英语2010综合练习题
第一部分交际用语
阅读下面的小对话，从A、B、C、D四个选项中选出一个能填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题纸上写出所选的字母符号。
1. —Hello, Sally. How’s everything?
— .
A. Good for you
B. Oh, I agree
C. That’s right
D. Just so-so
2. — Excuse me, would you lend me your calculator?
— .
A. Certainly. Here you are
B. Please don’t mention it
C. It’s nothing
D. Yes, I have a hand
3. —I don’t like the sp ots programs on Sundays.
— .
A. So do I
B. Neither do I
C. So am I
D. Neither am I
4. —What’s the problem, Harry?
— .
A. No problem
B. No trouble at all
C. Thank you for asking me about it
D. I can’t remember where I left my glasses
5. — What kind of TV program do you like best?
— .
A. I like them very much
B. I only watch them at weekend
C. It’s hard to say, actually
D. I’m too busy to say
6．-- Could you tell me where Mr. Lake is?
-- _________________.
A. From England
B. At the office
C. He’s working
D. He’s very busy
7. -- May I help you, madam?
-- ______________.
A. Sorry, I have no idea
B. Yes, I know what to buy
C. You’d better give me a hand
D. Yes, I’d like 2 kilos of oranges 8．-- Hello, could I speak to Don please?
-- ______________?
A. Who are you
B. What’s the problem
C. Are you Jane
D. Who’s speaking?
9．--What would you like, tea or coffee?
-- _________________.
A. Yes, I would
B. Coffee, please
C. Yes, please
D. It’s very nice
10. --What about going for a walk?
-- _______________.
A. Why not? A good idea
B. That’s all right
C. So, do I
D. Walking is good to you
11. —Nice weather, isn’t it?
— .
A. I’m not sure
B. You know it well
C. Yes, it is
D. Yes, it isn’t
12. — I think the Internet is very helpful.
— .
A. Yes, so do I
B. That’s a very good idea
C. Neither do I
D. I’d rather go surfing on it
13. — What subjects are you studying?
— .
A. Yes, I’m studying history
B. I’m studying now
C. I’m studying philosophy
D. I’m doing my homework
14. — Which language do you speak at home?
— .
A. I speak English very well
B. I can speak English and French
C. English is my mother tongue
D. English, most of the time
15. — Must we hand in our homework now?
— .
A. Yes, you will
B. Yes, you mustn’t
C. No, you needn’t
D. No, you mustn’t
16. —Let’s take a walk.
— .
A. Yes, let’s
B. Oh, thanks
C. Yes, please
D. No, thank you
17. — Hello, could I speak to Don please?
— ?
A. Who are you
B. What’s the problem
C. Are you Jane
D. Who’s speaking
18. — Do you think the exam will be put off?
— .
A. Not good news
B. The exam is difficult
C. Not likely
D. It was put off yesterday
19. —In my opinion, you’d better take a couple of days off.
— .
A. I’ll take your advice
B. Let me see
C. Never mind
D. I’m afraid so
20. — Would you mind if I open the window for a better view?
— .
A. That’s fine, thank you
B. Yes, please
C. Take a seat
D. Of course not
( key: 1. D 2. A 3. B 4. D 5. C 6. B 7. D 8. D 9. B
10. A 11. C 12. A 13. C 14. D 15. C 16. A 17. D 18.C 19. A 20. D)
第二部分词汇与结构
阅读下面的句子，从A、B、C、D四个选项中选出一个能填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题纸上写出所选的字母符号。
1. I broke my leg when I ________ skiing in America.
A. is
B. was
C. – (不填)
D. would be
2. She was convicted _______ murder.
A. to
B. in
C. of
D. as
3. A new hotel _________ in the center of town at the moment.
A. has been built
B. is built
C. was built
D. is being built
4. It is very convenient ________ here.
A. living
B. live
C. lived
D. to live
5. I have lived here _________ 1997.
A. for
B. since
C. at
D. from
6. The bedroom needs __________.
A. decorating
B. to decorate
C. decorate
D. decorated
7. He is the man _________ dog bit me.
A. that
B. which
C. who
D. whose
8. I’m tired. I __________ working very hard.
A. have
B. have been
C. had
D. has
9. Before she left on the trip, she __________ hard.
A. trained
B. has trained
C. would trained
D. had trained
10. He keeps _________ at himself in the mirror.
A. to look
B. looking
C. look
D. looked
11. The sun heats the earth, _________ is very important to living things.
A. that
B. what
C. which
D. where
12. If the man _________ succeed, he must work as hard as he can.
A. will
B. is to
C. is going to
D. should
13. Ancient Greece is the __________ of western civilization.
A. origin
B. source
C. place
D. sources
14. Please stop __________. It cannot help the situation.
A. to shout
B. shouting
C. to speak
D. speaking
15. The big man has always been eating on the go, _______ he has got stomachache.
A. so
B. however
C. as
D. because
16. Let me ___________ the case carefully before I draw a conclusion.
A. look up
B. look into
C. look after
D. look out
17. He, as well as I, __________ a student.
A. be
B. am
C. are
D. is
18. She _______ her success to hard word and strong will.
A. owns
B. gives
C. owes
D. regards
19. Mr. Smith _________ a most important part in the development of our city.
A. took
B. had
C. played
D. made
20. I’d rather stay at home than ________ a walk.
A. taking
B. to take
C. take
D. to be taking
21. Mother was busy. Although she was not watching the basketball on TV, she _______ it on the radio.
A. was listening to
B. was hearing
C. was listening
D. was seeing
22. Hardly _________ home when it began to rain.
A. had I got
B. I had got
C. had I arrived in
D. I had arrived at
23. I prefer classic music __________ pop music.
A. than
B. on
C. with
D. to
24. All the team members tried their best. We lost the game, _________.
A. however
B. therefore
C. since C. as
25. When we were having a meeting, the director _________ the bad news by telephone.
A. was telling
B. was told
C. could tell
D. would tell
26. Silk __________ by Chinese for thousands of years now.
A. has used
B. has been used
C. was used
D. is used
27. You _______ to lock the door at night.
A. should
B. ought
C. must
D. shall
28. Before I got to the cinema, the film _________.
A. had begun
B. has begun
C. is begun
D. was beginning
29. The patient acted on the doctor’s _________ and finally recovered.
A. advices
B. advice
C. advise
D. advises
30. A lecture hall is _________ where students attend lectures.
A. there
B. which
C. one
D. that
31. Don’t worry, your watch _________ and you can have it in no time.
A. is repaired
B. has been repaired
C. was repaired
D. is being repaired
32. The definition leaves ______ for disagreement.
A. a small room
B. much room
C. great deal room
D. not so big a room
33. Not always _________ they want (to).
A. people can do what
B. can people do what
C. people cannot do what
D. can’t people do what
34. Sadam ________ for 25 years.
A. got married
B. was married
C. married
D. were married
35. I don’t want you to make any trouble, _________, I urge you to solve the problem.
A. thus
B. consequently
C. on the contrary
D. just as
36. Why ________ the old block of flats _________ demolished next month?
A. are…being
B. is…being
C. has…been
D. have…been
37. In the fifties last century many new cities ________ in the desert.
A. bring up
B. make up
C. grew up
D. build up
38. More and more people in China now __________ to work regularly.
A. drive
B. drives
C. drove
D. have driven
39. At present, the most important thing is that Britain needs ________ more to improve the relationship with the USA.
A. to do
B. doing
C. to be done
D. do
40. We have our house ________ every week by a cleaner.
A. clean
B. cleaned
C. cleaning
D. to clean
.
(Key:
1. B
2. C 3 D 4. A 5. B 6. A 7. D 8. B 9. D 10. B 11. C 12. B 1
3. A 1
4. B 1
5.
A 16.
B 17. D 18.
C 19. C 20. C 21. A 22. A 23.
D 24. A 25. B 26. B 27. B 28. A 29. B 30.
C 31.
D 32. B
33. B 34. B 35. C 36. B 37. C 38. A 39. A 40. B
第三部分完形填空
阅读下面的短文，从短文后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出能填入相应空白处的最佳选项，并在答题纸上圈出所选的字母符号。
Passage 1
Although international travel is usually an (21) __________ and pleasant experience, travellers should take steps to ensure that their health does not suffer either (22) ______ their time _____ the air or ______ their time abroad.
Before you go, check with your doctor or local travel clinic (23) ______ injections are necessary for the areas you are travelling (24) _____. Allow sufficient time to have these injections before you (25) _______ because they may take time to become effective. Be sure that the information on health is up-to-date. Check on the Internet if you are not sure.
Don’t go to bed late the day (26) _______ you fly.
Your body has a natural daily sleep pattern. It takes time to adjust to a new time zone. There are many different (27) __________ of jet lag: you may not be able to sleep, you may not want to eat or you may feel sick and tired. You may not be able to concentrate for some days after you arrive.
There are several things you can do to (28) ________ the effects of jet lag:
－Do your (29) ______ to relax during the flight;
－Sleep as much as you can on the flight. Use a mild sleeping pill if necessary;
－Drink as much water as you can;
－Don’t drink alcohol and caffeine;
－Take mild sleeping pills (30) ______ the first few days in the new time zone if you need them.
21. A) excited B) exciting C) excitted D) excitting
22. A) of…on…of B) of…in…of
C) from…on…from D) from…in…from
23. A) where B) - （不填） C) which D) that
24. A) - （不填）B) in C) to D) at
25. A) will leave B) is leaving C) leave D) have left
26. A) after B) in C) on D) before
27. A) effects B) effect C) affect D) affects
28. A) short B) shorten C) less D) lessen
29) A) good B) better C) best D) most
30. A) at B) for C) of D) on
(Key: 21.B 22. D 23. C 24. C 25. C 26. D 27. A
28. D 29. C 30. B
Passage 2
A study (21) _____________ that fitness is the key (22) ______ long life, irrespective of body shape or even smoking habits. Researchers discovered that people (23) _________ exercise live longer than those who do not, (24) __________ they are overweight and smoke.
The study found that the least fit of the 6,000 middle-aged men in the study were five times (25) _____________ to die within six years of the start of the research than the fittest. This was true whether or not the men had heart problems, smoked or (26) ______ overweight. Scientists concluded that it was better to be fat and active than skinny and sedentary. Dr Ken Cooper, a fitness expert, said, "You are better off smoking a packet of cigarettes a day and (27) __________ regularly than being a non-smoker and sedentary." Although he adds, " But don"t misunderstand me. I am not endorsing smoking. I am trying to tell you how dangerous it is to be sedentary."
(28) ________, the study appears to fly in the face of research last year which concluded that more than 30,000 people die prematurely every year in Britain from illnesses caused by being overweight.
The British Government is putting pressure on manufacturers (29) ____________ high levels of sugar in food and to restrict the hard-sell of junk food to children in order to improve the nation"s health. But the new study suggests the Government (30)
__________ more people to exercise.
21. A) showing B) show C) has shown D) had shown
22. A) to B) for C) of D) in
23. A) –(不填) B) which C) whom D) who
24. A) if B) unless C) even if D) because
25. A) like B) likely D) less likely D) more likely
26. A) was B) were C) is D) are
27. A) to exercise B) exercising
C) exercise D) exercised
28. A) However B) So C) Although D) Furthermore
29. A) reduce B) reducing C) to reduce D) reduced
30. A) encouraged B) encouraging
C) to encourage D) encourage
(Key: 21. C 22. A 23. D 24. C 25. D 26. B 27. B 28. A
29. C 30. D)
Passage 3
More and more people (21) ____ to install burglar alarms in their houses if they want to get insurance. Insurance companies (22) ____ people in certain areas to install the alarms before they will give them insurance for the fast year. This is (23) ____ to increasing crime in some parts of the country. This can be a problem for people (24) ____ are struggling to make (25) ____ ends meet. The alarms, (26) ____ can be very expensive, need to be installed by an electrician. It is (27) _____ that 20% of homes have alarms installed, and that another 20% of people plan (28) _____ but have not installed them (29) _____. The insurance companies told people (30) _____ the alarms on all doors and windows.
21. A. must B. have C. had D. has
22. A. have been asked B. asked C. will ask D. have been asking
23. A. due B. caused C. because D. because of
24. A. which B. what C. who D. –
25. A. the B. all C. - D. those
26. A. that B. which C. who D. it
27. A. estimate B. estimating C. estimates D. estimated
28. A. to have them installed B. to have them installing
C. to have been installing them
D. to install them
29. A. still B. already C. yet D. too
30. A. install B. installed C. installing D. to install
(Key: 21. B 22. D 23. A 24. C 25. C 26. B 27. D 28. A
29. C 30. D)
Passage 4
A study has shown that fitness is the key (21) _____ long life, irrespective of body shape (22) _____ even smoking habits. Researchers discovered that people who exercise live longer than (23)______, even if they are overweight and smoke.
The study found that (24) ______ fit of the 6,000 middle-aged men in the study were five times more likely to die within six years of the start of the research than the fittest. This was true (25)_______the men had heart problems, smoked or were overweight. Scientists concluded that it was better (26)_______and active than skinny and sedentary. Dr Ken cooper, a fitness expert, said, “ You are better off smoking a packet of cigarettes a day and exercising regularly than (27)_______ a non –smoker and sedentary.” Although he adds, “But don’t misunderstand me. I am not endorsing (28)_____, I am trying to tell you how dangerous it is to b e sedentary.”
The British Government is putting pressure (29)_____ manufacturers to reduce high levels of sugar in food and to restrict the hard-sell of junk food to children in order to improve the nation’s health. But the new study suggests the Government should encourage more people (30)_____.
21. A. for B. of C. to D. in
22. A. or B. and C. but D. either
23. A. those who does not B. these who do not
C. these that do not
D. those who do not
24. A. the little B. less C. least D. the least
25. A. that B. whether or not C. if or not D. when
26. A. being fat B. to be fat C. to do D. doing
27. A. being B. be C. to be D. is
28. A. smoke B. to smoke C. smoking D. smoked
29. A. on B. in C. to D. for
30. A. exercise B. exercising C. to exercise D. exercised
(Key: 21. C 22. A 23. D 24. D 25. B 26. B 27. A 28. C
29. A 30. C)
第四部分阅读理解
阅读下列短文，从A、B、C、D四个选项中选出一个正确答案，并在答题纸上写出所选的字母符号。
Passage 1
I was 15 when I walked into McCarley Bookstore and began to look over the titles of the books on the shelves. The man behind the counter, the owner of the bookstore, asked me if I would like a job. I needed to start saving for college, so I said yes.
I worked after school and during summers for minimum wages and the job helped pay for my freshman year of college. I worked at many other jobs afterwards: I made coffee in the student union during college. I made maps for the U.S Forest Service. But selling books was one of the most satisfying.
One day a woman asked me for books on cancer. She seemed fearful. I showed her everything we had and found other books we could order. She left the shop less worried and I’ve always remembered the pride I felt in having helped her.
Years later, as a television reporter, I heard about a poor child who was born with his fingers of the left hand linked together. His family could not afford the corrective surgery, and the boy lived in shame, hiding his left hand in his pocket.
I persuaded my boss to let me do the story on TV. After my story was broadcast, a doctor and a nurse called, offering to perform the surgery for free.
I visited the boy in th e recovery room after the operation. The first thing he did was hold up his repaired hand and say, “Thank you.”
I was overjoyed and filled with a strong sense of reward.
At McCarley Bookstore, I always felt I was working for the customers, not just for th e store. Today it’s the same. NBC news pays me the salary. But I feel that I work for the viewers, helping them make sense of the world. My working experience in McCarley Bookstore helped me find a good sense of the world, and most importantly, it helped me find a good sense of myself.
1. How did the author get the job in McCarley Bookstore?
A. He happened to walk into the shop and got it by chance.
B. He had always wanted to have a job in that bookstore and he succeeded.
C. He liked reading books, so tried to get a job there.
D. He did not go to school, so he looked for a job when he was 15.
2. According to the author, selling books was one of the most satisfying job experiences, because ____________.
A. he only had to work after school and got good wages
B. it helped him understand the world and himself
C. it helped him pay for his freshman year of college
D. he did not feel that he was working for the store
3. After he helped the fearful lady looking for books on cancer, the author was ____________.
A. worried about her
B. less worried about her
C. unable to forget her
D. proud of himself
4. The author decided to help the poor boy by ____________.
A. persuading his boss to do the story on TV
B. persuading his boss to let him do the story on TV
C. asking a doctor to perform the operation for free
D. visiting the boy in the recovery room after the operation
5. The main reason that the author thinks his present job is the same as the one in the bookstore is ____________.
A. it gives him salary
B. it makes him feel excited
C. it helps people make sense of the world
D. it enables him to work
(Key: 1. A 2. B 3. D 4. B 5. C)
Passage 2
Paper was invented by the Chinese in the first century AD. Paper was not made in southern Europe until about the year 1100.
Scandinavia - which now makes a great deal of the world’s paper - did not begin to make it until 1500. Most paper is made from wood. Paper-making is an important British industry and paper from Britain is sold to many countries such as Australia and South Africa. Some of the wood used in the British paper making industry comes from trees grown in Britain, but wood is also bought from other countries such as Norway. One tree is needed for every four hundred copies of a forty-page newspaper. If half the adults in Britain buy one daily paper, this uses up over a thousand trees a day. All over the world, trees are being cut down faster than they are being planted, so there may be a serious need for paper at the beginning of next century.
When we think of paper, we think of newspaper, books, letters and writing paper. But there are many other uses. Only half of paper is used for books and newspaper, etc. Paper is very good for keeping you warm. Each year, more and more things are made of paper. Now we hear that chairs, tables, and even beds can be made of paper. But the latest in paper making seems to be paper houses.
1. Where was paper invented?
A. In China.
B. In southern Europe.
C. In Scandinavia.
D. In Britain.
2. Scandinavia began to make paper ____________.
A. in 1100
B. in 1400
C. in 1500
D. in the first century
3. Every four hundred copies of a forty-page newspaper will need ____________.
A. half a tree
B. one tree
C. two trees
D. more than one tree
4. All over the world, trees are being cut down ____________ than they are being planted.
A. more slowly
B. much faster
C. much more slowly
D. faster
5. The latest things made of paper are ____________.
A. chairs
B. tables
C. clothes
D. houses
(Key: 1. A 2. C 3. B 4. D 5. D)
Passage 3
We often use gestures to express our feelings, but the problem is that the gestures can be understood in different ways.
It is true that a smile means the same thing in any language. So does laughter or crying . Fear is another emotion that is shown in much the same way all over the world. In Chinese and in English literature, a phrase like ‘he went pale and began to tremble’suggests that the man is either very afraid or he has just got a very big shock. However, ‘he opened his eyes wide’ is used to suggest anger in Chinese whereas in English it means surprise. In Chinese, surprise can be described in a phrase like ‘they stretched out their tongues!’ “Stretching out your tongue” in English is an insulting gesture or expresses strong dislike.
Even in the same culture, people differ in their ability to understand and express feelings. Experiments in America have shown that women are usually better than men at recognizing fear, anger, love and happiness on people’s faces. Other studies show that older people usually find it easier to recognize or understand body language than younger people do.
1. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. We can easily u nderstand what people’s gestures mean.
B. Words can be better understood by older people.
C. Gestures can be understood by most people but words are not.
D. It is difficult to tell what people’ gestures really mean sometimes.
2. People’s facial expressions may be misunderstood in different cultures because ____________.
A. people of different sexes may understand a gesture differently
B. people speaking different languages have different facial expressions
C. people of different ages may have different interpretations
D. people from different cultures have different meanings about some facial expressions
3. From the passage, we can conclude that ____________.
E. gestures can be used to express feelings
F. gestures can be more effectively used than words to express feelings
G. words are often more difficult to understand than gestures
H. gestures are used as frequently as words to express feelings
4. In the same culture, people ____________.
I. hardly ever fail to understand each other’s ideas and feelings
J. are equally intelligent even if they have different backgrounds
K. almost all have the same understanding of the same thing
L. may have different abilities to understand and express feelings
5. The best title for this passage can be ____________.
M. Gestures
N. Feelings
O. Gestures and Feelings
P. Culture and Understanding
(Key: 1. D 2. D 3. A 4. D 5. C)
Passage 4
A funny thing happened on the way to the communication revolution: we stopped talking to each other.
I was walking in the park with a friend recently, and his mobile phone rang, interrupting our conversation. There we were, walking and talking on a beautiful sunny day and – poof! – I was cut off as if I had become absent from the conversation.
The park was filled with people talking on their cell phones. They were passing people without looking at them, saying hello, noticing their babies or stopping to pat their dogs. It seems that the limitless electronic voice is preferred to human contact.
The telephone used to connect you to the absent. Now it makes people feel absent. Recently I was in a car with three friends. The driver hushed the rest of us because he could not hear the person on the other end of his cell phone. There we were, four friends driving down the highway, unable to talk to each other because of the small thing designed to make communication easier.
Why is it that the more connected we get, the more disconnected I feel? Every advance in communications technology is a setback (退步) to the closeness of human interaction. With e-mail and instant message over the Internet, we can now communicate without seeing or talking to one another. With voice mail, you can make entire conversations without ever reaching anyone. If my mom has a question, I just leave the answer on her machine.
As almost every contact between human beings gets automatic, the emotional distance index goes up. Pumping gas at the station? Why say good-morning to the assistant when you can swipe you credit card at the pump and save yourself the bother of human contact? Making a deposit at the bank? Why talk to the clerk who lives in the neighborhood when you can put your card into
the ATM?
More and more, I find myself hiding behind e-mail to do a job meant for conversation or being relieved that voice mail picked up because I didn’t really have time to talk. The technology devoted to helping me keep in touch is making me lonelier.
I own a mobile phone, an ATM card, a voice-mail telephone, and an e-mail account. Giving them up isn’t a choice. They are great for what they are intended to do. It’s their unintended results that make me upset. What good is all this gee-whiz technology if there is no one in the room to hear you crying out “Gee whiz”?
1. T he author’s experience of walking in a park with a friend recently made him feel _____________.
A. unhappy
B. funny
C. sunny
D. wonderful
2. According to the author, human contact in a park means ____________.
A. looking at each other and saying hello when passing
B. noticing their babies and stopping to pat their dogs
C. talking on the mobile phone and getting connected with the other people
D. both A and B
3. According to the author, the more connected we get in communications technology, the ___________ we are.
A. more automatic
B. easier
C. more disconnected
D. closer
4. What are the examples the author gives to explain his idea that every advance in communications technology is a setback to the closeness of human interaction?
A. With e-mail and instant message over the Internet, we can now communicate without seeing or talking to one another.
B. With voice mail, you can make entire conversations without ever reaching anyone.
C. If his mom has a question, he just leaves the answer on her machine.
D. All of the above.
5. What is the unintended result of communication technology, according to the author?
A. It makes communication easier and conversation possible everywhere.
B. It actually creates a distance between people instead of bringing them together.
C. It makes every contact between human beings automatic and makes people feel connected.
D. It makes human contacts limitless with electronic voices everywhere.
(Key: 1. A 2. D 3. C 4. D 5. B)
Passage 5
Who will stage the games?
Preparing for the Olympics Games is a huge undertaking. Just like the athletes, the host city spends years getting ready for the event. Before deciding which city will host the Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has to examine bids from all over the world. Bidding for the games begins about ten years in advance. Without preparing a very strong bid1, a city will not win the competition to host the games. Beijing was chosen for the 2008 games from five bidders — Osaka, Paris, Toronto and Istanbul.2
Why does it take so long to prepare?
Building the infrastructure costs huge amounts of money. Holding the World Cup in 2002 in Japan and South Korea, for example, meant that ten new stadiums had to be built, as well as many hotels and an improved transport system. In Beijing, after winning the bid the government began major construction projects — the extension of the underground, the improvement of the airport and the building of new motorways3. Each host city must also build an Olympic village for the athletes. By planting trees and creating parks, the city becomes more attractive for tourists.
Why do countries want to host the Olympic Games?
Hosting the games has a major effect on the economy and brings international prestige to the country. Thousands and thousands of visitors come to the games and the host cities are permanently improved.
1. Bidding for the Olympic Games usually starts ____________ before the games are really held.
A. two years
B. eight years
C. one year
D. ten years
2. Beijing was one of the _______ bidders for the 2008games.
A. four
B. five
C. ten
D. three
3. The World Cup 2002 was held in _____________.
A. Japan
B. South Korea
C. China
D. A and B
4. What construction projects did Beijing start after winning the bid?
A. The extension of the underground.
B. The improvement of the airport.
C. The building of new motorways
D. All of the above
5. Why do countries want to host the Olympic Games?
A. Because it has a major effect on the economy.
B. Because it brings international prestige to the country.
C. Because the host cities are permanently improved.
D. All of the above.
(Key: 1.D 2. B 3. D 4. D 5. D)
Passage 6
We walked in so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn’t even lift her eyes from the book. Mum pointed at a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down. While I watched, mouth open in surprise, Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold. She walked quietly to the small room by the lift and took out a wet mop. She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodd ed and said, “Very dirty floors.”
“Yes. I’m glad they’ve finally decided to clean them,” the nurse answered. She looked at Mum strangely and said, “But aren’t you working late?”
Mum just pushed harder, each swipe of the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall. I watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to writing in the big book.
After a long time Mum came back. Her eyes were shining. She quickly put the mop back and took my hand. As we turned to go out of the door, Mum nodded politely to the nurse and said, “Thank you.”