My mother loves flowers. As soon as warm weather comes around, you will find her planting, watering, and weeding over everything. For a number of years we lived next door to each other, and she spent as much time in my garden as she did her own. After the flowers became plentiful each summer, she would cut colorful bouquets(花束) to enjoy inside the house -- both hers and mine. I would often come home from work and find a beautiful arrangement of fresh flowers on my coffee table.
Shortly before Christmas one year, a local flower shop offered a bouquet-a-month special. It seemed to be a made-to-order gift for Mom, a great way to thank her for all of the flowers she had given me through the years.
After the holidays, in early January, I drove her to the flower shop to pick up her first month's bouquet. The small fresh colorful bouquet would hardly fill a small vase.
I was so embarrassed. However, after we returned home, she began to arrange the flowers she had received. "Mom, I'm sorry," I told her. "I can't believe how skimpy that bouquet is." She looked at me and smiled. "It's okay," she said. "It allows me to better enjoy the beauty of each one."
Mom's words helped me to realize something bigger and more important --when we have too many good things, we often fail to enjoy the beauty of each one. 
Thanks, Mom, for helping me understand that less is sometimes more.
【小题1】The author bought her mother flowers to ____.

My mother loves flowers. As soon as warm weather comes around, you will find her planting, watering, and weeding over everything. For a number of years we lived next door to each other, and she spent as much time in my garden as she did her own. After the flowers became plentiful each summer, she would cut colorful bouquets(花束) to enjoy inside the house -- both hers and mine. I would often come home from work and find a beautiful arrangement of fresh flowers on my coffee table.

Shortly before Christmas one year, a local flower shop offered a bouquet-a-month special. It seemed to be a made-to-order gift for Mom, a great way to thank her for all of the flowers she had given me through the years.

After the holidays, in early January, I drove her to the flower shop to pick up her first month's bouquet. The small fresh colorful bouquet would hardly fill a small vase.

I was so embarrassed. However, after we returned home, she began to arrange the flowers she had received. "Mom, I'm sorry," I told her. "I can't believe how skimpy that bouquet is." She looked at me and smiled. "It's okay," she said. "It allows me to better enjoy the beauty of each one."

Mom's words helped me to realize something bigger and more important --when we have too many good things, we often fail to enjoy the beauty of each one. 

Thanks, Mom, for helping me understand that less is sometimes more.

The author bought her mother flowers to ____.

A. celebrate the coming Christmas

B. express thanks for all her mother has done

C. bring more flowers to her mother's garden

D. arrange her mother's new house

What can you infer from the passage?

A. The author couldn't afford a big bouquet.

B. The mother was not happy when receiving the bouquet.

C. The author would pick up another bouquet the next month.

D. The mother would send back the bouquet to the flower shop.

The underlined word "skimpy" in Para. 4 means ____.

A. beautiful  B. colorful    C. cheap              D. small

What did the author learn from her mother?

A. How to grow flowers.                    B. How to arrange flowers.

C. Enjoying life if possible.         D. Considering things in other ways.

A. until               B. when                C. before            D. as

My mother loves flowers. As soon as warm weather comes around, you will find her planting, watering, and weeding over everything. For a number of years we lived next door to each other, and she spent as much time in my garden as she did her own. After the flowers became plentiful each summer, she would cut colorful bouquets(花束) to enjoy inside the house -- both hers and mine. I would often come home from work and find a beautiful arrangement of fresh flowers on my coffee table.

Shortly before Christmas one year, a local flower shop offered a bouquet-a-month special. It seemed to be a made-to-order gift for Mom, a great way to thank her for all of the flowers she had given me through the years.

After the holidays, in early January, I drove her to the flower shop to pick up her first month's bouquet. The small fresh colorful bouquet would hardly fill a small vase.

I was so embarrassed. However, after we returned home, she began to arrange the flowers she had received. "Mom, I'm sorry," I told her. "I can't believe how skimpy that bouquet is." She looked at me and smiled. "It's okay," she said. "It allows me to better enjoy the beauty of each one."

Mom's words helped me to realize something bigger and more important --when we have too many good things, we often fail to enjoy the beauty of each one. 

Thanks, Mom, for helping me understand that less is sometimes more.

1.The author bought her mother flowers to ____.

A. celebrate the coming Christmas

B. express thanks for all her mother has done

C. bring more flowers to her mother's garden

D. arrange her mother's new house

2. What can you infer from the passage?

A. The author couldn't afford a big bouquet.

B. The mother was not happy when receiving the bouquet.

C. The author would pick up another bouquet the next month.

D. The mother would send back the bouquet to the flower shop.

3.The underlined word "skimpy" in Para. 4 means ____.

A. beautiful  B. colorful    C. cheap              D. small

4.What did the author learn from her mother?

A. How to grow flowers.                    B. How to arrange flowers.

C. Enjoying life if possible.         D. Considering things in other ways.

5.A. until                     B. when                C. before            D. as

Section B (18 marks)
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
When I was 8 years old, I once decided to run away from home. With my suitcase   36  and some sandwiches in a bag, I started for the front door and said to Mom, “I’m leaving.”
“If you want to   37 , that’s all right,” she said. “But you came into this home without anything and you can leave the same way.” I   38  my suitcase and sandwiches on the floor heavily and started for the door again.
“Wait a minute,” Mom said. “I want your   39  back. You didn’t wear anything when you arrived.” This really angered me. I tore my clothes off—shoes, socks, underwear and all—and   40 , “Can I go now?” “Yes,” Mom answered, “but once you close that door, don’t expect to come back.”
I was so   41  that I slammed (砰地关上) the door and stepped out on the front porch.   42  I realized that I was outside, with nothing on. Then I noticed that down the street, two neighbor girls were walking toward our house. I ran to   43  behind a big tree in our yard at once. After a while, I was   44  the girls had passed by. I dashed to the front door and banged on it loudly.
“Who’s there?” I heard.
“It’s Billy! Let me in!”
The voice behind the   45  answered, “Billy doesn’t live here anymore. He ran away from home.” Glancing behind me to see if anyone else was coming, I begged, “Aw, c’mon, Mom! I’m   46  your son. Let me in!”
The door inched open and Mom’s smiling face appeared. “Did you change your   47  about running away?” she asked.
“What’s for supper?” I answered. (277 words)