“A good book for children should simply be a good book in its own right,”says Mollie Hunter. Born and brought up near Edinburgh, Mollie has devoted her talents to writing primarily for young people. She firmly believes that there is and should always be a wider audience for any good book whatever its main market is. In Mollie’s opinion it is necessary to make full use of language and she enjoys telling a story, which is what every writer should be doing, “If you aren’t telling a story, you’re a very dead writer indeed.”she says. With the chief function of a writer being to entertain, Mollie is indeed an entertainer. “I have this great love of not only the meaning of language but of the music of language,”she says. “This love goes back to early childhood. I’ve told stories all my life. I had a school teacher who used to ask us what we would like to be when we grew up and, because my family always had dogs, and I was very good at handling them. I said I wanted to work with dogs, and the teacher always said‘Nonsense, Mollie; dear, you’ll be a writer.’So finally I thought that this woman must have something, since she was a good teacher and I decided when I was nine that I would be a writer.”

   This childhood intention is described in her novel, A Sound of Chariots, which although written in the third person is clearly autobiographical (自传体的)and gives a picture both of Mollie’s ambition and her struggle towards its achievement. Thoughts of her childhood inevitably(不可避免的)brought thoughts of the time when her home was still a village with buttercup meadows and strawberry fields-sadly now covered with modern houses. “I was once taken back to see it and I felt that somebody had lain dirty hands all over my childhood. I’ll never go back,”she said.“Never.”“When I set one of my books in Scotland,”she said,“I can recall my romantic feelings as a child playing in those fields, or watching the village blacksmith at work. And that’s important, because children now know so much so early that romance can’t exist for them, as it did for us.”

1. What does Mollie Hunter feel about the nature of a good book?

A. It should not aim at a narrow audience.

B. It should be attractive to young readers.

C. It should be based on original ideas.

D. It should not include too much conversation.

2. In Mollie Hunter’s opinion, which of the following is one sign of poor writer?

A. Being poor in life experience

B. Being short of writing skill.

C. The weakness of description

D. The absence of a story.

3.What do we learn about Mollie Hunter as a young child？

A. She didn’t expect to become a writer.

B. She didn’t enjoy writing stories.

C. She didn’t have any particular ambition.

D. She didn’t respect her teacher’s view.

4.In comparison with children of earlier years, Mollie feels that children now are _____.

A. more intelligent

B. better informed

C. less eager to learn

D. less interested in reality

5. What’s the writer’s purpose in this text?

A. To share her enjoyment of Mollie Hunter’s book.

B. To introduce Mollie Hunter’s work to a wider audience.

C. To provide information for Mollie Hunter’s existing readers.

D. To describe Mollie Hunter’s most successful books.

第二节：完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）

阅读下面短文,从短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

As a teenager, I didn’t get along well with my mother before . She 31 every aspect of my life, leaving me unable to have my 32 space.

About two years ago, I had a 33 with her . I just couldn’t control my bad temper that day . I said something  34  to mum . Mum was hurt, but she went away without saying anything .

When I was  35  at home, I started to recall the happy time we spent together and realized that I should 36  .But when I saw mum, the  37  moments pushed all the thoughts of saying sorry out of my head. I came back to my bedroom, feeling distracted (心烦意乱). That night I didn’t   38 well.

The next day, I got up earlier than usual. And I 39  a letter beside my bed. It was mum! In this letter, mum   40 how she loved me and how she worried about me . The 41  of mum’s love raced through my mind when I read it . I couldn’t help crying. I went out of bedroom and saw mum standing there   42 me.

“I am sorry, mum . Please 43 me !” I said with a guilty conscience(愧疚感) . Then I saw tears of 44 coming into mum’s eyes. We embraced(拥抱) emotionally. That moment was totally in my 45 forever.

From then on,   46 there is argument between us ,we will write our feelings and thoughts to each other. Then we can 47 and soon get along well.

By telling my story, I just want  48 people to know that if you have problems with your parents try to find the  49  . Never think that you have nothing to talk with them.They are the persons who always love you and stand  50  you! Maybe they’ve hurt you before , probably just because they didn’t know how to express love.

31. A. took notice of     B. took care of      C. took hold of      D. took the place of

32. A. private        B. wide   C. empty D. quiet

33. A. talk      B. conflict      C. instruction  D. decision

34. A. cheerful       B. wonderful  C. helpful       D. hurtful

35. A. asleep   B. sleepy C. alone  D. lonely

36. A. complain     B. tolerate      C. change       D. apologize

37. A. unhappy      B. uncertain    C. unfriendly  D. unfamiliar

38. A. eat       B. feel     C. sleep   D. live

39. A. wrote   B. found  C. accepted    D. read

40. A. implied B. explained   C. declared     D. promised

41. A. words   B. stories C. records       D. details

42. A. pointing at   B. staring at   C. waiting for D. looking for

43. A. forgive B. accept       C. forget D. punish

44. A. happiness     B. regret  C. sadness       D. shame

45. A. diary   B. memory    C. imagination       D. life

46. A. because       B. unless C. if       D. although

47. A. understand   B. play   C. think D. relax

48. A. unkind  B. impatient    C. adult D. young

49. A. answers       B. difficulties  C. solutions    D. suggestions

50. A. for      B. by      C. in      D. against

As a teenager, I didn’t get along well with my mother before. She   36   every aspect of my life, leaving me unable to have my   37   space.

About two years ago, I had a   38   with her. I just couldn’t control my bad temper that day. I said something   39   to mum. Mum was hurt, but she went away without saying anything.

When I was   40   at home. I started to recall the happy time we spent together and realized that I should   41  . But when I saw mum, the   42  moments pushed all the thoughts of saying sorry out of my head. I came back to my bedroom, feeling distracted (心烦意乱的). That night I didn’t’   43   well.

The next day, I got up earlier than usual. And I   44   a letter beside my bed. It was mum! In this letter, mum   45   how she loved me and how she worried about me. The   46   of mum’s love raced through my mind when I read it. I couldn’t help crying out. I went out of the bedroom and saw mum standing there   47   me.

“I am sorry, mum, Please   48  me!” I said with a guilty conscience (愧疚感). Then I saw tears of   49   coming into mum’s eyes. We embraced (拥抱) emotionally. That moment was totally  in my   50  forever.

From then on,    51   there is argument between us, we will write our feelings and thoughts to each other. Then we can   52   and soon get on well.

By telling my story, I just want   53   people to know that if you have problems with you parents, try to find the   54  . Never think that you have nothing to talk with them. They are the persons who always love you and stand   55  you! Maybe they’ve hurt you before, probably just because they didn’t know how to express love.

1.A．took notice of     B．took care of     C．took hold of     D．took the place of

2.A．private            B．wide             C．empty            D．quiet

3.A．talk               B．conflict         C．fight            D．decision

4.A．cheerful           B．wonderful        C．harmful          D．hurtful

5.A．asleep             B．sleepy           C．alone            D．lonely

6.A．complain           B．tolerate         C．change           D．apologize

7.A．unhappy            B．uncertain        C．unfriendly       D．unfamiliar

8.A．eat                B．feel             C．sleep            D．live

9.A．wrote              B．found            C．received         D．read

10.A．implied           B．explained        C．declared         D．promised

11.A．words             B．stories          C．records          D．details

12.A．pointing at       B．smiling at       C．waiting for      D．looking for

13.A．forgive           B．accept           C．forget           D．punish

14.A．happiness         B．regret           C．sadness          D．shame

15.A．diary             B．memory           C．imagination      D．life

16.A．because           B．unless           C．if               D．although

17.A．understand        B．play             C．think            D．relax

18.A．unkind            B．impatient        C．adult            D．young

19.A．answers           B．methods          C．solutions        D．suggestions

20.A．for   B．by   C．in   D．against

A Faithful Father
My husband ,kissed me  goodbye ，stroked, the baby’s  cheek and then rushed out of the door ，into his busy day. With the cold of the morning fading, I fed my baby and it fell fast asleep. Usually I would place it in bed and quickly have the house somewhat in 36______ ,
This morning ，however, I stayed seated ,just 37_____,with the baby in my arms ,The thoughts  ran into 38______ of the mornings with my husband, a father rushing out of the door to meet the obligations of life. It was only a small jump to thoughts of my own 39______
My mother passed away when I was ten, and as I looked 40 ______I could see how much of a family man my dad was. He went to work every morning and 41______ to his family every evening. He 42______ food, clothing, warmth ，and protection. He was a faithful father.
Setting the baby down ,I dialed the 43 ______ number. I had just realized the 44 ______ of the ordinary—the daily life going on around us that we often took for granted, and that it needed to be 45______
“Hi ，Dad. ” I said, 46______ back tears.
“Hey, Bud- How are you? ” 47______ was in his voice.:
“ Fine, Fm just calling to say. ,, thank you. ” I got it out before my throat 48______ too much for me to speak.
"What for?”
— For getting up and going to work every morning of ray life. Now that I have my' own 49______ and I see my husband doing the same ，I just wanted to thank you for being 50______ ”
There was 51______ for a moment as my dad composed himself ，and with a small . .52______ in his voice he said, “You’re welcome, Bud. ”
I don’t  remember much of the rest of the call, 53______ that moment of revelation (显露） about my father, I will never forget. There are those who are known for their heroic 54 ______，and also those who are known for their fortunes and fame ，but it is the 55 ______everyday fathers who are the true heroes. I’m thankful that my father was one of them.

PART THREE: READING COMPREHENSION (30分)
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
A
At dawn on Friday, May 19, 1780, farmers in New England stopped to wonder at the pink color of the sun. By noon the sky had darkened to midnight blackness, causing Americans, still in the painful struggle of a prolonged war of independence, to light candles and tremble at thoughts of the Last Judgment. As the birds quieted and no storm accompanied the darkness, men and women crowded into churches, where one minister commented that “The people were very attentive.” John Greenleaf Whittier later wrote that “Men prayed, and women wept; all ears grew sharp . . .”
A recent study of researchers, led by Richard Guyette from the University of Missouri’s Tree Ring Laboratory, has shown that vast forest fires in the Algonquin Highlands of southern Ontario and elsewhere in Canada brought this event upon New England. The scientists have discovered “fire scars” on the rings for that year, left when the heat of a wildfire has killed a part of a tree’s cambium (形成层). Evidence collected also points to a drought that year. An easterly wind and low barometric pressure (低气压) helped force smoke into the upper atmosphere. “The record fits pretty close,” says Guyette. “We had the right fuel, the drought. The conditions were all there.”
Lacking the ability to communicate quickly over long distances, Americans in 1780 remained in the dark about the event, which had disappeared by the next day. Over the next several months, the papers carried heated debates about what brought the darkness. Some were the voices of angry prediction, such as one Massachusetts farmer who wrote, “Oh! Backsliding New-England, attend now to the things which belong to your peace before they are forever hid from your eyes.” Others gave different answers. One stated that a “flaming star” had passed between the earth and the sun. Ash, argued another commentator. The debate, carried on throughout New England, where there were no scientific journals or academies yet, reflected an unfolding culture of scientific enquiry already sweeping the Western world, a revolution nearly as influential as the war for independence from the English.
New Englanders would not soon forget that dark day; it lived on in folklore, poems, and sermons for generations.
56. New Englanders crowded into churches because they were frightened by         .
A. the pink color of the sun      B. the darkened sky at daytime
C. the Last Judgment on Friday    D. the American War of Independence
57. What can we infer about the event in New England on May 19, 1780?
A. Prayers remained silent and attentive.
B. Night birds no longer came out to sing.
C. People’s ears became sharper than usual.
D. Midday meals were served by candlelight.
58. According to the researchers, the origin of the event was         .
A. an east wind                B. a severe drought
C. some burning fuel            D. low barometric pressure
59. What can we know about the debates after the dark day?
A. They focused on causes of the event.
B. They swept throughout the Western world.
C. They were organized by scientific institutions.
D. They improved Americans’ ability to communicate.
60. What can be the best title for the text?
A. New England’s dark day.  B. Voices of angry prediction.
C. There is no smoke without fire.       D. Tree rings and scientific discovery.