04. 2014届各区英语一模阅读理解 (D篇15套)

Answer the questions: (1) I recently went to a charity party. At the end of the visit our host told us that the following Monday was his birthday. He asked if, as a gift to him, we would do something kind for someone else on that day. I thought that was a terrible birthday idea! The following Monday, I saw my neighbor, a new mother, in the garden with her baby. I went outside to say “hello” to her. During the talk, she told me, not in a complaining way but just as a matter of fact, about the sleeplessness and the challenges to get anything done with a baby followed by. I remembered the charity party host’s request and said, “Hey! Why don’t I watch your baby for an hour! I will just hang out with him here in the back garden and you go in and take an hour to yourself.” She was so surprised that she almost cried. “Are you serious? Would you be able to do that?” “Of course!” I said. “I’d be happy to!” An hour later she came outside with a smile on her face. “I have got so much done!” she told me, and I told her that I had sung every kid’s song I knew and had a good time hanging out with the baby, too. And I was so happy to see her smiling like that. It was one of the best presents I’ve ever given, and it has given me the desire to ask the same from all my friends this year. I know it will make me feel great to know my friends are out there sharing their wisdom and time with people who can really use it. 1. The following Monday was the host’s birthday, wasn’t it? ____________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What did he ask his friends to do as a gift to him? ____________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What did the writer decide to do on the following Monday? ____________________________________________________________________________________ 4. How did the writer look after his neighbor’s baby? ____________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Why was the writer so happy when his neighbor came outside? ____________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What’s your opinion on the birthday present in the story? （answer the question in no more than 20 s） ____________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Yes, it was. 2. He asked them to do something kind for someone else. 3. He decided to watch his neighbour’s baby for an hour. 4. He hung out with the baby and sang every kid’s song to him. 5. Because he saw his neighbour smiling/ Because he saw his neighbour coming outside with a smile on her face. / Because his neighbour was smiling. /Because his neighbour smiled. 6. I think it quite special and meaningful because doing something kind to others makes me feel great. (any reasonable answer is acceptable) Answer the questions: (2) August has always been difficult for me. It is the time when I realize that the books my English teacher assigned (布置) to me are not going to read themselves and that I have a difficult month in front of me. You might think that I don’t want to spend my summer reading, but that’s not the problem: I love reading. On the first day of my summer holiday this year, I borrowed A Gathering of Old Men by African-American writer Ernest Gaines. I enjoyed it very much. I read all the magazines that my parents subscribe to (订阅) and spend about 30 minutes every day with the morning newspaper. So why do I hate summer reading for school? Because the books on summer reading lists are often slow-going and just uninviting (不吸引人的). Teachers don’t understand that summer reading can be interesting as well as educational. They choose books called “spinach books”: good for you, but not much fun to take in. Every summer, I read them, hate them and get bitter about the experience. This bitterness started three years ago when I began high school. As preparation, my English teacher told me to read The Age of Innocence (?纯真年代?) . At 14, I couldn’t understand the love 100 years ago in the story. I only know my love for baseball. The Age of Innocence was completely different to my life. What is more, sometimes I guess teachers don’t think exciting plots make for “good literature”. To me, a good writer describes events and characters in a way that makes the reader want to know what happens next. If I were making up a summer reading list, it would include The Friends of Eddie Coyle by George V. Higgins, The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe, and Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. These are all books that have literary value (文学价值) and can also entertain kids. If the teachers could add a little fun into the books they assign, my Augusts would be a lot more enjoyable.