发布时间 : 星期六 文章大学英语精读第一册更新完毕开始阅读
He gave her four envelopes.Three were unsealed cards from old friends.The fourth was sealed,in Myra‘s writing.The old lady felt a pang of disappointment. ―No parcel,Johnnie?‖ ―No,granny.‖
Maybe the parcel was too large to come by letter post.That was it.It would come later by parcel post.She must be patient.
Almost reluctantly she tore the envelope open.Folded in the card was a piece of paper.Written on the card was a message under the printed Happy Birthday—Buy yourself something nice with the cheque,Myra and Harold.
The cheque fluttered to the floor like a bird with a broken wing.Slowly the old lady stooped to pick it up.Her present,her lovely present.With trembling fingers she tore it into little bits.
Ⅰ.Answer the following questions:
1. What was the special occasion?How old was the old lady? 2. Did Myra and her husband often come to see the old lady? 3. What had happened to Enid?
4. Whom did the old lady love more,Myra or Enid?Why? 5. Why was the old lady proud of Myra?
6. The old lady lived alone.But do you think she was very lonely?Why or why
not?
7. Who was Jim?Was he still alive?
8. Who was Johnnie?How old was he?What do you think of him? 9. Why did the old lady tear the cheque into pieces?
10. The story tells us that Myra had won a medal for her work with old people.Do
you think she deserved the medal?Do you think she really cared about old people?Why or why not? Ⅱ.Fill in the missing words:
1.Old age has always been thought of as the worst age to be ;but it is not necessary for ____ old people to be unhappy.With old age should wisdom and the ability _____ help others ___ advice wisely given._____ old can have the joy _____ seeing their children making progress _____ life;______ can watch their grandchildren growing ______ around them;and ,perhaps best of all,they can,if their life has been _____ useful one,feel the happiness_____ having come ______ the battle of life safely and of having reached a time _______they can lie back and rest,leaving others to continue the _______.
2. A Hollywood producer was determined to give his mother a birthday _____ that would be better _______ any his brothers were giving her.He heard about _____ amazing bird which could talk _______ twelve languages and ______ ten famous operas.He immediately _____ the bird and _____ it to his mother.It _____ him $50,000.
The day after her _____ ,he phoned his mother. ―What did you think _____ the bird,Mother?‖he _____ eagerly.His mother _____ , ―Delicious!‖
Ⅲ.Translate the following sentences into English:
1. 那位名演员似乎很乐意在剧中扮演一个闪要角色。 That famous actor seem to content with a minor part in the play 2. 国庆节要到了，咱们把寝室彻底打扫一下吧。 National Day is round the corner, let‘s have a cleaning 3. 他经常看电视，却很少去看电影。 He offen watch TV, but rare to go to cinema.
4. 他们已安排好让我们明天去游览长城，我相信我们在那儿一定会玩得很开
心。
They have arranged for us to visit Great Wall tomorrow, I am sure of we will have a good time there.
5. 老人读完信后失望之极，意用颤抖的双手把它撕得粉碎。
The old lady felt a pang of disappointment after read the letter, she tore it into little bits with trembling fingers.
6. 老两口为他们的孙子感到骄傲，因为他在第二十三届奥运会上获得了三枚金
牌、两枚银牌和一枚铜牌。
A old couple was proud of his grandson, because of he has got 3 gold medal, 2silver medal and one copper medal in the 23th Olympic Games.
7. 即使他的祖母不能来参加他的生日宴会，她也会寄给他一件可爱的生日礼
物。对这一些汤姆深信不疑。
Even if his grandmother can not take part in his birthday, she also will be sent a lovely birthday present. Tom was sure of that. 8. 昨天是玛丽的二十岁生日，她父亲寄给她一双靴子，她母亲为她买了一盒巧
克力粮（chocolates）。而她的男朋友则带给她一束红玫瑰。
Yesterday is Mary‘s 20th birthday, her father sent a pair of boot, her mother sent a packet of chocolate. And her boyfriend sent a bunch of rose to her. Reading Comprehension
The Young And The Old
Someone said to a man, ―Travel and see the world.‖He answered, ―Why should I?people are the same everywhere.They are born..They are babies.They are children.They are adults.They grow old.They die.While they are alive,they have the same emotions.They feel love and hate,happiness and sadness,security and fear,pride and shame,comfort and discomfort.That is why I do not want to travel.I can learn everything here.I‘m going to stay home.‖
The man was right.He was also wrong.People are the same,but people are also different.They all have the same pattern of life—birth,youth,old age,death.But these stages of life have different values in different cultures.Also,while all people have the same emotions,the causes of these emotions are different. A stuation that may bring happiness in one place may not bring happiness in another place.
For example,in many countries old age is a happy time.Young people in these countries show respect to the old people.Young people listen when old people speak because they believe that an old person is a wise person.In that kind of society old
people receive honor,privilege and satisfaction.In Korea,old people are honored and respected.When they are too old to live alone,they live with a son,daughter,or other relatives.When they become sixty-one years old,it is a very happy and important event.There is a big party with many guests.They receive many gifts.This birthday even has a special name.All other birthday are called sing il(born day).The sixty-first birthday is called huan gup(beginning of new life).The sixty-first birthday has a special name because when people reach this time in life,the attitudes of their family and their community change toward them.The younger people call them ―grandfather‖or ―grandmother‖,even if they are not related to them.Their position in life is good because they receive honors and reapect.Everyone looks forward to this time.
In the United States,it is quite different for old people.Most old people do not live with their children or relatives.If they have enough money,they buy houses or apartments in places where other old people live.If they are not healthy and strong enough to live alone,they live in special homes for old people.There,strangers take care of them.For many North Americans,old age is not a happy time.Most North Americans want to stay young.They try to stay thin and they act like young people as long as possible.They even try to speak the language of the young.They do not like to grow old because they will not get honor or respect or attention.Also,business do not want old people to work for them.So,old people usually live alone and they do not have many things to do.Old age can be a sad and lonely time for them.
So we can see that the man who stayed home was wrong.People are different in their customs and their values.There are young people and there are old people in Korea and in North America,but it may be better to be young in North America and old in Korea.
Ⅰ.Choose the best answer to complete the following statements: 1. The man didn‘t want to travel because
a. he was too old and in very poor health. b. he could not speak a foreign language.
c. he thought he could learn everything about life without traveling. d. he prefered to stay home to enjoy his old age. 2. The word ―security‖in the first paragraph might mean
a. safety b. care c. danger d. freedom
3. All over the world people are the same because
a. they have the same habits and customs b. they have the same stages of life c. they have the same emotions d. Both b and c.
4. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
a. People are the same,but people are also different
b. Stages of life have different values in different cultures.
c. All people have the same emotions,such as love and hate,happiness and
sadness.
d. All people feel the same emotions in similar situations 5. In Korea old people are happy because
a. they don‘t have to work any more
b. they can live a quiet and comfortable life c. they can enjoy an honored and respected life. 6. The word ―privilege‖in the third paragraph means
a. special gift b. special rights c. special care
d. special treatment
7. In Korea,the sixty-first birthday is called huan gup,which means
a. beginning of a new stage of life b. special birthday c. sixty-first
d. respected and honored old age.
8. The word ―community‖in the third paragraph may mean
a. friends and relatives b. local authorities
c. people living in the same district d. Both a and b.
9. In the United States,most old people are sad because
a. they want to stay young but can not
b. they have to go on working to support themselves c. they are not respected nor given due attention d. they cannot act like young people any longer. 10. The word ―businesses‖in the fourth paragraph means
a. businessmen b. shops or factories
c. people who are often busy d. shopowners