John sent his mother expensive presents on his mother’s birthday every year. He liked to show her how rich he was.
"I must find something wonderful for her, and it must be the only one in the whole world. "John thought.
He advertised (登广告) in the newspapers. " Wanted—the best present for the woman who has everything. "
For many days his telephone did not stop ringing. People phoned him from all over the world. They wanted to sell him "the best present". But they did not have anything that was the only one in the whole world.
Then less than a week before his mother’s birthday, a man came to his office. He was carrying a cage, and in the cage there was a large bird.
"This bird, "the man said, "can speak ten languages and sing any pop song. There is no other bird like it in the world. "
"I will listen to it, "John said. "If what you said is true, I will buy the bird from you. "
The man spoke to the bird. "Talk to me in French, " he said. The bird spoke to him in French. "Tell me a joke in Japanese, " he said. The bird told him a joke in Japanese. "Sing a famous pop song, "he said. The bird sang a famous pop song.
"I’ll buy it, "John said. "How much do you want?"
"One hundred thousand dollars, "the man said. This was a lot of money but John paid him. Then he sent the bird to his mother with a birthday card.
The day after his mother’s birthday he phoned her. "Well, mother, "he said, "Is the bird wonderful?"
"Oh, it was delicious, dear, "she said.
【小题1】 Why did John send her mother expensive presents for her birthday every year?

John sent his mother expensive presents on his mother's birthday every year. He liked to show her how rich he was.

"I must find something wonderful for her, and it must be the only one in the whole world. "John thought.

He advertised (登广告) in the newspapers. " Wanted—the best present for the woman who has everything. "

For many days his telephone did not stop ringing. People phoned him from all over the world. They wanted to sell him "the best present". But they did not have anything that was the only one in the whole world.

Then less than a week before his mother's birthday, a man came to his office. He was carrying a cage, and in the cage there was a large bird.

"This bird, "the man said, "can speak ten languages and sing any pop song. There is no other bird like it in the world. "

"I will listen to it, "John said. "If what you said is true, I will buy the bird from you. "

The man spoke to the bird. "Talk to me in French, " he said. The bird spoke to him in French. "Tell me a joke in Japanese, " he said. The bird told him a joke in Japanese. "Sing a famous pop song, "he said. The bird sang a famous pop song.

"I'll buy it, "John said. "How much do you want?"

"One hundred thousand dollars, "the man said. This was a lot of money but John paid him. Then he sent the bird to his mother with a birthday card.

The day after his mother's birthday he phoned her. "Well, mother, "he said, "Is the bird wonderful?"

"Oh, it was delicious, dear, "she said.

1. Why did John send her mother expensive presents for her birthday every year?

A. Because he loved his mother very much.

B. Because his mother needed these presents.

C. Because he wanted to show he had a lot of money.

D. Because he was the richest man in the world.

2. How did people know John wanted the best present in the world?

A. They rang John up.

B. They knew it from the newspapers.

C. John phoned them one by one.

D. They knew it on TV.

3.When did the man with a bird come to visit John?

A. Two weeks before John's mother's birthday.

B. On John's mother's birthday.

C. About five days before John's mother's birthday.

D. Less than a week after John's mother's birthday.

4. Why did John pay the man a lot of money for the bird?

A. Because it was such a beautiful bird.

B. Because he wanted to help the poor man with the bird.

C. Because the bird could look after his mother.

D.  Because John  thought  the bird could make his mother happy.

5. What does the sentence "It was delicious, "really mean in the story?

A. His mother ate the bird.

B. His mother let the bird fly away.

C. His mother began to learn languages from the bird.

D.  His mother thought  it  was the most  expensive present in the world.

In the past, when people had problems, they usually went to their families or friends to get advice. Today it is possible to get advice from radio shows, TV programmes and telephone hot lines. A hot line is a telephone line. It offers a direct way of getting in touch with advisers. Most hot lines are completely anonymous. That is to say, callers do not have to say their names or telephone numbers. Most hot lines are free. Callers do not have to pay for the advice or the phone calls. At some hot lines, the advisers are volunteers. Other hot lines pay their advisers for their work. Usually the advisers are full-time-job people with years of education and experience, but sometimes, the advisers have only taken a short class before starting to work on the hot line. All the advisers listen to people and help them solve their problems.

1.How did people get advice when they had problems in the past?

A．They listened to the radio

B．They went to their families or friends

C．They watched TV programmes

D．They made telephone calls

2.What is a telephone hot line?

A．A hot telephone

B．A phone call to the listeners

C．A telephone line for people to get advice

D．A training class on the phone

3.What does the underlined word anonymous mean in Chinese in the passage?

A．匿名的           B．虔诚的           C．开放的           D．免费的

4.According to the passage, how does a caller get in touch with the adviser working on the hot line?

In the past, when people had problems, they usually went to their families or friends to get advice. Today it is possible to get advice from radio shows, TV programmes and telephone hot lines. A hot line is a telephone line. It offers a direct way of getting in touch with advisers. Most hot lines are completely anonymous. That is to say, callers do not have to say their names or telephone numbers. Most hot lines are free. Callers do not have to pay for the advice or the phone calls. At some hot lines, the advisers are volunteers. Other hot lines pay their advisers for their work. Usually the advisers are full-time-job people with years of education and experience, but sometimes, the advisers have only taken a short class before starting to work on the hot line. All the advisers listen to people and help them solve their problems.
【小题1】How did people get advice when they had problems in the past?