From my infancy I was noted for the docility and humanity of my disposition. My tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as to make me the jest of my companions. I was especially fond of animals, and was indulged by my parents with a great variety of pets. With these I spent most of my time, and never was so happy as when feeding and caressing them. This peculiarity of character grew with my growth, and, in my manhood, I derived from it one of my principal sources of pleasure. To those who have cherished an affection for a faithful dog, I hardly need to take the trouble of explaining the nature or the intensity of the gratification thus derivable. There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of the person who has had frequent occasions to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man. I married early, and was happy to find in my wife a disposition not uncongenial with my own. Observing my partiality for domestic pets, she lost no opportunity of procuring those of the most agreeable kind. We had birds, gold-fish, a fine dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a cat. This latter was a remarkably large and beautiful animal, entirely black, and sagacious to an astonishing degree. In speaking of his intelligence, my wife, who at heart was not a little tinctured with superstition, made frequent allusion of the ancient popular notion, which regarded all black cats as witches in disguise. Not that she was ever serious about this point — and I mention the matter at all for no better reason than that it happens, just now, to be remembered. Pluto — this was the cat’s name — was my favorite pet and playmate. I alone fed him, and he attended me wherever I went about the house. It was even with difficulty that I could prevent him from following me through the streets. Our friendship lasted, in this manner, for several years, during which my general temperament and character — through the instrumentality of the Fiend Intemperance — had (I blush to confess it) experienced a radical alteration for the worse. I grew, day by day, more moody, more irritable, more regardless of the feelings of others. I suffered myself to use intemperate language with my wife. At length, I was even violent with her. My pets, of course, were made to feel the change in my disposition. I not only neglected, but ill-used them. For Pluto, however, I still retained sufficient regard to restrain me from maltreating him, as I made no scruple of maltreating the rabbits, the monkey, or even the dog, when by accident, or through affection, they came in my way. But my disease grew upon me, and at length even Pluto, who was now becoming old, and consequently somewhat peevish — even Pluto began to experience the effects of my ill temper. One night, returning home, much intoxicated, from one of my haunts about town, I fancied that the cat avoided my presence. I seized him; when, in his fright at any violence, he inflicted a slight wound upon my hand with his teeth.

______is similar in meaning to the underlined part in Paragraph 1.

A．The person who is the laughing stock among his friends

B．Someone who enjoys making fun of his friends

C．The boy who is spoiled by his parents with pets

D．A sentimental person who feels deeply homesick

The author married a woman______.

A．who was a gossamer fidelity to him

B．who lost no opportunity to make fun of him

C．whose disposition was similar to him

D．whose duty was to cherish the family pets

When talking about the black cat, the author’s wife______.

A．got excited to an astonishing degree

B．regarded it as a beautiful animal

C．was silly with her ancient notions

D．cherished superstitious beliefs

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．Pluto was the name of the cat.

B．Pluto was the author’s favorite pet.

C．The whole family were fond of the cat and fed him.

D．The friendship between the author and the cat lasted for years.

The sentence “I not only neglected, but ill-used them“ underlined in Paragraph 4 most directly contradicts the author’s______.

A．partiality for domestic pets

B．dislike of a faithful sagacious dog

C．dislike of his wife’s superstition

D．being indulged by his parents

She has lived in a______for more than 20 years since her husband was killed in an air crash. vase vacuum vacation vapor

Emma used to be a very shy girl, but two years of living abroad has completely ______her. reformed informed transformed deformed

There is a widespread consensus that we should respect the independence, sovereignty, unity and______integrity of every nation. territorial tolerant torrential terrestrial

The Silk Road was not simply a trade______. It also played an important role in promoting friendly relations and economic and cultural exchanges between China and other countries. routine route rotation roster

To win an election, a candidate needs to tour at least a third of the 600 villages that make up an average parliamentary______. citizenry population community constituency

Some urban residents retire to the country resort to enjoy the tranquility of the fields on weekends. affinity variety serenity identity

Not all sounds made by animals serve as languages, and we have only to turn to the discovery of echo-location in bats to see a case in which the voice plays a strictly utilitarian one. meticulous reclusive emotional practical

Living in a world in which undeclared aggression, war, hypocrisy, and anarchy are part of our daily lives, we all want a code to live by. taboo vulgarity pretence sensation

Their belief in redistribution and central planning reveals a strong urge to stifle opportunities and a mistrust of individual empowerment. suppress surrender support summon

Parents are often upset when their children praise the homes of their friends and regard it as a slur against their own things, and are foolish enough to let the adolescents see that they are annoyed. slaughter slap stigma sting

Some people find extremely difficult to get up early in the morning and do not seem able to get going very well until afternoon. find extremely difficult getting up early find to get up early is extremely difficult find it extremely difficult getting up early find it extremely difficult to get up early

Except his broken leg in the earlier part of the season, he might have been in the England team to play Poland yesterday. Except for But for Besides If only

An “epigram“ is usually defined to be bright or witty thought that is tersely and ingeniously expressed. defined as defined being defined to being defined for being

The term “culture shock“ was introduced for the first time in 1958 to describe the anxiety to produce when a person moves to a completely new environment. the anxiety producing the anxiety produced the producing anxiety producing the anxiety

It is estimated that by 2020 the concentration of carbon dioxide will be nearly twice and it is now. twice than it is that it is twice than it is twice twice what it is

It is incredible to say aggression against the small country should not have been met with the full force of the military power of its allies. unbelievable if inconceivable that fantastic for saying implausible saying that

In North America, Nebraska pioneered in that which is to become the area’s chief economic activity, agriculture. was it was what was which was

It is imperative that all the accounts of the Property Management Company should be made______to all the owners. transient transitive transparent tranquil

After having been trapped underneath the mine for three consecutive days, the miners became very weak from lack of______. suspect suspense suspicion sustenance

When being blamed for making trouble in class, the student let out a rude sigh by way of remark retort retail review

The author of the passage is______.

______is similar in meaning to the underlined part in Paragraph 1.

The author married a woman______.

When talking about the black cat, the author’s wife______.

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

The phrase “regardless of underlined in Paragraph 4 most nearly means______.

The sentence “I not only neglected, but ill-used them“ underlined in Paragraph 4 most directly contradicts the author’s______.

When he grew more irritable, the author still kept in control and did NOT mistreat______.

In context, the word “consequently“ underlined in Paragraph 5 most closely means______.

The general tone of the passage is of______.