Ⅳ.阅读理解

　　As a child growing up，I have very few memories of the times when we gathered as a family to sit down and eat dinner together.I grew up in a home where both of my parents worked.My mother taught school，and my father worked during the night at a local chemical plant.There was not much time available for us to sit down to eat dinner together due to my parents'conflicting work schedules and the extracurricular (课外的) activities in which my sister and I participated.

　　It wasn't until I got married and had two children of my own that I began to realize the importance of eating dinner together.In my family there are elements that take us away from each other，day in and day out，but as a mother I feel it is my responsibility to bring us all back together again at the end of the day.In my house，dinnertime is a time of thanks.I give thanks for the food we share，but I am more thankful for the family I share it with.Dinnertime is a time for us to share our day，and reflect on our thoughts.It is also a time when we learn about honesty，perseverance，courage，sympathy，and friendship.Above all it is a time when my family are able to connect with the ones they love.

　　As I look at the bread basket which sits on my kitchen table，I am reminded of how the basket's tight weave resembles the tightly woven strands (股) of my family.I believe that through our family dinners，we will not only pass around the meat and potatoes，but we will also pass along virtues (美德) that will shape and mold (塑造) us so that we can forever embrace one another just as the basket embraces the bread.

　　1．What does the underlined word "it" in Paragraph 2 refer to?

　　A．The family. B．The food.

　　C．Dinnertime. D．My house.

　　2．According to the author，during dinnertime ________.

　　A．we should remember the one who prepares the dinner

　　B．we can learn all sorts of knowledge from other people

　　C．communication among family members will be improved

　　D．it is healthy for people to express their opinions

　　3．The author concludes the passage by________.

　　A．making comparisons

　　B．telling her own story

　　C．summarizing the main idea

　　D．presenting facts

　　4．What is the main idea of the passage?

　　A．It is pleasant to spend time with your family.

　　B．It is necessary to participate in family activities.

　　C．It is vital to balance work and family time.

　　D．It is important to have family dinner together.

　　(2010年江西师大附中，临川一中联考)

Imagine yourself in a small airplane 3,300 meters above the ground.The engines roar in your ears as you move towards the open door.Then you're outside，falling with the wind whipping past your ears.As the ground rushes up at you，you open your parachute.It explodes over your head，jerking (猛推) you back and upwards.All in all，you were in free fall for only 30 seconds-the