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
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
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
My name is Amy. I’m a 25-year-old graduate student who likes yoga, home-decorating shows and eating spoonfuls of peanut butter straight from the jar. Oh yeah, and I’m an iPhone addict.
I wasn’t always an addict. In fact, for many years I told myself I didn’t want a fancy cellphone. They seemed like too much work, always ringing and demanding attention. I was perfectly content with my simple cellphone, and I didn’t feel like changing my mind any time.
However, about a year ago, I found myself envious of all those proud iPhone owners, holding their shiny new phones and showing them off to all their friends. I started to eavesdrop on conversations about “iPhone apps”, feeling like a tourist listening to a language I couldn’t speak.
Eventually I couldn’t ignore my iPhone instinct (本能) any longer, and I welcomed my new iPhone into my life. I instantly fell in love with the little bundle of joy, and could no longer imagine a life without it.
To my surprise, I suddenly found myself with a whole new circle of friends—other iPhone owners I could go to for advice and support as I learned the various functions of my new device. They responded to my iPhone-related queries when my other friends couldn’t, and didn’t roll their eyes when I bragged(吹牛)about all the things little Eloise (yes, I named her) could do.
For a couple months I built my new life with Eloise. However, I realized I had a problem when one day I found myself Google-mapping my way to my mailbox, which happens to be right outside my front door.
When I reflected upon the past few months, I couldn’t believe I didn’t see this coming. All the warning signs were there. Eloise slept right beside me and was the first thing I reached for in the morning. I checked my e-mail about 20 times a day. I also experienced attachment anxiety when I left poor Eloise in the changing room at the gym. What if she rang and needed my response? Or, even worse, what if a careless gym-goer knocked her out of my bag and caused her screen to crack?
Once I admitted I had a problem, things started to change. What used to feel like friendly messages now felt like constant complaining to respond. I hated that I could no longer leave the house without Eloise in my hand. Eventually, I felt angry with Eloise so much that I wanted to throw her at the wall.
I decided something had to be done. But, as I quickly realized, iPhones are like cigarettes and not easy to quit.
Then, while taking the bus to work one day, I was unexpectedly forced to quit—at least temporarily. When I reached into my purse to grab Eloise, I found her overcome by fever. My head swam with panic as I attempted to solve the problem, but without result. I couldn’t call anyone for advice. I couldn’t Google whether this had happened to any fellow iPhone owners. The Apple Store was closed by the time I finished work, so I headed home with fear into an Eloise-less night. But, after a couple hours without any text alerts, push notifications, or even good old-fashioned phone calls, I felt ... calmer. Without my electronic bed partner, I drifted off into the deepest sleep I’d had in months. The next morning, I read the news from the simplicity of the newspaper, instead of from my iPhone. I even noticed the cherry blossoms blooming.
My goodness, what had I been missing?
1. The passage is mainly about ___________.
A. how I changed my attitude towards iPhone
B. why I was content with my iPhone
C. how my simple cellphone changed my lifestyle
D. why I preferred to use iPhone eventually
2. The phrase “ eavesdrop on” ( Paragraph 3) is closer in meaning to __________.
A. adapt suddenly to B. join unwillingly in
C. listen secretly to D. argue fiercely in
3.IPhones’__________ can not be listed among the reasons why the writer was addicted to it.
A. diverse application B. excellent service
C. bundle of joy D. good company
4.When did the writer get to know that she had to tear herself away from her iPhone?
A. She needed her iPhone to lead her to the mailbox.
B. She slept with her iPhone beside her every night.
C. She checked and read her e-mails too frequently.
D. She dared not leave her iPhone alone at the gym.
5.What message does the writer pass on at the end of the passage?
A. She considered throwing away her iPhone regretful.
B. She looked forward to starting her new life with Eloise.
C. She thought it of little benefit to have a simple cellphone.
D. She was aware that she had to kick the habit of being addicted to her iPhone.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Last year, when our three-year-old great-granddaughter Kylie was taken to see Santa Claus, she made sure to give him her wish list of toys. A week later, she ran into a different Santa in a mall. He stopped to ask what she wanted for Christmas. Kylie was surprised and let him know: "If you can't remember what I told you last week, how are you going to remember on Christmas Eve?!"
(---Mary Paul, Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
As my son Mike and I drove to the mall, we passed a Salvation Army Santa ringing his bell. "Mike," I said, "there's Santa!" He shook his head. "That's just some guy in a Santa suit," he said. It saddened me to think that maybe my son no longer believed in Santa, and we drove the rest of the way in silence. At the mall, we spotted another Santa greeting young believers. Suddenly, Mike took off toward him. Turning back to me, he shouted. "Now, there's the real Santa!"
(---Michael E. Fahey, Huntley, Illinois)
We immigrated to America from China when I was six. Because I was shy and didn't speak English, I had few friends. My days were spent at home with my brother. Sometimes we'd help our neighbor Mr. Mueller pull weeds. One Christmas Day, there was a knock at the door. Grandma opened it, and there stood a big fellow in red with a snow-white beard, laughing, "Ho, ho, ho!" He handed out presents and made us laugh. I had so much fun. It was years later when I learned that our special Santa was our neighbor Mr. Mueller.
(---Joanne Tang, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
1.Why was Kylie surprised when running into a different Santa?
A. Because she got what she wished.
B. Because she knew who the Santa was.
C. Because she wished to get another toy.
D. Because she thought they were the same Santa.
2.What would Mike's parent feel as to Mike's different attitudes towards Santa?
A. Angry B. Confused C. Sad D. Unbelievable
3.What did Mr. Mueller do on Christmas Day?
A. He stood outside our house.
B. He stayed with us in our home.
C. He continued to pull weeds.
D. He gave out gifts by acting as Santa
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
I am a middle school student. My name is Wang Jing. My grandfather is 70 years old now. He often says life has changed a lot. It becomes better and better. I asked him what life was like when he was a child. The following was what he said.
When he was a child, he used to feel hungry. There didn’t use to be enough food for him to eat. He has two brothers and two sisters. His parents were both farmers. They were very poor and couldn’t let their children eat as much as possible. As for clothes, they didn’t use to have enough clothes. They didn’t use to buy new clothes. The younger brothers and sisters often wore their old brothers’ and sisters’ clothes. My grandfather is the youngest. Only he went to school and had a job in the city. His brothers and sisters didn’t get an education and live in the countryside now.Now my grandfather has retired(退休) and lives a happy life. He can eat any food that he wants. He can buy clothes that he wants to buy. He says he is much happier than before. He often asks me to study hard. He says if I work hard, I can have a good future.
1.Wang Jing’s grandfather _________ get enough food when he was a child.
A. used to B. can
C. could D. couldn’t
2.Her grandfather’s parents has _________ children.
A. three B. four
C. five D. six
3.Whose clothes did her grandfather use to wear?
A. His brothers’. B. His mother’s.
C. His own. D. His father’s.
4.Is Wang Jing’s grandfather happy now?
A. No, he isn’t. B. Yes, he is.
C. We don’t know. D. He doesn’t feel happy.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
I am a middle school student. My name is Wang Jing. My grandfather is 70 years old now. He often says life has changed a lot. It becomes better and better. I asked him what life was like when he was a child. The following was what he said.
When he was a child, he used to feel hungry. There didn’t use to be enough food for him to eat. He has two brothers and two sisters. His parents were both farmers. They were very poor and couldn’t let their children eat as much as possible. As for clothes, they didn’t use to have enough clothes. They didn’t use to buy new clothes. The younger brothers and sisters often wore their old brothers’ and sisters’ clothes. My grandfather is the youngest. Only he went to school and had a job in the city. His brothers and sisters didn’t get an education and live in the countryside now. Now my grandfather has retired(退休) and lives a happy life. He can eat any food that he wants. He can buy clothes that he wants to buy. He says he is much happier than before. He often asks me to study hard. He says if I work hard, I can have a good future.
1.Wang Jing’s grandfather _________ get enough food when he was a child.
A. used to B. can
C. could D. couldn’t
2.Her grandfather’s parents has _________ children.
A. three B. four
C. five D. six
3.Whose clothes did her grandfather use to wear?
A. His brothers’. B. His mother’s.
C. His own. D. His father’s.
4.Is Wang Jing’s grandfather happy now?
A. No, he isn’t. B. Yes, he is.
C. We don’t know. D. He doesn’t feel happy.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
I am 17 years old now. I wish my parents wouldn’t treat me as if I _______ a child.
A.was | B.have been | C.am | D.were |
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
It's a name that needs no address.Everyone knows Santa Claus lives at the North Pole.
So letters sent to Santa Claus find their way to the small town of the North Pole deep in Alaska,including those simply sent to Santa. Last year,120,000 letters arrived from 26 countries,not including the thousands with no return addresses.
Those who have return addresses usually get a reply and a North Pole postmark(邮戳) that has delighted children all over the world for many years. They feel happy to receive Santa's reply.
Letters arrive all the year around in the town of 1,600,where streets have names such as Santa Claus Lane and Kris Kringle Drive. Around Thanksgiving,they start getting there by the thousands each day as Christmas comes. Even letters without stamps get through,an exception(例外)for the U.S. Postal Service.
“This is special because it has Santa's name on it,”said Debra Cornelius,an officer at the main post office in nearby Fairbanks,where the letters are kept during the holiday.
Gabby Gaborik is among several dozen volunteers who are busy sending off replies to children who sent return addresses.
In his 10 years as a volunteer,Gaborik has seen every kind of wish. There are children who want the latest toys they see on TV. There are children who ask for miracles(奇迹),some wanting their mother back for Christmas or their father back from Iraq,even though he died there.
Replies get a North Pole postmark,including a halfmoon drawing of Santa's face. Even late letters get a reply,Gaborik said,“It says something like ‘Thanks for writing. Santa's been really busy,’anything the children might want to hear,”he said.
1.Letters written to Santa Claus without an address can arrive at the North Pole because ______.
A.all letters without an address are sent there
B.people believe that Santa Claus lives there
C.this kind of letter is sent with a special postmark
D.streets named Santa Claus Lane can be found there
2.The underlined word “delighted” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by “______”.
A.excited B.amazed C.confused D.disappointed
3.We can know from the text that ______.
A.letters written to Santa Claus are sent free
B.Santa Claus' replies to children always arrive at Christmas
C.many people write to children for Santa Claus asking for no pay
D.there're thousands of letters sent to Santa Claus every month
4.What's the best title for the text?
A.Letters written to parents
B.All kinds of wishes from children
C.Letters to Santa Claus rush into Alaska
D.North Pole,Alaska,a beautiful place
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
I often go to France to visit my grandmother who is very dear to me. She's now 76 years old, so every time I go to ______, the two of us are very aware that it might be the ______time we see each other for she has cancer.
Last time I visited her in December of 2012. I did a series of short video_____about her life. I asked her about her greatest memories and life learning so far, her _____books, food and stories. I learned a large quantity of amazing new things about her I _____ knew before.
This year, I did not really have _____, only a great urge for her to know how much she is loved. I cooked for her and read her stories.
Before leaving, I was_____a way to leave something ______behind besides the memory of our _____together. So I wrote her five different ______and gratitude notes to let her know how much she ______to me, and hid them in different places where I knew she would ______find them. One under her pillow. Another one _____from the lamp cover by which she reads in the evening. Another one by her toothbrush. One in her_____which she eagerly checks every day. And the last one on her car's steering wheel.
I left ______knowing that these cards would surely ______her up after I left. She called me as I was departing for Paris to catch my plane back to the US and said, “I ______your three cards! By the time I discovered the third card, I was laughing out loud!______, they did me so much good. Thank you so much!” I _____to myself, knowing she still has two more to go! It was Sunday, so my ______was that she had not checked her mailbox and had not yet driven her car!
1.A. visit B. inspect C. search D. expect
2.A. hard B. next C. first D. last
3.A. appointments B. speeches C. interviews D. discussions
4.A. valuable B. favorite C. rare D. cherished
5.A. even B. also C. still D. never
6.A. interests B. reasons C. questions D. topics
7.A. looking for B. dealing with C. making up D. picking out
8.A. normal B. special C. valuable D. healthy
9.A. sleep B. meal C. work D. time
10.A. love B. freedom C. wisdom D. encouragement
11.A. responds B. lies C. means D. owes
12.A. usually B. finally C. carelessly D. properly
13.A. showing B. hiding C. dropping D. hanging
14.A. mailbox B. bag C. office D. garden
15.A. peacefully B. sadly C. joyfully D. quickly
16.A. wake B. cheer C. pick D. take
17.A. searched B. witnessed C. harvested D. found
18.A. Obviously B. Luckily C. Firstly D. Personally
19.A. said B. added C. smiled D. turned
20.A. news B. guess C. idea D. plan
高二英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Dear Tim,
I am Li Hua. This is my last year of high school, and I’ll graduate this summer. I’m eighteen year old.
There is three people in my family and I’m the only one child, who is very common in Chinese families. My father work in a factory and my mother is a teacher. We lived a happy life together.
I'm cheerful boy.Besides my courses, I have much hobbies, like playing football, basketball and swimming.In the past, I collected in a lot of stamps, which are very preciously now because we seldom post a letter nowadays.I
wonder if you can tell me something about myself, your family and daily school .
高二英语短文改错中等难度题查看答案及解析