given one of her best weapons on court，her size.She is 1.82 meters tall and weighs 70kg.But it is hard work that led her to her recent success.

“I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I deserve the honor of being world No.1，”she said.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

A．How Safina came first in women’s tennis.

B．How the parents taught Safina to play tennis.

C．How her brother helped Safina play tennis.

D．How Safina beat her brother in playing tennis.

2.Which one of the following doesn’t contribute to Safina’s success?

A．Her hard work and strong competitiveness.

B．Her emotional explosion and volatile emotional state.

C．The fact that she is 1.82 meters tall and weighs 70kg.

D．The fact that her parents are both good tennis players.

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Serena Williams was topped by Safina on ranking list on April 20.

B．Dinara Safina was always very confident and eager to succeed.

C．Safina was eager to become a tennis player when she was a child.

D．Marat Safin won the two finals，in the 2008 French and in the 2009 Australian Open.

4. What can we infer from the headline “Safina goes from basket case to top of the world”？

A．Safina wanted to top the world in tennis when she was a baby in a basket.

B．After she won the Australian Open，Dinara Safina cried.

C．Too nervous at first，Safina finally gained confidence and won.

D．Safina learnt from the basket case and finally came top of the world.

I was sitting in the room reading when I heard a loud noise. To defend my home from break-in, I picked up my defense weapon--- a broom and went out. There on the roof of my porch（门廊）, I saw a grey fluffy squirrel. I drove her away with the broom, but the next day I heard her again.
I searched squirrels on the net and found because their teeth keep growing, they have to constantly chew on things to shorten their teeth. This was disturbing so I asked my husband to call in some wildlife control people.
On Monday morning two men showed up, with guns in their hands. I pointed uneasily to the hole in my porch roof. They held up their guns. Suddenly I saw in my mind the baby nursery inside. I stopped them and confirmed that they wouldn’t harm her. They hesitated, but finally put down their guns. Then they brought out a bottle of deodorizer（除臭剂）and sprayed it into the squirrel’s home. They told me she would not like the smell and would leave.
There was no sign of Mrs. Squirrel, so they blocked the hole, took my cheque for $250 and left. Shortly after they left, Mrs. Squirrel returned from her shopping trip. She was mad at being driven out and began feverishly clawing at the porch roof. In order to stop the destruction of my home, I drove her away with the broom again.
Each day thereafter, Mrs. Squirrel continued her attack on my possession. I then called the company to report that “SHE’S BAAAAAACK…” The receptionist said that if Mrs. Squirrel had managed to find another way into my porch roof, it would be a new charge. I replied I couldn’t continue contributing my husband’s hard-earned income to their silly wildlife experts and hang up.
I went to the porch and banged on the roof. Mrs. Squirrel came out and glared at me. We negotiated some terms, came to an agreeable arrangement and went back into our respective homes.
All is quiet these days, although large quantities of materials have been removed from my garage wall and my daughter claims that some of her doll-house furniture has disappeared. I still hope that Mrs. Squirrel would leave, but I will wait until it is warmer and hopefully until after the birth of the little ones.
【小题1】What did the author think of the squirrel at first?