I love charity(慈善) shops and so do lots of other people in Britain because you find quite a few of them on every high street. The charity shop is a British institution, selling everything from clothes to electric goods, all at very good prices. You can get things you won’t find in the shops anymore. The thing I like best about them is that your money is going to a good cause and not into the pockets of profit-driven companies, and you are not damaging the planet, but finding a new home for unwanted goods.
The first charity shop was opened in 1947 by Oxfam. The famous charity’s appeal to aid postwar Greece had been so successful it had been flooded with donations(捐贈(zèng)物). They decided to set up a shop to sell some of these donations to raise money for that appeal. Now there are over 7,000 charity shops in the UK. My favourite charity shop in my hometown is the Red Cross shop, where I always find children’s books, all 10 or 20 pence each.
Most of the people working in the charity shops are volunteers, although there is often a manager who gets paid. Over 90% of the goods in the charity shops are donated by the public. Every morning you see bags of unwanted items outside the front of shops, although they don’t encourage this, rather ask people to bring things in when the shop is open.
The shops have very low running costs: all profits go to charity work. Charity shops raise more than ￡110 million a year, funding（資助）medical research, overseas aid, supporting sick and poor children, homeless and disabled people, and much more. What better place to spend your money? You get something special for a very good price and a good moral sense. You provide funds to a good cause and tread lightly on the environment.
【小題1】. The author loves the charity shop mainly because of _______.

As I sat beside the window of our classroom that afternoon, my heart sank further with each passing car. This was a day I’d looked forward to for weeks: Miss Pace’s fourth-grade, end-of-the-year party.
I had happily volunteered my mother when Miss Pace looked for cookie volunteers. Mom’s chocolate chips were well-known, and I knew they’d be a hit with my classmates. But two o’clock passed, and there was no sign of her. Most of the other mothers had already come and gone, dropping off their sweet offerings.
The three o’clock bell soon took me away from my thoughts and I took my book bag from my desk.
I decided I would slam the front door, and refuse to return her hug. But when I arrived, she wasn’t at home.
I was lying face-down on my bed upstairs when I heard her come through the front door.
“Robbie,” she called out a bit urgently. “Where are you?”
I could then hear her rushing anxiously from room to room, wondering where I could be. I remained silent.
Coming through the door, she said: “I’m so sorry, honey,” she said. “I just forgot. I got busy and forgot.”
Then my mother did something completely unexpected. She began to laugh! How could she laugh at a time like this? I rolled over and faced her, ready to let her see my rage (憤怒).
But my mother wasn’t laughing at all. She was crying. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I let you down. I let my little boy down.”
I was moved by her tears.
I tried to remember her kind words from times past when I’d skinned knees or cut myself, times when she knew just the right thing to say.
“It’s okay, Mom. We didn’t even need those cookies. There was plenty of stuff to eat. Don’t cry. It’s all right. Really.”
We didn’t say another word. We just held each other. When we came to the point where I would usually pull away, I decided that, this time, I could hold on, perhaps, just a little bit longer.
【小題1】. The author was pretty down because ______.

A．the mother didn’t get to the party because of the traffic jam

B．the mother was sorry for her absence and laughed at herself

C．the author was a caring and thoughtful boy

D．the author was overcome with anger

“Mom, can I bake some bread?” We were 15; my best friend, Hanna, and I, determined to try our hands at creating some beautiful bread.
“It’s not worth the trouble,” my mother said. “It takes lots of time and makes a big mess. Our bakery bread is delicious without all that effort.”
Begging was useless. Mom’s “no” meant “No!”
But several weeks later, opportunity knocked. My parents were going out for the evening. I immediately invited Hanna to be my partner in bread-baking crime.
We studied the recipe. That was easy. “Mix oil into flour then beat in four eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt.”
We were not good at breaking eggs. I tried to learn from my mother.
“Gradually add eight cups of flour. When dough (面團(tuán)) holds together, squeeze it.”
We took turns working like that. “Is the dough ‘holding together’?” we asked each other.
I remembered my neighbor’s instructions: “If it’s too sticky, add some flour; if too dry, add water.”
We added water. Then more flour. Then more water. By then, the mass of our dough had grown very much.
“Place dough on floured surface and squeeze till smooth,” the recipe instructed.
We took turns burying our hands in the damp dough, pinching, squeezing, and feeling it leak between fingers. “Clean and oil bowl, and then return dough to bowl. Cover and let dough rise in a warm place for one hour.”
This was good news—we’d have a break. On the dirty kitchen chairs, we dreamed about our beautiful bread. “See?” we would tell my mom. “Isn’t it worth the work?”
Hanna and I couldn’t help glancing at the rising process every few minutes. But nothing happened.
“Maybe something will happen in the hot oven,” I said.
Unfortunately, when we removed the loaves from the oven, they were like hard stones.
Mom was right; it takes time and effort. It sometimes makes a mess. But still it feels good, somehow, to be part of that long, ongoing chain of bread bakers. Since that night, both Hanna and I have learned to do it right.

To tell you the truth, I’m not interested in owning a cellular (網(wǎng)絡(luò)) phone. Except for use in an emergency (緊急情況), for ordinary cellular phone service is very expensive. How would I get help if I were in trouble or in danger? A good friend said about a product she thought would settle my problem. It’s the SOS phone—a cellular phone service designed for emergency use.
With the touch of a button, the SOS phone will connect me to a roadside emergency service, a 911 service or a trained SOS operator, 24 hours a day. If I ever need help. I know it’s just a phone call away.
By pressing the “Tow” button, I’ll bc connected with my emergency roadside service provider. Or, if I don’t have one, the SOS operator can suggest one to me and get in touch with them immediately.
The “911” button would connect me to 911 emergency service in my area------best of all, the call is completely free!
If I just want to call home to tell my husband and children something necessary, I can, by pressing the “Call” hutton, I’ll reach an operator. When I ask the operator to call home, I’ll be connected automatically (自動(dòng)地). And because the Call Center has my 10 most-used phone numbers, I don’t even have to recite the numbers.
Unlike ordinary cellular phone plans, the SOS phone doesn't have any minimum usage requirements (底價(jià)) or other promises that could change the price
Why not try it yourself!
【小題1】The writer enjoys using the SOS phone because ______.

At about 4 am, after hours of being unable to sleep, of shivering in the cold mountain air and trying to silence my crying kids who kept waking up, of attempting to find a comfortable sleeping position, of listening to whether there might have been a bear outside our tent, I finally couldn’t stand it any more. I complained, “Everything has gone wrong.”
My wife and I were in one tent with our two young kids. A hundred yards east away was Summit Lake, where the glorious early morning mist was shimmering（閃爍）off the water. A couple miles to the southwest was the base of the Lassen Peak Trail. The base was 8,000 feet above sea level, and huge snow dotted the scenery even in mid August. Further west still was Bumpass Hell, with steam rising up.
As the sun crept up over the edge of the Lassen peak, we fired up the camp stove and had breakfast. Half an hour later, my six-year-old daughter and I were in the parking lot of the Lassen peak trail, getting ready to go up the mountainside. We wouldn’t make it all the way, but it didn’t matter. We would see nature at its extremes: the volcanic ash that layered on the earth turning the melting snow a mysterious pink as the sun struck it; the blues of the sky shading into the blues of distant lakes, which in turn shaded into the whites and grays of the snow.
My daughter grabbed my camera. She wanted to take a photo of “the composite（混合物）”of colors. Looking out over that scenery, and seeing my daughter fascinated by nature, I felt stupid about my morning complaints.
Yes, camping is uncomfortable. And yes, there’s a lot to be said for getting out a credit card,reserving a room in a nice hotel, and going out for a fancy meal. But there’s also something wonderful about being so close to raw nature. And , as important, there’s something vital about getting young children out of their increasingly modern comfort zones and forcing them to meet the world around them.
【小題1】.According to the passage, what contributed to the author’s sleeplessness ?
①the cold weather       ②his crying children          ③fear of bears            
④sounds of bears      ⑤the aches of his lower back      ⑥his own complaints

A dog who chewed off his owner’s infected toe（腳趾）while he was passed-out drunk has been called a lifesaver. Jerry Douthett had been out drinking when his dog Kiko bit off a large part if his big toe. His wife, Rosee, rushed him to hospital where tests showed the 48-year-old musician had dangerous high blood-sugar levels. Doctors told him his toe would have had to be cut off anyway.
Mr Douthett said he had refused to get medical advice despite his toe being swollen for months. “I was hiding it from people, Rosee included,” he said. “It smelled , and I look back now and realize every time we’d visit someone with a dog, their dog would smell all over my foot.”
The night before Mr Douthett had agreed to see a doctor, he passed out at home after going out drinking. He said, “I woke up and the dog was lying along side by foot. I said, ‘Ah, there’s blood everywhere.’ I ran to the bathroom and started to scream.”
However, he believes Kiko could sense the disease coming from his big toe. “He’s a hero,” Mr Douthett said. “It wasn’t an aggressive attack. He just ate the infection. He saved my life. He ate it. I mean, he must have eaten it, because we couldn’t find it anywhere else in the house. I look down. There’s blood all over, and my toe is gone.”
Before the operation, Mr Douthett asked a nurse, “Is there any chance I can get whatever’s left of my toe, so I can give it to Kiko as a treat?” Kiko is still with the family but is under observation by authorities.
【小題1】.Mr Douthett didn’t want to get medical treatment because ______ .

Joanne was stuck in a traffic jam in central Birmingham at 5：30 and at 6：30 she was expected to be chairing a meeting of the tennis club. At last, the traffic was moving. She swung quickly racing to her house. As she opened the door, she nearly tripped over (被絆倒)Sheba.
“Hey, Sheba,” she said, “I've got no time for you now, but I'll take you out as soon as I get back from tennis club.” Then she noticed Sheba seemed to be coughing or choking. Obviously, she could hardly breathe. Immediately, Joanne realized she would have to take her to the vet (獸醫(yī)).
When she got there, the vet was just about to close for the day. Seeing the state of Sheba, Dr. Sterne brought her quickly into his office.
“Listen, doctor, I'm really in a rush to get to a meeting, can I leave her with you, and go and get changed? I'll be back in ten minutes to pick her up, and then I'll take her on to the meeting with me. Is that OK?”
“Sure.” said the doctor.
Joanne made the quick trip back to her house in a couple of minutes. As she was once more entering the hallway, the phone by the door began to ring.
“This is Dr. Sterne,” said an anxious voice. “I want you to get out of that house immediately, ”said the doctor's voice. “I'm coming round right away, and the police will be there any time now. Wait outside!”
At that moment, a police car screeched (發(fā)出尖銳的聲音)to a stop outside the house. Two policemen got out and ran into the house. Joanne was by now completely confused and very frightened. Then the doctor arrived.
“Where’s Sheba? Is she OK?” shouted Joanne.
“She’s fine, Joanne. I took out the thing which was choking her, and she’s OK now. ”
Just then, the two policemen reappeared from the house, half-carrying a white—faced man, who could hardly walk. There was blood all over him.
“My God, ” said Joanne,  “how did he get in there? And how did you know he was there?”
“I think he must be a burglar.” said the doctor. “I knew he was there because when I finally removed what was stuck in Sheba’s throat：it turned out to be three human fingers.”
【小題1】. What was Joanne supposed to do at 6：30？

Destiny and Personal Responsibility
One important variable affecting communication across cultures is destiny（命運(yùn)）and personal responsibility. This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives, contrary to the degree to which we see ourselves as subject to things outside our control. Another way to look at this is to ask how much we see ourselves able to change and act, to choose the course of our lives and relationships. Some have drawn a parallel between the personal responsibility in North American settings and the view itself. The North American view is vast, with large spaces of unpopulated land. The frontier attitude of “King” of the wilderness, and the expansiveness of the land reaching huge distances, may relate to generally high levels of confidence in the ability to shape and choose our destinies.
In this expansive land, many children grow up with a heroic sense of life, where ideas are big, and hope springs forever. When they experience temporary failures, they encouraged to redouble their efforts, to “try, try again.” Action, efficiency（效率）, and achievement are valued and expected. Free will is respected in laws and enforced by courts.
Now consider places in the world with much smaller land, whose history reflects wars and tough struggles: Northern Ireland, Mexico, Israel, Palestine. In these places, destiny’s role is more important in human life. In Mexico, there is a history of hard life, fighting over land, and loss of homes. Mexicans are more likely to see struggles as part of their life and unavoidable. Their passive attitude is expr4essed in their way of responding to failure or accident by saying “ni modo”(“no way” or “tough lick”), meaning that the failure was destined.
This variable is important to understanding cultural conflict. If someone believing in free will crosses paths with someone more passive, miscommunication is likely. The first person may expect action and accountability. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the second is lazy, not cooperative, or dishonest. The second person will expect respect for the natural order of thins. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the first is forcible, rude, or big headed in his ideas of what can be accomplished or changed.
【小題1】The author thinks that one’s character is partly determined by        .

We’ve all seen them: perfectly toned famous people on late-night television telling us that we too can develop rock-hard abdominal muscles（腹肌）. It’s easy! Just pay $149.99 for the Torso Track or $149.75 for the Ad-Doer and watch those unwanted inches leave your waist. Americans spend tens of million of dollars on various products to firm up their fat around the waist.
And did they work? Not necessarily. Independent studies have concluded that most of these products-no matter who approved them or how expensive they are-shape your midsection no better than old-fashioned stomach crunches（仰臥起坐）. Some can even cause injury-like the $518.99 Body Shaper-Q8SP, which left electrical burns on some researchers at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. Others, like the popular Ab-Doer, trpically burn less energy than a gentle walk, according to a study to be published in September by the American Council on Exercise.
The fact is that many Americans don’t have the biological makeup to develop an obvious abdominal muscles. They are either unable to get the necessary muscle mass or they can’t lose enough fat to make a difference. Even if the underlying muscles are well developed, and it takes to hide it is one-sixteenth of tan inch of fat. That’s enough to dismiss most healthy women as well as plenty of guys who do crunches every day.
So what works best? In its new study, the exercise experts researched on the results of the popular Ab-Doer. A lengthy TV advertisement promises that just 10 minutes a day performing such movements as “Body Boogies” and “Good Mornings” will “help form those muscles the fun and easy way without diets.” Steven Loy, professor at California State University, Northridge, tested the promise by measuring the electrical activity produced by the abdominal muscles during three Ab-Doer movements. He and his colleagues then compared the results with those produced during traditional exercises. They determined that the muscles were no more active, and in some cases less so, when exercisers were using the Ab-Doer.
Taking a broader approach, researchers at San Diego State University compared 13 abdominal exercises for their ability to develop the central abdominal muscles. They concluded, in a report published in May, that the most effective exercises kept turning the body and worked the muscles the entire time. Among the winners: the bicycle movements-so called because it looks as if you are riding a bike while lying flat on the floor-and exercises performed on the “Captain’s Chair”, a product typically found in gyms that helps hold the body in the air while you raise your legs up toward your chest. Researchers suggested that a varied routine of the different exercises could deliver the best results.
【小題1】Which of the following is the most effective in building abdominal muscles?

  On Christmas morning, I went to the Cockhedge Mall. People there were all busy buying their last minute requirements. I needed to buy a birthday card for my son-in-law whose birthday is the 29th of December. Picking up a few more things as well as my cared I went to join the line for the express checkout which was for people who only had a few items in a basket and not a trolley load. This line was next to the Customer Service desk.
Seemingly waiting quite a long time, I was jogged out of my thoughts by a voice behind me making comments on the things I bought.
It was so funny when I realized that she was describing the contents of my basket. The owner of the voice was a very pretty young lady. I said to her that I was going to buy a box of Christmas cookies but the only ones left were not to my liking. The lady told me that just opposite Cockhedge in Superdrug they had lots of cookies. I said, “I’m not going to bother now. I had enough of shops and I’m going home.”
The assistant from the Customer Service came across at this time saying “If there is anyone in the line with a few items in their basket, none of which needed to be weighed, I will check out their groceries at the desk.” Because I had the sprouts which needed to be weighted, the young lady accepted the offer and walked away waving goodbye.
Eventually my turn came at the checkout. I was walking away when I met my new friend once again who handed me a beautiful box of Christmas cookies. With a big hug she said “Hope you have a lovely Christmas.” She had been into Superdrug to buy me the cookies while I was still queuing in Cockhedge.
What a generosity to a stranger! I was so surprised you could have knocked me down with a feather. My Good Samaritan would never know what a joyful Christmas day I had with my family. Telling them this story, as we ate around the table, kept everyone spellbound.
【小題1】The underlined word “spellbound” in the last paragraph probably means         .