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When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I would make it home for the holidays. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have the three-day holiday posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers. It was Christmas Eve when I arrived home, and a little snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, and ornaments (饰品) shining against the green of a pine.
"Where did it come from?" I asked.
"I asked the Gates boy to cut it," my mother said. "I wouldn't have had one just for myself, but when in great need... such a rush! He just brought it in this afternoon."
The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the Tree Top Crystal（水晶） Star was in its place. A few green branches reached out a little awkwardly（难看） at the side, I thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with the pleasant smell of Christmas.
"It's not like the one you used to find," my mother went on. "Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn't know where to look for a better one. But I couldn't be fussy(挑剔的)."
"Don't worry," I told her. "It's perfect."
It wasn't, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: All Christmas trees are perfect.
1.What did his mother's Christmas tree look like?
2.From the passage we can infer (推断) that______.
A. all the soldiers had the three-day holiday
B. the writer could not go home for Christmas
C. the writer spent his first Christmas during the war
D. not all the soldiers went home for Christmas during the war
3.From the passage, we can conclude that ______ .
A. his mother didn't like Christmas trees
B. the writer didn't like the tree cut by someone else
C. the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees
D. his mother didn't want to have a Christmas tree during wartime
4.The best title for this passage would be ______.
A. The Perfect Christmas Tree
B. How to Choose a Christmas Tree
C. How Soldiers Spent Their Christmas
D. A Christmas with an Ugly Christmas Tree
5.What does the writer mean by saying “All Christmas trees are perfect”?
A. Nothing is as perfect as Christmas.
B. Once at home, everything is so nice.
C. During the war, trees are hard to find.
D. All Christmas trees are the most beautiful.
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When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I would make it home for the holiday. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have the three-day holiday posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers. It was Christmas Eve when I arrived home, and a little snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, colors, and ornaments (饰品) shining against the green of a pine.
"Where did it come from?" I asked.
"I asked the Gates boy to cut it," my mother said. "I wouldn't have had one just for myself, but when in great need... such a rush! He just brought it in this afternoon."
The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the Tree Top Crystal（水晶）Star was in its place. A few green branches reached out a little awkwardly（难看）at the side, I thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with the pleasant smell of Christmas.
"It's not like the one you used to find," my mother went on. "Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn't know where to look for a better one. But I couldn't be fussy(挑剔的)."
"Don't worry," I told her. "It's perfect."
It wasn't, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: All Christmas trees are perfect.
1. What did his mother's Christmas tree look like?
2. From the passage we can infer (推断) that ________ .
A. all the soldiers had the three-day holiday
B. the writer could not go home for Christmas
C. the writer spent his first Christmas during the war
D. not all the soldiers went home for Christmas during the war
3. From the passage, we can conclude that ________ .
A. his mother didn't like Christmas trees
B. the writer didn't like the tree cut by someone else
C. the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees
D. his mother didn't want to have a Christmas tree during wartime
4. The best title for this passage would be ________ .
A. The Perfect Christmas Tree
B. How to Choose a Christmas Tree
C. How Soldiers Spent Their Christmas
D. A Christmas with an Ugly Christmas Tree
5. What does the writer mean by saying "All Christmas trees are perfect"?
A. Nothing is as perfect as Christmas.
B. Once at home, everything is so nice.
C. During the war, trees are hard to find.
D. All Christmas trees are the most beautiful.
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This was my grandmother’s first Christmas without grandfather. When we reached her house, it did seem a little _____ without grandfather.
Grandfather had always said the Christmas _____ was the most important. So we set to work assembling (组装) the beautiful _____ tree that was stored in grandfather’s closet (储藏柜). After we finished, we stepped back to _____ our work. It looked wonderful. But something was _____.
＂Where’s the star?＂I asked. It was my grandmother’s _____. As we emptied box after box and found no star, my grandmother’s eyes _____ with tears. Grandfather had given it to grandmother fifty years ago. Now, on her first Christmas without _____, the star was gone, too.
＂Let’s _____ in the closet where the tree was, ＂my sister Donna said. We ______ under beds and over shelves, inside and outside ______ we had excluded every possibility. We could see grandmother was ______, although she tried not to show it. By now, it was ______ outside, and time for bed, as Santa would soon be here.
The next morning, my sister and I ______ early to see what Santa had left under the tree. After breakfast, the family sat together to ______ presents.＂The last gift is to grandmother from grandfather. ＂Father said, in a puzzled voice.
＂From who?＂There was ______ in my grandmother’s voice.
＂I found that ______ in the closet when we got the tree down, ＂Mother explained.
My grandmother opened it. Her face lit up when she pulled out a(n) ______ golden star. There was a note attached. Her voice trembled (颠抖) as she read it:
Don’t be ______ with me, dear. I broke your star while putting away the tree. Thought it was time for a new one, I hope it brings you as much ______ as the first one. Merry Christmas.
1.A. empty B. cold C. slow D. absent
2.A. wish B. tree C. spirit D. work
3.A. unique B. artificial C. widespread D. alive
4.A. follow B. show C. judge D. admire
5.A. losing B. happening C. missing D. falling
6.A. doubt B. reward C. honour D. treasure
7.A. filled B. covered C. put D. removed
8.A. them B. it C. her D. him
9.A. stop B. move C. start D. stay
10.A. hid B. searched C. lay D. found
11.A. as B. until C. because D. though
12.A. disappointed B. amazed C. excited D. shocked
13.A. snowing B. raining C. blowing D. darkening
14.A. cheered up B. picked up C. woke up D. took up
15.A. pack B. open C. pick D. exchange
16.A. happiness B. fright C. surprise D. hope
17.A. gift B. book C. note D. letter
18.A. big B. old C. shining D. broken
19.A. generous B. angry C. strict D. important
20.A. sadness B. concern C. peace D. joy
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This was my grandmother’s first Christmas without grandfather. When we reached her house, it did seem a little 36without grandfather.
Grandfather had always said the Christmas 37was the most important. So we set to work assembling（组装）the beautiful 38tree that was stored in grandfather’s closet（储藏室）. After we finished, we stepped back to 39our work. It looked wonderful. But something was 40 .
“Where’s the star?” I asked. It was my grandmother’s 41. As we emptied box after box and found no star, my grandmother’s eyes 42with tears. Grandfather had given it to Grandmother fifty years ago. Now, on her first Christmas without 43, the star was gone, too.
“Let’s 44in the closet where the tree was,” my sister Donna said. We 45under beds and over shelves, inside and outside 46we had exhausted every possibility. We could see Grandmother was 47, although she tried not to show it. By now, it was 48outside, and time for bed, as Santa would soon be here.
The next morning, my sisters and I 49early to see what Santa had left under the tree. After breakfast, the family sat together to 50presents. “The last gift is to Grandmother from Grandfather.” Father said, in a puzzled voice.
“From who?” There was 51 in my grandmother’s voice.
“I found that 52in the closet when we got the tree down,” Mother explained.
My grandmother opened it. Her face lit up when she pulled out a(n) 53 golden star. There was a note attached. Her voice trembled（颤抖）as she read it:
Don’t be 54 with me, dear. I broke your star while putting away the tree. Thought it was time for a new one, I hope it brings you as much 55 as the first one. Merry Christmas.
1. A．empty B．cold C．slow D．absent
2. A．wish B．tree C．spirit D．work
3. A．unique B．artificial C．widespread D．alive
4. A．follow B．show C．judge D．admire
5. A．losing B．happening C．missing D．falling
6. A．doubt B．reward C．honour D．treasure
7. A．filled B．covered C．put D．removed
8. A．them B．it C．her D．him
9. A．stop B．move C．start D．stay
10. A．hid B．searched C．lay D．found
11. A．as B．until C．because D．though
12. A．disappointed B．amazed C．excited D．shocked
13. A．snowing B．raining C．blowing D．darkening
14. A．cheered up B．picked up C．woke up D．took up
15. A．pack B．open C．pick D．exchange
16. A．happiness B．fright C．surprise D．hope
17. A．gift B．book C．note D．letter
18. A．big B．old C．shining D．broken
19. A．generous B．angry C．strict D．important
20. A．sadness B．concern C．peace D．joy
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One Christmas my husband and I travelled to visit family. Our first stop was to visit my parents in Oregon. My gave me a plastic piggy bank as the Christmas gift. Then we continued north into Washington to visit his parents, but on the way we had some problems. It was late, so we went to the nearest house to ask for to sleep there until auto repair shop opened.
The woman who the door was very kind, allowing us to stay. We had to a few things from the truck, including the bank, still in its long box. The next morning my husband headed off towards town, but was soon offered a from the nice lady, and we were back on the road afterwards.
It wasn’t until we reached our destination that we realized we had the piggy bank in the drive way. It sure was and there was no chance of going back for .
One day over a year later, when we were back in Oregon my mother came out of her house to us with the same bank in her hand. I couldn’t believe my ! We had never told her we had lost it, there it was!
It turns out that the nice lady found the box and read the on the slipping label to get my mother’s name. She then my mother and handed it to her, who held on to it for quite some time until we saw her next.
So the very special lady, I was given the Christmas gift twice. It was truly to me, and now every time that bank gets filled up, I’ll my money to a local charity to “pass on” my fortunate good luck!
1.A. brotherB. husbandC.sisterD. mother
2.A. technicalB. emotionalC.mechanicalD.important
3.A. passportB. permissionC. passwordD. permit
4.A. answeredB. cheeredC. arguedD.questioned
5.A. moveB. storeC. abandonD. unload.
6.A. by busB. on footC. by bikeD. by car
7.A. mealB. jobC. liftD.wait
8.A. tearfullyB. safelyC. slowlyD.shortly
9.A. locatedB. forgotC. wentD. left
10.A. brokenB. stolenC. goneD.hidden
11.A. themB. itC. oneD. some
12.A. blameB. greetC.recognizeD. telephone
13.A. eyesB. thoughtsC. imaginationD. expectation
14.A. althoughB.becauseC.yetD. when
15.A. evidenceB. statementC. explanationD. information
16.A. contactedB. attractedC.acceptedD. searched
17.A.according toB. instead ofC. because ofD. but for
18.A. sameB.differentC. extraD. expensive
19.A. annoyingB. amusingC. amazingD. promising
20.A. earnB. donateC. raiseD.pay
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Douglas was my cousin. I first met him when he came to stay with my family for a , because his parents were going to teach in Africa.
He and his family lived on the other side of the country, so we had never had a chance to visit. However, when we arrived at the airport, it was not hard to find which person was my . He was the one standing all alone, looking around for someone to him. He looked a little scared(害怕的) to meet us, but started to smile shyly after my mom hugged(拥抱) him.
When we got back home and Douglas started his things, I could not believe it. All of his 40 were the same, all white shirts and dark blue shorts.
“How can you only one kind of clothes?” I asked him.
“That’s the way my school has always been,” he said. “We have to wear uniforms.”
“I would hate having to wear the thing every day.”
“I don’t mind,” Douglas said. “It time. I don’t have to think about what I am going to wear.”
“Well we don’t wear uniforms at our . You’re going to look pretty funny if you come to school in a jacket and tie(领带).
Douglas looked worried. , I felt bad. I had not meant(打算) to hurt him. After all, it was not easy to come to live with some family for a year. Then and there I decided that I was going to my cousin and try to make this as good a year as possible for him.”
1.A. day B. week C. month D. year
2.A. parent B. cousin C. uncle D. friend
3.A. meet B. teach C. help D. ask
4.A. putting away B. laughing at C. playing with D. speaking about
5.A. bags B. pictures C. books D. clothes
6.A. make B. hate C. wear D. sell
7.A. right B. same C. only D. old
8.A. wastes B. saves C. spends D. has
9.A. school B. country C. home D. airport
10.A. Really B. Luckily C. Suddenly D. Secretly
11.A. difficult B. special C. big D. strange
12.A. look at B. look for C. look after D. look up
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I was first officer at an airline. One Christmas Eve, I was checking instruments in ______for my last flight of the day _______I heard a noise behind me. I looked ______my shoulder. Just outside the cockpit(驾驶舱) doorway was a boy of about nine ______at the cockpit. At my glance he started to _______“Come on in here,” I called. The boy stepped _______into the cockpit. “My name’s Chad.” I said, slicking out my hand. With a shy smile he put his hand in________, “I’m Sam.”
The captain would be in any minute. Sam looked so _______that I didn't want to cut short his fun. I told Sam the _______of each button. Finally Captain Jim came aboard. I_______Sam to Jim, who gave him a broad smile. “You ever _______an airplane before, Sam?” Jim asked. Eyes wide, Sam _____his head. Following my______, he carefully pressed a button as big as his hand to start the _______, which hummed (发出嗡嗡声) to life. Sam looked like he was about to cry with ______. We started up the other engine, ______, and arrived in Macon about 40 minutes later.
Early Christmas morning, Sam’s mother came by and ______ a tin of cookies with a note of thanks. Jim looked at it, ______, and read it aloud, “Thank you for what you’ve done. Sam has been dreaming about becoming a pilot. _________, he’s got cancer…”
A small _______deed that one does can make a big difference to someone else’s life.
1.A. time B. return C. preparation D. exchange
2.A. after B. when C. as if D. even though
3.A. over B. around C. above D. from
4.A. glaring B. aiming C. shouting D. staring
5.A. get in B. turn away C. run out D. set off
6.A. cautiously B. unexpectedly C. desperately D. deliberately
7.A. his B. him C. me D. mine
8.A. thrilled B. worried C. afraid D. confident
9.A. type B. function C. problem D. regulation
10.A. carried B. reported C. introduced D. directed
11.A. saw B. boarded C. started D. visited
12.A. raised B. bowed C. nodded D. shook
13.A. signals B. instructions C. example D. schedule
14.A. flight B. journey C. button D. engine
15.A. happiness B. anxiety C. sympathy D. fright
16.A. gave up B. pulled over C. took off D. went out
17.A. took B. made C. bought D. left
18.A. sighed B. sobbed C. breathed D. relieved
19.A. Strangely B. Eventually C. Carelessly D. Unfortunately
20.A. heroic B. risky C. kind D. honest
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Douglas was my cousin. I first met him when he came to stay with my family for a ____, because his parents were going to teach in Africa.
He and his family ____ all the way on the other side of the country, so we had never had a chance to visit. ____, when we arrived at the airport, it was not hard to find which person was my _____. He was the one standing all alone, looking around for someone to ____ him. He looked a little scared to meet us, ______ started to smile shyly after my mom hugged (拥抱) him.
When we got back home and Douglas ____ putting his things away, I could not believe it. All of his ____ were the same, all white shirts and dark blue shorts. He ____ had a dark blue jacket with a tie!
“How come you ____ only one kind of clothes?” I asked him.[
“That's the way my school has ____ been,” he said. “We have to wear uniforms.”
“I would hate having to wear the _____ thing every day,” I said.
“I don't ____,” Douglas said. “It ____ time. I don't have to think about what I am going to wear.”
“Well, we don't wear uniforms at our _____. You're going to look pretty ____ if you come to school in a jacket and tie.”
Douglas looked worried. ____, I felt bad. I had not meant to ____ his feelings. After all, it was not easy to come all this way to live with some ____ family for a year. Then and there I decided that I was going to ____ my cousin and try to make this as good a year as possible for him.
1.A. day B. week C. month D. year
2.A. worked B. lived C. traveled D. studied
3.A. However B. Instead C. Besides D. Therefore
4.A. parent B. cousin C. uncle D. friend[
5.A. ask B. teach C. help D. meet
6.A. so B. but C. or 
D. and
7.A. started B. stopped C. finished D. continued
8.A. bags B. pictures C. books D. clothes
9.A. also B. again C. still D. even
10.A. make B. hate C. wear D. sell
11.A. sometimes B. never C. always D. seldom
12.A. right B. same C. only D. old
13.A. know B. use C. mind D. remember
14.A. costs B. saves C. wastes D. counts
15.A. airport B. country C. home D. school
16.A. brave B. funny C. smart D. handsome
17.A. Really B. Luckily C. Suddenly D. Secretly
18.A. share B. enjoy C. hurt D. understand
19.A. difficult B. special C. big D. strange
20.A. look at B. look for C. look after D. look up
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11. It was when I got back to my apartment ______ I first came across my new neighbors.
A. who B. where
C. which D. that
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(2017·天津)It was when I got back to my apartment ___________ I first came across my new neighbors.
A. who B. where C. which D. that
D. and