浙江省宁波市2020年中考英语模拟考试卷

    During those years, I used to compare my mom with my best friend Kayla's mom.

    Kayla's mom always gave her lots of money to buy the most fashionable 1 and favorite food. Her mom allowed her to do anything she liked. I really 2 Kayla. My mom didn't give me much pocket money  3 she always told me that I should behave myself. I was 4 with her.

    Whenever I didn't get what I wanted, I would 5 to my mom, Kayla's mom would give her that! I wish she were my mom. 6, my mom would calmly say "7 Kayla". I couldn't understand her. "She shouldn't be feeling sorry for Kayla!" I thought. "She should be feeling sorry for 8."

    One day, I couldn't help 9 to Mom, "Poor Kayla? Lucky Kayla! She gets everything she wants! Why do you feel sorry for her?" I burst into tears.

    My mom sat down next to me and said 10, "Yes, I do feel sorry for her. I have been teaching you a(n) 11 that she will never be taught."

    I looked 12 at her. "What are you talking about?"

    Mom said with care, "One day she will really 13 something. Maybe she'll find out that she can't have it. Her mother won't always be 14 to give her money, and what's more, money can't buy everything."

    She 15 , "I have taught you important lessons by not giving you everything you want. You'll know how to look for bargains and 16 money, but she won't. You'll understand that you need to 17 hard to get the things that you want but she won't. When Kayla is a grown woman, she'll 18 one day and she will be wishing that she had a mom like the one you've got. Life lessons are more 19 than modern clothes and delicious food."

    It took some time, but I 20 understood my mom's words. Now I am a happy and well-behaved Grade Nine girl student.

    Larry and Jo Ann were a common couple. Like any other couple, they tried to make ends meet and do the right thing for their children. However, they still often argued about small things in their life. They wanted to make changes.

    "You know, Jo Ann, I've got a magic chest. Every time I open it. It's full of clean clothes," Larry said. "I want to thank you for filling them all these years."

    Jo Ann looked at her husband and felt strange. This wasn't the first time Larry had done something strange recently, so Jo Ann forgot it quickly. But it happened again a few days later.

    "Jo Ann, there was a great dinner," Larry said one evening. "I enjoyed all you have done in the past 15 years. You have cooked lots of delicious food for me and the kids."

Jo Ann was growing worried. "What's wrong with my husband?" she wondered.

    Day in and Day out, Larry continued to express his thanks.

    Over several weeks, Jo Ann grew used to that. Her steps became a little lighter and smiles were seen on her face more often.

    Larry has never told Jo Ann the reason for his change but both the couple knew the secret of the great change.

    If you put a buzzard (秃鹰) in a cage without a roof, the bird will be a prisoner. Even though it can fly, it can't fly through the open roof. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a short run of 3 or 4 meters. Without space to run, he will not even try to fly, but will stay in his small jail for the rest of his life.

    The ordinary bat that flies around at night can not take off from the ground. If it is placed on the ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly. If it reaches a higher place, it will be able to throw itself into the air. Then it takes off quickly. But on flat ground, it will never fly.

    A bee dropped into a cup will stay there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but keeps trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will look for a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

    In many ways, there are lots of people like the buzzard, the bat and the bee. They are struggling with all their problems and frustrations, not realizing that the answer is right there above them.

    Being born during the Great Depression (萧条) , as the middle of seven children to a carpenter's family, was not a "silver spoon" experience, but I am one well blessed in life.

    Our family had a large garden, raised two pigs each year for their meat, and had a family cow for our milk. During the Depression, Dad out of work, we started to do some washing for the neighborhood, employing up to seven girls at one time, and farming 12 acres of nearby land to earn a few extra dollars.

    I was blessed with good teachers to help with my learning. After graduating from college, I spent two years in the army, allowing me to see Europe and build on life's experiences. I returned home, got a job in the local bank, married my sweetheart, and thought I was on my way to a normal lifestyle.

    I was called back into the army when they built the Berlin Wall, just six months after completing my tour of duty in Germany. That too, turned out to be a blessing, as I hadn't worked long enough at the bank to begin health insurance.

    A year later I returned home to work at the bank again. I worked my way up through the ranks to become CEO before retiring at the end of 1997. I was blessed to have had good employers and employees in my work. I've been blessed to have a devoted wife and wonderful children and grandchildren.

    Today, I look back on those great experiences and see they were my possibilities to grow.

    Times taught me to save for a rainy day, to help those less fortunate than me, to put others first, and the joy of being a volunteer.

    Food sometimes gets poisoned with harmful things. A person who eats such food can get an illness called food poisoning. Food poisoning is usually not serious, but some types are deadly. The symptoms of food poisoning usually begin within hours of eating the poisoned food. Fever is one of the most common symptoms.

    Certain microorganisms (微生物) cause most types of food poisoning. Bacteria and other microorganisms can poison eggs, meat, vegetables, and many other foods. After entering the body, these tiny living things release poisons that make people sick.

    Some chemicals can also cause food poisoning. They are often added to food while it is being grown, processed, or prepared. For example, many farmers spray chemicals on crops to kill weeds and insects. Some people may have a bad reaction to those chemicals when they eat the crops.

    Some plants and animals contain natural poisons that are harmful to people. These include certain kinds of seafood, grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and mushrooms.

    When people handle food properly, the risk of food poisoning is very small. Microorganisms multiply rapidly in dirty places and in warm temperatures. This means that people should never touch food with dirty hands or put food on unwashed surfaces. Food should be kept in a refrigerator to stop microorganisms from growing. Meat needs to be cooked thoroughly to kill any dangerous microorganisms. People should also wash food covered with chemicals before eating it. Finally, people should not eat wild mushrooms or other foods that grow in the wild. Some of these foods may contain natural materials that are poisonous to humans. In addition, some types of fish can be poisonous.

    Most people recover from food poisoning after a few days of resting and drinking extra water. If people eat natural poisons, they must go to the hospital right away to have their stomachs emptied.

    Eyesight is very important in our daily life. Every waking moment, the eyes are working to see the world around us. Over forty percent of Americans worry about losing eyesight, but it's easy to protect our eyes in our daily life. Here are five suggestions for a lifetime of healthy eyesight:

    Plan yearly exams.Experts advise parents to bring babies to the doctor for a careful check. The good news is that millions of children now can have yearly eye check.

    Protect against UV rays. Long-term stay in the sun creates risks to your eyes. No matter what the season is, it's very important to wear sunglasses.

    Give your eyes a break. Two thirds of Americans spend up to seven hours a day using computers, phones, iPads…Experts recommend that people practice the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away.

    As part of a healthy diet, eat more fruits and vegetables each day. Vitamins C and E help protect eyesight and promote eye health.

    Practice safe wear and care of contact lenses. Many Americans use contact lenses to improve their eyesight. While some follow the medical guidance for wearing contact lenses, many are breaking the rules and putting their eyesight at risk.Otherwise, you may have problems such as red eyes, pain in the eyes, or a more serious condition.

A. Eat your greens.

B. Eye care should begin early in life.

C. They can properly protect your eyes.

D. Always follow the doctor's advice for correct wear.

E. This frequent eye activity increases the risk for eye tiredness.