Raised in a motherless home, my father was extremely tightfisted towards us children. His attitude didn’t soften as I grew into adulthood and went to college. I had to ride the bus whenever I came home. Though the bus stopped about two miles from home, Dad never met me, even in severe weather. If I grumbled, he’d say in his loudest father-voice, “That’s what you are for!”

The walk didn’t bother me as much as the fear of walking alone alone the highway and country roads. I also felt less than valued that my father didn’t seem concerned about my safety. But that feeling was cancelled one spring evening.

It had been a particularly difficult week at college after long hours in labs. I longed for home. When the bus reached the stop, I stepped off and dragged my suitcase to begin the long journey home.

A row of hedge（树篱）edged the driveway that climbed the hill to our house. Once I had turned off the highway to start the last lap of my journey, I always had a sense of relief to see the hedge because it meant that I was almost home. On that particular evening, the hedge had just come into view when. I realized it was the top of my father’s head. Then I know, each time I’d come home, he had stood behind the hedge , watching, until he knew I had arrived safely. I swallowed hard against the tears. He did care, after all.

On later visits, that spot of gray became my watchtower. I could hardly wait until I was close enough to watch for its secret movement above the greenery. Upon reaching home, I would find my father sitting innocently in his chair.“So! My son, it’s you!” he’d say, his face lengthening into pretended surprise.

I replied, “Yes, Dad ,it’s me. I’m home.”

21. What does the underlined word “grumbled”in Paragraph I probably mean?

A. Accepted happily.       B. Spoke unhappily.        C. Agreed willingly.       D. Explained clearly.

22. What made the author feel upset was _____.

A. the tiredness after long hours in labs.                        B. the fear of seeing something moving.

C. the feeling of being less than valued.                        D. the loneliness of riding the bus home.

23. The author’s father watched behind the hedge because_______.

A. he wanted to help his son build up courage.       

B. B. he was concerned about his son’s safety.

C. he didn’t want to meet his son at the doorway.  

D. he didn’t think his son was old enough to walk alone.

24. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A. Terrible Journey Home.             B. My College Life.

C. My Father’s Secret.                     D. Riding Bus Alone.

WASHINGTON—There are more than 222million TVs in American homes. And it would make Frank Vespe very happy this week if every last one was turned off.

Vespe is the head of the TV-Turnoff Network. the Washington organization behind TV Turnoff Week. For TV Turnoff week, American children are encouraged to go one week without watching TV. This year, it runs from April 23~29.“Our real message here is to see what life is like without TV and then make watching TV a conscious（自觉的) decision,”said Vespe.

Vespe said that most of the children who go without television for a week go back to watching, but not so much.“They watch more selectively. They do more things as a family. It helps them put TV in its place.”One girl who is turning off her TV is Sarah Foote, 9.of Virginia. Sarah admits that it won’t be too hard to give up TV. She’s allowed to watch only educational television, and he favorite show from last year isn’t on any more.

Of course, there are plenty of things about TV: programs can be entertaining, even educational.

Even so, some experts aren’t sure TV Turnoff Week is the answer.

Susan Neuman, a university educator who studies children and reading ,says the real problem is that parents do not keep track of what their children are watching. They don’t set limits on TV watching. Also, in some families, TV might be the only thing to do.

What message does Sarah have for other children?

“It’s a very good idea. I spent a whole week without TV. It also teaches you to enjoy time doing different things and not being sucked into something on TV, because you don’t want TV taking up all of your time.”Sarah said.

30. From the first two paragraphs we know that        .

A. American TV companies will be turned off

B. American families have more TV sets than they need

C. Vespe has persuaded most people to turn off their TV sets

D. Vespe is an active person in the TV-Turnoff organization

31. As Vespe said in this passage, turning off TV a week can help children        .

A. forget to watch TV programmes                    B. improve their habits of watching TV

C. place TV sets out of their bedrooms                    D. have part-time jobs after school

32. In some experts’ opinion        .

A. parents should turn off TV for their children

B. parents should teach their children how to use TV

C. children should enjoy exciting programmes on TV

D. children should learn their lessons on TV

31. What’s the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

A. To advise us to turn off TV sets.                      B. To warn parents of the danger of TV.

C. To report to us a piece of news about TV.             D. To praise Vespe and his organization.

About five years ago, an American electrical engineer named Scott Brusaw and his wife Julie came up with the idea of putting solar panels on the ground rather than the roof. Then they began to develop the Solar Roadway specially for a new type of cars-eco-cars. The Solar Roadway is an intelligent road that provides clean renewable energy using power from the sun while providing safer driving conditions, along with power and data delivery. They predict that the Solar Roadway will pay for itself through the generation of electricity along with other forms of income and that the same amount of money that is being used to build and resurface current roads can be used to build the Solar Roadsays.

Each Solar Road Panel measures roughly 4 meters and contains a microprocessor（微处理器）that monitors and controls the panel, while communicating with neighboring panels and the vehicles traveling overhead. The inventors suggest that this provides a communication device every 4 meters on every road which could be used for example to warn drivers of cars which are moving across a centre line and various other speed control problems. The top of the Solar Road panels is made of super-strong glass that would offer vehicles the tractions（抓地力）they need.

According to the inventors, the Solar Roadway creates and carries clean renewable electricity and therefore electric vehicles can be recharged at any conveniently located rest stop, or at any business that has paved Solar Road Panels in their parking lots.

The inventors say their Solar Roadway has many functions and advantages from main roads to drivewasys, parking lots, bike paths, sidewalks and runways. The Federal Highway Administration has given Brusaw $100,000 to develop the invention and Brusaw hopes to build a smart-road parking lot in the coming spring.

32. In the inventors’ opinion, the Solar Roadway______.

A. is too expensive to build at present

B. costs no more money than current roads

C. can provide as many data as present computers

D. will bring them a large sum of money

33. The underlined word“they”in Paragraph 2 refers to______.

A. the panels         B. the inventors        C. the researchers         D. the vehicles

34. The Solar Roadway includes all the following advantages EXCEPT_______.

A. providing safer driving conditions

B. helping drivers communicate with each other while driving

C. creating and carrying clean renewable electricity

D. warning drivers of various speed control problems

35. What can be the best title for the text?

A. Solar-powered smart road of the future              B. The great changes on the roadway

C. The influence the Solar Roadway has on people        D. The Solar Road-a much faster road

Deaf teenagers Orlando Chavez and German Resendiz have been friends since kindergarten. Together the two boys, who go to Escondido High School in California, have had the difficult job of learning in schools where the majority of the students can speak and hear.

Orlando lost his hearing at the age of one. German was born deaf, and his parents moved from Mexico to find a school where he could learn sign language. He met Orlando on their first day of kindergarten.

“We were in a special class with about 25 other deaf kids,” German remembers. “Before then, I didn’t know I was deaf and that I was different.”

“Being young and deaf in regular classes was very hard.”said Orlando.“The other kids didn’t understand us and we didn’t understand them. But we’ve all grown up together. And today. I’m popular because I’m deaf Kids try hard to communicate with me.”

Some things are very difficult for the two boys. “We can’t talk on the phone, so if we need help, we can’t call a crisis service,” German said. “And we can’t order food in a drive-thru（汽车餐厅）.”

Despite their difficulties, the two boys have found work putting food in bags at a local supermarket. They got their jobs through a “workability”program, designed for teenagers from loeal schools with different types of learning disabilities.

German has worked in the supermarket since August, and Orlando started in November.

“The other people who work here been very nice to us,”Orlando signs. “They even sign sometimes. At first, we were nervous, bus we’ve learned a lot and we’re getting better.”

The opportunity to earn money has been exciting, both boys said. After high school, they hope to attend the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in New York.

25. Orlando and German have been_______.

A. to Mexico together.                         B. deaf since they were born.

C. friends since they were very young.               D. to different high schools.

26. The word “crisis” in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to_______.

A. food.                         B. Emergence.                            C. alarm.                       D. quick.

27. Both boys are happy to______.

A. have the opportunity to can money.

B. work at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

C. help students with learning disabilities.

D. design programs for the deaf.

A student’s life is never easy.  36  A lot of preparations are needed so you can be sure to go back home with a diploma and a bright future waiting for you. The following are some basic things you need to do before even seizing that passport and boarding on the plane.

Knowing the country.

You shouldn’t bother researching the country’s hottest tourist spots or historical places. You won’t go there as a tourist, but as a student. It’ll be helpful to read the most important points in their history and to read up on their culture.  37  You surely don’t want to face legal problems, especially if you’re away from home.

Studying their language.

Don’t expect that you can graduate abroad without knowing even the basics of the language. Before leaving your home country, take online lessons to at least master some of their words and sentences.  38  Doing this will also prepare you in communicating with those who can’t speak English.  39 

Check the conversion（兑换）of your money to their local currency, set up your bank account so you can use it there, get an insurance, and find an apartment. The Internet or your intended school will be very helpful in finding an apartment and helping you understand local currency.

Remember, you’re not only carrying your own reputation but your country’s reputation as well. If you act foolishly, people there might think that all of your country men are foolish as well.  40  .

  A. Packing your clothes.

  B. Preparing for other needs.

  C. Most importantly, read about their laws.

  D. This will be useful in living and studying there.

  E. That would surely be a very had start for your study abroad program.

  F. Going with their trends will keep it from being too obvious that you’re a foreigner.

  G. And it is even more difficult if you will have to complete your study in a foreign land.