Topping the class academically was certainly an advantage. Studying was a breeze for
Nigel. The reward was certainly incomparable to the little effort that he had to put it. It begin when he was selected to help the teachers in the computer laboratories.
The peak of his school career came not when he topped the school but when he was selected for the nationwide competition. Unlike everyone else, Nigel wanted to join the contest because he liked playing with the Lego sets and making something out of them. Nigel spent the next two months rebuilding the robot. It was during the time that Nigel found out about the prizes for the competition. Its well us auspices competitor. Alicia, from a neighboring school. His early intentions were forgotten. Getting the thousand-dollar prize was more important than anything else. Nigel decided to befriend Alicia. Unaware of his intentions, she told him all about the robot that she had been building for the competition. He even helped her to put the finishing branches to her robot. He was glad with the way things had progressed. His robot looked even better than Alicia’s and it was able to become a ball with its arms, something Alicia had failed to do.
On the day of the competition, he says Alicia. Everything dawned on her the minute she saw him among the competition. She stared at him, puzzled at first, then angry and finally a look of helplessness came over her.
The flashbulbs of the camera exploded in Nigel’s try. The robot bird performed actions so unique and different that the specialist judgments were the same. Nigel was so personal with himself that he did not even notice the girl standing a few feet away from him. Without her, he would never win the competition.
小題1:What reward did Nigel receive for doing well in his school work?

A．He was offered a part-time job	B．He was honored with a scholarship
C．He helped his teacher construct a robot	D．He helped in the computer laboratories

小題2:Nigel’s original intention of joining the contest was to ___.

A．be the top student of the school	B．being great honor to his school
C．constructs a robot with the Lego sets	D．wins the thousand-dollar prize

小題3:Why did Nigel help Alicia finish her robot?

A．He tried to make friends with her	B．He was fond of building robots
C．He intended to help her	D．He didn’t want her to suspect him

小題4:What is the author’s attitude towards Nigel’s actions?

A．He is mildly critical	B．He is strongly critical
C．He is in favor of them	D．His attitude is not clear

My name is Jane Eyre and my parents died when I was a baby. For ten years I lived a ___1___ life with my aunt and cousins who treated me unfairly. My cousins teased me and my aunt never showed me any ___2___. The only person who cared about me was the maid, Bessie. One day my cousin John 3 me: “You should go and beg, not live with rich folks like us!” After fighting with him I was locked in a room, where I ___4___ for hours crying.
Things ___5___ the same until a tall gentleman called Mr Brockehurst came to visit. My aunt told me that I was going to a school ___6___ by the gentleman. “Train her to be useful and humble,” said Aunt. Two days later I ___7___ my home.
At first my ___8___ at Lowood School was easy. The food was bad and I was often cold but I made ___9___ and enjoyed studying. But after an illness killed several students, new owners ___10___ the school and life improved. Six years later I ___11___ a teacher and was very happy. But eventually(最后) I felt that I should explore more of the world and found a job as a private teacher in a ___12___.
Before I left Lowood, I was ___13___ by Bessie, who told me that seven years ago my father’s brother had come ___14___ me but left again to go abroad. “He looked like quite a gentleman,” said Bessie. I wondered if he would ever look for me again.
My new life ___15___ at Thornfield Hall, a large country house, ___16___ a little girl called Adele. She was the adopted(被收養(yǎng)的) daughter of the owner of the house, Mr Rochester. He ___17___ stayed at Thornfield and ___18___ my time was mainly spent with Adele and the servants. My life was quite happy now although there was something ___19___ about my new home. Often I heard odd(奇怪的) sounds ___20___ from the top floor of the house.
1. A. happy     B. long    C. sad     D. comfortable
2. A. food       B. love    C. method      D. schooling
3. A. shouted at      B. cried over C. found out   D. talked with
4. A. lived      B. stayed C. studied       D. beat
5. A. appeared B. worked      C. seemed       D. remained
6. A. built       B. designed     C. owned D. opened
7. A. built       B. reached      C. left     D. sold
8. A. food       B. life     C. book   D. study
9. A. noise      B. friends       C. mistakes     D. faces
10. A. took over     B. took up      C. took off     D. took away
11. A. turned   B. met     C. became      D. found
12. A. school  B. home  C. library       D. country
13. A. taught   B. visited C. brought      D. required
14. A. looking for  B. looking after      C. looking into       D. looking at
15. A. stopped B. continued   C. started D. remained
16. A. showing       B. teaching     C. searching    D. wanting
17. A. often    B. hardly C. happily      D. quietly
18. A. yet       B. so       C. still     D. though
19. A. interesting    B. good   C. instructive  D. strange
20. A. come    B. drop   C. fall     D. go

Heaviest snow in half a century hit the south of the country. It snowed continuously for half a month, ___41__ the railways, highways, and runways in the airfields. Ice wrapped and paralyzed (使癱瘓)the power and communication system. Many people were trapped in railway stations, bus stations and airports, and ___42___ in cars, buses and trains. Governments and people did everything they could ___43___ the snow disaster, no one was killed __ 44___ cold and hunger. Gradually, trapped people all went back home safely. Many moving stories happened during the ___45___. While fighting the snow, people forgot their animal friends until a moving story of a swallow couple was ___46___on the internet.
The swallow couple had not eaten anything for several days ___47  _ the snow. They tried to fly into people's home to warm themselves, but every house was closed ___48  _. They got to a side of a balcony (陽臺) ___49 _ wind could not reach. They jumped and flapped their wings to attract the attention of the people inside the house, who were busy with their own things. The wife's body was __50__, she could not move any longer. The husband came near and wrapped his wife with his wings. The husband lost his __51__ soon because of his opened wings. The couple died in the cold and hunger, one __52__ another.
The next morning, the housemaster went to the balcony to check his flowers and saw a __53__ swallow outside the window pane, touching it, he found that they were two embracing together. Thinking of the __54__ the snow had brought to the people, he was __55__ to tears. He took them in, giving them some warmness which they could not __56__ any longer. He found a small cardboard box, filled it with some hay and __57__ the swallow couple in. He buried them in the back garden.
In my hometown in the countryside, a swallow family lives in the roof of my house. They come back from the __58__ every spring to have babies. Then in autumn, when babies have grown up, they fly to the south for __59__. I wonder if they will come back this spring as they __60__.
41．A．protecting              B．maintaining            C．blocking                D．keeping
42．A．even                      B．still                       C．yet                        D．nevertheless
43．A．fight                      B．fighting                 C．to fight                  D．fought
44．A．to                          B．from                      C．with                             D．for
45．A．process                  B．procedure               C．practice                  D．progress
46．A．common                B．widespread             C．well-known            D．familiar
47．A．regardless of          B．instead of               C．in addition to          D．because of

20080801

48．A．loosely                  B．tightly                   C．roughly                  D．lightly

49．A．where                    B．what                      C．which                    D．to which
50．A．frozen                   B．terrified                 C．worried                  D．scared
51．A．faith                      B．heart                      C．courage                  D．heat
52．A．fastening                B．packing                  C．wrapping                      D．fixing 
53．A．dead                      B．live                       C．lively                     D．lovely
54．A．need                      B．hardship                 C．poverty                  D．shortage
55．A．a(chǎn)ffected                 B．moved                   C．encouraged             D．satisfied
56．A．find                       B．gain                       C．own                       D．feel
57．A．laid                       B．lay                        C．let                       D．a(chǎn)llowed
58．A．west                      B．east                       C．south                     D．north
59．A．spring                    B．winter                    C．summer                 D．a(chǎn)utumn
60．A．were                      B．had                        C．do                         D．did

About ten years ago, a young and very successful businessman named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his shiny, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old.
He was watching for kids rushing out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child came out, but a brick sailed out and — WHUMP! — it hit the Jag’s shiny black side door! SCREECH...!!!! Immediately Josh stopped the car, jumped out, seized the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!" Building up a head of steam, he went on. " That’s my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?" "Please, mister, please....I’m sorry! I didn’t know what else to do!" begged the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop!" tears were streaming down the boy’s face as he pointed around the parked car. "It’s my brother, mister," he said. "He rolled of the curb (路沿) and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up. "Sobbing, the boy asked the businessman," Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.
Moved beyond words, the young businessman tried hard to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapers and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long walk back to the black, shining 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE — a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent (凹痕) to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. Feel for the bricks of life coming at you.
1. The boy threw a brick at the businessman’s car because ________.
A. the businessman drove at a high speed  B. he envied the brand-new car very much
C. he wanted to ask for some money      D. he wanted to get help from the driver
2. Which of the following is the right order of the story?
a. The younger brother threw a brick at Josh’s car.
b. The elder brother fell out of his wheelchair.
c. The younger brother begged Josh for help.
d. Josh lifted the elder brother back into his wheelchair.
e. Josh shouted at the younger brother.
A. b, a, e, c, d        B. a, c, d, b, e       C. b, a, c, e, d    D. a, c, b, e, d
3. What can we learn from the passage?
A. Josh would accept the money from the kids.  B. The two kids were Josh’s neighbors.
C. Josh was a kind-hearted man.              D. Josh’s new car broke down easily.
4. According to the passage, the last sentence means ________.
A. trying to get ready for the trouble in your future life
B. driving fast in a neighborhood street is dangerous
C. trying to be more understanding seeing others in trouble
D. protecting oneself from being hurt

Michelle is blind, but she makes such good use of her other senses that guests rarely realize that she is blind.
When my daughter Kayla came back from her home, she was very  1  about her day. She told me that she had baked cookies, played games and done art projects. But she was especially excited about her finger-painting project. “I learned how to   2  colors today! Blue and red make purple, and yellow and blue make green! Michelle   3 with us too. She said she liked how the paint feels through her fingers,” said Kayla.
Something about my child’s excitement caught my   4 . this made me sit down and take a look at my child and at myself.
Then Kayla said, “Michelle told me my picture showed joy,   5  and a sense of accomplishment. She   6 saw what I was doing!” Kayla said she had never felt how good finger-painting felt until Michelle showed her how to paint without looking at her paper.
This is when I realized Kayla didn’t know that Michelle was blind. It had just never   7   in conversation. When I told her, she was quiet for a moment. At first, she didn’t   8  me. “ But mommy, Michelle understood exactly what was in my picture!” Kayla insisted. I knew my child was   9 because Michelle had listened to Kayla when she  10  her artwork. Michelle had listened to Kayla’s pride in her work, and her wonder at her discovery of the way colors blend.
小題1:1.

A．satisfied

B．moved

C．excited

D．a(chǎn)ffected

小題2:	A．mix B．combine C．connect D．join

小題3:	A．wrote B．dealt C．contacted D．painted

小題4:	A．a(chǎn)ttention B．sight C．note D．observation

小題5:	A．discovery B．understanding C．pride D．a(chǎn)chievement

小題6:	A．a(chǎn)pparently B．really C．obviously D．carefully

小題7:	A．come around B．com across C．come through D．come up

小題8:	A．doubt B．refuse C．believe D．a(chǎn)pprove

小題9:	A．right B．polite C．real D．wrong

小題10:

A．described B．created C．designed D．invented

John H. Johnson was born in a black family in Arkansas City in 1981. His father died in an accident when John was six. He was reaching the high school age, but his hometown offered no high school for blacks.
Fortunately he had a strong—willed caring mother. John remembered that his mother told him many times, “Son, you can be anything you want really to be if you just believe.” She told him not to depend on others, including his mother. “You have to learn success” she said. “All the people who work hard don’t succeed, but the only people who do succeed are those who work hard.”
These words, came from a woman with less than a third grade education. She also knew that believing and hard work don’t mean everything. So she worked hard as a cook for two years to save enough to take her son, who was then 15, to Chicago.
Chicago in 1933 was not the promised land that black southerners were looking for. John’s mother and stepfather could not find work. But here John could go to school, and here he learned the power of words--as an editor of the newspaper and yearbook at Du Sable High School. His wish was to publish a magazine for blacks.
While others discouraged him, John’s mother offered him more words to live by “Nothing beats a failure but a try.” She also let him pawn（典當(dāng)） her furniture to get the $ 500 he needed to start the Negro magazine.  
It is natural that difficulties and failures followed john closely until he become very successful. He always keeps his mother’s words in mind:” Son, failure is not in your vocabulary!” Now John H. Johnson is one of the 400 richest people in America--worth  $150 million.
小題1: What does the story mainly want to show us?

A．The key to success for blacks.

B．The mental support John’s mother gave him.

C．The importance of a good education.

D．How John H. Johnson became successful.

小題2:Why did John’s mother decide to move to Chicago?

A．Because his father died when John was very young.

B．Because life was too hard for them to stay on in their hometown.

C．Because John needed more education badly.

D．Because there were no schools for Negroes in their hometown.

小題3:Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．John’s mother didn’t believe in or depend on others.

B．John’s mother believed one would succeed without working hard.

C．John’s mother thought one could be whatever one wanted to be.

D．John’s mother thought no one could succeed without working hard.

小題4:What does the underlined sentence “Nothing beats a failure but a try.” in Passage 5 mean?

A．No failure can be beaten unless you try.

B．If you try, you would succeed.

C．A try is always followed by a failure.

D．A failure is difficult to beat, even if you try.

When I was a stay-at-home mom, there were times I wished I could buy some beautiful flowers, but the money that they would cost was needed in the home. When I walked into town with the family, my youngest daughter, Lily, would always carry a flower stem(花梗). That’s how she got the nickname “Stick Girl”.
One day when we passed the flower lady with Lily, the flower lady smiled at her and said, “Come here. I have something for you.” She handed her a beautiful flower. Lily dropped the stem and held on to that flower until we came back home. We placed it in water and enjoyed the beauty of that flower along with the feelings of warmth and kindness from the flower lady.
My neighbors would run to her to get a bouquet of flowers whenever they wanted to, and I used to give directions(為人指路) using the flower lady. I would say, “Walk for three blocks. You’ll see the flower lady. Turn right at that street.”
My mom visits me each year. On her first summer visit this year, she looked at me and asked, “Where’s the flower lady?”
I had no idea. The flower lady had been an icon(偶像) for me for 16 years, but now she wasn’t there any more.
I went on a search and soon found her in another spot, at the Harbor Loop. I was glad to see her and I had to tell her that she was missed!
I have a garden which I admire very much now. Every time I see those bright colors when I come home after a day of work, I remember the generosity of a dear old lady whom I only know as the flower lady.
56. When the flower lady gave Lily a flower, Lily _____.
A. accepted it happily
B. paid for it and walked home quickly
C. accepted it and forgot that other people were laughing at her
D. felt sorry for not being able to pay for it
57. Why did the author give directions using the flower lady?
A. Because the flower lady used to give her daughter many flowers.
B. Because she felt grateful for the flower lady’s generosity and warmth.      
C. Because her neighbors usually bought flowers from the flower lady.
D. Because the flower lady ran the flower shop with her and her mother.
58. From the passage, we know that _____.
A. it was the flower lady who taught the author how to grow flowers
B. the author didn’t know the flower lady’s address or name
C. the flower lady used to sell flowers in one place all the time
D. the flower lady might keep on offering the author flowers
59. What’s the best title for the passage?
A. The Stick Girl   B. Beautiful Flowers   C. The Flower Lady    D. Buying Flowers

When I come across a good essay in reading newspapers,I am often inclined to cut and keep it.But just as I am about to do so I find the article on the opposite side is as much interesting.It may be a discussion of the way to keep in good health,or advice about how to behave and conduct oneself in society.If I cut the front essay,the opposite one is bound to suffer damage,leaving out half of it or keeping the text without the subject.As a result,the scissors would stay before they start,or halfway done when I find out the regretful consequence that inevitably(不可避免地) causes my repentance.   
Sometimes two things are to be done at the same time,both deserving your attention.You can only take up one of them,the other has to wait or be given up.But you know the future is unpredictable—the changed situation may not allow you to do what is left behind.Thus you are caught in a fix and feel sad.How come that nice opportunities and brilliant ideas should gather around all at once?It may happen that your life changes dramatically on your preference of one alternative to the other.
In fact that is what life is like:we are often faced with the two opposite aspects of a thing which are both desirable like newspaper cutting.It often occurs that our attention is drawn to one thing only after we are engaged in another.The former may be more important than the latter and give rise to a divided mind.I still remember a philosopher’s remarks:“When one door shuts,another opens in life.” So a casual or passive choice may not be a bad one.
Whatever we do in our lifetime,wherever life’s storm tosses us,there must be something we can achieve,some shore we can land,that opens up new vistas to us.Don’t forget God always keeps an alternative door open for every one.While the front door is closed,there must be another open for you.
小題1:When the writer finds a good article in reading newspapers,______.

A．he is always glad to cut and keep it

B．he is always hesitant to cut and keep it

C．he often has a desire to cut and keep it

D．he often finds it difficult to decide which side to cut and keep

小題2:The writer feels regretful because______.

A．he fails to choose a good essay

B．he fails to cut the two essays on both sides well

C．he finds the essay on the opposite side is better

D．he finds that he just keeps the text without the subject

小題3:What’s the meaning of the underlined part in Paragraph 2?

A．You’re trapped in a trouble.

B．You find it difficult to fix something.

C．You are trapped in a situation where you can’t decide which choice is better.

D．You have so many opportunities that you don’t know which to choose.

小題4:Which one do you think is the best title of this passage?

A．Paper Cutting	B．Two Opposite Sides
C．Difficult Choices	D．Another Door

Children have their own rules in playing games. They seldom need a referee(裁判) and rarely trouble to keep scores. They don’t care much about who wins or loses, and it doesn’t seem to worry them if the game is not finished. Yet, they like games that depend a lot on luck, so that their personal abilities cannot be directly compare. They also enjoyed games that move in stages, in which each stage, the choosing of leaders, the picking-up of sides, or the determining of which side shall start, is almost a game in itself.
Grown-ups can hardly find children’s game exciting, and they often feel puzzled at why their kids play such simple game again and again. However, it is found that a child plays games for very important reasons. He can be a good player without having to think whether he is a popular person, and he can find himself being a useful partner to someone of whom he is ordinary afraid. He becomes a leader when it comes to his turn. He can be confident, too, in particular games, that it is his place to give orders, to pretend to be dead, to throw a ball actually at someone, or to kiss someone he has caught.
It appears to us that when children play a game they imagine a situation under their control. Everyone knows the rules, and more importantly, everyone plays according to the rules. Those rules may be childish, but they make sure that every child has a chance to win.
小題1:What is true about children when they play games?

A．They can stop playing any time they like.	B．They can test their personal abilities.
C．They want to pick a better team.	D．They don’t need rules.

小題2:To become a leader in a game the child has to _____.

A．play	B．wait for his turn
C．be confident in himself	D．be popular among his playmates

小題3:What do we know about grown-ups?

A．They are not interested in games

B．They find children’s games too easy

C．They don’t need a reason to play games

D．They don’t understand children’s games

小題4: Why does a child like playing games?

A．Because he can be someone other than himself.

B．Because he can become popular among friends.

C．Because he finds he is always lucky in games.

D．Because he likes the place where he plays a game.

小題5:The writer believes that _____.

A．children should make better rules for their games

B．children should invite grown-ups to play with them

C．children’s games can do them a lot of good

D．children play games without reasons

They say there are three ways to experience the Grand Canyon; on foot, on mules(騾子) or by air. We chose the first. Up early; my husband and I and our three children couldn’t wait to get started. We decided to walk along a lovely path named Bright Angel Trail.
As we set out, I was shocked at how narrow the path was. And I couldn’t help noticing that the other tourists weren’t like us. They had heavy backpacks, water bottles, and hats. But as usual we were dressed, As the sun rose higher, Arizona’s famous heat seemed to roast(烘烤)　us. There was no shade and our legs were aching. We decided to go back, with the girl on my back and the boys far behind. By the time we finally got back, our legs were like jelly.
The next day, after we’d had a long rest and a good breakfast, we were ready for another view of the Canyon – by air. After our last walk, this would be the easiest thing in the world.
We called to each other excitedly as the plane took off and circled around the Canyon. But the smiles on our faces disappeared as the pilot tossed(翻轉(zhuǎn))　the plane around, pretending he was going to hit the ground. I shouted, “STOP, TAKE US BACK!” When we finally arrived back on land, once again our legs were like jelly. We hardly spoke as we drove back.
As I said, there are three ways to view the Grand Canyon. We never tried the mules, but personally I’d suggest a fourth: buy yourself a good magazine like National Geographic. That way, you can see the Canyon, without fear or tiredness.
小題1:Which of the following is true according to the second paragraph?

A．They made a careful preparation before the trip

B．They children were more joyful than their parents.

C．Bright Angel Trail was not as lovely as they expected.

D．The summer heat prevented them from enjoying the view.

小題2:The underlined expression “Our legs were like jelly” probably means            .

A．we were weak	B．we were unhappy
C．we were dissatisfied	D．we were disappointed

小題3:Which of the following best describes their Canyon trip by air?

A．It proved to be frightening.	B．It was more comfortable
C．It turned out to be exciting	D．It made each of them tired.

小題4:We can infer from the passage that          .

A．experiencing the Canyon on mules would be the best way

B．one needs to dress less when visiting the Grand Canyon.

C．the writer was not serious when she made the suggestion.

D．the whole family narrowly escaped from the air accident.