In a room at Texas Children Cancer Center in Houston, eight-year-old Simran Jatar lay in bed with a
drip (點(diǎn)滴) above her to fight her bone cancer. Over her bald (禿的) head, she wore a pink hat that
matched her clothes. But the third grader's cheery dressing didn't mask her pain and weary eyes.
     Then a visitor showed up. "Do you want to write a song?" asked Anita Kruse, 49, rolling a cart
equipped with an electronic keyboard, a microphone and speakers. Simran stared. "Have you ever
written a poem?" Anita Kruse continued. "Well, yes," Simran said.
      Within minutes, Simran was reading her poem into the microphone. "Some bird soaring through the
sky," she said softly. "Imagination in its head…" Anita Kruse added piano music, a few warbling (鳴, 唱)
birds, and finally the girl's voice. Thirty minutes later, she presented Simran with a CD of her first recorded song.
      That was the beginning of Anita Kruse's project, Purple Songs Can Fly, one that has helped more
than 125 young patients write and record songs. As a composer and pianist who had performed at the
hospital,  Kruse said that the idea of how she could help "came in one flash".
     The effect on the kids has been great. One teenage girl, curling (蜷縮) in pain in her wheelchair, stood
unaided to dance to a hip-hop song she had written. A 12-year-old boy with Hodgkin's disease who
rarely spoke surprised his doctors with a song he called I Can Make It.
     "My time with the kids is heartbreaking because of the severity of their illnesses," says Anita Kruse.
"But they also make you happy, when the children are smiling, excited to share their CD with their families."
     Simran is now an active sixth grader and cancer-free. From time to time, she and her mother listen to
her song, Always Remembering, and they always remember the "really sweet and nice and loving" lady
who gave them a shining moment in the dark hour.

1. Simran Jatar lay in bed in hospital because ______.

A. most of her hair had fallen out
B. she was receiving treatment for cancer
C. she felt depressed and quit from school
D. she was suffering from a pain in her back

2.What do we know about Anita Kruse's project?

A. It helps young patients record songs.
B. It is supported by singers and patients.
C. It aims to replace the medical treatment.
D. It offers patients chances to realize their dreams.

3.What does the case of a 12-year-old boy suggest?

A. Most children are naturally fond of music.
B. He was brave enough to put up performance.
C. The project has positive effect on young patients.
D. Singing is the best way to treat some illnesses.

4.  What is probably the best title for the passage?

A. Purple Songs Can Fly                
B. Singing Can Improve Health
C. A Shining Moment in Life             
D. A Kind Woman-Anita Kruse

                                               Rising above the names
     I was shopping in the supermarket when I heard a young voice.
     "Mom, come here! There's this lady here my size!"
    The mother rushed to her son; then she turned to me to apologize.
    I smiled and told her, "It's okay." Then I talked to the boy, "Hi, I'm Darryl Kramer. How are you ?"
    He studied me from head to toe, and asked, "Are you a little mommy?"      
    "Yes, I have a son," I answered.
    "Why are you so little?" he asked.
    "It's the way I was born," I said. "Some people are little. Some are tall. I'm just not going to grow any
bigger. " After I answered his other questions, I shook the boy's hand and left.
     My life as a little person is filled with stories like that. I enjoy talking to children and explaining why I
1ook different from their parents.
    It takes only one glance to see my uniqueness. I stand three feet nine inches tall. I was born an a
chondroplasia dwarf (侏儒). Despite this, I did all the things other kids did when I  was growing up.
     I didn't realize how short I was until I started school. Some kids picked on me, calling me names.
Then I knew. I began to hate the first day of school each year. New students would always stare at me
as I struggled to climb the school bus stairs.
    But I learned to smile and accept the fact that I was going to be noticed my whole life.I decided to
make my uniqueness an advantage rather than a disadvantage. What I lacked in height, I made up for in
personality.
     I'm 47 now, and the stares have not diminished as I've grown older. People are amazed when they
see me driving. I try to keep a good attitude. When people are rude, I remind myself, "Look what else I
have -- a great family, nice friends. "
     It's the children's questions that make my life special. I enjoy answering their questions.  My hope is
that I will encourage them to accept their peers ( a person of the same age, class, position, etc. ),
whatever size and shape they come in, and treat them with respect.

1.  Why did the mother apologize to the author?
A. Because the boy ran into the author.
B. Because the boy laughed at the author.
C. Because the boy said the author was fatter than him.
D. Because the mother thought the boy's words had hurt the author.

2. When did the author realize that she was too short?

A. When she grew up.
B. When she was 47 years old.
C. When she began to go to school.
D. When she met the boy in the supermarket.

3.Which of the following word can best replace the underlined word"diminished" ?

A. dismissed    
B. increased      
C. decreased      
D. discriminated

4. How does the author feel about people's stares? 

A. Angry.      
B. Calm.          
C. Painful.        
D. Discouraged.

     The crowd cheered as the young man walked across the stage to receive his award as the company's
top producer. He looked over the audience and trembled, and there was a clear pause that brought a
silence to the room. It took him a moment to control himself.
     "The last three months hit me pretty hard," he began. "And I feel the need to share a piece of my story
though I'm not sure why. A friend called me about his new marketing system, an outbound  (發(fā)往外國(guó)
的) fax(傳真)service that could reach thousands of potential customers at very little cost. I checked it out, got excited and accepted it. After thousands of faxes, it seemed that what I did was illegal . I was
punished a dollar for every one sent out.
     The crowd was surprised.
     "I failed to do proper research, and didn't pay attention to the details. Now I am heavily in debt. As
some of you know, I recently move up here from down south. I stored my stuff (資料)in my old office,
which I closed down. When I drove back to pick it all up, I found that everything except my computer
and the clothes I brought with me was gone."
     He continued, "I drive a sports car. I love that car. One day while driving it, I stepped on the
accelerator (油門), lost control at 85 miles an hour, and hit the guard rail. I damaged my car very badly."
     "In three months, I got charged, lost everything I owned, and damaged my car. We all face challenges," he smiled. "I guess I wanted to share mine with you. Thanks for listening. " He left to a standing ovation
(鼓掌).
     Standing in the back of the room, I realized how much respect that young man earned. He faced his
fear, publicly admitted his mistakes and never gave up, in spite of the difficulties. That day, he won much
more than a trophy (獎(jiǎng)杯).

1. According to the first paragraph, which word can describe the young man?

A. Calm.        
B. Brave.          
C. Shy.            
D. Nervous.

2. Why was the young man punished?

A. He made a serious mistake in his research.
B. He illegally sent faxes to customers.
C. He stole a computer from an office.
D. He drove his car at a high speed.

3.  The young man told his experiences perhaps to _________.  
          .
A. encourage others to face challenges bravely  
B. let the audience forgive him
C. show his misunderstanding of the law
D. complain about being treated unfairly