C

OF course, Ms Cratty wasn’t really my aunt and, out of fear, I never called her that to her face. I only called her “My Aunt Fannie (俚语)” because the name always made my father chuckle (轻声地笑) and caused my mother to look seriously at both of us – at me for being disrespectful of my elder, and at my father for encouraging my bad behavior. I enjoyed both reactions so I looked for every opportunity to work the name into as many conversations as possible.

As a young woman, my mother had worked in the kitchen of a large farmhouse owned by Ms Cratty and her twin brother. Neither had married, and they had no children. My father once told me that it was because they were both too mean to share their family’s money or pass it on. Ms Cratty was famous for her jam and for never sharing the recipe with another one. Even though my mother knew the recipe , she never made the jam without Ms Cratty kitchen to direct the process and keep the secret.

Each August, my mother would prepare me for Aunt Fannie’s visit. One year, after I had been particularly helpful with the jam process Aunt Fannie gave me a quarter and then made me promise that I would never spend it. “Hold onto this quarter,” she said, “and someday you will be rich. I still have my very first quarter, given to me by my grandfather.” It had obviously worked for her. So, I put the quarter in my dresser drawer, and waited to become rich.

I now have the jam recipe and the quarter from Aunt Fannie. Neither has made me wealthy, but I keep them as reminders to hold onto the valuable things in life. Money can make you feel rich for a while, but it is the relationships and the memories of time spent with friends and family that truly leave you wealthy. And that is a fortune that anyone can build.

28. Why did the author prefer to call Aunt Fannie “My Aunt Fannie”?

A. Because she wanted to show respect for her.

B. Because she believed that made her seem closer to her.

C. Because she loved to see her parents’ responses to it.

D. Because she didn’t like her and thus made fun of her.

29. According to the second paragraph, the author’s mother _______.

A. owned the large farmhouse with Aunt Fannie

B. disliked Aunt Fannie’s meanness and the way she would never share

C. didn’t know the exact way to make the jam

D. tried to make Aunt Fannie believe that the secret recipe was safe

30. The author used to believe that the quarter given to her by Aunt Fannie ______.

A. was a reminder of the valuable things in her life

B. would bring her good luck and make her rich

C. was a small reward for her help with the jam process

D. was the exact one that Aunt Fannie had received from her grandfather

31. The author thinks that we can feel wealthy if we _______.

A. have a certain secret recipe

B. have lasting love and friendship

C. share our wealth with others

D. have good fortune and money

D

READY or not, the college application season has begun. There are two main kinds of early admissions programs: Early Action and Early Decision.

Early Action is a great choice for the well-prepared student. Students apply early, and are allowed to apply under an Early Action program to as many colleges as they choose. The biggest advantage for students is that colleges let them know early – in most cases, before Jan 1. Roughly 15 percent of colleges and universities offer an Early Action option. Oct 15 is now the first deadline for many colleges and universities. This movement toward earlier deadlines is especially popular in the Southeast, with many of the large public universities leading the way. North Carolina State University, the University of South Carolina and the University of Georgia all have an Oct 15 Early Action deadline.

Early Decision is a promise that cannot be reversed. Students who are accepted must take back their other applications and should attend that school. Students are allowed to apply to just one school under an Early Decision program. Early Decision deadlines are in early November, with colleges letting students know by mid-December. Many students believe that they are more likely to be accepted if they apply for Early Decision, but it actually depends.

In some cases there is big increase in students being accepted, and at other colleges it is not that big at all. Generally, the strongest students are applying early. Athletes and students with focused interests are encouraged to apply for Early Decision

Choose the best answer:

32. What is the author’s purpose in writing the article?

A. To explain the process of applying to study in the US.

B. To describe two types of US college early admissions programs.

C. To encourage students who want to study in the US to apply early.

D. To list the advantages of early admissions programs.

33. Which of the following statements is TRUE of Early Action according to the article?

A. A student who is accepted as an Early Action applicant must attend the college they apply to.

B. The deadline for Early Action is usually two months earlier than the one for Early Decision.

C. Students can apply to several colleges at the same time under an Early Action program.

D. Students can apply for Early Action at the majority of universities and colleges in the US.

34. The underlined word “reversed” in Paragraph 6 probably means _______.

A. changed B. balanced C. accepted D. arranged

35. What can be concluded from the article?

A. Students are not allowed to apply for both Early Decision and Early Action at the same time.

B. Students applying for Early Decision impress colleges because they tend to be more active than     others.

C. Early Decision is most fit for students who are skilled in some field.

D. Those applying for Early Decision have a better chance of being accepted than those applying for Early Action.

第二节 (共5小题;每小题2分，满分10分)

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

I’ve been keeping an English blog for many years.These practical tips have helped me over the course of my blogging.

● Read quality books, blogs, journals, etc.which are written in English.Blogging is not always about writing.     36    Reading also improves your English comprehension, grammar, spelling, vocabulary and writing.

● Practice helps, so continue writing.     37      Trying to make a perfect post (帖子) free from grammar and spelling mistakes is good but you’re not making use of your time efficiently (有效地).

●      38     Think about the main points you want to raise.I prepare an outline of my post and a list of the points I want to talk about.Doing this has helped me stay on track and focus on my main points.The outline and the list of points I want to write about serve as my guidelines when I’m writing.

● When writing, use simple words and sentences.Using simple sentences makes your job as a blogger easier.     39      Always remember this: The aim of your writing is to get your message across and the only way to become an effective writer is successfully conveying your message to your readers.

● Write your posts ahead of time.     40     To free yourself from the pressure of making a post on daily basis, which might affect your writing, consider making your posts ahead of time.

A.Also, it makes your posts more understandable to your readers.

B.Welcome comments from your blog readers.

C.There are advantages of daily blogging , but if it becomes tiring, forget about it.

D.Don’t be afraid of making mistakes.

E.Mistakes can be reduced with the help of your readers.

F.You need to read to be able to write fluently

G.Prepare an outline of your post.