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I have this old clock that belonged to my mom. My dad gave it to me years ago after mom passed away.
I have mixed feelings about keeping the clock. I love it because it was my mom’s, but it also holds some bad memories.
You see, it chimes (打钟报时). It counts out the hour and rings once on the half hour. Or at least it used to. Now you never know what number it will ring.
When my mother was at home dying from cancer, she asked for the clock to be unplugged (拔去插头等). Hearing the hours count down really angered and frightened her.
Mom passed away. I decided I wanted to get the clock fixed so I could remember the good hours we had with her.
I took it to a local clock shop the other day.
“I know this has no particular value as a clock, but it was my mom’s and I need to get it fixed,” I said to the shop owner.
I went on to describe the problem.
“We get a lot of these in,” he told me. “Here’s what I do. We remove the clock works (机件) and replace it with a battery -operated movement (机芯) that chimes electronically,” he told me.
“You can’t fix this?” “No, we don’t have the time nor the parts.”
I thanked him and went home. I called a few other places and was told the same thing.
“How incredibly sad,” I told the last one disappointedly.
We copy the original instead of creating something new. We duplicate (复制); we don’t originate (发明). How incredibly sad that we have become a society that replaces craftsmanship (手艺) with convenience and easy fixes.
Sadly, this is also our attitude toward life itself.
Each of us is an original, one of a kind. But we find it so much easier to copy another’s style than to develop our own.
We are wannabes (崇拜别人的人) rather than “hey-world-look-at-me”s.
We fail to see the real value in who we are, so we spend our lives trying to be someone else.
1.The author decided to get the clock fixed because it ______.
A. was a really old and valuable clock
B. left the author with mixed feelings
C. was the only thing that his mother had left him
D. brought him memories of being with his mother
2.What did the clock shop owners tell the author?
A. It would cost a lot to repair the clock.
B. They could only make the clock electronic.
C. The parts that the clock needed were electronic.
D. They had never repaired a clock like this before.
3.The purpose of the article is to criticize ______.
A. the irresponsible clock shop owners
B. people who do not value things with a history
C. people who do not have a creative attitude toward life
D. people’s ignorance (无知) of traditional craftsmanship
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I have this old clock that belonged to my mom. My dad gave it to me years ago after mom passed away.
I have mixed feelings about having the clock. I love it because it was my mom’s, but it also holds some bad memories.
You see, it chimes. It counts out the hour and rings once on the half hour. Or at least it used to. Now you never know what number it will ring.
When my mother was at home dying from cancer, she asked for the clock to be unplugged. Hearing the hours count down really angered and frightened her.
Mom passed away. I decided I wanted to get the clock fixed so I could remember the good hours we had with her.
I took it to a local clock shop the other day.
“I know this has no particular value as a clock, but it was my mom’s and I need to get it fixed,” I said to the shop owner.
I went on to describe the problem.
“We get a lot of these in,” he told me. “Here’s what I do. We remove the clock works (机件) and replace it with a battery-operated movement (机芯) that chimes electronically,” he told me.
“You can’t fix this?”
“No, we don’t have the time nor the parts.”
I thanked him and went home. I called a few other places and was told the same thing.
“How incredibly sad,” I told the last one disappointedly.
How incredibly sad that we have become a society that replaces craftsmanship with convenience and easy fixes. We copy the original instead of creating something new. We duplicate (复制); we don’t originate (发明).
Sadly, the same goes for our attitude to life itself.
Each of us is an original, one of a kind. But we find it so much easier to copy another style than to develop our own.
We are wannabes (崇拜别人的人) rather than hey-world-look-at-mes.
We fail to see the real value in who we are, so we spend our lives trying to be someone else.
1. Why did the author decide to get the clock fixed?
A．Because it was a really old and valuable clock.
B．Because it was the only thing that her mother had left her.
C．Because it brought her memories of being with her mother.
D．Because it left the author with mixed feelings.
2. What did the clock shop owners tell the author?
A．The parts that the clock needed were electronic.
B．It would cost a lot to repair the clock.
C．They had never repaired a clock like this before.
D．They could only make the clock electronic.
3. The author intends to ________.
A．criticize the irresponsible clock shop owners
B．criticize people who do not value things with a history
C．criticize people who do not have a creative attitude toward life
D．criticize people’s ignorance of traditional craftsmanship
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Having divorced (离婚) my dad, my mom had to move frequently in order to find a job that would provide her with enough money to support the big family For three years, we lived in the town of Parkersburg On the first Christmas there, my brothers and I had been well prepared for a holiday without presents But we had a surprise on Christmas Eve
At midnight, we were woken up by someone shouting at our front door, “Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!” We jumped up and ran to the door to find no one there, but several boxes and bags! Not only were there gifts, which were our favorite, but there were also clothes and food Each of us kids, as well as Mom, had gifts with our names on them And the clothes all fit us!
Another year went by and on Christmas Eve, we again got boxes and bags full of goodies The next year we moved We were in the same town but across the other side Mom was beginning to get on her feet Since we had moved and Mom had a better job, we were quite certain that “Santa” wouldn’t visit us that year But we were wrong!
Those “Santa” visits restored in me the belief in the goodness of mankind, though to this day we don’t know who our helper was
When we grew up, Mom moved to Virginia She had some extra money one Christmas She sent it to me and let us know her decision We then took action My husband and children had so much fun buying and wrapping presents for the needy family we had chosen On Christmas Eve, we allowed the excited kids to stay up late to be part of our secret “Santa” project
Such satisfaction there was in being able to pass on the gift of love to others who needed it And the gift goes on!
1.From the first paragraph, we can learn that ______
A the writer’s family didn’t like to celebrate Christmas
B the writer felt sorry about not having Christmas presents
C the writer’s mother couldn’t afford any Christmas presents
D the writer knew that something surprising would happen
2.The presents that the writer’s family received must be from _______
A someone who has no children
B someone who knew them well
C the church in the neighborhood
D the richest family in the town
3.What decision did the writer’s mom make in the fifth paragraph?
A To give her extra money to a poor family
B To thank the person who once helped her family
C To give some Christmas presents to a poor family in secret
D To invite a poor family to spend Christmas with her family
4.This passage is written to ______
A show pity to the poor people
B show human kindness
C thank the helper
D show the advantages of being rich
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My mom sang this song to me when I was 5 years old. It ______in my heart ever since.
A. had remained B. is remained
C. has remained D. has been remained
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When I was nine years old, I loved to go fishing with my dad. But the only thing that wasn’t very fun about it was that he could catch many fish while I couldn’t catch anything. I usually got pretty upset and kept asking him why. He always answered, “Son, if you want to catch a fish, you have to think like a fish”, I remember being even more upset then because, “I’m not a fish!” I didn’t know how to think like a fish. Besides, I reasoned, how could what I think influence what a fish does?
As I got a little older I began to understand what my dad really meant. So, I read some books on fish. And I even joined the local fishing club and started attending the monthly meetings. I learned that a fish is a cold-blooded animal and therefore is very sensitive to water temperature. That is why fish prefer shallow water to deep water because the former is warmer. Besides, water is usually warmer in direct sunlight than in the shade. Yet, fish don’t have any eyelids(眼皮) and the sun hurts their eyes… The more I understood fish, the more I became effective at finding and catching them.
When I grew up and entered the business world, I remember hearing my first boss say, “We all need to think like salespeople.” But it didn’t completely make sense. My dad never once said, “If you want to catch a fish you need to think like a fisherman.” What he said was, “You need to think like a fish.” Years later, with great efforts to promote long-term services to people much older and richer than me, I gradually learned what we all need is to think more like customers. It is not an easy job. I will show you how in the following chapters.
1.Why was the author upset in fishing trips when he was nine?
A. He could not catch a fish.
B. His father was not patient with him.
C. His father did not teach him fishing.
D. He could not influence a fish as his father did.
2.What did the author’s father really mean?
A. To read about fish.
B. To learn fishing by oneself.
C. To understand what fish think.
D. To study fishing in many ways.
3.According to the author, fish are most likely to be found _________.
A. in deep water on sunny days
B. in deep water on cloudy days
C. in shallow water under sunligh
D. in shallow water under waterside trees.
4.After entering the business world, the author found _________.
A. it easy to think like a customer
B. his father’s fishing advice inspiring
C. his first boss’s sales ideas reasonable
D. it difficult to sell services to poor people
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第三部分：阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C 和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Having divorced (离婚) my dad, my mom had to move frequently in order to find a job that would provide her with enough money to support the big family. For three years, we lived in the town of Parkersburg. On the first Christmas there, my brothers and I had been well prepared for a holiday without presents. But we had a surprise on Christmas Eve.
At midnight, we were woken up by someone shouting at our front door, “Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!” We jumped up and ran to the door to find no one there, but several boxes and bags! Not only were there gifts, which were our favorite, but there were also clothes and food. Each of us kids, as well as Mom, had gifts with our names on them. And the clothes all fit us!
Another year went by and on Christmas Eve, we again got boxes and bags full of goodies. The next year we moved. We were in the same town but across the other side. Mom was beginning to get on her feet. Since we had moved and Mom had a better job, we were quite certain that “Santa” wouldn’t visit us that year. But we were wrong!
Those “Santa” visits restored in me the belief in the goodness of mankind, though to this day we don’t know who our helper was.
When we grew up, Mom moved to Virginia. She had some extra money one Christmas. She sent it to me and let us know her decision. We then took action. My husband and children had so much fun buying and wrapping presents for the needy family we had chosen. On Christmas Eve, we allowed the excited kids to stay up late to be part of our secret “Santa” project.
Such satisfaction there was in being able to pass on the gift of love to others who needed it. And the gift goes on!
56. From the first paragraph, we can learn that ______.
A. the writer’s family didn’t like to celebrate Christmas
B. the writer felt sorry about not having Christmas presents
C. the writer’s mother couldn’t afford any Christmas presents
D. the writer knew that something surprising would happen
57. The presents that the writer’s family received must be from _______.
A. someone who has no children B. someone who knew them well
C. the church in the neighborhood D. the richest family in the town
58. What decision did the writer’s mom make in the fifth paragraph?
A. To give her extra money to a poor family.
B. To thank the person who once helped her family.
C. To give some Christmas presents to a poor family in secret.
D. To invite a poor family to spend Christmas with her family.
59. This passage is written to ______.
A. show pity to the poor people B. show human kindness
C. thank the helper D. show the advantages of being rich
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Holidays are the main times to see both sides of my family.
At Thanksgiving, my mom, dad, brother and I go to my dad’s side of the family, my grandpa’s. When I was in 2nd grade, my grandma got in a car accident only miles from their house. At the time, I was in school. I was checked out and brought to church. Since then, holidays have never been the same. However, Thanksgiving is still good, although it would be better with grandma. At my grandpa’s house, my uncle, aunt, dad and mom all get the dishes prepared for the feast. When the final family members arrive, and the food is downstairs, we dig in, the little ones first.
Christmas is a little different. We have Christmas with my mom’s side at my uncle’s house, usually on Christmas Eve. We have dinner with homemade cupcakes for dessert, and relax until it is time to open presents. The kids get the most and we usually take a family photo. After everybody’s gifts have been opened, my family say goodbye and go home.
Easter has been a little different in the past few years. It started 3 years ago, when my family hosted my mom’s side of the family. We put our dishes we made for the day on the counter. We kids go downstairs and play ping-pong or football. We are called up when everything is ready and begin eating. The kids go to a table in the living room, and the adults use the kitchen table. That is usually the Easter day for us.
Each tradition gets better and better each year for some reason. I wonder what new traditions my family might come up with in the coming years.
1.What happened to the writer when he was in 2nd grade?
A. He lost his grandma.
B. He dropped out of school.
C. He felt Thanksgiving was not as good as before.
D. He didn’t like going to his mum’s side of the family.
2.We can learn from the passage that on Christmas, .
A. a family photo is usually taken
B. presents are only given to the kids
C. the kids play ping-pong or football
D. the adults have dinner in the kitchen
3.How does the writer feel about future holidays with his family?
A. Patient and encouraged. B. Curious and eager.
C. Worried but grateful. D. Tired but hopeful.
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This is not my car. It _________ one of my friends.
A. is belonged to B. belongs C. belongs to D. is belonging to
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It was at this shop I bought my skirt. How about coming to my home to have a look tonight?
A.that B.where C.which D.what
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My parents visited me to help with a project I’d put off — cleaning the house. Now, Mom and Dad are— hmm, how should I put this? — cheap! So when I offered to pick up the cleaner, they said, “Never mind. We have everything we need right here in the house.”
Mom pushed past me and went straight for the white vinegar (醋). I watched her remove a dirty mark on the blanket with it. I thought it a bit strange, but less so than her smelling at my bookshelf. When one book caused her nose to blow, she walked it into the fridge.
“That’ll clear up that unpleasant smell for a while,” she said. I nodded in agreement, although I wasn’t sure. I thought only her husband would know. I found Dad in the yard adding vodka, and some dish soap into a spray bottle (喷雾瓶).
“I’m hunting weeds,” he said.
“A wine?”
“Yes, the wine does dry them up.”
How come? They must have lost their marbles! I thought as I walked back into the house, where Mom was cleaning my shoes with banana skins.
“Mom, what are you …” BAM! I slipped on a banana skin. “Ooh, my back ...”
“Don’t move! I’ll get the meat tenderizer (嫩化剂)!”
However, she first pulled off my shoe, grabbed a sock and disappeared into the kitchen. I tried to run for my life, but Mom was quicker. She returned with my sock filled with meat tenderizer and water, and rubbed it on my back.
Before I had a chance to call 911, something amazing happened—my back began to feel better! It was working.
Suddenly, I saw things anew. My shoes were clean. And though the blanket smelled like salad, the mark was gone. Inside the yard stood Dad, drinking his weed killer and admiring his handiwork.
1.The parents come to my house _________.
A.to do the cleaning
B.to cook a delicious meal
C.to prepare a gathering
D.to share a learning experience
2.What does the underlined sentence “They must have lost their marbles!” in the text mean?
A.They wasted time. B.They were clever.
C.They made wonders. D.They were crazy.
3.Which of the following can best describe the parents?
A.Foolish but reliable B.Generous and devoted
C.Mean but intelligent D.Caring and experienced
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Mom's Love B.Life Wisdom
C.A Sudden Visit D.Magic Cleaner