In 1970, my five brothers, my sister and I lived in the housing projects of Toronto with our parents. My father was a factory worker, and my mother stayed at home. Each year my father would dress up as Santa Claus and go through the streets of the projects sharing joy and candies with the children there. He loved it as much as they did!

But around the Christmas in 1970, my father was out of his job and money was tight. In fact, there was no money for Christmas and my parents weren’t sure what they’d provide for us.

That Christmas Eve, however, as usual, my father left the house dressed as Santa Claus. He knew that even though our Christmas would be hard, he could not disappoint the other kids in the neighborhood.

As my father left the house and went down the walkway, Santa Claus was walking up, with a great sack full of gifts for us! He said nothing, only smiled a sweet smile at my father, and wished him a Merry Christmas. The happy man handed Dad the sack and walked away down the block.

We never knew who the man was and who showed us great kindness on a snowy Christmas night. We do know, however, that without him we would have had nothing under the tree. His kindness gave my parents hope and showed us in a very real way the true meaning of Christmas.

Our family has never forgotten this kind stranger. Each year we tell the story of the mysterious Santa Claus and try to repay his gifts by giving gifts to others in need.

1.The author’s father ________.

A. was once the richest man in his hometown

B. was working in a government office

C. had to support a family of 9 people

D. looked like Santa Claus most

2.What happened in 1970?

A. The author’s father was out of work.

B. The author’s mother lost her job.

C. They had a little money left for Christmas.

D. They had the worst Christmas in their lives.

3.The author’s family knew ________.

A. who the mysterious Santa Claus was

B. why the mysterious Santa Claus helped them

C. how they could repay the mysterious Santa Claus

D. they could find the mysterious Santa Claus one day

4.It can be inferred（推断）that ________.

A. the mysterious Santa Claus was one of their relatives

B. the mysterious Santa Claus was a rich man in the area

C. the sack from the mysterious Santa Claus was very expensive

D. the author’s family were all thankful to the mysterious Santa Claus

The 12 million people in Mexico City woke up on September 19th, 1985, to find their city ______ after the terrible quake.

Deciding which English-speaking country to study in wasn’t difficult for Ann; She had always wanted to visit America. “I wanted to study in an  English-language country and I always wanted to visit America because it always seemed to me a very beautiful and friendly country.” Ann is more than happy with the quality of the education she is receiving in America, particularly with the subjects and strong academic support.“ I am very happy with the quality of education I am receiving. All my subjects are useful and connected. I am happy with help I receive from the lecturers and tutors.”
Also of particular satisfaction for Ann is the practical element of her American course. “I find it very important and useful. The theory is a good thing to know but nothing gives you more skills and knowledge than practical work.”
Where her future employment is concerned, Ann is very confident her American qualification will be of great help. “I know that getting a degree here is a good thing for my future; it can open many doors in Poland or anywhere  else in the world.”
Ann is also really enjoying life in America; She is making friends and taking time out to enjoy herself. “People are very friendly and helpful. University is a good place to find new friends from America and from overseas. It is a friendly environment with lots of things to do, not only studying. And of course there are the beaches, not to mention the beautiful weather.”
【小题1】The purpose of writing this passage is to _________.

I hear a number of workers in the factory_____out of work.

__Yes, and the number _____quite huge.

A.are; is    B.is; are    C.is; is   D.are; are

    Raising pets is not a new thing in China , but recently it has taken on a new meaning .

     As a famous Chinese saying goes, pursuit of petty (小的，不重要的) pleasures weakens one’s will to make progress . The saying has been so popular that even today many people still consider raising pets as a hobby of the idle .

     Things have changed much recently and now raising pets has become a popular pastime , resulting in a successful pet care industry .

     Pet food is sold in almost all supermarkets and many special stores for pet needs have been set up .

     Animal hospitals provide various medical services for sick dogs and cats , and pet exchange fairs are held regularly .

     At the China International Pet Show which took place recently in Beijing , more than 100 factories from across the country exhibited their products . Thousands of dealers and pet owners went to the show.

     “People’s swollen pockets make it possible for many to raise pets , a hobby that used to be enjoyed only by the wealthy ,” said Wang Wei , who works with the National Kennel Association of China .

     Wang Yuyan , vice president of the Small Animals Protection Association , agreed , “ In many films and novels , having a pet is used as a symbol of wealth . That’s not a complete picture . ” Wang added that pets are friends in a real sense of the word , not just playthings . “ Anyone with a loving nature can raise pets . ”

     Still the high cost of keeping a pet is something many people have to think about .

     “I like dogs and cats , but I have neither time nor money to raise them , ”said Li Jun , in her 40’s , a civil servant from Beijing .

     The cost of raising a dog is high in Beijing , where registration (登记) is a must for all dogs and costs 5,000 yuan for each animal . In addition , pet owners must pay for regular injection of vaccines (疫苗). Most of all , dog food is quite expensive .

     Unlike his mother , Li Jun’s 10-year-old son, Li Qiyu, dreams of the day he will have his own pet . “I hope I can have a dog in my house , ” he said .

Things have changed much recently , because ___________ .

  A. people have all become kind-hearted       B. small animals have no places to live in

  C. people’s living conditions are improving    D. more and more people are out of work

In big cities in China today , raising pets ________ .

  A. has changed people’s life        B. has destroyed some families

  C. has met much difficulty         D. has brought much business for some people

According to Wang Yuyan’s opinion , raising pets _________ .

  A. is a necessary job for us all       B. is harmless for most people 

  C. should be a hobby of the rich      D. will make the poor happy