Dear Amy，My husband is a loving, creative and...

Dear Amy，

My husband is a loving, creative and sensitive person who is 15 years my senior. (I am in my mid-30s.)

Now I still struggle with my ups and downs, and he is still broke. I have continually asked my husband to get a job. I know he’s trying, but even a part-time job at a convenience store would make ends meet. His former profession as a freelance(自由职业的) producer dropped off with the economy, and while he tries hard to find work in his field, he is extremely unwilling to accept the fact that he may need to get a “regular”job.

I love him very much, but I can’t continue to keep my frustration(沮丧)bottled up. I tell myself I’m going to leave him if he doesn’t find work, but I really want to stay together. How should I handle this?

Round the Bend

Dear Round,

Having been a freelancer for many years, I assure you (and him) that the true meaning of freelancing is that you have the freedom to accept a variety of jobs, as well as the responsibility to make a living between jobs. Freelancers teach, tend bar, sell things door to door and do anything it takes to bring home the money. Volunteering is also a wonderful way to keep busy and meet new people.

Amy

Dear Amy,

“Joan” was a 50-year-old reader who wants to spend her parents’ gift (money) on a trip to India. Her retirement fund(退休金) is less than half of what she will need for retirement. It’s also clear that she hasn’t budgeted monthly for car repairs and other out-of-pocket expenses. In your answer, you encourage her to go.

She’s 50 and the clock is ticking! How will she feel about the trip she took when she turns 70 when she can’t afford to retire? Maybe there are other ways she can experience Indian food, culture, history and art without spending the entire sum of money. When her “health slows her down.” she may wish she had kept a rainy-day fund.

Realistic Reader

Dear Realistic,

Your argument is very logical and realistic, but there are also times when you have to go for it. I hope she does.

Amy

1.Who might be Amy?

A. A reporter of a health magazine.

B. A kind-hearted friend of Joan’s.

C. An advisor offering people career advice.

D. An editor of “Ask Amy” section of a magazine.

2.What makes Miss Round so upset?

A. Her husband doesn’t love her as much as when they met.

B. Her husband doesn’t earn enough money to support the family.

C. Her husband fails to take the responsibility of feeding his family.

D. Her husband has a hard time finding a “regular” job in his former field.

3.Amy suggested Joan ________.

A. go for her dream of traveling to India

B. experience Indian culture at home

C. save money for retirement

D. refuse her parents’ gift money

4.According to Realistic Reader, when Joan retires she would feel ___ about her trip if she took it now.

A. worthwhile　　　　　　 B. regretful　　　　　 C. excited　　　　 D. sad

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Mrs. Feng loves her students and is always creative in teaching English. No one doubts her _______ as a teacher.

A. competition       B. competence      C. compulsion      D. complication

高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

Dear Economist,

My newly-wedded wife and I are deeply in love．There is, however, one issue that threatens the happiness of our marriage．I absolutely insist on shopping at Walmart．My wife, meanwhile, would rather avoid Walmart at all costs．

　I have recently tried to convince her that not only does Walmart offer the lowest prices known to man, but that the chain is also a force for good―lower prices mean better standards of living for all consumers, increased global trade means a tighter-knit(紧密团结的) international community, and efficient operations translate into higher productivity growth for the economy．My wife complains about poor labour policies, the “fact” that Walmart squeezes suppliers, and that it puts local shops out of business．

　Who is right? Will our marriage survive?

Brian Gee

Dear Brian,

I have to agree with you about Walmart．Jason Furman, then an economist at New York University, now an adviser to President Obama, famously argued in 2005 that Walmart was unwittingly (不知不觉地) a progressive success story．The chain’s prices don’t much affect me (I prefer Whole Foods) but Furman estimated that they benefited low-and-middle-income Americans to the sum of around $250 billion a year．

　Walmart does not pay much, so it may depress wages．Then again, it may increase wages by offering jobs to the otherwise-unemployed．Either way, the benefits of low prices to Walmart shoppers far outweigh any seemingly reasonable costs to Walmart employees．And while it is true that Walmart employees tend to be poor, the same is true of Walmart shoppers．

　Armed with this information you can face your wife with confidence．You are sure to win the conversation．The divorce is likely to be more argued．

Economist

1.What concerns Brian Gee so much that he wrote the letter?

2.Brian Gee’s wife tends to hold the opinion that _________．

3.What can be inferred from the reply letter?

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

1.The Disturbed Dad’s in-laws were upset because _______.

A. they all had failed marriages　　 B. they knew of the Dad’s thoughts

C. one of the grandsons got mad　　 D. some kids had no blood relation

2.What’s Amy’s attitude towards the Disturbed Dad’s opinion?

A. Objective.　　 B. Negative.

C. Doubtful.　　 D. Cautious.

3.Amy may agree that _______.

A. the Dad shouldn’t be narrow-minded about the family tree

B. it’s necessary to consider biological relationships in a family

C. the Dad shouldn’t be accepted as family by their in-laws

D. it’s good news for the family members to disregard the Dad

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Dear Santa Claus,

My name is Amy. I am 17 years old. I have a problem at school. Can you help me, Santa? Kids laugh at me because of the way I walk and run and talk. I have cerebral palsy. I just want one day when no one laughs at me or makes fun of me.

Love, Amy

At radio station WJLT in Fort Wayne, Indiana, letters poured in for the Christmas Wish Content. When Amy’s letter arrived at the radio station, Manager Lee Tobin read it carefully. He thought it wound be good for the people in Fort Wayne to hear about this special girl and her unusual wish. Mr. Tobin called up the local newspaper.

The next day, a picture of Amy and her letter to Santa made the front page of the “News Sentinel”. The story spread quickly. All across the country, newspapers and radio and television stations reported the story of the girl in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who asked for such a simple, yet remarkable Christmas gift—just one day without teasing.

Suddenly the postman was a regular at the Hagadorn house. Envelopes of all sizes addressed to Amy arrived daily from children and adults all across the nation. They came filled with holiday greetings and words of encouragement. Some of the writers had disabilities; some had been teased as children. Each writer had a special message for Amy. Through the cards and letters from strangers, Amy saw a world full of people who truly cared about each other.

Many people thanked Amy for being brave enough to speak up. Others encouraged her to ignore teasing and to hold her head high.

Amy did get her wish of a special day without teasing at South Wayne High School. Teachers and students talked together about how bad teasing can make others feel.

That year, the Fort Wayne mayor officially declared December 21st as Amy Jo Hagadorn Day throughout the city. The mayor explained that by daring to make such a simple wish, Amy taught a universal lesson. “Everyone,” he said, “wants to and should be treated with respect, dignity and warmth.”

1.Amy’s letter showed that______.

A. she wanted to win Christmas Wish Contest

B. she is more independent than before

C. she is often ignored in and out of class

D. her schoolmates can’t understand her disability

2.We may infer from Amy’s story that_____.

A. the disabled hate those who laugh at them

B. the news media played a key role in helping Amy

C. Amy will still be made fun of by her classmates

D. there are few disabled people in Amy’s country

3.The mayor officially declared Amy Jo Hagadorn Day _______.

A. to tell how bad teasing can make others feel

B. to encourage people to hold their heads high

C. to explain how brave Amy was by making her wish

D. to call on the public to treat everyone properly

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

第二节完型填空（共20小题，小题1．5分，满分30分）

阅读下面短文，从短文所给各题的四个选项（A, B, C, D）中选能填入相应空白处的最佳选项。

Dear Doctor,

My husband and I got married in 1965 and for the first ten years of our marriage I was very happy to   36   home and raise our three children．Then four years ago, our youngest   37   went to school and I thought I might go back to   38 ．

My husband was very   39   and helped me to make my decision．He pointed out all of the things I can do around the   40  , and said he thought I could be a great   41   in business．

After several weeks of job-hunting, I found my   42   job, which is working for a small public relations firm．At first, my husband was very   43  of me and would tell his friends, "My clever little wife can   44   that company she's working for．"

But as his joking words were close to   45  , my husband stopped talking to me about my job．I have received several promotions and pay increases, and I am now   46   more money than he is．I can buy my   47   clothes and a new car．Because of our joint incomes, my husband and I can do many things that we had always   48   of doing, but we don't do these things because  he is very   49 ．

We   50   about little things and my husband is very critical of me in front of our friends．For the first time in our marriage, I think there is a possibility that our marriage may come to a（an）   51 ．

I love my husband very much, and I do not want him to   52   lower, but I also love my job．I think I can be a good wife and a working woman, but I don't know   53 ．Can you give me some   54  ? Will I have to choose one or the other or can I keep both my   55   and my new career?

Please help．

"DISTRESSED"

36．A．look                B．stay                        C．see                         D．study

37．A．person                    B．man                       C．child               D．lady

38．A．school                    B．factory                   C．study               D．work

39．A．restricted         B．opposite                  C．disappointed            D．supportive

40．A．group                     B．house                     C．firm                       D．husband

41．A．success                   B．failure                    C．mother                   D．helper

42．A．awkward         B．convenient              C．useful                     D．present

43．A．warm                     B．fond                C．proud                     D．comfortable

44．A．run                        B．walk                C．hire                        D．sell

45．A．awareness        B．beliefs               C．reality               D．ambition

46．A．making                   B．building                  C．producing        D．growing

47．A．cheap                     B．own                       C．important         D．incredible

48．A．agreed                    B．believed                 C．dreamed                 D．supposed

49．A．unhappy          B．confident         C．discouraging           D．certain

50．A．communicate   B．strike               C．fight                D．change

51．A．absence                  B．end                        C．exam               D．question

52．A．gain                B．add                        C．feel                    D．suffer

53．A．what               B．where                     C．why                   D．how

54．A．duties                     B．advice                    C．fun                     D．enjoyment

55．A．husband           B．child               C．friendship     D．boss

高二英语完型填空简单题查看答案及解析

One of the most important aspects of an image is color. People are very sensitive to color, and different colors have different effects on people .

In general , red is an exciting color , which creates an image of action, energy and danger. Red is also the most frequently used color in flags .Eighty percent of the world’s flags contain red. A study in “Germany showed that football teams wearing red are more successful .Blue is a very calm color .Business executives usually wear dark blue suits .Blue is also a peaceful color. The flag of the United Nations is light blue .Yellow is associated with openness and freedom. Green is a very relaxing color .Surgeons nowadays wear green ,because it’s less tiring than white .Black creates an image of power and authority .It can also be a very threatening color .Gangsters and vampires often wear black .white is a pure and strong color .This is one reason why doctors wear white coats .We trust them more .Grey is a very anonymous color .People wearing grey don’t want other people to notice them .Brown is the opposite of black .It’s warm and friendly ,while black is threatening .

1.What does the author mainly talk about in the passage?

A．Color and Character         B．Color and Image

C．Color and Occupation         D．People are sensitive to color

2.Which of the following is true about color according to the passage?

A．Eighty per cent of the world’s flags contain green.

B．Brown is the opposite of pink, presenting warmth.

C．Red creates an image of energy , danger and freedom.

D．Blue is a peaceful and calm color.

3.The underlined word “anonymous” roughly means ______

A．outstanding B．beautiful    C．exciting     D．unknown

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

She loved her husband _________the fact that he is addicted to smoking.

A. due to                                           B. as                                     C. despite                          D. though

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Dear Laura,

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

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

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

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

I stood there shocked, crying a river, asking myself how my son could ____ this expensive gift.

Of course, the ____ awoke, and my son was thrilled (激动的) with my reaction. Many kisses were ____, and I immediately wanted him to ____ my gift.

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

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

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

I thought you’d love to ____ 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.prepare 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.room 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.publish C.share D.write

高二英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Dear Laura,

I just heard you tell an old story of gift giving and unselfish(无私的) love in your program. You doubted that such unselfish love would happen in today’s world. Well, I’m here to give you 21  .

I wanted to do something very 22  for my fifteen-year-old son, who has always been the perfect child. He 23  all summer to earn enough money to buy a used motorcycle. Then, he spent hours and hours on it 24  it looked almost new. I was so 25  of him that I bought him the shiniest helmet（头盔） and riding outfit（全套装备）.

I could 26  wait for him to open up his gift. In fact, I barely slept the night before. Upon wakening, I went to the kitchen to 27  the coffee, tea, and morning goodies. In the living room was a beautiful keyboard with a 28  : “To my wonderful mother, all my love, your son.”

I was so 29  . It had been a long-standing joke in our family that I wanted a piano so that I could 30  lessons. “Learn to play the piano, and I’ll get you one” was my husband’s 31  .

I stood there shocked, crying a river, asking myself how my son could 32  this expensive gift.

Of course, the 33  awoke, and my son was thrilled with(对…感到激动) my reaction. Many kisses were 34  , and I immediately wanted him to 35  my gift.

As he saw the helmet and outfit, the look on his face was not 36  what I was expecting. Then I 37  that he had sold the motorcycle to get me the keyboard.

Of course I was the proudest mother 38  on that day, and my feet never hit the ground for a month.

So I wanted you to know, that kind of love still 39  and lives even in the ever-changing world of me, me, me!

I thought you’d love to 40  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. publish        C. share         D. write

高二英语完型填空简单题查看答案及解析