题目内容
Those black clouds are a sure ______ that it’s going to rain.
- A.thing
- B.mark
- C.sign
- D.one
词义辨析。Thing东西; mark标志;sign 符号;迹象; one任何一个。句意:这些黑云肯定是要下雨的迹象。故选C。
What makes a gift special? Is it the price you see on the gift receipt?Or is it the look on the recipient's face when they receive it that determines the true value? What gift is worth the most?
This Christmas I was debating what to give my father. My dad is a hard person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked. The message was from my father. My eyes fell on a photo of a flower taken in Wyoming, and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lone dandelion (蒲公英) standing against the bright blue sky, inspired me. My dad had been reciting those words to me since I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my gift to my father.
I called back. I told my mom to go without me and that I already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-colored flower to my computer and typed the poem on top of it. As I was arranging the details another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe;my dad recited it as much as he did the other. I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it. The poem was focused around dreaming, and after searching I found the perfect picture. The image was painted with blues and greens and purples, twisting together to create the theme and wonder of a dream. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the white paper coloring with words that shaped my childhood, I felt that this was a gift that my father would truly appreciate. Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dad’s face as he unwrapped those black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given the perfect gift.
【小题1】The idea for a special gift began to form when the author was _________.
| A.doing shopping | B.having a debate |
| C.reading a message | D.leaving for Wyoming |
| A.a photo of a flower | B.a story about a kid |
| C.a call from the mother | D.a text about Christmas |
| A.the father | B.the author | C.William Blake | D.Edgar Allan Poe |
| A.searching for the poems online |
| B.drawing the background by hand |
| C.painting the letters in three colors |
| D.matching the words with pictures |
| A.To show how to design images for gifts |
| B.To suggest making gifts from one’s heart |
| C.To explain how computers help create gifts |
| D.To describe the gifts the author has received |
Technology has totally transformed our ability to communicate with each other. Linking to each other both literally and figuratively, many of us connect through cell phones, email, instant messaging, blogs, and networking web sites, yet we may be less connected to each other than we think.
According to a study, Americans are becoming increasingly socially isolated(孤立的). The study suggests, for example, that one quarter of Americans say that they have no one to discuss important personal issues with, and that the number of close friends that Americans have has dropped from three to two. Meanwhile, the Boston Globe reports that this spreading isolation is experienced more sharply among those with less education, people of color, and older Americans. Unsurprisingly, those who are young, white, and well educated tend to have stronger social networks.
From my own experience I have to say that I’ve never felt more connected, thanks to a web of friends, family, and colleagues. One of my closest friends is someone I met through an online discussion group who lives hundreds of miles away from me. We have met face-to-face only twice, yet our regular electronic correspondence and cell phone calls maintain our close friendship. And, speaking of blogging, my blog has introduced me to people I would never have met otherwise and has led to enduring and important friendships.
On the other hand, I recently saw a scene unfold that proved to me how deeply disconnected we as Americans have become. I had just wrapped up a presentation on mediation at a family therapy (治疗) center.
As I was leaving, I noticed a mother and her teenage son who had just completed their session with their family therapist. After making their next appointment, they both took out their cell phones, placed calls, and began loud conversations with whoever was on the other end. I walked out behind them to the parking lot to my car. They both jumped into their cars, and, as I saw them drive off, they were still talking on their cell phones but not to each other.
【小题1】What does the passage lead you to believe?
| A.Americans are more socially isolated today. |
| B.Americans are more socially connected today. |
| C.Americans don’t make good use of technology. |
| D.Technology plays a bigger role in American society. |
| A.Sex. | B.Education. | C.Skin color. | D.Age. |
| A.They came for therapy in the same car. |
| B.They were quite close to each other. |
| C.There was not much communication between them. |
| D.They preferred talking to each other on cell phones. |
| A.The writer is totally against the modern technology. |
| B.The mother and the son have finished their family therapist and get a better relationship. |
| C.As far as the writer is concerned, he has benefited a lot from the modern technology. |
| D.Those black and well-educated people have stronger social network than aged white people. |