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As a young girl growing up in rural Alabama, I never understood why my mom spent so much time baking. And she always made my brother and me36 her. A whole day every other week was devoted to making bread. It always made our small arms tired.
Despite our best efforts, the flour dust always went everywhere. I37 to be outside with my playmates, and never38 my mom’s desire for quality family time with her children, at least when it came to spending it in the39 . Years have gone by, and I have become a mother myself. I prefer to leave most of the cooking to my husband and he loves it. He’s quite40 at doing it, too.
On one occasion my husband was41 dinner, and I was at the kitchen table going through the day’s mail when our little son, Cody, asked if he could help42 . My husband said yes, and I sat there amused, watching them.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Helping dad cook.” he replied with a big43 on his face. I thought back to those44 when my mom asked me to help her bake bread, and I was45 , but obeyed. Perhaps she was trying to create something more than just fresh bread—maybe a few lasting46 .
As I watched Cody do it with all his attention, I realized that he had47 a lasting moment for me, a moment filled with a deep sense of family. I wanted to hold the moment and make it longer, and appreciate the memories my mom had given me years ago in her kitchen.
1.A.copy B. help C.notice D.admire
2.A.improved B.encouraged C.longed D.blamed
3.A.wondered B. appreciat C.judged D.challenged
4.A.kitchen B. restaurant C. bedroom D. school
5.A.unhappy B.weak C.astonished D.skilled
6.A.preparing B.choosing C.making D.having
7.A.play B.work C.cook D.make
8.A. get uptear B. surprise C. smile D. mark
9.A. dreams B.time C. mysteries D.accidents
10.A. excited B.regretful C. confident D.unwilling
11.A. memories B.choices C.opportunities D.goals
12.A. continued B.created C.failed D.served
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“I Went Skydiving at 84!”
As a young girl growing up in the 1930s, I always wanted to fly a plane, but back then it was almost unheard of a woman to do that. I got a taste of that dream in 2011,when my husband arranged for me me ride in a hot air balloon for my birthday. But the experience turned out to be very dull. Around that time ,I told my husband that I wanted to skydive. So when our retirement community（社区）announced that they were having an essay competition and the topic was an experience of a lifetime that you wanted to have, I decided to write about my dream.
In the essay, I wrote about my desire to skydive, stating George Brush Sr. did it at age 80. Why not me? I was just 84 and in pretty good health. A year went by and I heard nothing. But then at a community party in late April 2009, they announced that I was one of the winners. I just couldn’t believe it.
One june 11, 2009, nearly 40 of my family and friends gathered in the area close to where I would land while I headed up in the airplane. My instructor, Jay, guided me through the experience. The plane was the noisiest one I had ever been in, but I wasn’t frightened—I was really just looking forward to the experience. When we reachen 13,000 feet, Jay instructed me to throw myself out of the plane. When we first hit the air, the wind was so strong that I could hardly breathe. For a second I thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” But then everything got calmer. We were in a free fall for about a minute before Jay opened the parachute（降落伞）, then we just floated downward fo zhout five minutes. Being up in the clouds and looking at the view below was unlike anything I have ever felt—much better than the hot air ballon. I was just enjoying it.
Skydiving was really one of the greatest experiences of my life. I hope other people will look at me and realize that you don’t stop living just because you are 84 years old. If there’s something you want to experience, look into it. If it’s something that is possible, make it happen.
1.
What happened to the auther in 2001?
A. She flew an airplane
B. She entered a competition
C. She went on a hot air balloon ride
D. She moved into a retirement community
2.
The author mentioned George Bush Sr. in her essay to ________.
A. build up her own reputation
B. show her admiration for him
C. compare their health conditon
D. make her argument persuasive
3.
How did the authou feel immediately after she jumped out of the plane?
A. Excited B. Scared C. Nervous D. Regretful
4.
What did the author enjoy most when she was skydiving?
A.The beautiful clouds B. The wonderful view
C. The company of Jay D. The one-minute free fall
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As a young girl growing up in the 1930s, I always wanted to fly a plane, but back then it was almost unheard of for a woman to do that. I got a taste of that dream in 2001, when my husband arranged for me to ride in a hot air balloon for my birthday. But the experience turned out to be very dull. Around that time, I told my husband that I wanted to skydive. So when our retirement community announced that they were having an essay competition and the topic was an experience of a lifetime that you wanted to have, I decided to write about my dream.
In the essay, I wrote about my desire to skydive, stating George Brush Sr. did it at age 80. Why not me? I was just 84 and in pretty good health. A year went by and I heard nothing. But then at a community party in late April 2009, they announced that I was one of the winners. I just couldn’t believe it. Inspired by this, I decided to realize my dream, even though some of my family members and my doctor were against it.
On June 11, 2009, nearly 40 of my family and friends gathered in the area close to where I would land while I headed up in the airplane. My instructor, Jay, guided me through the experience. The plane was the noisiest one I had ever been in, but I wasn’t frightened—I was really just looking forward to the experience. When we reached 13,000 feet, Jay instructed me to throw myself out of the plane. When we first hit the air, the wind was so strong that I could hardly breathe. For a second I thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” But then everything got calmer. We were in a free fall for about a minute before Jay opened the parachute（降落伞）, then we just floated downward for about five minutes. Being up in the clouds and looking at the view below was unlike anything I have ever felt—much better than the hot air balloon. I was just enjoying it.
Skydiving was really one of the greatest experiences of my life. I hope other people will look at me and realize that you don’t stop living just because you are 84 years old. If there’s something you want to experience, look into it. If it’s something that is possible, make it happen.
1.What happened to the author in 2001?
A. She flew an airplane.
B. She entered a competition.
C. She went on a hot air balloon ride.
2.The author mentioned George Bush Sr. in her essay to ________.
A. make her argument persuasive
B. show her admiration for him
C. compare their health condition
D. build up her own reputation
3. How did the author feel immediately after she jumped out of the plane?
A. Excited. B. Regretful. C. Nervous. D. Scared.
4.What did the author enjoy most when she was skydiving?
A. The beautiful clouds. B. The wonderful view.
C. The company of Jay. D. The one-minute free fall.
5.What is the best title of the passage?
A. Impossible is nothing. B. A dream made come true.
C. An unforgettable skydiving. D. I Went Skydiving at 84!
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As a little girl growing up in the early 1960s in a suburb of Pittsburgh, it was not always easy to find role models, But I was lucky. In my childhood, I knew smart, strong women who had accomplished much, one of whom invented the world’s first computer compiler (编译器).
Recently, though, I learned about a role model who was right under my nose—my own mother.
Growing up, I knew she had worked as a secretary before I was born. I knew that she had joined the WAVES—the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service branch of the U.S. Naval Reserve (海军预备队)—during World War Ⅱ. And I knew she’d worked in an office that was involved with codes (编码). But when she talked about it—rare, because she had been sworn to secrecy—she described her duties as ordinary, routine. I never questioned it. After all, the woman I knew was a reserved suburban mom.
Not long ago, a chance conversation with a colleague led me to the book, Code Girls. It tells the story of the WAVES, who decrypted (解码) and encrypted secret messages during the war. They worked around the clock, knowing that the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers—their brothers, husbands, fathers—were on the line.
Inspired, I began a journey to explore the mystery of my mother’s service that continues to this day. I got some of her working records about her unit, OP19. In two years, she was promoted three times. She was no secretary, and her duties were hardly ordinary.
My mother always encouraged my interest in science and insisted to my father that I go to college. “You’re going to grow up to be another Madame Curie,” she told me. She was always pointing at other women. She did not see herself as someone to model on. Neither did I. Now I see her differently.
1.Why didn’t the author’s mother tell the truth about her job?
A. She was afraid of being fired by her company.
B. She thought her job was just unremarkable.
C. She thought secretary was better than her real job.
D. She knew well what to be expected of her career.
2.Which of the following words can best describe the authors mother?
A. Devoted and faithful. B. Ambitious and reserved.
C. Cooperative and sincere. D. Hardworking and skeptical.
3.What can we learn from the text?
A. The author doubted her mother’s job when she was a child.
B. The author’s mother saw herself as an example to follow.
C. Code Girls’ job is more important than that of the soldiers.
D. Code Girls inspired the author to learn more of her mother.
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A. Code Girls, My Favourite Book.
B. Mom, My Real Role Model.
C. The OP19, A Buried Secret.
D. WAVES, A Mysterious Organization.
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Growing up in rural Malawi, Africa, William Kamkwamba’s life was filled with ancient way and mystery. His family was _________ and they lived in a small house without electricity. At night, they went to bed early because the kerosene（煤油）to light the lamps was _________.
A terrible drought in 2000 left many Malawians _________. Security was having sacks of corn and not having them was _________. He still wanted to learn and when he was _________ from school by his inability to pay the _________, he found the free library. There he read a book called Using Energy, which _________ him in science and gave him an idea that _________changed his future. In the book, William found a picture of a windmill, and a brief _________ of how it could be used to generate __________ from wind. He realized that if he could __________ a windmill, his village people could live a far better ________.
The next year witnessed William’s __________ and determination. He began to collect any material __________ --pieces of wood, broken bicycles--and started to build a windmill. He __________ many challenges and failures. Finally, at the age of 14, William __________ his first one. Seeing electric __________ coming from William’s house, the village people came running. He had found a way to __________ the wind.
William Kamkwamba has made the world realize that even the starving kids in Malawi have much to __________. He struggle with his dreams and __________ hardships in his life, yet he always worked hard, and never gave up.
1.A.poor B.unique C.extended D.supportive
2.A.available B.costly C.adequate D.free
3.A.homeless B.clumsy C.unconscious D.hungry
4.A.dignity B.liberty C.death D.shame
5.A.dismissed B.blocked C.discouraged D.suspended
6.A.insurance B.treatment C.wages D.fees
7.A.involved B.established C.proved D.trained
8.A.deliberately B.consistently C.significantly D.temporarily
9.A.application B.description C.assumption D.decoration
10.A.wave B.energy C.electricity D.heat
11.A.design B.replace C.upgrade D.construct
12.A.life B.survival C.scene D.dream
13.A.consideration B.qualification C.reputation D.ambition
14.A.useful B.wonderful C.valuable D.portable
15.A.refused B.braved C.detected D.indicated
16.A.donated B.restored C.completed D.imported
17.A.current B.light C.shock D.charge
18.A.blow B.measure C.estimate D.capture
19.A.offer B.recommend C.protest D.advocate
20.A.ran into B.figured out C.went through D.brought in
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Some of them, ______ in rural villages, had never seen a train.
A. to be born and brought up B. born and brought up
C. having born and brought up D. having been born and brought up
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I grew up on a farm in the small rural (乡下的) community of Catawissa, Missouri, as the sixth of seven children. 1. In the fall of 1970, he was working on a house when the ladder broke. His back was broken.
He stayed in the hospital for three weeks. When Dad returned home, he was still in a back brace(支架) and unable to work. 2.
One night we heard a car coming up. 3. Rose was at the door, holding an envelope filled with money. She told my dad she had collected money and was there to deliver it
4. I can still hear her saying, “Archie, whenever someone’s baler (干草打包机) is broken, you bale their hay. Someone passes away, Altha is cooking. It’s our turn.”
That evening, this 6-year-old understood what being a good neighbor was, and that because her parents were good neighbors, their kindness would be returned. I learned later my mom’s sisters all “adopted” one of us kids to help with Christmas, and we received gift baskets from more than one organization.
My parents were used to being the givers and not the receivers of such generosity (慷慨). 5.
A. He tried to protest but Rose would have none of it.
B. Besides running the farm, Dad was also a carpenter.
C. Apart from a carpenter, Dad was also running a farm.
D. We kids were always curious about who was visiting.
E. I was too young to realize our family had no money coming in as Christmas approached.
F. It was comforting to be helped when in trouble, but what was important was to help others in return.
G. They had a bit of pride to swallow, but continued all of their lives to show us kids the value of kindness.
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I grew up on a 50-acre farm in the small rural community of Catawissa, Missouri, as the sixth of seven children. My parents, Archie and Altha, often ______ during meals how everything on the table came from the ______.
Besides running the farm, Dad was also a ______. In the fall of 1970, he was working on a house when the ladder broke ______. His back was fractured in two places an ______ needed rescue.
He stayed in the hospital for three weeks,______ his back to align (校准) correctly so the bones would ______ perfectly.
On Thanksgiving, Dad was still in the hospital. We always butchered pigs the day after the holiday so that we had enough pork ______ for the next year, and that year my uncle ______ with a couple of cousins to help my three older brothers prepare our year’s supply.
After Dad returned home, he was in a back brace, saddened for ______ to work. Worse still, the doctor told us his chance of complete recovery was ______. I was too young to realize our family had no money coming ______ as Christmas approached.
One night we heard a car coming up the long driveway. Always ______ to company, we kids were curious about who was visiting.
Peggy Phelan was at the door, holding an envelope ______ with money which, according to her account, she had ______ in the community. And she was there to ______ it!
Dad tried to ______ but Peggy would have none of it. I can still hear her saying, “Archie, whenever someone’s baler (压捆机) is broken, you bale their hay. Every time someone passes away, Altha is cooking. It’s our ______.”
That evening, I understood what being a good neighbor was, and that ______ my parents were good neighbors, their ______ would be paid back.
1.A. confirmed B. argued C. noted D. charged
2.A. land B. hill C. wood D. river
3.A. cook B. carpenter C. clerk D. driver
4.A. once in a while B. all at once C. by all means D. at any time
5.A. surprisingly B. thoroughly C. terribly D. gratefully
6.A. reminding B. tolerating C. forbidding D. allowing
7.A. do B. heal C. play D. catch
8.A. in charge B. in store C. in demand D. in nature
9.A. called up B. picked up C. showed up D. came up
10.A. refusal B. inability C. commitment D. anxiety
11.A. dark B. slim C. thin D. shadowy
12.A. in B. over C. off D. away
13.A. blind B. familiar C. loyal D. alert
14.A. stuffed B. burdened C. charged D. covered
15.A. accumulated B. collected C. appealed D. contacted
16.A. divide B. apply C. send D. deliver
17.A. deny B. admit C. protest D. receive
18.A. effort B. heart C. turn D. promise
19.A. because B. unless C. until D. although
20.A. money B. kindness C. envelope D. goods
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I grew up on a 50-acre farm in the small rural community of Catawissa, Missouri, as the sixth of seven children. My parents, Archie and Altha, often ______ during meals how everything on the table came from the ______.
Besides running the farm, Dad was also a ______. In the fall of 1970, he was working on a house when the ladder broke ______. His back was fractured in two places an ______ needed rescue.
He stayed in the hospital for three weeks,______ his back to align (校准) correctly so the bones would ______ perfectly.
On Thanksgiving, Dad was still in the hospital. We always butchered pigs the day after the holiday so that we had enough pork ______ for the next year, and that year my uncle ______ with a couple of cousins to help my three older brothers prepare our year’s supply.
After Dad returned home, he was in a back brace, saddened for ______ to work. Worse still, the doctor told us his chance of complete recovery was ______. I was too young to realize our family had no money coming ______ as Christmas approached.
One night we heard a car coming up the long driveway. Always ______ to company, we kids were curious about who was visiting.
Peggy Phelan was at the door, holding an envelope ______ with money which, according to her account, she had ______ in the community. And she was there to ______ it!
Dad tried to ______ but Peggy would have none of it. I can still hear her saying, “Archie, whenever someone’s baler (压捆机) is broken, you bale their hay. Every time someone passes away, Altha is cooking. It’s our ______.”
That evening, I understood what being a good neighbor was, and that ______ my parents were good neighbors, their ______ would be paid back.
1.A. confirmed B. argued C. noted D. charged
2.A. land B. hill C. wood D. river
3.A. cook B. carpenter C. clerk D. driver
4.A. once in a while B. all at once C. by all means D. at any time
5.A. surprisingly B. thoroughly C. terribly D. gratefully
6.A. reminding B. tolerating C. forbidding D. allowing
7.A. do B. heal C. play D. catch
8.A. in charge B. in store C. in demand D. in nature
9.A. called up B. picked up C. showed up D. came up
10.A. refusal B. inability C. commitment D. anxiety
11.A. dark B. slim C. thin D. shadowy
12.A. in B. over C. off D. away
13.A. blind B. familiar C. loyal D. alert
14.A. stuffed B. burdened C. charged D. covered
15.A. accumulated B. collected C. appealed D. contacted
16.A. divide B. apply C. send D. deliver
17.A. deny B. admit C. protest D. receive
18.A. effort B. heart C. turn D. promise
19.A. because B. unless C. until D. although
20.A. money B. kindness C. envelope D. goods
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As a young girl, Margaret “Mattie” Knight never played with dolls, preferring to make toys for her brothers instead. In 1849, Knight went to work in a cotton factory where she witnessed a “shuttle,” a device that carries thread back and forth across a textile loom（纺布机）, fly off the machine when the thread broke, striking and killing a young boy about her own age.
The 12-year-old Knight developed a safety mechanism that made it impossible for a shuttle to leave the loom. The design was so effective, soon virtually every new power loom carried her invention, saving countless workers from injury or death. Being so young, she didn’t bother to patent the device, so she never received payment.
Knight wouldn’t make the same mistake later in life when she invented a machine that could produce flat-bottomed paper bags. Knight had built a small wooden model in her home, but she needed a metal version to show it could hold up to the stress of mass production. So she hired Charles Annan to make the full-sized machine for her, only to have him try to claim the patent for himself. When Knight sued（起诉）, Annan’s argument was that the design had to be his, because no woman could possibly understand the complex mechanics. Knight proved him wrong when she brought back her wooden prototype and explained how every part worked. She won the case in 1871, making her the second woman to hold an American patent. Over a hundred years later, her design is still used as the basis for many modern flat-bottom bag machines.
But that wasn’t the last the world heard of Mattie Knight. During her lifetime, she made about 90 inventions and received 26 patents, becoming one of the most productive female inventors of the 19th century.
1.We can learn from Paragraph 1 that ________.
| A．Knight behaved like boys | B．Knight had an unhappy childhood |
| C．Knight did a poor job of making toys | D．Knight liked inventing things as a child |
2.What do we know about Knight’s first invention?
| A．It is still used today. | B．It brought her great profit. |
| C．It was made when he was 20. | D．It reduced injuries at textile plants. |
3.Knight sued Charles Annan because he _______.
| A．stole the wooden model for the machine she invented. |
| B．failed to make the full-sized machine for her |
| C．tried to patent her invention for himself |
| D．kept the metal version for himself |
4.What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Mattie Knight’s fight for her patent | B．A great woman in the 19th century |
| C．“The female Edison”, Mattie Knight | D．Great inventions, great woman |