Dear Laura,

       I just heard you tell an old story of gift giving and unselfish love in your program.You doubted that such unselfish love would happen in today’s.Well, I’m here to give you  1

       I wanted to do something very  2  for my fifteen-year-old son, who has always been the perfect child.He  3  all summer to earn enough money to buy a used motorcycle.Then, he spent hours and hours on it  4  it looked almost new.I was so  5  of him that I bought him the shiniest helmet(头盔) and riding outfit(全套装备).

       I could  6  wait for him to open up his gift.In fact, I barely slept the night before.Upon wakening, I went to the kitchen to  7  the coffee, tea, and morning goodies.In the living room was a beautiful keyboard with a  8  : “To my wonderful mother, all my love, your son.”

       I was so  9 .It had been a long-standing joke in our family that I wanted a piano so that I could  10  lessons.“Learn to play the piano, and I’ll get you one” was my husband’s  11  .

       I stood there shocked, crying a river, asking myself how my son could  12 this expensive gift.Of course, the  13  awoke, and my son was thrilled with my reaction.Many kisses were  14  , and I immediately wanted him to  15  my gift.

       As he saw the helmet and outfit, the look on his face was not  16  what I was expecting.Then I  17  that he had sold the motorcycle to get me the keyboard.

       Of course I was the proudest mother  18  on that day, and my feet never hit the ground for a month.

       So I wanted you to know, that kind of love still  19  and lives even in the ever-changing world of me, me, me!

I thought you’d love to  20  this story.

Yours,

Hilary

P.S.The next day, my husband and I bought him a new “used” already shiny motorcycle.

1.A.hope                B.advice             C.support           D.courage

2.A.polite                B.similar            C.special           D.private

3.A.played                B.studied            C.traveled          D.worked

4.A.after                 B.before            C.unless            D.until

5.A.sure                B.fond             C.proud            D.confident

6.A.perhaps              B.really             C.almost           D.hardly

7.A.start                B.cook            C.set              D.serve

8.A.note                B.notice            C.word            D.sign

9.A.disturbed            B.confused         C.astonished        D.inspired

10.A.give                B.take             C.draw             D.teach

11.A.reason             B.request           C.comment          D.response

12.A.present            B.afford           C.find              D.order

13.A.neighbor           B.building           C.home             D.house

14.A.exchanged         B.experienced       C.expected          D.exhibited

15.A.tear               B.open             C.check            D.receive

16.A.purely             B.basically          C.obviously         D.exactly

17.A.realized            B.remembered      C.imagined           D.supposed

18.A.only              B.still              C.ever             D.even

19.A works              B.exists           C.matters           D.counts

20.A.send             B.published        C.share             D.write

My most memorable and best experiences will stay in my mind for many years to come.For most people, horses are just animals, smelly beasts that should only be used for racing, for money.Ever since I was only a few years old, horses have been my passion.My dream was to ride a horse.When that time finally approached my anxious little life, my heart beat a thousand times a minute.

It was a warm summer day in Odessa, Ukraine, and we were at a park.My mom was buying several things for home while I wandered around to find something that made my eyes twinkle.I spotted a figure from heaven: a four-legged beautiful animal was standing down the block, breathing heavily.I ran up to the horse, not even knowing how to pet it, just excited to see the most beautiful creature.He was shining white, with a well-brushed tail.He was playing with his bit and chewed on the reins.I could tell this horse was bored.Where was the owner?

Right away I assumed that I could ride this horse.I turned the other way and went to search for my mom to get some money.I spotted her buying groceries and dragged her to where the horse was.The owner was back and stated that it was his horse and I couldn’t ride it.A warm stream of tears flooded down my cheeks as my mom tried to convince the man to let me ride the horse.He finally agreed for a costly price.He taught me how to get on the horse and explained to me that it was important to keep heels down and arms steady.The gentle beat of the horse’s trot awakened all the senses in me as I bounced up and down on the saddle(鞍).I was the happiest little girl in Ukraine, having the time of my life.I began planning how I was going to buy a horse after I became a millionaire.Before I knew it, the ride was over.Surprisingly, I actually learned to control the horse and change the pace.

That day was probably the happiest time of my life.Most children wouldn’t have as much fun as I did.Several years later, after coming to America, I began to get involved in show jumping.If it weren’t for that time in Ukraine I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the most amazing sport, one where you and another creature truly have to bond

1.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

     A.Later the author and that horse took part in show jumping.

       B.At the first glance, the author fell in love with the horse.

       C.The horse owner allowed her to ride the horse for free.

       D.The author thought horse racing was for making money.

2.______is the closest to the meaning of the underlined word “bond”.

       A.To be united to share feelings

       B.To be compared to find advantages

       C.To be inspired to set up goals

       D.To be supposed to join efforts

3.From the passage, we can infer that ______.

       A.the horse could be easily controlled

       B.the horse owner was a kind and rich man

       C.the experience opened doors for her to get into the sport

       D.the author’s mother loved the horse as much as her daughter

4.What is the best title of the story?

       A.Love for Horses                             B.Interest in Sports

       C.An Exciting Dream                           D.An Amazing Ride

    Not all memories are sweet.Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences.Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars.Often they relieve these experiences in nightmare.

    Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories.The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience.They hope it might reduce, or possibly erase(抹去) the effect of painful memories.

    In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France.The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain.So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.

    The research has caused a great deal of argument.Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.

   Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers’ troubling memories after war.They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.

    “Some memories can ruin people’s lives.They come back to you when you don’t want to have them in a daydream or nightmare.They usually come with very painful emotions,” said Roger Pitman, a professor of Psychiatry(精神病学) at Harvard Medical School.“This could relieve a lot of that suffering.”

       But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity(特质).They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.

“All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are.I’m not sure we want to wipe those memories out,” said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist(伦理学家).

1.The passage is mainly about_____.

       A.a new medical invention

       B.a new research on the pill

       C.a way of erasing painful memories

       D.an argument about the research on the pill

2.The drug tested on people can_____.

     A.cause the brain to fix memories

     B.stop people remembering bad experiences

     C.prevent body producing certain chemicals

     D.wipe out the emotional effects of memories

3.We can infer from the passage that_____.

     A.people doubt the effects of the pills

     B.the pill will stop people’s bad experiences

     C.taking the pill will do harm to people’s health

     D.the pill has been produced in America

4.Which of the following does Rebecca Dresser agree with?

     A.Some memories can ruin people’s lives

     B.People want to get rid of bad memories.

     C.Experiencing bad events makes us different from others.

     D.The pill will reduce people’s sufferings from bad memories.

    Department stores sell ready-to-wear clothing, which is also called ready-made clothing.Such clothing is made in fixed sizes.Those people who find that ready-made clothing fits them well can save money by buying it.Most often, people do not fit exactly into a producer’s size.Their clothing must be altered(改变) to make it fit better.However, most alterations are not very expensive.The small cost of most alterations means that ready-made clothing can meet the needs of most customers.

Those who can afford it often get someone to design and make their clothing.Such clothing is called custom-made.The person who make it measures the customer, and then sews it so that it fits perfectly.Alterations are not needed.Custom-made clothing is largely sewn by hand, has better quality, better material, and is of the style you have chosen.Of course, it costs much more than ready-to-wear clothing.You need to pay the difference for the special fitting and better skill that you are receiving.This often means that you spend double or more than you would for a ready-made garment(衣服)。

Custom-made clothing is not always that much better than ready-made clothing.It cost more partly because only one garment has been made, just for you.Companies that produce ready-made products make thousands of garments at a time.This means they can buy large quantities of material.Workers cut each size by the hundreds.Companies work out ways to make the garments quickly by machine and pay workers according to their skill.Thus they can sell the finished products at a low price while still making money.Most of the clothing sold in the United States is made in this way.Customers gain from the lower prices, which are made possible by mass production.It may or may not give them high quality.

1.According to the passage, people who buy ready-made clothing_____.

       A.wish to make alterations            B.can fit into the sizes

       C.want to make it better              D.will spend less money

2.We can learn from the passage that custom-made clothing is______.

       A.specially made                      B.fashionably designed

       C.chosen by few people              D.made with difficulties

3.Which of the following is TRUE about ready-made clothing?

       A.It is of poor quality.                  B.It suits all people.

       C.It takes more time to make it.         D.It is labor-saving to make it.

4.The purpose of the writer is______.

       A.to explain why custom-made clothing costs more

       B.to show the advantages of mass production

       C.to provide information about different kinds of clothing

       D.to tell readers how to make money from ready-made clothing.

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