The dirty, homeless man sat on the pavement, staring at the stones. He thought back more than twenty years to when he was a boy living in a small red brick house on this very street. He recalled the flower garden, the swing his dad made, and the bike he had saved up for months to buy.

The man shrugged impatiently, for the brightness of those pictures hurt him, and his memory traveled on another ten years. He had a job by then, plenty of friends and started to come home less. He did not really want to remember those years, nor the day when, because of debts, he had gone home planning to ask for money. He felt embarrassed, but he knew exactly where his dad kept the money. When his parents stepped out of the room, he took what he wanted and left.

That was the last time he had seen them. Ashamed, he went abroad, and his parents knew nothing about the years of wandering or time in prison. But locked in his cell he often thought of home. Once free, he would love to see his parents again, if they were still alive, and still wanted to see him.

When his prison time was up, he found a job, but couldn’t settle. Something was drawing him home. He did not want to arrive penniless, so he hitchhiked most of the long journey back. But less than a mile from his destination he started to feel sick with doubt. Could they ever accept this man who had so bitterly disappointed them?

He spent most of that day sitting under a tree. That evening he posted a letter which, although short, had taken him hours to write. It ended with:

I know it is unreasonable of me to suppose you want to see me ... so it’s up to you. I’ll come early Thursday morning. If you want me home, hang a white handkerchief in the window of my old bedroom. If it’s there, I’ll come in; if not, I’ll wave good-bye and go.

And now it was Thursday morning and he was sitting on the pavement at the end of the street. Finally he got up and walked slowly toward the old house. He drew a long breath and looked.

His parents were taking no risks. ________________________________________

The man threw his head back, gave a cry of relief and ran straight through the open front door.

1.Why did the man shrug impatiently (paragraph 2) while he was thinking of his childhood?

A. The thoughts made him angry.

B. He felt he had wasted time.

C. He was anxious to go home.

D. The sweet memory caused him much pain.

2.Why did it take him hours to write the letter?

A. He doubted if his parents still lived in that house.

B. He had much news to tell his parents.

C. He felt ashamed to ask for forgiveness.

D. He was longing to return home and felt excited.

3.In what order did the following events take place?

a. He took the money from his parents.

b. He bought a bicycle with his savings.

c. He was sentenced to prison.

d. He wrote the letter home.

e. He sat on the pavement.

f. He hitchhiked back home.

A. b, a, c, d, e, f                                                        B. b, a, c, f, d, e

C. a, c, b, d, f, a                                                         D. a, d, b, c, e, f

4.Which of the following best fits into paragraph 8?

A. Every inch of the house was covered in white. Sheets, pillowcases and table clothes had been placed on every window and door, making it look like a snow house.

B. The house before him was just as he remembered: the red bricks, the brown door and nothing else.

C. A colorful blanket was over the front door. On it, in large letters, was written, “Welcome home, son”.

D. A police car was parked in the drive way, and two officers stood at the front door.

5.The best title of the passage is _______.

A. Sweet Memory                                                   B. White Handkerchief

C. Abandoned Son                            D. Leaving Home

China is a land of bicycles.At least it was back in 1992 when I travelled the country.Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle.Millions of them,all black.Cars were rare.Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year,I’ve found the opposite is true.There were millions of cars.However,people still use their bicycles to get around.For many,it’s the easiest and cheappiest way to travel today. Bicycles also come in different colours---silver,green,red,blue,yellow,whatever you want.

It’s fun watching people biking. They rush quickly through crossroads,move skillfully through traffic,and ride even on sidewalks(人行道). Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can’t provide.

Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture, I decided to buy a bicycle. Great weather accompanied my great buy. I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started to ride.

My first ride home was orderly(守秩序的).To be safe,I stayed with a “pack”of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times. I didn’t want to get hit.So I took the ride carefully.

Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States. The streets here were wide,so crossing took time,skill and a little bit of luck.

I finally made it home. The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my air was wonderful. I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people.Biking made me feel alive.

1.According to the suthour,why are bicycles still popular in China today?

A．Because they are traditinal and safe.

B．Because they are convienent and inexpensive.

C．Because they are colourful and available.

D．Because they are fast and environment friendly.

2.The authour decided to buy a bicycle because he intened ______.

A．to ride for fun

B．to use for transport

C．to experience local culture

D．to improve his riding skills

3.How did the suthour feel about his street crossing?

A．It was boring.

B．It was difficult.

C．It was lively.

D．It was wonderful.

4.Which of the following best describes the authour’s biking experience?

A．The authour enjoyed showing off his biking skill.

B．The author was annoyed by the air while riding.

C．The authour was praised by the other bikers.

D．The authour took great pleatsure in biking.

A few months ago as I wandered through my parents’ house, the same house I grew up in, I had a sudden, scary realization. When my parents bought the house, in 1982, they were only two years older than I am now. I tried to imagine myself in two years, ready to settle down and buy the house I’d still be living in almost 30 years later.

??? It seemed ridiculous. On a practical level, there’s no way I could afford to buy a house anytime soon. More importantly, I wouldn’t want to. I’m not sure where I’ll be living in two years, or what kind of job I’ll have. And I don’t think I’ll be ready to settle down and stay in one place.

??? So this is probably the generation gap that divides my friends and me from our parents. When our parents were our age, they’d gotten their education, chosen a career, and were starting to settle into responsible adult lives.

??? My friends and I – “Generation Y” – still aren’t sure what we want to do with our lives. Whatever we end up doing, we want to make sure we’re happy doing it. We’d rather take risks first, try out different jobs, and move from one city to another until we find our favorite place. We’d rather spend our money on travel than put it in a savings account.

??? This casual attitude towards responsibility has caused some critics to call my generation “arrogant”, “impatient”, and “overprotected”. Some of these complaints have a point. As children we were encouraged to succeed in school, but also to have fun. We grew up in a world full of technological innovation: cellphones, the Internet, instant messaging, and video games.

??? Our parents looked to rise vertically（垂直的）– starting at the bottom of the ladder and slowly making their way to the top, on the same track, often for the same company. That doesn’t apply to my generation.

??? Because of that, it may take us longer than our parents to arrive at responsible, stable adulthood. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In our desire to find satisfaction, we will work harder, struggle for ways to keep life interesting, and gain a broader set of experiences and knowledge than our parents’ generation did.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

1.What is the main “generation gap” between the author and her friends and their parents according to the article?

A. Their ways of gaining experience.

B. Their attitude towards responsibility.
C. Their attitude toward high technology.
D. Their ways of making their way to the top.

2.Which of the following might the author agree with?

A. It involves too much effort to rise vertically.
B. It’s better to take adult responsibility earlier.
C. It’s all right to try more before settling down.
D. It’s ridiculous to call her generation “arrogant”.

3. What can we conclude from the article?

A. The author is envious of her parents enjoying a big house at her age.

B. “Generation Y” people don’t want to grow up and rush into adulthood.

C. Growing up in a hi-tech world makes “Generation Y” feel insecure about relationships.

D. The author wrote this article so that others would be able to understand her generation better.

4.What is the main theme of the article?
A. Criticisms of the young generation.
B. The sudden realization of growing up.
C. A comparison between lifestyles of generations.
D. The factors that have changed the young generation.

 The lady said she would buy a gift for her daughter with the ________.

A. 20 dollars remained               B. 20 dollars to remain 

C. remained 20 dollars               D. remaining 20 dollars

Name: Container Gardens by Number

Cover price: $l5.95

Our price: $9.49

A unique book contains 50 easy-to-follow container designs. Each design provides a simple numbered planting plan that shows exactly how to create each display, with an instruction of the finished planter and in-depth plant information. The plans are easy to follow and for any type of living space or garden.

Name: Off the Beaten Path

Cover price: $30.00

Our price: $l9.80

The best-selling Reader’s Digest travel book has 40% new content including over 200 new sites, over 200 new full-color photographs, and all-new, up-to-date maps. It spotlights over l, 000 of the United States’ most overlooked must-see destinations.

Name: l80l Home Remedies (疗法)

Cover price: $40.00

Our price: $29.96

Plenty of health complaints can be handled at home. Each and every remedy will be tested by a doctor to make sure it is safe and sound.

Dozens of conditions are covered, from headaches, sunburn, bad breath, and blisters(水泡) to allergies(过敏), and hiccups(打嗝).

Name: Best Weekend Projects

Cover price: $l7.95

Our price: $l3.96

Choose from 80 unique ideas to create an extraordinary living space. The projects are practical, as well as attractive, and will improve your home and yard and can be made in a weekend. These 80 well-designed projects are presented in a clear, easy-to-follow style that addresses readers in an accessible, user-friendly tone.

1. You can most probably read the passage in a ___________.

A．news story                            B．travel guide

C．newspaper                            D．telephone book

2. How much money can you save if you want to buy a medical book?

A．$6.46.            B．$l0.20.            C．$l3.96.            D．$l0.04.

3.Which of the following can you afford if you have only $10?

A．Off the Beaten Path

B．Container Gardens by Number

C．l80l Home Remedies

D．Best Weekend Projects

4.The author writes the passage in order to ___________.

A．persuade readers to buy the books

B．encourage readers to read more about medicine

C．introduce the books to readers

D．develop people’s reading habit