A

Last week my youngest son and I visited my father at his new home in Tucson, Arizona. He moved there a few years ago, and I was eager to see his new place and meet his friends.

My earliest memories of my father are of a tall, handsome, successful man devoted to his work and family, but uncomfortable with his children. As a child I loved him; as a school girl and young adult I feared him and felt bitter about him. He seemed unhappy with me unless I got straight A’s and unhappy with my boyfriends if their fathers were not as “successful” as he was. Whenever I went out with him on weekends, I used to struggle to think up things to say, feeling on guard.

On the first day of my visit, we went out with one of my father’s friends for lunch at an outdoor café. We walked along that afternoon, did some shopping, ate on the street table, and laughed over my son’s funny facial expressions. Gone was my father’s critical(挑剔的) air and strict rules. Who was this person I knew as my father, who seemed so friendly and interesting to be around? What had held him back before?

The next day my dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me quite a few stories about his own childhood. Although our times together became easier over the years, I never felt closer to him at that moment. After so many years, I’m at last seeing another side of my father. And in so doing, I’m delighted with my new friend. My dad, in his new home in Arizona, is back to me from where he was.

1.Why did the author feel bitter about her father when she was a young adult?

A．He was silent most of the time.	B．He was too proud of himself.
C．He did not love his children.	D．He expected too much of her.

2.When the author went out with her father on weekends, she would feel ______.

A．nervous

B．sorry

C．tired

D．safe

3.What does the author think of her father after her visit to Tucson?

A．More critical.

B．More talkative.

C．Gentle and friendly.

D．Strict and hard-working.

4.The underlined words “my new friend” in the last paragraph refer to ______.

A. the author’s son                                      B. the author’s father

B. the friend of the author’s father                D. the café owner

 

D

Ben walked quietly. He wanted to surprise the hunter. But then, what would he do?

Suddenly he heard a bird’s wings beating the dry grass. Ben moved quickly toward the sound.

He saw a colored head ... the head of a beautiful bird. The bird did not move until Ben came close. Then it tried to fly away, but one wing was broken.

Ben lifted the bird and held it close against his body. The bird fought to escape, but soon lay quietly in Ben’s arms.

Ben decided to take the bird home and fix its broken wings so that it could fly again.

He was almost out of the woods when he heard the hunter behind him.

“You just found that bird?” the hunter asked.

“Yes,” Ben answered.

“It is mine!”

Ben was afraid and tried to answer, but his mouth was too dry to speak. Nevertheless, he wetted his lips and said, “No.”

“I shot him and I say he is mine!”

“But he is not dead yet,” Ben answered, “and besides, anything on my land belongs to me.”

The hunter looked down at the little man and smiled. “Say, who are you?”

Ben’s voice shook with both fear and anger. “I own this land. There are signs everywhere that say, ‘No hunting’.”

“No need to get angry, mister,” the hunter said. “Control yourself.”

There was something threatening in the man’s cool quiet voice. And he had a gun. His arms were free and Ben’s were not.

The hunter stepped closer and said, “Give me that bird!”

Ben was white with anger. “No!” he answered. His eye glasses became wet and he had to look over the top of them to see the other man.

“Give me the bird and I will go away,” the hunter said.

“You get off my land,” Ben told him. “Get off right now...you do not belong here!”

The man’s face got red. “Mister,” he said, “I have been hunting here all my life. I grew up here.”

“That is a thing of the past,” Ben said. “I do not know who you are and I do not care. I own this place now and I am telling you to leave. You go back through the woods and get off my land!”

“Now look, mister,” the hunter said, “be reasonable.”

The hunter raised his gun.

A cold wind blew across Ben’s face. He looked into the hunter’s gray eyes. Ben was frightened. It was not too late, he thought. He could still give the bird to the hunter and return safely home...that would end this whole ugly business.

The bird struggled weakly and made a wild, strange noise.

Then Ben knew he could never give this bird to the hunter. This feeling gave Ben great strength, and he was no longer afraid.

“I will never let you kill this bird,” he said. “Get away from here. If you try to take this bird, I will fight...you have a gun and you are bigger, but that does not worry me. You will never get this bird...you will have to kill me first.”

The two men looked at each other. Ben’s fear returned. His knees began to shake and he felt sick. Yet he stood straight, wondering what would happen next.

They stood close to each other for a long time. The woods were strangely quiet. Then the hunter’s rough voice broke the silence.

“You are a fool.” And then to Ben’s surprise, he slowly walked away.

Ben watched until he was gone. His arms hurt, his body felt wet and cold.

67. Why did the hunter smile when saying “Say, who are you”?

A. He wanted to confirm Ben’s identity in a friendly way.

B. He was amused at Ben’s reply and interested in him.

C. He looked down on Ben and thought his reply ridiculous.

D. He meant to be friendly enough to get the bird from Ben.

68. What strengthened Ben’s determination never to give the bird to the hunter?

A. His strong dislike of the hunter.     B. His firm confidence in himself.

C. His ownership of this piece of land.   D. His concern and sympathy for the bird.

69. Why did the hunter remark that Ben was a fool at the end of the story?

A. Ben tried to protect a bird at all costs.

B. Ben pretended to be fearless although scared.

C. Ben stood close to him saying nothing for long.

D. Ben insisted on him leaving the land.

70. Which of the following best describes Ben’s state of mind in the incident?

A. Ben was willing to compromise.                    B. Ben never thought of giving in.

C. Ben held out to the end.                                D. Ben was sure about his victory.

On a sunny day last August, Tim heard some shouting. Looking out to the sea carefully, he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea.

Two 2-year-old boys, Christian and Jack, rowed out a boat to search for a football. Once they’d rowed beyond the calm waters, a bleach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water. The pair panicked and tried to row back to shore. But they were no match for it and the boat was out of control.

Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves.

“Everything went quiet in my head,” Tim recalls(回憶). “I was trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line.”

Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water. Every 500 yards or so, he raised his head to judge his progress. “At one point, I considered turning back,” he says. “I wondered if I was putting my life at risk.” After 30 minutes of struggling, he was close to yell to the boys, “Take down the umbrella!”

Christian made much effort to take down the umbrella. Then Tim was able to catch up and climb aboard the boat. He took over rowing, but the waves were almost too strong for him.

“Let’s aim for the pier(碼頭),” Jack said. Tim turned the boat toward it. Soon afterward, waves crashed over the boat, and it began to sink. “Can you guys swim?” he cried. “A little bit,” the boys said.

Once they were in the water, Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier. Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs. Tim swam toward land as water washed over the boys’ faces.

“Are we almost there?” they asked again and again. “Yes,” Tim told them each time.

After 30 minutes, they reached the pier.

35. Why did the two boys go to the sea?

A. To go boat rowing.

B. To get back their football.

C. To swim in the open water.

D. To test the umbrella as a sail.

36. What does “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A. The beach                      B. The water.

C. The boat.                        D. The wind

37. Why did Tim raise his head regularly?

A. To take in enough fresh air. 

B. To consider turning back or not.

C. To check his distance from the boys. 

D. To ask the boys to take down the umbrella.

38. How did the two boys finally reach the pier?

A. They were dragged to the pier by Tim.

B. They swam to the pier all by themselves.

C. They were washed to the pier by the waves.

D. They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back.

On a sunny day last August, Tim heard some shouting. Looking out to the sea carefully, he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea.
Two 12-year-old boys, Christian and Jack, rowed out a boat to search for a football. Once they'd rowed beyond the calm waters, a beach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water. The pair panicked and tried to row back to shore. But they were no match for it and the boat was out of control.
Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves. "Everything went quiet in my head," Tim recalls(回憶). "I was trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line."
Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water. Every 500 yards or so, he raised his head to judge his progress. "At one point, I considered turning back," he says. "I wondered if I was putting my life at risk." After 30 minutes of struggling, he was close enough to yell to the boys, "Take down the umbrella!" Christian made much effort to take down the umbrella. Then Tim was able to catch up and climb aboard the boat. He took over rowing, but the waves were almost too strong for him.
"Let's aim for the pier(碼頭)," Jack said. Tim turned the boat toward it. Soon afterward, waves crashed over the boat, and it began to sink. "Can you guys swim?" he cried. "A little bit," the boys said. Once they were in the water, Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier. Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs. Tim swan toward land as water washed over the boys' faces.
“Are we almost there?” they asked again and again. "Yes," Tim told them each time. After 30minutes, they reached the pier.
【小題1】Why did the two boys go to the sea?

A．To go boat rowing.

B．To get back their football.

C．To swim in the open water.

D．To test the umbrella as a sail.

【小題2】What does "it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．The beach.	B．The water.
C．The boat.	D．The wind.

【小題3】Why did Tim raise his head regularly?

A．To take in enough fresh air.

B．To consider turning back or not.

C．To check his distance from the boys.

D．To ask the boys to take down the umbrella.

【小題4】How did the two boys finally reach the pier?

A．They were dragged to the pier by Tim.

B．They swam to the pier all by themselves.

C．They were washed to the pier by the waves.

D．They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back.

On a sunny day last August, Tim heard some shouting. Looking out to the sea carefully, he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea.

Two 12-year-old boys, Christian and Jack, rowed out a boat to search for a football. Once they'd rowed beyond the calm waters, a beach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water. The pair panicked and tried to row back to shore. But they were no match for it and the boat was out of control.

Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves. "Everything went quiet in my head," Tim recalls(回憶). "I was trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line."

Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water. Every 500 yards or so, he raised his head to judge his progress. "At one point, I considered turning back," he says. "I wondered if I was putting my life at risk." After 30 minutes of struggling, he was close enough to yell to the boys, "Take down the umbrella!" Christian made much effort to take down the umbrella. Then Tim was able to catch up and climb aboard the boat. He took over rowing, but the waves were almost too strong for him.

"Let's aim for the pier(碼頭)," Jack said. Tim turned the boat toward it. Soon afterward, waves crashed over the boat, and it began to sink. "Can you guys swim?" he cried. "A little bit," the boys said. Once they were in the water, Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier. Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs. Tim swan toward land as water washed over the boys' faces.

“Are we almost there?” they asked again and again. "Yes," Tim told them each time. After 30minutes, they reached the pier.

1.Why did the two boys go to the sea?

A．To go boat rowing.

B．To get back their football.

C．To swim in the open water.

D．To test the umbrella as a sail.

2.What does "it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．The beach.                            B．The water.

C．The boat.                              D．The wind.

3.Why did Tim raise his head regularly?

A．To take in enough fresh air.

B．To consider turning back or not.

C．To check his distance from the boys.

D．To ask the boys to take down the umbrella.

4.How did the two boys finally reach the pier?

A．They were dragged to the pier by Tim.

B．They swam to the pier all by themselves.

C．They were washed to the pier by the waves.

D．They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back.