There is still much to discuss. We shall, ______, return to this at our next meeting.

A. so B. however

C. because D. Therefore

My daughter has been crazy about raising a pet for a long time. Last spring I bought two newly-hatched(孵化) chickens for her. She got and took good care of them. , a few days later, both chickens died. She burst into tears because of .I helped her the two birds under a tree behind our house. I thought it would be the of her ideas.

, I was wrong . Children are children . The failure hasn’t my daughter in any way. She still tried to keep a small animal or even a snail.

One day last winter, I noticed under the eaves(屋檐) of the house a family of sparrows(麻雀). My daughter and I could the sparrows as our “pets”, but we didn’t.

So I told her to the grains on the windowsill（窗臺）. A few minutes later, the sparrows came to land on the windowsill and pecked(啄) at the rice. Suddenly my daughter asked me, Mum, can we catch and the sparrows, and let them live with us in the room？ How it is for them to live outside？

“Oh, my dear. I do not think it’s a good idea. You know,” I explained to her, “the sparrow is a bird who loves .No one can keep them in a cage. If they are caught, they will quickly. They are to living outside. Moreover, they have warm nest under the eaves.

From then on, we have set up a kind of with the sparrow family. We feed them frequently and them as pet birds. However, we do not need to them. We seeing these little birds flying and jumping among branches, leaves and flowers in the spring morning.

1.A. exciting B. excited C. disappointed D. encouraged

2.A. Naturally B. Suddenly C. Unfortunately D. Finally

3.A. leaving B. their death C. the chickens D. them

4.A. Bury B. put C. dig D. set

5.A. end B. beginning C. wish D. reality

6.A. Thus B. Then C. However D. Therefore

7.A. at all B. in all C. after all D. for all

8.A. encourage B. upset C. help D. impress

9.A. look B. act C. feed D. catch

10.A. throw B. pour C. pile D. scatter

11.A. one after another B. one another C. every other D. each other

12.A. stay B. love C. cage D. watch

13.A. free B. happy C. cold D. warm

14.A. freedom B. spring C. flying D. trees

15.A. please B. starve C. suffer D. die

16.A. safe B. used C. proud D. happy

17.A. neighbor B. understanding C. friendship D. relationship

18.A. think B. treat C. dream D. appreciate

19.A. hurt B. possess C. belong to D. hatch

20.A. enjoy B. would like C. want D. consider

I am a manager who is in charge of taking care of the elderly and many of my clients live out of state.

This year, a very sweet old lady that I care for, Alice, had gone through a particularly rough time. She had been in hospital twice. In November I was finally able to get her back to her “home” into an “assisted living facility”（養(yǎng)老院）.

Alice has dementia(癡呆癥) and thought her daughter was coming to visit her on Christmas day and that they were going to have the whole family together like the old days. When she finally realized that the happy moment was not going to happen， she was so tearful. Knowing that her daughter was coming after Christmas was not enough to cheer her up, I hated the idea of her being alone on the holiday!

On Christmas Eve, I gave her a surprise by asking if she would like to go to a candlelight service at church that night. Instead of taking her to my church, I took her to her old neighborhood church where all her friends were. We got there early and I got each of us a seat where her friends could see her as they came in. The plan worked out very perfectly. All of her friends seemed to be there and rushed over to greet her and sit with her. The candlelight service was a beautiful, tearful affair and Alice got a lot of hugs and love from her old and new friends there.

The truth of the story is that I am the one who got the best gift:the smile on Alice’s face and the feeling that I made a difference.

1.What does the underlined word “tearful”in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A. surprised B. Hateful C. Moved D. Sad

2.From the text we know that Alice_____________.

A. had been operated in the hospital twice

B. didn’t remember her daughter at that time

C. preferred to live alone especially at Christmas

D. expected to spend Christmas with her daughter

3.Where did Alice spend her Christmas Eve？

A. Alice’s old house

B. Alice’s old neighborhood church

C. A church in the author’s neighborhood

D. A church in Alice’s daughter’s neighborhood

4.What was the best gift that the author got on Christmas Eve?

A. Holding the party

B.the praise given by Alice’s friends

C. Alice’s happiness

D. His concern for Alice

5.What is the best title for this text?

A. An Extra Special Candlelight Christmas Eve

B. My Experience With an Old Lonely Lady

C. Alice’s Special Time on Christmas Eve

D. A happy moment on Christmas Eve

Welcome here! The Southern Spring Home & Garden Show will be held at The Park Expo and Conference Center. This show will last from Wednesday (March 2) to Sunday (March 6,2012).

Admission : Adults $10.00. Teenagers under 15 free with a paying adult.

Join Lincolnton’s own Tammie Davis as she performs her original country songs at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday,March 5th.

Special Days: The Spring for Kids First Night Gala benefiting the Council for Children’s Rights will take place from 7 p.m. to 10p.m. on Wednesday, March 2,2012. Tickets are $50 and include an access to Freedom Hall, where you can enjoy delicious food, beverage(飲料)and entertainment free of charge.

Seniors Day(55+):Wednesday is for them. Cost is $7.00 but without coupons(減價優(yōu)惠).

Hours :Wednesday,Thursday &Sunday :10 a.m.---5p.m.;Friday &Saturday :10 a.m.----9 a.m.

Wheelchairs are available on a first come first served basis for you. The cost is $1.00 and you are required to leave a valid driver’s license or ID.

Parking :All Day Parking: $6.00;Half Day Parking:$3.00; Every Hour Parking:$1.00

For more Information: Come to visit Mardee Woodward in person.

E-mail: mwoodward@southernshows.com

Telephone:704-376-4085

1.We can learn from the text that the show will ___________.

A. last only five days

B. offer a free parking

C. have the only one singer

D. take place in a private house

2..How much is the admission for a family of two grown-ups and a child aged 16?

A.$ 10 B. $ 30 C.$ 20 D.$40

3.When can we visit Southern Spring Home& Garden Show?

A. At 9 p.m. Thursday B. At 8 a.m. Wednesday

C. At 8 p.m. Friday D. At 6 p.m. Sunday

4.How many ways can visitors get more information for this show?

A. One B. Two C. Three D. Four

5.We can infer from the text that______________.

A. old people can visit the show only on Wednesday

B. the disabled can use the wheelchairs free of charge

C. there are not enough wheelchairs for the disabled

D. kids’ tickets on Wednesday don’t include beverage

My house is made out of wood, glass and stone. It is also made out of software.

If you come to visit, you'll probably be surprised when you come in. Someone will give you an electronic PIN （個人身份號碼）to wear. This PIN tells the house who and where you are. The house uses this information to give you what you need. When it's dark outside, the PIN turns on the lights nearest you, and then turns them off as you walk away from them. Music moves with you too. If the house knows your favorite music, it plays it. The music seems to be everywhere, but in fact other people in the house hear different music or no music. If you get a telephone call, only the nearest telephone rings.

Of course, you are also able to tell the house if you want something. There is a home control console (控制臺), a small machine that turns things on and off around you.

The PIN and the console are new ideas, but they are in fact like many things we have today. If you want to go to a movie, you need a ticket. If I give you my car keys, you can use my car. The car works for you because you have the keys. My house works for you because you wear the PIN or hold the console.

I believe that ten years from now, most new homes will have the systems that I've put in my house. The systems will probably be even bigger and better than the ones I've put in today.

I like to try new ideas. I know that some of my ideas will work better than others. But I hope that one day I will stop thinking of these systems as new, and ask myself instead, "How will I live without them?"

1.What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. How to develop a new system.

B. The function of the PIN.

C. A home for the future.

D. Easy life in the future.

2.What's the purpose when the writer wrote the fourth paragraph?

A. To let readers know why his ideas are new.

B. To let readers know how special his house is.

C. To explain the importance of the PIN and the console.

D. To explain more easily what the functions of the PIN and the console are.

3.The writer's new house is different from ordinary ones mainly because _____.

A. it has been controlled by computers

B. you can make a telephone call anywhere

C. it has your favorite music following you

D. the writer is able to change his new idea into practice

4.What is the writer most likely to be according to the passage?

A. An IT expert. B. A famous doctor.

C. An idealist D. An experienced teacher.

When I was young, I went looking for gold in California. I never found enough to make a rich strike. But I did discover a beautiful part of the country called Stanislau. Like Heaven on Earth, it had bright green hills and deep forests where soft winds touched the trees. By the time I arrived, the charming paradise had been deserted because miners’ good luck didn’t last.

Then, I realized I was not alone after all.

A man was smiling at me as he stood in front of his little house. Its front yard was full of blue and yellow flowers. White curtains hung from the windows and floated in the soft summer wind.

Still smiling, the man invited me inside. My spirit seemed to come to life again. I saw a bright rug(地毯) on the shining wooden floor. And on little tables there were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers. A woman had made this house into a home. The joy in my heart showed on my face. The man read my thoughts. “All her work.” He said affectionately, “Nothing here hasn’t felt the touch of her hand.”

One picture on the wall was not hanging straight. He went to fix it. He stepped back several times to make sure the picture was straight. Then he gave it a gentle touch. “She always does that,” he explained, “It is like the finishing pat a mother gives her child’s hair after she has brushed it. I don’t know why I do it. I just do it.”

As he talked, I went to a little black-walnut shelf that held a small picture of the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. There was a sweetness and softness in the woman’s expression. The man stared at the picture. “Nineteen her last birthday. That was the day we married. When you see her...ah, just wait until you meet her!” “Where is she now?” I asked. “Oh, she is away visiting her parents. This is Wednesday,” he said slowly. “She will be back on Saturday, in the evening.”

That night, I stayed. The man told me his name was Henry.

Thursday evening we had two visitors, Tom and Joe. “We just drop over to ask when little madam is coming home. Any news from her?” “Oh yes,” the man replied. “A letter.” He took a yellowed letter out of his wallet and read it. It was full of loving messages. While reading, he glimpsed his friends and cried out, “Oh no, you are doing it again, Tom! Take your hands away and let me see your eyes. I’m going to tell her this time!” “No, you mustn’t do that, Henry,” the grey-haired miner said. “I am getting old. And any little sorrow makes me cry. Lord, we miss her so.”

Saturday finally came.

I was glad to see his two friends, Tom and Joe, with guitars, coming down the road as the sun began to set. They put the flowers they brought in vases and began to play some fast and lively songs.

Henry’s friends kept giving him glasses of whiskey. When I reached for one of the two remaining glasses, Tom stopped my arm. “Drop that! Take the other.” he whispered. I did so. Henry was served last. He had hardly swallowed his drink when the clock struck midnight. His face grew paler and paler. “Boys,” he said, “I am sick with fear. Help! I want to lie down.” Henry was asleep almost before the words were out of his mouth.

In a moment, those handy men had his clothes off and tucked him into his bed. They seemed to be getting ready to leave. So I said, “Please don’t go, gentlemen. She won’t know me. I am a stranger.” They glanced at each other. Then Joe said, “She? Poor thing, she’s been dead nineteen years!” “Dead?” I whispered. “That or worse.” he said.

“She went to see her folks half a year after she got married. On her way back, on a Saturday evening in June, when she was almost here, the Indians captured her. She’s never been heard of since. Henry went insane. He thinks she is still alive. When June comes, he thinks she has gone on her trip to see her parents. Then he begins to wait for her to come back. We drop in here, three days before she’s due, to encourage him up and listen to him read the letter. On Saturday we all come and get everything ready for a dance. We’ve done it for nineteen years. The first Saturday there were twenty-seven of us, but only two now. We drug him to sleep through the night. Then he’s all right for another year.”

The two old men opened the door and disappeared into the darkness of Stanislau.

1.You can sense the existence of a woman from the following sentences EXCEPT “______”.

A. Soft winds touched the trees in Stanislau.

B. There was a bright rug on the shining wooden floor.

C. There were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers.

D. A little black shelf held a small picture of a woman.

2.Tom cried when Henry read the yellowed letter, because ______.

A. he was getting older and older

B. he was moved by the loving messages in the letter

C. he felt sad at the thought of Henry’s wife

D. he was disappointed that Henry’s wife would arrive so late

3.Tom stopped my reaching for whiskey because ______.

A. there was not enough whiskey for Henry

B. he didn’t want me to get drunk

C. that glass of whiskey was drugged

D. it was for Henry’s wife

4.The underlined phrase “went insane” probably means “l(fā)ost his______”.

A. hope B. mind C. heart D. temper

5.It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A. Henry’s wife was 38 when she was last seen

B. Tom and Joe have heard the letter many times

C. the author stayed in Henry’s house because he was lost

D. the two miners came on Saturday to share past memories

6.The story is mainly about ______.

A. ever-lasting love

B. lifelong friendship

C. an unforgettable experience

D. charming Stanislau

下面文章中有5處 (第1～5) 需要添加小標(biāo)題。請從（A、B、C、D、E和F）中選出符合各段意思的小標(biāo)題， 并在答題紙上將相應(yīng)選項的標(biāo)號涂黑。選項中有一項是多余選項。

A long job search can affect your attitude, especially if you're out of a job. If it's taking you longer than expected to find a job, the following tips can help you concentrate and stay positive, as well as reducing your depression.

1.__________

When you no longer have a job to report for every day, you can easily lose motivation. Treat your job search like a regular job, with a daily "start" and "end" time. Following a set schedule will help you be more efficient and productive while you're out of a job.

2.__________

Avoid getting overwhelmed by breaking big goals into small manageable steps. Instead of trying to do everything at once, first put something ahead. If you're out of luck in your job search, take some time to rethink your goals and work out another job search plan.

3.__________

Make a list of all the things you like about yourself, including skills, characters, achievements and successes. Write down projects that you're proud of, situations where you excel and things you're good at. Review this list often to remind yourself of your strengths.

4.___________

Being out of a job can decrease your self-esteem and make you feel useless. However, volunteering can help you maintain a sense of value and purpose. Helping others can put you in a good mood. Volunteering can also provide career experience, social support and networking opportunities.

5.___________

You can't control how quickly a possible boss calls you back or whether or not he decides to hire you. Rather than wasting your energy and time on things that are out of your hands, turn your attention to things you can control during the time when you are out of a job, such as writing a great cover letter and resume to the company you want to work for, setting up meetings with your networking contacts and so on.

A.Do voluntary work

B.List your positives

C.Create a job search plan

D.Keep a regular daily routine

E.Break big goals into small ones

F.Concentrate on the things you can control

假如英語課上老師要求同學(xué)們交換修改作文，請你修改你同桌寫的以下作文。文中有10處錯誤，要求你在錯誤的地方增加、刪除或修改某個單詞。

增加：在缺詞處加一個漏字符號(∧)，并在其下面寫上該加的詞。

刪除：把多余的詞用斜線(＼)劃掉。

修改：在錯的詞下劃一橫線，并在該詞下面寫上修改后的詞。

注意：1. 每處錯誤及其修改均僅限一詞。

2. 只允許修改10處，多者(從11處起)不計分。

I love camping. It’s my favourite way to spent the summer vacation. Last year, my family and I went camping in the countryside. It was one of the most excited experiences I had never had. We slept in a tent and went on a long walk every day. We cook over a fire and the food always tasted wonderfully. For a whole week, I saw lovely mountain views or breathed fresh air. At night, I heard the gentle wind blowing in the tree, and I felt so peaceful. It doesn’t cost many to camp, and what I believe it’s the best way to get close nature and enjoy its beauty.

假如你是李華，你的筆友Mike 從媒體上得知前段時間全國多地包括寧波等地出現(xiàn)霧霾，非常擔(dān)心，寫E-mail詢問有關(guān)情況，請你回復(fù)�；貜�(fù)應(yīng)包括以下要點：1/實況描述 2.影響和成因 3.生活啟示

注意：1.詞數(shù)：100-120詞。 E-mail的開頭與結(jié)尾已給出，不計入總詞數(shù)。

2.生詞：霧霾 haze

Dear Mike,

Thank you very much for your concern.

Yours,

Li Hua

1.What you have just read is a ________.

A. note B. report C. schedule D. poster

2.How much do you have to pay in total if four of you go together?

A. $20. B. $40. C. $60. D. $80.

3.Which of the following statements is true?

A. Tickets are sold in Kwun Tong High School.

B. It’s unnecessary to take soft drinks with you.

C. Free digital cameras are provided for everybody.

D. Festival food will be served without extra charge.