1. We can learn from the text that many newly married people _________.

　　 A. find it hard to pay for what they need

　　 B. have to learn to make their own furniture

　　 C. take DIY courses run by the government

　　 D. seldom go to department store to buy things

5. The present that Edith bought for her father _________.

　　 A. proved to be valuable　　　　 　　　　　　　 B. would be of no use

　　 C. pleased her parents　　　　　 　　　　　　　 D. made her parents sad　 (BAABB)

d

As prices and building costs keep rising, the "do-it-yourself" (DIY)trend (趋势) in the U.S. continues to grow.

　　 "We need furniture(家具) for our living room," says John Ross," and we just didn't have enough money to buy it. So we decided to try making a few tables and chairs." John got married six months ago, and like many young people these days, they are struggling to make a home at a time when the cost of living is very high. The Roses took a 2_week course for $280 at a night school. Now they build all their furniture and make repairs around house.

　　 Jim Hatfield has free boys and his wife died. He has a full-time job at home as well as in a shoe making factory. Last month, he received a car repair bill for $420."I was deeply upset about it. Now I've finished a car repair course, I should be able to fix the car by myself."

　　 John and Jim are not unusual people. Most families in the countries are doing everything they can to save money so they can fight the high cost of living. If you want to become a "do-it-yourselfer", you can go to DIY classes. And for those who don't have time to take a course, there are books that tell you how you can do things yourself.

4. Edith's father smoked a pipe ________.

　　　 A. when he was allowed to　　　 　　　　　　 B. from time to time

　　　 C. when he was pleased　　　　　 　　　　　　 D. from then on

3. Edith stayed at the next counter ________ .

　　　 A. for not a long time　　　　　 　　　　　　　 B. for quite some time

　　　 C. without buying anything　　　 　　　　　　　 D. and talked to the assistant

2. The assistant spoke to Edith because she ________ .

　　　 A. seemed interested in ties　　 　　　　　　　　 B. was a beautiful girl

　　　 C. showed no interest in ties　 　　　　　　　　　 D. was in need of talk

1. Edith's father ________ .

　 　 A. did not like presents　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 B. was difficult to choose a present for

　 　 C. never got presents　　　 　　　　　　　　　　 D. liked any kind of presents

4. The main idea of the passage is _____.

　　　 A.how and where we can write good articles

　　　 B. everyone can do something for the future

　　　 C. wise man are sometimes stupid　　　　　　　

　　　 D. young people are wiser than old people　　　　　　　　 (DDAB)

c

As she walked round the huge department store, Edith thought how difficult it was to choose a proper Christmas present for her father. She wished that he was as easy to please as her mother, who was always satisfied with a bottle of perfume(香水). Besides, shopping at this time of the year was most unpleasant experience: people stepped on your feet, and almost knocked you over in their hurry to get ahead of you.

　　 Partly to have a rest, Edith paused in front of a counter where she saw some beautiful ties. "They are real silk, the assistant said to her, trying to persuade her to buy one. "Worth double the price." But Edith knew from past experience that her choice of ties hardly ever pleased her father.

　　 She moved on and then stopped where a small crowd of men had gathered round a counter. She found some good quality pipes on sale---and the prices were very reasonable. Edith did not hesitate(犹豫)for long: although her father only smoked s pipe occasionally. She knew that this was a present which was certain to please him.

　 When she got home, with her small well-chosen present hidden in her handbag, her parents were already at the supper table. Her mother was especially happy. "Your father has at last decided to stop smoking," she informed her daughter.

3. From the last two paragraphs, we can learn that ______.

　　　 A. something new and important can be realized from what the young man did

　　　 B. it was very foolish of the young man to throw starfish in the ocean

　　　 C. the young man had the ability to make a difference

　　　 D. to save the starfish is actually to save ourselves

2. “Something very special refers to _____.

　　　 A. the gifts from friends　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. the strength of making decisions

　　　 C. our own starfish　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. the ability of shaping one’s own future

1. one day the wise man saw the young man _____.

　　　 A. dancing along the beach　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. walking with a dancer

　　　 C. picking up starfish for sale　　　　　　　　　　 D. trying to save as many starfish as possible