In 1978, I was 18 and was working as a nurse in a small town about 270 km away from Sydney, Australia. I was looking forward to having five days off from duty. Unfortunately, the only one train a day back to my home in Sydney had already left. So I thought I’d  hitch a ride (搭便車).    I waited by the side of the highway for three hours but no one stopped for me. Finally, a man walked over and introduced himself as Gordon. He said that although he couldn’t give me a lift, I should come back to his house for lunch. He noticed me standing for hours in the November heat and thought I must be hungry. I was doubtful as a young girl but he assured （使…放心）me I was safe, and he also offered to help me find a lift home afterwards. When we arrived at his house, he made us sandwiches. After lunch, he helped me find a lift home.
    Twenty-five years later, in 2003, while I was driving to a nearby town one day, I saw an elderly man standing in the glaring heat, trying to hitch a ride. I thought it was another chance to repay someone for the favour I’d been given decades earlier. I pulled over and picked him up. I made him comfortable on the back seat and offered him some water.
    After a few moments of small talk, the man said to me, “You haven’t changed a bit, even your red hair is still the same.” I couldn’t remember where I’d met him. He then told me he was the man who had given me lunch and helped me find a lift all those years ago. It was Gordon.
51. The author had to hitch a ride one day in 1978 because ______.

A. she was going home for her holidays

B. she missed the only train back home

C. the town was far away from Sydney     

D. her work delayed her trip to Sydney

52. Which of the following did Gordon do according to Paragraph 2?

A. He watched the girl for three hours.  

   B. He gave the girl a ride back home.

C. He bought sandwiches for the girl.      

D. He helped the girl find a ride.

53. The reason why the author offered a lift to the elderly man was  that ______.

A. she had known him for decades                 

B. she realized he was Gordon

C. she wanted to repay the favour she once got  

D. she was going to the nearby town

54. What does the author want to tell the readers through the story?
A. Giving sometimes produces nice results.

B. People should offer free rides to others.
C. Good manners bring about happiness.
D. Those who give rides will be rapid.

 I took a trip after lunch and on my way home I stopped at a park in this beautiful little town. I really wanted to enjoy the  31_ wind of one of the last days of summer. I know I still have a lot of time left according to the _32__. But I’ve seen too many summers suddenly__33__

  When I had a rest at a _34_ , a man came, who was about my _35_ . Maybe we could have common topics. “Good _36_ , my friend!” he said as he _37_ down on the opposite side of the table. “You don’t live _38_ , do you?” “No, I’m just _39_ . I live about an hour and a half from here.” “What do you do for a living?” he asked. “I’m a _40_  .” “Well, I should have known,” he said.

Now he had my _41_ . How could he possibly know what I did for a living just by _42_ at me? “You were dreaming and wondering just like an author. I could see in your eyes. Most people see how _43_ the town is, but you see many other things most people don’t take the time to see.” I just wondered about his _44_ . “What do you do for a living?” “_45_  I’m a journalist (記者) for our local paper. But I call myself a reflection because I _46_ what I see in my job. My words can _47_  the world around me. I can write about what I know faithfully and I know these people for I have been _48_ here so long. So you can imagine how _49_ the news is here. They are in turn a reflection of me.”

If you had to _50_ what a good person would be like, could you fit the description? I hope you’re a good reflection.

31. A. cool        B. hot        C. strong         D. cold

32. A. schedule    B. weather    C. calendar       D. experience

33. A. start       B. change     C. worsen         D. disappear

34. A. chair       B. table      C. restaurant     D. station

35. A. height      B. weight     C. accent         D. age

36. A. night       B. afternoon  C. evening        D. morning

37. A. sat         B. settled    C.  calmed        D. lay

38. A. distantly   B. nearby     C. comfortably    D. alone

39. A. passing by  B. giving up  C. thinking over  D. walking off

40. A. designer    B. thinker    C. painter        D. writer

41. A. interest    B. secrete    C. trust          D. patience

42. A. shouting    B. working    C. smiling        D. looking

43. A. busy        B. scenic     C. wide           D. peaceful

44. A. career      B. situation  C. history        D. advantage

45. A. Originally  B. Actually   C. Really         D. Recently

46. A. report      B. consider   C. remember       D. study

47. A. record      B. decorate   C. monitor        D. reflect

48. A. watching    B. waiting    C. living         D. traveling

49. A. funny       B. important  C. truthful       D. numerous

50. A. copy        B. describe   C. draw           D. guess

 Millions of people have been thrown ________ due to the global economic depression.

    A. out of place    B. out of sight   C. out of control   D. out of work

 It is reported that by careful questioning the police managed to _________ the information they were looking for.

    A. add up   B. set down   C. dig out    D. give up

 The team has worked hard and its efforts have been _______with success.

A.      rewarded   B. awarded   C. pleased   D. filled 

 Have we met each other before? I’m afraid your name ________ me.

A.      escapes   B. traps   C. forgets  D. loses

 If he works hard at his lesson, I guess he can _______the final exams.

A. get through    B. go through   C. look through   D. live through

 He was watching her doing it with a ________ look on her face, as if to say that she would not change her mind.

    A. reliable    B. determined   C. stubborn    D. straight

 Although the new road is being used, it has not yet been _______opened.

A.      gradually   B. actually      C. officially    D. frequently 

 The question is bound to _________ at the meeting to be held next week.

A.      come about   B. come up     C. come up with   D. come across