A month after Hurricane Katrina, I returned home in New Orleans. There   1   my house, reduced to waist-high ruins, smelly and dirty.

       Before the trip, I had had my car fixed .When the office employee of the garage was writing up the bill, she  2     my Louisiana license plate. “You from New Orleans?” she asked .I said I was, “No   3    .” She said, and firmly shook her   4   when I reached for my wallet. The next day I went for a haircut, and    5   happened.

       As my wife was studying in Florida ,we decided to move there and tried to find a(n)   6   house that we could afford while   7   paying off a mortgage（抵押贷款）on our ruined house .We looked at many places, but   8   was satisfactory. We had begun to accept that we would have to live in    9   reduced circumstances（条件）for a while,   10   I got a very curious e-mail from a James Kennedy in California. He had read some pieces I had written about our    11   for Slate, the online magazine and wanted to give us a new   12   across the lake for New Orleans.

       It sounded too good to be true ,   11   I replied ,thanking him for his exceptional generosity（大方）,   14   we had no plans to go back .Then a poet at the University of Florida offered to    15   his house to me, while he went to England on his one-year paid leave. The rent was rather   16   .I mentioned the poet’s offer to    17   , and the next day he sent a   18   covering our entire rent for eight months .Throughout this painful experience, the kindness of strangers has done much to    19   my faith in humanity .It’s almost    20   losing your worldly possessions to be reminded that people are really nice when given half a chance.

1．A．stood                    B．lay                      C．went                   D．left

2．A．watched                B．looked                 C．overlooked          D．noticed

3．A．smoking                B．problem               C．charge                D．damage

4．A．head                     B．body                   C．hand                   D．arm

5．A．a strange thing       B．different things     C．another thing       D．the same thing

6．A．rental                    B．expensive            C．perfect                D．beautiful

7．A．ever                      B．never                  C．also                    D．only

8．A．little                      B．much                  C．nothing               D．none

9．A．specially                B．gradually             C．extremely            D．usually

11．A．happiness            B．sufferings            C．kindness              D．fortune

12．A．house                  B．job                      C．field                    D．chance

11．A．so                       B．or                       C．as                       D．but

14．A．that                     B．which                 C．what                   D．why

15．A．sell                     B．present                C．give                    D．let

16．A．terrible                B．reasonable           C．much                  D．high

17．A．my wife              B．Katrina                C．the university       D．James Kennedy

18．A．note                    B．bill                      C．check                 D．letter

19．A．bring back           B．bring down          C．bring forward      D．bring up

20．A．worthy                   B．worth              C．useless                   D．good

On a number of drives throughout my childhood, my mother would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of the road or rescue a beetle from tragedy while I, in my late teens and early twenties, sat impatiently in the car.

Though Mother’s Day follows Earth Day, for me, they have always been related to each other. My mom has been “green” since she became concerned about the environment. Part of this habit was born of thrift (节俭). Like her mother and her grandmother before her, mom saves glass jars, empty cheese containers and reuses her plastic bags.

Mom creates a kind of harmonious relationship with wildlife in her yard. She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little early to avoid the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders(给食器) out at night, it is likely that they will be knocked down by a family of raccoons (浣熊). Spiders that make their way into the house and are caught in juice glasses will be set loose in the garden.

I try to teach my children that looking out for the environment starts with being aware of the environment. On busy streets, we look for dandelions (蒲公英) to fly in the wind; we say hello to neighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags. This teaching comes easily, I realize, because I was taught so well by example. Mom didn’t need to lecture; she didn’t need to beat a drum to change the world. She simply slowed down enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came mercy and an instinct for protection.

I am slowing down and it isn’t because of the weight of my nearly forty years on the planet, it is out of my concern for the planet itself. I’ve begun to save glass jars and reuse packing envelopes. I pause in my daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other in the trees above my house.

Last summer, in the company of my son and daughter, I planted tomatoes in my yard. With the heat of August around me, I ate the first while sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands. Warm from the sun, it burst on my tongue with a sweetness I immediately wanted to share with my mom.

1.. Why does the author say Earth Day is connected with Mother’s Day?

A. Because Mother’s Day falls shortly after Earth Day.

B. To stress that all the older women in her family are environmentalists.

C. To stress how much her mother cares about the environment.

D. Because her mother shows her how to be friendly to nature on Mother’s Day.

2.. Which of the following is NOT related to Mom’s “green life”?

A. Rescuing a beetle from a certain tragedy. 

B. Saving glass jars, empty cheese containers.

C. Setting a caught spider free in the garden 

D. Picking dandelions on busy streets.

3.. We can infer from the article that ______.

A. the author realizes that she should teach her children by example as well

B. the author’s mother knows how to get rid of the wildlife in her yard   

C. the author believes that only by learning to slow down can we enjoy life

D. the author’s mother used to lecture her to protect the environment.

4.. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A. Tomatoes make the author think of her mother.

B. The author likes eating tomatoes planted by herself.

C. Planting tomatoes is a way of protecting environment.

D. The author really appreciates her mother’s teaching.

5.. The writer’s attitude towards her mom’s behavior changed in the order of ______.

A. understanding — critical — approving

B. approving — doubtful — negative

C. negative — understanding — approving

D. doubtful— critical— positive

On a number of drives throughout my childhood, my mother would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of the road or rescue a beetle from tragedy while I, in my late teens and early twenties, sat impatiently in the car.

Though Mother’s Day follows Earth Day, for me, they have always been related to each other. My mom has been “green” since she became concerned about the environment. Part of this habit was born of thrift (节俭). Like her mother and her grandmother before her, mom saves glass jars, empty cheese containers and reuses her plastic bags.

Mom creates a kind of harmonious relationship with wildlife in her yard. She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little early to avoid the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders(给食器) out at night, it is likely that they will be knocked down by a family of raccoons (浣熊). Spiders that make their way into the house and are caught in juice glasses will be set loose in the garden.

I try to teach my children that looking out for the environment starts with being aware of the environment. On busy streets, we look for dandelions (蒲公英) to fly in the wind; we say hello to neighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags. This teaching comes easily, I realize, because I was taught so well by example. Mom didn’t need to lecture; she didn’t need to beat a drum to change the world. She simply slowed down enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came mercy and an instinct for protection.

I am slowing down and it isn’t because of the weight of my nearly forty years on the planet, it is out of my concern for the planet itself. I’ve begun to save glass jars and reuse packing envelopes. I pause in my daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other in the trees above my house.

Last summer, in the company of my son and daughter, I planted tomatoes in my yard. With the heat of August around me, I ate the first while sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands. Warm from the sun, it burst on my tongue with a sweetness I immediately wanted to share with my mom.

51. Why does the author say Earth Day is connected with Mother’s Day?

A. Because Mother’s Day always falls shortly after Earth Day.

B. To stress that all the women in her family are environmentalists.

C. To stress how much her mother cares about the environment.

D. Because her mother shows her concern to nature on Mother’s Day.

52. Which of the following is NOT related to Mom’s “green life”?

A. Rescuing a beetle from a certain tragedy.      B. Saving glass jars, empty cheese containers.

C. Setting a caught spider free in the garden      D. Picking dandelions on busy streets.

53. We can infer from the article that ______.

A. the author realizes that she should teach her children by example as well

B. the author’s mother knows how to get rid of the wildlife in her yard   

C. the author believes that only by learning to slow down can we enjoy life

D. the author’s mother used to lecture her to protect the environment.

54. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A. Tomatoes make the author think of her mother.

B. The author likes eating tomatoes planted by herself.

C. Planting tomatoes is a way of protecting environment.

D. The author really appreciates her mother’s teaching.

The Friday after the American holiday of Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It’s said that it’s the day that store ledgers(分类账)move into the black and companies become profitable. On that day, retailers slash(砍) prices to get consumers to buy.  It is also a time when many Americans start their Christmas shopping. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee tells us how the economy may affect consumers on that bargain day.
This day should be a shopper’s dream. “It’s just the deals, the sales and everything you can get for a lesser price,” said Sandy Thomas, a shopper. But it’s a nightmare for others. “I think it’s crazy. I’ve done all of my shopping throughout the week so I don’t have to go out on Friday,” she said. It’s called Black Friday, the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States. Every year it’s the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stores open before sunrise and there are deep discounts everywhere you look.
Last year a crowd of bargain-hunters killed a Wal-mart worker in a New York suburb. This year, many stores are increasing security while they slash prices. “This is a huge time for the retail stores,” said Fred Joutz from George Washington University. “This is when they begin making their profits for the year.”
Economics professor Fred Joutz says how Americans spend the weekend after Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.
With the unemployment rate above 10 percent, Joutz says Americans are saving more and spending less. Some retailers are attracting consumers by opening on Thanksgiving Day, when shops are traditionally closed.  Other stores open their doors anywhere from midnight to four in the morning.
And shoppers will be lining up in front of the doors in order to be one of the first ones to walk through and get a big discount. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually the first items to go. Sandy Thomas says it’s an annual family tradition and well worth it. “I just save maybe half of what I would have spent on a regular, you know, shopping trip,” she said.
Economists say U.S. consumers will spend money this Black Friday, but they will spend it more carefully.
【小题1】By saying “This day should be a shopper’s dream”, the writer means ________ .

The Friday after the American holiday of Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It’s said that it’s the day that store ledgers(分类账)move into the black and companies become profitable（有利可图的，有益的）. On that day, retailers（零售商）slash prices to get consumers to buy.  It is also a time when many Americans start their Christmas shopping. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee tells us how the economy may affect consumers on that bargain day.
“It’s just the deals, the sales and everything you can get for a lesser（较少的，较小的）price,” said Sandy Thomas, a shopper. But it’s a nightmare（噩梦）for others. “I think it’s crazy. I’ve done all of my shopping throughout the week so I don’t have to go out on Friday,” she said. It’s called Black Friday, the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States. Every year it’s the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stores open before sunrise and there are deep discounts everywhere you look.
While the lead up to Christmas is known as the season of giving, Black Friday can get ugly.
Last year a crowd of bargain-hunters killed a Wal-mart（沃尔玛公司）worker in a New York suburb. This year, many stores are increasing security while they slash prices. “This is a huge time for the retail stores,” said Fred Joutz from George Washington University. “This is when they begin making their profits for the year.”
Economics professor Fred Joutz says how Americans spend the weekend after Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.
With the unemployment rate above 10 percent, Joutz says Americans are saving more and spending less. “Credit is still strictly controlled whether through credit cards or through borrowing from banks,” he said. Some retailers are attracting consumers by opening on Thanksgiving Day, when shops are traditionally closed.  Other stores open their doors anywhere from midnight to four in the morning.
And shoppers will be lining up in front of the doors in order to be one of the first ones to walk through and get a big discount. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually the first items to go. Sandy Thomas says it’s an annual family tradition and well worth it. “I just save maybe half of what I would have spent on a regular, you know, shopping trip,” she said.
Economists say U.S. consumers will spend money this Black Friday, but they will spend it more carefully.     
【小题1】 The underlined word “slash” in the first paragraph probably means _________.