It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit (追寻) of the dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, “Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral（葬礼） is Wednesday.”  Memories flashed（闪现）through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

“Jack, did you hear me?”

“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. it’s been so long since I thought of him. I’m sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,” Jack said.

“Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing. He’d reminisce (回忆) about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it, ” Mom told him.

“I loved that old house he lived in,” Jack said.

“You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man’s influence (影响) in your life,” she said.

“He’s the one who taught me carpentry. I wouldn’t be in this business if it weren’t for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things that he thought were important. Mom, I’ll be there for the funeral.” Jack said.

Busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser’s funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time, which was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture … Jack stopped suddenly.

“What’s wrong, Jack?” his Mom asked.

“The box is gone,” he said.

“What box?” Mom asked.

“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he’d ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most’,” Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

“Now I’ll never know what was so valuable to him,” Jack said sadly.

Returning to his office the next day, he found a package on his desk. The return address caught his attention.

“Mr. Harold Belser” it read.

Jack tore （撕）open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope（信封）. Jack’s hands shook as he read the note inside,

“Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bernett. It’s the thing I valued most in my life.” A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, and tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the fine cover, he opened it.

Inside he found these words carved: “Jack. Thanks for your time! Harold Belser.”

“Oh. My God! This is the thing he valued most …”

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his assistant and cleared his appointments for the next two days. “Why?” his assistant asked.

“I need some time to spend with my son,” he said.

1.Why did Belser send Jack his gold watch?

A．Because he had no children or relatives.

B．Because he was grateful for Jack’s time with him.

C．Because he thought he had to keep his word.

D．Because Jack had always wanted it during his childhood.

2.Why did Jack say he needed some time to spend with his son?

A．He was very tired of his work and wanted to have a good rest.

B．He had promised to spare more time to stay with his son.

C．He had missed his son and his family for days.

D．He came to realize the importance of the time with his family.

3.Why did Jack think Mr. Belser died years ago?

A．College and career prevented him from remembering Mr. Belser.

B．Jack was too busy with his business and family to think about Mr. Belser.

C．Jack was too busy realizing his dreams to think about Mr. Belser.

D．His present busy life washed away his children memories.

4.Jack’s mother told him on the phone about Mr. Belser EXCEPT that _________.

A．Mr. Belser often asked how Jack was doing

B．Mr. Belser’s funeral would take place on Wednesday

C．Mr. Belser had asked for Jack’s mailing address

D．Mr. Belser had pleasant memories of their time together

5.Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?

A．The Good Old Times

B．The Lost Childhood Days

C．An Old Gold Watch

D．What He Valued Most

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和Ｄ）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。

One man was to meet his wife downtown and spend some time shopping with her. He waited

1for 15 minutes. Then he waited impatiently for 15 minutes more. After that, he became  2. When he saw a photograph booth (照相亭) nearby, he had  3. He wore the most unhappy expression he could manage, which was not  4in the situation. In a few moments he was holding four small prints that   5even him.

He wrote his wife’s name on the back of the photos and handed them to a   6behind the desk in the booth. “   7you see a small, dark lady with brown eyes and an apologetic expression, obviously   8someone, would you please give her this?” he said. He then   9his office in Morrison Building,    10that if a picture is worth a thousand words, then the four photos must be a good    11! He sat down with a smile.

His wife   12those pictures. She carries them in her purse now and shows them to anyone who asks if she is married…

How are you with   13? One person calls it “wait training.” It seems that there is always something we are  14. We wait on traffic and we wait in lines. We wait to hear about a new job. We wait to complete school. We wait for someone to charge his or her mind.

Patience is an important   15of a happy and rewarding life.  16, some things are worth waiting for.   17presents many opportunities for wait training.

We can hate waiting,   18it or even get good at it! But one thing is  19— we cannot avoid it. How is your   20coming along?

1.A. proudly          B. respectfully        C .patiently        D. curiously

2.Ａ. angry           B. hungry            C. frightened       D. thirsty

3.A．a question       B. a reason           C. an opinion       D. an idea

4.Ａ. serious          B. difficult           C. regular          D. convenient

5.Ａ. hurt            B. encouraged         C. attracted         D. shocked

6.Ａ. clerk           B. secretary           C. passer-by        D. friend

7.Ａ. Since           B. Before             C. As             D. If

8.Ａ. looking for      B. working for         C. sending for      D. paying for

9.Ａ. called up         B. returned to          C. visited         D. left

10.Ａ. worried         B. disappointed         C. satisfied        D. surprised

11.Ａ. description       B. preparation          C. excuse         D. lecture

12.Ａ. tore             B. saved              C. developed       D. destroyed

13.Ａ. your wife        B. your family          C. patience         D. determination

14.Ａ. hoping for       B. waiting for           C. ready for       D. fit for

15.Ａ. lesson          B. experience            C. purpose        D. quality

16.A. For example     B. After all              C. Right now      D. So far

17.Ａ. Every age        B. Every shop          C. Every day       D. Every office

18.Ａ. accept          B. control              C. change          D. improve

19.Ａ. certain          B. interesting            C. precious        D. easy

20.Ａ. photo taking    B. job hunting          C. decision making    D. wait training

Love Is Just a Thread

     Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents．Every day they are very busy trying to earn money to pay the high tuition for us．They don’t act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV．“ I love you” is too luxurious for them to say ．Sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even more out of the question．My father is easy to lose his temper, especially when he’s very tired from the hard work.

     One day, my mother was sewing a quilt．I silently sat beside her and asked her if there was love between them．“ What?” she replied, still doing her work．My mother stopped her work and raised her head with surprise．She didn’t answer immediately．Then she bowed her head and continued sewing the quilt．I was in a great embarrassment and I didn’t know what to do．But at last I heard my mother say the following words: “ Look at this thread．Sometimes it appears, but most of it disappears 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．Love is inside.” I listened carefully but I couldn’t understand her until the next spring.

      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 seemed as if they had a serious illness．Every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father walk slowly on the country road．It seemed they were the most harmonious couple．There were many beautiful flowers, green grass and trees, and the sun gently glistened（闪亮） through the leaves．All of these made up the most beautiful picture in the world．When we were worrying about him, he said gently: “ I really 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.

60．Why does the author sometimes doubt that there is real love between her parents?

       A．Because they are very busy earning money for the high tuition.

       B．Because they don’t act in the romantic ways.

       C．Because her father is easy to lose his temper to her mother

       D．Because “ I love you” is too luxurious for them to say

61．Which of the following explanations is similar to the underlined phrase “ out of the question” in Paragraph One?

       A．possible                                          B．impossible     

      C．out of question                                 D．unnecessary

62．What can we learn from her mother’s answer about love?

      A．Love should be seen anywhere.

      B．Love should be seen anytime.

      C．Love should be a thread.

      D．Love is really existing everywhere and anytime even though we can’t feel it.

63．What made her father change so greatly?

      A．The real love.

      B．The thread of the quilt.

      C．The beautiful scenery of the country road.

      D．All the other members of the family.

64．What’s the main idea of the text?

      A．We should understand our parents.

      B．Love is inside, making life strong and warm.

      C．Love is really very important to anyone.

      D．Love should be outside, and can be seen everywhere.

A young man learns what’s most important in life from the guy next door.

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, “Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.” Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

“Jack, did you hear me?”

“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It’s been so long since I thought of him. I’m sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,” Jack said．

“Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing. He’d reminisce about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it,” Mom told him.

“I loved that old house he lived in,” Jack said.

“You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man’s influence in your life,” she said

“He’s the one who taught me carpentry,” he said．“I wouldn’t be in this business if it weren’t for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important…Mom, I’ll be there for the funeral,” Jack said．

As busy as he was, he kept his word．Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr Belser’s funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered．Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture….Jack stopped suddenly.

“What’s wrong, Jack?” his Mom asked.

“The box is gone.” he said．

“What box?” Mom asked．

“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he’d ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most’.” Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

“Now I’ll never know what was so valuable to him.” Jack said.

“I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom.”

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day, Jack discovered a note in his mailbox “Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days.” the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. “Mr. Harold Belser” it read．Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack’s hands shook as he read the note inside.

“Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It’s the thing I valued most in my life.” A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:

“Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser.”

“The thing he valued most was…my time”

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. “Why?” Janet, his assistant asked．

“I need some time to spend with my son,” he said, “Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!”

1．Why did Jack think Mr. Belser died years ago?

     A．College and career prevented him from remembering Mr. Bleser.

     B．Jack was too busy with his business and family to think about Mr. Belser.

     C．Jack was too busy realizing his dreams to think about Mr. Belser.

     D．His present busy life washed away his childhood memories.

2．Jack’s mother told him on the phone about Mr. Belser EXCEPT that ______.

     A．Mr. Belser often asked how Jack was doing

     B．Mr. Belser’s funeral would take place on Wednesday

     C．Mr. Belser had asked for Jack’s mailing address

     D．Mr. Belser had pleasant memories of their time together

3．Why did Belser send Jack his gold watch?

     A．Because he was grateful for Jack’s time with him.

     B．Because he had no children or relatives.

     C．Because he thought he had to keep his word.

     D．Because Jack had always wanted it during his childhood.

4．Why did Jack say he needed some time to spend with his son?

     A．He was very tired of his work and wanted to have a good rest.

     B．He had promised to spare more time to stay with his son.

     C．He had missed his son and his family for days.

     D．He came to realize the importance of the time with his family.

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, carrier, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of the dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, “Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.” Memories fleshed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

“Jack, did you hear me?”

“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. it’s been so long since I thought of him. I’m sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,” Jack said.

“Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing. He’d reminisce (回忆) about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it, ” Mom told him.

“I loved that old house he lived in,” Jack said.

“You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man’s influence in your life,” she said.

“He’s the one who taught me carpentry. I wouldn’t be in this business if it weren’t for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important. Mom, I’ll be there for the funeral.” Jack said.

Busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser’s funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time, which was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture … Jack stopped suddenly.

“What’s wrong, Jack?” his Mom asked.

“The box is gone,” he said.

“What box?” Mom asked.

“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he’d ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most’,” Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

“Now I’ll never know what was so valuable to him,” Jack said sadly.

Returning to his office the next day, he found a package on his desk. The return address caught his attention.

“Mr. Harold Belser” it read.

Jack tore open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack’s hands shook as he read the note inside,

“Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bernett. It’s the thing I valued most in my life.” A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, and tears filling his eyes. Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the fine cover, he opened it.

Inside he found these words carved: “Jack. Thanks for your time! Harold Belser.”

“Oh. My God! This is the thing he valued most …”

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his assistant and cleared his appointments for the next two days. “Why?” his assistant asked.

“I need some time to spend with my son,” he said.

1.Why did Jack think Mr. Belser died years ago?

2. Jack’s mother told him on the phone about Mr. Belser EXCEPT that _________.

3.Why did Belser send Jack his gold watch?

4.Why did Jack say he needed some time to spend with his son?

5.Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?