My grandmother's eightieth birthday was approaching and I was at a loss as to what to give her．She had recently moved into a nursing home and didn't have room for extra "stuff"．She insisted that she didn't need a thing．
Finally, I came up with an idea．In her birthday card, I sent her a gift certificate for "A letter a week for the next year!" It was a big promise．I've never been much of a letter writer, but now I was living far from home, and should be able to find plenty of news．Growing up just a mile from my grandparents, we'd always been close．I knew that she'd love to hear what was going on in my life．
The letter gift certificate was a huge hit．She got fifty-two letters that first year．As her next birthday rolled around, she asked for another letter gift certificate for her birthday．In fact, that's also what she wanted for her next eight birthdays．
For nine and a half years I wrote her．She was rarely able to write back．So much happened in those nine years! At first I wrote about the cold Michigan winters．Then I wrote about my pregnancy! During the kids' preschool years I shared every funny thing they did and said, and as they grew they started adding "picture letters" to the envelope．I sent postcard letters from vacations．
I flew home annually to visit and soon realized that the entire nursing home staff knew all the details of my life, as more and more often they were reading the letters to her．
My last letter arrived the day after her death．I've always wanted relationships with no regrets．None of that "I wish I had told her I loved her" for me! I felt I had given her the best gift I could．
Months later, while going through her things, my dad found a box．It was filled with letters from me．Those letters are a journal of my life．Some were unremarkable．Others were filled with moments and pictures I had completely forgotten．In some ways it seems I missed those years due to motherly exhaustion．She saved those memories for me in my letters．
Life really does fly by．Loved ones come and go．But sometimes our gifts to others come back to us in unexpected ways．This is one of those times．
(1)
From the second paragraph we can infer that the author ________．
[ ]
A．
usually didn't write letters a lot
B．
was afraid of writing a letter
C．
often found no words to write
D．
promised to write each birthday
(2)
The underlined phrase “a huge hit” may mean ________．
[ ]
A．
a big surprise
B．
a big success
C．
a big wonder
D．
a big regret
(3)
How did the author feel after her grandmother died?
[ ]
A．
sad
B．
relaxed
C．
pitiful
D．
unregretful
(4)
By writing the story, the author meant to ________．
One night when my wife was preparing dinner, our little son took a piece of paper to her which read：
For washing the car ＄5.00
For making my own bed this week ＄1.00
Going to the provision shop ＄0.50
Playing with little sister ＄0.25
Taking out the rubbish ＄1.00
Getting a good report card ＄5.00
And for sweeping the common corridor ＄2.00
Total ＄14.75
His mother looked at him standing there expecting payment．I could see a thousand memories flashed through her mind．So she picked up the pen and turning the paper over, this is what she wrote：
For nine months I carried you, growing inside me No Charge
For the nights I sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you No Charge
For the toys, food and clothes and wiping your nose No Charge
When you add it all up, the full cost of my love No Charge
Well, when he finished reading, he had big tears in his eyes．He looked at his mother and said,“Mummy, I love you．”Then he took the pen and in great big letters wrote on the“bill”“All paid．”
(1)
What's the best title for this passage?
[ ]
A．
Part-time Job
B．
Mother's Love, No Charge
C．
Payment for House Work
D．
Greedy Mother
(2)
The write wrote the passage in order to ________．
[ ]
A．
show that children should be paid for their housework
B．
show that children should not be paid for their housework
C．
show a clever way of teaching children
D．
tell children how to spend their spare time
(3)
How do you think of the mother in the passage?
[ ]
A．
Clever
B．
Greedy
C．
Cold－hearted
D．
Selfish
(4)
From the last passage we know that ________
[ ]
A．
the boy got all the money he wanted
B．
the mother was unwilling to give the money to the boy
C．
the boy realized that it was not right to ask for money for the housework
D．
the mother was angry with what the boy said
阅读理解
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel．Green said,“Clearly I am the most important．I am the sign of life and hope．I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves．Without me, all animals would 1 ．”
Blue interrupted,“You only think about the 2 , but consider the sky and the sea． 3 the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea．Without my peace, you would all be 4 ．”
Yellow chuckled(笑道),“You are all so serious．I bring laughter, fun, and 5 into the world．”
Orange started next to blow her trumpet,“I am the color of health and strength．I may be 6 , but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life．When I fill the sky 7 , my beauty is so striking that no one gives another 8 to any of you．”
Red could stand it 9 and he shouted out,“I am the ruler of all of you．I am the color of danger and of bravery．I am willing to 10 truth．I am also the color of passion and of love．”
Then came Purple and Indigo(深蓝)…．
The colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own 11 ．Their quarreling became louder and louder．Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder．Rain started to pour down 12 ．The colors crouched(蜷缩)down 13 , drawing close to one another for comfort．
In the midst of the clamor(叫嚷), rain began to speak,“You foolish colors, fighting 14 yourselves, each trying to dominate 15 ．Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, 16 ?Join hands with 17 and come to me．”
Doing as they were told, the colors 18 and joined hands．They formed a colorful rainbow．From then on, whenever a good rain 19 the world, a rainbow appears in the sky．They remember to 20 one another．
