Last Saturday on the way to the mall, two children, a boy and a girl, came running towards me with bottles on their hands, asking if I wanted bottled water. It was a surprising gesture. I was wondering if they were doing fund-raising. I knelt and asked them where their parents were and how much a bottle of water cost. Then two adult women came up to me explaining what the children were doing. “We are teaching the children to give without anything in return. We are teaching people to accept without giving in return. ”
Two mothers had bought bottled water and placed a sticker(小贴纸)on all bottles with five different quotes(引述):
1. Smile at everyone. You’ll never know when someone may need it.
2. If Plan A does not work, there are 25 more letters in the alphabets.
3. Have a thirst for life. Every day is filled with possibilities.
4. In your thirst for knowledge, be sure you don’t drown in all the information.
5. Dig your well before you’re thirsty.
The bottle I have has quoted No.5. A sudden change of attitude opened up between me, the mothers and the children. We are no longer strangers to each other. We were having such a great time chatting and I ended up helping them give away the rest of the bottled water.
One young lady was so thankful that she happily accepted the water and said it was the best thing that happened to her all day since she had a bad day at work. A man refused and walked away saying “no thanks”. A couple kept on bowing to us in gratitude. When it was all done, the children and I were giving each other high-five. It was so much fun. I think I had more fun doing this than the mothers and the children.How did the author feel when he was offered bottled water?
| A．Embarrassed | B．Surprised |
| C．Excited | D．Disappointed |
Different quotes were placed on the bottles to ________.
| A．inspire others to think positively. |
| B．show how rich and colorful our life is. |
| C．encourage people to get more bottled water. |
| D．explain why at times abandonment is necessary facing trouble. |
What did the author do after chatting with them?
| A．Buy the rest of the bottled water. |
| B．Give away some money for charity. |
| C．Decide to meet with them regularly. |
| D．Join them in being kind to strangers. |
What do we know from the last paragraph?
| A．Children had more fun from this than adults. |
| B．This random act of kindness is warmly welcomed. |
| C．People responded quite differently to this activity. |
| D．The author learned a lot from this random act of kindness. |
When a tornado touched down in a small town nearby, many families were left completely destroyed. Afterward all the local newspapers carried many human-interest stories featuring some of the families who suffered the hardest.
One Sunday, a particular picture especially touched me. A young woman stood in front of an entirely shattered mobile home, a depressed expression twisting her features. A young boy, seven or eight years old, stood at her side, eyes downcast. Clutching (紧握) at her skirt was a tiny girl who stared into the camera, eyes wide with confusion and fear.
The article that went with the picture gave the clothing sizes of each family member. With growing interest, I noticed that their sizes closely matched ours. This would be a good opportunity to teach my children to help those less fortunate than themselves. I taped the picture of the young family to our refrigerator, explaining their difficulty to my seven-year-old twins, Brad and Brett, and to three- year-old Meghan.
“ We have so much. And these poor people now have nothing,” I said.“We’ll share what we have with them.”
I brought three large boxes down from the room upstairs and placed them on the living room floor. Meghan watched seriously, as the boys and I filled one of the boxes with canned goods and foods.
While I sorted through our clothes, I encouraged the boys to go through their toys and donate some of their less favorite things. Meghan watched quietly as the boys piled up discarded toys and games.
“I’ll help you find something for the little girl when I’m done with this,” I said.
The boys placed the toys they had chosen to donate into one of the boxes while I filled the third box with clothes. Meghan walked up with Lucy, her worn, faded, much-loved rag doll hugged tightly to her chest. She paused in front of the box that held the toys, pressed her round little face into Lucy’s flat, painted-on-face, gave her a final kiss, then laid her gently on top of the other toys.
“Oh, Honey,” I said.“You don’t have to give Lucy. You love her so much.”
Meghan nodded seriously, eyes glistening with held-back tears. ‘”Lucy makes me happy, Mommy. Maybe she’ll make that other little girl happy, too．”
Swallowing hard, I stared at Meghan for a long moment, wondering how I could teach the boys the lesson she had just taught me. For I suddenly realized that anyone can give their cast-offs away. True generosity is giving that which you value most.
Honest benevolence (善行) is a three-year-old offering a valuable, though shabby, doll to a little girl she doesn’t know with the hope that it will bring this child as much pleasure as it brought her. I, who had wanted to teach, had been taught.
The boys had watched, open-mouthed, as their baby sister placed her favorite doll in the box. Without a word, Brad rose and went to his room. He came back carrying one of his favorite action figures. He hesitated briefly, clutching the toy, then looked over at Meghan and placed it in the box next to Lucy.
A slow smile spread across Brett’s face. Then he jumped up, eyes twinkling as he ran to fetch some of his prized Matchbox cars.
Astonished, I realized that the boys had also recognized what little Meghan’s gesture meant. Swallowing back tears, I pulled all three of them into my arms.
Taking the cue from my little one, I removed my old jacket from the box of clothes. I replaced it with the new hunter green jacket that I had found on sale last week. I hoped the young woman in the picture would love it as much as I did.
It’s easy to give that which we don’t want any more, but harder to let go of things we cherish, isn’t it? However, the true spirit of giving is to give with your heart..Why does the author give a detailed description of a particular picture in the Sunday newspaper?
| A．To create an atmosphere of fear and depression brought by the tornado. |
| B．To appeal to unconcerned people to donate for the poor families. |
| C．To show the helplessness and hopelessness of the family mentioned in the paper. |
| D．To stress what touched her and made her decide to help the hopeless family. |
Why did Brad and Brett also donate their favorite things finally?
| A．They were encouraged to donate some valuable things by the mother. |
| B．Meghan’s decision inspired them to donate their favorite things. |
| C．They also wanted to show generosity by giving away their valuable things. |
| D．Meghan’s gesture reminded them to replace their favorite things with new ones. |
By “ swallowing hard”, the writer means that _ _ .
| A．she was deeply puzzled by what the little girl did |
| B．she had trouble persuading Meghan not to give away Lucy |
| C．she was greatly moved by Meghan’s unexpected decision |
| D．she was uncertain what consequences Meghan’s action would bring about |
It is suggested in the sentence “the true spirit of giving is to give with your heart” that ______.
| A．sincere donation means offering help to others whole-heartedly |
| B．true giving means giving others what you treasure most |
| C．true generosity means helping others at the cost of your own benefit |
| D．honest benevolence means devoting yourself to the career of donation |
What’s the best title for this passage?
| A．The Greatest Love | B．A Beautiful Heart |
| C．True Generosity | D．A Precious Gift |
People say teenagers are no good. They make too much noise in shopping malls; they drive recklessly up and down America’s main streets; they carry chips on their shoulders as big as the Sears Tower. And at least some of the time those things are true. But we shouldn’t forget that there are hard moments in the life of a teenager too.
I watched such a moment not long ago at a woman’s funeral. I didn’t expect the event to affect me. Through much of the ceremony, in fact, I remained unmoved.
The teenage grandson stepped forward. With his very first deep breath, every heart in that church was achingly reminded of something we had all forgotten. Softly he began: “I want to share a few values that Nana taught me. She never failed to see light in any situation. When our family dog would truly attack her, what would Nana say? ‘oh, what beautiful barking that dog has!’ That was Nana. ”
“She was a strong woman who often lived in the shadow of my grandpa, who was a successful businessman in this city. But she was the one behind the scenes who provided the strength and support for my grandpa’s career,” he said, with a voice now trembling, “That was Nana’s way.”
Through a low sob, he continued, “Whenever she did anything worth recognition, you’d have to hear about it from a different source, because she was never one to show off.”
Finally, in a voice breaking free of sorrow, he looked up and said, “Nana taught me courage. She put up an incredible fight to the end, when she died peacefully, which is how she lived her life. That was Nana’s way, and I hope I can carry on in the same manner.”
There are no hearts as sensitive as those of teenagers, because everything is happening to them for the first time. The trouble with teenagers is that they haven’t learned to be controlled.
When that boy rose to speak about the woman who surely had been his truest and closest friend, his honest voice dragged each of us out into the open where we could no longer hide in the calm ceremony. He exposed us to the truth about this very real woman who believed in a boy who probably tried the patience of many adults. He reminded us that his grandmother was more than another dot on the chart of life and death.
All over again we felt those powerful losses crossing our own hearts, and we knew that when you say good-bye to something happy, something young in yourself. And that something never really returns, and the pain never really goes away.In the first paragraph, the writer gave some examples to________ .
| A．support his idea that young people are no good |
| B．introduce his point of view about young people |
| C．tell people every coin has its two sides |
| D．show young people often make mistakes |
From the boy’s speech, we know _______ .
| A．his grandmother had great influence on him |
| B．they had a dog which often attacked people |
| C．people had forgotten her until the boy appeared |
| D．his grandmother was so weak that she is always living in the shadow of his grandpa |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．The boy ’s speech moved no one present at the funeral except the writer |
| B．The boy’s being good at expressing himself enabled him to draw everyone’s attention |
| C．The boy was too grieved to accept the fact that his grandmother had passed away |
| D．The writer didn’t expect the event would affect him |
What words can best describe grandmother’s quality?
| A．Weak, mild and modest |
| B．Easygoing, cautious and considerate |
| C．Sensitive and hard on others |
| D．Patient, optimistic, strong and helpful. |
The passage tells the readers_______ .
| A．facing certain bitter facts help young people to grow |
| B．young people have to control themselves |
| C．the adults should learn from the young |
| D．the adults should teach the young how to be brave |
British paychologists have found evidence of a link between excessive(过度的) Internet use and depression, a research has shown.
Leeds University researchers, writing in the Psychopathology journal, said a small part of Internet users were classed as Internet addicts and that people in this group were more likely to be depressed than non-addicted users.
The article on the relationship between excessive Internet use and depression is from a questionnaire-based study of 1,319 young people and adults.
The respondents answered questions about how much time they spent on the Internet and what they used it for; they also complete the Beck Depression Inventory---a series of questions designed to measure the seriousness of depression.
The six—page report, by the university’s Institute of Psychological Science, said 18 of the people who complete the questionnaire were Internet addict.“Our research indicates that excessive Internet use is associated with depression, but what we don’t know is which comes first—are depressed people drawn to the Internet or does the Internet cause depression?” the article’s lead author Dr Catriona Morrison said.”What is clear is that, for a small part of people, excessive use of the Internet could be warning signal for depressive tendencies.”
The age range of all respondents was between 16 and 51 years, with an average age of 21.24. The average age of the 18 Internet addicts was 18.3 years. By comparing the levels of depression within this group to that within a group of 18 non—addicted Internet users, researchers found the Internet addicts had a higher chance of developing depression than non-addicts. They also discovered that addicts spent more time visiting sexually pleasing website, online gaming sites and online communities.
“The public speculation（推测）was further proved by this study. That’s to say, over-engaging in websites which serve to replace normal social function might be linked to psychological disorders like depression and addiction,” Morrison said.”We now need to consider the wider social influence of this relationship and clearly prove the effects of excessive Internet use on mental health.”Internet addicts are people who ______ according to the passage.
| A．use the Internet more than enough |
| B．feel depressed when using the Internet |
| C．seldom connect to the Internet |
| D．feel depressed without the Internet |
What is confirmed by the study according to the passage?
| A．Depression leads to excessive use of Internet |
| B．Depression results from excessive use of Internet |
| C．Excessive use of internet usually accompanies depression |
| D．Excessive use of internet is usually earlier to depression |
It is thought by the public that online communities______.
| A．can never replace normal social function |
| B．are intended to replace normal social function |
| C．are associated with psychological disorders |
| D．shouldn’t take the blame for psychological disorders |
According to Dr Catriona Morrison, the public speculation________.
| A．lacks scientific evidence | B．helps clarify their study |
| C．finds a theoretical basis | D．has little scientific value |
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The purpose of the passage is ______.
| A．to introduce a new magazine | B．to help parents with their daily life |
| C．to attract more subscribers | D．to collect more money for charity |
Which of the following is true according to the ad?
| A．Only $12 is to be paid for 24 issues of the magazine |
| B．Readers can get a free offer of the magazine any time of the year |
| C．Readers from all over the world can enjoy the free offer |
| D．Readers can communicate face to face with child experts on the Internet |
A reader subscribed PARENTS 3 months ago, but now he finds the magazine dissatisfying. What can he do?
| A．He can cancel without getting your money back. |
| B．He can cancel after answering a series of questions. |
| C．He can e-mail them to access your bank account to get all your money back. |
| D．He can cancel and get all money back without answering any questions. |
Jean—Francois Millet (October 4,1814----January 20, 1875) was a French painter and one of the founder of the Barbizon School in rural France. Born of a peasant family, Millet was encouraged by his father to study art in Cherbourg, France. He can be categorized as part of the movement called “naturalism”(自然主义). His understanding of the peasant’ hard life was perfectly expressed in his choice of subject and natural preference for powerful but simple drawing and coloring.
One of the most well—known of Millet’s paintings, The Gleaners(《拾穗者》)，first came in a vertical composition(垂直式构图) painted in 1854,and then there came the horizontal version in 1856, which is now preserved in the Musee d’Orsay. It depicts women bending over in the fields to collect the leftover’s from the harvest, and it is a monumental composition devoted to the working class.
Previously, servants were depicted in paintings as obedient to a noble or a king, and picking up what was left of the harvest was regarded as one of the lowest jobs in Millet;s times. However, Millet offered these women as the heroic focus of the picture. Besides, in the painting, light lights up the women’s shoulders as they carry out their work. Behind them, the field that stretches into the distance is bathed in golden light, under a wide , magnificent sky. The forms of the three figures, standing against the lighter field, show balance and harmony. According to the passage , we can know that Millet________.
| A．was born in rural France |
| B．belongs to neither naturalism nor realism |
| C．became famous for his love of the countryside |
| D．received his high school education in Barbizon |
As for the painting The Gleaners, ________.
| A．it is originally a horizontal composition |
| B．it is based on the effort of Musee d’Orsay |
| C．it presents women in the field as the chief focus |
| D．it shows how women are stopped from working in the field |
In the painting, the viewer can appreciate Millet’s_________..
| A．crazy interest in blue color |
| B．strong focus on the city life |
| C．absolute respect for the king |
| D．particular choice of main characters |
In which of the following books can we probably find this passage?
| A．Kings and Nobles in France |
| B．A Guide to French Painting |
| C．French Agricultural History |
| D．The Founder of Musee d’Orsay |
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